| Messages 1 - 82 of total 82 in this topic |
Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 9, 2012 - 06:10am PT
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If anyone was wondering how Flanders (aka Chief Knucklehead) is doing these days, a year after a stroke and heart attack felled him, I am here to testify.
We had gone into Lee Vining Canyon last week, warmed up on some fat ice up the middle of the Main Wall, then set our sights on The Fischer King (M3/WI3+), a spicy mixed line left of The Spiral Staircase. (FYI, this route named after the late, great, John Fischer)
My experience with this level of mixed climbing is fairly limited, especially with the new-fangled tools...BD Cobras. Leashless climbing on ice is one thing....on stone, a whole nother level of spice! That all being said, I was MORE than pleased to send Flanders out on the sharp end.
The conditions were thin that day, but that first pitch was a kick in the pants, with ice 1/2 to 2 inches thick, and plenty of tool placements in fine crack.
The second pitch proved our undoing....1/4 inch of glaze on a 50 foot slabby section right of the belay, and no pro....we rapped a V thread and called it a day.....til yesterday.
No warm-up ice yesterday....we went straight to the business, albeit with a variation. We could see that the conditions on the second pitch had not improved, so rather than getting into the classic first pitch corner system, we chose a direct line up the wall that would keep us right of that impossible slab, albeit mostly on dry-tooling ground.
Enter Flanders. I've been climbing with this guy for nearly 24 years, and have had opportunity to see him do some pretty cool leading, but what he pulled off on this first pitch was really special. They call this mixed climbing, but in the case of this pitch...a bit of a misnomer. Not a single screw was placed in 200 feet.
While I held my breath, Doug masterfully weaved a series of pins, cams and pick jams into a stealthy lead, all sewn together with nerves of FRIGGIN STEEL! I was so focused on an attentive belay, I did not get many pics of him....here are a few....
 Missing photo ID#236878
Missing photo ID#236879
Missing photo ID#236880
Missing photo ID#236881
Missing photo ID#236882
Missing photo ID#236883
Missing photo ID#236884
The pictures above do NOT do this lead justice....it was pure HUEVOS GRANDE! I had the priviledge of following the gem! Doug's pictures below should give a much better perspective....
Missing photo ID#236885
Missing photo ID#236886
Missing photo ID#236887
Missing photo ID#236888
Missing photo ID#236889
Missing photo ID#236890
Missing photo ID#236891
Missing photo ID#236892
Missing photo ID#236893
Missing photo ID#236894
Missing photo ID#236895
Missing photo ID#236896
Off and on in our lives, if we are so lucky, we have the opportunity to bear witness to something truly special.....witness the greatness of someone in their element, doing things that are the result of hard work, vision, and years of dedication to a craft.
Yesterday, I got to be the witness....as well as the benefactor, of what I consider to be one of the greatest leads I have ever seen.
Like I said earlier, the Flanders man is back, climbing strong as ever, and has nerves like FRIGGIN STEEL!!!
And all I could do was nearly shyte myself.....
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eKat
Trad climber
BITD3
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BEAUTIFUL, Crag and Chief Knucklehead!
My heart is on wing!
KEEP THAT MAGIC ALIVE!
oxoxoxoxo
eK@
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Looks scrappy and thin...
Nice!
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Barbarian
Trad climber
New and Bionic too!
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Wow!!! That does look thin! So glad to see Flanders back in form...tell him hello for me.
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Dingus Milktoast
Gym climber
And every fool knows, a dog needs a home, and...
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Lots of beautiful things there in the least year cragman but if you'll forgive my forwardness, the renewed friendship between the two of you is the most beautiful thing of all.
Rock on.
Cheers
DMT
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eKat
Trad climber
BITD3
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Lots of beautiful things there in the least year cragman but if you'll forgive my forwardness, the renewed friendship between the two of you is the most beautiful thing of all.
Therein lies the REAL MAGIC, eh?
ox
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Ice IS nice!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2012 - 07:24am PT
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Thanks Ding and Kath...
You're right.....except.."...friends don't make friends shat themselves!"
:)
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Dingus Milktoast
Gym climber
And every fool knows, a dog needs a home, and...
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Cragman its been a lesson for me, one I need to work on.
