Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 10:59am PT
|
Bumb for onSite soloing
|
|
thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 11:36am PT
|
I've got a question for anders, but bmacd might have an answer too.
Does an unhappy hooker offer any protection?
|
|
thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 11:39am PT
|
Or should I say how does one protect them selves when dealing with an unhappy hooker
|
|
Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 11:50am PT
|
OK, so BK made reference to my logging days and skills as a grapple yarder operator.
While driving up to the Tricouni trailhead a couple years ago, Ms. Chief and I came upon my old friend, the Madill 122 Swing Interlock Grapple Yarder.
I ran this machine in 88-89 when it was brand new and the most state of the art piece of machinery on the coast.
80 tons of yarding technology on a D8 hydraulic chassis capable of pulling a 25 ton log from 1000 feet away at up to 30 miles an hour.
In terms of operating challenges, about as close to rotary aviation as you could get. Like a giant real life video game with mangled valleys, well financed consumption (and some great climbing trips) the end result.
During the filming of the Edge we used the same type of machine to control the flight of a 3000 lb. aircraft on tandem 1500' highlines on Spray Lake above Canmore. Biggest descender drop I've ever done.
The Wee Beastie (with Big Ugly my Dodge truck for reference)
Yours truly standing on the tweasers, ironically clad in a perfectly matching Madill blue shirt.
The Flight Deck
|
|
thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 12:00pm PT
|
That thing is beast! must have been fun times playing with that thing, what movie we're you guys making?
|
|
Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 12:05pm PT
|
What movie?
Forests Forever of course!
|
|
thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 12:16pm PT
|
oops I got mixed up.. Bruce told a story about shooting a movie and he mentioned you NOT being there. DOH
|
|
RyanD
climber
Squamish
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 12:53pm PT
|
That bugs story was amazing Hamish F, thanks for the insight. My fingertips were definitely perspiring after that. What a day that would have been!
I had a feeling that nobody around here was into bouldering, that's ok I can talk about real climbing all day but i'm telling you guys that you are missing out!!
Tami thanks for the background on the Milkman's wall!
I have another Query about the early days of climbing in Squamish for anyone who may know; I know that Fist by the brunser was the first 5.10 in Squamish & that sentry box was the first 5.12, but what was the first 5.11 done & by whom? As well who did the first 5.13? was it the shadow?? Thanks!
|
|
hamish f
Social climber
squamish
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 01:03pm PT
|
That's the goal, sweaty fingertips in less than 1000 words.
|
|
RyanD
climber
Squamish
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 01:11pm PT
|
great success on that Hamish, i'm sure yours probably started sweating too when you wrote that! I'm gonna head to pet wall right now & try to set myself up with some first-hand fingertip perspiration! Enjoy the sun this weekend everyone!
|
|
Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 01:12pm PT
|
Here's a PC/Milkman's Wall bouldering story.
I'm "bouldering" (3rd classing) at Murrin one day and see some guy up at the Milkman's Wall and do my Genesis access up to the wall for a look.
It's Peter and he's worked out this rig where he climbs Mr. O'Clock to Mr. Crabbe to Horrors to the summit, down climbs Horrors to just off the deck and traverses back left to the start of Mr. O'Clock and repeats without touching the ground. At least ten times!
I had Horrors dialed to the alcove and used to climb up and down to there all the time. I'd ventured out onto the headwall a number of times but just couldn't feel solid finishing it.
Inspired once again by the great Pedro Croftini, I came up with my own wimpy version which I dubbed "The Milk Toaster".
Start up Exodus, downclimb Mr. O'Clock, traverse across the base to Horrors and climb to the alcove, shake out then reverse the whole rig to the start of Exodus. Shake out, repeat. Best effort seven laps, awesome workout.
Entertaining variation; El Indio to Mr. Crabbe to the alcove then down Horrors, back track and repeat.
For the record, that's what we called bouldering back then.
No pads, no pad armies, just shorts, shoes, chalk bag and bong hits.
|
|
RyanD
climber
Squamish
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 01:16pm PT
|
For the record, that's what we called bouldering back then.
That's what i figured! Amazing!
|
|
Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
|
|
|
Mar 24, 2012 - 01:40pm PT
|
Oh very well Tami!
I'm guilty of oversimplifying things.
We did have some bouldering back then, but nothing like Camp 4 or the pictures in John Gill's Master of Stone.
How about Buns Up and Weasels Rip My Flesh?!
|
|
thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
|
|
|
Mar 25, 2012 - 11:34am PT
|
Bk you're acting more and more like norwiegen every day!
, just shorts, shoes, chalk bag and bong hits.
Speaking of bong hits, I got on Overly Hanging Out yesterday and man was glad to hit that bong after the overlap! What a gem of a line! Thanks for the story of the FA Tami when I first asked about it.
|
|
Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
|
|
|
Mar 25, 2012 - 12:21pm PT
|
Where were you all yesterday???? We climbed the Grand in the glorious sunshine all by ourselves yesterday afternoon! top three pitches were so warm a tee shirt was too hot. We could hear hundreds of boulderers grunting in the cool shady dampness of the woods below, but only saw one party come up to Exasperator below us. Here's hopeing for a repeat of that weather today!
K
|
|
TheSoloClimber
Trad climber
Vancouver
|
|
|
Mar 25, 2012 - 12:35pm PT
|
I was at Grouse yesterday..... Big competition over the past two days. Gorgeous spring conditions.
