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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Feb 21, 2017 - 04:57pm PT
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if you're from san diego, and you put in the time to get to know woodson, the place will haunt your dreams forever, no matter how far your travels and adventures take you. in every single granite arena i've climbed, no matter where in the world, i would always digest the climbs and the grades against a woodson yardstick. it's in my DNA. but it's cool -- if you master the really hard stuff at woodson, you're gonna be a player no matter where you go. superthin micro edging, cracks -- it's all good. I'll never forget my first full summer in the valley in 1977. 0n our second or third day there Mike Paul flashed short circuit, and I did it second try wearing a pair of scats with the soles held on with duct tape. The tough guys who took us to it were slackjawed, but congratulatory. I say this because at woodson you can hit hard stuff over and over with no access or approach logistics, ease of access, a place to rapidly hone technique. It's like the world's best outdoor crack gym. woodson is arguably one the best places in America to learn granite cracks. I dragged my ex-wife out there every day for a few months and as soon as the nickle dropped and the fitness kicked in, she was a force of nature. I'm not sure but I think she might have the first and only female ascent of Hear My Train. Once she did Jaws 10 or 11 times in a row, wearing a different outfit every time. Eppi had a pack full of woman's clothes from Patagucci and was trying to get a money shot. When we moved to Yosemite in '87, she was a rock solid 5.11 climber, leading every pitch on everything at Arch Rock over the course of many, many trips up those routes. point is, time spent climbing at woodson is time very well spent!
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Feb 21, 2017 - 05:15pm PT
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On another note, Damn Freind!!! Nice job on the detector. I might be wrong, but I think it's been 31 years since someone did a solo lap. Rick Piggot in 85, some other guy in 86, now you in 2017. Huge bonus style points for going up there and doing it alone, no spectators. That how Bachar rolled on Driving South. My nigga!
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Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
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Feb 21, 2017 - 07:32pm PT
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BVB-So well said.
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Friend
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 22, 2017 - 09:55pm PT
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I really wish I had heard about the cleanup earlier. I remember thinking over the holidays how cool it would be if another Woodson gathering came together. I just got wind of it last week and already have a plane ticket to Smith rocks Friday. Hoping for cold temps (guaranteed) and minimal precip (iffy.) Thank you to everyone who cleans up some trash this weekend, or ever.
BVB that recollection was solid gold man, as usual. And thanks for the kind words. It's so humbling to get kudos from climbers you look up to. I think eeyonkee gets the prize though, for his comment that "5.11 was good enough" for him. LOL. We're talking first ascents of sandbagged overhanging 5.11+ offwidths right? Some of the most notorious and feared climbs for miles around? Yeah, I guess that sounds good enough! Gimme a nice finger crack any day. Respect.
It is so cool to see these posts from the old school and the new school alongside each other. I think everyone who has posted to this thread so far has done something that has blown me away and I know there are plenty of lurkers who are getting after it as well. Keep it coming everybody, stoked to see what comes next.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Feb 23, 2017 - 07:55pm PT
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Speaking of Old School, I just stumbled across this photo of The Vice-Principal's Office from 1986. The first couple of moves after stepping off the ground are an absurd powerfest crack with a really awful size -- then you go into the 15 feet of remarkable technical fist that I'm just starting in the photo. The photo does not begin to capture the steepness of this thing -- you're basically climbing out of the roof of a cave using a crack of bedeviling size. The photo also doesn't show the smooth, clean, five star thin hands crack that comes after you turn the lip. It's a long climb by Woodson standards. You young squidlets need to get down there, do us all proud, and get some decent photos! The ultra-desirable, portfolio fluffing, resume building, massively coveted third ascent is out there, YOURS for the TAKING!!
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adenparker
climber
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Feb 23, 2017 - 07:58pm PT
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AJ, I was just thinking the same thing about a Woodson reunion! What happened to those??
The other night we were at Woodson working one of our many projects by headlamp and a big battery powered work light. On our way down the hill we were confronted by a cop car driving up and we were stopped. They asked to see our hands and asked what we were doing. Turns out somebody saw our lights shining through the bushes and thought we were spray painting, and called the police. They were even shining a huge spotlight up at us! It was funny..just earlier that night we were wondering how visible we were with our lights up there!
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deepnet
Boulder climber
San Diego
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Never ending Story" Love it ! It is so cool to watch the next generation of "hard men"
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deepnet
Boulder climber
San Diego
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Bouldering "lie detector" Damn Andrew!
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Tom Patterson
Trad climber
Seattle
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Love that video of third classing Lie Detector. Man, you hiked that lower section. Nice!
I remember years ago finding a large, very alive (4 ft?) rattlesnake in the upper section of Lie Detector as I was topping out. A bit of a surprise, and must've found it's way up there by being dropped by a hawk, or something.
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Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
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After having similar experiences, we've figured out that rattlers hang out in cracks that bats frequent- easy meal.
So if you see that dark bat sh#t steak coming out of a crack, beware.
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Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
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Mar 26, 2017 - 06:15am PT
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There was a pair of nesting Ravens there last season. We'll steer clear of that area until nesting season is over. Thanks for the pic!
"Splitters over there" are you immune to Poison Oak?
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JustThatEasy
climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
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Mar 26, 2017 - 06:37am PT
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These are the threads that I cruise the 'taco stand for. Pure climbing content and tons of stoke. Love it.
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Apr 12, 2017 - 05:37am PT
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Matteo M
climber
San Diego
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Apr 12, 2017 - 11:08am PT
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Nice Skreidc! If the ankle is good enough to trudge around Woodson, you must be on the mend. Lets get out there sometime again!
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Apr 13, 2017 - 05:58am PT
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Ha! Working on it... I did stick my feet into Elsa's Crack for a couple laps.
Matteo, NICE leading the other weekend. Especially the second pitch! Hat's off!
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Jon Clark
climber
philadelphia
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Apr 15, 2017 - 07:52am PT
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Video stills from yesterday
Headed back today, tomorrow, and mid week next week.
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Jon Clark
climber
philadelphia
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Apr 18, 2017 - 09:35pm PT
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skcreidc
Social climber
SD, CA
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Apr 19, 2017 - 06:09am PT
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I've suspected that finger crack was not quite 10a, I could get up it too easily. But my rating skills suck. Either way it's really fun!!
Nice shots
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