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altelis
Feb 22, 2009, 6:07 PM
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Hey y'all. So I'm dying here in DC and spring break is a'coming and I was thinking of heading down to NC to try out Glass Menagerie. I do, however, have some questions that I'm having a hard time getting answered on my trips around the intardwebs.
My biggest question regards a rack. Here lies my dilemma (well, most of our dilemmas)- I'm a poor student. I have a good free climbing rack (for places other than the creek and long sustained crack climbs as I'm more of a face climber, and my rack reflects that), but I'm in the process of building my aid rack. I have a fair amount of (shorter) single pitch aid solo experience, so I feel like skill wise I feel confident about the route. I have already acknowledged that I'll need a little more gear, but I'm trying to decide what is the (safe) bare-minimum rack, and then perhaps the "you'll-be-glad-if-you-augment-that-with" rack...
I do have the odd aid-specific pieces, like 2 hooks, a couple mini-nuts and a couple of pretty small cams. It already seems clear I'll need another couple small cams, a leeper cam-hook or two, perhaps another set of micro-nuts. One of my biggest questions is which cams is it totally necessary to double up on? I know if we want to link pitches this will become vital, but for now my wallet dictates not linking pitches and making do with a smaller rack.
Also, how necessary is it to have 2 #4 camalots (the older non-C4 generation)? And how scared will I be without anything bigger?
I found a few older gear lists for GM, but subsequent newer threads suggest a lot of that is unnecessary. For instance it seems pretty clear that there are nice shiny new belay bolts for every belay, and belays don't need back-ups anymore. Also, its pretty clear that GM goes free, so I take any gear list that says you need a hammer and pins as dated.
That still leaves me with the quandary of what I really need and what I can do without.
If anybody has been up there in the last year or so and has some gear beta that would be MARVELOUS. Also, any current topos to suggest? Or at least which topo I should look for and others that I should avoid (out-dates, inaccurate, etc....)
Thanks for your help!
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altelis
Feb 22, 2009, 7:41 PM
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Anybody?
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guangzhou
Feb 23, 2009, 12:34 AM
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It's been a awhile, but you can get up the GM with two set of nuts and a set of cam pretty easiliy. Go to number 4 Camelot size and you should be fine.
Small wires, like peanuts, are nice too.
Bivi on the pitch below the roof. IN the morning, you can lower your haulbag and whatever else you don't want back to the graound. Grad it on the way out.
Hope that helps
Enjoy
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altelis
Feb 23, 2009, 12:43 AM
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That's reassuring to my budget, thats for sure. If that's the case there must have been a protection bolt or two added since the trip reports I've read though- I do remember a move to a spinner bolt off a belay as requiring a solid hook that needed to be top-stepped to just barely reach the spinner....
But even if thats the case we're looking good. We're also planning to fix and fire, though, so no haulbag. Still haven't decided if the 2nd will jug/clean with a pack with water, extra rope, etc., or what. But no real hauling if we can help it.
That leaves another question though- is it a bad idea/illegal idea to bivy or camp at the base of the route? Or is it worth getting back to the car and just leaving that much earlier? My thought process was that we'll be driving down from DC, so I figured we could make it down by early afternoon, haul our camping and climbing gear up to the base of the route, then fix what we can before the day ends. This would mean "3" days climbing, but I figure the last day would be that much shorter, then drive back the same day we finish rather than the next day....
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avalon420
Feb 23, 2009, 1:31 AM
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Camp at the base, there is a nice flat spot (camp squalor) just below Brain Dead, about a rope length to the left of Glass Menagerie. Flat, obvious, dirt camp site, you cant miss it. Have fun at
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altelis
Feb 23, 2009, 1:32 AM
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Sounds perfect. Should I be concerned about not a lot of aid specific gear and not a lot of doubles on my rack?
Anything I absolutely should make sure I have (or have doubles of?)
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ncclimber
Feb 25, 2009, 4:51 AM
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Doubles thru 2" would be good one four will be fine. The traverse takes down to black alien three of the smaller size is good their or back clean the whole thing (requires less gear and easier on the 2nd). No hammer or pins needed the whole thing goes clean.
Shull - Lambert select guides are both good and up to date.
Good Luck
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garrettweaver
Feb 26, 2009, 3:45 PM
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Registered: Nov 4, 2005
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Hey everyone,
Looking to head down to the New River Gorge and Looking Glass for spring break (March 7th - 14th). Does anyone know what the conditions are like now on the North or South side of Looking Glass. Particularly interested in the Glass Menagerie, but if other routes conditions are known that would be helpful as well. The main conditions I am implying are: run off and temperture. Also, what are some other good (C2) aid climbs in the neighboorhood.
Garrett
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altelis
Feb 26, 2009, 9:11 PM
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garrettweaver wrote: Hey everyone, Looking to head down to the New River Gorge and Looking Glass for spring break (March 7th - 14th). Does anyone know what the conditions are like now on the North or South side of Looking Glass. Particularly interested in the Glass Menagerie, but if other routes conditions are known that would be helpful as well. The main conditions I am implying are: run off and temperture. Also, what are some other good (C2) aid climbs in the neighboorhood. Garrett
Usurp my thread, will ya????
Why I outa!
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munky
Feb 28, 2009, 11:30 PM
Post #10 of 10
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Registered: Apr 26, 2006
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Regarding your question about what gear and how much to bring, it really depends on how hard you free climb. You can free the first pitch at soft 5.11 with a cam or two and a few draws. You will have to run out a traverse on somewhat chossy terrain though. If you choose to climb the tradtional first pitch and aid across to the first hard 5.12+ pitch prepare to full on aid (etriers, ascenders, small nuts and cams and depending on your strength a few hooks). It would be really taxing to french free it and your follower would be damining you to hell. The next pitch (12+) is virtually a sport climb that you aid because of all the fixed gear on it. I do remember stepping out of my aiders to free a few moves at the top of the pitch though. The next pitch you can free climb at easy 11 or french free with a few small to mid cams. Its really short. The next pitch is the roof which is a bolt ladder. Then the crux of the route is above where you need to mostly free climb (up to 5.10ish). The offwidth pitch is easy to cam jumar but make sure you have a #4 or 5. Good luck and start early (first light) so that you have the entire day. MOst parties need it, especially the first time. I would camp at the base or in your car. The hike from the parking lot for the north face is only a 20 minute stroll but check it out before hand if you camp in the car so to not waste time. I didn't need cam hooks at all but my partner used them to follow. Also we had doubles in all the camalots, a set of bd micros nuts, and metolius tcus (the 4 small ones). I regularly climb 5.11 and 5.12 sport and trad with the occasional 5.13 redpoint if this helps at all.
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