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davidji
Oct 31, 2003, 6:33 PM
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This post got me thinking, and I realized that some of the most fun, scariest, and most physical climbing I've done was in chimneys.
Do you have any chimney stories? What's your favorite? Most burly? Scariest?
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findingit
Oct 31, 2003, 6:59 PM
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hehe, my first chimney was a mini adventure.....it included my first leader fall on gear and I misread the description in the guide book and got stuck in a hole.........it was about 60 ft high, the chimney ended at a roof, the roof had an opening that went through to the forest floor above. Are you forming the picture? Oh yeah, there was a chockstone wedged in the hole as well....a nice big one. Anyways, I thought I had read that you were to top out by squeezing through the hole at the top.......so I went for it (thinking how cool is this?). I was able to get my upper body through the squeeze but was unable to fit my harness through due to my rack. So I decide to squeeze back down to unload some gear and toss it up so I could fit. At this point I realized that I was stuck.....I couldn't go up or down. Here I am, half a body poking up through the floor of the forest.....such a moron....can you imagine if someone came walking by? Anyways, I was starting to worry a bit, I was having thoughts of sending my girlfriend who was belaying me to get help....but although I was quite stuck I didn't like the idea of being takin off belay just yet. So I decide to get back down no matter what it required. I wanted so bad to be able to pull that Mel Gibson move and dislocate my shoulder on demand. So after some serious mental resolve not to freak out and some painful wiggling, I was able to get down. After getting down I was able to chain a couple slings with a big hex and toss it around the chockstone and lower off. Later I collected my slings from the top, and looking at the hole I lowered my head and walked off with my stinging wounds laughing at me all the way. The name of the route is 'The oyster and the Pearl'. The guide book reads "...climb to the opening in the roof, find the pearl." I saw "...climb through the opening...."
That was a good one.....oh and the fall was clean, on a good size hex.
That's my first chimney....
later
clint
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mreardon
Oct 31, 2003, 7:05 PM
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In reply to: This post got me thinking, and I realized that some of the most fun, scariest, and most physical climbing I've done was in chimneys.
Wait until you try off-widths....
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iamthewallress
Oct 31, 2003, 7:13 PM
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Here's a link to my DNB TR...I think you've seen it.
http://www.camp4.com/morebigwallart.php?newsid=376
I climbed the Left Side of the Worst Error on Elephant Rock last weekend (read...I was blissfully terrified following/hang-dogging it) and wrote this post about it in the Warrior's Way Forum
http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=43130&sid=72a187f7204371792bbdcaabc6917aad
It was the most sustained chimney that either I (not saying much) or my boyfriend (saying something) had ever seen. The second pitch (third in the book) was probably 170 to 180 feet of sustained foot-knee chimneying from about 30 feet behind the pinacle. Barely any pro. The summit reminded me of the spires as it was comparable in size and fully detached from the main wall. It was one of the coolest climbs I've been on.
I've only led a couple of chimneys and those have been on flares w/ pro in the back on big cajones days. I'd love to get feeling secure enough in my climbing to run it out up the real deal though.
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holmeslovesguinness
Oct 31, 2003, 7:13 PM
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Just started climbing chimney's and offwidths at Vedauwoo this summer. It's definitely a beating when you don't have the technique dialed in. The Vedauwoo guidebook I have sums it up pretty well - there is a cartoon on one page showing a climbers bleedding, shredded, taped up hand writing "Only 5.6" in blood on the rock :lol:
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takeme
Oct 31, 2003, 7:17 PM
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In reply to: This post got me thinking, and I realized that some of the most fun, scariest, and most physical climbing I've done was in chimneys. Do you have any chimney stories? What's your favorite? Most burly? Scariest?
About a year and a half ago, in March my good friend Dave and I decided to spend a week in Indian Creek. We had both been there before, but the problem was that neither of us had climbed all winter--about 4 months. After a couple of days flailing on on single-pitch cracks, I somehow managed to talk both myself and Dave into attempting the Lightning Bolt Cracks route on nearby North Sixshooter Peak, which rather than being a mountainn in the normal sense, is a stunning desert tower in the northwestern part of the greater Indian Creek area.
