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epoch
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Apr 20, 2006, 10:23 PM
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Registered: Apr 28, 2005
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On this Wednesday past, I had a bad headache, nausea, and vomiting…
So, how does one successfully play hooky from work? Simply put, you call in sick. Then enjoy the free day that you have just acquired.
Yeah, sounds bad. My doctors orders… get some fresh air. After a spur of the moment decision made on Monday to take off on Wednesday, prompted by wideguy. He and robbovius were heading up to White Horse Ledge and jakedatc was going to join them as their third, but the previous two feared that they were slow enough, being old and noObs to the multipitch trad world. They persuaded jakedatc to contact me to make their trio into two parties. After some coordination we were ready to get to getting. Jake was at the Gunks on tewwwwsday and did a haul to get to the rendezvous for the Mass climbers. I was driving solo, being that I was coming from Maine. It was an early day. Plenty of coffee and loud music on the highway.
We met up at the hotel parking lot and were on our way.
Having our sights set on Standard Route (wideguy and robbovous) and Sliding Board (jakedatc and myself), was looking promising for pics, sneering, heckling, and general mayhem. Unfortunately there was a pair of either Cannuks or Euro girls (it was hard to tell from their accents, eh?) at the base of the Launch Pad vying for Sliding Board and a guided party starting Standard Route.
Plan B……. Climb Dike route and Sea of Holes. Jake and I were prepping at the base when we looked over and saw Chad showing off, with his sock-only ascent of the 5.0-- base. An almost epoch moment came as he stepped out of his shoes, literally. I guess that they were afraid of heights, and they remained stationary on the rock until Chad put them in their rightful place by kicking them to the dirt.
Chad doing it old skool
Annd Jake and I were off on Sea of Holes. The first pitch is runout, as are most of the slabs on White Horse... I was feeling really ill. So ill that I needed more air. I figured that I could at least scare my illness away.
All of it.
Speed and efficiency were on our side as we passed, next to, Chad and Rob and soon gained enough ground to watch them crawl up Dike Route...
As two old out of shape noObs would. Our climb maintained to be runout with gear here and there (Sea of holes… Pcha!). We pulled the past the crux bulge and ended at the rap anchors in time to see Rob make a committing move up the last pitch of Dike Route. He would have been good, but placed a piece of pro high and then clipped it with a draw instead of a nice loooooooong sling before making the move onto the face. All I heard after that was moaning, bitching, griping, and complaining as he struggled up dragging 400 lbs of zigzagging rope behind him. :lol:
Chad and Rob at the tree belay.
After we all were back on the ground we decided to make a full day of it and headed back towards our original route options. Rob and Chad were heading up Standard and Jake and I were off up Sliding Board. For the most part the climbing was non-technical and I had done most of the day in my approach shoes. Figuring that I had led 5.8 earlier that day I took off up P2 of Sliding board in my approach shoes, I mean it’s only 5.7. Four moves up and I went all mental. After all, slabs are 90% mental and 10% footwork, right?? :) (“It’s all in your head,” was the phrase that rang out across the slabs all day.) After a slippery down climb to the bolt, I switched shoes and headed up to build an anchor.
Smee on lead. Courtesy of wideguy (snip)
I knew that I was done for the day when I stood up from the belay and had a huge charley horse in my thigh. After a slow, runout pitch, with the wind really starting to pick up I made to the rap anchors. Three pitches up, we were done and headed down. Rob and Chad had just arrived at the lunch ledge when Jake and I made it to the ground. After waiting longer than it takes for senior citizens to have sex, Rob and Chad finally worked their way to the ground, and our day was done.
http://images.snapfish.com/...D3233668543537nu0mrj
Rob on rappel. Steep. :robert: See the spiffy drug rug. Damn hippies.
I’m wondering when I’ll get sick next??? I’m thinking pneumonia…
There are other versions of the story that can be found FOLLOWING THIS LINK
Edit: Because it's my report and I can. Humph!
(This post was edited by epoch on Jul 13, 2009, 9:41 PM)
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tradclmbr
Apr 20, 2006, 10:33 PM
Post #2 of 10
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Registered: Sep 4, 2002
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the angles at that place look classic, Id like to roll a marble down it and see if I could rappel faster!
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glyrocks
Apr 20, 2006, 11:08 PM
Post #3 of 10
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Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 614
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In reply to: the angles at that place look classic, Id like to roll a marble down it and see if I could rappel faster!
you probably couldn't.
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jakedatc
Apr 20, 2006, 11:09 PM
Post #4 of 10
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Registered: Mar 12, 2003
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Nice jay... pics came out nice
hehe as someone who's seen a biner and a belay device go rolling down.. u wont catch a marble.. thoooo with a rescue 8... some thin rope... hmmm :shock:
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marc801
Apr 21, 2006, 12:08 AM
Post #5 of 10
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Registered: Aug 1, 2005
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In reply to: ....were heading up to White Hoarse Ledge... |
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jakedatc
Apr 21, 2006, 1:00 AM
Post #6 of 10
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Registered: Mar 12, 2003
Posts: 11054
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In reply to: yelling a lot on White Horse Ledge |
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jumaringjeff
Apr 21, 2006, 2:05 AM
Post #7 of 10
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Registered: Nov 30, 2001
Posts: 1838
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the pic of chad in his white socks is fucking classic!!
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core
Apr 21, 2006, 1:48 PM
Post #8 of 10
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Registered: Jul 29, 2003
Posts: 1102
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Thanks for the report and pics. I always thought Rob was taller! :)
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j_ung
Apr 21, 2006, 2:33 PM
Post #9 of 10
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Registered: Nov 21, 2003
Posts: 18690
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I always though Chad was wider. :lol:
Hot damn, I haven't been to WH in a looooooonnnnng time. I need to get my ass back to the NE. Maybe it needs to be the next big trip. North Conway, Gunks, Acadia...
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saxfiend
Apr 21, 2006, 4:09 PM
Post #10 of 10
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Registered: Dec 31, 2004
Posts: 1208
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Nice TR, looks like a fun place to climb. Too bad it's so far away!
JL
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