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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 26, 2011 - 12:02pm PT
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The thread on slab climbing got me thinking about cracks. Many climbers today begin in indoor gyms and then progress to sport climbing- no cracks yet. Then comes that transition to trad that creates so much consternation. Well ladies and gentleman trad climbing requires that you place your own gear....in CRACKS....and if they're there you might as well learn how to climb them. You have, of course, the full gamit from the occasional crack move on up to Indian Creek splitters where EVERY move is in a crack.
My forte has always been crack climbing which served me well when I started exploring new routes in Patagonia and Alaska. I tell people, not jokingly, that the best training for Patagonia is Indian Creek. Jeeez isn't IC in a desert? Yeah, but new routing in Patagonia often requires following long crack systems on impeccable granite and you better be able to move quickly during the short weather windows between sudden, very severe, storms.
No other form of rock climbing is more dependent on good technique. Face climbing is more intuitive- ever watch ten year olds switch into mantles like they have been doing them all of they're lives? Face climbing is climbing what's there, crack climbing is climbing what isn't
there. The idea of sticking hands and feet into that space (crack) between rock and then
making them secure (jamming) doesn't have too many parallels in everyday life and that's
why the whole process seems so strange initially. Learning to ride a bike was the same way,
weird at first but rote later on. The same steep learning curve with cracks, from the "I'll never get it" blues to the "aha!" moment where it all comes into place.In both cases the only way to get there is to do enough repetitions to get that connection where it suddenly feels right. Super frustrating at first but then, BAM, you get it. Perseverence is the key.
This is going to be basic for most of the Taco Stand but I know there will be some helpful information for some. Keep in mind that crack climbing technique will help your face climbing with the reverse also being true. More hints are welcome, I'm just covering the basics.
*Where do I start?
Even the Gunks has cracks....a few anyway. You will probably be able to find good cracks to
work on where you live but may want to roadtrip to get to the filet mignon. My vote for the
best crack climbing nursery (on up to grad school) on the Planet is Indian Creek. Pick a cliff, hike 10 to 20 minutes and feast yourself on classic cracks of every size within a few minutes reach. The relative absence of faceholds also leads to nearly complete dependence on good crack technique which is why you're there in the first place. Climbers at the Creek are
friendly sorts and a little small talk will usually lead to a ride on one of the many top ropes present with attendent advice and encouragement. Other venues will work fine but put the Creek on your short list if cracks are in your future.
*What about the shoes?
You want your toes flat with NO knuckling. A narrow, low toe profile is also CRITICAL. Nearly all shoes will work in blue camalot cracks but from tight golds down thru reds on to the dreaded green camalot size, a low toe profile is essential if you want to get your toes into the crack, which, trust me, you do.
Some like softer shoes while other's might want a little stiffness, that part is personal preference. Another thought is considering high top shoes to protect your ankle bones if you expect to do a lot of wide cracks.
*Got the shoes, what now?
The next two bullet points are probably the most important that's why I'll be redundant. You have the right shoes for your feet, now you have to use those perfectly clad appendages in an advantageous way. Keep in mind that the shoes you wear are pretty much the only piece of rock climbing gear that directly ENHANCES your performance.
*The feet, the feet and nothing but the feet.
Footwork is the most critical factor in ANY type of climbing. The saying "climb like a girl" has real meaning. Women are often better beginners than men because they don't have the testosterone induced notion that a good grip on a handhold is all that is needed, eveything
else will follow- yeah, for the first three seconds or so. Women discover early on the value of good footwork. Clearly, your legs our stronger and provide more balance than your arms. Did you ever see anyone waiting for a bus in a handstand?
Your feet bring your large leg muscles into play. Your feet are also in performance enhancing rock climbing shoes that, like any good drug, also have a negative side effect- the shoes ROB you of the tactile feel that you have with your hands. You can shut your eyes and feel around with your fingers and discover exactly how good your handhold is- not so with your feet.That being the case, why are most climbers eyes always looking up for that next hold/jam and only rarely looking below the waist for the next foot placement?
I think that your EYES are your most important organ when it comes to rock climbing. In
crack climbing getting your weight off of your jams and on to your feet becomes even more critical and more DIFFICULT as the jams worsen. Bomber hand jams mean that the crack is also very accomodating to your feet. Get down to red camalots (tight hands for me) and you better be getting weight on your feet but,damn, the crack is getting to be a pretty tight fit. Thankfully, nearly all cracks, even parallel ones, have subtly better places for your feet, but those nuanced foot placements can only be used effectively by precise VISUAL placement. In narrow cracks good placement is achieved by visually identifying the best spot and then DROPPING your knee and turning your foot sideways so that you are presenting the lowest profile of your foot to the crack. Once you have the optimal amount of toe possible in the crack, turn your knee back up and (voila!) your foot locks in, your leg straightens and you are vertical over your feet weighting them the maximal amount.
*It's all about body position.