Dave in particular was not having a great time with the climbing thus far into our trip, and it was somewhat remarkable that I was able to talk him into the climb, even on the condition that I would lead all the pitches. The technical crux of the entire climb is a finger crack 15 feet off the deck. I nearly nailed it, but took a short leader fall. Great, I thought--that was the crux, I'm out of shape but I almost sent--rest of the climb should be pretty doable.
NOT!!!! 50 feet later I'm struggling from an overhanging offwidth into a leaning, tight chimney (this whole upper section is rated 5.9), with my largest cam tipped out below my feet. At my wit's end, I spy a hairline crack left of the chimney, and manage to wiggle a #2 BD stopper into it. Out of options I decide to yard on the stopper, which slowly but promptly begins sliding down, and, I'm assuming, soon enough out of the crack. I instinctively tighten my flailing right-side knee-and-arm bars, while still keeping about 50% of my weight on the stopper. Somehow, by distributing my weight in such a manner, I manage to avoid falling (undoubtably, all my weight either on the stopper or in the crack would have resulted in the big ride), and thrutch into the more secure regions of chimney. Brutal.
The second pitch is a flared 5.9 chimney into an overhanging fist crack, about which the less said the better. Suffice it to say I hadn't done enough of those types of cracks in the previous days' warm-up at the Creek.
The third pitch ascends a monstrous 20-foot bombay flare, which looks impossible from the ground but is actually the easiest part of the entire route. Above this the rock gets progressively sandier, and soon I find myself at the base of an impossibly narrow looking chimey. No protection at all if climbed on the outside, off-width style, but it looks as though if I squeeze inside, I'll never get out!
Dave is one of the funniest people I've ever met. He's also afraid of heights, and his witty streak is running high as he turns the giant roof below me. I start giggling uncontrollably, both at his off-the-wall comments, and at the fact that I'm about to die, either by taking a huge fall while offwidthing, or of starvation while stuck deep in the chimney.
"Uh, Dave, great job man! That should pretty much wrap things up--about 30 more feet to the top. This chimney doesn't look so bad."
"Yeah, maybe I'll give it a shot."
Amazement, relief, and joy course through me. Dave is about half my size, and he might actually be able to get deep in there and still come out again. He rises to the occassion, and it's one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I cannot stop giggling and heaving with laughter at the comments coming from deep in the chimney. I'm not sure if Dave will ever climb with me again. Following, I get stuck trying to get inside, then give up and offwidth up the outside. I can't imagine leading the thing. On top, Dave is all smiles. We take in the best view of our lives....
Postscript: oddly, this heroic lead did not convert Dave into a chimneyophile. Last week we climbed Honeymoon Chimney on the Priest, and apparently I neglected to tell him about the chimneys and offwidths on the first pitch. Following the pitch, Dave, who hadn't touched a chimney in the year and a half since Lightning Bolt Cracks, wasn't happy, but he sure was hilarious. My poor mother....
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davidji
Oct 31, 2003, 7:18 PM
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In reply to: Wait until you try off-widths.... |
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iamthewallress
Oct 31, 2003, 7:22 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Wait until you try off-widths.... That's part of the reason that "most physical" was qualified with "some of". The right squeeze chimney can give a similar "fighting for upward progress" feeling, but with more upward progress, and more fun (and if it's a rattley squeeze), more fear.
Transitioning from one to the other is often the crux for me. (Generator Crack...ugh! Give me the stacks down below over the coversion to the squeeze any day!)
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braon
Oct 31, 2003, 7:37 PM
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Long chimneys have always scared me. Maybe it's the no-pro thing. At least with an offwidth I have the gear to protect it. Working on this though. Someday I'll be able to do a full-body stem across a 7 foot chimney. :shock: The Terror!!!!!!!
