1970s Bolt protected run-out slab climbing

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Messages 201 - 220 of total 227 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
ruppell

climber
Dec 12, 2013 - 02:25am PT
karla
You bring balls. Then head space. Then skills.


After that it's truelly a crap shoot.
paul roehl

Boulder climber
california
Dec 12, 2013 - 03:33am PT
What was the name of that route just to the right of the Grack Marginal sans bolts but long runout on a # 1 wired stopper? Seemed very scary to me, but then everthing seemed scary to me.
Climber Joe

Trad climber
Dec 12, 2013 - 11:57am PT
"1970s Bold protected run-out slab climbing" Well, Big Rock is all of those except run-out. But I see your point. My apologies, Mr. Muir.
wstmrnclmr

Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
Dec 12, 2013 - 10:43pm PT
Salamanizer

Trad climber
The land of Fruits & Nuts!
Dec 14, 2013 - 01:09pm PT
What was the name of that route just to the right of the Grack Marginal sans bolts but long runout on a # 1 wired stopper? Seemed very scary to me, but then everthing seemed scary to me.


Misty Beethoven? Seems like I remember something funky about that one.

Marginal is 5.7 by todays standards IMO. Maybe not the little roof thingy, but the slab where the R factor comes in for sure is not 5.9.
pinckbrown

Trad climber
Lake Tahoe, CA
Dec 21, 2014 - 03:06pm PT
Slab climbing is my forte. We regulary climbed on Glacier Point Apron. Several times while climbing Marginal, the follower would stop using hands and just continue on feet alone! I also held a 100 footer on the Apron! His hands were in no shape to climb after that fall!
"look ma - no hands"

Bob Pinckney
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Dec 21, 2014 - 05:59pm PT
Green Dragon - goofing on the 'No Fear' photo of ?DanO ?
side lever on Blues Riff?
can any one I.D. ThisV V?V?V?V??
wstmrnclmr

Trad climber
Bolinas, CA
Dec 21, 2014 - 10:03pm PT
That is "footnote" on Stately Pleasure Dome.
rmuir

Social climber
From the Time Before the Rocks Cooled.
Dec 22, 2014 - 08:24am PT
YDS: 5.10a R
zBrown

Ice climber
Brujò de la Playa
Dec 22, 2014 - 08:43am PT
How did he do dat?

Barbarian

climber
Dec 22, 2014 - 09:22am PT
^^^^^^
That piece of rock looks somewhat familar...
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Dec 22, 2014 - 12:58pm PT
That shot of Ten Karat looks so odd to me from that angle. It seems so far climber's right for 10k. Great shot!
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Feb 19, 2015 - 08:07pm PT
Middle Cathedral apropos bump...
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
Feb 19, 2015 - 08:59pm PT
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
Dec 25, 2016 - 10:01pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]
Crump

Social climber
Lakewood, CO
Dec 26, 2016 - 07:23am PT
The development and style of climbing on the Backside of Enchanted Rock in Texas was heavily influenced by the Yosemite slab tradition. It was also even more influenced by Climbers from Colorado/Utah, including Jello, Heavy Kevy Donald, Steve Wuncsh. None more so than the bold climbers from Colorado Springs and the South Platte, including Earl Wiggins, Steve Cheney, Billy Westbay, and especially the incomparable Daniel McClure.

We were also influenced by a fierce regional rivalry with Oklahoma, especially Duane Raleigh and his gang of Okie-Raiders! Hueco Tank's Mike Head also had a huge impact on the boldness of our style.

At Enchanted Rock bolt placement was driven mostly by the "Drill where there is a stance." Rule. Being more face than pure slab, the stance-rule ruled! Another factor was the $500 per bolt fine threatened by Texas Parks and Wildlife.

The impact of the law and fine meant that you only drilled if you needed it. In fact most routes below 5:10 did not have any bolts! Why would you risk a fine to bolt easy stuff? This led to an unnatural progression of route development across grades, which was rectified under the MOU agreed with TPWD and the birth of climber committee management approaches back in the late 1980s which allowed bolting etc., and most importantly the replacement of 1/4" button heads!

One quirk in the agreement allowed the FA to retro and as I had solo-FA-ed most of the easier slabs, with the support of the Central Texas Climbing Committee we retro-ed most of my easier solos to provide a much more normal climber skill development.

We also retro-ed some of the harder lines, but we paired them by preserving "Classic" sister routes, For example, Real Gravy, 5.11, was retro-ed, while paired with Gravitron, 5.11 which was preserved. Currently TPWD and the CTCC are contemplating using Historical Designations to preserve these routes.

There is constant whining from parts of the younger sport climbers about run-outs, but most of them wont even try the harder retro-ed routes preferring to focus on the abundant steep limestone that Texas is blessed with. There does remain a hardcore group of young run-out slab climbers here in Texas and I am proud of them! I love sport climbers too, but the Monsters of the Slab will always hold a special place for me.

I feel that we have reached a balance, maybe, and despite the changing demographic and growing population of climbers. Thank the Gods that there is a huge amount of limestone in Texas for sport development leavilng the hard run-out slabs for those who still love them.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Dec 26, 2016 - 08:01am PT
Yes James those climbs remain for the hardy few, like yourself, who revel at finding that body position, that subtle foot placement, that gradual shifting of weight that enables one to inch their way up granite slabs absent any "real" holds. All this, mind you, well above the last hand drilled, stance placed bolt.
I did one or two but, rather than soil more pants, I have always rushed back to the world of real holds and splitter cracks.
Hats off James to your pioneering work at Enchanted Rock.
Crump

Social climber
Lakewood, CO
Dec 26, 2016 - 08:06am PT
Jim, you humble me. Thank you'll!!!!
Roger Breedlove

climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 26, 2016 - 09:25am PT
Wow. A new chapter: bolted slab climbing and the law. Cool info.
Crump

Social climber
Lakewood, CO
Dec 26, 2016 - 10:23am PT
I find it amazing that routes that I did as an "Outlaw", and after years of being chased by pistol packing Texas Parks Rangers, that the State of Texas is considering designating some of these as Historical Routes. In fact, I heard rumor from a very credible source that TPWD leadership is proud to have routes in their park that are considered "bold". Its that Texas pride thing... Take that Oklahoma!!! :-)

We in Texas have one of those "Rangers" to thank for bringing us back in from the way of the outlaw, that Gentleman is Warren Watson, who became the second Superintendent of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and led us into the agreement with the state and legal bolting.

Thanks Warren!
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