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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 29, 2014 - 10:28am PT
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We are finally making it happen! Our first time climbing together, but we are fairly confident. We are doing the North Ridge of Conness. I did the West Ridge this summer and it was way rad but neither of us has been on the North Ridge.
A couple questions:
1. Does anybody know the current speed record on the North Ridge?
2. Will there be places to find water on the ridge proper?
3. If we are hoping to forage for food on the ridge, where are the best places we might find berries or other food?
4. Should we bring a drill?
5. Should triples to #5 suffice?
Wish us luck! We leave tonight and we are super stoked.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Aug 29, 2014 - 10:31am PT
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I thought your knee was still bugging you. I guess you don't have to worry about much snow.
edit: Not being a smartass. Just a lot of walking for a bum knee.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Aug 29, 2014 - 10:32am PT
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I like the green highlights in particular!
Berg heil!
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Stevee B
Trad climber
Oakland, CA
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Aug 29, 2014 - 10:44am PT
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I like your chances.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Aug 29, 2014 - 10:48am PT
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Go team!
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Aug 29, 2014 - 10:53am PT
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One more question:
Which emergency shelter should I pack?
or
I'm trying to balance light/fast and safety
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Radish
Trad climber
SeKi, California
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Aug 29, 2014 - 11:06am PT
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Pressure, Pressure, Nothing like contacting CNN.........Good Luck, You guys should be all honed for this!
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Mark Force
Trad climber
Cave Creek, AZ
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Aug 29, 2014 - 11:11am PT
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That tent with the wood stove is sweet. Gets my vote.
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Aug 29, 2014 - 11:56am PT
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Limping, if that is a Lembert Dome tent, that's the one for this trip.
Micronuts (sorry, :-), too tempting), I have all your answers.
1. Probably not good news here. I think Peter Croft likes this climb (one of only 735 favorite climbs in the Sierra), so the speed record is probably like 37 minutes car to car.
2. Yes: just look desperate and beg from passing climbers.
3. Food on the ridge, maybe not so much. But there are plenty of endangered frogs in one of the lakes you'll pass. Contact USFWS for permit. Be sure you do not eat any Yosemite toads unless you want a good bufotenine high. Also, I see a nice big rock avalanche scar in your photo. Highly recommend digging around in that debris to find mashed marmots or pikas, maybe even a climber or two or something edible they've jettisoned from higher up...
4. Yes, good strength training to carry one. Bring electric and extra battery but don't bother to charge because you can't use it.
5. Definitely adequate, but don't skimp on it.
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skitch
climber
East of Heaven
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Aug 29, 2014 - 11:57am PT
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Have you already hired a team of sherpas? they should be able to get all of your gear up a day ahead of you if they leave at the same time. . .
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2014 - 12:12pm PT
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Skitch, Good thinking. But we're way ahead of you. We're taking motorcycles to the upper Conness Lake. We'll ditch em there and have my brother pick em up on his way to Reno next month for the World Offroad Expo.
Mongrel, thanks for the beta. Who is this Peter Croft? Is he fast? He sounds European.
Good intel on the wide gear. Should we bring small stuff too?
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Aug 29, 2014 - 12:15pm PT
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Yes, Peter is French but still in the closet. He probably yards on pieces to do those fast solos.
You don't need that small gear, but the shotgun in the background looks good for solving your food resupply problems. We almost had ourselves a sashimi ptarmigan on the shoulder of Half Dome once, but the nut tool spear missed.
Enjoy! (which seems likely as you're already doing that)
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Aug 29, 2014 - 12:15pm PT
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Have fun, come back safe!
There is water on the approach, but not on the ridge...hopefully not on the ridge. :)
DON'T FORGET YOUR BEST FRIEND!
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Aug 29, 2014 - 12:17pm PT
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I would have done the N. Ridge last week except my partner drove up from LA with a half-gallon of Jim Beam on ice in a cooler in the back of his truck. Just don't bring a half-gal of JB along and you'll be fine!
Excellent topo and topo photo too. You can't fail with that kind of beta. But where are the rappels along the ridge? Ought to mark them too.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Aug 29, 2014 - 12:18pm PT
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Good to see you haven't forgotten to pack the 12 gauge.
We generally find it's lighter to take food at gunpoint from other climbers than it is to carry our own groceries.
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PAUL SOUZA
Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
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Aug 29, 2014 - 12:22pm PT
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Most of the ridge goes at 3rd-4th class with short sections up to 5.5. There are two rapps. Take a half a trad rack up to #2 camalot and a 35m rope. The route is pretty clean and solid. Hardly exposed. The thought of soloing it is pretty enticing.
Have a blast!
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dave729
Trad climber
Western America
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Aug 29, 2014 - 12:28pm PT
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a bottle of aspirin
a bottle of ibuprofen
and a bottle of whiskey (for the bivy)
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Aug 29, 2014 - 12:45pm PT
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Don't forget to pack one of these for a celebratory/recovery soak!
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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Aug 29, 2014 - 01:17pm PT
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I haven't soloed many routes, but did this twice. Both times had rope and very minimal alpine rack, and never felt compelled to use them. The down climb at the rap, you are plugged into a chimney or solid hand jams with good feet- not an issue. The slant part after that is easy but pretty exposed and some loose stuff.
All that said, can I buy some sort of sponsor patch or something inscribed with my name on it, that you take with you on your record speed ascent? Maybe a pair of underwear that you sign with a sharpie when you're done?
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