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Messages 1 - 72 of total 72 in this topic
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 14, 2005 - 05:19pm PT
This Monkeys Gone to Heaven VI 5th A4
F.A. Alik Berg and Jake Hector Aug/Sept 2005

We put up a new route on the South Face of Snowpatch Spire in the Bugaboos, the route is about 1800ft long and has fairly technical but mostly safe climbing. In Yosemite I would rate the route new wave A3. Most pitches took 6-8 hours to lead due to the complex placements. This is the first climb I have done that Hybrid Aliens are MANDATORY! I think drilling will be required if you don't have them on the 2nd ascent.

The route took us 18 days total to establish, 14 of those days were spent climbing capsual style on the face. It should also be noted that out of 14 days only 3.5 of those days were in nice weather. Every other day had snow or sleet flying from the sky. Wind was pretty extreme at times and would shake the ledge and blow the fly so hard it was hard to get any sleep at time. The tempeture was also surprisingly cold, we weren't able to start climbing early(not that we wanted to!) due to the ropes freezing nightly.

On day 7 we ran out of liquor and on day 9 we realized we would be eating mashed potatos pretty much for the rest of the climb and till we were able to make it to the Kain Hut to raid the free food. It just so happened to work out that Alik always led the pitch in which we would establish the next hanging camp at. So I was always forced to just hang in the storm and freeze while Alik led his pitch. He got to belay out of the shelter of the portaledge while in a sleeping bag. Also of note is that I developed minor frostbite partly due to this.

I am eagly looking forward to my feet healing and my next wall. Alpine big walls bring a lot more satisfaction than the walls in yosemite. The views blow the valley away!

Ouch!

climber
Sep 14, 2005 - 05:30pm PT
Really good pictures. Wow! Some tough dudes. I found out the hard way to stay off frostbitten feet.
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2005 - 05:33pm PT
ha I just noticed I put 10.5 were in good weather! It's the other way around. HAHAHA
Wrathchild

Big Wall climber
Lee NH
Sep 14, 2005 - 05:38pm PT
Welcome to the real world.

The valley will seem like Disneyworld to you from now on.
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2005 - 05:43pm PT
Here is the topo. We would have ended with 15 holes but this f*#king bees nest was in the crack I was climbing, so I had to drill the LADDER! F*#K! F*#K! SH#T! F*#K!

Texplorer

Trad climber
Las Vegas
Sep 14, 2005 - 05:45pm PT
Way to get it done deathman. Wish I could have been there. . .except for the crappy weather.

I am sure you learned alot of things on this climb. . . like to never forget to bring some extra alcohol.
yo

climber
NOT Fresno
Sep 14, 2005 - 05:51pm PT
Right on, Jake.

A bee pussy ladder. Hahahahaaa!

R
Hardman Knott

Gym climber
Straight Outta Squamton
Sep 14, 2005 - 05:51pm PT
I'm looking forward to checking out these photos when I can get to a fast connection.
I can see the images total 2.6 MB –– which would take 13+ minutes on my 24 kbit
dial-up, which is about half the speed of the average dial-up with good line quality.
(although many, many dial-up users get stuck at 28 kbits if there's more than one
analog/digital conversion on their line––which I understand is fairly common)

Just a little heads-up...
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 14, 2005 - 05:52pm PT
f*#k yeah dude!
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2005 - 06:06pm PT
ya it will suck for people with dial-up... but I am too lazy to recode the pics with HTML
Fluoride

Trad climber
on a rock or mountain out west
Sep 14, 2005 - 06:10pm PT
Congrats guys!!! That's a great accomplishment. Fred put up the original routes on Snowpatch, I'm sure he's gonna be stoked to hear that there's a new generation of alpine wall climbers that got birthed on Snowpatch last month. That one doesn't get done too much. Your route looks proud.

Nice to hear your newfound appreciation for the alpine as well. Yep, while the degree of suffering is far higher than valley walls, the solitude and scenery of the alpine can't be topped. No lines. No rangers. No clusterf*#ks unless you create them yourselves. The only drawback is when you run out of something (booze!) you're gonna be going without for awhile.

Hope your frostbite heals up well.

