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euroford
Jul 28, 2003, 3:14 PM
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well, it appears as though my situation is getting sussed out to get more active in climbing again, and now that i'm a chicagoan it appears as though my prefered climbing area will be devils lake.
I have everything else (and then some) but i don't have any trad pro, its time i get it and its now a major priority.
to get myself heading in the right direction, please describe what you take with you for top rope and lead climbing in devils lake. i'm not looking for specific route betta, just a good take on what hardware a team should show up with.
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sillymnkee
Jul 28, 2003, 3:36 PM
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I've never done trad at Devil's Lake. But when I went TRing, I could get by with several different length of webbing. I usually hade a 20, 2 30s, a 40, and a 50 footer but could get by with the 2 30s and a fifty. Also, bringing a set of nuts couldn't hurt over on the east side. It would keep you from having to string really long lengths of webbing.
PS I'll let you in on my secret little area. Since I've moved from Chicago and will probably never be back there, I won't mind letting the cat out of the bag. Head over to the area by Devil's doorway. There is a small selection of climbs that I rarely see people on. Even when the east butresses are full of groups of noobs, just keep walking. The only time I've ever seen anyone use it even on the busy summer weekends is the occasional person that will trad past it or people who TR after seeing me do it first. Of course, this was three years ago and the cat may already be out of the bag.
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ryanhos
Jul 28, 2003, 4:07 PM
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I'm strictly a (noob) Devil's Lake top-roper for the time being, but trad is in the future. As far as my top-rope rack, finances have limted me to one set of WC hexes, one set of BD nuts, a fair number of 2ft and 4ft slings, a fair amount of nylon webbing, some homemade tree friendlies, and a 25ft cordelette. (biners a plenty also.) That seems to get me up on most of the moderate 5-8 climbs at the lake. (not an 8 climber yet, but it's fun to try....) As far as what I see other climbers walking around with, they seem to have more of the same and then a number of cams. I don't see many big-bros or tricams. I seem to find my hexes more useful in setting TR because of the nature of some of the cracks at the top. I find myself using them to cam in the long cracks that run along the ground at the top. (which are sometimes more abundant than any other orientation of crack.)
Were you up at the Lake last weekend? It was like a gym up there! I saw several buttresses with ropes every 10 ft or so!
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corpse
Jul 29, 2003, 3:11 AM
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anyone go there on the weekdays?? Next week I will be able to get some time off during the week, and would be great to go up there with someone. I'm decent climber,I've only got a rope with some webbing for the moment - but thats the extent of my rack for now. Plus, I haven't been to devils lake yet! All my climbing has been in CA or MN.
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brianthew
Jul 29, 2003, 3:16 AM
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When are you available? I've a decent rack for DL and need to try out the sandstone area, I can also show you around the place pretty well.
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sonus
Jul 29, 2003, 4:09 AM
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i second hos' post. Cams are nice for TR anchors, but as always, you can make due without them.
Anway, anyone up for a weekend of climbing? HOS??
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brianthew
Jul 29, 2003, 4:14 AM
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The thing with cams at DL is that you gotta place them almost like nuts, seeing how they like to move around in slippery quartzite. I'd say every TR I set up there ends up with a cam. But a full set of nuts and a good selection of hexes (and some big slings) will enable you to get 90% of TR anchors if you don't want to shell out $$$ for cams. Tricams, although none are on my little rack (yet) I hear are also useful; and I see them in lots of anchors as I walk past. Pink and red and blue tricams, all over the place.
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ryanhos
Jul 29, 2003, 6:31 AM
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In reply to: Anway, anyone up for a weekend of climbing? HOS??
If you're driving, I'm all over that like lichen on purple quartzite. But this time can we leave the peppermint schnapps and chocolate syrup at home and bring some real alcohol? Julia is pumped for this weekend too. i just hope she'll be back from her vacation to the "amish country" before we leave. (To be fair, she's going to Cedar Pointe, but they're stopping in Shipshewana on the way back to Chicago.) I just hope she doesn't find a cuter amish boy than the one she already has! I'm counting on the fact that she doesn't like any facial hair on her men.....
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phatires
Jul 29, 2003, 4:12 PM
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I gotta throw my 2 cents out on this one. Tri Cams are the bomb! You can set them passively like nuts or active in their own designed style. Pink and red are my favorite. And as a trad piece of pro they are as bomber as it comes. Every rack should have a few. And the price? 15-30 bucks!
Matt
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redpoint73
Jul 29, 2003, 4:43 PM
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I climbed at DL the first 5 years of my career. A standard rack works fine. I had: full set of Stoppers (don't really need the smallest couple sizes), Camelots #0.5 to 3 or 3.5 (with maybe #4 for some routes), and small Aliens and Metolius up to the BD 0.5 size.
Thats really all you need, plus maybe 10 runners. I had some small to medium hexes that worked really well in DL's parallel sided cracks. And some climbers like to supplement the rack with big Hexes or various Tri-cams.
Cams work fine in quartzite. The placements don't have to be exactly like a Stopper bottleneck. But you should place cams where there is at least a pod, or some kind of texture or features, since the rock can be so smooth. And place them deep. I never did take a lead fall on a cam at DL (have always been a wuss about lead falls on trad), but I have plenty of friends that have with no problems.