In cracks once you get those toes in as best you can, get up verticaly OVER your feet so that your bones are lined up and you aren't creating an isometric exercise for your leg muscles. Squats make you stronger but that's the wrong posistion when you climb. Like all climbing, crack climbing necessitates moving from a good balanced position over your feet, thru some (often awkward) transitional movement, on to the next balanced position over your feet. Don't step too high, don't reach too high, let your body sense guide you. In face climbing upward progress is usually made thru a series of discrete movements. Crack climbing, once you have it down, is more of a flowing motion than a series of discrete moves. Practice makes perfect.
*That essential building block..the HAND JAM.
Finally getting to hand jams, probably had you wondering, but without good footwork even the best hand jams won't suffice. In fact, it's probably best to think of hand jams as a way of getting and keeping your body in the optimal position for your feet to do the work. That said, you can easily hang one handed from a really good jam but the pump will come and your only real defense is using those feet effectively.
In crack climbing failure usually comes on moves that you were doing just fine a few meters lower. You fight the pump by not over jamming, by milking rests, by being efficient placing gear and by (have you heard this before) effectively using your feet.
Back to hand jams: you can watch videos, study diagrams, read descriptions and listen to
instruction, but, until you FEEL it for yourself, hand jams will remain a mystery. Very few people go up to there very first crack, stick their hand in, tips of fingers against one side, knuckles against the other side, drop their thumb down to expand their hand and exclaim, "wow, that feels great." It takes time and a lot of repetition to get to that "aha" moment where you feel that hand jam working for you. The good thing is that nearly everyone with a little peristence will get there. Get on a top rope, hopefully belayed by a mentor, and get that basic hand jam down cold. The other jams; ring locks, tight hands, cupped hands, fists and stacks will come once you have mastered the basic hand jam.
*Thumbs up or thumbs down?
Once you have the feel for jamming you may wonder which of the above works better. I'm sure I've done more thumbs up overall, especially in splitter, perfect hand cracks. In corners I often find it less awkward if I have the upper hand thumbs down and the lower hand thumbs up. I also get better jams in certain sizes of finger cracks- your index finger is quite a bit larger that your little finger, with the thumbs down. Often when a jam doesn't feel right one way I'll try the other but I've climbed a lot of cracks so I usually get it right the first time. Again, practice makes perfect.
*Hand over hand or one before the other?
Hand over hand can be very fast and efficient especially in splitter cracks. Often it is less awkward in corners to move one hand up and then slide the other up behind it.
*What to do about pods.
The nemesis of many a novice crack climber. You have that hand jam down and you are moving along smoothly when.....suddenly, that perfect crack leads to a wide, hideous, body length pod. DO NOT lean you upper body into the pod to grope around for the jam that doesn't exist- you will LOSE Your feet. DO drop your shoulder so that you can jam low with your hands and then move your feet high as you can in the good crack (your feet will get pretty close to your hands), now get your body vertical over your feet and either reach past or step into the pod.
*The bad sizes, we all have them.
.75 and #4 camalots for me. Don't avoid them, work on them. Bad sizes will always be more difficult but the more you practice them the more proficient you will become. You can't pick the crack size on multi-pitch climbs. You'll climb bigger numbers in cracks custom sized for you but the really good climber is the one who becomes proficient at all types of climbing.
*Lieback or Jam?
Never lieback when you can jam. Don't worry, you'll get to lieback plenty. Watching strong Euro climbers trying to lieback perfect jam cracks is one of the great spectator sports at Indian Creek. Once you know how to jam you will usually find it less strenuous and definetly much easier to place gear by jamming instead of liebacking. That said, there are plenty of places where only liebacking will work. When working on jamming skills via top roping resist the urge to lieback. Think to yourself, If I was leading and placing my own gear which would be more appropriate- liebacking or jamming?
*Placing gear
Look ahead and plan where you want to stop and place gear. Don't reach high overhead to place cams, it's far more strenuous and success in crack climbing is all about conserving strength. Usually you want to put the cam in at about waist level, this way you're not reaching up and draining blood from your arms, AND, more importantly, you are not lifting up the entire weight of the rope to get it into the carabiner. Try to plan your placements so you aren't hanging on for dear life in the middle of the crux. Looking ahead enables you to often identify better places to stop to put in gear. Putting in gear can be strenuous and, remember, conserving strength and avoiding the pump is the key to crack climbing.
*What now?
Practiice, practice, practice. If you're like me you will get totally hooked on crack climbing so that you won't have to be talked into multiple pitches of cracks. To the contrary, you'll end up driving many miles and straining a relationship or two just to feed your new addiction.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Nov 26, 2011 - 12:19pm PT
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Crack climbing is awesome.
But not too long ago I found a crack that is a bit bigger than my fist jam, not big enough for a knee jam, too big for any foot jam, too narrow to heel-toe. I can do a part of it by lie backing with left (lower foot) smearing on one side of the crack and right high stepping, moving lower, and than moving left hand up into a lie back higher, moving right in a fist position over the left and repeating. but than it gets too wide even for that, knee still doesn't jam and I am lost...
Also, finger cracks are tough..and ring locks didn't come yet : (
GREAT THREAD! THANK YOU AGAIN!
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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Nov 26, 2011 - 01:27pm PT
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What a stellar contribution to make, Donini!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Nov 26, 2011 - 01:37pm PT
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Vitally, that's what calf locks are for!
