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Floyd Hayes
Trad climber
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
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Is Big Rock going to be accessible during the last 2 weeks of December?
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dogtown
climber
Cheyenne,Wyoming
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Largo wrote:
( I've always said that English Hanging Gardens was 5.12 and Haney did it around 1968 I think.) This always comes up when the subject of Big Rock is disgust. I have only seen it done once and the conclusion was at time it was the hardest mantle move in So. Cal. Period. 12+ and that was in the early 80’s. I grew up at Big Rock,Rubidoux and the beach also, didn’t everyone?
Bruce.
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Burt
Trad climber
Las Vegas, Nv
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I was climbing in big rock on fine day in the beginning of my climbing career (i think I was 13) and I think it was the route between the 2 flake systems or the one to the right of them (forget the name or grade 5.10 or 5.11 I think) I lead up to the ledge brought my very inexperienced partner up and got all pumped to lead the "hardest pitch of my life" I was so excited I couldn't contain myself I launched up the wall smearing my way to the first bolt and reached back for a draw and noticed I hadn't grabbed any! It felt like I was 25 feet from the ledge (prob only 10 lol) no way was I going to down climb my test piece, so I slid my finger in the bolt and if my memory serves me right it was a 1/4 inch with a leeper style hanger so only one finger would fit. I pulled up some draws on the rope and soon found out the crux was letting go of my new found metallic mono to get the biner in it so I could clip the rope in! The feeling of pure terror discovering no biners, to the shear joy of living through a life or death experience (or just a small lob to the belay) is a feeling that I have spent chasing for many years now.
Kurt "Burt" Arend
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madbolter1
Big Wall climber
Walla Walla, WA
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I used to climb there a lot... lived in Hemet for years. One of the funniest things I remember was watching this one guy try to lead the trough.
I had met this guy many times down at Corona Del Mar, and the guy could sail anything at the beach. I mean solid. I didn't know he ever led anything because whenever I saw him he was bouldering.
So, I was surprised to see this guy at Big Rock... seemed like a long ways from home for him.
Well, he starts leading the trough, and as you will remember, it is water-polished and a bit run out.
The guy is sketching past the second bolt. I mean he barely reaches the third bolt. Every part of his body is shaking, and the low moans of anguish and muttered curses still crack me up to this day.
He finally got to the third bolt, clipped a 'biner, lowered off, and pulled his rope though. He knew me, so asked if I would get his 'biner, so I hiked up to the bolt and tossed it down to him. By then he was finished packing. He clipped the 'biner to the outside of his pack, and he and his belayer walked out.
I only saw him at Corona after that.
Never forgot it... this 5.13 guy couldn't lead low-angled 5.4. Too many differences from what he was used to... totally out of his element.
Actually, I was afraid for the guy at one point. You can take a long, grinding fall on the trough, and it sure looked like he was going to do it.
Like Clint Eastwood says, "A man has got to know his limitations."
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Cannon
Trad climber
Wildomar, CA
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i had no idea there was stuff under the water. my soul is saddened a little bit. i like it at big rock. i pay the fee to park in the picnic/camp ground thing, get on my long board, push once, and cruz all the way to the base of the rock. i pay the fee as to not get my car broken into :)
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Richard
climber
Bend, OR.
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Edger Sanction:
30 feet of TERRIFIC climbing
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Only been there in a rental car, that we left with the doors unlocked and nothing in it. Busted glass in the parking area (always nice to see). There was a polic cruiser up and down the road a few times, so, its a known problem. Bummer you can't drive in a park at the base, but, probably be an even bigger problem with litter, etc, if they allowed that. At least you could keep an eye on your vehicle, rather than hike around the corner where you're out of sight.
I got a sweet photo cop ticket out that way too. No traffic, late at night, stop light in the middle of nowhere that didn't change forever...ugh.
Fun climbing, though.
-Brian in SLC
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Dimes
Social climber
Living in the past.
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In regards to English Hanging Gardens, there is a little trick to doing it that Hensel and I figured out that made it seem like 5.11a. Could walk up and do it everytime after we knew the secret(even in the original Aspen tennis shoes. Last time I was there 15 years ago I couldn't remember the secret and as such walked away humbled by memory loss and skill degradation!!
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ME Climb
Social climber
Behind the orange Curtain
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Cannon, nice photo of the poison oak. Hardest part of puppy dog is getting past that.
E
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Paging Sir Hensel, what is the secret?
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gunsmoke
Trad climber
Clackamas, Oregon
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"i pay the fee as to not get my car broken into"
I read an article in the LA Times c.1990 that said that the local rangers staked out the area so notorious for car break-ins. Thieves showed up and in the confrontation, one was shot dead. It was the first occurrence of a CA park ranger killing someone they were trying to apprehend.
In all my visits to BR, I've never seen EHG done. The one person I knew who claimed to have done it happened to be on it one day as I arrived. He was hang-dogging.
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TYeary
climber
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I think Raw Deal, 5.11b, could be the best hard route on the rock.
My 2 cents.
Tony
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henny
Social climber
The Past
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Unfortunately, I don't remember our EHG sequence anymore either. (that was a lot of help, eh?) Maybe if I went out there and looked at it something would jog the memory, but without that, nada.
I haven't been to Big Rock in years now. Too bad, it was kind of a fun low key place. When the break-ins starting getting so bad it kind of put a damper on things though.
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dogtown
climber
Cheyenne,Wyoming
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I remember the EHG sequence, It's a in your face very hard mantle and then you get the clip. I'm with largo on this one,it's a sandbag.
Bruce.
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Curt
Boulder climber
Gilbert, AZ
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It wasn't a pure mantle, though--because I suck at those. There was a way to basically do a finger-tip mantle with both hands, and then get into a position to reach one hand up (I believe the right) to a crappy little edge. Then, you could sort of finish pressing out the mantle with the assistance of this crappy little edge. After doing that, the hand grabbing the crappy little edge could reach a higher and pretty decent crimp--and your feet could be moved up fairly easily.
Curt
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madbolter1
Big Wall climber
Walla Walla, WA
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Tony, I'm gratified to hear your praise of Raw Deal. I did the FA of that one.
I don't understand the earlier description by another person, about the "skinny bolts" and "spinner hangers." I put it up ground up with 1/4 inch bolts, but a few days later came back and retro-bolted it with 3/8 inchers. So, the bolts and hangers were darn good when I was finished.
I didn't take a fall during the first ascent, but did fall now and then on it on subsequent ascents. It's pretty technical, and your feet have to be really dialed in, as you know.
Anyway, nice to hear that you liked it. Thanks.
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madbolter1
Big Wall climber
Walla Walla, WA
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Regarding EHG, I never could bag it, although I have done many things rated much harder. A sandbag indeed. Definitely a "trick" climb!
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Iron Mtn.
Trad climber
Corona, Ca.
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Aug 10, 2009 - 04:28am PT
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Aug 17, 2009 - 12:47pm PT
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For those who share an enjoyment in recalling Big Rock history, I scanned a couple of slides.
The first one is Paul Gleason leading the first ascent of "The Virgin" free. This was a bolt and RURP aid route that was an early (1965?) 5.10, and an important "break through" climb for us.
The second picture is Paul enjoying one of his favorite, painful boulders. Note the shoes reinforced with epoxy glue to make them stiffer.
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