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davidji
Oct 31, 2003, 7:47 PM
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In reply to: Transitioning from one to the other is often the crux for me. (Generator Crack...ugh! Give me the stacks down below over the coversion to the squeeze any day!)
I failed on Doggie Do in the transition out of the short chimney section towards the top in the photo. A later image in this sequence shows that this guy did better than me. I have excuses (my left elbow was still swollen from a fall in a different chimney). But it didn't matter: it never ocurred to me to be left-side-in at the crux anyway.
http://www.takatori-yama.org/...yose2001/yosem21.jpg
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iamthewallress
Oct 31, 2003, 7:49 PM
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I seem to remember beta that you can do a walk-up TR on Doggy Do. True?
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davidji
Oct 31, 2003, 7:52 PM
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In reply to: Long chimneys have always scared me. Maybe it's the no-pro thing. At least with an offwidth I have the gear to protect it. Working on this though. Someday I'll be able to do a full-body stem across a 7 foot chimney. :shock: The Terror!!!!!!!
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=19779
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davidji
Oct 31, 2003, 7:57 PM
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In reply to: I seem to remember beta that you can do a walk-up TR on Doggy Do. True?
After seeing how the guy in the photo sequence did it, I may go back and try again. Doggie Deviations, a little east of it was a blast and well worth the approach. And while I'm up there...
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ep
Oct 31, 2003, 7:57 PM
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In reply to: I seem to remember beta that you can do a walk-up TR on Doggy Do. True?
True. It's not that much harder to lead though. A good OW practice pitch. And there's a fun 5.7 squeeze right next to it.
Chingando is another good one that can be toproped. It's not a walk up, but the approach to the chains is a very interesting 5.4 journey in its own right.
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brutusofwyde
Oct 31, 2003, 8:05 PM
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Here's one...
My nomination for tightest chimney I've ever climbed.
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=8ekl8b%24paa%241%40nnrp1.deja.com&rnum=1
First Chimney... Underpass on Intersection Rock, J.T.
Favorite Chimney... Steck Salathe' on the Sentinel, Yosemite
Wildest Chimney... Honeymoon Chimney on the Priest, Castleton Tower area
Scariest chimney... Texas Flake, Nose of El Cap
Coldest Chimney... SE Chimney, Mt. Waddington
Dirtiest Chimney... Mobile Chimneys route, Thor Peak, Mt. Whitney Area
Shortest, Hardest chimney... Ipecac, Joshua Tree
Honorable mentions:
Stonehouse Chimney, Tuttle Creek area
Milktoast Chimney, Tuttle Creek area
Zigzag, Intersection Rock, JT
Waterchute, Intersection Rock, JT
Beckey Route, Finger Rock, California
El Cap Spire and The Ear, Salathe' Wall, El Cap
Still on my list:
Liquid Sky, Sixshooter Peak, Indian Creek
Mr. and Mrs. Bridges, rumored to be somewhere in Utah
Welcome to Chimney Rock, Sequoia NP
Between a Rock and a Hard Place, JT
Brutus, armed with a #5 BigBro
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atg200
Oct 31, 2003, 8:07 PM
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honeymoon chimney is a burly one, eh? 5.9 my ass on that first pitch. my favorite part of that climb was reading the register on top - there was an entry from a girl complaining about getting sodomized by her belay device on the first pitch squeeze chimney. later that night at indian creek we are spraying about the climb, and sure enough some chick pipes up "man, my belay device was sodomizing me on that pitch". classic.
another time i was climbing with uncle big green in the south platte on a 10a offwidth and squeeze chimney. ubg is a runt, and tunneled for the back of a narrow squeeze chimney to place a big cam halfway up the pitch. i climbed pretty well up to that point while following, but i was much too big to get into that chimney. i couldn't reach the cam, or even reach the biner to unclip the rope. i tried hanging on the rope and tunneling in hands and shoulders first, but still no dice. i ended up having to lower off, ubg had to downclimb 30 feet or so to place a rap anchor he could get off with a single lien, and he had to tunnel in on the way down. beware following squeeze chimneys if you are much bigger than the leader.
my least favorite chimney experience ever happened with addiroids on the three gossips. i didn't read the topo too well and the 30' long squeeze chimney at the top of my pitch came as a complete surprise. i couldn't protect it, and to make matters worse one of my wall shoes got stuck in the damn chimney halfway up. i ended up having to leave it and finished the pitch in one shoe and a sock. totally desperate, but listening to addiroids bitch about the stench when he cleaned it made it almost worthwhile.