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gonzo chemist
climber
Fort Collins, CO
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Nov 26, 2011 - 01:41pm PT
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TWO THUMBS UP FOR CRACK CLIMBING!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Nov 26, 2011 - 01:48pm PT
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Patricia Bowl?
Pratt's crack?
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Nov 26, 2011 - 02:34pm PT
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Feet can be key!
426 on Tripmaster monkey, Vedauwoo
Hang with crackclimbers and pick up tips and the vibe
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A5scott
Trad climber
Chicago
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Nov 26, 2011 - 03:11pm PT
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that crack posted by locker is more like A3. that's not something you want to get your hands into. But hey, when hanging out on a portaledge for a few days, you never know
scott
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Nov 26, 2011 - 05:29pm PT
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Jaybro, calf locks????
I was talking about that furthest crack on the left in PG (sunnyvale). In the same room with that other OW/squeeze chimney thing. If you ever want to come out there and show how to 'calf lock' up it, or attempt to, I would be glad to donate a guest pass...it is a very tough one (for me). The thing that is a deal breaker for me is that the crack is shallow. You can't extend your leg, put it in and than lock your knee (hell, on those you could rest with your hands out!), you only have 15 cm or so of room to push something in, so a knee lock is out of question, so is any type of foot jam, too narrow to heel toe. Some day..
I have seen it done, but in a way that I do not think would work for outside (if one actually wants to lead and place protection in something similar to it).
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Mason
Trad climber
Yay Area
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Nov 26, 2011 - 05:46pm PT
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Ring locks are by far the hardest for me to figure out. Would someone explain how to get these beauties down to an art?
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gonzo chemist
climber
Fort Collins, CO
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Nov 26, 2011 - 05:53pm PT
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Jaybro,
that's the Patty Bowl alright. Damn good climbing....
the other one is Pratt's crack. Now that I'm in Fort Collins, I'm salivating at the chance to climb at Vedauwoo all the time....
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chappy
Social climber
ventura
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Nov 26, 2011 - 07:12pm PT
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Jim, After all these years I still remember my "Aha" moment like it was yesterday. It was following you on the FA of Leaning Meanie. I was dreading another confidence destroying struggle when to my amazement I was climbing the thing. Definitely a climbing epiphany. I used to teach friends how to climb by taking them to Short Circuit. My reasoning was if you can't crack climb then you won't really be able to climb in Yosemite. Most everyone thought I was nuts. But it was so perfect. It wasn't intimidating. You taped their hands up so they wouldn't get cut, showed them the technique and let them have at it. I explained it wasn't about getting to the top but rather about learning technique. The beauty of it was that they couldn't fake it: you can't face climb around it or lieback it. You have to jam your hands and feet properly to get anywhere on it. It also developed the unique hand strength required. It was a joy watching their progress. It worked especially well for girls because of their smaller hand size. After a few weeks of working on Short Circuit you could take them to Catchy or Lunatic Fringe and watch their eyes light up as they realized they knew exactly what to do and did it. One of my early pupils was Jobee. She's still going strong to this day.
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WBraun
climber
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Nov 26, 2011 - 07:17pm PT
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Crack climbing- getting started.
Don't even start. Run away now before it's too late.
Or you'll end up like these people here.
They're all crazy .....
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 26, 2011 - 07:25pm PT
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High on crack...technique!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Nov 26, 2011 - 07:28pm PT
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Spoken like a lifer, Werner..
I'd take you upon that Vitally, but for now, I'm behind the Zion curtain. But you're in luck! Hard as that one is, Alexey has it wired! And you future droogs share a native tongue even.
Too funny Gonzo, I've only been to patty bowl once, but it was great, esp for the dead of Summer! I think you'll find that Vedauwoo is also a good place to beat the heat, I'll look for you out there, next summer.
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yosemite 5.9
climber
santa cruz
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Nov 26, 2011 - 07:36pm PT
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Tape your big toe nails so they don't break far behind the skin and then fall out three months later like mine. It also keeps the front skin from getting shoved up over the edge of the toenail. Expect to get a few other blue toe nails and hope they don't fall off. Remember, the toe pain is only temporary, learn to put up with it. If you lose a big toenail, you find out real fast that it was important to keeping that flesh at that the end of your big toe in place. Wrap your big toes.
My goal in 2011 was to concentrate on crack climbing. I bought some hand jammies to protect the backs of my hands. The rubber rips easily so I wrap a few rounds of tape around them on my hands just to keep them tight and to prevent rips. Some people can climb cracks without damaging the backs of their hands, but I ain't one of them. Maybe some day.
That fat pad between the pinkie and the wrist contains a lot of nerves, mine was painful for a year or two after some intense thumbs up hand jams many years ago. Protect it with some tape or a hand jammie.
I ain't no great crack climber. I popped off the Direct Route on Reed's Pinnacle in Yosemite this summer near the top of the long crack and then my right arm quit on me. I had to pull on gear to finish. Oh the shame, the horrible shame. Endurance is indeed needed on that pitch that is maybe the hardest 5.9 crack pitch in the valley. But I climbed solely cracks four out of five days in the valley with my hand jammies, so I was able to maintain the training effort to improve my crack climbing. What I used to fear, I now love.