And SERIOUS props for naming the route after one of the greatest Pixies songs of all time!! That just warms my heart.
malabarista

Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
Sep 14, 2005 - 06:43pm PT
Wow, you guys are out of my league... I hope to one day have the experience of climbing an alpine wall such as this.
bulgingpuke

Trad climber
cayucos california
Sep 14, 2005 - 06:56pm PT
What'd I say five months ago man? You guys were gonna make a f*#kin dream team.
I remamber when i first met Alik a few years ago, 15 years old and soloing WFLT with all antique gear and a 50 gallon drum thing for a pig.

Congrats you knarly bastards.
~TY~
up2top

Big Wall climber
Phoenix, AZ
Sep 14, 2005 - 07:07pm PT
Damn, Jake! I guess you're done f*#king around with the small potatoes in the Valley, huh!? Nice job, and those are some incredible photos. Nothing but peaks, snow, and glaciers as far as the eye can see.

Hope the feet heal completely.

Ed
timmy_t

Trad climber
Fort Fun, Colorado
Sep 14, 2005 - 09:58pm PT
Congrats!! Looks like great rock and really fun climbing!! Looked like lots of free potential, how much do you think will go? I like the 'portable flake'. That's funny!

Timmy
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2005 - 11:34pm PT
Free... it won't go free. The 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 11th and 12th could go free. All with lots of bolts if you don't want to take big falls(100ft+). THe free route on the wall looks quite featured and easy comparitvly. That is saying a lot cause it is 12- and X rated on stuff 11+. ASTA would be better for a free objective than our route.
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 15, 2005 - 12:37am PT
never say never...

did you guys free any of it? Looks like you are aiding some splitter handcracks!
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 15, 2005 - 01:01am PT
Go see for yourself(5th can mean whatever!). But don't forget your free shoes!

This climb is harder and thinner than the Shortest Straw. All the pictures are of the easy pitches. The hard pitches took all day to lead. Lots of the parts in the pictures could go free and some did. I don't have any pics of the tough parts... belayer was asleep or I didn't have the mind to snap a pic.
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 15, 2005 - 02:09am PT
I belive your rating dude, not saying you didn't do hard pitches!

The 5th rating had me wondering. Like did you just not want to rate the free climbing you did, "sharma style" or something?

Just wondering if you free climbed at all in the cold weather, but I guess not...whatever that's cool.

Looks like lots of big features on that face, did you pic a hard line on purpose, or go the easiest way you could find?

Looks awesome I'm totaly jealous.

Final Question...is that a yellow rubber rainsuit you are wearing?
alik

Big Wall climber
edmonton
Sep 15, 2005 - 02:46am PT
This was by far the raddest wall I've done so far. I've got to thank Jake for joining me on this adventure. I couldn't have hoped for a better wall partner. The guy belays all but one or two of my pitches from his harness and never complains once. Meanwhile almost all of my belays involved happily swilling away in my sleeping bag inside the ledge. At one point I didn't leave the ledge for 5 days!(2 day belay+3 day storm). suffering in comfort, ahhhhhhh!

Lambone: We did aid some freeclimbable cracks due to cold and snow. The 5th sections are just places where you'll definetely want free shoes. "mandatory free" sections. They're not too hard, but not too easy either...
The big features on the face have all been climbed, or are really loose. Our line was probably the most natural line left on that part of the face, or at least it would have been if it weren't for the bees... The features we climbed actually appeared much more substantial from the ground, than they really were. What we thought would be hand cracks turned out to be beaks. Offwidths turned out to be finger cracks etc.
And hell yeah that's rubber I'm wearing. I figured it would keep me drier than a gore-tex, since it would be too cold for me to sweat anyways. this seemed to be the case for the most part, although gore-tex would have been fine too since most of the precipitation was snow. Plus, you really can't beat the color!
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 15, 2005 - 02:58am PT
cool, that's weird about the bees. i have never run into or even heard about bees that high in the alpine, especially when it's snowing out. nice job guys!

would you be able to draw a red line up the face where your route goes so we can see it better?
Cloudraker

Trad climber
BC
Sep 15, 2005 - 10:53am PT
We were in the Bugs during the third week of August and saw a little yellow portaledge on the south face of Snowpatch while we were on the summit of Pidgeon. Tried to post a photo of it last night but it didn't work for me. Anyway, nice work! That's a radical line. Spending 18 days up there must have been awesome.
Russ Walling

Social climber
Sep 15, 2005 - 01:10pm PT
And to think that it all started with a pair of 200 pitch gloves.....