If Chicago is your new base of operations, also check out Wild Iowa (3 hour drive) for some sport climbing (ask for beta, the guidebook is scarce), Southern Illinois also has some decent trad, sport (Jackson Falls) and reportedly great bouldering (but thats about 5 hour drive). I understand there is some development in the past few years at Naseeda (sp?), Wisconsin just a bit north of DL, but I've not personally been there.
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sillymnkee
Jul 29, 2003, 4:47 PM
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In reply to: I gotta throw my 2 cents out on this one. Tri Cams are the bomb! You can set them passively like nuts or active in their own designed style. Pink and red are my favorite. And as a trad piece of pro they are as bomber as it comes. Every rack should have a few. And the price? 15-30 bucks!
Where can I get tri-cams for $15!?!
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redpoint73
Jul 29, 2003, 5:27 PM
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In reply to: Where can I get tri-cams for $15!?!
The pink Tri-Cam lists for around $15. Are you thinking of TCU's or 3-cam units?
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sillymnkee
Jul 29, 2003, 5:30 PM
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Oops. I was thinking TCUs. I'm an idiot.
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col_sanderz
Jul 29, 2003, 5:47 PM
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redpoint73, Im pretty sure you're talking about Necedah. While there is some good stuff there(sport,trad,bouldering) its not anything worth getting all antsy about. Good for the locals and what not, but not worthy of a special trip.
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redpoint73
Jul 29, 2003, 6:18 PM
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Thanks dood, I knew that I was spelling Necedah wrong! I know its not a great destination or anything. But probably not a bad "relief valve" on crowded Devil's Lake weekends. I just threw it out as an alternative as far as crags within 3 hours of the Chicago area. Since the guy said he didn't have a trad rack yet, I thought he might be open to some sport areas. Wild Iowa is no top crag either, but just a fun alternative. Hey, this is the Midwest -- you climb whatever you can!
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ramylson
Jul 29, 2003, 6:53 PM
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Well.. let's see here. Devil's Lake trad rack. Most of it is going to consist of stoppers or hexs. It really depends on what you get on, but you'll notice that a lot of the placements tend to be smaller sizes. Don't get me wrong, you still need larger sized gear, but not as heavily as the smaller stuff. Cams work, but.. like previously mentioned, you need to place them with the same case as stopper. Look for "texture" on the rock to help add the caming lobes to bite in and hold. I've taken a few falls on cams, no issues. The one thing I will say, is that if you're going to start off strictly with TR sets, stay away from cams. There are a lot of places where the trails for the masses follow the top of the cliff lines, and I've heard from a few people where the gear has walked with someone. I mean, it comes down to a $5 stopper, or a $45+ cam. Which would you choose. Besides, with the blocky nature of the rock, you can always get a stopper to fit somewhere. One more point if you're planning on just TR'ing. Don't go and get 50 ft sections of webbing. Sure, you might need it, but you can almost ALWAYS find a stopper right off from the top of the climb. It really isn't necessary to run the webbing that far back.. IMO.
Now, as far as what I use when at the Lake (I'm seriously always there.. ):
-1 set HB off-set stoppers (seriously a necessity. I use them all the time, and I would suggest getting doubles in the smaller three sizes)
-1 set Wild Country stoppers w/ doubles in the first 5 sizes
-1 set Smiles stoppers (not my favorites, but they have decent sizing and back up my other stoppers)
-5 Cassin stoppers (largers sizes as a back-up)
-2 Metolious Hexes (number 9 and number 10)
-1 set Alien cams (even though I haven't gotten them yet, I'll be doubling the first 4 sizes.. black isn't necessary, primarily an aid piece anyway, but blue through red a solid sizes.. I use these cams ALL the time)
-1 set Metolious FCU cams (they're alright, but not my favorites.. got them more for other climbing areas/trips)
-webbing (2 10' sections, 3 20' sections, 3 30ft sections)
11 quickdraws
If you need any help with anything, just let me know..
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rokklym
Aug 1, 2003, 3:41 AM
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If your heading to Necedah, Bring a Baseball Bat for the Skeeters! Necedah is mainly a Spring,Fall, and sometimes Winter Crag. You can go there in the Summer and get perfect conditions but usually the bugs are too bad since its right on the river.
As far as Devils Lake racks go.....
Here is what I like. Hugh Banner Offset Nuts, or any other brand offset. They seem to really bite into those DL Cracks. The next best thing is the Lowe/camp Tricams. These babies rock too! As far as cams go..Well, they do have their place on the routes at DL, but I sugest you get yourself a very good understanding of how cams work on the slick quartzite and if your leading, use long runners on them to prevent walking.
Oh, and dont forget your nut tool. Longer the better ( Yes, Size does matter ) and if you can, a small hammer to help out when things get really stuck.
Or, just buy a crashpad and boulder :lol:
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euroford
Aug 4, 2003, 2:53 PM
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Registered: Aug 26, 2002
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i'd like to thank everybody for a very informative thread! useing your experience it will be pretty easy to shop with confidence and show up at the rock with a properly armed quiver.
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