Sticky soles and rands are critical since frequently there isn't much for them to contact. I prefer Stealth C4 rubber.
Hopefully more experienced climbers will add to this thread. If you are at that stage of being frustrated by the pain, perhaps these tips may help you. Crack climbing is indeed fascinating once you learn some tricks to reduce the pain. One of the beauties of jamming is that you don't need repetitive strong grips, so you don't flame out on gripping. Your fingertips don't get ripped up by dime edges. Your calves don't have that pulling stress of being on slabs. Don't be discouraged. I am pretty good on 5.10 face, but struggle on 5.9 cracks. Don't give up.
This winter I will be working on one-arm pulldowns to lockoffs and will go again for Reed's Direct. Core (front and back) strength to stay close to the crack and adequate quad strength in the legs to save the arms seem to be important too.
I am sure more knowledgeable crack climbers have a lot to add to my meager thoughts.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Nov 26, 2011 - 08:33pm PT
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I'm sure he'd want you to have this one as well, Ron...
Sorta, on topic...
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Nov 26, 2011 - 08:50pm PT
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Jaybro thank you. If you know his email or something let me know...
I ain't no great crack climber. I popped off the Direct Route on Reed's Pinnacle in Yosemite this summer
DUDE! Your screen name is Yosemite 5.9! I thought you were legit! : )
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WanderlustMD
Trad climber
New England
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Nov 26, 2011 - 11:43pm PT
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It seems like Jim has been posting more and more advice lately. I like it!
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Nov 27, 2011 - 07:08am PT
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Nice thread. Thanks for the advice. I recognize my own shortcoming. My jamming is rather primitive. As soon as I have the chance I tend to get into a lieback positon. The consequence is an immediate feeling of control and then comes the pump...
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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Nov 27, 2011 - 09:36am PT
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Thanks, Jim! Nicely said, and you reminded me of some things to work on next try.
Feet: I've had success reducing foot pain by smearing the edges of cracks. Instead of a foot-horizontal, straight-in placement (which puts max ouch onto your poor toes), try pointing your toes up the crack, torquing a smear onto one wall and lightly nudging the outside of your foot against the other side.
Doesn't always work, of course, but when it does you find yourself getting past moves, and then whole series of moves, with a tenth of the toe pain.
Also, I've been having big success lately with stiffer shoes. Got a pair of JBs for offwidth, but I'm liking them in jams. Mostly I climb in slippers, but the JBs are encouraging me to get back on cracks where the pain was a deterrent.
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barry ohm
Trad climber
escondido, ca
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Nov 27, 2011 - 09:45am PT
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It starts with tape, Not gloves , not those cute little gloves made out of tape, Just a couple of wraps and Bam, Im done. Thanks Jim
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Nov 27, 2011 - 10:28am PT
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Hey Jim,
Quite a thesis!
I've never read a better description of the technique.
Have fun in Patagonia!
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Roger Breedlove
climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
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Nov 27, 2011 - 10:47am PT
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Nice primer Jim. I think we can all remember the sense of ‘aha’ when the jams clicked. I cannot remember the time or place but I remember the feeling.
When I have returned to climbing after years of abstinence, I find a huge store of muscle memory that shows up in placing a perfect jam without thinking about it. However, in my may case, my muscle memory is faulty and I would find myself in positions without a clear sense of how I got there and no clear sense of what to do next. Reverting back to teaching, I would 'tell' myself what to do to move up. Then the automatic memory would return for a few moves.
A comment I would add is the need to work on foot jamming for strength training. Thinking in particular about something like Moby Dick center, the difference between a simple walkup the slightly too wide crack and desperate climbing is the ability to twist your foot enough to hold your weight and stand up. The technique is straight forward, but without the strength, the 5.9 rating is meaningless.
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The Alpine
Big Wall climber
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Nov 27, 2011 - 11:07am PT
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The Chief approves this thread.
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Tork
climber
Yosemite
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Nov 27, 2011 - 11:14am PT
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Thanks Jim!
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surfstar
climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Nov 27, 2011 - 11:28am PT
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Last year when I started climbing I cursed cracks - "Crack is Whack". Severely cursed my way up the second pitch of Phobos, slipping out of jam after attempted jam. Halloween in Jtree led to more cursing, especially on that one section of Dogleg - near the pin. A few months later they started sticking. Not sure why/how, but my jams were getting more solid. Felt so secure when I sank a good one. If I'm on lead now, I feel way more comfortable when I have a good hand and foot jam to work with. I still have trouble finding ways to work it out when the crack doesn't fit my hand nicely, usually involves switching thumb up/down, trying a different section, etc - much like my current gear placements go.
As much as I'm still learning, I find it funny to see people try to face climb the featured cracks w/o any jams - they use more energy and struggle more than I do on my semi-secure jams.
The easiest section of Party in the Desert last weekend: the crack!
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ladyscarlett
Trad climber
SF Bay Area, California
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Nov 27, 2011 - 01:17pm PT
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I am constantly being teased by my face inclined friend about my crack addiction, but I don't care cause I really just can't stop. In fact, I love leading those same friends (who avoid crack whenever possible) up large stretches of crack, and take great enjoyment at watching them struggle to avoid committing to the undiscovered pleasure of being deep in the crack.
