What IS it about choss?

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Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 22, 2009 - 08:50pm PT
Is it the crumbling holds, suspect gear, dirt in your eyes, clench in your 'taint? Is "choss" even a real word?
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
Will know soon
Nov 22, 2009 - 08:53pm PT
Checked Wikipedia and Merriam-Webster's.....no choss.

I know choss having followed Gordo on new routes in remote areas of Josh. Let the big heavy guys go first ..... choss removers. Smiles, lynnie
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Mare Infinitum
Nov 22, 2009 - 09:12pm PT
There's some pretty good choss climbing out there.
We have gobs. Choss as far as you can toss a polititard.
Farther, even.
Jingy

Social climber
Flatland, Ca
Nov 22, 2009 - 09:19pm PT
......added adrenaline flow........

Choss is the new ice!

FFCA's are the next big thing in Climbing... First Free Choss Ascent




It's about the possibility that death can occur at any moment, no matter how safely one thinks they have made their trek...


Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 22, 2009 - 09:30pm PT
"Choss is the new ice" Bwahaha. Thats too good.

So does this add a new warning call to the vernacular? If you're climbing ice and a chunk falls you yell "ICE", on rock its "ROCK" and on choss... "CHOSS!" Hilarious.

Its then possible you could bag both the First Free Choss Ascent (FFCA) and after time, the First Choss-Free Ascent, (FCFA).
LuckyPink

climber
the last bivy
Nov 22, 2009 - 09:40pm PT
FFCA.. points for belayer's loss of conciousness?
Fritz

Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
Nov 22, 2009 - 09:49pm PT
Idaho-aka-Idontno: is the "choss capital." Between our rotten lava, crumbling granite, and loose sedimentary rock; we have more choss per square mile than any state.

The long-term choss-king Fred Becky noted this about his 1971 first ascent of the "Rotten Monolith" in the mostly choss Sawtooth Range.

"Clutched up edge of very scary rotten flake."

Local rumor has it that Becky's party just drove pitons right into the crumbling granite.


Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
Will know soon
Nov 22, 2009 - 09:52pm PT
Lucky Pink,,,,,and still holding the rope. Yeah, Belayer made a 5.12 move.

Grate to meet you at the Face Lift in Yellow Pine Gal :DD lynnie
JOEY.F

Social climber
sebastopol
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:02pm PT
Jerry Dodrill
Photog Extrodinaire
Says to the Choss
"Hey, I'm the Boss"

someone else finish this
eight sylables must rhyme with air
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Mare Infinitum
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:08pm PT
He's at a loss......
Jay Wood

Trad climber
Fairfax, CA
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:21pm PT
Our Jerry, he loves all the rock

All the cliffs, the boulders and blocks

While granite is fine

And limestone sublime

That choss just knocks off his socks.
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
Will know soon
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:27pm PT
Says to the Choss,
"Hey, I'm Boss"
No loss
Kickin' it.

Choss is down
people all around
makin' the moves
climbin' grooves.

specially when....
Choss is gone
but why no one a-round
to 'preciate this

Cause Choss says
Yo not down
Yo, you may kick it
But Choss alway be the boss....

Alway.









So wear your helmet

smiles, :D


Sorry, jess gotta like very primitive rap. We be singing it with friends now in the casa. Sounds good with their vocals....but then anything would.
LuckyPink

climber
the last bivy
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:28pm PT
Jerry Dodrill
Photog Extrodinaire
Says to the Choss
"Hey, I'm the Boss"
then wondering,"Why is there air?"




hi Linnie good to see you here
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Mare Infinitum
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:29pm PT
Whoa! Jay, you are at no loss, on Jerry & his choss....
High(?) gloss.
JOEY.F

Social climber
sebastopol
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:32pm PT
Lucky nailed it!!
Good stuff, friends.
go Jerry go
dogtown

Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:33pm PT
Ha-Ha, Ha!

I’m glad you bring this up! Jerry.

Number 1. It’s sh#t to climb.

Number. 2 you can get yourself killed on it.

Number. 3 You can get you and your mates killed.

Number. 4 Why would one want to climb on sh#t stone? When there is so much good stone to climb? Hell I almost got myself killed and my mate killed on stone I thought for sure was good! ( It was not )

Number. 5 It’s not the falling, it’s the raining sh#t down on your partner that can get you both killed!

But Choss is to one, is another man’s stone. I guess you climb what you have.

That’s what we do! Eh?

Be careful ! all Please.

