Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Philosopher
Big Wall climber
Sacramento, California
|
|
Indeed.......
And i'll never forget Royal chewing me out because my life was saved by a bolt (that I didn't place).
I guess I was supposed to die for the sake of his Kantian conscience ;)
Let's keep thinking about thinking :)
MLM
|
|
Fuzzywuzzy
climber
suspendedhappynation
|
|
MARK!!!!
It's me, Carter! How the heck are you!
Still in SB?
I see Falk and Chuck Cochrane all the time! Well, actually at least a number of times per year.
Still climbing and skiing around.
If I ever find some photos I have of you up at our cabin in Felton I will post them to you!
You took me on my first aid climb/practice up the bottom of the Folly. I remember being so tangled up that I couldn't bother clipping (maybe couldn't even find the lead line) and eventually got far enough off the ground (60') that when I slipped on a streak of ooze I fell upside down out of my aiders and stopped a body length off the deck. I'll never forget the look on your face. I was upside down and we were eye to eye.... "We might be done for the day, Tom".
Oh man.
Great to see you are alive and kicking!
Tom Carter
|
|
Philosopher
Big Wall climber
Sacramento, California
|
|
This is great, Tom!
That's 35 years, more or less....
Email me at mark_mcpherran@Sfu.ca and
We'll find the right phone numbers....
There are some memories and friends that need updating ;). great to hear your 'voice'...mark
|
|
Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
wussing off the topout on Roadside Attraction
|
|
This site is so cool.
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 26, 2012 - 02:33pm PT
|
Royal Bump...
|
|
Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 1, 2012 - 05:29pm PT
|
Royal actually took a big one while dangling from the Big Arch on the Arches Direct FA. Bump for the stuff below...
|
|
tom Carter
Social climber
|
|
As always Steve, thanks for the history!
|
|
wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 05:35pm PT
|
So....A TR report on this thread: Greasy But Groovy. Been on the list for a while.
There had been speculation, reputation, and information from foggy memories. Best to put all that aside and simply climb it. so JayWood and I cast off.......
The mysterious first pitch whose anchors were a mystery. Guide calls for five bolts but there are seven good 5/16" buttonheads with good stainless SMC hangers. I trust they were replaced at some point but not by Roger/Clint/Ryan et.al.? Reasonable 5.9.
There are anchors just up and to the right from where I am in the photo that are not in the guide book. We belayed from here but learned that the crack (visible in the photo about 30' to the left) is where the route goes due to the proximity of the Arches Terrace traverse. It was tricky thin face to get over from the anchors to the crack but JayWood did a great job to get over and get us back on track. Good pro at the top of the crack and more then likely the crack and bush Cos mentions as it's the only one about a pitch up near the climb. It would be best to forego the anchor and climb up and to the left from where I am and get into the crack and belay from there. As it was, the guide shows the route going up through the Arches Terrace first pitch belay anchors (shown at "J" in Reid guide). So JayWood set pro in crack and went to that belay. Turns out that this is incorrect as the anchors are where the bolt at "I" (Start of Reefer Madness and, as it turns out, a new route.) is shown in the guide. So we assumed incorrectly that we were on the second pitch and I cast off strait up. There are no bolts on the second 5.7 pitch in the guide but I soon came to a bolt after climbing on 5.9 and saw four more heading up to a distant belay. I suspected I was off route (on the "new route") and looked around. Sure enough, I looked to the east and there was the obvious belay and infamous 'Hole' above about forty feet to my right. No pro over 5.10 looking territory and the time wasted caused me to bail back down to the belay. JayWood then took off to the left along the Arches Terrace traverse to easy looking terrain below the second pitch anchors which was just at the second bolt of Arches Terrace traverse. He then climbed up 5.7 terrain for a pitch of no pro (there is no bolt directly before the anchors as shown) and we were back on route! Good job JayWood.
So the way to go is to belay in the crack at the top of the first pitch of Groovy, then head up and right past the second bolt of the AT traverse up to the new s.s. ring anchors installed by the great efforts of Roger/Ryan/Clint. Yahoo!
Now to the fun stuff. I'd read about the dreaded 30' runout to the infamous 'hole' and was looking forward to finding out whether it was as scary as represented or just a "ghost" as Peter Hann likes to call them. I would say a bit of both. Yes, it's 30' to the hole but it's only about ten feet of 5.10 with plenty of solid holds and the fall's clean. Not bad if your solid and I was climbing solid. As a backdrop to what unfolds, I had half inch holes in both pairs of my identical prized climbing shoes. I'd told myself three hard climbs ago that I needed to get them resoled but couldn't afford not to have them since I wanted to do this climb before the end of the season. So I cast off but felt solid and strong and climbed easily to the hole.
Now the guide says 10.d at third bolt and 10.c after fifth bolt. This is backwards and is more like Steve Grossman says in the thread. It gets progressively harder after the first bolt and is more like 10.b after first, 10.c after third and about 11.a after fifth (especially after all the loose holds I threw off)across the line of all new s.s bolts (thanks again guys). As was mentioned, the whole dime coin play was in progress across a loose array of holds and I had to pick and test my way across, using some of the less flexible crisps. As I climbed up and across I remembered what Largo said about how he was in awe that anyone could drill those bolts from stances. Amazing! I was climbing beautifully and was about five feet from the anchors when a foot hold blew and off I went.
I was determined to get to the anchors and scurried back up for another go and blew again. This time I noticed a big flap of rubber on the toe and realized that I was effectively done.
No way I was going to get across 5.11 friction (Largo thought more like 5.12 in EBs). So unfortunately had to call it before climbing the rest of the route as it was getting late due to all the route finding from before.
