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beyond_gravity
May 25, 2006, 3:51 AM
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So i'm planning on doing the cheif in a few weeks, and in anticipation of my first wall, i'm thinking a bivy is very likely. The thing is that I don't have a ledge and can't afford one. I'm working long days up until I leave so I won't have time to build a krusty ledge. I'm sort of thinking of buying one of those $6 hammocks from canadian tire, and hanging it off of multiple rigging points, like the Pika Hammock. I'm wondering if anyone has tried anything like this? how did they rig hammocks in the old days?
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skiclimb
May 25, 2006, 5:37 AM
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well I did the sheild using a $12 walmart hammock that i tied at 4 corners to the bottom of my buddies single ledge. Worked. actually wasnt too uncomfortable.. Seem to me the difficulty may be finding spots were you can get decent suspension point far enough apart but it ought to work if you do.
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yetanotherdave
May 25, 2006, 2:10 PM
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In reply to: So i'm planning on doing the cheif in a few weeks, and in anticipation of my first wall, i'm thinking a bivy is very likely. which route? Another option is fixing a few pitches one day and then firing the next rather than spending a crappy night in a hammock.
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beyond_gravity
May 25, 2006, 2:41 PM
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Uncle Ben's and U-Wall. I'm guessing I'd piss some people off if I fixed U-wall. Even if it is a crappy night, i'm quite fond of sleeping on the wall, just for the experience of it all. anyone know how much traffic do these routes get in early June?
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tattooed_climber
May 25, 2006, 3:03 PM
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a port-a-ledge (or hammock) ain't really required for the chief.....there's lots of natural bivy ledges....but its not like a hammock takes up alot of space
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veganboyjosh
May 25, 2006, 3:31 PM
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you can get directions/pics for how to make your own insulated hammock here. i've not made one, but i plan on it come summer/fall/the winning lottery ticket in my pocket... of course, you'd wanna make it out of burlier than parachute cord...but methinks with all the diy portaledge threads out there, you could come up with something decent. actually, since you'd be staying tied in, i guess you wouldn't need something burlier. less tangleprone, perhaps...
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yetanotherdave
May 26, 2006, 2:03 PM
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In reply to: Uncle Ben's and U-Wall. I'm guessing I'd piss some people off if I fixed U-wall. Even if it is a crappy night, i'm quite fond of sleeping on the wall, just for the experience of it all. anyone know how much traffic do these routes get in early June? Not much traffic - it's pretty rare to see people on either route. If you wanted to get a jump on U-wall without leaving ropes in the way you could ferry some gear up and fix ropes down from the starting anchors, to avoid the annoying loose ledge-scrambling early in the morning. Fixing the first & second (easy with a 60m rope) could be done without that rope being in the way of climbers, tho, and if you fix one afternoon and fire early the next day it's unlikely anyone'd even notice your ropes. The 'bivi spot' on Uncle Ben's looks like an awesome place to hang a ledge (or hammock)! From what I've heard, there are a ton of bolts there, so you should be able to find some far enough apart to hang a hammock.
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mikeehartley
May 28, 2006, 1:12 AM
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If I was broke and the route was steep I'd sure as shit drag up a lawn chair before I'd sleep in a hammock again.
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holdplease2
May 28, 2006, 4:11 AM
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Here is a good trick for you: Tell everyone its your first wall. Act like you know N.o.t.h.i.n.g. Buy a few beersch and pass them around at camp. Inquire about "renting" a ledge for $25 for the wall. An enterprising soul who bets his life that you won't get two pitches off the deck will loan you his ledge soas to look virtuous in front of the ladies...he figures you won't even break it out! Then, of course, you send. I've loaned out plenty of haul bags that get carried to the base of el cap...then carried right back down. I look generous (ha ha) and in all but one occasion the bag was no worse for wear. ;) -Kate.
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skiclimb
May 28, 2006, 6:38 AM
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good point..I havn't tried that yet.
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mikemachineco
May 30, 2006, 5:13 PM
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I started my wall days in a hammock and I was always excited to find ledges instead. The biggest obstacle to comfortably sleeping in a hammock is the way it wraps you like a burrito around the sides, making it uncomfortable as well as colder. With multiple attachment points you can spread your hammock out lengthwise but you still have the "burrito factor." Hanging your hammock under a ledge is nice because it spreads things out. Or, my Pika hammock has a 1 or 2 inch PVC pipe that is used like a "spreader bar" to help out with this. So, if you're going to do the cheap hammock thing then at least try to create some kind of a spreader bar. My hammock only has one but I have thought about adding a couple more PVC pipes to help spread it out. Just a thought.
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islandclimber
Jun 26, 2006, 11:56 PM
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Just fix ropes on U-Wall, there is almost never anyone on the thing.
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peas
Jun 27, 2006, 1:06 AM
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I don't know if this is too late, but... My first bivi was on U-Wall in a hammock and it was miserable. My partner slept upright in a lawn chair with arm rests and wedged his head inside the pyramid of suspension coming off of the arm rests. He was quite comfy. I'd suggest going for the lawn chair over the hammock. You could also try bivying at the tree maybe? As for Uncle Ben's, there are tons of bolts, not all of them nice, at the "classic bivy" and no natural ledges on the route, except at the base of Merci Me, but that won't help you much. And one at the top. Also not so helpful. As for fixing ropes. Neither route sees a lot of traffic, although the first two approach pitches to Uncle Ben's (Merci Me) are very popular. I wouldn't worry too much about having fixed ropes in place. Since the days are long, you could probably do U-Wall in a day, depending on how fast you are. Uncle Ben's is a little more technical and doesn't see many one day ascents.
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