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whitemeat
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo, CA
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I loved the first edition but think there are improvements...
I think that you should put in more then one way to do things like how you did for the docking the pig... theres the ajustable daisy method and the munter hitch method but what about the hudon method or the others that some people love. I thought when you haul it said to use a quick draw as a back up and that might work but would be gnarly as hell If the traxion broke... after my first few walls I tought myself the tecniqe of using an ascender on the master point with your water bottle or hammer on it as a back up, which is just one of the many ways to back it up... when you fix a fowlloers rope it didn't mention the butterfly and figure eight method that some people like (I like Cmac method).
I also think the 2nd edition should have more intricate hauling systems and systems in general... on my first wall on the SFWC I had to set a 3:1 going to dinner which I learned from a differnt source and have had to use it sense in many ocassions... my favorite way to haul is to use a gri gri to my belay loop because i can get slack through it and when the pig arrives I can dock it with the munter and undo the traction and lower the pig onto the munter...
all in all I think that book was great and really would teach someone that dosent know how to aid,haul,or jug to climb el cap in good style... great and usefull book
I will try to think about more ways to make it better!!!!
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AlanDoak
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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I've only skimmed through the first edition, so my apologies if my recollection is off:
I don't recall seeing info on using a munter+mule to anchor and lower out a bag. I'm guessing a lot of beginners find themselves lifting the haulbag everytime to undo a carabiner, rather than just untying the mule and lowering the bag out on the munter.
Also, a discussion on block climbing (including short fixing and self belay) is missing from most bigwall guidebooks. It speeds things up soo much and reduces the clutter at the belays a ton.
It's also my personal opinion that peeing in a bottle and either hauling it or dumping it off route should be encouraged in the guide book.
Another little tip: I was once fixing the 1st 3 pitches of Lurking Fear. I tied both ropes together, coiled the ropes, and hucked the whole bundle.... as the bottom rope came under tension it sawed over itself, resulting in a core shot. Yeah, don't do that.
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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Include pictures of Camp VI, EC's summit, Big Sandy and the Alcove in the zig-zags, Dinner, Ahwahnee, etc. at their worst, full of trash and human waste, being cleaned out by good people in hazmat suits. There are plenty such pics here on your site.
A collage of all the nastiest, most disrespected ledges and climber-frequented areas throughout the Valley.
Along with those pics, summon the most menacing language you have within you (get your dad to help you write it, he looks like a tough bastard) to clarify that that bullshit isn't ok.
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Jason A Graves
Trad climber
Carlsbad, CA Anchoredman.com
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Hey Chris,
From a noob's perspective, I thought you did a great job of keeping it simple and clear. I appreciated the fact that you purposely excluded more advanced techniques to show the importance of mastering the basics. (If everything is important, nothing is important.) I've only done SFWC and NWFHD - both with hauling - and felt adequately equipped by reading your books/watching vids online as well as completing some "Road to the Nose" routes.
Having said that, here are a couple of possible suggestions...
1) Maybe include a brief segment on "What to do in an emergency?" I know this isn't a self-rescue, or first responder book, maybe an "In case of a fall/injury" segment or maybe a "Top 5 Emergency Do's and Dont's" list?
2) One or two paragraphs on french freeing. Are there any tips you've learned to improve speed or efficiency, or is it just simply yanking on gear?
Anyways, thanks for helping a full-time employed, married with 4 kids, only-been-climbing-five-years, weekend warrior gain the tools necessary to fulfill my dream of climbing Half Dome for my 40th birthday. (Safely) Sorry for hijacking the og purpose of this thread, but I thought this would be a place you would certainly read each post, and I wanted to thank you for helping me take part (even if only in a small way) the glory of climbing a big wall in Yosemite.
Here's a short video of our climb:
http://vimeo.com/74550762
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Bootymaster
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Don't forget to have someone edit the second edition. The first edition had so many obvious errors it was as if it was an unedited draft copy.
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cornel
Big Wall climber
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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Hey Chris! How r ya! improvements for the next BW guide..? white meat is on it..advanced hauling and docking techniques would be good. I'd include shots from different angles and a link to a demo site too for each technique..I do appreciate your comment on not taking anymore than U have too but for us old buzzards still walling. Well, it is always nice to find new Innovations for dealing with hauling for those longer Thin nail ups. If there is a better more efficient way I am all ears..By the way I want U know ST is an awesome site..appreciate what U have created here..Keep up the good work!
