Question for the Bird/rumors about Pinnacles

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Messages 81 - 93 of total 93 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Nov 11, 2005 - 09:29pm PT
Nice Al, I think it tops out at .11c for stance-bolted at the Pinns.

Mr_T

Trad climber
Somewhere, CA
Nov 11, 2005 - 09:42pm PT
Heh. I still have the old pin from Swanson's Crack. I got up to the pin, put a cam above it. Yelled for my partner to throw me a rock. One swing knocked the thing clean. And to think someone lowered off it (hence the sling)...

bhilden

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
Nov 12, 2005 - 01:32am PT
Al,

I led the Shaft free a year earlier, in 1977, and it probably wasn't the FFA, either.

Bruce

ps - there is a picture of me leading the Shaft in 1991 in the current Rubine guide. What a great climb!
billygoat

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 12, 2005 - 03:26am PT
Rubine's guide is unaware of the FFA on the Shaft. I propose Barry Bates. If anybody knows where he is, maybe he wouldn't even care if he did it first. All the same, wouldn't surprise me if he did it.

K-man--you've climbed the Prow, right? Seems to me that's more of an aid climber accomplishment than Bridwell Bolts. So if you were trying to assert yourself as an aide climber, I would've expected you to mention the Prow. But then again, you know your mind better than anyone. But, now that you've posted all in favor of "drill from stance or retreat"... well, that seems to show your true colors better than anything I could say.

As for my personal ethics regarding climbing: aid should be established with a bare minimum of fixed protection, and should be left that way. Free climbing should be established with priority given to the moves, not the gear. Thus, keep the moves safe and you've got a great line that may or may not be worth repeating. At least the masses will be able to make that decision. With regards to freeing an aid line: good luck. Don't diss the FA just 'cause you don't have the balls to go up without a bolt. Better get some permission, because chances are there's somebody who'll free it w/o fixed gear and they deserve the FFA more than you.

Dudes, if you wanna go do some hard aid, I'm down. If you wanna go do some free climbing, I might be down. If you wanna talk about who did what first and who's a stronger climber...well go right ahead and stoke yourselves and your big fat cocks. I'd rather be climbing something interesting. Yeah?

Okay, I'm drunk on Pisco, and I'm going to bed. Hope my nightly rant makes some sort of sense to someone.
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Nov 12, 2005 - 05:42am PT
Pisco will do the trick -- here's proof positive!

(thanks for clarifying that Prow thing...although I was more proud of doing Bridwell Bolts than I was the Prow, it was A3 for sure)
billygoat

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 12, 2005 - 10:48am PT
Kelly,

Bridwell bolts was A3???? I downgraded it to A1 after the new bolts. Originally it was A2. F*#k, times have changed. I say, in honor of the Bird, it becomes A3 again.

PS--does anybody know where I can find some Pisco in this country (other than on K-man's land:)
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Nov 12, 2005 - 03:10pm PT
Jaysus I haven't climbed in the Pinns since 1974. I take it that the rock is still glued together.

Again, great photos Jody.
k-man

Gym climber
SCruz
Nov 13, 2005 - 04:45pm PT
Billygoat, I said Bridwell Bolts was "A3" because of the shape of bolts when I did it. When they were new, I'll bet the bolts were A1 with the "few" piton placements giving the route its A2 rating. Replacing the old mank brought the route back to the condition it was in when Bridwell first put it up.

Also, I don't believe the original route had hook moves on it. Rather it seems that bolts were added to replace the blown out pin placements. Check out the old route descriptions:

Roper's 1966 guide: "This route lies on the overhanging face just right of the SW corner. Many bolts and a few pitons are used."

Richards' 1974 guide: "From the corner, make a few 5th class moves and begin aiding (all bolts) a long, indirect path up the S wall. Originally this climb contained a few piton placements...before the cracks gave out."

I'm pretty sure the hook moves described in Rubine's book came from the info I gave him after I did the route.

To return the route to it's original condition, the bolts next to the old pin placements should be removed (if you could see where they went).

:- k

PS. I still think that if you want adventure, you should hook the entire route.
billygoat

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Nov 14, 2005 - 02:22am PT
Thanks Kelly.

Yes, you can see where the pinns were at. Well, it's possible to imagine. So perhaps you're right. Wish we had Bridwell on here. I hear he has an incredible memory for this sort of thing.

PS--yes, your idea of adventure is quite thrilling.
PPS--Beautiful day at Pinns today, what the hell were you doing on the internet mid-afternoon? Well, you certainly avoided the masses.
mtnyoung

Trad climber
Sonora, California
Nov 14, 2005 - 10:29am PT
Billygoat, you say Bridwell has a good memory for these types of things? How would you know? I asked him about Premeditated about 4 years ago. I hadn't done it by that point. He was friendly, animated, and into talking about past climbs, but didn't even remember the route. Still didn't after I told him where it was and when he did it. I hate to burst your bubble, but, as far as I can tell Jim Bridwell is just a person, subject to all the normal flaws, including a memory that may not remember a "quickie route" from 40 years ago. And what's this about "the masses" at Pinnacles. Go explore, man. You can avoid the masses on the most crowded days simply by going elsewhere. And the pin scars are quite visible, under the roof. And, IMO quiet blown out and unusable. Hey, but go try them, just to see, maybe I'm wrong. However, you're not allowed to clip any of the replacement bolts first!
LongAgo

Trad climber
Apr 27, 2007 - 02:14pm PT
For lovers of Pinns and history, there are some pics (one pretty good one on Shake and Bake)and tales of climbs from various publications (Ascent, AAC Journal) at www.tomhiggins.net.

Good climbing!

Long Ago
Tom Higgins
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
one pass away from the big ditch
Apr 27, 2007 - 04:45pm PT
thx tom!!

I'll cross post at mudandcrud if you haven't already...
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
May 1, 2007 - 03:20pm PT
Tom,

Dig the writing immensely on Pinns (finally got a chance to go back and read more...)


"...emotions whipsawed, feeling like approaching a harlot, lust and angst drawing you along..."

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