cams before friends, LURPs before ledges

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Messages 1 - 55 of total 55 in this topic

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 19, 2006 - 04:17pm PT

The cam photo shows the original "crack jumar, 1967, then both passive and spring-loaded versions of the constant angle camming concept, produced in 1973, patent work done in '72. At the bottom is a #7 Tri-cam from the first production run in 1979.

The other photo shows the original rigid-floor hanging tent, which my brother, Greg, designated, the LURP (Limited Use of Reasonable Placements), a take-off on RURP (Chouinard's Realized Ultimate Reality Piton). The year is 1979, and I'm setting up the LURP tent on the cliffs above the old Lowe homestead in Ogden, Utah, for an overnight test. The tent had an integral fly, and the whole thing weighed less than eight pounds.

EDIT: The correct year for the LURP photo is 1969, not 1979! Sorry for the confusion.

Russ Walling

Social climber

Out on the sand, Man.....

Oct 19, 2006 - 04:22pm PT

kick-asssssssssss™™™™

Tarbuster

climber

right here, right now

Oct 19, 2006 - 04:32pm PT

So Jello,
Neet stuff.

Wasn't that first spring loaded item on the right actually marketed as a Lowe Cam? I seem to remember seeing those at Sport Chalet, La Canada CA, for a limited time.

And whutabout the, maybe Russian, Abalakov (sp) Cam, I know all that stuff somehow fits the history, just not sure how.

noshoesnoshirt

climber

hither and yon

Oct 19, 2006 - 04:37pm PT

Thanks for the application of the ol' grey matter, mang.

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2006 - 04:49pm PT

Tar-

I took both spring-loaded and passive cams with me on a trip to the Pamirs, in '74. Abalokov was the host of the camp, and I showed him the cams, explaining how they work. He traded me some titanium pitons and carabiners for the cams. A couple years later, some Russian climbers came on a return exchange to the US. They had some cams that had been cut from a section of a pulley, that resembled a constant angle cam, but weren't, in fact. They also claimed that Abalokov had had the idea for decades, but there's no evidence of that. Lowe Alpine did market the spring-loaded split cams for a few years, but we didn't sell enough to keep the product alive.

Cheers!

Tarbuster

climber

right here, right now

Oct 19, 2006 - 09:11pm PT

Yes,
Interesting sometimes, the innovation game. Thanks for the story.

Last weekend I met a gal who worked with you guys on the Cloudwalker enterprise and with wide eyed enthusiasm she reported the Lowe Bro's offices were set with a virtual tapestry of post-its: everywhere you looked, on computers, walls, coffee cups (ha!) each one with a potentially driveable and independent innovation.

goatboy smellz

climber

boulder county

Oct 19, 2006 - 09:20pm PT

Funny, that # 7 tricam looks exactly like the one I've bought in '91. Classic engineering.
Have yet to use that bad boy but it's younger siblings sure have saved my ass.
Will not leave the ground without .5 thru 3.5

GhoulweJ

Trad climber

Sacramento, CA

Oct 19, 2006 - 09:21pm PT

I hope the post-it ref from Tarbuster is true. Thats just a good way keep the brain alert.

Jello, having worked these early versions, are you suprised the "Tri Cam" is the one that stuck? Were the other ones better? The independant cam device seems like it could have its moments of fame.

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2006 - 09:26pm PT

Buster-

Ha! Good story about the post-its. Truth is, for every drivable idea, there are many that don't pan out. Success and failure in any given general or specific area, are two sides of the same coin. Sometimesa judgement of success leads to stagnation, other times failure leads to additional efforts to innovate. In climbing, as in anything else in life, I've always felt if you weren't failing often, you weren't stretching far enough to get the best out of yourself. And I've followed my own dictum - lord knows - I've failed plenty often enough!

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2006 - 09:38pm PT

GJ-

I can't say that I don't wish we had continued with the spring-loaded cam concept, but when we originally introduced it, it was way ahead of the market, something I've become quite familiar with. It's often the second generation entrepreneur that picks up the ball dropped by the innovator, and runs successfully with it. We all have our roles. There is satisfaction enough in true innovation to make up for (almost!) a lack of financial achievement. In the case of the Tri-Cams, we had learned a little, and had become our own second-generation entrepreneurs. Greg had drawn the entire Tri-Cam range, back in 1972.

