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Grug
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 3, 2006 - 02:35pm PT
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Although this used to be my old stomping grounds, I've only been back a couple of times since the early '80s. I'm curious as to what climbers think of the relative hardness of the offwidth climbs there. I still haven't even seen Vice Principal's Office or PHd. How do these stack up with, say, Mother Superior?
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Bump
I never went farther than mother Superior and, uh, What's his names crack. But it could be worth a trip.
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matisse
Trad climber
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(Disclaimer: I am old and feeble and I can't remember shit)
PhD is not an offwidth, so I can't compare it to mother superior. It's also not that hard, if I can get my too fat to sport climb ass up it, although in the interests of full disclosure I have to admit that I used the finger pocket of shame.
maybe I'm just confused...wanders off mumbling and drooling...
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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the vice principal's office does not have any OW on it. wide fist is a big as it gets, then it steadily narrows down to thin hands.
climbed as an OW, undertow is much harder than mother superior. so is boulder 13 -- another roof offwidth. I've heard some say that greg's offwidth, although short, may be the contender for the hardest OW at woodson.
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Grug
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2006 - 03:45pm PT
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That's interesting bvb. I can't remember ever not being able to do Gregs offwidth (aka Cricket's Chimney), which has never been hard for me. I actually fist jam Boulder 13. As to undertow, which I've never tried, how would you do it if you don't offwidth?
I guess I'll have to look at my San Diego Guidebook (Kennedy) again. I thought for sure that PhD and Vice Principal's Office were offwidth. I'm pretty sure that Piggot did both.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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undertow has an offset in the crack, so you can undercling it, but you're soloing...there's no way to stop and get pro in. here's a picture of rick piggot on it:
you can do boulder 13 without any leavitation manuevers or chicken wings?? you must have HUGE hands! by the time i get to the lip i've got baggy fists, then i flip around and get a foot in in over the lip, thrutch up on that using stacks, then get my knee in there...
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matisse
Trad climber
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PhD is a sharp semi detached flake thats a very positive layback to some fun thin face moves past 2 bolts* with a "magically" appearing mono.
(*I've never led it -only done it on TR)
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Grug
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2006 - 04:24pm PT
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Wow! Cool shot. I'm going to try to get out there over Christmas (still have lots of family in SD County). By the way, seeing Rick in this shot, I am reminded of a great crack called Seal Rock in Escondido (Rick did the FA). I think it may start off as an offwidth, but goes quickly to fist then hands. An outstanding 55 foot(?) overhanging crack. Ever do it?
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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hey...i just realized who you are. no WONDER greg's offwidth was always easy for you. so you actually named it "cricket's chimmney?" never heard that one. when the master cylinder made his trip over from spain 'couple months ago, he mentioned you were living in colorado now.
finally, it all makes sense......
back to offwidths -- i know couple people who had all the woodson offwiths pretty dialed, but greg's OW always gave them a pretty hard time. so there you go.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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yeah, i did the backside of seal rock with cilley sometime in the 70's. i remember that you could cheat your way past some sections using face holds, but mostly you had to stuff yourself in there and "git 'er done!"
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Grug
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2006 - 04:56pm PT
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A little Woodson history. Actually, I didn't name it Cricket's Chimney. Tom Gibson's younger brother, Jim, could chimney the thing back when he was about 12. That's how it got it's name. It must just be a good size for me. I'm sure you probably know that Boulder 13 got it's name from the first bouldering contest at Woodson. I remember Werner Landry telling me that nobody was gonna be able to do it. (He couldn't and gave it the highest rating - 13). By far the hardest offwidth for me at Woodson was Mother Superior (arm-barring).
A little off topic, but since I have the attention of some offwidth guys, has anyone ever done Air Voyage in the Black Canyon? I've always wondered how this stacks up with other offwidths. It's rated 5.12-. In the early '90s, I thought it was pretty easy. Cool though, in that the big pitch is the 10th.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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was that the same bouldering contest where bachar did the FA of california night?
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Largo
Sport climber
Venice, Ca
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Wow, those bring back memories (I think). One summer I was recovering from a broken leg and used to hang with Rick P. a lot and got tons of good bouldering in at Woodson. Every time Rick would do a new problem (daily), he'd call me up and we'd hook up at Woodson and I'd thrash around on the thing. The only name I remember is Silk Banana--which isn't a crack but an undercling to a face sequence, and this was on of his easier ones. I wish I'd known Rick earlier (like early 70s Stonemaser days) because we could have used his help at Suicide and Tahquitz.
JL
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Grug
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2006 - 05:24pm PT
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bvb. I don't think Bachar first did California Night in a bouldering contest. I actually won the first two contests at Woodson (Boulder 13 won the first one for me). That was before the big boys entered the fray.
Largo. I didn't realize that you spent a good stint climbing at Woodson. I remember the Silk Banana alright. I'd be surprized if anyone else has done that - only a guy with 48 inch legs like Rick could ever hope to do it. Rick was incredible at just about all facets of climbing.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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ah. the way i heard the story (but it's probably just another one of those "stories...") is that califonia night was unclimbed at the time, and werner stuck it on the list and bachar bagged it. i'm pretty sure i even wrote something to that effect in a climbing magazine article. need a better fact checker...
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crotch
climber
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Is Seal Rock just N. of Escondido and W. of the 15?
When was the last Woodson contest? With the PBC gone, maybe it's time for a revival.
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Hootervillian
climber
back at Zak's
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I am reminded of a great crack called Seal Rock in Escondido
i think your talkin about what we used to call 'bear and cub' rock. slightly overhangin OW, but with usable face features. was a single quarter incher uptop when i was there.
addit: an i think they call it 'mesa' rock now.
sitting up above Escondido Country Club.
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Grug
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 3, 2006 - 05:47pm PT
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You know, you might be right about Bachar. I'm vaguely remembering Rick Piggot doing Hear My Train a Comin' in the same contest. It would have had to be the third or later - and one that I didn't enter for some reason. I can't remember for sure the years of the first two - 1975 and 1976 would be my best guess.
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Great stuff! how have I missed undertow?
I think Greg's cricket's OW IS some kind of a magical size thing. I onsighted it and have always been able to do it. Even once when I was there for a contest (Ca 88-90?) when I was up all night the night before, did a bunch of problems and then failed on Mother Superior ( I'd saved IT for my ace in the hole; I'd onsighted it, done it at least a dozen times before, etc [pride comes before the fall, or whatever that is] I still had no trouble on the cricket/greg. climbing is weird sometimes.
I have to stack like a banshee AND squack like a chicken on #`13
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mtwoodsonguide
Big Wall climber
San Diego
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Yo, this is pretty cool. Undertow is by far the hardest. It's pretty rediculous. I'll take you old timers there or to any of the other ow's, just let me know.
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