Speaking of statistical improbabilities...

Search
Go

Discussion Topic

Return to Forum List
This thread has been locked
Messages 121 - 140 of total 200 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
perswig

climber
Sep 18, 2012 - 07:22pm PT

Guess who tied in for a day of full-immersion multipitch trad this weekend...
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Sep 18, 2012 - 09:00pm PT
Crow Hill?
BooDawg

Social climber
Butterfly Town
Sep 18, 2012 - 09:07pm PT
Got more pix?? I KNOW she's been dyin' to go climbing, tho she'll probably get some good chances at Facelift and beyond, if someone will watch her little one. I, for one, will volunteer for that one tho the little one may have other ideas!
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Sep 18, 2012 - 09:19pm PT
Perhaps we can arrange for her to not only meet some of her father's friends, but also to climb one of her father's routes. We'll figure something out.
BooDawg

Social climber
Butterfly Town
Sep 18, 2012 - 10:09pm PT
Right Side of the Footstool seem fitting, located a few hundred yards east of the beginning of The Nose. She'd probably like the setting with The Nose rising above and out of sight! And her Muppet could watch from the talus.

More challenging and less accessible are East Arete of Penny Pinnacle and Arrowhead Arete.
LilaBiene

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 18, 2012 - 10:32pm PT
That was more fun than any human being should ever be allowed!!!!!

The afterglow is still burning (in my heart and the many howling muscles I never knew I had) and I am so grateful for Ben's incredible patience and excellent teaching. The views of the Camden area were absolutely spectacular...and the fresh Maine air...it will be tough to beat what was a perfect day.

Here are a few shots courtesy of a friend of mine from Germany I hadn't seen in over 20 years -- thank you, Thi!!!




Edit: The muppet is staying home this year -- it will be more fun for her next year, I think. ")
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Sep 18, 2012 - 10:54pm PT
Nice warm up,...

























perswig

climber
Sep 19, 2012 - 06:15am PT
No desert towers or overwhelming monolithic massifs here, just the classic NE experience.
Lichen, thought-provoking face climbing, small gear to clean, views of the ocean.
Call and response of a rope team, the pleasure of topping out, the mechanics of belaying and rapping.

Like a fish to water, she was.

First look.


She covets. Studying the lead rack.


"El Cap's only a little bit taller than our cliff."



Belay duty.



Mantling, and a second pitch of really nice .7 climbing.



Mid-cliff to top.




Coming down.





Another couple of pitches followed, although we were too far removed at that point to get any photos. Tell Thi 'nice pics', Audrey! Belay-seat Ledge makes a good photo/napping spot.

So here, now.
Don't go spoiling her with sporto bolted routes, endless cracks, chalked-to-hell obvious holds, and the rest of that nonsense. We'd like that she come back and visit us occasionally.

Dale



LilaBiene

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 19, 2012 - 09:55am PT
Hey Dale!!!

It was great meeting you and thanks so much for taking pictures! I meant to take some, but I was having so much fun that I completely forgot. Though I suspect that view of Camden Hills, the cliffs and the ocean will remain clear in my memory - incredible beauty...

Already plotting to find another weekend when I can sneak up North... :D

HA! I say that, and it's still excruciating trying to buckle my seatbelt in the car - laughing at myself.

Thank you thank you thank you!!!

Aud

Edit: I don't care what the rest of ya'll think about pull-ups - they saved my tail!!!
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Sep 19, 2012 - 10:53am PT
pullups are great,

but using your legs to get you up is a better technique in the long run... so learning that technique is an important part of learning to climb...

IMHO

LilaBiene

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 19, 2012 - 08:13pm PT
Somehow I suspect I'll spend the rest of my life learning how to climb...er...more efficiently.

I did discover that arches actually have a very useful purpose when rock climbing -- my "light dawns on Marblehead" moment of the day.

The pull-ups made pulling/pushing from side angles a breeze, and saved me more than once when my legs refused to "listen" (damn reptile brain!).

Fortunately for me, I had an amazing (and patient!) teacher in Ben. And, oh, the rack envy...so much fun cleaning so many different types of gear.

I could go on and on, but I suspect you've all been there. ;D
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Sep 19, 2012 - 10:59pm PT
no matter how there we are, we still like to talk about gear...
always and ever...
LilaBiene

Trad climber
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2012 - 08:43am PT
Aliens are very cool.