Best- JL

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 19, 2006 - 09:42pm PT

Wow. Deja vu.

Seems like I was just talking cam design with J-lo.

In September '75 Greg let Bob Dodds and me play with tri-cam prototypes that were made from a single sheet bent around so that the "point" was at the bend, but the same basic wrapping principle.
They blew my mind with the novel placements that were possible and I wondered why it took years to get them on the market, but then again,...

....what about "fan cams"?

GhoulweJ

Trad climber

Sacramento, CA

Oct 19, 2006 - 09:53pm PT

I do not recognize the piece on the top left of the photo.
Is a fixed cam using the pins at the left and right hand side (as positioned in the photo) as a camming piece?

Another question, did you guys make your proto types in house or with local contractors?

Jay

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2006 - 09:54pm PT

R-O- Shhhhhh!!!!

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2006 - 10:05pm PT

Ghoul-

The T-shaped device is the original "crack jumar". Greg designed it for the stoveleg cracks on the Nose, and used it successfully on the Stoveleg part, at least, on an attempt on a one-day ascent in the late sixties. The horizontal arm is split, so it is actually two independant arms, spring-loaded to return to a horizontal position. If you weight the bottom of the U-shaped cradle, the two arms exert outward force into the walls of the crack, allowing a secure placement within a limited crack size. Hard rubber tips served to slightly extend the usable range.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 19, 2006 - 10:08pm PT

Wasamatta Jeff?

I AM a big fan of cams.

GhoulweJ

Trad climber

Sacramento, CA

Oct 19, 2006 - 10:25pm PT

Thanks for the explination. Are we missing a FAN CAM STORY?

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 19, 2006 - 10:55pm PT

Try to conjure the holy grail of hardware. An anchor so universal that it was deliberately hidden so as not to take the sport out of climbing. Knights have been sent to the east to restore this artifact to the "righteous" but it is held in secret by the brotherhood to deny the infidel....

In time a climber will come. The deserving one will step up to the big stone with nothing but chalk and shoes, it is only then that the little known cousin, Yoda Lowe, will emerge from the shadows and hand the deserving one a single fan cam on a daisy chain,...

GhoulweJ

Trad climber

Sacramento, CA

Oct 19, 2006 - 10:58pm PT

But really, will Yoda Lowe float and talk in riddles?
Perhaps 1 last life or deathe test for the covited Fan Cam.

Renders up visions of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Oct 19, 2006 - 11:09pm PT

RUN AWAY!!!

GhoulweJ

Trad climber

Sacramento, CA

Oct 19, 2006 - 11:12pm PT

Are you refering to the movie or offering advice for what to do if we see a "Floating Lowe" (or both)?

Aya

Uncategorizable climber

New York

Oct 20, 2006 - 12:08am PT

I love tricams more than anything. I even made myself a t-shirt to proclaim my love.

Those pics are fantastic - I love seeing all the "old" gear (though I hate to use that word!)

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2006 - 07:38pm PT

Ron, that's a great story. Can I use it when we introduce the _ _s?

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2006 - 08:14pm PT

Do you have a pecture (Freudian slip?) of that T-shirt, Aya? Reminds me I have a T-shirt somewhere that someone sent me a long time ago with a poem on the the back, titled "Ode to a Pink Tri-Cam". It was a real clever poem. I'l try to find it, and post the verse.

-Jeff

Mighty Hiker

Social climber

Vancouver, B.C.

Oct 20, 2006 - 08:20pm PT

Well, thought I'd chime in - a break from less fun stuff going on elsewhere on ST.

There is a "Pink TriCam Webpage" - at http://www.swarpa.net/~danforth/climb/sinkthepink.html

It includes "Ode to a Pink Tricam", and is by Charles "Pinky" Danforth.

Jeff: Just as Camp 4 may be the only campsite in the world to have a book named after it, possibly the pink tricam is the only piece of climbing equipment in the world to have its own poem.