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takeme
Oct 31, 2003, 8:28 PM
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In reply to: Still on my list: Liquid Sky, Sixshooter Peak, Indian Creek Brutus, armed with a #5 BigBro
I think there needs to be a law against climbing that route. I got a real good look at it while climbing Lightning Bolt Cracks. That crack extends most of the way up and all of the way through the tower (some other OW horror--not the Pratt crack--climbs the analog on the opposite side), and it seems that all it would take is a little pressure (and much would be exerted in climbing that route!) to split the tower in two!
Regardless of that, the route is about the worst looking horror-show I've seen, especially for big folks like me. People, we're talking about a 5.12 offwidth squeeze 20 foot roof, fer chrissakes!!!!
All yours, Brutus :wink:
Charles
p.s. Brutus--you might look into Space Tower up in Kane Creek Canyon next time you're in the Moab area. Short approach, one very long, or two moderate length pitches, and very similar to the Priest, but possibly even wilder. Kind of like the second pitch of the Priest, but 5.9 instead of 5.7. The top in particular is extremely frightening, where the full-body chimney "narrows", i.e. you must chimney between 2 narrow ribs of rock, while the rest of the chimney becomes so wide as to be impossble. Then, one is required to pull onto one wall of the chimney. There is a bolt (the only one on the route--cracks in the chimney provide good pro most of the way) not terribly far below you on this section, but you don't want to fall! The actual name of the route is "Hallow Souls"--it is the only route I know of on the tower. I wrote a description for www.climbingmoab.com
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iamthewallress
Oct 31, 2003, 9:08 PM
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In reply to: ahab. right of moby dick. "5.10b" hah.
Ahab's poor cousin...
Left side of Moby Dick.
5.9. hah.
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davidji
Nov 1, 2003, 12:56 AM
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I've gotten the time to read more of the stories here. Entertaining stuff. Chimneys and OWs certainly make for interesting climbs.
The one I remember as most fun:
Right Side of the Cookie.
The scariest for me: Harding Chimney at Sugarloaf. It pales in seriousness to the ones discussed above, and it isn't especially hard at 5.7, but I had no pro large enough, and my only real protection was not falling.
Worst stuck experience: The same Harding Chimney. Got my foot stuck heel to ball of the foot. Couldn't twist it out. Couldn't wrench it out with my hands. Wasn't carring a knife (to cut off my shoe). Finally kicked it out with my other foot. I guess I could have used it as a belay anchor to bring my partner up...
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iamthewallress
Nov 1, 2003, 2:35 AM
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Lemme guess...You went climbing with Nathan Sweet?
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davidji
Nov 1, 2003, 3:20 AM
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In reply to: Lemme guess...You went climbing with Nathan Sweet?
On the Harding Chimney, he had climbed it years before, leading a beginner. He downplayed the boldness until after he followed me up the squeeze. He attributed it to repressed memory.
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coclimber26
Nov 1, 2003, 2:59 PM
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We are roadtrippin to red rocks next weekend to climb Epinephrine. Nice 300' chimney...I'll write back how it was..