Dogtown.
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
Will know soon
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:34pm PT
Yo Lucky....and You.:DD
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Mare Infinitum
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:37pm PT
Soon it will all be frozen together....Sorta...kinda.....mostly....Hopefully.
Sheesh.
LuckyPink

climber
the last bivy
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:39pm PT
There once was a photog named Jerry.
With climbers he well could parry.
When they kicked off the moss
And bolted the choss
He ranted with eyeball all hairy.

Low and Behold
no matter how bold
he defended a wilderness fairly.
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
Will know soon
Nov 22, 2009 - 10:42pm PT
nice l.p. :D
dogtown

Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
Nov 22, 2009 - 11:25pm PT
That being said some crags it seems you have to climb thru a sh#t layer of stone to get to stone that can become quite good. Countless desert sandstone crags are like this. ( I have found ) I stay away from them, unless they are well climbed.
Climbing dirt with Ice axes has ever been my thing!

But those dudes in Grand Junction. Do it all the time!

I bet they also work for POMA. ( A tuff bunch of field steel workers )

So there you have it!

Dawg.


Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
Will know soon
Nov 22, 2009 - 11:40pm PT
Ah Pate,

Superb work. Hope I get to meet yo one day. :D Peace
nature

climber
Tucson, AZ
Nov 22, 2009 - 11:59pm PT
a copy of deryl drive has been located....
Fritz

Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
Nov 23, 2009 - 12:14am PT
Pate. You are the "definition dude."

Has "chossy" replaced "manky?"-------unless you are Scottish of course.


Positive
manky
Comparative
mankier
Superlative
mankiest


(British, Scottish, Irish, slang) Unpleasantly dirty and disgusting.
[edit] Translations[show ▼]unpleasantly dirty and disgusting
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2009 - 12:23am PT
BWAAAAA Haaaa HAAAAAAA Ha HAa.

Ya'll are killin' me.
You got me wrong!
Call me a wuss
Or a sour puss
That choss is too scary
Yes even for Jerry.


Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2009 - 12:26am PT
Yeah, Warbler, You have it right. Manky is the gear you get in chossy rock.

ie: (I was climbing through some choss and all the gear was mank...)
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
Will know soon
Nov 23, 2009 - 12:28am PT
In my bitd peer group your description of manky is on target.

So you have:

Manky = marginal or very marginal

Bomber = pretty much bullet proof

Any in between ???
Roughster

Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
Nov 23, 2009 - 12:32am PT
Choss is the land of infinite potential. What makes choss? Loose porous rock or rock with weaknesses. What do climbers use for holds on steep terrain? Features made by loose porous rock or weaknesses. The more bullet the rock, generally but not always, the less features. The more chossy, the more holds and more variety of holds to be found! Chossy rock is rarely monotonous, usually very intriguing movement, and with a little flavor to keep things spicy aka you never know when that hold is going to break!

All "features" are really just choss cleaned up. Now whether that be from millions of years of weathering (Yosemite), or from 1,000 greasy hands pawing the same holds (ORG), or by some dude "mining" out routes from rock others poo poo (NJC and most other Cali Sport Cilmbing areas), it all ends the same:

Features that cimber dude and dudettes put their dirty little fingers in or on to in order to propel themselves upward.
caughtinside

Social climber
Davis, CA
Nov 23, 2009 - 12:39am PT
Hey, it may be choss, but it's MY choss!!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Nov 23, 2009 - 12:49am PT
this is all old news

but Choss season has pretty much started
Roughster

Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
Nov 23, 2009 - 02:09am PT
Warbler: I'm with you. Munge to me is wet, muddy, and planty. Choss is just gritty/loose or fractured rock.
Tom

Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
Nov 23, 2009 - 02:24am PT
El Cap's Son of Heart has a few dirty pitches, and one really, really dirty one. Choss? No. The rock underneath is still world-class, and takes gear very well. Moles and gophers are the model here, as you have to dig down a bit.

I think choss refers to loose or crumbly rock, like, say, at the Pinnacles.

The closest thing to choss in Yosemite Valley is probably the right side of Yosemite Point.
Reilly

Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
Nov 23, 2009 - 02:47am PT
The closest thing to choss in Yosemite Valley

Ha-ha-ha! The approach to YPB is pretty heinous but on the UCS, Universal Choss Scale, it is a 1.5 (outta 10) at best.

