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thisguy
Jun 25, 2004, 5:58 PM
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Hey all,
I'm originally from Wisconsin (when to college at Madison), but then I moved to Missouri before I started rock climbing. I'll now be moving back to the area (actually be moving near Rockford, crap I'm a FIB) and need a little info on the DL area. From what I read, there are no (or almost no) sport routes, everything is trad or TR. I have not done trad and am not sure I want to (no offense, I just don't have the cahones for it), so my questions are about TR. What do I need to setup a safe TR for most of the climbs? How much webbing in how many runs? Will I need to get (and learn to place) some stoppers to setup stable anchors or what? Can anyone help me? Where are my pants?
Thanks for the help...
Guy
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sync
Jun 25, 2004, 6:12 PM
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You are correct that there are no sport routes at the Lake.
However, virtually every climb can be top-roped. Depending on how many trees you have available near the top, you could get away with mostly a webbing setup (you'll probably want some at least 25 feet long if not longer!) but there can be many good spots to place stoppers, hexes, and cams as well.
Since you are familiar with Madison, you could join the UW Hoofers Mountaineering Club (you don't have to be a student - you can be a Union member) and then all the gear you'll need are shoes.
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thisguy
Jun 25, 2004, 6:27 PM
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Thats a good idea, I may have to join Hoofers again. I tried sailing while I was in college, I wish I had climbed instead. I would like to take their anchor course to learn that stuff well. I know how to do it, I just never have, so it would be better to have someone watch me the first few times.
Also, you mentioned the gear, do they just bring that when they go on weekends, or can you actually check it out as a member? How does that work?
Thanks,
Guy
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sync
Jun 25, 2004, 6:34 PM
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In reply to: Also, you mentioned the gear, do they just bring that when they go on weekends, or can you actually check it out as a member? How does that work?
Pretty much when we meet to climb on the weekends we gather up whatever gear we need. But you can check stuff out. They're starting to crack down on that though since many people have not returned stuff they have checked out and we have to go buy replacements.
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une
Jun 25, 2004, 7:08 PM
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Registered: Feb 12, 2004
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I used to climb up there with friends who had all the necessary gear, but alas, they have all gone on to bigger and better things. I went to REI and picked up a set of Metolius curve nuts and some long pieces of webbing. With this small amount of gear I have yet to come across a climb that I was not able to set up. Now new climbers rely on me to set everything up. Amazing how these things work out.
One set of curve nuts and some locking biners is all the hardware you will need. Just make sure you have long pieces of webbing.
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euroford
Jun 26, 2004, 3:45 PM
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despite all climbs being relatively short, and absolutly zero multipitch devils lake offers a significant quantity of world class climbing.
though i'm sure many consider this a downside, it is very much not. Devils lake has to my knowedge, 2 bolts. this is for a very good reason, the hard quartize is extremely fractured, its literly a trad climbers wet dream at least in how it takes pro. (of course, being so hard also makes it slippery).
devils lake is very much toprope town, though i personally have only lead or followed the last 6-8 times i've been out. i think a small rack containing a set of bd nuts and the 3 largest metolious hex's along with a cordolette, a couple 24" slings, a couple 48" slings and maybe 10' of 1" webbing along with a half dozen lockers would set you up for topropes on anything and also make the beginings of a lead rack.
though you will definitly need some expert instruction before you should use those items unsuporvised in the field.
in the words of ron olvsky:
"the best climbing area in The United States is probobly The Valley, or Devils Lake, or someplace in Maine..."
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corpse
Jun 27, 2004, 12:39 AM
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For DL topropes, having some LONG lengths of webbing is very good, like a 30-40ft piece, another 20-25ft piece.. There are often some very bomber trees or boulders to use, but often times are a bit away from the edge... And you really want that powerpoint over the edge, as the edges can be sharp, and you don't want your rope running across it much.
And euro, there are some multi-pitch routes, just not multi-pitch in terms of height.. There's even a 4 or 5 pitch climb (I forget where offhand), but thats only because of all the ledges.. like, climb 20 feet, anchor, climb 35 feet, anchor, climb 15 feet, climb 50 feet.. Yeah, that could be done in 1 pitch, but you'd get killer amounts of rope drag, prolly to the point of the rope gettin stuck.
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vanclimber
Jun 27, 2004, 3:04 AM
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I found that static rope works very well for top roping off trees at devil's lake. I have around 50 feet of 11mm and had no probs setting up a top rope at the pacific wall at the old sandstone area.