Anders

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2006 - 08:40pm PT

Amazing!!!

deuce4

Big Wall climber

the Southwest

Oct 25, 2006 - 11:33am PT

Jeff-

I was going thorugh some notes, looking for some big wall info for a friend, and came across one of my references for the gear history article I wrote for Ascent. From Yuri Koshelenko:

"Dear John. Here is what I've found about Abalakov's devices. First, all the people I've asked says that Abalakov had the working examples BEFORE his trip in America. Second, Anatoly V. Nepomnyashchy said me that you can find in the American Alpine Journal the article with the photos of Abalakov's devices and other info. (Volume 20. Namber 2. issue 50. 1976 A SOVIET FIRST ASCENT IN THE NORTH CASCADES. Alex Bertulis Pages 340-344.) Yuri Koshelenko."

But now I see that though it is often claimed, there really isn't any definitive proof that the Russian cams predated Greg's.

Unless a Russian climber would like to comment...?

Chicken Skinner

Trad climber

Yosemite

Oct 25, 2006 - 11:43am PT

Jello,

Very cool post. Thank you.

Ken

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 25, 2006 - 12:23pm PT

John-

I can see how that correspondence would have confused you. Abalokov DID have cams (of a sort - not true constant-angle) when he came to the US in '75. That's because I had given him a spring-loaded and a passive cam, in 1974, when I was in the Pamirs. It really was clear to me in '74 that he had no inkling of cams or constant angles in rock climbing protection, before I carefully and at some length explained them to him, and answered his questions, through an interpreter at the mountineering camp he was hosting.

I doubt any real evidence will surface to disprove this explanation of the genesis.

The other thing I thought was wrong in your gear history, was your characterization of the LURP tent as somehow inferior in engineering or design to the later portaledges, such as your own. That's not at all true. In fact just the opposite. The LURP had a tensioning system that created a more rigid floor, the floor itself was non-stretch dacron sailcloth, and featured a zippered "poop chute", and the built in fly was weatherproof on its' own in snowy conditions, and with a lightweight 1.1 oz coated rainfly, was completely waterproof in a downpoor. A two-person single-point suspension hanging tent with these features, weighing less than 8lbs. This was a developed in '69 and '70. It was fully functional. Greg used it on the first winter ascent of the nw face of Halfdome, in 1972, and a couple years later I used it on a 9-day, unsuccessful attempt on the se face of the Moose's Tooth. John Ruger and I were trapped in a big slushy storm, over 2000' up, for 5 days on that one. We stayed perfectly dry and comfortable. My reason for this post is just to set the record straight. I'll have a little chapter in my book on the subject.

I want to thank you again, though for making those titanium frame ledges for Catherine and me to use on Trango, in 1990. They were great! I still have mine.

Note to Ken : thanks!

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 25, 2006 - 12:54pm PT

Here's a pic looking out of the LURP, at John Ruger. Moose's Tooth, mid '70's. John later became a member of the US Olympic Biathalon Team.

deuce4

Big Wall climber

the Southwest

Oct 25, 2006 - 02:08pm PT

Hi Jeff-

I can't recall inferring that the LURP tent was inferior, since I had never seen one in person, but I may have suggested that the later designs were improvments from the initial concepts of a hanging tent platform. The original article is here:
http://www.bigwalls.net/climb/mechadv/index.html

As far as I know, the LURP tent was never commercially available, even though it was advertised in the magazines--is this correct?

One thing that's pretty clear about the portaledges I designed and manufactured in the 80's and 90's is that the availability of a strong, truly weatherproof ledge resulted in a huge explosion of big wall routes in remote places. Virtually every major big wall expedition in the 90's used the A5 portaledge for their bivy, typified by the first ascent of Escudo by Brad Jarrett and team, the first major new big wall route climbed in Patagonia without fixed ropes.

I always liked this photo with Jared Ogden on the North Face of Nameless, which typified the new capabilities of big wallers in the 90's:

can't say

Social climber

Pasadena CA

Oct 25, 2006 - 03:42pm PT

Jeff, thanks for a great thread.

I'm lucky enough to own two of your early spring loaded cams. They were just one of your many great contributions to this sport.