Choss Heaven = Pamirs or the Rockies, Canadian or Merrycan. Pamirs gets the nod cause they're higher and you gotta exert yourself more to hold the holds in place.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Nov 23, 2009 - 03:06am PT
"Munge to me is wet, muddy, and planty"

yes, but only after a trip to the strip club.
Gary

climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
Nov 23, 2009 - 10:11am PT
Did someone say choss?
Ihateplastic

Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Nov 23, 2009 - 10:22am PT
Jingy... from a fashion perspective I love it!


Choss is the new ice!


I smell another shirt design...
Roughster

Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
Nov 23, 2009 - 10:31am PT
Munge, They can clear that right up with a shot of penicillin :)
Jingy

Social climber
Flatland, Ca
Nov 23, 2009 - 03:31pm PT
Thanks for the vote ihateplastic...!

Get working on that t-shirt!!!! It will be worth millions! .. some day/



Hey Gary?

Does that guy even have a rope attached?


That's some serious choss rating there!!!!

Choss-Solos...

The bigest thing to hit the climbing scene since the invention of sticky rubber!

Dos'fo'sho!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Nov 23, 2009 - 03:36pm PT
you know I'm good for one of those shirts if we can get it in the jumbotron size. :)
Frozenwaterfalls

Ice climber
California
Nov 23, 2009 - 03:51pm PT
Hmmm...I always thought choss included dirt as well. Heck, that is why I always carry my "chosspick" - to scrape out all the dirt from the cracks or grooves you hope might hold some pro once you have gardened them fully. Dirt is only slightly softer than some of the "rock" out there after all...
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2009 - 03:56pm PT
Jumbotron size?

Lets get Munge a kids medium and watch him squeeze into it for off width training.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Nov 23, 2009 - 04:06pm PT
lycra only


Ihateplastic

Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Nov 23, 2009 - 04:09pm PT
ASIDE... There is a new A5 shirt a coming (yep, you heard that right!) along with a YABO one and a "Fingerlocks or..." (you know the rest) shirt. Great art by Steelmnky on that last one! Oh yea... also, the official "What Song Are you..." shirt! Now, what artwork goes well with choss... Steelmnky... got any ideas?

I hope to have them all announced with pics this week. Gotta finish editing my wife's 27-page report on cotton as a commodity first. Ugh!

And don't worry about sizing... I got that all dialed in now!
TwistedCrank

climber
Ideeho-dee-do-dah-day boom-chicka-boom-chicka-boom
Nov 23, 2009 - 04:42pm PT
That's not choss, that's mud.

I always associated choss with crumbling and/or flakey granite. Vertical kitty litter.
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Mare Infinitum
Nov 23, 2009 - 04:49pm PT
JEREMY!!!!!
That's Bomber, Dude! Woohoo!!!!
Get up on it.......yeah.
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 23, 2009 - 05:03pm PT
That shizz makes our local choss look bullet!
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Mare Infinitum
Nov 23, 2009 - 05:07pm PT
It's ALL choss out there, Bubba.
That's a GOOD thing, no? Cuts down on RiffRaff.
Captain...or Skully

Social climber
Mare Infinitum
Nov 23, 2009 - 05:15pm PT
Hangin' tough, Scarin' Hell outa the Noobs & the Ladies alike, up here in Fabulous Ideeho.
Admiring all the choss that abounds here. WooHoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!
shoestring

Social climber
truckee, california
Nov 23, 2009 - 07:52pm PT
I do like adventure and don't mind a little choss now and again (for example, I can tolerate it in the Sierra BC)...but, when choss involves pulling off a chest size block, breaking an ankle and having to be carried out by a few "friends," I'll pass.

Choss Whisperer

climber
Nov 23, 2009 - 08:27pm PT
I think not being contented with life in general may play a role.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Nov 23, 2009 - 09:34pm PT
so says the Choss Whisperer...

hrm, who is this guy?


give ya a dolla for your account name!

Fritz

Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
Nov 23, 2009 - 11:07pm PT
A classic route in Idaho's (Idontno's) Sawtooth Range. Fred Becky, Pete Schoening, and Jack Schwabland put this up in 1949, starting a first ascent attempt of Big Baron Spire.

On one hand, the 110 Ft. high summit block is: crack-less, flawless granite; with a 1949 "nightmare” bolt ladder. On the other hand: the first 500 feet of steep 3rd class scrambling is classic Idontno choss.

Fred, Pete,& Jack nearly died on the second day of the climb when a severe thunder storm swept them off the route and back down the choss.

From the 1950 AAJ article by Jack:

“The rock was running with water, and every hold was packed with hail as we climbed down the wall."

