Bad Flake on Matthes

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snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 25, 2015 - 10:41am PT
I ran through yesterday and ascended to the North tower via the 5.7 handrail that I always use. Just below where the crack goes plumb, after the left traversing jugs, there is an essential flake that gave me some concern.

As I pulled on it it felt different than the other 5-6 times I've climbed it. After pulling past I gave it a few knocks and it has a definite hollow ring to it. To be clear it is not flexing or moving, and it may stay there for another few millenia for all I know, but I didn't like it.

Free-soloing with a wife and unborn daughter demands me to be as perfect as humanly possible, so I won't be taking that path again. I've never done the 5.7 crack option because it looked thrutchy, but I guess I'll have to explore it now.

Anyways- be careful out there and have fun!
jeff constine

Trad climber
Ao Namao
Jul 25, 2015 - 11:54am PT
LOL What a selfish fool.. Bragging about soloing, with Pregnant lady. Silly Sh#t.













Yur Gonna Die for sure.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
Jul 25, 2015 - 11:57am PT
Thanks for the update brah. Way to keep an eye on things out there. Thanks for the heads up. Will watch out for it when passing through that section next time. Stay safe and stay smart.

See you out there,

Scott
apogee

climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
Jul 25, 2015 - 01:00pm PT
Funny how some soloists get a good ballcupping even if they bite it, and others get the wrath of judgement passed on them. Go figure.
snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 25, 2015 - 01:09pm PT
We're all gonna die for sure

Hope you avoid all dangerous activities if you have a wife and/or kids. That would definitely mean no cars ever. Hope your work doesn't ever put you at risk. Stay away from large crowds of any kind. Roped climbing? More people die with ropes on, or in their packs than soloists- Definite risk- better not. Never go in the ocean- the great whites are migrating closer to shore from El Nino, haven't you heard???

I am not bragging. But I am selfish. Maintaining my own psychological threshold is exactly what allows me to thrive, support my family, build a home and life, and be completely free to give of myself to them without reservation, regret, or cynicism. It is what allows me to love unparalleled. I choose to live as an example of surrender, of presence, of engagement in a life that is guaranteed to end no matter how you play it.

Do you think the people around you learn from what you tell them, or from your example? My father was an army test pilot, he died the day after I was conceived. Regardless I learned more from him than I can express. Is it inherently better to have someone in your life? What if they have muted their passions, and grow resentful?

But of course you're right, enacting an illusion of control is better...

Edit: Hey Rdog- it is a constant dialogue with myself and my wife regarding the choices we make. Perhaps when I hold my daughter in my hands I will see and feel a natural choice one way or the other. I am certainly not dogmatic about soloing the rest of my life. So thank you for the suggestion, it is all worth thinking about
TGT

Social climber
So Cal
Jul 25, 2015 - 01:14pm PT
My father was an army test pilot, he died the day after I was conceived.

just don't make it a family tradition.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Jul 25, 2015 - 05:30pm PT
Is it inherently better to have someone in your life? What if they have muted their passions, and grow resentful?

Kids would say, yes, it's better to have you in their life, regardless of what it costs you. Kids are selfish that way. It's a personal decision for you, how to shape your wants and needs, where to draw the line between satisfying what you want and what they want, and accepting the consequences good or bad for how that shapes their lives and personalities.

Thanks for the heads up on the flake, especially considering the number of people that must solo through there.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Jul 25, 2015 - 06:09pm PT
Yup only soloists die climbing not roped climbers.
10b4me

Social climber
Jul 25, 2015 - 06:17pm PT
Maintaining my own psychological threshold is exactly what allows me to thrive, support my family, build a home and life, and be completely free to give of myself to them without reservation, regret, or cynicism.

You can't do that if your dead.
I understand your point, but at some point, it seems like you would question your motives.

I've climbed for over thirty-five years, and realize it was a very selfish thing to do to my loved ones, and to myself.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Jul 25, 2015 - 10:01pm PT
You know if you had a big enough shoehorn you could make just about any thread about ya Ron ;D
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Trad climber
Shitalkqua, WA
Jul 25, 2015 - 10:19pm PT
snowhazed

Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 25, 2015 - 10:55pm PT
Glad I caught the sentiments about Dan before deletion
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
Jul 25, 2015 - 10:58pm PT
F*#k. I would have liked to see that post. Thanks Greg.
ruppell

climber
Jul 25, 2015 - 10:59pm PT
I'm glad I caught it as well but there is a big difference between 1000' rope jumps and soloing a moderate climb that probably gets soloed more often then it sees roped ascents.
ruppell

climber
Jul 25, 2015 - 11:23pm PT
I didn't miss anything. There's an acceptable risk in everything you do as a climber and those two scenarios are miles apart in the chance of things going wrong. One most climbers would view as acceptable. The other not nearly as much. I'm sorry you seem to think you have some deeper knowledge then the rest of us but you don't. I've lost friends as well but I would never tell someone to stop doing things that they deem acceptable.
ruppell

climber
Jul 25, 2015 - 11:34pm PT
I'm not worried. Honestly I wish you'd left the post. It was from the heart and had a lot of valid points about the possible outcome of sh#t going south and the people that care about you having to deal with the aftermath of that. Man you get your panties in a bunch easier than my wife does. Not everyone here will agree and that's the whole point. It's called discussion. Learn to do it sometime.
Spider Savage

Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
Jul 26, 2015 - 07:53am PT
thread not going how you expected?


Thanks for posting up the info on the loose stuff. This is very helpful, probably better to post in the "route beta" area than it's own thread. It will do more good and draw less critique.

http://www.supertopo.com/rock-climbing/Tuolumne-Meadows-Matthes-Crest-Traverse-from-South-to-North


Adding notes as to hazards is a GOOD thing.
tornado

climber
lawrence kansas
Jul 26, 2015 - 07:59am PT
Next time just say the flake is bad and don't mention the soloing or family.
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
Jul 26, 2015 - 08:04am PT
snowhazed there's a lot more then one bad flake out there.....each season the deck looses a few bad cards and gains more.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Jul 26, 2015 - 08:56am PT
I forced Ron to delete a post? What should I do now with my incredible super powers??

Love ya babes!

Adding notes as to hazards is a GOOD thing.


One would think...
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