Way to go man! Fine set of Photos too!
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 15, 2005 - 02:31pm PT
This is sort-of a loaded question...

Is a bees nest really all the justification one needs to drill bolt ladders up blank faces? Seems like if natural elements shut you down then you try again someother day, not drill your way up the thing.

Sorry, not to ditract from your accomplishment...it does look like an awesome and burly climb. Any mountain ascent with that many bolts just causes a few questions.

Flame on.
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 15, 2005 - 02:33pm PT
HAHAHAHAHA, get this... the gloves finally died, I didn't even bring them on the wall but left one at the base. So we are walking to get the last load and down on the glacier I find my glove all chewed up.

Lambone, I would guess we have the most bolts of any Bugs climb. Personally I couldn't care less about how much we drilled. Most hard climbs in the Bugs will require more holes than ours did, if the rock is anything similar. ASTA has a sh#t load of bat hooks, and may in fact have a higher hole count. I also don't take the mountain/alpine additude with me, I view the wall as a bigwall and nothing more. Like Mt Thor in Baffin has route with close to 300 holes! That is still a mountain/alpine type climb too. But ya we brought a more "yosemite" type style to the Bugs.
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 15, 2005 - 09:00pm PT
my name is Jake not Ty(buldgingpuke).
yo

climber
NOT Fresno
Sep 15, 2005 - 10:26pm PT
Pitches? 200 pitches? Belches, more like.



RIP haaahahahaha!

bulgingpuke

Trad climber
cayucos california
Sep 16, 2005 - 01:10am PT
Jake/alik you got me all jealous damnit!! I didn't go to school today and spent the whole day gathering up le'pins. Got a direct line scoped out, On North Dome in Kings. I will post back with pictures of my successful or more than likley failure trip. sometime in the next two weeks.
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2005 - 02:14am PT
cool ty, how tall is that wall?

funny thing, those pants I got on in the pic of yo's, they saw more than 50 days of use this summer. F*#k in the past 150 days I've probably worn those 90 of them!
Wrathchild

Big Wall climber
Lee NH
Sep 16, 2005 - 07:27am PT
A tip, try to back off on the drilling, and definately don't spray about drilling. Sponsors don't want to become associated with resource destruction. And the big guys don't want pics of you swilling.
Getting sponsored is the fast track to becoming an A-hole.

If those were the same kind of bees I ran into on the the west face of north Howser, they don't sting.
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 16, 2005 - 02:40pm PT
Jake, I am going to pic on you here a little bit...mostly cause I'm just bored at work. You say:

"I also don't take the mountain/alpine additude with me, I view the wall as a bigwall and nothing more. Like Mt Thor in Baffin has route with close to 300 holes! That is still a mountain/alpine type climb too. But ya we brought a more "yosemite" type style to the Bugs."

hhhmmmm...

I'm trying to understand this philosophy but don't quite get it. So, on this climb you didn't take the mtn/alpine attitude with you. Does the "mtn/alpine attitude" have anything to do with the leave no trace ethic in your view? Do you often leave that attitude at home when you go up into the mountains, if so that's too bad.

Second, "'Yosemite' type style" is an interesting concept. In this context I assume you mean something like conqure the mountain with bolts.

I'm no hard ass, and definately not out doing the stuff you are doing, and wish I was...but as an armchair mountaineer, I am most impressed when flipping through Alpinist or some mag and hear about hard climbs going up alpine style with no bolts or very few. That is cool sh#t.

Going up with a huge bag of bolts, avoiding free climbing, averaging 1/2 a pitch per day...well just not as cool. And that's how I think the sponsors will see it.

Anyway, sorry to be negaitive about your climb. Glad you had a fun time up there. Cheers.
the Fet

Trad climber
Loomis, CA
Sep 16, 2005 - 02:56pm PT
Without the bees-nest-ladder about one hole per pitch. Not bad IMO.