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karlbaba
Nov 1, 2003, 3:27 PM
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I enjoy chimneys. Here's my Yosemite list
Worst Sandbag: Ahab (the Narrows on Steck Salathe is a close second)
Fun long chimney climb: NorthEast Buttress on Higher Cathedral
Punishing but rewarding Chimney climb: Steck-Salathe
http://member.newsguy.com/~climbing/Return_of_Gunks_Gumby.html
Scariest Epic Chimney climb: Wild Thing
http://member.newsguy.com/~climbing/WildThing!.html
Worst Reputation for what turned out to be "not too bad": Hollow Flake on the Salathe
Peace
Karl
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dingus
Nov 1, 2003, 3:31 PM
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My favorite chimney is the West Arrowhead Chimney, which is the 3 rap descent for the Arrowhead Arete. It's got all the classic features you want in a chimney, house size chockstones, overhanging raps, framed views of Sentinal Rock and the solitude of wilderness in a town of 30,000 people, but you don't have to climb it!
Come on, a legendary chimney that you don't have to climb...
Huh? HUH?
Speaking of Brutus of Wyde, take a peek at Wagon Train! Yee Hah!
Git em up, move em out!
http://www.sonorapassclimbing.com/...%20Wagon%20Train.jpg
Pro 6 - 12 inches. Take some smaller stuff for the belay.
Check out the zip line... it's hanging vertically.
Here's another view:
http://www.sonorapassclimbing.com/...0Wall/Tag%20Team.jpg
Gotta wait till next year to nab the 2nd ascent. Time to save up for the #9 and #12 Valley Giants.
Was a pleasure to hook my wagon to your train there Brutus. You're one hell of a trail boss.
DMT
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climbaholic
Nov 1, 2003, 8:36 PM
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I have to put up a disclaimer - I'm pretty poor at climbing chimneys and still curse and moan on many 5.7 chimneys.
But my favorite chimney is Sunshine Chimney - Centre in Squamish. It starts with 30 feet of crack climbing that takes you to a nice sidewalk that leads into the bowels of the cliff. You walk deep into here and start chimneying up the back. The chimney splits and then bears left. The chimney slowly gets narrower and more horizontal. By the end you are on your hands and knees and poking your head out on a face a good 50 feet to the left of the belayer - needless to say...there was lots of rope drag. But some crazy climbing that felt more like caving.
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petsfed
Nov 1, 2003, 11:04 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Still on my list: Liquid Sky, Sixshooter Peak, Indian Creek Brutus, armed with a #5 BigBro ... Regardless of that, the route is about the worst looking horror-show I've seen, especially for big folks like me. People, we're talking about a 5.12 offwidth squeeze 20 foot roof, fer chrissakes!!!!
Its not the first one to be done. Of course, not everyone is into off-widths to begin with, so there you go. Try Lucille, 5.12 offwidth/squeeze chimney. 30 foot roof. The crux is moving out of the chimney, turning the lip of the roof, and starting up a 5.10 offwidth, all at the same time, without vomitting. Brutus knows about it. I'd like to hear more about the Wide World of Sport sometime, like where is it?
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jsj42
Nov 1, 2003, 11:31 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Still on my list: Liquid Sky, Sixshooter Peak, Indian Creek Brutus, armed with a #5 BigBro I think there needs to be a law against climbing that route. Regardless of that, the route is about the worst looking horror-show I've seen, especially for big folks like me. People, we're talking about a 5.12 offwidth squeeze 20 foot roof, fer chrissakes!!!!
When I climbed Lightning Bolt Cracks last year I got one look at that route and I wanted it. I tried to trick my partner into thinking it was Lightning Bolt Cracks but he wasn't buying it. Since then I've had the worst time trying to find someone even to follow it, go figure!
Brutus, if you want a partner for Liquid Sky, you've got one.
Josh
Hey, and what about Ascended Yoga Masters on Parriot Mesa?
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dingus
Nov 2, 2003, 4:51 PM
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The 4th and 5th pitches of Hawkman's Escape on the Lower Brother, which can be combined with a 165, are an oasis of chimney in an overhanging sea of diorite. You climb an easy chiimney of granite to gain the 1st belay. Then a wild overhaning 5.9 diorite pitch really puts you out there. The next pitch is a 5.7 diorite face with exactly two protection placements, very stimulating making the belay ledge 50 feet out from the last nut. Reminiscent of the East Butt of El Cap face pitch, only slightly harder and scarier. This sets you up for the chimneys.