Cheers
DMT
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Great pics....Bravo!!!!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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It appears that Flanders is back, and KICKING ASS!!!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2012 - 07:57am PT
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^Yeah.
Mine.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Wonderful to read this.
Truly amazing what determinatiuon and good friends can do.
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mctwisted
Social climber
paradise
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good job guys, that mixed climbing is pretty hairy stuff, not like you can have pro where ever you decide you want it, thats the real deal. way to go
my adrenaline seeking friends!
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WML
climber
Biggest Little City, NV
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Burly lookin' line! Great job!
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Thanks Dean, that's a post I'm glad to see. Way to go Doug, the spirit lives on.
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Johnny K.
climber
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Really awesome,what an inspiration Doug is!
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dee ee
Mountain climber
citizen of planet Earth
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sweet!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2012 - 03:33pm PT
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Missing photo ID#236932
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there, say.... oh my!.... wonderful to hear you are feeling like your ol' wonderful self. flanders!
nice work, both of you!
god bless!
:)
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nature
climber
Aridzona for now Denver.... here I come...
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did he get nuked too?
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 9, 2012 - 06:49pm PT
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Christians don't get nuked....they get crucified.
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Really happy to see this !
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 10, 2012 - 03:17am PT
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rhyang, coming off your Canada trip, you oughta come up and get some LV ice while it's still around!
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Silver
Big Wall climber
Nor Nev
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Feb 10, 2012 - 06:26am PT
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Cool and nicely done.
Dean you do look really puckered in a couple of those shots.
Nice
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Stewart Johnson
climber
lake forest
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Feb 10, 2012 - 06:32am PT
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welcome back doug!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 10, 2012 - 06:35am PT
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Aaron,
At the belay at the base, I took a shot from a softball-sized chunk of ice, right in the back of the neck. It had come down from 200 feet above.
At any rate, I was PLENTY sore by the time I was halfway up the route, especially swinging my left tool.
Fortunately, the ice caught all muscle left of my spine, as well as some of my bunched hood and sweater collar.
Still pretty sore this morning.
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cleo
Social climber
the canyon below the Ditch!!!!
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Feb 10, 2012 - 07:49pm PT
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SWEET TR!
TFPU! Hope I get to meet you guys someday!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 11, 2012 - 03:36am PT
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^Thanks, Cleo!
Would love to meet you as well!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 12, 2012 - 04:54pm PT
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Neck finally feeling normal again. Time to go back to the canyon!
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Feb 13, 2012 - 06:22pm PT
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rhyang, coming off your Canada trip, you oughta come up and get some LV ice while it's still around!
Just saw the SMG ice report .. I don't have Doug's nerves of steel or decades of skill. I'm all about the fat stepped out stuff ! :)
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 13, 2012 - 07:03pm PT
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rhyang, Doug and I just got back from a SWEET little afternoon romp here on Horsetail Falls, and you would have LOVED it!
Unfortunately, neither of us brought a camera....a huge mistake considering the absolutely AMAZING ice features we encountered on the north face route at Horsetail. HOLY SMOKES there are some really cool features that neither of us had ever seen before! So unique that we want to go back up and do the route again, just to get photos!
For those of you that need salt rubbed in the wound, we were 4 hours house to house, including the approach and 3 pitches of really AMAZING ice! We rapped a series of trees from the top down the north face and right back to our packs. Found some booty today too so.....COOL!!!!!!! :)
Got down right at dark, did the 3 minute commute, and walked in to steaks coming off the BBQ....THANKS TO MY AMAZING WIFE!!!!!!!!!
Sweet little 4 hour romp for TEAM KNUCKLEHEAD!
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Feb 13, 2012 - 07:12pm PT
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I quite enjoy reading about the icy adventures of others from the toasty warmth of my office!
It's great that you guys are getting out. Thanks for telling the tale.
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 13, 2012 - 07:29pm PT
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Icy adventures INDEED, Phyl! Come on over sometime and join us!
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10b4me
Ice climber
dingy room at the Happy boulders hotel
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Feb 13, 2012 - 09:19pm PT
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how is the roadside ice?
