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Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Aug 9, 2015 - 11:16am PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]seeing all that valley stone
makes me i[Click to View YouTube Video]itch for the ditch[Click to View YouTube Video] I hope and
hope to get to go , again before,. . . .[Click to View YouTube Video] seems silly now really but that rollercoaster is run it's track and there is only Looking back
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 9, 2015 - 01:28pm PT
We all know mooning over the past is fruitless. It's just part of human nature to do this.
[Click to View YouTube Video]
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Aug 9, 2015 - 01:53pm PT

When cat and mouse agree, the grocer is in trouble.

Though here's Owl and Mouse
[Click to View YouTube Video]
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 9, 2015 - 02:32pm PT
The old sayings are the best sayings. So say the Basques.

I'm a nit-picker, Marlow, but for your own good I need to correct your English grammar.

The glaring error in your adage is the lack of agreement between the plural subject, "rat and mouse," and the verb, "to agree." You need to use "agree" and not "agrees" as the verb form.

The comma, really, is optional, in my book.

The title of my book, by the way, is "Commagain?" It is a review of famous grammar mistakes which have led to tragic outcomes and hilarious hi-jinx both.

Find out how a simple-sounding thing like the wrong placement of a comma led to the fall of Constantinople in 1204 A.D., thus ending 1,500 years of Roman rule, even though classical Latin had no commas!
Hear the story of the war between the brackets and parentheses, an unclvil war which freaked out teachers for seven decades before it was settled.

There is a special index relating to common mistakes in grammar as well as a list of the most-often misspelled words on Supertopo...somebody needed to do it! I was going to just post a thread, originally, but it got out of hand, so...

Warning you in advance, Marlow. I'm dedicating the book to you. Watch yourself from here on in, otay? :0)
[Click to View YouTube Video]
[Click to View YouTube Video]


Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Aug 9, 2015 - 02:42pm PT

Mouse.

The verbs are very hard to bend... eh... That's from Norwegian "bøye verb" - "bending verbs"

Thanks for pointing it out...
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 9, 2015 - 02:57pm PT
http://www.stumptownblogger.com/2010/06/stumptown-radio-pioneers.html
[Click to View YouTube Video]
[Click to View YouTube Video]
[Click to View YouTube Video]
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Condensed version of Pt. 3[Click to View YouTube Video]
[Click to View YouTube Video]
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2015 - 09:51am PT
Fun, Fun, Fun at the hamburger stand, now.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jimmy-fallon-kevin-bacon-spoof-beach-boys-fun-fun-fun_55bcdbe8e4b0b23e3ce2f975?utm_hp_ref=funny&kvcommref=mostpopular

Can I have a bacon burger with those fries? With cheese, please?
zBrown

Ice climber
Aug 10, 2015 - 10:55am PT
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2015 - 11:03am PT
Nuts & Bolts: The Climber's Guide to Squirrels by MFM,
due shortly in bewk stores.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bad-news-squirrels-deer-birds-5531040

First plague, then starvation. What's next?


"Nuts!"
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Aug 10, 2015 - 11:57am PT
RIDING THE CREST O F WAVE

LEAVE TO JESUS

LATIC ACID BATH

'ANR#8&9-52(?)

Right two minutes ago I had to go !
Nice NRG video de those are also NRG lines. . .
See ya!


Edit to say ( watch)

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2015 - 04:37pm PT
I am a victim of WAS, or Word Association Syndrome--not in the medical/mental health lexicon as yet.

There is no cure except ear plugs and a blindfold.

I'm not sure if it's bad.

It's just there and I'm helpless to keep it from happening.

I've tried prayin' but Jesus keeps putting things in my life to test me, it seems.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2668380/Lose-your-rack-in-San-Francisco

Rack in SF ~ Carol Doda!

Lactic acid ~ North Beach in the sixties!

'ANR#8&9-52(?) ~ 44 inches (?) !

I'm captive on a carol-sell of time.

It's a circle game acted out on a four-lane main artery
clogged with humanity and metal monsters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EESzzB57NKY

Circle Game ~ Agua Caliente Race Track, Tijuana, Mexico!
[Click to View YouTube Video]
GOSH OH GOLLY! Are those female jockeys (don't call'em jockettes) topless?