You will find yourself in the middle of an overhanging wall. There are more overhangs above the chimney systems too. Another hard 5.9 pitch still to go. And several more afte that. But for a blessed 165 feet, you can crawl off that bald assed and scary face and hide and squirm up a 165 foot 5.6 chimney. The chimney is formed by a giant flake plastered to the wall. This being the Lower Brother, that flake will in the not too distant geologic future heave off, ruining the route and the road below.
Another absolutely fantastic chimney for us mere mortals is P1 of Split Pinnacle. Another forgotten classic of Yosemite, in the classic forgotten sense. Split Pinnacle used to be a must do route 30 years ago. Now, many don't even know a pinnacle exist up and to the right of Manure Pile Buttress.
The last pitch to the wild summit was originally aided by the FA and subsequently someone, Reed maybe? Can't remember, but someone rap bolted the wild assed flake TR alternative in what is believed to be the first such placed bolt in Yosemite, back in the 50's or was that the 60's?
Angus freed that crazy 10c layback (I've always done the A0-1 5-aid move variation to the top, helluva lot easier and safer) on the original 1/4 inch split shaft some 35 years after it was placed. Luckily he didn't fall.
DMT
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brutusofwyde
Nov 2, 2003, 7:36 PM
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In reply to: I'd like to hear more about the Wide World of Sport sometime, like where is it?
JCAs Wide World of Sport is in Balch Camp Flake, above the road to Black Rock Reservoir, Sierra National Forest. Or something like that. Wanted to try it this last summer, Now that I have some of those #9 and #12 Valley Giants, but shoulder problems prevented, as they also prevented further attempts on Ebola. I'm hopeful of resuming my work on these next year. After all, last fall I was making it higher (3" higher) on each subsequent attempt of B@d @ss Momma, so my hope is that progress in this field is possible, even for someone of my advanced age and girth.
But we're talking Offwidths here.
My real preference is chimneys.
Like Ipecac.
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davidji
Nov 9, 2003, 6:45 PM
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In reply to: Fun long chimney climb: NorthEast Buttress on Higher Cathedral |
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stickclipper
Nov 9, 2003, 7:59 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: I'd like to hear more about the Wide World of Sport sometime, like where is it? My real preference is chimneys. Like Ipecac.
What/where is Ipecac? I looked for it in my Vogel Jtree book and found nothing.
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studs
Nov 10, 2003, 9:10 PM
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Grand daddy of all chmneys, TheLost Arrow.Also try Crickets chimney AKA Gregs Problem at Woodson.On the other side of the road maybe on Mt Everest another 5.11 chim.
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bvb
Nov 13, 2003, 6:52 AM
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yo STUDS homie GOT YER NUMBER BABE.
call now or the dominatrix will castrate you.
greg's problem at woodson is too badass. whatever happened to cameron, anyway??
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cgranite
Nov 15, 2003, 2:40 AM
Post #34 of 51
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I heard that there is a classic chimney on cathedral peak. what is the pro like with that pitch. I'm planning on going there this spring.
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brutusofwyde
Nov 15, 2003, 10:23 PM
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Bartlett guide to Hidden Valley, P97
Longest 15-foot climb I have ever encountered.
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fixedpin
Nov 17, 2003, 6:49 PM
Post #36 of 51
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In reply to: Bartlett guide to Hidden Valley, P97 Longest 15-foot climb I have ever encountered.
Found on Hudson Rock (a small formation that is really the southern end of Rock Hudson)
IPECAC 11a A short right slanting wide slot above the finish of Gem Nabors (which is a right slanting crack on the right side of the west face of Hudson Rock.) Bartlett says "For the offwidth masochist only."