To drill up blank (non-living) rock or to destroy a bees nest at altitude that could set the colony back by years. I'd have probably done the same thing. Keep in mind all that drilling sucks to do big time.
yossarian

climber
Sep 16, 2005 - 03:01pm PT
Way to go! Look like you guys had fun. Didn’t seem to long ago I was pulling up the rope on the first pitch of Aberaxas/Golden Arch only to find you forgot to tie in. Looks like you've been busy since.

I now return you to the nitpicking criticisms of armchair mountaineers…
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2005 - 03:12pm PT
avoiding free climbing??? Dude, go and climb the route!
We carried all our trash out, left only rivets and bolts. The Bugaboos have bolts everywhere! The rappel route had chain anchors every 30m, and when we looked around there was bolts all over! I bet there was as many bolts(probably more!) on the Kraus-Mcarthy route as our route has. The Bugaboos are a cragging area in a more alpine enviroment. There is a motherf*#king hut with electricty and running water!

I challenge someone to go and repeat the route in a fast style! I bet you won't get up it in less than 5 days... oh and by then you will have ran out of your good weather window and will be in a Bugaboos storm. Good luck. Oh don't add bolts to the anchors just because you are scared to haul off of the natural gear. When you hit the rappels you will see bolts and fixed pins all over. Those bolts were probably drilled with a power drill too.

Lambone you have been flaming me as long as I've seen your name on the internet. I'm f*#king sick of it! I don't know what you have done that gives you any right to question my abilities and judgement, your aid climbing resume is no where near mine. As you have said to me... either put out or shut up!

Also, maybe I won't post anything about my next adventures. Seems like a bunch of you are flat out idiot lightweights that talk sh#t about something you don't really know about. I'll keep my pictures to myself and only share them with my own friends. Makes sense to me!
bulgingpuke

Trad climber
cayucos california
Sep 16, 2005 - 03:18pm PT
I have drilled before and it's not fun.....If there was EVER a way around this I would take it.
Jake knows his sh#t, Bone, and I KNOW that he wouldnt drill a f*#kin bolt ladder AT ALTITUDE just to have an easy aid pitch.

Bone, you seem to know quite a bit about first ascent ethics,
So know I ask you to list all of YOUR Bigwall FA's here:
~TY~

seamus mcshane

climber
Sep 16, 2005 - 03:36pm PT
Great job on your FA, it looks killer. Nevermind the naysayers they're just bored with their own placid lives. Besides this is a climbing thread, not a political pissing contest.
However, one warning is to avoid sponsorship at all costs (your own) as it is IMHO the fast-track to becoming a prick. Come up with a good written proposal of your objectives (keep them to yourself) and apply for every grant you can. Stay humble and you will go far!!!
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2005 - 03:43pm PT
Ya that is what we are trying to do, I still consider grants sponsorship so that is why I worded it that way. There seem to be plenty of companies that will give you free gear and sh#t and just support the expedition but not call you one of their atheletes.

But honestly most the sponsored people I know seem to be way nicer and more helpful than anyone here. So it's tough for me to believe that it is the track to being an as#@&%e!
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 16, 2005 - 03:49pm PT
whatever dude, chill out. If you can't take questions or critizims about your route then don't post 'em. But I hope you do keep posting them because it's cool stuff to have on this board. There's a long list of people who don't believe bolts have a place in the mountains. In some circumstances I tend to agree...and it doesn't really matter what I have or haven't climbed. I agree with the other poster, the average hole count minus the ladder is pretty low.

keep crankin ya moody bastard. sheesh

I have a freind who just got back from Baffin. Just an average dude, went as the team doctor and got to be apart of a FA of an unclimbed wall. Would be glad to hook you up with him, if it's helpfull to you for info.

