TGR's Summer Climbing Thread

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mountain Junkie

Did you do the jump and hump? Racking myself never felt so good.

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had all the intentions in the world to walk the "sidewalk", but when it came time to stand up - i suddenly changed my mind

butt scooted out to the dip
stood up and grabbed the "diving board"
slung it with a cordellete (most bomber piece of pro on the last pitch)
then took a few minutes to muster up the courage to "belly flop" it - got a bruise on my sternum from it
then sent the rest of it ('cept the cruxy move by the last bolt - didn't see the sequence until after i'd pulled on the draw - kind of pissed me off i didn't get it)
then went to top and waited to stand up till the camera was on
coming back across the "sidewalk" was almost just as scary as the lead out to it

a must do classic for sure :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Trackhead

And the La Sal national forest will be getting a polite, but clear letter from me stating my opinions.

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will there be any words or just a high quality image of this picture in the envelope??

http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46495.jpg

10/14-16/05 Moab TR

With both Trackhead and I more stoked to go climb one of America's 50 Classic Climbs than do the single crossing of the Grand Canyon, plans were put into motion a few weeks ago for this weekend. Talk of desert slideshows and video premiers on the side of TH's mo-home solidified things.

Left Friday evening with TH supposedly an hour ahead of me. The goal became could I catch him. Blasted by his water'd down rig at the mouth of Spanish Fork canyon. Arrived in Fisher Tower's parking lot at 10:30. Trackhead showed up 45 minutes later.

Woke the next morning to nothing but blue bird skies and some incredulous views in all directions.

Castleton Tower (on looker's left) and ?? to the south
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46532.jpg

The Fisher Towers to the East with the sun rising behind them
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46533.jpg

Sunrise on Kingfisher Tower from the trail
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46534.jpg

A little while longer on the trail brought us to the first view of our route (where the sun meets the shadows) - Stolen Chimney on the Ancient Art formation - a 4 pitch 11a or 5.8A0 route.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46535.jpg

We had left the mo-home at 8:30, arrived at the base of the route at 9 to find that 2 guides, 5 clients and 1 private party of 2 were ahead of us. So we scurried over to the Cobra - a crazy formation with a short 11a on it that Trackhead put up and the rest of us tr'd.

We headed back over to the base of the Stolen Chimney route on Ancient Art to check our "line-up" status. The private party was all that was left and TH was twitchin' so harnesses were put on and gear racked. Before continuing the story an aside should be made about the Fishers. The guidebooks say "that if you can climb in the Fishers, you can climb anywhere - including alpine rock". I would soon find out just what the authors meant - muddy, crumbly rock that thankfully solidified and cleaned up as we climbed higher.

I got the first pitch clean and snapped this shot of Gramps 2nd'ing
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46536.jpg

Gramps took the lead on the 2nd pitch and arrived to this cluster at the top of pitch 2
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46537.jpg

From the belay ledge, guides and clients were going 1 by 1 to the top of the formation and TH just happened to be where they needed to downclimb.

TH getting gaper'd (and probably loving it) :D
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46538.jpg

Finally after about 2 or 3 hours, the guides and private party were done and our turn was approaching. Unfortunately, storm clouds had started building to the South. TH, being frustrated with the guide/client situation and the potential for a storm decided to rap off and come back another day. Gramps and I decided to stick it out and see what happened.

The guides and clients finally rapped off and we were left there alone with 1 other party of 3 behind us that contained 1 guy that had climbed it before, his hardcore wife and 1 of their friends.

Gramps lead the third pitch using the aid of a couple of draws. I wanted it clean but in the end had to pull on 1 draw for 1 move - a tough, slopey 10+ move.

Gramps and I were then sitting a-top the belay pod looking at huge :eek: exposure on both sides and nothing but a 6" to 1' wide sidewalk in front of us that led to a super crazy formation. Knowing I had called the lead of it before we even left the ground, I started feeling sick to my stomach - getting cottonmouth - and mildly trembling. Easily one of the 5 most scared times of my life. Thankfully my mind took over. I had all intentions of doing it in style by walking the sidewalk, but in the end boot-scooting across it was all I could muster up.