Don
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brianthew
Jun 27, 2004, 4:26 AM
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For anchors, there are lots of sturdy trees and bomber boulders at the top of climbs. Get some long bits of tubular webbing from maybe 10-60 feet in length, learn to use the various methods of using these to make anchors. Also, I'd get a few nuts in the larger sizes, and maybe some hexes and small/midsized SLCDs (in that order) for using the rocks up top for anchors.
In reply to: its literly a trad climbers wet dream at least in how it takes pro.
Heh. I wouldn't say that.
It's got really solid hard rock; you know it's not the rock that's going to fail. Placements can be alot trickier here than they are elsewhere, especially SLCD placements - they walk like crazy in the low friction environment (use long, flexible runners for them). Lots of the cracks can be kinda funky for passive, too. But if you can make a good placement, you know the piece will fail before the rock does.
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climbfrog
Jun 27, 2004, 4:34 AM
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Registered: Sep 11, 2003
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Definetly learn to place pro for DL. Hexes are wonderful, as well stoppers. Cams are ok, but they depend on friction, so be careful with them. Do yourself a favor and get some CAMP TRI-CAMS. They are the best thing for DL!!! Just wonderful!!! I'm surprised no one's mentioned it yet. Definetly get your self some 1" tube tape. Instead of the tape, do what VAN said, get some 11 mil static line. It's far stronger than tube tape, it holds a knot much better, and you can rig the system with just one section of static line by knowing and using the proper knots! But definetly get yourself some tri-cams. Anything above #3 can be a bit useless IMO.
PROTECT ALL YOUR EDGES!!!
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climbinplaid
Jun 27, 2004, 6:08 AM
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In reply to: Devils lake has to my knowedge, 2 bolts.
There are 3 bolts on the last 3/4 of the west face of Caesaruan Tower. They are really sketchy and people don't use them (to my knowledge), i think 2 are those one inch long bolts, and i think one is a carrot bolt. i donno for sure the types, i just remembering wanting to take a picture of them.
matt :shock:
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climbfrog
Jun 27, 2004, 11:06 AM
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Registered: Sep 11, 2003
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I've seen those bolts. That route sure looks thin too. I wouldn't trust those bolts. They looked like they could be old 1/4" coffin nails with old Leeper hangers. Hangers in which Leeper himslef is calling to replace.
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euroford
Jun 27, 2004, 7:15 PM
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yeah your right, i guess i shouldn't say 'wet dream', it definitly has some very tricky qualities, but for the most part i find it pretty easy to get good pro. no real runout routes. when i first started climbing i was back in dallas and climbed in the witchita mountains. nice granite with TONS of friction, but dang near half the routes had some seriously runout climbing and the other half were just plain 'x' routes :)
devils lake by compairison swallows gear!! the tricams are a good idea, i don't have any but i'll definitly get some eventually and i know i'll find places for them.
static rope is a good suggestion. it is a bit heavy though!
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wildtrail
Jun 29, 2004, 5:20 PM
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Registered: Jul 6, 2002
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You're going to need to run the gammut of a full rack with doubles as the anchoring systems vary extremely at the Lake.
I've been climbing at Devil's Lake for nearly 8 years now and I've used everything from a #5 stopper to the #11 hexentric, cams, tri-cams, etc.
Your webbing list should be as follows (basically):
2 pieces of at least 40' (remember, it's less than half that length when you make it into a loop with the fisherman's knot) :wink:
4 pieces in the 20-30' range
4 of at least 10'
Then get yourself a host of sewn runners and slings.
There is no real "basic" rack or webbing. You need plenty of everything.
Have I used my 40 footers? Yes, almost EVERY time.
Also, have some ethics, unlike most at Devil's Lake. Spend some time cutting up an old pair of jeans into 1' x 1' pieces (or there abouts) in order to pad any trees you may use for anchoring. If you can, avoide the trees, which isn't always easy.
If you need help in learning how to set things up properly, feel free to contact me at my e-mail (given in my profile) and I'll happily meet you out there and give you some pointers. :)
Steve
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wildtrail
Jun 29, 2004, 5:30 PM
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In reply to: this is for a very good reason, the hard quartize is extremely fractured
Actually, that has nothing to do with it. Devil's Lake has an abundance of face climbs that are TR only due to no protection and would be "perfect" for bolting--if you like ruining rock for no reason, that is.
There are no sport routes and bolts because Devil's Lake got lucky. Unlike Gibraltar Rock and the lack of ethics used by climbers that ruined the area by bolting and chaining, Devil's Lake got lucky and wasn't ruined. A "no bolting" law went into effect years and years ago. Had that not happened, every happy bolter from the Ohio to the Columbia would have poked holes into the great quartzite. The area is just lucky it hasn't been ruined.
There are also a couple of pins here and there if you know where to look. :wink:
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