And I can't stop telling them...there is very little that is as good as hitting just the right spot in a chosen crack and having it hold me tight, firm and gentle in all the right ways. I just can't stop my pleasure sounds and I can't stay away.
Cracks just draw me in and learning new techniques has rarely been so much...bliss.
I suspect I may be addicted! heh
thanks for posting up the crack porn and tips. Still working on getting my wyde technique. I think this means I get the 'tight hands' leads...mwhahaha!
Cheers
LS
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Dos XX
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Nov 27, 2011 - 01:27pm PT
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Jim -- this is very, very good information. Thanks for taking the time to share your wisdom and experience with the rest of us.
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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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Nov 27, 2011 - 02:50pm PT
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Ringlocks!
My favorite!
This works in cracks a bit wider than fingers - another favorite size - which, of course, are wider than hands.
The end configuration looks like you're making an "okay" hand signal. First, bend your index finger down and into a semi circle. As you insert it into the crack, wedge your thumb over the outside of your index finger - for a little more crank, try and wrap the tip of the thumb over the fingernail of the index finger.
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Bldrjac
Ice climber
Boulder
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Nov 27, 2011 - 04:00pm PT
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Crack Climbing...........what climbers do when they can't slab climb....................
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westhegimp
Social climber
granada hills
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Nov 27, 2011 - 07:51pm PT
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Wow, good stuff.
For myself, I made good progress when I stopped using tape. I started by taking a small bit of time to get every hand jam nice and comfortable on the back of my hand and just above a small restriction(if there was one) then I set the jam by pulling my thumb down and cupping my fingers. Sometimes the jams worked better thumb down. Especially if the jamb was a bit wide. I would never weight a lock or jam unless it was good, meaning it didn't slip or rotate. Of course it took a while to learn what would hold and what was not going to hold. Every time a jam slipped there would be blood! (Then the tape would come out. :) Once the jam is set and weighted, Don't move it! Don't rotate it either. (remember the blood!)
I would also take the same amount of care with foot placements. Taking a small amount of time to locate a good place for a foot in the crack(usually above a small constriction), then hanging straight armed(as much as possible) as I raised my foot up, while letting my knee bend out to the side, then placing my foot in the crack as comfortably as possible. Then pulling my knee in and up. This would place torque on the foot jamb by twisting my foot while it was in the crack. Then I would make sure not to let my knee move and unlock the foot jam.
My skin on the backs of my hands is not tough and calloused. Also the nerves there, are very alive and feel every crystal and bump. Good crack technique is all that is needed most of the time. :) Try it sometime. Keep the tape in your backpack just in case. :)
My .02 cents.
Wes
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selfish man
Gym climber
Austin, TX
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Nov 27, 2011 - 08:02pm PT
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Don't use any gear other than blue camalots. Well, maybe gold ones too
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Nov 27, 2011 - 08:22pm PT
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Donini! Thanks! I am forwarding your tips to Heidi.
I fear the only cure for her "stemming" problem is Indian Creek cracks.
That will fix her!
Here's some Donini crack climbing illustrations from easy routes at City of Rocks.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Nov 27, 2011 - 11:38pm PT
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Slightly differing from donini, I'd say that all climbing is crack. Highly addictive stuff.
With regard to footwear, at least for those starting out, a good all-round shoe, reasonably snug but comfortable enough to wear for some time, is the best option. Something that's supportive, and won't torture your feet, in cracks or not. A light, soft shoe (slipper) is rarely a good choice for hand, fist or wider cracks, and often is little overall advantage even on thin cracks.
Course, if you're leading 5.10 and harder cracks, decide for yourself. Though I'm always somewhat take aback when I see people doing offwidths in slippers.
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pc
climber
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Nov 27, 2011 - 11:51pm PT
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Excellent! Great contribution Donini.
pc
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Nov 27, 2011 - 11:57pm PT
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Where crack addiction begins for many. Me on my first valley lead-jamcrack (early spring 2011).
Progression-late 2011. Me on 1st 5.10 crux of Beeline on Incredible Hulk.
BUMP
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kaholatingtong
Trad climber
nevada city, California
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Nov 28, 2011 - 01:10am PT
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and enjoy the pain! with it the pleasure of a comfortable bomber jam becomes even sweeter. oh crackalackalack. and cheers to jamcrack in the pic above ^^. such a nice crack to learn in.
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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Nov 28, 2011 - 02:41pm PT
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testing
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Nov 28, 2011 - 10:49pm PT
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Crack bump!
1971 good-quality Idaho crack!
RR's & pitons!
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Nov 28, 2011 - 11:09pm PT
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Thanks fritz, that was awesome.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Nov 29, 2011 - 12:08am PT
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darwin: Thanks. Rated 5.6 in 1971, 5.8 or 5.9 now.
No major holds are missing, just ratings creep.
