Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Thomas
Trad climber
The Tilted World
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - May 28, 2009 - 12:06pm PT
|
I will be climbing at DT in July and am planning on doing as many of the classics as I can; from the Durrance Route up to lines like Mr. Clean and Carol's Crack.
Between my partner and I, we will have four sets of stoppers, triples in most small cams, and up to five cams each from tight hands to wide hands.
Are we all set to do a decent variety of climbing or are we missing some key gear?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Cheers!
|
|
TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 12:29pm PT
|
Sounds like you're pretty setup gear wise.
When I climbed there in July we were getting really early starts(~4am) and chasing the shade...very doable, but stay hydrated!
|
|
Decko
Trad climber
Colorado
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 12:46pm PT
|
Don't forget your "cables" cause all the tourons are gonna want to know how you got ur cables up there....
Sounds like you guys have PLENTY of gear....
Stay at Franks....way better than the campground
|
|
xtrmecat
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montanagonia
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 12:58pm PT
|
Thomas, a couple of the routes to the top have a wide place or two. Not mandatory but it may prove useful to carry a big piece or two for the OW stuff. Good luck staying cool.
Bob
|
|
blahblah
Gym climber
Boulder
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 01:01pm PT
|
^ ^ ^ ^
Yeah, you WILL get asked repeatedly whether you made it to the top, how you get the ropes up, etc.
Make sure you have plenty of oh-so-witty retorts to put those damn tourons in their place. Best retorts will give a "slow burn" to the tourons--they won't quite be sure that they are being mocked at first, but after a while, it will sink in that they just got punked. Never gets old.
|
|
ddriver
Trad climber
SLC, UT
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 03:09pm PT
|
you might lighten your load in the bigger sizes by augmenting with hexes
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 03:15pm PT
|
You're set, start early and hide from the sun, stay at franks, that's about it.
Prepare to have tons of fun!
|
|
Dick_Lugar
Trad climber
Indiana (the other Mideast)
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 03:33pm PT
|
Bring quarters for the hot tub on the summit, it doesn't take $$ bills, at least the last time I was up there, but that was in '99. It may take $$ bills now...
|
|
hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 03:35pm PT
|
july can be very very hot- like can't touch the rock hot!
If you're not in the shade you're making a mistake.
i'd say Assembly Line on the North side with Great Hands- pro around 2-3"
Unfortunately the easy routes are on the South side but it can be so so so hot you need to get up early- like Teton Alpine start early
Talk to Frank He knows everything
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 04:35pm PT
|
Yup, the Colonel abides...
|
|
scuffy b
climber
Sinatra to Singapore
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 05:30pm PT
|
Khanom, some of those free climbs eat up lots of gear in the
same size.
I'm sure I could have done this differently, but on the 2nd
pitch of Carol's Crack, I placed seven stoppers of the same
size.
|
|
Bazo
Boulder climber
Ky
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 05:45pm PT
|
Damn I'll never forget the rack we carried the one and only time I ever visited the tower (1976)...
7 stoppers
8 hex's
2 largeish Forrest Titons ( yup, they sucked )
6 runners ( hand tied 1" tubular )
I was wearing blue RR's
It was an intersting weekend..
|
|
blahblah
Gym climber
Boulder
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 05:53pm PT
|
khanom: I try to avoid posting on climbing threads where I'm not highly knowledgeable about the question, cuz there are some real experts here and they can handle it better than I can.
But ARE YOU FOR REAL in thinking there are not many aid lines at Devils Tower. Have you ever been there?
(Granted, not many people seem to do the aid lines, and I guess your post was a just a dig at the OP who wants to make sure he has put together an appropriate rack for what I'm sure is a highly anticipated trip to an incredible area.)
For the full length pitches you get a DT with relatively constant crack sizes (not like Indian Creek, but they are continuous cracks), I don't think his question was at all out of line.
Hell, if anything, if the 11a's are going to be desperate for him, maybe he could bring a little more. (The rack seems good to me, but I'm not an expert there, especially on anything harder than 10s)
Frank's got a good website that has recommended gear.
http://www.devilstowerclimbing.com/routes/index.html
Note he recommends bringing up to 6 of the same size on some pitches routes. E.g. (from Frank's description for Mr. Clean):
Essential Gear:
The 2nd pitch is the crux of the route. My personal rack for that pitch is:
small wired stoppers for the roof,
6-#1 Friends
6-#1.5 Friends
6-#2 Friends
4-#2.5 Friends
You can take more if you like, they will all go in!!
The 3rd pitch is similar in size to the 2nd pitch, with an off-width finish. It is also a long pitch. Be sure to take enough stuff!!!
|
|
hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
|
|
|
May 28, 2009 - 08:46pm PT
|
memories from an old campfire- We were talking about Mr. Clean- about half way up and to the right is a small ledge that you can pretty much get a hands down rest on.
the rumor had it Todd Skinner wanted to take a chisel and chop off the ledge to make it into an ironman fest
I was pretty happy to take that big step to the right and shake it out for a while
|
|
scuffy b
climber
Sinatra to Singapore
|
|
|
May 29, 2009 - 02:43pm PT
|
"when in doubt" is the key phrase.
Sometimes you just know you want to plug in more.
|
|
Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
a greasy pinscar near you
|
|
|
May 29, 2009 - 02:55pm PT
|
I ran out of draws more than once, what with all the bombproof keyholed stopper placements and 160' pitches (although with the nature of the placements and starightness of the lines those aren't so important). Just make sure you have something to clip all that stuff with.
Oh yeah, butt bag.
|
|
dogtown
climber
Cheyenne,Wyoming
|
|
|
May 29, 2009 - 04:04pm PT
|
Bump for the Colonel.
Bruce.
|
|
dogtown
climber
Cheyenne,Wyoming
|
|
|
May 29, 2009 - 04:07pm PT
|
Scuffy makes a good point;eats up lots of gear in the
same size.
|
|
scuffy b
climber
Sinatra to Singapore
|
|
|
May 29, 2009 - 04:51pm PT
|
I mentioned using 7 stoppers of the same size.
They were all on cord, so no quickdraws needed (fast, too)
which is one of the reasons I placed them all.
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
|
May 29, 2009 - 05:23pm PT
|
on the tower it often helps to have stoppers racked individually.....
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!