Needles guidebook?

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curlie

Trad climber
SLO, CA
Sep 13, 2016 - 08:49pm PT
Just thought I'd add some pix to keep the stoke high!

So the rock is f*#kin killer.....




AND THE F18s!!!!!!1111!!1!!





They flew through the notches probably a dozen times yesterday. The pix above were from one of their higher passes. The best was when we were a pitch up on Imaginary Voyage, and I watched one come through the valley from the Kern to the south, way low just skimming the trees, bank and come straight up the gully between the Warlock & Voodoo Dome, and fire on through the notch knife-edge below eye level, then fully invert and dive into the valley to the north. One of the most amazing things I've seen (and heard!) in my life, a real treat.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Sep 13, 2016 - 11:21pm PT
Is pyromania safe to try for the onsight? Theres a girl here that I think has a good shot to do it, but im not going in there with her if its not safe to try. it looks like little pieces but solid?

Coach yer member to member email is disabled or I would have answered you directly on this one.

So I'm not really sure how to answer your question. A climber who can climb 5.13 and place good gear at the same time can do it safely. One who can't, can't. Probably not the best place to try to get lucky in that regard. Keep in mind that there is a lot of intricate climbing and pro on Pyromaniac other than just the flake you see in all the pics. Has she led a bunch of .11's and 12's with thin gear? I'm having a hard time visualizing someone on-sighting that rig if they (by they I mean the climber) can't stand at the base and size up the gear. That said, I've seen it on-sighted twice. Once by some guy who tears it up on the Grit, and the other by some young monkey from The Valley. Both climbers were pro's at pro...

And you're not going to go there with her based on whether or not one route is safe to try? Seems to me that if she wants to do some hard climbing at The Needles there's a whole bunch of stuff to try. Piranha and Parasite are pretty god tick's and they're bolted. Or there's the Women and Children First version of Titanic, where you skip the big burly chimney crack from down below. Just traverse in with a couple pieces and then follow bolts to the top.

It's all pretty wild stuff.



Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Sep 13, 2016 - 11:24pm PT
What's up with the shifting ship date?

Is it actually going to ship in October, or is that a made-up date too? If its not a solid ship date, it would be more ethical to say "expected to ship Oct 30", not "shipping Oct 30".

The ship date is out of my hands. I'm really sorry it's happening. After all this time it's really frustrating for me too. Almost like coitus interruptus or something.

I'll give Kevin a call and one of us will get back here with the word.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Sep 15, 2016 - 11:41am PT
The books are printed (South Korea) and sitting in a container on a ship parked in Los Angeles harbor. I suppose that since Christmas is right around the corner they could end up getting delivered to Wal-Mart, but I'm hoping for the best... :-)
Matt's

climber
Sep 15, 2016 - 12:18pm PT
ksolem-- thanks for the update, and thank you for all the positive stuff you do for this forum.

best,
matt
Escopeta

Trad climber
Idaho
Sep 15, 2016 - 12:22pm PT
Oh god. Please let's hope they're not on a Hanjin ship. Although its getting completely buried in the news, their bankruptcy is not without impact.....
Radish

Trad climber
SeKi, California
Sep 15, 2016 - 03:39pm PT
yea, there are several container ships sitting in the port of Angeles and Oakland and they can't be unloaded because the company went bankrupt! A Big company too. This is going to be a big impact on Christmas I'm sure for stores like Target and such.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Sep 15, 2016 - 03:59pm PT
There are three in Long Beach Harbor (LA). One is currently being unloaded. It costs about $10M to unload one of these big boys, and since the longshoreman don't trust them they have to post the money up front. I'm sure it's worth it to WallMart, Target, Best Buy etc., to get together and pay up.

The creditors want to seize the ships but are not entitled to the cargo.

New: I just read that there are now two of the three at dockside. The parent company, Hanjin Group, and the biggest shareholder, Korean Airlines have combined to chip in $144M to get the cargo off as many of their ships as possible.
Escopeta

Trad climber
Idaho
Sep 15, 2016 - 04:14pm PT
Some positive news for sure. Let's hope Wally World has to unload your crate of books to get to their jingle balls xmas special merchandise. I'm hoping I got in line soon enough to have a single digit serial number.
jaaan

Trad climber
Chamonix, France
Sep 16, 2016 - 12:33am PT
Kris, why did they have to be printed in South Korea - are there really no US printers who'd be competitive?
norm larson

climber
wilson, wyoming
Oct 9, 2016 - 04:05am PT
Any new developments on ship dates?
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Oct 9, 2016 - 10:37am PT
They got off the ship. UPS tracking shows the books in Reno on 10/4.
Contractor

Boulder climber
CA
Oct 14, 2016 - 06:36am PT

If you were climbing the Southeast face of the Sorcerer last Saturday- this is you.

Not sure of the route.
Escopeta

Trad climber
Idaho
Oct 14, 2016 - 07:23am PT
Good pic. Nice to see the area not filled with smoke for a change....
Contractor

Boulder climber
CA
Oct 14, 2016 - 07:36am PT
The fire danger there last weekend was so intense with the dry Autumn winds and dead trees, yet there they were at Needles camp- stoners having to warm themselves by campfire.

Have to admit, that made me a cold and bitter stoner.

Escopeta

Trad climber
Idaho
Oct 14, 2016 - 07:41am PT
I wouldn't know anything about campfires. I abhor them....the smaller the better. <snickering>
Contractor

Boulder climber
CA
Oct 14, 2016 - 08:02am PT
I'm with you- Nothing like a fine Tawny Port, a fat doob and a campfire.

There's so many dead and dying trees at the Needles that my buddy, that lives near by is seriously considering a bomb shelter for when the big fire comes...and it's coming.
dhayan

climber
culver city, ca
Oct 14, 2016 - 08:41am PT
Yeah, it's pretty gnarly. I was there a month ago and was dismayed by a loud and obnoxious partying climber group camping there, felt like they just took a field trip from the bouldering gym as they were super loud spraying until past midnight with campfire despite all the other groups wanting to just sleep and enjoy the quiet. Made me feel like an old grumpy curmudgeon and I'm only 38! Shit! Guess I'll start posting more here on ST...

Edit: guidebooks shipping soon?? Looking forward to checking it out...many thanks for all your hard work Kris
Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
Oct 14, 2016 - 09:59am PT
There's so many dead and dying trees at the Needles that my buddy, that lives near by is seriously considering a bomb shelter for when the big fire comes...and it's coming.
It's pretty bad. I was in the area (down the road a bit) last weekend and just about all the pines are brown. There are some where the needles are only half brown, but alot of the dead ones looked that way at first. With the dead trees, stumped trees, chopped up trees lying on the ground to be cut up into kindling, it looks more like a logging camp than a semi-wilderness area. I get why people build fires though, at least in that setting: the nights are long and getting cold, the social aspect, etc. Still, just a stray ember and, you're right, the whole area is going up in flames. It makes me worried for the full time residents up there (and the Sequoia groves too). The roads leading in and out are long, winding and narrow. One burning tree falls across the road and where are they going to go?
Contractor

Boulder climber
CA
Oct 14, 2016 - 09:59am PT
Hey Andrew!

You're right, I talked to a couple of guys on the way in, they mentioned climbing that route.

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