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ladyscarlett
Trad climber
SF Bay Area, California
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Nov 29, 2011 - 12:18am PT
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my recent attempts to get over my reservations over wyde, and not fall prey to intimidation...
heh, what can I say, it's been a while since I've been on proper rock so the ridiculous streak comes out every now and again.
Cheers
LS
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Nov 29, 2011 - 12:31am PT
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Federal sentencing standards are set to be changed; crack will be less severe...
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 29, 2011 - 09:54am PT
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LS, the Bay Area has many amenities, good rock climbing not being one of them- you should google Indian Creek and plan a road trip.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Nov 29, 2011 - 10:55am PT
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The world has gone upside down.
When I started we followed cracks because they took pitons.
We called them "lines of weakness".
You might say;..........
it cracks me up!
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scuffy b
climber
dissected alluvial deposits, late Pleistocene
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Nov 29, 2011 - 02:23pm PT
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Bad news for Vitaliy: that problematic crack is too shallow for a good
calf lock. It's a "real" offwidth, for a few moves you have to just twist
you feet to try to make them stick, and use a crap fake armbar reaching up
instead of in.
You might also try to finagle/finesse/fake a heel/toe with your lower foot,
opposing your heel with your metatarsal or even your arch, with your toes
totally outside the crack.
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scuffy b
climber
dissected alluvial deposits, late Pleistocene
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Nov 29, 2011 - 02:40pm PT
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Heh--
I finally actually read Jim's opening post, which is spot-on.
I especially like the advice to use your eyes when placing your feet.
Of course, this applies to face climbing as well. No need to bother fooling
around trying to get the right feel if you put your foot in the right
place to begin with.
A tip on hand jams, though, at least thin ones.
It is natural to think of flexing your hand to produce the force which
makes your jam stick.
If you visualize bringing your thumb into your palm, even if the jam is too
small for this actually to happen, it helps make the jam more secure and
reduces the load on your finger flexors, which are the muscles that will
fail first. That muscle you use to move your thumb seems to have plenty of
reserve.
This really works!
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dirt claud
Social climber
san diego,ca
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Nov 29, 2011 - 03:13pm PT
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Very cool,thanks for the advise and tips Jim and everyone else.
Great pic Alpine.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Nov 29, 2011 - 04:02pm PT
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Mileage alone will teach you 95%. The subtle stuff is bad sizes, shallow/bottoming cracks, and flares.
So with that in mind, I'll offer the following tip. In rattley finger, shallow cracks, where it's too shallow for rings or thumb stacks, often a thumbs down hand position with the thumb pushing on one side and the fingertips pusing on the opposite will be a viable solution. For your right hand this would be thumb on the left edge of the crack, tips on the right, trying to basically push the crack apart using your thumb. Almost like a gaston but using your thumb to oppose. Much like ring locks, these don't work very well once you pull them below your chin or thereabouts, and they don't work well at full extension.
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surfstar
climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Nov 29, 2011 - 04:16pm PT
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I hope I can remember some of these tips on my next trip - sounds like my "solid" jams are still not executed properly and I'm wasting energy making them stick.
Good thread.
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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Nov 29, 2011 - 04:36pm PT
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Tips and advice and reading never did me any good. As a beginner I once sat and listened as Peter Croft lectured on crack climbing. He soloed up and down the bottom part of a 5.10 crack at Donner as he spoke. His words sounded reasonable but had no real effect on me. When I would try crack climbing I'd usually fall out and bleed.
Was that in the early 90's at a climbing shoe demo day? If so, I still remember Peter soloing up, and getting a no hands rest under a small roof about 60' off the deck and casually describing how to crack climb.
Anyhoo, not to be trite but when you have your form down, you don't need to tape.
I don't know why, but crack climbing never seemed mysterious to me and it's always been my favorite type of climbing.
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Alexey
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Nov 29, 2011 - 08:46pm PT
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Great write up Donini . Crack climbing is addictive... After day climbing of some remarkable cracks I can visualize move by move and basically repeat the climb with closed eyes before falling asleep. I notice that crack learning curve is very different. Some climbers pick up cracks technique very quickly , for some it take years. But slow learners can over-climb quick learners in the end.
There is a lot of subtle moves in crack climbing which make big changes. And this can be learn mostly with milage. Like after 10 years of crack climbing I found astonishing for my self "index finger lock when thumb up" on corner finger cracks
But also "Tips and advice and reading" can be very useful. Some stuff like hand stacking/ knee bar - I learned just from reading John Long book "Advanced climbing" and it worked from the first try.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 29, 2011 - 09:46pm PT
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Just what I said del cross, the unnatural act of hand jamming can only be learned with repitition- do enough yardage and you will get that "aha" moment.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 29, 2011 - 09:54pm PT
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Read it and I think you'll see we agree.
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yosemite 5.9
climber
santa cruz
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Nov 29, 2011 - 10:05pm PT
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Prod, thanks for that article a couple pages above on thin cracks!
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Nov 29, 2011 - 11:04pm PT
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Crack climbing is a kenesthetic mechanical aptitude test.