If you want to do the best chimney in Joshua Tree, do Firewater Chimney 10b in Valley of Kings in No. Wonderland. 90 feet long an varies from 5 feet to less than 2 feet; 6 bolts provide pro. I hate chimneys, and this route is actually fun. Someone posted a photo of this a while back. Here:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/photos.php?Action=Show&PhotoID=13234
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crackboy
Nov 18, 2003, 1:22 AM
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Registered: Jun 14, 2003
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wow that looks awesome, i am heading down that way for thanksgiving. and maybe ill give it a shot. anyone know how tall the guy is climbing it?
i am a bit on the short side
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philbox
Moderator
Nov 18, 2003, 10:44 PM
Post #38 of 51
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Carborundum Chimney on the front face of Mt. Tibrogargan. Then there`s the classic four sided chimney pipe called Satans Smokestack at Frog Buttress. Both of these chimneys are a must do if anyone ever comes to Oz.
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roadguy
Nov 18, 2003, 11:46 PM
Post #39 of 51
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Registered: Jul 30, 2003
Posts: 52
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check out The Spell in the Needles (CA) 5 pitches long I believe put up by Pete Steers a long way back
a good introduction into flaring squeezes is The Yawn in the Meadows. 5.9 with the entry move being a bomb-bay flare...quite an eye opener in my youth.
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catbiter
Jan 21, 2004, 6:21 AM
Post #40 of 51
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Registered: Nov 12, 2003
Posts: 177
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Lower Skyline Direct (LSD Seneca) blew my mind. First chimney. Ouch! Talk about not knowing what to do! I fumbled up it though. Very very sweet. I want another go, now that I understand that more than your back should be on one side.
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brutusofwyde
Jan 27, 2004, 12:10 AM
Post #41 of 51
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Harding Hole on Lost Arrow Chimney is Great. I'd need to go on a serious diet before I tried it again.
Harding Slot on Astroman and the Narrows on Steck-Salathe' are pretty tame by comparison. (Speaking only of their chimney sections)
The most serious set of wyde cracks I ever encountered, Bar none, was the East Face Dihedrals on Regge Pole, Little Slide Canyon, CA.
Hopefully there will never be a second ascent.
Brudus=cowering at the very memory
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thegreytradster
Jan 27, 2004, 1:48 AM
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Registered: Jul 7, 2003
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Best chimney story:
We had a TR set up on Hot Buttered Rump 10a at Suicide. It's a slightly overhanging very flared bomb bay affair that doesn't protect well either. High up you can grab the outside lip and the difficulty eases. There's another 10a, Harelip, that face climbs just above. There was another party on that climb and one of the cruxes is to step out on the edge of the lip. Dave reached up fumbling for the hold on the lip and they were both going for the same hold. Neither had any idea the other was there till then. The look and little dance the guy on Harelip did when he saw this hand appear from nowhere and seemingly grope for his foot was hysterical. That nobody fell off was amazing. :lol: :lol: :lol:
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cfnubbler
Jan 28, 2004, 9:13 PM
Post #43 of 51
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Registered: Oct 31, 2003
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Epinephrine has some of the most fun chimneys I've ever done. They'd be 5.7 in the Valley! Pleasant, well protected, great position, and capped by many pitches of fantastic moderate climbing with superb exposure. On the 3rd chimney pitch, both my partner and I did full 360 degree rotations on the way up. Good fun.
-Nubbler
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brianthew
Jan 28, 2004, 9:19 PM
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Registered: Mar 25, 2002
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I once decided to romp up this 5.4 chimney/offwidth route at the Old Sandstone area of Deil's Lake, WI. It would seem that this route isn't often traveled, the thing was full of so much loose soil, mud, dust, you name it. At the time my crack/offwidth-fu was pretty poor, so I had a dickens of time in this filthy chimney. Topped out looking like a chimney-sweep (ba-dum-bum) of sorts. Ugh.
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mspclimber
Feb 5, 2004, 4:33 AM
Post #45 of 51
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Registered: Dec 6, 2003
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Here's a chimney/offwidth story. In the fall of '99 I hired a guide for one day to teach me how to climb offwidth's better because I wanted to climb Salathe wall on El Cap. After much struggling on Moby Dick Ahab I did manage to link it on toprope - after finding a no hands "rest" and puking after the crux. The puke was just from the exertion of bad technique combined with stubborness.