I have been friends with a few sponsored climbers, and wouldn't generalize them all as as#@&%es...but it definately can change one's motivation to climb. What i noticed was that climbing for some of them became more about one-upsmanship and impressing/satisfying the sponsors rather then climbing for the love of climbing. If they got shut down on a project it was like much more of an agro-emotional-pissedoff response, rather then whatever-maybe next time we'll have better luck. just my 2 cents.

best of luck to ya, did you talk to the guys at Feathered Friends?
Wrathchild

Big Wall climber
Lee NH
Sep 16, 2005 - 04:01pm PT
Jake,
Do you know XXXX XXXXXXX? You totally remind me of him 10 years ago.
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2005 - 04:11pm PT
what is that supposed to mean wrathchild???
Ben Rumsen

Social climber
No Name City ( and it sure ain't pretty )
Sep 16, 2005 - 04:14pm PT
North Dome in Kings Canyon is way cool fun - let me know where your new route goes!! And nice route in the Bugs bringmedeath - and congratulations!!!
Wrathchild

Big Wall climber
Lee NH
Sep 16, 2005 - 04:40pm PT
We were really good friends, and the sponsor thing got in the way of that. We partied hard, and had great times together. I didn't mean it as a slam, if that's what you're thinking. I'm not trying to bum you, I'm a fan of the attitude you show.

Next time in the Bugs, you should check out the back side of the Howsers, it's sick!

I x'ed his name, because he feeds his family with sponsor $$$ and I don't want to jeopardize that.
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 16, 2005 - 04:51pm PT


and here is another cool realatively new FA thread:
http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/496593/page/0/fpart/1/vc/1

fun stuff to read to satisfy our boring placid lives
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2005 - 04:53pm PT
I can see at his level of support you are forced to climb with other people that have similer support. BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

The Howsers look rad, there look to be really good corners and really natural lines there. I think that was Alik's first plan to go back there but the South Face had very little on it and was super close. If I go back I want to go and try All Along the Watchtower... need to get back in shape to crank hard pitches that far into a climb. Also there was several types of bees up there. Even bumble bees! I can't remember which ones the nest was... I just sorta freaked out. Bringmedeath by bees... no thanks!!!!

edit: We only placed 7 anchor bolts. One anchor is a single bolt with a expando beak, there is runout freeclimbing above.
Wrathchild

Big Wall climber
Lee NH
Sep 16, 2005 - 05:24pm PT
You know, Bee keepers use smoke to calm the bees down, works for me too...

Don't think I'm busting on you, I think we'd get along really well. I just think sponsors are the biggest thing wrong with the whole sport, and wanted to voice that opinion.

FA's are funkin Rad, so don't let any web BS slingers harsh your buzz.

A partner once said to me "we should cherish these times, we won't have the time to do this when we are older." I thought he was nuts, I'd be doing that all my life. WEEELLLLL, things kind of didn't work out as planned. Now I'm in NH, 3000 miles from the valley, and I'm lucky to get an afternoon to myself. And I married a climber.
David

Trad climber
San Rafael, CA
Sep 16, 2005 - 05:56pm PT
For what it's worth, Lambone's questions make this a more interesting thread than it would be if it was just a long list of "Cool pics bra!"


Anyway, nice send.
caughtinside

Social climber
Davis, CA
Sep 16, 2005 - 06:02pm PT
Disagree David.

I thought mr. death did a good job. He was honest about the holes, expressed disappointment about bolting past bees.

A decision was made, halfway up a climb, a ways from the road, at altitude, in challenging conditions on a capsule style FA.

Lambone points to that new route next to Yosemite falls as a shining example. And it is! But it's less than half a mile from a bus stop, and close to a cafeteria and bar! Hard to compare the two.

I enjoyed the TR, pics always make them more interesting. The adventure aspect is more important to me than quibbles over bolt counts. Sounds like a hell of an adventure up there!
David

Trad climber
San Rafael, CA
Sep 16, 2005 - 06:17pm PT
He did a great job but there's nothing wrong with people asking pointed questions and Lambone's questions whether they were valid or not(not for me to decide) actually prompted Mr.Death to tell us a bit more about his cool route that he had left out of the first few paragraphs. That's all I meant.

For example, how else would we have know that one of them was climbing in rubber unless one thought to ask?

Can I ask a question?

Just out of curiosity. How many lead lines do you bring on a trip like that? Looks like the Stratos was holding up well. Did one rope do the job?
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2005 - 06:44pm PT
Ya the rope was all good the whole climb, then it got stuck on the last rappel. Long story but now rope is like 55-60m NOOOOOOOOO! But we had another lead line that we used as a lower out line. Just in case...