For those of you who would like a good read of Jeff's trip to the Pamirs in 1974, read Robert Craig's "Storm and Sorrow in the High Pamirs". It's one of the best expedition books I have read. Quite a harrowing experience.
If it's too big, I'll resize it

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 25, 2006 - 04:23pm PT

John-

Here is the passage from your history of gear article:

"Vertical shelters have been the most recent advance in equipment for the most extreme multi-day routes. Evolving from the Warren Harding's BAT (Basically Absurd Technology) hammock that could be anchored from a single point, the LURP (Limited Use of Reasonable Placements) tent was developed by Greg Lowe in 1974. Though lightweight, BAT hammocks were cramped and forced the inhabitant to lean against the wall, which in a storm ran with cold water. The precursor to the modern portaledge, the LURP tent solved the problem by adding a solid aluminum frame around the bed, keeping the inhabitants away from the wall. During its use on the first winter ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome, heavy winds and snow were comfortably survived for the first time in the history of big wall climbing. However, it was initially considered a specialized tool rarely worth the weight, and never made it past the prototype stage."

You say the LURP was invented in 1974. That's not correct, it was invented in 1969. It would have been difficult for Greg and Rob Kiesel to use it on the winter ascent of Half Dome, which they did in 1972, if the LURP had not yet existed..haha! You imply that the LURP was heavy when you say "...it was initially considered a specialized tool rarely worth the weight...". John, it was lighter than even your titanium ledges, with the fly! You're right, though, that climbers didn't immediately line up to buy them. Wasn't our fault people couldn't envision the possibilities for a while. Kind of the same as with the early LAS cams. The LURP was offered in 1972, through a catalog from SNUG Mountaineering out of Ketchum, Idaho. SNUG (now called the Elephant's Perch) was Rob Keisel's shop. Two or three LURPS were sold over the period of a few years, each one slightly different. I think Ian Wade bought one for Patagonia that was made of super-heavy-duty pack cloth, to withstand the screaming winds down there. I can't remember if he used it. All-in-all, I think your article paints an innacurate picture of hanging tent development, although I am impressed by how much work and good info you squeezed into the piece. I always wondered, though, why you never bothered to contact Greg or myself, to vet the cam and LURP info? If I can find that old SNUG catalog, I'll post it up.

Cheers,

-Jeff

deuce4

Big Wall climber

the Southwest

Oct 25, 2006 - 07:47pm PT

Hi Jeff-

I think I did discuss gear with Greg back then, and I remember talking with you too at one of the Trade Shows. Was it George who was telling a group of us of a great prototype ledge which had a round shape? And then you walked up and told us how wretched it was on the wall!

In terms of cams, after reviewing the literature and talking with some of the Russian climbers, I came to the conclusion that Abalokov had developed the cam independently, and earlier. Maybe that was incorrect.

Regarding ledge development, I'm always interested in hearing more, but I think I covered all the main points in that article. But the theme of the article was a focus on the tools that influenced the rise in standards, not necessarily the history of gear itself. Certainly the history of portaledges could be an article on its own, for some future gear historian.

My statement that ledges were not considered worth the weight is based on my own early big wall experience, most of which nights were spent suffering in hammocks. The attitude back then was that nighttime suffering was better than hauling extra weight. Maybe it was because the canvas haulbags that we used would have exploded with the extra pounds. When Gramicci and Fig started making ledges available, they were initially considered a luxury, not a necessity. That attitude changed rapidly in the early 80's, however.

I'd stand by my statement because though a few climbers used submarine ledges in the mid to late 70's, most routes during that era were climbed without any sort of hanging ledge.

In general, I thought my article inferred Greg as the innovator of modern portaledges with the LURP design(before their time sort of thing), even though there is some evidence that platforms were used on some routes prior.

cheers-

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Oct 25, 2006 - 08:12pm PT

Deuce-

You didn't speak to any of the factual innacuracies I pointed out in your article. Seems strange to me you won't address my points. But nevermind, I'll just straighten out the record in my book. Overall, I think your article was very good.

