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Grug

Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 18, 2006 - 11:41am PT
I remember when I first learned about Leavitation. I had done most of the hard offwidths that I have still ever done before learning and using this amazing technique (why didn't I think of it!). I'm wondering if others were as amazed as me to learn that certain sized cracks were up to a full number grade easier with Leavitation.

A particular climb I remember is Mother Superior at Mt Woodson. To this day, arm-barring this thing was probably the hardest wide crack I've ever done (by the way, the name was intended to reflect that it was harder than Bad Ass Momma). I learned about Leavitation a year or so later. When I subsequently did Mother Superior with Tom Gibson, it felt like 5.10d (at least the offwidth part). Similar stories out there?
426

Sport climber
Campus Punks Slab, Rocktown
Feb 18, 2006 - 12:01pm PT
Not with M.S. Lots of backslapping on the "slab" for me the last time I was at "the wood". Weak core and sloppy technique get "ratted out™" every time on stuff like that.

Thanks for the story on the name, I always thought it somehow had to do with "jumping the gun"..

Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Feb 18, 2006 - 01:26pm PT
I had heard that about the name, but it always seemed weird to me because by the time I finally did Mom supe I stacked it and it seemed more straight forward than the other one. The first time I tried Bad Ass Moma I tried to armbar it and got nowhere.

I actually resisted leavitation until I watched Cilley stack BAM and it dawned on me there might be something to it. That was the first crack I ever tried it on. Now I can't imagine doing it any other way.
Hootervillian

climber
Zak's Cabin
Feb 18, 2006 - 01:33pm PT
never knew the name story either, thanks.
man, i miss woodson.
how many climbers can you get into big grunt at the same time? is there an official tally?
Grug

Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 18, 2006 - 01:36pm PT
Jaybro. So you can/did stack Bad Ass Mama? It's been so long, that I can't even remember the size, for sure. This was another one that I thought pretty darn hard as an arm-bar route.
426

Sport climber
Campus Punks Slab, Rocktown
Feb 18, 2006 - 01:56pm PT
how many climbers can you get into big grunt at the same time?


"Ratt(l)ed out™" of that one, too. Sounds like an ol' 'Stonemaster wacky cultural expedition™'.
Grug

Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 18, 2006 - 02:00pm PT
You know, the Poway Mountain Boys were really bad about naming climbs or remembering the names of them, particularly in the early years (pre-1974). Is the Big Grunt that huge chimney right on the road and across from what I remember as Poison Ivy Crack?
426

Sport climber
Campus Punks Slab, Rocktown
Feb 18, 2006 - 02:02pm PT
Probably, it's pretty close to M.S.-it's a "horizontal" chimney through a gigantic split egg.

I couldn't (more like "wouldn't) do the "inverted toe cam cartwheel™" to get into it...even had good beta!


Pretty ugly double decker fall onto the blacktop, but you PMB's know, for the "Wood" that's actually a pretty safe LZ-"flat and no stabbies™."
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Feb 18, 2006 - 02:10pm PT
Grug-handstack, invert, repeat, then I can my knee then the rest of me in it. I'd still be working on it, today if I hadn't gone to the darkside of stacking.

I'll dig up some pictures.
Hootervillian

climber
Zak's Cabin
Feb 18, 2006 - 02:15pm PT
pictures of the opening sequence of MS? yes please.



oh yeah. exactly, big chimney, right across from PI crack.




bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Feb 18, 2006 - 07:50pm PT
I was just levitating in my living room ( it's snowing so there's nothing else to do).

Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Feb 18, 2006 - 08:00pm PT
Looking good, John!?

How are them accopas for high volume, mostly narrow and mutantly high-arched, old guy, feet?
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Feb 18, 2006 - 08:04pm PT
Jaybro! Narrow eh? You'll be stoked on these babies - all leather, medium stiff, super comfy...cheers jb



The Aurora Lace-Up....
Josh Higgins

Trad climber
San Diego
Feb 18, 2006 - 08:07pm PT
I just tried Mother Superior last weekend. My knee doesn't seem to like to jam so well on the lower section, so I'm having a lot of trouble. I should be able to get it soon, though. Damn nice climb! I can't even imagine that thing without stacking. Mad props to anyone who has pulled that off.

My buddies and I got 3 into Big Grunt last sunday.

Josh
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Feb 18, 2006 - 08:08pm PT
JB, Thanks, I'm looking.


Josh,I Tr-onsighted (whatever you call that) Mother superior, stacking, and I can't imagine it, the other way.

Though, it WOULD get you in shape! ha-ha
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Feb 18, 2006 - 08:17pm PT
Mother Superior- cool crack. I arm barred it. I think real levitation would be best however. See above photo.

Email me if you need sumthin' jaybro! cheers, jb
Russ Walling

Social climber
This ain't Tijuana
Feb 18, 2006 - 11:24pm PT
Hey Greg.. here is one from your backyard... Boulder 13 at Woodson. I like to use the term "handstacking" instead of Leavittation™™™. Word on the street is handstacking was around long before the namesake.


bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Feb 19, 2006 - 12:12am PT
Nice stacking! Indeed, I learned about stacking from "old guys" in the Valley way before this other stuff was "invented". jb
Grug

Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
Topic Author's Reply - Feb 19, 2006 - 09:29am PT
ok I'm back on line. You know, I was wondering whether or not handstacking was used before Randy Leavitt. I sure didn't use it (I wonder if Pratt did?), and like I said to start off this thread, it makes a huge difference for me in that size crack a little bigger than fist. I think of all of the skin on my shoulders and elbows I might have saved if I'd learned it earlier.

Nice pics Russ. Do they still call that Boulder 13? There's another technique that I still haven't use - the foot above your head thing. I first did Boulder 13 in the first bouldering contest at Woodson and pretty much fist-jammed it sticking out my bent thumb to make my fist bigger (thrashed my thumb).

I pretty much didn't climb throughout the '80s, and after moving to the Denver area and starting up again, I actually forgot about the whole handstacking thing. I'd done this climb, Road Warrior, twice before doing it a third time and remembering to hand-stack. Once again, the difference was like night and day!
Rhodo-Router

Trad climber
Otto, NC
Feb 19, 2006 - 11:51am PT
Grug, I read this title and thought immediately of the Road Warrior. I'm pretty much an OW gumby but I dug that thing. If you get a free day and want to go up that one again,holler real loud, I'll meetcha.

Rob in Leadville
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