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 14, 2012 - 04:37am PT
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Roadside has some very nice, leadable ice, and should improve over the next few days as colder temps make their way into the area for the rest of the week.
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Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
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Feb 14, 2012 - 09:19am PT
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Cragman - Would love to come out and climb some of that stuff with ya.
Very nice
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 14, 2012 - 03:49pm PT
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Riley...any time dude!!!
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Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
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Feb 15, 2012 - 12:50am PT
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Jeeepers, Flanders is amazing
Riley
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 15, 2012 - 06:02am PT
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No kidding, Riley! The icy realm is definitely Doug's millieu!
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Trad climber
Will know soon
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Feb 15, 2012 - 02:25pm PT
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Fantastic!
Great pictures too! Missing you guys. Any chance you're coming to the Todd Gordon Fundraiser in JT this April? lynnie
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 15, 2012 - 02:38pm PT
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Lynne, that is still up in the air with me. Won't know until the time draws a little more near.
Doug will not make it...he will be back east for a family wedding that weekend.
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Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
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Feb 15, 2012 - 02:42pm PT
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Not sure anymore either Lynnie.
It's a big trip for me from out here..
Sure would be nice to see ya though.
Cragman - I can't get over that beauty lead. The man, after what he has been through, is an intuitive genius on the sharp end. That iced up looking slab moving into mixed ground and then fat ice is just sick! I've never climbed something like that..
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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Feb 15, 2012 - 02:46pm PT
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The Tour is back!!!!!!
Hell Ya!!!!!!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 15, 2012 - 03:05pm PT
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Yeah Riley, that lead was something to behold!
I think I'm gonna get a GoPro and mount it to that dude's helmet!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 17, 2012 - 08:21pm PT
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Another great day out with the Chief Knucklehead...climbing up the north side of Horsetail.
Will post some great pics in the morning, since it's near past my bedtime.
Stick a fork in me.....I'm done.
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em kn0t
Trad climber
isle of wyde
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Feb 17, 2012 - 08:40pm PT
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Awesome! hats off to Team Knucklehead.
waiting with worms on my tongue* for more pix
*baited breath
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 19, 2012 - 09:00am PT
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Tried to post up pics early yesterday morning, but the upload function was not working. Alas, I am presenly in San Diego spending some time with my father-in-law, who is dying of cancer.
Trying to upload pics once again, but to no avail.
Is there a problem with the site, or is this on my end?
I get to Step #2 and it will not go farther.
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Feb 19, 2012 - 09:05am PT
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Absolutely fantastic! This is wonderful stuff.
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phylp
Trad climber
Millbrae, CA
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Feb 19, 2012 - 09:20am PT
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Testing 1,2,3...seems to be working
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 20, 2012 - 06:42am PT
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Still have not figured out why I cannot load pics....obviously something here on my end.
Thanks Phyl, for doing the test for me.
Back on the east side tomorrow night, and will try again then.
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Riley Wyna
Trad climber
A crack near you
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Feb 20, 2012 - 11:08am PT
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Cragman - I don't use Tue uploader here at all - its slow and I hate it.
I still upload to Photobucket and then copy and paste the link. Did my entire TR that way.
I do all the work from my phone. I would never post anything the other way.
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em kn0t
Trad climber
isle of wyde
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Feb 20, 2012 - 08:39pm PT
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Dean,
Roadside looked pretty lean and mean yesterday, so with your glowing report from Friday as inspiration, Annie and I did North Gully of Horsetail. Wild bizarro ice formations including a ridge like a dragon's back, plumes of blue ice that looked like cresting waves and a huge ice "cave" at the start gave some very interesting climbing.
It felt more challenging than the low angle would suggest, due to the weird twisted ice shapes, water running behind glass-clear ice in spots, and fragile ice. One large block broke off under Annie's crampons and crashed down the gully as she was leading the 3rd pitch, leaving her hanging from 2 tools -- she quickly recovered footing and kept climbing (nerves of steel, that girl).
From the top of the falls we headed climber's right up and over a small rock buttress, but never found any rap slings and wondered which were the trees that you and Doug rapped off. Instead we followed boot tracks which led to the tramway trail and walked off.
