TR: Conness via Harding Route (attempt) 2009-09-06

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Messages 21 - 40 of total 44 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
le_bruce

climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
Sep 10, 2009 - 04:53am PT
Hey Nutjob, nice write up, and you get respect for going at your limit.

Who's this 'other buddy' that duped you into carrying his pack down? Sounds shady.
msiddens

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
Sep 10, 2009 - 10:07am PT
its not duping if the partner does it willingly

;-)
Chugach Man

Mountain climber
Sep 10, 2009 - 06:07pm PT
Sounds fun - time to head out there I guess!

Jim D., great comments, especially the one on bringing the #6. Haven't been on the route, but even with a leg in there I'm guessing I'd feel better to have it...

Footloose - still working on getting your pics up from Russell. Sent an email to you through supertopo - reply and I'll just send you the pics directly.
le_bruce

climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
Sep 10, 2009 - 10:04pm PT
@ msiddens: I was the guy who foisted his pack onto Nutjob that day, and believe me it was shady. ;)
Zander

Trad climber
Berkeley
Sep 13, 2009 - 07:36pm PT
Nice!!!!!!!!
kovarpa

Mountain climber
Bay Area
Sep 13, 2009 - 09:32pm PT
you definitely don't need #6. #5 is enough. We had too much gear actually, next time I would take doubles from small to #2.5, then 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5 each. One set of nuts.
Double ropes helped with hauling packs on the OW.
Rankin

climber
North Carolina
Sep 13, 2009 - 09:50pm PT
Nice write-up nutjob. I think you guys could have finished the route in time. The Harding Route has two pitches that are kinda strenuous, and you had already done the first one. As far as the OW, its not that hard, but it can make you breathe heavy. The second can lie it back. There's a 10a pitch past the OW that's really fantastic but not very hard. You'll get her next time for sure. Nice job.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Sep 13, 2009 - 10:03pm PT
Don't take a pack! Just like the steck salathe. It's not that long a route, you're only gonna be on it a few hours, leave, Everything, but essentials at the tope of the descent. 1 rope, long as you can afford. Plan to run it out, and simu-climb most of the route.
Footloose

Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
Sep 13, 2009 - 11:09pm PT
One more. Here's Nutjob on the approach to Southwest Face...


...uh, demonstrating, perhaps, our high hopes of "floating" it... uh, maybe???

By the way, doesn't he look here like that movie star guy, what's his name, Ethan Hawke? Hmm...



EDIT

Plan to run it out, and simu-climb most of the route.

Jaybro- Wow, my goodness!
Binks

Social climber
Sep 13, 2009 - 11:36pm PT
Good attempt, now get back out there and tame that beast!
Chugach Man

climber
Anchorage / San Diego
Sep 21, 2009 - 12:57pm PT
Thanks to your post bringing it to mind, my buddy and I decided to go try the route over the weekend. Much fun. Brought doubles through BD#2, then a 3, 4, and 6 (new style) (no #5). The 4 wasn't necessary, but was used. I didn't feel I missed the 5, but liked having the #6 in the OW, and thought it was worth bringing. A big green wild country might be even better. The old bolts on the route were pretty cool looking, and even though I clipped them, I wouldn't want to fall on them (wish I'd taken a pic of them too). We used a 70 m, and with about 10 feet of simul-climbing on the first pitch, were able to get to the start of the OW in 2 rope-stretchers for about 6 pitches total, and some scrambling to the top. Didn't bring packs, but dressed warm, and were happy to not have a pack in the OW, and to have a good wind-breaker when the winds picked up. Really fun route. Go back and get it done!
Footloose

Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
Sep 21, 2009 - 02:17pm PT
Awesome, Chugach!

Curious, so was your first belay in the 5.10c crux area, or somewhere after with the simul? I'm thinking it must have been after that pointed "stalactite" roof. (See pic above.)

Tell us Chugach, as I am taking notes and have a 70m. Sure hope I can get back there!

Post any pictures, here, would love to see them...

Did you feel "like puking" in the offwidth, too? Now that I think about it, you're a hardman, so probably not. :)

Proud send!!