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Highlife
Trad climber
California
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I must admit I have not read the first edition. But that being said, noticed someone above mentioned a bit on self rescue. I think that, at the very least, and since self rescue is not necessarily a "big wall" skill but rather a general climbing and mountaineering skill, it should address the importance of self sufficiency when undertaking a climb of large magnitude. Although YOSAR is there to aid in emergency's, allot of full blown "rescues" can probably be avoided if climbers approached walls with the idea that they are on their own and feel responsible to deal with any situations which may arise. That's part of why climbing's so enticing in the first place!
Also, that is not to say there is no reason to call for help, in fact there are a great many reasons, especially if it is life or limb. But if you don't know how to rap with a haul bag, maybe you should hone your skills a little bit more. The internet things seem easier than they are!
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pell
Trad climber
Sunnyvale
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Feb 11, 2014 - 01:55pm PT
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How about a chapter on Yosemite big wall local ethics - food, water and other supplies stashing, what one should clean, what one can clean, and what one should never clean, how to pass slow parties, when and how allow a fast party to pass you, etc?
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Jane Gallwey
Big Wall climber
Ireland
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Feb 12, 2014 - 05:50am PT
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This might seem kind of obvious/dumb but one suggestion:
I told a friend of mine to buy the book to learn how to big wall climb before I meet her in Yosemite this spring. She dutifully got the book and followed the instructions to the letter, taking a nice groundfall in the process.
In the bit about leading it mentions not clipping your rope til you are fully on the next piece, which is obviously the right thing to do on easy aid on a big wall. But since most people reading the book are noobs and are practicing on single pitch crags maybe there should be a note about clipping in after bounce testing the next piece but before transferring onto it if you're near the ground?
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Feb 12, 2014 - 12:51pm PT
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What Jane said above.
On solid C1 terrain it is faster to use Cmac's sequence, but if you are facing a bad fall (previous back cleaning, ledge, ground, etc) the slight cluster reduction of unclipping your daisy/aiders before clipping the rope in is dangerous.
I think the general message of "just climb faster and take less junk" is great, but for us mere mortals who are soft from years of fabric box life, it is not terribly useful. Techniques to avoid getting trashed should get more mention, again for us soft folks.
The 2:1 hauler really should get a good mention along these lines, less for the freight aspect, and more for not trashing yourself. Hauling fatigue (bad technique, too much weight, etc) is one of the bigger contributors to bail'age in my opinion. Hudon's setup is not very heavy, nor hard to setup.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Feb 26, 2014 - 12:46pm PT
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I don't recall seeing anything about placing heads or cleaning pins
some rules of thumb as to how much weight would be "reasonable" on standard climbs so that noobs can have at least a banchmark as they assemble pigs in garages, basements, etc.
what caffeine and alcohol delivery systems are best (the former is particularly tricky; the latter, not so much)
a discussion of pros/cons of various rope systems (e.g. two dynamics versus one dynamic/one static, diameters, lengths, etc.)
for those who aren't "Valley locals", info on how to get a climber and his pigs to Yosemite Valley (dealing with jets, public transportation, etc)
discussion of "alpine big wall climbing" -- maybe ask Dave Turner to write a vignette for big wall climbing in Patagonia. stories of climbs like East Face of Mooses Tooth or Kichatna Spire or even hard aid on The Diamond would make the text helpful beyond the Valley
analyze/discuss just how paranoid one should be about jugging ropes that run over rock -- I recall seeing a photo in 1st ed. that spooked me out but apparently didn't alarm others
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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Feb 26, 2014 - 01:58pm PT
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Here's a vote to keep anything other than basic hauling systems out of the book. The book will be mostly for the inexperienced trying to glean the basics - if anyone wants to learn the 3/1, let 'em find it on-line.
I think the best tip I've ever received for a wall was super specific and had to do with the physical training leading up to it. As climbers we focus on arms and upper torso stuff so much. The tip I got was: start doing airsquats, burpees, anything like that. I only did bodyweight stuff. For me it was the perfect way to get ready for hauling. What a difference that made.
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Febs
Trad climber
Northern Italy
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Jul 30, 2014 - 07:21am PT
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I didn't read the whole thread, so sorry if it has been asked before. If so, just add my request to the list.
Please make this available as an ebook!
I see no reason to pay more to have a tree cut and then inked and then shipped overseas on a plane to Italy. Moreover, also paying for customs and waiting for a long time.
When I can get it NOW, hassle free, cheaper, and environmentally friendlier in "electrons".
Thanks for caring!
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Jul 30, 2014 - 05:42pm PT
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well, first, you got hella scooped by "AK-47" Andy Kirkpatrick, who alone has the audacity to commit ink to "solo big wall technique"
but since the first edition failed to address this important topic, perhaps the second edition can at least address how the big wall soloist with a flashy and expensive car can protect his car for 4-5 days of being parked at El Cap Meadow while said soloist rages on The Big Stone.
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