A very sweet climb, very alpine feeling and one of the most aesthetic I've seen in California. THANK YOU TEAM KNUCKLEHEAD FOR POINTING THE WAY!
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em kn0t
Trad climber
isle of wyde
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Feb 26, 2012 - 09:16pm PT
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Low-res cell phone pix of Horsetail Falls
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 27, 2012 - 06:32am PT
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Nice, Em! Good on you two for getting on that line...fun stuff, eh???
I took my 35mm SLR and got some AMAZING shots when Doug and I did it, but I am having upload problems currently...will post them soon.
Hope to see you soon!!!
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em kn0t
Trad climber
isle of wyde
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Feb 28, 2012 - 11:52am PT
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Dean,
Yes, I'd love to see your photos. As you know, the low res images don't do justice to the ice.
Bummer about not being able to post your pix. If you email one of your photos I can test posting it through my account. :-)
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 28, 2013 - 07:15am PT
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Two years ago today, Flanders went down in his kitchen from a stroke and heart attack. That he survived was a miracle...and two years later, he continues to amaze.
Flanders in Lee Vining Canyon last week....
Missing photo ID#286911
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SCseagoat
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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Jan 28, 2013 - 09:01am PT
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Miracles do abound around the Taco
Yeah!
Susan
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Jan 28, 2013 - 12:45pm PT
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Beautiful shot
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
Soon to be Nipple suckling Liberal
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Jan 28, 2013 - 01:07pm PT
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Stellar, and,, unstoppable....
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 28, 2013 - 01:31pm PT
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He's back in the Canyon today.....fiend, he is.
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PeteC
climber
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Jan 28, 2013 - 01:48pm PT
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Doug is an inspiration and a delight to watch climb. The master at work!
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 28, 2013 - 04:42pm PT
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He'd climb ice year round if it was available.
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sullly
Trad climber
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Jan 28, 2013 - 05:00pm PT
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jan 28, 2013 - 05:50pm PT
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Old farts getting it done!
How's yer dawg?
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dave
climber
Earth
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Jan 28, 2013 - 06:52pm PT
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You mean this guy?
last Wednesday in the LVRG
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 28, 2013 - 08:18pm PT
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Nice shot of the poseur on Spiral Staircase, Dave!
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Brian Biega
climber
Truckee, CA
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Jan 28, 2013 - 08:24pm PT
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Hi Doug-
Look forward to seeing you soon!
Cheers, Brian
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Stewart Johnson
climber
lake forest
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Jan 28, 2013 - 08:45pm PT
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a super smooth character on mixed ground... awesome!
edit: cragger, your feet need to breath.
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dave
climber
Earth
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Jan 29, 2013 - 09:12am PT
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Cragman, this one is from when we did Spiral Staircase a few weeks back in THIN conditions.
the other one up thread is the left left side of chouinard flow where it touches the rock, also THIN last week.
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Cragman
Trad climber
June Lake, California....via the Damascus Road
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2013 - 09:16am PT
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I stand corrected, Dave...thanks for the pic!
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Tork
climber
Yosemite
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Feb 28, 2013 - 12:25pm PT
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Flanders!
Trad climber
June Lake, CA
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Feb 28, 2013 - 01:05pm PT
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I have been up and down on the wait loss program.
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Ron Anderson
Trad climber
Soon to be Nipple suckling Liberal
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Feb 28, 2013 - 01:06pm PT
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Baahaha,, that last pic is avatar material!
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Tork
climber
Yosemite
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Feb 28, 2013 - 05:15pm PT
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I was a little worried when you leaned back on the anchor...proves those ice screws can hold a good load.
I wonder if it could have held us both???
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Feb 28, 2013 - 08:48pm PT
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Doug is awesome ! :)
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TYeary
Social climber
State of decay
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Feb 28, 2013 - 08:53pm PT
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Outstanding, guys. Doug is indeed back. Sorry I missed you all ast trip up.
Strong work.
TY
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Flanders!
Trad climber
June Lake, CA
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If you thing Tork has put on a few pounds, you should see his wife, Mony !
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Tork
climber
Yosemite
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He won't be back for long if Mony sees his last coment. Talk about thin ice.
A guy could deck when treading thin ice!
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| Messages 1 - 82 of total 82 in this topic |
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