One thing about at least a Stratos, when it freezes or starts to, the gri-gri is a major pain in the ass to use!
Wrathchild

Big Wall climber
Lee NH
Sep 16, 2005 - 07:41pm PT
According to the topo, p1 is 70 meters? If that is mandatory, you should list it on the gear list.

The Kain hut is way bitchin', eh.
alik

Big Wall climber
edmonton
Sep 16, 2005 - 08:32pm PT
The first pitch is 70M, but the beginning and end are easy climbing so with some trickery you could do it with a 60, so the 70 isn't really mandatory. The second picture in the original post is the beginning of the first pitch to give you an idea. The second could simul-climb the first few moves in a pinch.
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 18, 2005 - 03:34am PT
thanks David.

I know some loud and rude internet personas that post on other climbing sites who would piss all over this thread if they knew even one bolt had been drilled for the route. of course they are old fat armchair mountainieers...

I was kinda flipping BMD sh#t for the hell of it, not trying to say the bolting was wrong or that i could have done any better. But this is climbing, and after all the high fives and props there is nothing wrong with saying whats with all the bolts and why didn't you free those splitter cracks in the photo? I'm sure Jake is tough enough to take it in stride.

::EDIT::
You know what, f*#k that. now people are calling me out for back peadaling like a wimp. so fine, enough passive agression. I think bolts in the mountains are lame. and don't have much respect for climbers who go up in the mountains with bags of bolts intent on concouring a peak, regardless of how hard their routes are.

Sure I am not doing burly bolted FA's like BMD, so what. When I go to places like the Bugs I carry a light trad rack and enjoy crusing moderate and natural crack systems.

While BMDs pics are pretty and make me jones for the mountains big time, I think the route and how he postures it as being as a hard as or harder len blablahblah on El Cap is ghay. So f*#k off.


Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Sep 18, 2005 - 11:29pm PT
BMD, great trip report and a wonderful effort. The Bugs are a great place to climb, and the remoteness ratchets up the commitment factor pretty high.
And I hope your toes forgive you soon.

Props to you and Alik for the FA!
Watusi

Social climber
Joshua Tree, CA
Sep 19, 2005 - 12:23am PT
Great Stuff!!! Love the route name as well...Pixies!!
ricardo

Gym climber
San Francisco, CA
Sep 19, 2005 - 01:49am PT
nice pics jake -- congrats on the FA ..

how bad is the frostbite? -- post pictures ..
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 19, 2005 - 03:16am PT
"I think bolts in the mountains are lame. "

Wow, that calls a lot of peoples routes lame! I guess Ammon's big route on Keeler is gay and lame. Most of the routes in Trango area are lame, Patagonia flat out lame. You know what lambome, you really don't sound like one bit of a wall climber. What are you, blowing Twight or something?

You are talking sh#t about something you know nothing about, you haven't climbed an aid wall in mountains, you don't climb hard aid. Yet you can tell me that you seem to know how hard my climb is? I call bullshit! El Cap is a 30 minute hike from the road! A rescue is a scream away, the weather in summer is never a problem. Sure the climbing is hard on some of the routes, I only compared the difficulty to give people a comparison of what the aid was like. But of course I should have left that to experts like yourself who have climbing really hard El Cap walls and know what it's all about! Right, please tell me you agree.
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 19, 2005 - 03:34am PT
LOL
funny stuff
no I am not nearly as much of a hard man as you. drill on...
why do you give a sh#t what I think Jake?
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 19, 2005 - 03:42am PT
For the most part I don't... I just have nothing better to do with my time right now. Well I guess I could go to bed but... this is more entertaining.
Ammon

Big Wall climber
Lake Arrowhead
Sep 19, 2005 - 02:26pm PT

"Wow, that calls a lot of peoples routes lame! I guess Ammon's big route on Keeler is gay and lame."

What? How did I get dragged into this? Haa haa haa... I installed one bolt in between 13 pitches of climbing (23 total), some natural belays, one and two bolt belays. Most of it goes free with only a couple of pitches of dicey aid.