EDIT Thanks for the reply, Chugach, I get it. Look forward to any TR and pics. Again, congrats! (11:42a)
Chugach Man

climber
Anchorage / San Diego
Sep 21, 2009 - 02:29pm PT
Footloose: I'm far, far from a hardman (I brought a 6!, hehe), and although I was tired from some stuff I did during the week, found the OW not too bad and manageable - the hardest part I think was getting started in it. I also did a lot of stemming in it. For P1 with a 70M, we belayed just a little past the 10c crux on a small ledge with an anchor made up of small gear (I think yellow TCU, yellow or gray alien, and green C3? Go through the roofs and the crux, up the thin stuff, then belayed just as you're forced right). And the simuling only consisted of me stepping up about 10' where I could feel the wet rock, but didn't have to pull on it yet. I'll probably post a TR with pics in a couple days, and will send you a link then. Good luck! We took about 4 hours to climb through the 5.7/5.8 chimney, and then cruised after that. It's a fun route, definitely get back and finish it!
cultureshock

Trad climber
Wall Climber Wannabe
Sep 21, 2009 - 03:33pm PT
Here is an approximate topo of where we (Chugach Man and I) belayed for the first 5 or so pitches.

I lead past the 10c part and up to a small alcove right below the good ledge. Gear was yellow master cam, green c3 and green alien for the anchor. Not a great stance but ok. I was worried about going to the ledge since it would have required more simulting and it is possible to slip on the wet start.


or http://dreaminvertical.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/connesshardingroutetopo.jpg

I'll also have a few posts up about our trip. Hopefully one later today with some approach beta.

 Luke
Footloose

Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
Sep 21, 2009 - 07:15pm PT
Cool! thanks for the beta, cultureshock. Once of the clearest beta photos I've seen of the route, too, nice work.

Sounds like you guys really spanked it... and enjoyed yourselves. Congratulations!

Oh, regarding a pic of those bolts, Chugach, I've been wanting to see one for a long time. So next time maybe...
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Sep 21, 2009 - 07:19pm PT
So refreshing! A post about a classic, un-enhanced climb. No ego, no controversy just out there having fun- what a concept.
Chugach Man

climber
Anchorage / San Diego
Sep 21, 2009 - 08:20pm PT
Footloose, check out the photo on summitpost.org from Kovarpa that shows a bolt, you can zoom in and see it pretty well. Looks like a star drive with an old ringed piton for the hangar. (http://www.summitpost.org/view_object.php?object_id=548281&context_id=159998);. I wouldn't want to fall on one, but they're better than nothing.

Jim D., I concur! People use these sites for strange things when they should just be out having a good time. As Alex Lowe said "The best climber in the world is the one that has the most fun", right? Climb on.
Buju

Trad climber
the range of light
Sep 22, 2009 - 01:22am PT
here are a few pics from a few weeks back:

approaching after bivying (partying) at rosevelt lake

pissing in fear before leading the offwidth:

OW crux:

last glorious pitch:
Footloose

Trad climber
Lake Tahoe
Sep 22, 2009 - 02:12pm PT
Cool, these pictures really give a sense of it.

So do the ones Chugach linked to. Quite informative.

Chugach, Cultureshock... were you guys packin radios? or how did you communicate in regard to the short simuling need... right around two heads-up areas simultaneously... was no wind and you could just hear each other?

Still collecting notes for a return...
cultureshock

Trad climber
Wall Climber Wannabe
Sep 22, 2009 - 03:30pm PT
The first 4 pitches were pretty wind free so we were just yelling, no radios.

The last two pitches were totally exposed and we couldn't communicate at all due to the wind. Even early on a pitch, when I could see Robb, yelling didn't work.

My tip for simuling is to know your partner and their strengths and then weigh the risks.

The climbing really speeds up after the steep chimney pitch (which is right after the O/W). We also linked two pitches here with the 70. The final 5.9 section before the 3rd class ledges is really cool (photo below).


Also I put together some Approach beta on my blog:
http://dreaminvertical.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/mount-conness-approach-beta/

Good Luck,

 Luke

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