Best,
-JL

maldaly

Trad climber

Boulder, CO

Nov 18, 2007 - 01:18am PT

RO and the rest. I actually held and used a real fancam and the concept kicks ass. The ones that Lowe Alpine (waaaaay post-Jeff and Greg) in the '90's were FanCams in name only. The patent is super secret, so secret in fact that you can find it (maybe) on the USPTO site. If it's not there any more you may find right next to that rare chalice you refer to.

As with many great ideas, the concept is elegant and simple, the execution is not.

Mal

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Nov 18, 2007 - 02:11am PT

So Mal my friend,
a little Saturday night thread dredging?
Do I gather that the implement lies beyond Trango?

maldaly

Trad climber

Boulder, CO

Nov 18, 2007 - 10:57am PT

My saturdays have been so full of late night partying that I decided to troll the web last night. I dredged up a good one.

graham

Social climber

Ventura, California

Nov 18, 2007 - 12:20pm PT

Considering the content I thought it appropriate to chime in on this thread.

Jeff I remember seeing your LURP tent in a product brochure in either 72 or 73’ and was always curious why they were never really commercially offered. Then it finally dawned on me in the early eighties. There just wasn’t the market yet for such a thing.

Here are a few shots of a “Fortress” tent I made for a couple Norwegian climbers for a trip to Patagonia. They were nice enough to send me some photos. I sold six of the twelve I ever made of these to Norway. Seems these guys were ahead of their time for alpine big walls.

The first two I built were for my own trip to Patagonia in 79’they were also completely water proof (tested with a fire hose) and beyond that I tried to make them rock and wind proof. In the outer shell of the tents you can see the ballistic nylon that made up the front face and flaps that covered the doors. Unlike the ones in the photos here the first two had lower deflecting panels that mirrored the top. When hung and tensioned down it looked like a diamond cocoon on the wall. It was so tight it hummed to the touch.

This shot was taken up on the Towers of Paine somewhere

They even used them as their base camp.

The last one I ever made was for a special customer, Todd Bibler. He customized his with an all goretex upper and showed me a clever zipper configuration in the doors to allow extra venting. That was a pretty clean setup.

So all in all I guess the market for such a thing didn’t come in to place on such a thing until the nineties as Duecy says. On the other hand our one man ledges were booming as Yosemite wall traffic increased annually. Back then you’d see two or three parties on the Captain at a time! Haha can you imagine!

Mike Graham

Toker Villain

Big Wall climber

Toquerville, Utah

Nov 18, 2007 - 01:39pm PT

Heeeey Mike,
good to hear from you again.
I've got one of your 6 strap one man ledges (used on FAs of Prodigal and Thunderbird).

I guess the idea of a cook hole never caught on,....

orw

Sport climber

Norway

Nov 18, 2007 - 02:32pm PT

graham:
Do you know the name of the norwegian climbers on the trip to Paine? As a norwegian climber with a long lasting interest in wall climbing I've never heard of that trip. It would be very interesting to get some more info, to fill in another gap in my historical knowledge!:-) I know your ledges were used on at least one winter ascent of the Troll Wall, on Great Trango and many other routes...

graham

Social climber

Ventura, California

Nov 18, 2007 - 05:06pm PT

Ron I hear there are still a few of those relics around. Good they got up a few proud ascents with you.

ORW, sometimes I wished I had kept better records of things but I can’t remember who those climbers were. From what I do remember the guys who did the Troll had some connection with them, either recommended the Fortress to them or visa versa. Good to hear other walls were done as well. Thanks for the interest.

Here’s another shot I have from their trip

Sorry Jeff, don't mean to hijack the LURP thread here :-)

graham

Social climber

Ventura, California

Nov 22, 2007 - 10:57am PT

This is a pretty cool image I received this morning from Stéphane of the “Nuts Museum” in Corsica along with this note.

Please Mike, could you post the attached photo on my behalf on this forum If Jeff Lowe doesn’t find that old SNUG 1972 catalog, here it is…

With best wishes from Corsica,

Stéphane PENNEQUIN

Jeff you remember where the photo was taken? The Lurp tent sure looks nice and light…Beauty!

