Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2011 - 07:25pm PT
|
George Meyers on Freewheeling FA
About here:
|
|
Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2011 - 09:06pm PT
|
Kevin Worrall. FA of Ugly Duckling
Not great pictures, but the real deal.
|
|
Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2011 - 09:45pm PT
|
That day that you and George were getting up the first pitch of "Ugly Duckling" I was walking by and just assumed that it was my turn next. I remember two things: the giant flapper I cut into my finger on the razor sharp, sloping hold just a few moves up, and the sense that it was your climb and you didn't want any help for anyone else, especially someone as 'old' as me--I was probably 24.
First time as a climber that I felt the passage of time and place.
Great times.
The pictures of George on Freewheeling you asked about are on my trip report:
Freewheeling La Direttissima per Ora Dove in b/w; Oct 1973
|
|
PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 12:07am PT
|
If I might add to this thread. I lift my glass to this man: John Gosling
His friendship and love of slab climbing enabled me to get up some beautiful routes.
|
|
Salamanizer
Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 12:47am PT
|
Oh wow! The Ugly Duckling.
Climbed that route a couple years ago and was really surprised to find such a decent thought provoking route I actually enjoyed on such a pile of a rock.
If it weren't for those horribly rotten bolts, I might have enjoyed the route a bit more. If I weren't already pretty committed by the time I reached the first bolt, I probably wouldn't have continued. I've been meaning to replace them since. Perhaps I'll finally get to it this year. Until then, I wouldn't recommend a repeat.
|
|
LeeBow
Trad climber
Victoria BC
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 03:47am PT
|
Oh cool slab climbing...my favorite!
So check this out...I got a pair of super stiff sport shoes and I actually front point on crystals...sorta like ice climbing...can't pad or smear...only works on hard stuff...too painful for sub ten
|
|
ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
bouldering
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 04:44am PT
|
Trippy to see pics of the fa of Ugly Duckling, as I generally trace my suspect begin-ings back to it. Bouldering the first ten feet in like '76 or something.
|
|
doughnutnational
Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 09:49am PT
|
I like the picture of Kevin Worral standing on his outside edge.
|
|
Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 12:21pm PT
|
I did the UD with Eric (Weinstein) in 1976 or so, and we quite enjoyed it. I got the first pitch, which apart from the start was easier than expected, although you had to keep your eyes open. Eric got the more interesting second.
|
|
StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 04:16pm PT
|
Shakey Flakes 90ft of 5.9
|
|
Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 05:32pm PT
|
Pure slab climbing is fun until it gets too steep and you fall off.
|
|
cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 07:55pm PT
|
|
|
KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 07:56pm PT
|
freedom through motion...the vertical ballet...let the stone teach you to climb.
If there are crystals, or edges, then it's not pure friction - but it's still slab.
Poor upper body strength to weight ratio might seem to favor slab.
But when the slab kicks up to 5.11+, it's no holds barred.
My 2nd 5.11 slab lead was Ephemeral Clog Dance on GPA west. My first TR was courtesy Burk, in EBs, then rated 11.d, in the late '70's. On another occasion, Burk, Carter and I sent it as a twilight turning to nightfall...it's only about 75 feet long (or was until some self anointed Crag Cop chopped the 1st and original stance of what was originnaly established as a 2 pitch route which joined Chiropodist's Shop, later to be joined by The Token (Burk/Kabala- 1982)
Clog Dance is mostly about dime's edge yarding. Think OW or tips are the only opportunities for injury during the crank?
Clog Dance actually offers a few crux opportunities.
The second most and upper crux presents itself after the top bolt. You are still some 25 or 30 feet below the stance, vertically, but you must traverse climber's left about 10 feet to regain the fall line. With no feets, my solution invoved a wide Gaston, thumb set vertically on vertical credit card edges, right thumb up; left thumb down - an Iron Cross.
The first attempt resulted in a 30-footer, and on 70 to 80 degree rock, this is not a slider management situation.
This fall was an unpleasant one; retreating to the last bolt for a lowered retreat would have entailed another.
Completing the iron cross would have allowed another stretch to a 1 inch mantle, and from my feet on that, another full body mantle onto a 2 inch mantle...setting me up for one more body mantle into the 1 foot alcove of the stance.
Since a swing in either direction lacked appeal, I gave another go, and latched the first of the 3 mantles.
Problem was, I'd paid for my first iron cross with a subluxion of my right shoulder just barely on the good side of a dislocation. Meaning, specifically, that any weight whatsoever on my bum shoulder pulled this bone of of its socket - painful to be true, but definately not conducive to my better climbing efforts.
Such as it was. I pulled through each successive mantel, with just my good LH shoulder.
Remember, with each mantel I was that much further out from my last, horizontal, piece. Blowing the final pull into the stance would have occasioned a crater of some depth.
|
|
Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
|
|
|
Nov 26, 2011 - 09:16pm PT
|
So what is the world's largest slab?
I've heard rumours of a 5000-footer on Thunder Dome in the Nirvana Range, south of the Unclimbables
|
|
Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
|
|
|
Dec 22, 2011 - 11:35am PT
|
skating on stilts
|
|
Powder
Trad climber
SF Bay Area
|
|
|
Dec 22, 2011 - 11:37am PT
|
I love slabs (low angle, that is, for now >:)
~_~
|
|
wstmrnclmr
Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
|
|
|
May 12, 2013 - 01:37pm PT
|
Tuolumne's opening/opened soon so I thought I'd bump...
|
|
snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
|
|
|
May 12, 2013 - 04:12pm PT
|
Did you just say 'slabstacy'?? :)
|
|
sac
Trad climber
Sun Coast B.C.
|
|
|
May 12, 2013 - 04:23pm PT
|
|
|
Synchronicity
Trad climber
British Columbia, Canada
|
|
|
May 12, 2013 - 04:37pm PT
|
Slab climbing was definitely my weakness for a number of years early on, maybe not weakness, but rather something I avoided. I hate low angle falls, and was always afraid I'd take a big skidder. We don;t have much granite here so I made it a point to try and work on slabs when I've been to Squamish, and I'm starting to embrace the art. I think a lot of people in my generation got too stuck on sport climbing and modern routes, which is sad, slab climbing is becoming a lost art.
Like anything else though, it must be trained with frequency I found, getting on a hard slab after a few months off is a daunting adventure.
We have a big multi-pitch face/slab wall locally here that I used to get over my fear. Not pure friction for all the moves but you are on your calves the whole way. My bud took an 80 foot skidder there in a worst case scenario situation. Run out between bolts, he pulled up the slack to clip and blew his feet, the force caused the belayer to lose the rope from his hands for long enough to allow a pile of slack through. He grabbed whatever he could and arrested the fall with his bare hands, melting the skin.
Took both of them a few months to shake that one off...
Every time I'm out on that second pitch, I think about that fall and it makes me shudder...
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!