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Listen to Jim, he knows of what he speaks. I had the opportunity to climb a few routes at JT yesterday with Donini and I learned a lot though he may not agree, hee hee. I watched Jim cruise Double Cross sans protection, he looked as if there was no way in hell he could have fallen out of that crack. The last time I did DC was 20 plus years ago and #11 hexes hung from my rack. Jim gave me a top rope and tried to emulate his style of not using face holds and just plug straight into the crack with hands and feet and go. I can tell you that having not climbed much in the past 8 years due to a back problem and an extra 25lbs was the problem and I wouldnt be lying but the thing that made DC a struggle this time was not using face holds and just plugging in hands and feet. It felt awkward but good to do the climb without relying on anything but the crack. OK, DC down we head over to The Damper a short 5.9, Jim leads/solos it and doesn't place a single piece. He sets up a anchor, I lower him and now I jump on it on top rope. I decided I was going to use feet and hand jams only, no face holds, it sounded good in theory but half way up I ask for a hang and reevaluate this crack climbing thing. I notice some nice edges and knobs on the face next to the crack and abandon pure crack climbing technique and was on top in no time with my tail between my legs.
I learned that the 90's craze of "sport climbing had wrecked me as a crack climber, along with the previously mentioned extra 25lbs I now carry. I learned that if I am going to really learn to be good at crack I need to climb crack and lots of crack, and not the pseudo crack climbing that I had adopted of using face features, those features will not always be there to rely on. I learned age is not an excuse, Jim is a shining example of this.
Most of all I learned i just need to get off my butt, get out of the house and climb.
Thanks for the schooling Jim.
Kevin Mokracek
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 7, 2011 - 06:58am PT
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Fun climbing with you Batrock. Looks like I'll be doing a crack climbing clinic in the Atacama. They found a canyon with tons of splitters not far from San Pedro de Atacama- yes!
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Hey Jim,
Where is that?
I need a vacation!!!!
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Johnny K.
climber
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It is pretty satisfying when you can hang all your weight from the bones on one hand casually.
Jim,I can only imagine what beautiful splitters are awaiting in Chile!
....please take me in your suitcase hahaa
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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scuffy b, what do you think it is rated (that 'problematic crack')? I will try it again today. Although I do not think I will get much further.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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5.11c with a trick was what I thought when I finally got up it.
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scuffy b
climber
dissected alluvial deposits, late Pleistocene
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Vitaliy,
I'm not the greatest at rating things.
I only did that problematic crack of your earlier post one time.
I think it is probably 5.10.
Jaybro may be referring to a different problematic crack, or not.
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Jim, pictures of those Atacama climbs would be great, post them up if you happen to take any.
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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Wow Mr. D,
well thought out, and on topic!
are you sure you have the right website?
one more, well, several more little items:
Two 2" x 12" x 16' with enough thread all nuts and washers to make a great crack machine.
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Robinson
Trad climber
Chattanooga
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Who posted the Scream Wall solo pics of me lol. That's a blast from the past ... I guess I was tryin' to be like JB. Looks like I might have been wearin my first pair of Fires. There is some crack climbing on that mostly face route...
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micronut
Trad climber
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Is "Robinson" Rob Robinson? From the Deep Souf? I poured over articles of that dude during my twelve years in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. He was the King of Roof Cracks and I ad cutouts of him on Southern roof gnarfests when I was in college.
Good to have you here Rob!
Sick Stuff!
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micronut
Trad climber
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Man I miss The T-Wall. I live a stone's throw from Yosemite now, but oooohhhh that southern stone was sooo nice. This route, Passages, was one of my all time favorites. Amazing in September/November.
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PellucidWombat
Mountain climber
Berkeley, CA
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Well put Donini! I shared this with a number of my friends who I am getting hooked on crack.
I want to point out that the comments on footwork and body position are so important, but often overlooked when I see talks on crack technique. As I've progressed in my technique I have found them just as important as learning to jam.
A good recent example for me was when I climbed Super Crack of the Desert at Indian Creek.
The guy who climbed it before me made the awkward technical crux to get onto the pedestal look all right, but he pumped out halfway up the sustained crack and practically aided to the top. It looked like he knew how to jam all right, and he said he climbed 5.11s on face.
A guy who climbed it after me also made short work of the technical crux down low but pumped out near the top and had to french free to finish. I also talked to someone else who led it that day (and the only climber who I didn't see fall or hang on the route) and he talked about fighting the pump all the way up (for some reason he liked to flag one leg instead of walking both feet up the crack).
Now I wasn't nearly as solid on the technical crux, as I barely consider myself able to lead 5.10s, but I actually found the sustained 80' vertical crack section very comfortable. Despite all the talk of fighting the pump, I never felt like I was racing to do that. I got more of a pump clipping the rope as I got higher than by jamming (which I quickly reduced by adjusting my clipping technique by clipping lower). I floated up it, moving fairly continuous but also taking my time to sew it up to keep myself comfortable with the fall potential.
What was the difference? Despite the climb being very steep, it was still just barely under vertical and is a perfect size for bomber foot jams (#2 Camalots for 20', #3 Camalots for 60'), so if you make solid foot jams and pay attention to body position, you can keep most of your weight on your feet. I only had to maintain a light squeeze in the cupped hands for bomber jams, and only tightened them a bit when shifting my weight out slightly to step my feet up. When I was placing gear or pulling up the rope, I made sure to place a hand jam high and lean into the wall to avoid using my biceps or leaning out. Instead of racing the pump, I felt like I could hang out up there forever!