Happy thanksgiving

zaphod42

Sport climber

Nov 22, 2007 - 11:18am PT

a nice page with alot old nuts, cams etc., and the history behind it:

http://www.needlesports.com/nutsmuseum/camsstory.htm

Jello

Social climber

No Ut

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 11, 2011 - 02:56am PT

Been looking for a year and finally located the original LURP tent that Greg sewed up in 1969. Greg and Rob Kiesel used it on the first winter ascent of the NW face of Half Dome in 1972, then John Ruger and I spent 9 nights in it on the east face of the Moose's Tooth in 1976, 5 of which were stationary at the top of the 25th pitch. Our official reason for backing off the climb was "insufficient toilet paper".

When finally found, the tent was in a little canvas Navy duffle with a cardboard mailing tag, addressed from "Jim Bridwell, Ankorage, AK, to Lowe Alpine Systems, Louisville, CO". It was clear that te bag hadn't been openned since then. It was probably from Jim's and Mugs Stump's Alaska trip when they climbed the east face ot the Tooth with an end-run around to the right to circumvent the lower half of the wall that Ruger and I had done.

The Bridwell/Stump line was more of an alpine climb than a wall so they left the LURP in basecamp. So, it's possible that the tent hadn't seen the light of day since Ruger and I used it in 1976.

Last week Erick Zschiesche and I coaxed the genie out of the bottle in Ogden Canyon, to much delight and hilarity.

We both agreed, the LURP was in near perfect shape; good for many more walls! After I get my brother Greg's signature on it in magic marker next weekend, the tent will go to Ken's Yosemite museum.

Unfortunately I can't seem to upload the photos. I don't want to have to re-do this post, though, so I'll send it. Maybe someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong. When I click on "upload a photo from your computer", nothing happens?

-JelloBURP...er...LURP

EDIT: Thanks, Clint, I'd forgotten how to do it!

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Sep 11, 2011 - 03:12am PT

Greg,

To upload a photo, find the red "Photos" tab at the top of the page (left of the Forum tab which is grey if you are reading the Forum).
Hover your mouse over the Photos word, don't click on it. A menu will appear below while you hover, with "Upload a photo" on it. Move your mouse down until "Upload a Photo" is highlighted, then click on it. It will prompt you to locate the photo on your hard drive.
Then edit your forum post, click on the blue "Photo" button, and choose "Select a photo you previously uploaded". Then select the photo you just uploaded (or any other that you want).

Stéphane Pennequin has an excellent history of active cams on his site, including the crack jumar of 1967:
http://needlesports.com/NeedleSports/nutsmuseum/camsstory.htm

James Doty

Trad climber

Phoenix, Az.

Sep 11, 2011 - 02:04pm PT

Great thread. Thanks for bringing it back.

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Sep 11, 2011 - 03:31pm PT

Jello: Way cool that you folks found that LURP tent and shared the photos.

Classic gear!

donini

Trad climber

Ouray, Colorado

Sep 11, 2011 - 05:57pm PT

Nice history lesson Jeff, looking forward to next week.

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Sep 11, 2011 - 05:59pm PT

Cool - thanks for sharing the detailed photos.

The main differences between the LURP test and current portaledges seem to be:

extra crossbar in the middle

all the bed tensioners

the trapdoor

My guess is that you would want to tension (at least half of) the bed quite a bit, so that you could sleep without the center crossbar making things uncomfortable? And the tensioning would increase setup/teardown time relative to current portaledges?

Steve Grossman

Trad climber

Seattle, WA

Sep 11, 2011 - 06:35pm PT

Stéphane recently sent me these scans of the 1972 Lowe Alpine Systems catalog that Greg sent his way. Perfect spot to post this classic offering!

Thanks Stéphane and Greg!

Jello's observation about the winter NW Face ascent in 72 sets the first portaledge in Yosemite mark! El Cap is another matter unless the LURP lurked there too?!?

martygarrison

Trad climber

Washington DC

Sep 11, 2011 - 07:22pm PT

I got a couple of those constant angle camming concept doohickys at Robbins shop in Modesto. Frankly I didn't care for them much as they seem to take me longer to set that a hex. This could have been because they were new.
Dang I wish I would have kept them!