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Chris McNamara
SuperTopo staff member
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 8, 2015 - 03:43pm PT
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I’m auctioning my nearly identical blue portaledge for the American Safe Climbing Association. Why? Planet Granite - Climbing Yoga Fitness is matching all donations to the ASCA in October. So whatever the ledge sells for will get doubled and then buy a bunch of bolts to restore climbing routes. In addition to the ledge, there are auctions for over 60 outdoor items: a GoPro, climbing cams, ski boots, etc etc. All proceeds from those auctions also go to the ASCA after getting doubled by Planet Granite. Here is the auction for the portaledge http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/262084739513 and here are all the other items http://www.ebay.com/usr/outdoorgearlab-store
This photo has a cool connection to the ASCA: In 1997, I had just graduated high school and Jason Singer Smith and I had an idea to make El Cap climbing more interesting: lets remove as much fixed gear as possible from trade routes. This included taking anchors that might have 8 bad bolts, pulling 3, and replacing them with one super bomber bolt. On our first subject, El Cap’s Zenyatta Mondatta, we removed over 100 copperheads, a bunch of pitons and replaced many anchor bolts.
We thought we were doing a great service by de-cluttering routes. However, as we got ready to blast on our second wall, Pacific Ocean Wall, I forgot sunscreen and ran back to the car in El Cap Meadow. There I saw a group of climbers racking up for our same route: they would be climbing right behind us. I mentioned to the group: “You know guys, I’ve heard the route IS missing a lot of fixed gear. You should bring extra copperheads."
One of the guys stands up, face turned red and stammers “Damn it! It must be that damn Chris Mc, Mc… McWhatever... again!”
I then turned red and pretended I didn’t know Chris McWhatever.
On the climb, we continued to remove copperheads and fixed pitons, but about halfway up we realized maybe our intentions were misguided. Not only were we pissing off people like the guy in El Cap Meadow, but removing fixed heads and pitons was long-term just going to damage the routes more.
About the time that Singer snapped this photo of me in the portaledge, we stopped removing fixed gear and just focused on replacing bolts - something everyone was psyched on. A few months later I dropped out of college, ran out of money, and started the ASCA.
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WBraun
climber
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The 3rd pitch belay on Pacific Ocean Wall had one bolt backing up the 3" bong.
Bridwell pounded a 3" aluminum bong straight down into the flaring crack and tied off the bottom hole of that bong.
It was bomber.
We used it for months that summer into late November.
Then people saw that and thought they were gonna die.
Bolts where added and the bong disappeared.
The modern climber had arrived.
On the FA of the direct southwest face of Liberty cap I equalized 9 pins surrounding and expanding flake for an anchor.
No bolts there.
Next ascent freaked and bolts went in.
The next pitch again no bolts and bolts were added again.
One of the people in that ascent wrote a big article on the art of placing pins.
But when it came down to doing it in the field "Failed"
The reason was he didn't want to place pins on the bottom of the ledge and get off the ledge to haul.
They wanted to stand on the ledge and haul.
But no anchors there so bolts went in ......
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Oct 23, 2015 - 01:24pm PT
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Lots more gear added thanks to a huge donation by Metolius! These new auction items end Wednesday (some other items on the auction end sooner).
http://www.ebay.com/usr/outdoorgearlab-store
New Metolius gear:
Monster 9.2x60m rope
Ultralight #1-4 cam set
Ultralight #5-8 cam set
2 Foundry hang boards
4 floor mats
9 Dust bins (big chalk pots)
10 ultralight chalk bags
3 Inferno w/jig7" draw 5 packs
6 gym bags
3 Mini II - jet set (multi colored tiny biner 6-packs - those super small biners, new version)
Boss hog crash pad (blue) - Boulder CO pick-up only
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