So, I boot-scooted out to the "diving board" (the jutting piece of rock back towards the belay spot), slung it with a cordellete (no pro until then) and started to get psyched for the "belly flop". Belly flopping the diving board is the only way onto it. It took me prolly a good 3-4 minutes to get psyched for it after examining all my other options. Finally in the end, took a deep breath and lept damn near as hard as I could. Flop, stop, breath - I was safely on top of it and stood up and clipped the old drilled angle.

I worked my way straight up the face to clip another drilled angle and then up and around to looker's right to clip a star nail with a ring on it :eek: :eek: I one more crux move to pull and attempted it free, but felt the flake I was pulling on expand and decided the safer option would be to aid the move via pulling on the draw. I then stood up, clipped the summit slings and worked around behind the summit dish and on up to it for the obligatory summit pic. Standing up on that thing was un-nerving to say the least - my legs felt so weak with fear I could barely stand up.

Gramps then lowered me off the summit back to the diving board. Getting back to the belay spot was no gimme either. Gramps then went out, had some fun and came back. One of the girls behind us then headed out and I snapped this pic of her lowering off right at sunset - the storm had abated and we were treated to an amazing sunset with alpenglow on the red mud all around us.

Twa lowering off at sunset
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46539.jpg

Sunset over Moab from the 3rd belay spot
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46540.jpg

Sunset on more mud below us
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46541.jpg

Sunset on Cottontail Tower behind us
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46542.jpg

We then rapped off, hiked back to the mo-home, had a steak, margie and beer. Woke next day, headed to Wallstreet to snort some desert crack then Gramps and I headed home.

One of the best trips of my summer - one I'll always remember for sure. I was stoked to share the route with Gramps. I hadn't had the opportunity to ski or climb with him much so it was fun to share a rope with him on such a classic route. The kid's got alot of natural talent that is just beginning to show itself after climbing for only 2 years. And the route was absolutely classic; the kind of route that ties 2 people together as friends forever and will be fondly looked back upon for many years to come bringing smiles to our faces :biggrin:

Thanks Xover, that was a great trip. Here are a few pictures I snapped. All of Trackhead, that Euro is always in front of the lens... :D

Leading Flakes of Wrath, one of the best lines on Potash

http://xs52.xs.to/pics/05433/derek-flakes1-web.jpg

http://xs52.xs.to/pics/05433/derek-flakes2-web.jpg

Leading the Cobra, a sketchy little tower near Ancient Art

http://xs52.xs.to/pics/05433/derek-cobra-web.jpg

http://xs52.xs.to/pics/05433/derek-cobra2-web.jpg

And a couple climbers topping out on Ancient Art as we were approaching it. This climb is really hard to believe.

http://xs52.xs.to/pics/05433/top-out-daylight-web.jpg

http://xs52.xs.to/pics/05433/top-out-silhouette-web.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gramps

Here are a few pictures I snapped. All of Trackhead, that Euro is always in front of the lens... :D

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You're going to be all over the big screen tomorrow night ya little punk ass, Jedi bitch.:p

There's no escaping it now.

While waiting in line to climb Ancient Art, we diverted to climb The Cobra.
A fun, albeit slightly scary route.
http://fritzrips.com/Gallery/albums/Moab/cobra.jpg

Gramps on top of the Cobra, looking like the top block will pitch. Good thing he's light.
http://fritzrips.com/Gallery/albums/Moab/DaveCobra.jpg

Gramps finishing the second pitch of Ancient Art. His first sandstone tower. I think he's hooked.
http://fritzrips.com/Gallery/albums/Moab/DaveOW.jpg

Me, and Red dog, on top of Lizard Head. A fun tower near the parking lot. But another run out, better not fall route. Great climbing though.
http://fritzrips.com/Gallery/albums/Moab/Lizardhead.jpg

Mrs. Trackhead toproping the Cobra.
http://fritzrips.com/Gallery/albums/Moab/NikCobra.jpg

Mrs. Trackhead following the Lizard Head.
http://fritzrips.com/Gallery/albums/Moab/NikLizard.jpg

Sweet pics fellas.

How did the dry mud treat ya?

Oh, and Flakes of Rath = good fun.

Wow how did I miss this thread?

Looks like I'm not the only one that hasn't been thinking SNOW!

Way to get out there everyone.

i'd just like to say, i love flexible asians.

Wish I would have discovered this thread earlier... for now I posted a wrap-up for the summer for anybody interested - TR: (NSR) Chamonix Summer Climbing In Review Part Deux

Let it snow!!!