So, the climbing is excellent, hard and not that scary to the third. Now that we know the way, we'll get a better jump and will definitely be giving that fourth and other pitches a go.....Now if I can just find something to fit my feet......
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 05:55pm PT
|
Thanks for the TR and all the topo edits - will get the topo cleaned up!
|
|
wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 06:09pm PT
|
Ya Clint...Your the person to do it. I don't have your photo overlay capabilities. Thanks again for your help in keeping a cool route alive!
|
|
KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 06:27pm PT
|
the Mouth on GPA is a nice route that's not in too bad of a rock fall zone. It is missing a bolt (the bolt?) on the last pitch
This "missing" bolt is actually a FP set into a seam, about 30 or 40 feet up and left, around the corner and out of your sightline, from the 1st bolt on the pitch. Every time I've led this pitch, I've headed pretty much straight up, drifting slightly right - noticed the old FP on rappel, finally. But the straight up variation feels pretty tanker!
Can it be possible that "Midlife Crises" might be the best line on RA Apron?
No exfoliating dimes involved. Just solid smearing on rock which feels as close grained and as compact as, say, Stately Pleasure Dome.
While en rappel we noticed a bolt on the 2nd pitch of GBG - the 5.7 slab which departs Arches Terrace 1/2 way across its traverese. Wasn't there (or did I miss it?) when I cast off on a 50m cord from the top of the approach pitch crack. Had to tie our 2 lines together; Tom gave me such a good yank in the process that I almost wung from about 6 feet below the stance.
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 06:58pm PT
|
> the Mouth on GPA is a nice route that's not in too bad of a rock fall zone. It is missing a bolt (the bolt?) on the last pitch
This "missing" bolt was actually a FP set into a seam, about 30 or 40 feet up and left, around the corner and out of your sightline, from the 1st bolt on the pitch. Every time I've led this pitch, I've headed pretty much straight up, drifting slightly right - noticed the old FP on rappel, finally. But the straight up variation feels pretty tanker!
Actually the missing bolt was about 15' below the anchors at the end of the last pitch. It is described in the Roper guide, and was in the 1982 Meyers topo. I found the hole when rapping off and Roger replaced the bolt in 2009.
I saw that fixed pin to the left while leading and I didn't clip it, either!
The problem with the climb which limits its current popularity (in my opinion) is the runout on the first 5.9 section. There is gear down below your feet, but you would slide down and maybe hurt your ankle there. I tossed a hook and pulled on it when I led this, although I probably have below average slab skills (numb left foot, etc.).
photos from climbing it in 2009, just prior to replacing the bolts:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=912351&msg=913408#msg913408
And the route name is actually "The Smile".
|
|
KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 07:05pm PT
|
I found the hole and Roger replaced the bolt a few years ago.
Great - now it's a Sport root.
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 07:13pm PT
|
haha, restoring that final bolt does not change any of the big runouts earlier on the pitch and on lower pitches.... :-)
|
|
Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 09:46pm PT
|
Holy crap, just found this thread.
I took a HUGE RIPPER on Shakey Flakes back in the 1970s.
It's funny because I had such a huge rasberry on my legs and butt that I couldn't tolerate wearing my pants.
So imagine a bloodied, long-hair hippie freak getting on the double-decker bus in his underwear.
(:
|
|
wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
|
|
|
Oct 22, 2012 - 11:19pm PT
|
Hey Kabala,
Yes, the Crisis is a great route on solid rock and is one of the better protected, if not the best protected route on RA.
As for the Arches Terrace traverse bolt. The Reid guide shows it but could have been added after Roper?
|
|
KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
|
|
|
Oct 23, 2012 - 11:44am PT
|
The problem with the climb which limits its current popularity (in my opinion) is the runout on the first 5.9 section
Well, sort of, Clint. I thought that the really committing move was that 1st high step out of the stance; blow it, and you're looking at a hard bounce off the ledge.
But it's that 1st pitch which separates the slab rats from the mice, so to speak. If you flash it, then you'll probably feel comfortable with the rest of the runnout sections. At least, until you gaze slack jawed up at Rick Accomozzo's continuation to Perhaps.
|
|
KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
|
|
|
Oct 23, 2012 - 12:12pm PT
|
Yes, the Crisis is a great route on solid rock and is one of the better protected, if not the best protected route on RA.
Nice photos!-wstmrnclmr. The Crises seems to offer a welcome alternative to the usual RA slab routes. Instead of having to wander all over hell's 40 acres to try and navigate the crumbling dimes between bolts, here you just step it up and go.
I took a spectacular, inverted, plunge halfway between the last bolt and the stance on Poker Face. The climbing had eased off to about 5.9, and so I guess I wasn't paying enough attention when a foothold flake popped.
When you take a fall that you're not expecting, it happens so fast that you don't even know you're falling, until you're hanging on the cord.
(which, I suppose, is less psychologically traumatic than taking the ride you are expecting: easing through 15 or 20 feet of a sustained minefield, I arrived at a bolt with a botched sequence. My hands were reversed, and so there was No Way I was going to be able to lock off on one to make the clip with the other. So close I could have leaned over a few inches and kissed the hanger, which was now ticking off the seconds before the inevitable sent me like a time bomb)
The texture of Poker Face neatly sanded off 2 fingertip pads.
After I'd regained my composure some, we headed over to GPA, and I on-sighted Cold Fusion - no tips necessary, just flat handing, and the stone felt nicely cool to the touch. Plus, if you can't do the easier route, then do the harder!
|
|
Don Lauria
Trad climber
Bishop, CA
|
|
|
Oct 23, 2012 - 01:35pm PT
|
Just curious ... who placed that bolt on the 4th pitch of the NA Wall?
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!