Except for The Donald.
That was not so bad after all.


Also, speaking of "art" (in the BROADEST sense, topless dancers can be called artists, right?):

feralfae, this nice "art postcard" was in one of the bewks that you sent.It's from 1987...something about pigging out at someplace exotic?

Joggin' yer memory? Would you like the card back?

mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 10, 2015 - 05:01pm PT
Note recent gobi on leg.
zBrown

Ice climber
Aug 10, 2015 - 07:08pm PT
Surfboard trash truck kinda looks like county line, but I could be wrong.


I've always wondered why there always seem to be more cars coming north across the border then heading south (at least after prohibition ended.

Has this illegal immigration stuff been going on longer than we all think.


mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 11, 2015 - 03:12am PT
Waiting in line to get into Mexico or
Waiting in line to get out of the US?
Waiting in line to get into the US or
Waiting in line to get out of Mexico?

Just wonderin': Do the Canadians have the same problem?










Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Aug 11, 2015 - 07:02am PT
Entrance Crack YDS: 5.4 R
Type: Trad, 1 pitch, 90'
Consensus: YDS: 5.5 [details]

FA: George DeWolfe, John Thorne ('65)









This route (apparently) is the easiest way to the tree ledge.

The ledge is the true start for many lines.


Entrance Crack begins on some easy face climbing following a crack that tends left.

Once at the large tree, follow the offwidth crack
(protectable by some big bros or a #6 Camalot)
to the Tree Ledge.

Set up your own anchor to belay.

Two ropes to get down from here are necessary.

People comfortable with easy, unprotectable, friction climbing will find the face on the right of the crack the best route up.

However, those not comfortable with this style will likely find the runout a bit heady and the offwidth a huge pain.


Entrance Crack is located about 75-100 ft. to the right of U-slot and about 25 ft. to the left of The Pulpit.

It can be identified by two cracks, one from the ground going to the right,
one from the ground to the left, both meet at a big pine tree.

Descend using the rap anchors near the top of the route.


Protection
Some slings and a couple cams at the beginning...
some extra large stuff for the offwidth.



Comments displayed oldest to newest — this is the 1st page,

(Skip Ahead to the Most Recent Dated Jun 28, 2015 )??
I may add that too?


Comments on Entrance Crack




By nbrown
From: western NC
Nov 8, 2007

There is a good placement on the right side of the offwidth, just below the crux. Look hard for the short red alien size crack. Many times, I've seen people solo this route carrying packs and wearing sandals. Though I still think this is the hardest 5.4 that I've ever done.







By Charles Danforth
From: L'ville, CO
May 12, 2009

As of about ten years ago, there was a hangerless 1/4" bolt a few feet right of the crack part way up the off-width. I have no idea if it would hold a fall, but it made me feel (marginally) better to sling it with a small nut on the way up this otherwise unprotected pitch.









By ziggy
Sep 2, 2009

I remember getting either a #1 or #2 in right before the crack begins to widen, not much else though. Once you step out of the crack onto the slab it seems to get easier for the final run-out.






By Adam Paashaus
From: Greensboro, North Carolina
Apr 13, 2010

Ive actually placed 2 small flaring cam placements in the small crack to the right of the offwidth just to see them walk out after being mostly up the pitch. I too remember the old hangerless bolt. ahh the days.







By Shawn Heath
Administrator
From: Forchheim, Germany
Aug 18, 2010
rating: 5.4 R

I read a comment or trip report or something where this guy decided to do this climb, then got up into the crack and found himself slowly inching his way up with his whole body buried in the crack and trembling with fear. I thought, "What a whuss!" Then I showed up at Stone and hopped on this only to do the exact same thing... Talk about humbled.










By Matt Thorum
From: Urbana, IL
Oct 27, 2010

Even with a green and a blue big bro this thing felt runout and scary to lead. Walking a #6 camalot up the crack would be a better way to go if you want to feel protected.








By Mike Holley
From: Boone, NC
Oct 20, 2011

Awesome way to access tree ledge!
Easy climbing,

but that huge crack at the top throws many people for a loop.

If you have a #6 Cam bring that sucker for a bomber placement,

but if not don't worry because run outs are the name of the game at Stone.

It is almost easier to trend right of the crack onto the face and continue up from there.