This is from a couple weeks ago.
|
|
RyanD
climber
Squamish
|
|
|
Mar 25, 2012 - 01:59pm PT
|
Bruce, Buns up & squealing is the name of a roof crack boulder problem on the side of the old highway bed, in the bouldering guide it says that it was put up by Randy atkinson in 78' -2nd oldest problem recorded in there so pretty relevant to Squamish i would think. The oldest recorded problem is the baldwin problem up by the base done in 61', he knew what was up.
Hey Chief what is weasels rip my flesh?
Saw you guys up on the grand yesterday Kris, looked real nice for sure, I was t shirt in the sun @ pet wall getting bouted on animal, that thing is tricky!
So nobody knows the first 5.11 or the first 5.13 in Squam? Was perspective maybe the first 5.11?
|
|
hamish f
Social climber
squamish
|
|
|
Mar 25, 2012 - 03:59pm PT
|
Seems the more I embarass myself, the more people get a good laugh out of my stories. And if you can't laugh, what's the point?
Summer of 78 or 79 and I've somehow talked my buddy, Ian, into coming with me to Squamish for some adventures in rock climbing. Or at least trying to rock climb. We were coming from Victoria, and when you're 13 or 14, that was a journey.
I think we'd climbed Banana Peel and Diedre and we felt ready for the next level. Oh yah, we were rolling. We chose Snake as the next obvious challenge and somehow we both made it through the unprotected traverse without a major catastrophe. I do recall being pretty scared out there. We made it up another pitch or so and then either the climbing got too tough for us or it started to rain. I can't remember which.
We had to rapell off with one rope and hardly any gear. Ian didn't own any gear whatsoever and I had spent a couple of years building up my meager collection... a biner at a time. In fact, years later I learned I was the brunt of many jokes at the outdoor store in downtown Victoria. The staff would chuckle when this little kid would come in and buy one carabiner. They were around three bucks at the time.
We start rapelling down Snake and we're using the biner-brake system. I made it down to some tree-covered ledge and managed not to lose my biners when I pulled the ropes through them. I had spoken to Ian about not letting the biners drop when getting the rapell rope separated from them but I guess he had a lot on his mind, what with starting grade 8 or 9 the following month. He gets down to the ledge, beside me, pulls the rope through, and clank-clank-clink, there go two of my prize biners. As I only had 15 or 20, this was a noticeable percentage of my collection. We were a little bummed out, backing off, losing gear.
Tails between our legs, we hike back to the cave (grand-wall trailhead) because that's home for a week or two. The day isn't done yet, however, and I'm psyched for a mid-air rapell. Out in our front yard stood a massive steel tower just asking to be climbed and rapelled off.
That's me, smart as a whip. I'll lead up to the top, bring up Ian, and we can both do an awesome mid-air rapell back down to the ground. Hmmm, there are some power lines up there, we better make sure not to touch those, wouldn't want to get a shock.
We uncoil our rope, I take some slings and my recently wounded biner supply and start climbing the galvanized steel monolith. This things a piece of cake compared to Snake so I'm cruising right up there. Then at about half height the angle got a lot steeper but it still wasn't too tough. Wow, look at me, I'll be at the top in no time flat.
Suddenly I start feeling strangely attached to the steel structure. The electricity is coming in through my hands and leaving out my feet! Oh My God, this feels horrendous. I'm freaking out up there, stuck to the steel, my hands aren't working all that well, and I've got to get out of there, now. Somehow I managed to tie a sling around the steel and I had my rope passing through it, ready for the speed lower.
Used up a couple of lives there, one because I was too cheap to leave a carabiner and risked the rope burning through the webbing. And the other for somehow escaping being electrocuted.
That sling was visible for about thirty years. Every year I'd hike up onto that little hill to watch the climbers on the chief, look up at my sling, and shake my head. B.C. Hydro replaced that tower with a wood pole a few years ago and I imagine some riggers got a good laugh when they saw my ancient sling way up there, next to the 500,000 mega-watt hi-voltage lines. I tried to stick to rocks after that. Well, maybe a few trees along the way.
|
|
Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
|
|
|
Mar 25, 2012 - 10:59pm PT
|
More great tales! I love it! Isn't it amazing some of the things we get away with when we're young and ignorant? I'm often surprised I lived past my teenage years...
Back to Hanging Gardens. I finished it today and installed the anchors. All the fixed lines are down and it's ready for your enjoyment. Remember if you're looking at the McLane guide, the route is reversed with it's neighbor Overhanging Gardens.
The first pitch is completely new. It just looked alot better and more direct than the original start which diagonaled in from 30m to the right. It's very easy to find. As you walk across the base of the Papoose, It's the first clean line you get to on the left. The detritus of route excavation will be quite visable on the ground. The route is comprised of predominantly 5.8 to 5.9 crack climbing, interspersed with short, technical face climbing cruxes.
p1. Follow diagonal finger cracks left across the wall until you can step to a higher ledge system, then exit right on thin face moves past a bolt. Belay on the right end of the large ledge below the corner. 30m, 5.10b
p2. Up the left facing corner, stepping left past a bolt into another shallow corner. Belay at the base of a V groove that angles to the right. 28m, 5.10c
p3. Up the groove, then back left in an awkward corner protected by a single bolt at the beginning. Above this the angle and difficulty ease considerably. Trend generally straight up past enjoyable face climbing to the top. 30m, 5.10b
To decend, either walk into the forest on the left and down the trail, or do three raps with a single 60m rope. There are slings/ cords on the anchors right now. They'll be replaced with chains next week sometime.
Enjoy!
Kris
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!