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timpanogos
Dec 9, 2002, 2:42 PM
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Registered: May 17, 2002
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I did the 5.10d crack yesterday - 35 to 40 meters (Green Monster Aid Route - Rock Canyon), several micro-nut moves and many small nuts. Biggest piece placed was an orange TCU (except for the solo anchor). I back cleaned a fair amount to conserve on the nuts – leaving the larger more solid pieces at about free climbing distances. I got on first aider at about 11:30 - 4:30 I started down, cleaned on rap and loaded out under headlamp, sore and tired. There are two crack change transversals - the first standing in one aider with other foot flagged as far towards the new crack as possible and pulling yourself in towards the new crack with one hand hard enough to barely reach around with the other and FEEL for a placement - no way you can see it - but the cracks are so small (mostly 1st or 2nd knuckle) that they ate up nuts very securely - but it was still WAY exciting getting on that bottom step that was stretched way over to the flagged foot and basically swinging on over on the daisy chain – hoping for the best. Up towards the top is another crack change – on a pink tri-cam pocket on a blank face – pulling the webbing on a bit of an angle but a solid cam lock. About ¾ of the way up I decided to try one of those Pika cam hooks in one of the micro cracks – it was the big cam hook. I softly bounced it – it felt solid, got on the 2nd steps and cleaned my lower aider and clipped the #1 nut it was hanging on – I then got one leg up to the 3rd step and while moving the other – POP – that was exciting – I had an ascender on a TR that caught most of the weight. Boy am I the clusterfxxk king! The TR aggravated this – but it was a good way to get some practice on my 2nd solo practice on a C2. Of course the TR gave lots of security – so it’s hard to say, but I felt very good on the wall today – it was a great day – but boy am I slooooowwwww! Chad [ This Message was edited by: timpanogos on 2002-12-09 06:46 ]
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timpanogos
Dec 9, 2002, 4:56 PM
Post #2 of 5
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Lessons learned: 1. Heels together, feet in V – indeed makes the 2nd step much more stable. 2.Loosen your daisy before completely moving onto the next aider – darn auto-back- clean sure gives you a sick feeling when you go to clip it, and it’s not there. 3. When you step up into the 3rd step and things just are not feeling right – look down and see if that darn backup knot is pulled tightly into your grigri – I just did not seem to learn on this one. 4. Try boots next time – I have toe cramps today – who ever heard of exercising your toes until the muscles ached? 5. A double harness is going to be mandatory – clusterf as well as sore shoulders – my free rack is just not going to cut it. Need to learn 1. How to move up on cam hooks. I think it was leaning out a bit that poped the placement, not the downward force. 2. Is there a better way to do a wide body span placement like described above? 3. Reduce clusterf – somehow I keep getting my daisies twisted around – and the feet inverted. They were girth hitched on me, and I never undid the locker on the aiders (other than to untwist them)
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passthepitonspete
Dec 9, 2002, 5:41 PM
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Registered: Oct 10, 2001
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Even A1 can be pretty exciting, eh? Good introspective analysis! In order to become a big wall soloist [which should be every aid climber's goal] you need to become a problem solver and learn to minimize the wank factor. You really don't need to use a toprope when you are aid soloing easy stuff, unless of course you are backcleaning. In this case, you need to buy more gear! [It]impossible for an aid soloist to have too much gear....] Dispense with the toprope next time, and then you can consider your solo ascent legit. Unfortunately, you can only claim a toprope ascent, which is kind of like kissing your sister - it's nice, but it don't mean nothin'... Cheers, Pete
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wv5ten
Dec 9, 2002, 6:02 PM
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Registered: Nov 2, 2002
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"which is kind of like kissing your sister - it's nice, but it don't mean nothin'... " pete, you amaze me hehe
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timpanogos
Dec 9, 2002, 9:14 PM
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Registered: May 17, 2002
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Yea, I was not real concerned with calling it ascended - just wanted some experience. In fact after the first bolt ladder climb (which was not on top rope) my intention was to get some 2nd step experience - really go for it and not have to worry so much about bashing my brains if I toppled over backwards. The climb is rated A2. For the most part, 2nd stepping this climb was not as hard because you did have crack and facial features to grab onto (5.10d verses 5.12 holds). However there were the micro placements where this was not the case, but you could do the whole climb in 3rd step also (I 2nd stepped all placements – full arms reach, bounce testing on the 6th step of the aiders – except for the first traversal where I placed from the 4th step, because I needed all of the pull distance of the lower step). I do see what you mean about the gear – this climb just ate #1 to #3 nuts – too small for my zero’s, but after 1 or 2 moves of this, a #4-9 would open. I think I would feel ok about climbing it clean next time, and back cleaning the 1-3’s and micros after the 5th move (and tripling up on my small to medium nuts before heading out). I’d also like to TR it again, only use the cam hooks in between the #4 – 9 placements. I’ll also likely TR the 5.12 next time and try out the hooks. Chad
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