By Walt Barker
From: Reno NV
Sep 5, 2012
rating: 5.4 R
Certainly the most spicey 5.4 I've ever led. Walked a #5 and a #6 Camalot up the OW section to feel protected. Worked great until the #5 tipped-out less than half-way up and then the same with #6 about 20' above that, at which point I traversed right to easier but exposed ground. Also, after much fiddling, I did manage to plug a #1 C3 into the afore-mentioned crack below the crux.




By Rodger Raubach
Apr 19, 2013
rating: 5.5 PG13

I did this climb on the day before Christmas, 1986. I didn't have a guidebook other than "Dixie Crystals," and I sure didn't have a #6 Camalot (they didn't exist then!). In fact, I don't even remember placing any pro after the tree. I thought it was mentally more difficult than anything on the Great Arch Route that my GF and I did subsequently.



By SinRopa
From: parts unknown
Sep 7, 2013
rating: 5.5 PG13

The #5 Cam didn't work anywhere except the first few inches of where the crack gets really wide, and you're decently protected on that move anyway. On all subsequent climbs I saved weight and left it behind.



By Russ Keane
Oct 22, 2013

A frightening experience. Not a 5.4 at all. More like 5.7 R, or maybe 5.6 if you want to "keep it real".

Listing this as 5.4 is going to get someone killed.




By Edward Medina
Administrator
From: Ridgway, CO
Oct 24, 2013

This one can feel tough for the grade Russ. I remember trying to cram myself into the crack the first time I did this route. But once you get your slab head on right the climbing begins to feel more mellow. Fortunately no fatalities on this route in the 50 years since it was first put up.





By ViperScale
Sep 1, 2014

WOW, is all i can say. We left keys to the car on the ledge and were already dead tired. I figured 5.4 won't be so bad to get up there. I thought although there was no move harder than block route (which really only has a small run out at the start on thin holds, big runout on a staircase, and 1 hard move at the end), but over all it was much harder of a climb. At least the run out on block route is like walking up stairs.

This thing really could use 1 bolt about 10 ft below the big open section of the crack. If you are not a 5.10+ climber don't even consider leading this route. I was ok until i hit the big crack section and the 100ft fall came into the back of my mind. The last 10ft or so my leg was shaking so bad i stuck it into the crack and belly flopped up the rest. I then got to the big tree at the end and sad there for a good 15+ mins before i was able to get my nerves down and finish the last bit.

Highly unrecommend doing this route unless you can walk up every other 5.8 route without thinking twice.




By Mike Fisch
Feb 16, 2015

Here's a very interesting account of a recent lead fall at Stone told to me today from Jim Gravely. It is very timely because I was at the same spot two days ago and was spooked by the bad fall potential and whimpered out and asked for a belay from above. Lucky for me Will Soper was above. Not so lucky for Jim.

This Entrance Crack pitch at Stone Mountain has an interesting history. Not sure who did the very first ascent, but in the early '70's Gerald Laws, later to become one of the most talented and prolific first ascentionist's at Stone, placed a 1/4" bolt at the crux. Someone chopped it. Gerald put in another. Someone chopped it too. We never knew who did it. There were very few climbers in N.C. at that time.

We used to free solo up that pitch to gain the tree ledge. Psychologically it felt more reasonable back then because there was a huge bushy ledge at the base of the off width crack. You figured if you fell, you would just land in the bushes.

The past two times I have climbed that crack I have thought how bad a fall would be from that spot for a leader without good pro.

There is quite a bit of banter about that crack on Mountain Project. com. One comment said that someone is going to get hurt bad because the crack is rated 5.4R. I agree. And Jim agrees.

Here's what happened:

Jim led up into the off width and fell at the crux moves. His foot got stuck in the crack and he flipped upside down. He tried to cam his other foot and actually considered trying to down climb the crack head first. All of the sudden both feet popped and he started down the mountain head first. Luckily he got caught up in the rope as it left a cam lower down and passed through pro on the pine tree at the base of the crack. He fell about 20' instead of 40'.

He had a few scrapes and a bad cut on the ear, discovered later, but otherwise he felt okay. He proceeded back up the crack ( a braver man than I ) and working his way upward inside the crack, gained the tree ledge and topped out after he and his partner, Robert Seevers, completed the Great Arch.

