|
|
|
|
addiroids
Nov 18, 2002, 7:24 AM
Post #1 of 6
(2416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 11, 2001
Posts: 1046
|
Well all,
I just got back from Red Rocks and while I didn't see a lot of the people there, I do have a little to report:
Arrived Friday morning and got on Crimson Crysalis (9p 5.8) with the two guys I went up there with. We took a good sized rack, but I lead every pitch placing nuts and hexes only. Since it was almost a sport climb (probably 15-20 lead bolts) I didn't even have to use cams. Don't bring them, or just bring a light rack of them up to #4. Since we had three people (the other two were about 5.8/9 followers) we ended up at the 3rd to last rap as it got dark and got back to the car 30 seconds before the ranger pulled up to give us a ticket(7:51pm). Lucky us. I have a beef with this climb. First off, 1/3 of the bolts could be chopped. Some are next to cracks, not necessary, and hard to reach at that! Secondly, there is only 1 belay that is on a ledge. Now I am no stranger to hanging belays, but when there are ledges between every belay, you wonder about the quality of the FA party. It could have been a bit more comfortable if the rebolting/retrobolting moved the belays up a bit, stretched out the pitches just a bit and made this great line a great climb. Sure, I enjoyed it for the most part, but it could have been better.
That night, I met up with Enigma, Ride, & Crap and we planned to climb together the next day.
Saturday we (see above 3 people) went to Black Velvet Canyon to do Frogland while the guys I climbed Crimson with did Cat in the Hat. It was a fun 5.8- with the mental crux for me being the first and second pitch. There were 5 parties of 2 ahead of us so besides a little down time to avoid cramped belays, we got down around 4pm. Again, used no cams on lead and had a blast. Don't take a pack to this climb, just rack at the car. It sucked to wear it up since I was leading and there were some chimneys on it. This is a fun route which I would do again!! The view of Epinephrine from the top of this is worth the effort alone!!
That night we went to Henderson to eat $1 burgers and $3 steak. I also talked to jt512 & Climbsomething on the phone. They climbed at Ragged Edges Cliff on Sunday.
Sunday one of the guys I rode up there with and I did the original route of Johnny Vegas (5.9) while the other (my boss) nursed a sprained ankle obtained from falling off a ladder at work that swelled up on him. I didn't tell my partner that I was taking the 5.9 variation to this 5.7 climb but he knew it was hard when I started placing cams on the 3rd pitch. He followed it and said it felt hard for 5.7. I said it was 5.9 and felt a bit nervous I wasn't going to make the reach. Just climb it and you will like it. The bolt was obviously placed on rappel and wasn't necessary for the leader (I clipped it when it was below my feet because you can't stop to clip) but it is necessary for the follower to prevent a penji after cleaning the last piece before the traverse.
All in all I had a ton of fun, and finally know where the Black Velvet Canyon is. My next trip will consist of getting my butt up as many pitches of Epi as daylight allows (then rapping the route? or just do the first 8) and doing some more 5.9's and 10's.
Others in attendance that I didn't hook up with were Smithclimber, Phlyfisher, Pbjosh, and RichardAiken.
I hope everyone had a great week and returned home safe!! It was good to meet Crap finally and climb with him and Enigma and Ride. Thanks again for the Guinness Eric!!!
TRADitionally yours,
Cali Dirtbag
[ This Message was edited by: addiroids on 2002-11-17 23:29 ]
|
|
|
|
|
rrrADAM
Nov 18, 2002, 12:50 PM
Post #2 of 6
(2416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 19, 1999
Posts: 17553
|
Arggggh... I missed another one. I love Red Rocks too.
Glad you guys had fun.
Did Jay lead Trad ???
|
|
|
|
|
coach
Nov 19, 2002, 7:42 PM
Post #3 of 6
(2416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 11, 2001
Posts: 3348
|
Adds,
Sounded great! Red Rocks is my favorite place! Had to give up on Cat in the Hat last time due to long line!
Climb On
|
|
|
|
|
vegastradguy
Nov 19, 2002, 8:09 PM
Post #4 of 6
(2416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 5919
|
I loved Crimson, but the hanging belays did suck. I'm pretty sure those belays (at least every other one) were set for the rap, not the ascent. Because if you rap on twin 60's, you can rap down in 5 raps, and the lengths are just about perfect.
I actually used more cams than nuts on the climb, I think I placed about 3 nuts, the rest cams. but you can go very light on your rack on that climb. If I go back, I'll prolly just take a set of hexes and nuts and maybe a couple of cams.
I will say this, i was one happy camper with my Yates Shield on that climb! I pity the people who climb that with sport harnesses!
J
ps- I agree, alot of those bolts should be chopped. On the topo, theres only about 10 bolts listed aside from the belays (pitches 2 and 6), but almost every pitch had its share of bolts, including the 1st pitch. Grr!!!
pps- I climbed Tunnelvision on Sunday, what a climb! My first climb where I led every single pitch. Woo!
|
|
|
|
|
phlyfisher
Nov 19, 2002, 8:33 PM
Post #5 of 6
(2416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 17, 2002
Posts: 290
|
Well? I planned to do more climbing than I did. However when the casino is paying you to be there, it is hard to leave. I did take a shot at prince of darkness on monday. I took a wrong trail and the approach took twice as long as should have. When we got to the base a group had just dropped their gear. Lucky me I left the rack in the car. We had to wait. After waiting two hours to climb, we started up. After struggling though the second pitch it was 3:00pm and I had to drive back to SLC. We rapped off and went home. Maybe next time.
Sorry Paul and Rich that we didn't hook up. Next time for sure.
[ This Message was edited by: phlyfisher on 2002-11-19 12:34 ]
|
|
|
|
|
climbsomething
Nov 19, 2002, 8:44 PM
Post #6 of 6
(2416 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 30, 2002
Posts: 8588
|
Jay DID in fact lead trad! Nothing but! He was also quite the trooper when it came to my dog (she really likes him!) We nearly had some dog/car epics which would have run up to E3 on Jay's Epic Scale but they all resolved themselves, so they were mere inconveniences.
Might I add that I also beat Jay at video poker? w00t!
On of these days, I WILL actually climb with Adds. Of course, that'll entail more trad... yikies
|
|
|
|
|
|
