Hardest mantle in the USA?

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FredC

Boulder climber

Santa Cruz, CA

May 29, 2011 - 02:33pm PT

I knew Dale from his Indian Rock days. We could tell if he had been bouldering the day before because of the total snow of chalk he would leave in his wake.

I saw him a few times after he moved to Yosemite, I remember one time he was standing around, you could see every muscle, he hardly looked human. I asked how he had gotten so strong and he said "oh, just walking a little chain". He was always pretty funny.

I think he was the strongest looking climber I have ever seen.

FC

jahil

Social climber

London->Paris->WV->CA

Jul 4, 2011 - 03:32pm PT

Just saw this thread for the first time, there are some wonderful stories here. I used to think it would be cool to send some of Bachar's old problems, now I'm thinking I just need to reread all his old threads!

steve

Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber

Fruita, Colorado

Jul 4, 2011 - 03:35pm PT

Wish you good folk would get the spelling right,
as mantel and not mantle. Some, though, seem to insist
on the wrong spelling. They've seen it so much it feels
unnatural to do it right...

I did every mantel anyone showed me, Werner, in Camp 4. I was
focused on Pratt's mantels, but there were others. We didn't
always make much mention of some of them, really, because even
back then not many were into manteling. I had that hollow-back
press strength, as a gymnast, and could do a plange on the floor,
so that helped. It always amazed me that Pratt could do mantels
so hard without any sort of gymnastic training. I bouldered a couple
of times with Dale, but he never showed me any mantel, at least
not one I couldn't do... I'm curious about the one you mention...

I got into one-arm mantels for quite a little spell, the dead hang,
pull up by one arm, pop heel of hand onto mantel spot, push to where
elbow locks out, step into mantel, stand up... I don't think anyone
does those these days... can't imagine why they would want to...

Willoughby

Social climber

Truckee, CA

Feb 11, 2012 - 05:03pm PT

Another mantel BUMP!

~kief~

Trad climber

nor-cal

Feb 11, 2012 - 06:57pm PT

just saw this thread for the first time...

original post BACHAR.....MAMMOTH LAKES..07.?

WOW,......rest in peace ,BRO.

Rankin

Social climber

Greensboro, North Carolina

Feb 11, 2012 - 11:27pm PT

Bruce Morris

Social climber

Belmont, California

Feb 12, 2012 - 01:25am PT

"Butterfly Mantel" (V7) on The Beak formation, Castle Rock State Park, Ca. Also known as the "Reider Mantel" after the first ascentionist, Rick Reider. Never seen it done again although someone says they have done it, but I think they're confusing it with the Beak Mantel.

Of course, CRSP is the land of mantels, so I imagine there are some V9 mantels out there somewhere in the Park. Does anyone know of some V9s? Must be!

Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber

I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!

Feb 12, 2012 - 02:02am PT

plenty of V9 out at the Green Monster

but we not supposed to be there,

only big kitty cats,

you fall off the monster,

you may as well start going

here kitty kitty kitty, kitty,

heeeeerere kitty kitty,

come and get it, suppa time at the park,

KabalaArch

Trad climber

Starlite, California

Feb 12, 2012 - 03:58am PT

I discovered one small mantle at the front side of Indian Rock which came in handily a few times. At about a full body stretch was a nice horizontal, about an inch wide x maybe 4 inches in length. My deal was to start with a cling hold, rock up feet while extending my fingers full extension on the shelf, to make roof for the feet. An old A1 move at North Yak, in the Pinns required a similar technique, except once you pressed it out and were standing on what was pretty good feet, there was nothing but peanuts for your hands above; the wall was slightly OH too.

Scariest mantle, for me, came while following the 2nd pitch of Orange Peel, on MC North apron. The route traversed left for 50 or 60 feet out of a right facing dihedral, and the only bolt was midway to the anchors, and not intended to protect the follower. After the clip, you'd have to down-mantle a fair distance to gain friction on a steepish slab, then continue exeunt left on sustained 5.10b friction bumps to the belay. So, I'm carefully traversing over to this lonely mank. As a newbie, it didn't occur to me to maybe try some different postures before unclipping from what would have provided me a toprope...I just unclipped, then began to try a couple of really awkward feeling, and blind, positions, halting very abruptly in mid move when I could feel my center of gravity was going to barn door me into a nasty 40 foot pendulum onto the anchors. A wise move, which inspired a more balanced one, and I made my way on tippy toes to the belay.

Most all of the MCR Apron, and GPA, are really stories about mantles, from tips off of dimes, to cozy belay alcoves. Even those low angle but subtle hand inversions - fingers out, elbows in facing stone; press down on heel of hand, in some friction dish.

There can come that moment of truth, though, mid mantle, when you start feeling that "here we go!" sensation from over or undercranking, improper lockoff, underestimated the area of the mantleshelf needed for decent feets, than can be intimidating.

ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber

bouldering

Feb 12, 2012 - 04:01am PT

Can't find the video right now, but on youtube there's a dude who one-arm pulls up on a normal bar, continues - and one arm mantles it (same arm/ no feet), then levers and presses it out to the one arm handstand finish.

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles

Feb 12, 2012 - 11:01am PT

Lion Head rock at Stoney Point.

Anyone ever done it? I've heard about it. Seen chalk on it. Never seen it done.

Prolly not the hardest. Just damn hard.

ydpl8s

Trad climber

Santa Monica, California

Feb 12, 2012 - 01:05pm PT

The 11+ mantel on that first pitch of Athlete's Feat sure seemed hard to me, and I wasn't even leading.

photo courtesy Ron Olsen and mp.com

Bruce Morris

Social climber

Belmont, California

Feb 12, 2012 - 02:09pm PT

"The 11+ mantel on that first pitch of Athlete's Feat"

Isn't that mantel supposed to be 5.10c? At least it was back when I did it back in 1977!

ydpl8s

Trad climber

Santa Monica, California

Feb 12, 2012 - 02:23pm PT

Well, depending on who you talk to, the key hold that you go to after the undercling and then match to bring up your feet, has either worn down or broken off. Either way, if you led that BITD, before the bolt, it might have been 10c but you had balls of steel to lead that move without it.

Bruce Morris

Social climber

Belmont, California

Feb 13, 2012 - 12:20am PT

Think the bolt was there back in July 1977. However, it was a real lousy spinner with a sling (maybe?) & must have been replaced by now suppose? Must have been.

Allen Hill

Social climber

CO.

Feb 13, 2012 - 02:19am PT

The bolt wasn't within reach prior to the move. You clipped a fixed knife blade and did the move. It was totally hairy. That pin was driven in upside down and looked as old as Robbins and Ament do now. And that would have been in 1978 as that was the first year I lead the pitch. It's much safer now.

BlackSpider

Ice climber

Feb 13, 2012 - 10:06am PT

What's the hardest mantel in the world period? Dave Graham's problem "From Dirt Grows the Flowers" in Switzerland (done using the original method) supposedly has a V12 mantel crux move. Any other contenders? I remember there being one in Britain that gets a 7b UK tech rating (no idea what it's considered in YDS/V/Font).