Without Big Bros or huge cams (#6) that crack has the potential for serious injury, especially to climbers misled by the 5.4 R rating.

Please spread the word about the seriousness of that pitch.

Thanks!

Mike Fischesser
Cell: 828-443-3795


By Michael Middleton
From: Pyeongtaek
Apr 23, 2015

Dropped a #3 BD Cam right where the big offwidth starts. If anyone can reach far enough down in there its yours.



By RMS
Jun 27, 2015

Scary at times, but not as bad as some describe.

I climbed this a few days ago on a humid morning when sweat became a factor as well. My pro consisted of a #5 Camalot, a #6 Camalot, a #2 Big Bro, a #3 Big Bro (I was wishing I had the #4), and a full set of DMM nuts plus the three largest Wild Country Rocks. Also, I had a 0.1 and 0.2 X4 for the small placements I thought I might find beside the off-width. I never used them, though as I was desperately reaching for the #3 Big Bro, I must have unclipped the 0.2, for I could not find it when reorganizing my gear on the ledge; it must have fallen into the crack, so if you can reach it, put it to good use.

Shortly up the off-width, I placed one of the big WC Rocks; I think it was the 12. It was a bomber placement and my follower had a little trouble cleaning it, which in a way made me feel better about it. Past that, I made three decent placements, though I don't remember the exact order: I slung a tree off to the side (possibly sketchy but a psychological boost), the #2 Big Bro, and the #5 Camalot.

Originally, it was my intention to place all my pieces except the #6 Camalot and then walk that piece up the rest of the way. Maybe I wasn't reaching in deep enough or something, but by the time I was ready to do that, the crack was way too wide, and staying too wide, for that piece. I was just able to get in an iffy placement of the #3 Big Bro, and then finish to the ledge.

Those who said that one should be a 5.8 or 5.10 leader for this one are overstating it a bit. I am neither. The holds or the friction were always there, but it was more a mental game because of the pro. On toprope, this route would be fun and interesting. On lead, it's different; the climbing is really not that hard, but how many people have enough huge pro to adequately protect this, and how many want to haul it along for whatever the next climb is?

For those who are cleaning-- my follower was my 10-year-old son, who is already a stronger climber than I am but cannot place pro yet. When I asked him how he dealt with the route, he said he avoided the crack and stuck to the face, only getting into the crack as needed to clean the gear.



By Jake Jones
Administrator
From: Richmond, VA
Jun 27, 2015

Looks like this is the go-to route for booty.




By RMS
Jun 28, 2015

Lol, Jake. If you want booty, go to Little Stony Man in Shenandoah, a shorter drive for you. We climbed there last Friday, and I found stuck cams on two different routes. One was a green C4 that looked pretty good, but I couldn't get it out. The other was a Metolius TCU, pretty rusted but jammed in there wonderfully. I pretended it was a bolt and clipped it. Why the hell not?
zBrown

Ice climber
Aug 11, 2015 - 08:25am PT
Listening to Iko Iko (track 9) myself, YMMV.

http://archive.org/details/gd1995-03-18.sbd.miller.97659.flac16
zBrown

Ice climber
Aug 11, 2015 - 08:31am PT
Thought that truck looked familiar. LeRoy Grannis took the photo, to where I do not know.




More LeRoy. Surfers are an ambivalent lot. Well aware of the dangers of overexposure to the sun (+), poor choice in sunscreen (-).


Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Aug 11, 2015 - 02:22pm PT
This is starting to seem routine, this one is totally redundant, it lives a few other places on the inter webs but I have been planning a Fair Rock college - FCR, on the off chance that more
Aspiring clamberers ask me , or I feel the need to tell them where to go. . .

If not to H double Hockey sticks, they mat find fun in your Flames.

Cut and paste

m ind the gap!



Fish_Products

Big Wall climber
FishProducts.com

Aug 11, 2015 - 02:15pm PT
Try this:

THREE PERSON TECHNIQUE:
This is probably the most asked question we get.

And with good reason.

Climbing walls with three people has a lot of advantages, including speed, relative
workload
and gives you somebody besides the leader to yell at while belaying.

In the basic form, you will have someone out on lead, someone cleaning
the pitch and someone belaying and if possible, hauling.

