Generator Crack is a Cruel Mistress - A Facelift Tale

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Jilli

Trad climber
SAnta cruz mtns, California
Oct 3, 2008 - 02:36am PT
JayBro- you are MY hero! you let me stand on your shoulders for so freakin long! Gary too! i didnt even appreciate it at the time, but THANKS!

btw- ive got a few really nice photos of you climbing the Generator later that day... im figuring out how to post them on here...

JOEY- ya, i dont know what i was thinking... ;-) j/k! they didnt have to talk me into it... iwas phsyked(sp.?) but a bit naive... i thought i could give it a whirl since ide climbed a few other OW's but i quickly realized this one was WAY different... !!
JOEY.F

Social climber
sebastopol
Oct 3, 2008 - 02:43am PT
Jilli,
The 2009 facelift shakedown cruise.
Crack on!
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Oct 3, 2008 - 02:52am PT
stuck knees are part of the whole wide game...
Jill is an adventuresome climber who's up for anything. With that support crew it was only a matter of time that they'd extract her from that slot.

And she followed Largo's admonition to a tee: "DON'T THRASH", and that was good.

Sorry about The Yawn, but you did have fun, right? and it's only 5.9, how hard could that be?
Jilli

Trad climber
SAnta cruz mtns, California
Oct 3, 2008 - 11:32am PT
true true Ed... i had a great crew!

"...it's only 5.9, how hard could that be?"
hehe... ya, no worries, right?!

that Yawn thing was desperate... although it was my first time climbing squeeze style offwidth, and i had a small pack, or shoes dangling or somthing, AND there was a snake coiled up at the belay where i had to sit and wait for Luke to thrash his way up above me...
and then i think i climbed it backwards after Luke called down and recommended a certain body position... hmmm

lets go back and climb that one! see how desperate it really is/isnt...

MisterE

Trad climber
My Inner Nut
Oct 3, 2008 - 11:51am PT
It was great meeting you, Jillian and hanging out. Thanks for bringing the drum!

Hope to see you next year, when I plan on staying for the duration.

Erik
Rick L

Trad climber
El Dorado Hills, CA
Oct 3, 2008 - 11:52am PT
I was first introduced to Generator Crack in the mid-60's by the Rock Climbing Section of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club. It was represented as a 5.9 crack. Needless to say, that first experience left me with a profound and enduring respect for "5.9 crack climbs." After eventuallly figuring out how to climb off-widths (and re-grow huge patches of skin on my left upper back/shoulder and left knee) I made periodic return pilgrimages. I think the most impressive ascent I witnessed was that of Barry Bates. He quitely tied in to a 2 inch around- the-waist-swami, walked up to the base (avoiding the initial step that takes you to a higher start), placed his left side in and began an almost imperceptable series of subtle movements. It looked as close true levitation as a mortal can hope to accomplish. He did not pause until he reached the top and never, from what I could tell, broke a sweat. Although there were a number of accomplished off-width climbers present that day, no one came close to the ease with which Barry motored up the climb.

I suspect that if one could harness the energy expended over the years on that short piece of granite, there would be no need for electrical service to the Valley.

Have fun

Rick
Jilli

Trad climber
SAnta cruz mtns, California
Oct 3, 2008 - 11:57am PT
awesome and inspiring Rick!

Ihateplastic

Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Oct 3, 2008 - 01:51pm PT
NIce pics... sounds like a classic epic.

Must agree with Werner though, that tree is not part of the route!

Generator Crack, or rather the vicinity of GC, accounts for the one serious accident I had in the Valley. Serious enough for a rush visit to the clinic and some VERY painful surgery. And this picture shows the site of the incident.


You see, back in the old days we wrapped 2" webbing (it had to be red) around our waist in lieu of full swami with leg loops. So there I am sitting comfortably on the old plank staring upward at a Richard Kiel thin crack while casually passing the webbing around my waist. Two, three passes... let's see one more should do it. I'll just reach around my back and grab the webbing... OH MY EFFIN GOD! It seems the arc of my hand passed a little low and was now firmly connected to the plank via a TWO INCH SPLINTER DRIVEN UNDER MY FINGERNAIL. My reaction was swift enough to break the splinter off even with the tip of my well-chewed nail. There was no blood as the splinter made for a perfect plug. But a dark shadow extended from the nail tip to just shy of the second knuckle. I had wood and not in a good way.

We dashed to the old VW and drove madly to the clinic. After a short wait a doctor entered and looked at the war wound. Reaching for tweezers he grasped it and tugged. I died a second time as my whole body left the exam table and followed the tweezers through the air. A new tactic would be needed. Two shots into the web of skin between my finger brought wonderful numbness and a few minutes later he tugged again and the nail of wood slid from its berth followed by a strong spurting of blood.

I have never returned to GC. If I did, I would not be sitting on that deathboard.
MisterE

Trad climber
My Inner Nut
Oct 3, 2008 - 02:00pm PT
brutal
looking sketchy there...

Social climber
Latitute 33
Oct 3, 2008 - 02:12pm PT
Great post.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Oct 3, 2008 - 02:27pm PT
the plank is no more... you return is safe
Nefarius

Big Wall climber
somewhere without avatars.........
Oct 3, 2008 - 02:39pm PT
Someone removed the plank? I remember someone saying a rock underneath it had fallen or some such, but I've been there since then and the plank was still there. Bummer.
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Oct 3, 2008 - 02:44pm PT
perhaps I am mistaken... it happens
frisbee

climber
{this page left blank intentionally}
Oct 3, 2008 - 03:46pm PT
I was there! Definitely a memory I'll keep for a long time. That and all the names that were screamed/grunted at the crack whilst it was being climbed---funny stuff!

Digital video rotation? Tilt the monitor or your head.

I cheated on GC and still didn't make it to the top. Burned a few calories though.

Watching Gary climb it that day was one of the most inspiring climbing feats I have personally witnessed. And Jaybro sticking the 'tree free direct.'

Jake
nutjob

Stoked OW climber
San Jose, CA
Oct 3, 2008 - 03:53pm PT
Sounds like yet another adventure that's more fun in hindsight than when you're actually in it.

But plastic-hater, you take the cake for making me cringe and grimace the most in a long while.
MisterE

Trad climber
My Inner Nut
Oct 3, 2008 - 03:57pm PT
"Digital video rotation? Tilt the monitor or your head. "

Good one, Jake LOL! Did you sustain any injuries in the duration of the Facelift from your rendition of "Little Bunny FooFoo"?
I definitely heard some rumors...

Say, Man. You got some pot for me, Dood? I got a lid that's lonely...
Ihateplastic

Trad climber
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Oct 3, 2008 - 04:46pm PT
Hey Ed,

I was judging from the thread and associated pictures that the seat of torture was still there. Actually, these pics made me want to get back there now! I need some new battle scars to impress the missus!


My time in the Yosemite Clinic...
MisterE

Trad climber
My Inner Nut
Oct 3, 2008 - 04:52pm PT
Gary Carpenter

climber
SF Bay Area
Oct 3, 2008 - 05:07pm PT
Tree start = 5.8+?
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Oct 3, 2008 - 05:07pm PT
Generator Crack would be 5.11+ if it were on pitch 8 of the Rostrum and folks hadn't done 20 laps on it already.

Nice meetin ya Jilli, Good work keepin your cool

Peace

Karl
Messages 41 - 60 of total 115 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
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