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msiddens
Trad climber
Mountain View
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Feb 28, 2010 - 01:40pm PT
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Thanks Jake, enjoyed that read. Cheers:-)
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tarek
climber
berkeley
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Feb 28, 2010 - 03:13pm PT
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Jake, thanks for posting that. Your matter-of-fact report made my hands and feet sweat. Pushing it without the security of your best fitness--scary as hell. Jump to small jug...geezus.
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tarek
climber
berkeley
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Feb 28, 2010 - 08:58pm PT
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bump 'cause I came back and read it again.
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Feb 28, 2010 - 10:16pm PT
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bump again - good report jake!
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Feb 28, 2010 - 11:52pm PT
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vertical psyche bump!
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Buju
Trad climber
the range of light
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nice one jake!
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Dirka
Trad climber
SF
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Sweet read. Thanks.
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Impaler
Trad climber
Munich
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Thanks for the write-up, Jake!
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Woot!! Thanks Jake.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Great story, Jake - thanks for sharing!
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Erik Sloan
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 2, 2010 - 03:53pm PT
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Very minor comment on Jake's awesome story: Alex Huber probably didn't place the copperhead on the 4th(the Hubers show the first pitch of the Prow as two pitches, odd because of the long, hard pitches on the rest of the route) pitch, as Endangered Species, which Crosstown follows on pitch 3,4 & 9 was put up in January just 4 months before Alex did his climb. (it's possible that that 4th pitch crux had some fixed pins, which someone doing EL lowered down fifteen feet and cleaned or cleaned while bailing from there). So the second pitch hummocks that J describes Alex cleaning might have been more cleaned out, and there may have been an extra fixed piece here or there which fell out or was removed before Alex and Jake did their climb(Jake describes leaving the traverse bolt on pitch 8 clipped. when we climbed EL in '07 there was a quickdraw on that bolt, which I easily reached over and cleaned from the EL pitch).
Awesome story!
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JakeW
Big Wall climber
CA
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So the .12a mantle pitch is part of Endangered Species? That would explain the lack of a bolt. I'm guessing Huber had a pin behind the shelf, since it looks like that on the topo, that would be real nice to have in there. Who knows though, that guy's crazy. Honnold wasn't worried enough to do anything about it. Another knifeblade right next to the other one would be awesome too, especially as the years go by.
It sounds like you cleaned a quickdraw from the first bolt of the traverse...probably where Huber's jug monkey lowered out. I left the second bolt clipped and we went down then right at .11a-ish instead of right and up at .12c.
It definitely didn't seem like anyone had free climbed up there in a long time...and its probably already re-vegetating.
It makes it scary to repeat these routes when the crucial pro is pitons etc. that aid climbers can easily booty as they go past...not really any solution though, other than taking pins and a hammer and dealing...or being less safe.
Ok aspiring hardmen, get out there and buff this thing till it's as clean as Astroman!
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dickcilley
Social climber
Wisteria Ln.
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What do you mean no solution.Nobody should be protecting freeclimbs with pins ,copperheads and other garbage nowadays.If it needs a bolt, it needs a bolt. Or do you want it to get all beat out.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Pins and even heads can be good, if the route stays dry and the rock is good enough.
Part of the solution is to have updated topos available, so that the aid climbers realize the fixed pins in the crack 10' to the right are fixed pro for the free climb.
If somebody is dead set on getting booty, they could still take the pins or grab the hangers, etc.
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tarek
climber
berkeley
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except that, in a situation as scary as the one Jake describes, if he had encountered a new bolt with no hanger, that might have caused him enough pause to back off. But he can speak for himself.
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cultureshock
Trad climber
Mountain View
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Saw Erik put together an updated topo.
Anyone has been up on Crosstown recently...?
Bump for a great story by Jake!!
 Luke
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