All this is going on simultaneously, so as you can see, things will
happen pretty fast if everyone does their part .

The various methods:

Method #1 ( you need: a static haul line, a zip line, 2 cordalettes
or 15ft. sections of 7-9mm rope, and 2 lead lines)

The leader (#1) goes out on lead with (a) the lead line, and (b) the zip line.
The zip line can be a light rope like a 7mm or 9mm.
The pitch is lead, and the leader sets up the anchor with the cordalette
and then secures the lead line (a) to one end of the anchor.
The leader (#1) now pulls up the zip line.

Attached to the zip line is the real haul line that is ideally a static cord (c)
and the next lead line (d) attached to the next leader #2.

The leader #1 then secures the next lead line (d) and the haul
line and tells leader # 2 to Jumar on up to the station on the haul line,
with the lead line (d) acting as a safety from above.

While leader #2 is Jumaring, the leader #1 sets up the haul on the
slack between the hauling device and the anchor point #2 is Jumaring from.

Once leader #2 gets to the station he weights the haul line to free the bags
from the station below. Once the bags are free, the leader #2 takes all
the rack left and heads out on lead, with the zip line (b) attached to his harness.

Leader #1 is belaying leader #2, the bags are hanging free waiting for the Cleaner (#3)
to assist in the hauling, and the cleaning of the last pitch is underway.

After cleaning the pitch, leader #1 and the cleaner (#3)
haul the bags and eventually secure them at the station.

When leader #2 has reached the anchor, he will set up the anchor
with a cordalette and then haul up the zip line.
Attached to the zip line is the real haul line,
and the rope that #3 will lead on, the one that was clipped
to one end of the anchor.

Then, #3 can Jumar the static haul line
(which can already be set up to haul, but a loop has been taken
and clipped directly into the anchor as not to Jumar on the hauling device)
while top anchored by his soon to be lead line.

He can tie off on this line from above as
needed for added safety while Jumaring the haul line.

Once at the station, the #3 leader helps get the haul bag off the station
below and then goes out on lead with the zip line attached to his harness.

Leader #1 now starts cleaning the pitch and will help haul the
bags when he gets to the upper station.
This method is continued all the way up the wall.

The fatal flaw with this #1 method is the extensive use of cordalettes.
Each anchor must be set up real clean in order to free up the various lead lines
at the given time.
All of the free Jumar lines must be able
to get released from the anchor at will.
This takes planning and meticulous attention to the layering
of the anchor. It can be done, but there is an easier way.

( The )
Method #2:
You will need all of the above but skip the
cordalettes and take 1 extra lead line.

This is the method I prefer and is easier to
manage than method #1.

All the techniques are the same as the above
except for a few things.
At the anchors, you will set them up using all the available
slack in your lead line. This gives you room to move around at the
anchor to haul and dodge big blocks from above.

When you haul up the zip line, the real haul line will be attached,
along with a free lead line that should be attached to the next leader.
The next leader Jumars the haul line
with this free lead line as a top anchored rope
for tieing off to while Jumaring.

The other lead line can be used to lower him out
prior to Jumaring, and give an
additional belay if he is going mental.

After reaching the upper station, this line he was trailing
can be clipped into the anchor and then used as a chicken
line back down to the cleaner.

This method give everyone the option of having a
chicken line just in case of bad edges or wig sessions.
Another good thing is the additional rope might come in handy
if you chop a lead line or plan on fixing a long way
from a "porta-city" that is a great or protected belay.

From here //fishproducts.com/howto/how_//

See us or our competitors in the gear lab reviews,. ... Oh wait
May be someday . . ?
Just use the google. . .

mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 11, 2015 - 05:13pm PT
Administrative break:

1. Enjoy your latest vacation, rDog.
2. Gnome, try to limit the width of the screen if you wanna post that stuff. Shrink it or don't post it. It disturbs the flow of the page, otay?

And I don't give a damn about fish products, especially rotten-ass fish tacos, you hooligan!
We are now returning you to our regularly irregular un-planned programs of non-sequiturs, rants, TRs, crosswords, mazes, and mystery tours.
zBrown

Ice climber
Aug 11, 2015 - 05:22pm PT

Maybe rDog is surfing.

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