"Pete started across the traverse just as the storm picked up in intensity. Lightning struck within 200 feet of us three times in quick succession.----------As the storm increased in fury, we all wondered whether we were to get down alive."

"The “’V’” crack was a terrible thing with water sluicing down its twisting length and lightning knifing all around.-------the remaining pitches were easier, but the lightning was still striking terrifyingly close.”

Fred Beckey, the Choss-King (with help from Pete & Jack) picked the line of least resistance on Big Baron Spire-----and it is right up there with some of the best Idontno Choss. (nothing to compare with Rotten Monolith though).

I had climbed Big Baron Spire three times BITD, but had never been on the Becky Route. We gave it a try in 2007, but the snow/rain/lightning storm swept in. Profiting from Fred’s experience: we retreated before the storm increased.

Idontno choss rules dudes!
Gary

climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
Nov 23, 2009 - 11:39pm PT
Jingy, no rope there on my choss pic. A rope would be dangerous there, raining rubble on those below.

That's real choss, when you're scared to use a rope!
Watusi

Social climber
Newport, OR
Nov 24, 2009 - 12:31am PT
Ask Bob Gaines or Todd Gordon that one...
Reilly

Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
Nov 24, 2009 - 12:36am PT
World class choss - it only looks like granite...

Jingy

Social climber
Flatland, Ca
Nov 24, 2009 - 10:40am PT
Gary - Any chance that's Gorge Choss?

LOL


Just looked in the background.. seems familiar....

Cheers

Choss Climbers Unite
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 24, 2009 - 11:06am PT
Here's some Southern Choss from a while back.


Gary

climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
Nov 24, 2009 - 11:19am PT
Jingy, not Gorge choss, but the real deal -- Kaweah Choss, the best and most chossiest choss in the world.

fgw

Trad climber
portland, or
Nov 24, 2009 - 04:32pm PT

so is this Beckey's broken drill bit from FA of Baron?
Reilly

Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
Nov 24, 2009 - 05:30pm PT
Gary,
I hope none of our esteemed northern neighbors see that shot
of Kaweah 'choss' as they might die laughing. I was there last
summer updating my UCS (Universal Choss System) ratings. Sorry to
break it to you but the Kaweahs only get a 5 at best. If you're
lucky enough to be on something sketchy when a 5.0 or greater hits
we'll spot you a temporary 6.5.

Accept no substitutes, and that goes for Columbia gorge basalt, for solid 10's it's the Rockies and Pamirs; everybody else is just posing. Cascade volcanoes can get upwards of 9 though.
OlympicMtnBoy

climber
Seattle
Nov 24, 2009 - 06:12pm PT
From my favorite mountain range!
It's only 5.0 after all. Our's was maybe the 7th ascent since the FA in 1970.
This one was only 5.6. The rap off the slung horn was fun.

- OlympicMtnBoy
Ezra

Social climber
WA, NC, Idaho Falls
Nov 24, 2009 - 07:03pm PT
Fritz,
I agree we gots some gud choss in Ideeeeho,
but we also gots the city of rocks, elephants perch and the Finns, so it ain't so bad
Fritz

Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
Nov 24, 2009 - 08:22pm PT
FGW---re your drill-bit. I made it to the base of the flawless, slightly overhanging, 110 Ft. high summit block of Big Baron Spire on three occasions BITD. Twice by new routes, and once by the first free ascent of one of those.

I would get to the summit block and look up the line of hangerless 1/4" bolts that were then 25 years old. I could see where some were bent by falls, or ice. Some were missing. My peers and I could not summon the cojones to climb that sucker. We also didn't have a bolt kit for backup.

Did You climb that nightmare?

Speaking of choss! Highest peak in Idaho Sawtooths, in May 1971. I am amazed it is still standing.

Now back to choss!
Unforgiven

Mountain climber
Dirt
Nov 24, 2009 - 10:07pm PT
So this topic isn't about your photos
MisterE

Social climber
SoperCalifragalistic!
Nov 24, 2009 - 10:39pm PT
Sedona choss! Bow-chicka-bow-bow!





Reilly

Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
Nov 25, 2009 - 01:38am PT
You're joking, right?
This is choss...
MisterE

Social climber
SoperCalifragalistic!
Nov 25, 2009 - 02:16am PT
I am not kidding - every one of those ratings may be currently invalid.