Ed, what are we going to do about the Sox? Start an "Occupy Fenway" demonstration until John Henry gets his head screwed back on in a proper fashion?! Argh. It's too painful to watch.
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Oct 11, 2012 - 11:46am PT
Hey, LilaBiene! Greetings from Middle Earth, I mean Central California.

Yeah, tough about the Sox. But how 'bout them As & Giants, eh?

I wanted to get these two photos posted and thought this was an
appropriate place. I know how much you liked that shot of Powell, the Dolt and What's His Face. In the parking lot? In the rain?

Batso and Powell.

Big Jim Baldwin on the Dihedral Wall FA.

How comforting it must seem to know that you've come to this sport through Bill and at a time when you don't have to carry masses of expensive and heavy IRON.

Instead, you get to cart around a fortune in sleekly designed silenced, hi-tech versions of the same.

See you at Oakdayle.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 12, 2012 - 07:31pm PT
So on the Saturday of the FaceLift, Ed Hartouni and I took the little bee, aka Audrey, aka Dolt's daughter, climbing. A most delightful afternoon, although rather hot. In fact, near record heat, not to mention that our destination was at the base of the southeast face. 30+ degrees and a reflector over were a bit toasty.

A few days before, Audrey went hiking with Ken and friends, who apparently told her that the Pohono trail was "ten miles, all downhill". So she may just have been a bit apprehensive.

For our history project, Clint and Ed searched the database for routes first climbed by Bill Feuerer, the Dolt. Given that Audrey had only just started climbing (she's quite athletic), that somewhat limited the options, and we ended up climbing the right side of the Footstool, at the base of El Cap. Nominally 5.6, perhaps a bit harder. (We said to her "Footstool 2012, Arrowhead Arete 2013, Dolt Tower 2014".) Adding to our history project, it turns out the Footstool was Ed's first route in the Valley, in 1970 or so.

Ed was the designated leader, using his lurid new pink rope, allegedly for its photogenic possibilities. Audrey the stout second, yours truly the photographer (we were desperate) and gofer.

Here's Ed on top, with Audrey starting up. The route is in something of a rockfall zone, but you pays your money...
Michelle

Trad climber
she'll make.5 past light speed
Oct 12, 2012 - 07:46pm PT
I just saw this. So cool! Do you have a copy of Downward Bound by Harding? I could part with mine.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 12, 2012 - 08:50pm PT
So Ed got to the tippy top, passing an old piton (but not a Dolt) on the way. Up went Audrey.
It went quite well, and she was only momentarily stymied in one or two places. It was, after all, only her second day of outdoor climbing - it's not everyone who climbs El Cap on their second day! Plus we FaceLifted the trail and area, not that there was much to do.
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Oct 12, 2012 - 08:56pm PT
I loves dat Pink String, Ed!

Anders Adams, we give you a mighty hug from a great distance! Thanks!

LilaBiene, you looked like you buzzed rrright up! Congratulations, Odd!

Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Oct 12, 2012 - 11:38pm PT
(The posting is taking longer than the climb.)

We told Audrey about Dolt Tower - more or less in the background - and the Dolt Cart, but didn't take her there this time.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Oct 13, 2012 - 12:05am PT
the note in my Green Roper's next to Footstool, Right says Aug. & Sept. 1971, I apparently did it twice that year. I am pretty sure the Aug. date was with DonC, and the Sept. date was with my high school buddy Michael Rosner.

We banged pitons in on both occasions (I think I lead both)... I think I went there with Gary in 2011 and did a 40th anniversary climb.

Always loved that location. Didn't remember that Mark & Beverly Powell and the Dolt did the FA in 1959. Odd that when I first did it it was only 12 years after the FA, now it's more than 50 years...

But it was certainly a doable climb on the list of Dolt FAs, for a first time Yosemite visit with only one other time out on the rocks, as LilaBiene had indicated.

It was hot and that climb is slick, with not great pro, so even at 5.4 it gets your attention. Given the drama of the hike two days earlier I was determined not to require any official assistance on this outing.

Here's LilaBiene approaching the belay

And my only summit block photo...

In case you were wondering just where the Footstool is, LilaBiene points it out for you from El Cap meadow.
Messages 121 - 140 of total 200 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
Return to Forum List
 
Our Guidebooks
spacerCheck 'em out!
SuperTopo Guidebooks

guidebook icon
Try a free sample topo!

 
SuperTopo on the Web

Recent Route Beta