Three years later after climbing Salathe Wall (leading the Hollow Flake and Ear) and many other offwidths up to 5.11 I ran across a humorous story about me on rec.climbing describing the wimp who hired a guide and puked all over him. My name wasn't mentioned, but it was me. It is a small world.
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bones
Feb 5, 2004, 5:04 AM
Post #46 of 51
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Registered: Feb 17, 2003
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In reply to: Here's a chimney/offwidth story. In the fall of '99 I hired a guide for one day to teach me how to climb offwidth's better because I wanted to climb Salathe wall on El Cap. After much struggling on Moby Dick Ahab I did manage to link it on toprope - after finding a no hands "rest" and puking after the crux. The puke was just from the exertion of bad technique combined with stubborness. Three years later after climbing Salathe Wall (leading the Hollow Flake and Ear) and many other offwidths up to 5.11 I ran across a humorous story about me on rec.climbing describing the wimp who hired a guide and puked all over him. My name wasn't mentioned, but it was me. It is a small world.
Don't worry, I won't mention your name Lou. Oh, damn it!
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sandbag
Feb 5, 2004, 6:15 AM
Post #47 of 51
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Registered: Jan 12, 2003
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http://rockclimbing.com/photos.php?Action=Show&PhotoID=23045
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vegastradguy
Feb 6, 2004, 6:53 PM
Post #48 of 51
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Registered: Aug 28, 2002
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I love chimneys. Havent done anything that tough, but I've been on some fun stuff.
Possibly my favorite is a 40' highball chimney boulder out at Kraft Rocks. clocks in at around 5.9ish. Just smooth, sheer rock and smear power!
let's see...there's a couple of really interesting chimney problems on Frigid Air Buttress. Healy's Haunted House has possibly the scariest 5.7 chimney in Red Rocks. I wouldnt recommend this for the 5.7 leader at all. Group Therapy also has a wickedly run out (one piece halfway through a 180' pitch) chimney after the crux...its almost an offwidth, which makes it nice and spicy for its 5.7 rating.
eh, nothing spectacular, but even us gumbies gotta get our kicks on something!
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iamthewallress
Feb 6, 2004, 6:59 PM
Post #49 of 51
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
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In reply to: Three years later after climbing Salathe Wall (leading the Hollow Flake and Ear) and many other offwidths up to 5.11 I ran across a humorous story about me on rec.climbing describing the wimp who hired a guide and puked all over him. My name wasn't mentioned, but it was me. It is a small world.
It is a small world!
I've reproduced the link to that story several times. (You've got to admit that it's a pretty funny story ;-) ) I was telling my boyfriend about it, and apparently he already knew the story and had actually met you later on that day when you were feeling better and Billy was smelling a little better.
Glad to hear that the Hollow Flake and others worked out for you. I'm still trying to dial in my ow technique. Even if I manage an expert chundering from the likes of Ahab, I think that it will be a while before I'll brave the run out on the Hollow Flake!
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joe_johnson
Feb 25, 2004, 3:41 AM
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Registered: Nov 29, 2003
Posts: 12
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Well, I can't call it my favorite, maybe my most grueling. Pre-cursor to this post, I am not in the best shape in the world; however, this was a tough climb, none the less.
The climb was at Crowders Mountain, in North Carolina, and was my first, and actually only Chimney to date. It is a Gaping Chimney which requires alot of progressive sliding moves with your back firmly placed up against the opposing wall of your feet. There are two mini roofs on the way up, which I had to manuever around. I had to rest on a ledge prior to completing the ascend. Luckily my partner was wearing his helmet. Crowders is Quartize rock, which is notorius for big flakes. and honestly it is hard not to find something loose on each ascend. I kicked a few rocks down to the ground as I pushed my way up. Aaron wouldn't let me give up though, and I pushed on up to the anchor point, and actually felt like my heart was going to explode. The climb is only rated a 5.7, but it was the most physically grueling climb I have completed to date.
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