Hoping the 1" X 12" bolts are still there by the time the guide comes out...
Jerry Dodrill

climber
Sebastopol, CA
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 25, 2009 - 02:38am PT
1x12? Shiza! You're giving Roughster iron envy.
fgw

Trad climber
portland, or
Nov 25, 2009 - 12:04pm PT
Hi Fritz,
we climbed Baron via SE Face route this past Labor Day. The bolt ladder was not that bad but I wonder if it had some upgrade work done on it since your visit? I don't recall any particularly new stuff on it though my brain was mostly frozen by the chilly wind...mostly buttonheads. The summit register was replaced the year prior & had only 1 entry in it.


R., that is some stiff choss scale if the columbia basalt stuff does not even register -- can't imagine what them Rockies choss must be like :)

Fritz

Trad climber
Hagerman, ID
Nov 26, 2009 - 02:44pm PT
FGW: Sounds like some bolts must have got replaced. I don't think Fred & the boys placed any buttonheads. The only article I've ever seen about repeating the ladder was by Dick Dorworth. It appeared as part of a story by Dorworth about Fred Becky. The article was in Mountain Gazette around 2003. and is now out of print.

Summitpost has some of the article saved on it's Big Baron Spire link.
http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/155259/baron-spire.html


It appears Dorworth did not enjoy the vintage 1949 bolt ladder in 2002.

"Though the bolts were primitive and the hangers loose, soon I was past the overhang and onto the mere vertical. Then appeared a bolt with an oval hanger flattened against the wall, as if beaten with a hammer in frustration or fallen on with enough force to straighten out its old aluminum molecules like those of a flattened beer can. The hanger would not take a carabiner. I was able to thread a runner through the eye and tie it off and move up."

"A wired stopper hooked over a hangerless quarter inch bolt sufficed to get me up to the next dilapidated piece of 1940s climbing technology. This one, too, was firmed to the wall by forces I did not wish to imagine. My reach was such that I was completely stretched out and lacked the reach to thread a runner through the hanger. What to do? A 6mm perlon cord that I use for a prusik on rappels had just enough stiffness that, after several attempts, I was able to poke one end through the battered eye of the hanger and tie it off. I clipped in to the perlon cord, moved my aid slings up one-by-one and climbed to the top stirrup."

-----------a little more is on the Summitpost link.

Chossy bolts!

Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Nov 26, 2009 - 06:38pm PT
A nice dusting of snow and shazzam, sugar frosted choss...

An Ansel Adams shot of the ever chossy Maroon Bells.
Oplopanax

Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
Nov 27, 2009 - 01:41pm PT
You know loose rock comes in three types.

1) there is the stuff that is covered with a veneer of rubble but is solid underneath. Like some alpine granite. Trundle enough and you can find solidity.

2) there is the stuff that lacks rubble, but where seemingly trustworthy holds can pop without warning - like Smith Rawks

3) Then there is the stuff that is too big to clean but still loose. Like the whole pitch falls off, sometimes the week after it gets climbed. This is the true choss, the stuff that absolutely cannot be trusted at any time or any spatial scale.

The advantages of soloing are mostly in types 1 and 3 where your rope might get cut or you might kill your belayer with an inadvertently trundled block/hold/flake. for Type 2 choss the rope and pro are often an advantage.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
Dec 3, 2009 - 03:21pm PT
hrm, a Zoologoy of choss, I like it.

Then there is the entire mountain is shale type of choss. cf. Canada
golsen

Social climber
kennewick, wa
Dec 3, 2009 - 06:04pm PT
Reilly, that looks like some Cascade choss???
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Dec 4, 2009 - 12:21am PT
did someone mention Canada?

Mt. Castleguard

where's the rock ptarmigan?

a little french free on Mt. Saskatchawan, ho man... choss!

coming down from somewhere...

you learn to either stick close together so that the rocks aren't moving too fast when you get hit, or space it way out...
dogtown

Trad climber
JackAssVille, Wyoming
Dec 4, 2009 - 12:46am PT
Man, Grossman

You have never been more right!God thought Choss, and then made the Bells!

Dawg.
Reilly

Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
Dec 4, 2009 - 02:17am PT
Good eye Golsen, yes, Willis Wall OG Choss.
Not the best but darn near: good 'solid' 8.5 - 9.0.
Not much point in taking any rock gear. Why waste time?
golsen

Social climber
kennewick, wa
Dec 4, 2009 - 10:33am PT
Good job Reilly, climbing the Willis Wall probably should earn you a King of Choss award. Personally, choss scares the bejeesus out of me...
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