I've found downclimbing cracks a great way to teach yourself footwork and body position. You are more inclined to look at your feet when downclimbing, and it is harder to test a hand jam that you are moving on to, so you are forced to pull minimally on it and in turn learn how little you really need to pull on a hand jam for certain positions and movements.
Now I need to get back to the Creek and really get into those steep and crisp splitters :-D
TFPU!
The steepness of Creek cracks mess with my head. Compare the size of the belayer to the size of the leader near the top of the pitch to get a better sense of how long that beautiful crack is. (The leader in this photo was the climber who liked to flag his right foot for some reason.)
Nowhere to hide from the jams here!
You could practically lob #3 Camalots into this crack.
Very smooth on the hands. No tape needed!
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kristyle
climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Thanks for the post! I've been working on cracks this fall and slowly but surely they're starting to feel better...I got a long way to go, but its nice to know that just by putting in the time you can get it.
I'm definitely the type you're talking about in the original post. Been climbing for years, but started in a gym and stuck to sport climbing and bouldering because it was more affordable and accessible. This summer though, I finally climbed in Yosemite and Tuolumne and caught the multipitch/trad/crack bug big time. I'm a beginner again, which can be frustrating, but also fun because there is so much to learn and rewarding when you see yourself improve as your body learns the movement. I'm incredibly inspired by the rock in Yosemite and by the idea of becoming a more well rounded all-around climber.
So thanks for extra motivation to keep working at it!
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mjb
Trad climber
Point Pleasant, NJ
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Nice climb at trout creek, would love to see it done with no cams, just hexes, like the really old trad guys would have done.
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chill
climber
between the flat part and the blue wobbly thing
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The close-ups of Supercrack were interesting. I have pictures of my wife coming up that climb that I took in the mid-'80's. The edges of the crack were sharp and brown then. It isn't holding up well to all the traffic.
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PellucidWombat
Mountain climber
Berkeley, CA
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The close-ups of Supercrack were interesting. I have pictures of my wife coming up that climb that I took in the mid-'80's. The edges of the crack were sharp and brown then. It isn't holding up well to all the traffic.
Interesting. Any chance you could share those? I was wondering how much the crack has changed over the years from use. I imagine that the pods in the lower 1/3 of the crack were probably created from hex placements?
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 8, 2011 - 03:44pm PT
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Supercrack hasn't changed much. Incredible Handcrack, on the other hand, has changed a lot. The bulge used to be tight hands and now it's big golds.
I am doing a crack climbing clinic on Saturday for some of the guides in San Pedro de Atacama- psyched!
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chill
climber
between the flat part and the blue wobbly thing
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Here is Supercrack in about '86. Looking a lot fresher to me.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 9, 2011 - 04:29pm PT
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I am doing a crack climbing clinic for Chilean guides tomorrow in San Pedro de Atacama. One thing I know for sure....I won't get rained out.
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PAUL SOUZA
Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
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Here's a video of me climbing the 5.9 crack at our gym here in Fresno. Shot with the GoPro Hero 2. The crux is the section from the yellow/black L shaped tape to the lip. The crack here is flared outwards and overhung. The moves are a little delicate.
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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Hey Donini - is the venue you're climbing at near San Pedro outside of the little desert hamlet of Socaire?
In a deep trough they call the Quebrada de Serpiente, or maybe it was Ojos de Serpiente? Neat volcanic rock, with a mix of pocketed steep faces and splitter cracks running down both sides of the ravine?
Lucky enough to spend a week there in '04... what a spot.
Post up pics of your spot if you can.
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Keith Leaman
Trad climber
Seattle
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Dec 10, 2011 - 06:06pm PT
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Donini,
Most of the images for climbing in San Pedro de Atacama that I found on the net look like bolted sport routes. Hope you post some pix from your trip!!
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Dec 10, 2011 - 06:17pm PT
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Nice photography but I was also taken by the change to SC. It has really gotten bull-nosed and polished since the 70s. I guess I am spoiled by the less crowded pre-cam days. A whole lot fewer folks were jammin' their paws in those cracks before spring loaded "Crack Jummars" made the routes available to the great unwashed proletariat. A still beautiful crack but very much different than the early years.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Dec 11, 2011 - 11:53am PT
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There's always room for refinement Riley. I've been at this and climbed cracks longer than most posters here(including you, Rad) have been alive, and I'm still, every day, refining crack techniques I don't 'get'. Isn't that the point of this? You Bhuddists have your definitions, but we taosists 'know' that we are on a road that can't be known... That's why we do it.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 8, 2012 - 08:11pm PT
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It's going to be in the 60's next week in the Creek, time to get tuned.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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awesome, dood, I'll be applying your wisdom this weekend in Taylors Falls, Minnesota
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lubbockclimber
Trad climber
lubbock,tx
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The hardest part for me was getting the fiancé up behind m!!!
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westhegimp
Social climber
granada hills
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Right Banana^?
:)
Nice!
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