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the chemist
climber
Palo Alto, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 4, 2007 - 09:54pm PT
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I didn't get on all that many boulders but here's the story:
In a brilliant move, I got sucked into heading down to Touchstone San Jose to Boulder on Friday night. This, despite the fact that I had just told Gnome G that I would meet him and his crew at Lembert around 9am on Saturday. So I throw down at T-stone knowing full well that sending V5 in the gym is going to translate to about V1, maybe V2, on real rock.
I got back from the gym at around 9:30 after being pulled over on campus for having a head light out. Luckily, I had the new bulb in the glove box and I got off with a promise to install it right away. I changed the bulb, threw the rest of my gear in the car, went to Safeway to get food and hit the road at 10:30. Rolled into Hardin Flat three hours later and hit the sack.
Next morning I got up and hit the road, getting up to Lembert around 8:30 or so. I did some crash pad lounging while the crew trickled in. Eventually there were six of us: Jan (Gnome G), Rachel, Carrie (sorry is I am spelling this wrong), Guy, Jeff and myself.
First on the relaxed agenda was a visit to the Knobs for some warm-up bouldering.
Racking up for the mosquitoes.
Jan tops out.
Jan flings marmot crap on unsuspecting victims waiting to climb.
Guy tops out while Carrie and Jeff wait in the warm-up line.
Jeff has a go at one of the harder probs, while Guy points out what he’s doing wrong.
The crew then headed over to Low Profile for some routes.
Jan leads up Black Widow.
Meanwhile Jeff led Golfer’s Route.
I had a go at leading Orange Man and took a few falls getting up it. Jan and I forgot to compare notes on our relative weights, and due to the fact that I am deceptively heavy, we ended with a +40 pound weight difference between climber and belayer. I took a fall with a bolt just under my knees and ended up with a 20 footer as Jan got pulled into and up the wall. His hands took the worst damage.
Shortly thereafter we retired to the meadow for beers and so forth.
At this point I took my leave of the Gnome Crew and headed over to try to meet my friends at the end of their Royal Arches/North Dome link up. I rolled up and found my most prolific partner lounging on a bear box all by his lonesome. Turns out that he had broken his arm on Royal Arches, finished the climb, and then descended the North Dome gully to the medical center. The poor guy was going to have the next two months off to climb since he is between jobs this summer, and now he won’t get to climb at all. I hung around until the rest of the link-up crew dragged their asses up to the road, at which point the all headed home, and I went back towards the Meadows for some night time photos.
The next morning I was up early and I took a walk while I was waiting for the Gnome Crew to show at Lembert.
Small dome behind Lembert.
Meadows from the top of Lembert.
The parking lot at 10:15 with no sign of the Gnome Crew, well over an hour after the proposed meeting time.
I bailed down to Tenaya to wrestle some pebbles on the slabs just west of Mountaineer’s Dome.
Since no one ever takes pictures of me climbing, here is a shameless self portrait of me showing off my farmer’s tan and boxer briefs. (“Chicks dig grey.”)
Anyone recognize this problem and have a guess on the grade? It was very steep and I could barely pull off the ground let alone make a move.
After a quick swim in the lake, I headed home and had time to catch Pirates of the Caribbean before bed.
Evan
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Standing Strong
Trad climber
lucky under lucky sky
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bump! nice, and a great title too.
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Hoots
Trad climber
Bellingham, WA
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the nighttime shots are spectacular! nice work!
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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That problem is "Reach For A Peach", 5.12a....(F.A. me!)
Lonnie Kauk on the fabulous "Reach for a Peach"....
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Matt
Trad climber
places you shouldn't talk about in polite company
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12a?
thought it was like v7?
think ron was on it in a gucci ad awhile back too.
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Watusi
Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
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Very Nice Post!!
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the chemist
climber
Palo Alto, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 5, 2007 - 02:15pm PT
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12a! ha. I agree that it seemed more like V7. But that's a sweet photo of Lonnie on the problem.
JB is your next shoe model going to be The Sandbaggers? "Tie on The Sandbaggers, they make every route at least three letter grades easier."
Evan
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James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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It's 12a if you're wearing Acopas.
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caughtinside
Social climber
Davis, CA
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Wow, you really messed up the Gnome's hands! good thing you still got the catch!
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klinefelter
Boulder climber
Bishop, CA
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Old School 12a IS V7, people.
Funny, I've gone back to rating problems with old school YDS grades, too, for some reason. Might have something to do with the lack of V-ratings for 5.7s and 5.8s (currently my onsight level).
Nice TR, man.
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Russ Walling
Social climber
Out on the sand.... man.....
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Bravo Chem!
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Knob Central
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Rule number one: Never let go of the rope, with either hand. It's just skin! And it isn't nearly as bad as getting a hand sucked thru a biner!!!@!@!#@!!#$
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David Nelson
climber
San Francisco
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Very enjoyable TR and pix. Thanks for making ST a climbing site!
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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What's V7? ....part of that new confounded rating system everybody is using?
5.12a - like Klinefelter said. Midnight Lightning = 5.12c (or 7b+ Font)....
1st ascent, 7th try in Fire Classics.
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CAMNOTCLIMB
Trad climber
novato ca
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Nice photos, great play by play
The marmot sh#t flick is classic.
Brian
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curlie
Trad climber
SLO, CA
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Marmot sh#t flick is not so classic if it's falling on YOUR head!
Yep, you spelled it right! Sorry about being rather late on Sunday, we really must have just missed you. I think we rolled into Lembert around 10:30 at the latest, G_Gnome was certainly overestimating our earliness that weekend....Guy, Jeff, and I ended up going over to Dozier and doing some of the new easy stuff over there. Fun! The Gnome licked his wounds and went fishing.
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10b4me
Trad climber
Hell A
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that's a great pic of the Meadows
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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all great photos and makes me feel very far away from the meadows right now..
last time Elaina and i were there we did some new problems below and phobos/demos dome located in a creek bed,marsh area below right side...
Dave Yerian went out there with us one day and we shot some video...
good blocks, lots to do and just a little cleaning to make it happen..
check it out..
k
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tradcragrat
Trad climber
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Midnight lighting .12c? I always heard it was V8.
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