| Messages 1 - 12 of total 12 in this topic |
Dingus Milktoast
Gym climber
And every fool knows, a dog needs a home, and...
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 17, 2013 - 09:22am PT
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It looms out of the woods. Not foreboding, at least not in this weather. Not impossible, at least not for me. Quite doable actually, a good sign all things considered. Been up there, done that climbing, a bunch of times actually.
So its not if I want to do the route again. Of course I do. Its more a matter of with whom...
For me its a test... can I STILL? Can I still pack my pack, walk the walk, talk the talk, climb the pitches, remember all the tasks... can I remember how to get up and get down again?
The approach was heinous (right after the carabiner-post marking the climbers' trail to the base of the cliff, lol)
When we pop out of the woods there is no ignoring the large chunk of granite before us.
The crux first pitch was wet. The sole party above us bailed and rapped, complaining of fatigue and first pitch jitters. That gave us top rope on the morning queue. After chatting with some dudes from Colorado about the smokey Tuolume morning air and giving them a proper 'Welcome to California', I wandered up the pitch and managed to get past the wet spot with the minimum of pulling on gear.
Everyone I watched during the day struggled with that 10-feet of wet crack. Sasha was no different. She was all smiles once past that difficulty. After watching her send it I knew we were going to get up the rock.
She even tried a Beatrix Kiddo move - poke your fingers through a rock, ka CHA!
The 2nd pitch was money. Dry, warm, lovely granite, easy to the touch, begging to be climbed, with jam after lovely jam, mostly fingers actually!
I could tell she was liking it.
I was too.
I jacked the Colorado team below us by setting my 2nd belay too low. They were climbing faster than us and I wanted to let them pass. So I joined the next two pitches, of course. After allowing them to scoot by we had the dome to ourselves... the only other party also bailed after the first pitch.
I asked the Little Sherpa Girl, "Your lead?"
She just smiled and reached for the rack.
I smiled right back. I had complete confidence in her.
Cast off
Getting to the goods
SEND!!!!
Told you she had it.
Another 500 feet of climbing, give or take, would put us on top.
But I ran out of space on the memory card (ah the modern life)
A little post-climb bouldering to work the kinks out, nawmean?
And then the trip was over and it's all 'back to the grindstone.'
Monday's Suck. Officially. But I sure do have a warm glow thinking about the climb we just did, all casual and shyte like that.
DMT
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T Hocking
Trad climber
Redding, Ca
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Jun 17, 2013 - 09:34am PT
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SWEET!
TFPU
Tad
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Plaidman
Trad climber
South Slope of Mt. Tabor, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Jun 17, 2013 - 10:15am PT
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Nice shoes. Ahhh granite. How I miss it. Looks like you had an awesome day. Hats off to ya.
Plaid
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Fletcher
Trad climber
The great state of advaita
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Jun 17, 2013 - 11:05am PT
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Another classic report of beauty, joie de vivre, and just dang fun.
Is that Lembert? This is very familiar, but you have a knack for disguising very prominent crags in your photos. That can be a handy skill. Makes it more of an adventure climb for the reader! Ha ha!
Eric
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Jun 17, 2013 - 11:25am PT
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Looks like great fun -----------and it is a "great, fun, report!"
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Jun 17, 2013 - 02:01pm PT
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BBST!
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Jun 17, 2013 - 02:14pm PT
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skeets were bad in places, and it's friggin crowded!!
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ladyscarlett
Trad climber
SF Bay Area, California
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Jun 17, 2013 - 03:46pm PT
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Mmmmm...
nothing like getting high in California, eh?
So.MUCH.FUN!!!!
I see pics like these and realize...wow, why the HELL is that girl in the pic not freaking out???!!!!???
oh wait, I'm the girl in the pic...heh!
Would do it again in a heartbeat and sure look forward to coming back to that lovely piece of granite and wallow in my crack addiction.
Skeeters weren't a huge problem, most likely because of fairly stiff winds and the cloud of DEET...heh.
Damn if TM keeps me coming back over and over again...TM - I love you long time!
Cheers!
LS
ps...BBST?!! WTF, why don't I know all the kewl code acronyms yet?
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Dingus Milktoast
Gym climber
And every fool knows, a dog needs a home, and...
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 17, 2013 - 05:33pm PT
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Hey Squishy I just took note of Off-Route-Marmot there in your pic, hilarious.
Off-Route-Marmot says... impossible to be off route on SE Face of Cathedral.
DMT
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Dr. Christ
Mountain climber
State of Mine
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Jun 17, 2013 - 05:41pm PT
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Love that route. On the list for this year... gf wants to do it... the route that is.
BTW, that Spirit is marked different than the rest of your gear... but EXACTLY like all my gear... where'd you find it (and give it back)!!!
also, you run that sh#t out!
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Dr. Christ
Mountain climber
State of Mine
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Jun 17, 2013 - 06:11pm PT
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You spray paint with your software attached?!? Yikes... reminds me of a guy I knew who STAMPED his initials into his biners with a sledge.
OMG, yer gonna...
probably be just fine!
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| Messages 1 - 12 of total 12 in this topic |
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