Anyway, I think Jake and Alik did a great job, from what I can see from the topo. Awesome pics!!! That is too bad about drilling a bolt ladder because of bees, though. No way to get around them?

Keep up the good climbing Jake and heal well bro.

Cheers-
Hardman Knott

Gym climber
Straight Outta Squamton
Sep 19, 2005 - 02:53pm PT
Wow, this thread has the elements of an all-time ST classic! A depiction of what sounds like a bad-ass FA,
including some (apparently) awesome photos––and a spicy flame-war for good measure.
What could be better than this?

I am really looking forward to finally seeing the pics; hopefully soon.
(I can't bring myself to wait the 13-15 minutes for the pics to download)

Time to get a laptop!
bringmedeath

climber
la la land
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 19, 2005 - 02:59pm PT
HAHAHAHA, I was just putting your name in there because I knew you had drilled in the "mountains". You sinner! HAHAHA

Well, the way we were going with bees was a good option if I wanted to get attacked! The other option would have in the end put us in a bad spot and required a bunch of drill too. I'm sure the other main aid route has an equal high hole count... that is if you count bat hooks, which by the way are drill next to nice head and beak cracks!

I do have one question, how many of you consider this route lame... http://www.rocknclimb.com/topos/GrandVoyage.jpg ??? Personally I think it is one of the raddest walls ever.
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Sep 19, 2005 - 03:07pm PT
hey biigwalling (aka bringmedeath),

I think you are missquoting me a little. I didn't say your route was lame. It looks like a beautifull piece of stone to climb. Nor do I think routes like the "Grand Voyage" are lame. Hell the Grand Voyage has had me in awe since I first saw it in the JM/JL Bigwall book 12 years ago.

However, I did say i think bolts in the mountains (aka alpine wilderness) are generally lame. That's how I feel when i see a bolt in the alpine. Sure maybe some routes like Ammons are worth a few bolts. However, IMHO drilling a ladder to avoid a bees nest is over the top.

Agree or not, I don't care. Not trying to discredit the worthiness or burliness of your awesome wall adventure. Just stating my stance on the bolting issue.

I too hope your feet are healing. Must suck to get Frostbite in August!
Wrathchild

Big Wall climber
Lee NH
Sep 19, 2005 - 07:27pm PT
I got stung by some bees today, my leg feels like it is on fire. A nice slow burn...
I nuked the hive with a gallon of gas. A nice big blaze.
Darnell

Big Wall climber
The climbing void
Oct 8, 2005 - 04:36pm PT
Jake, Alec, congrats on your climb!!

Don't let lameboner ruffle your feathers, he has a long history of tooling climbers online (Erik,PTPP) maybe he has low self esteem due to the size of his man boobs, I don't know.

Don't know what his problem is,but it's not bolts!

Nice send, you guys ARE the future!!

Rich
James

Social climber
My Subconcious
Oct 8, 2005 - 10:54pm PT
bringmedeath...I just want you to know that I wouldn't wish death on anyone espescially you...you seem like a cool guy...I'm just trying to start a bitching party worldwide...get into it...
Huge Balls

Big Wall climber
Darkside of the Moon
Oct 9, 2005 - 12:21pm PT
Hey Lamboner, I think your gay and lame. Why dont you go climb Glacier peak and give us a call to let us know your alright.
Darnell

Big Wall climber
The climbing void
Oct 9, 2005 - 09:07pm PT
Forget about it Jake, It's Chinatown!
Light&Fast!!!

climber
calgary
Oct 9, 2005 - 10:52pm PT
GO FASTER... do it in winter and drytool your way!
Lambone

Ice climber
Ashland, Or
Oct 10, 2005 - 12:56pm PT
"Hey Lamboner, I think your gay and lame."

uh,oh....gay AND lame. sheesh you really hurt my feelings now.

learning from this thread I now carry two cases of beer, and a huge bag of bolts on every climb, just to ensure I can make it to the top!
Huge Balls

Big Wall climber
Darkside of the Moon
Oct 10, 2005 - 09:48pm PT
2 cases? What the hell. How about 44 24oZ OE cans and enough bits to drill your way to the top!!
scotty vincik

climber
up north, these days
Oct 12, 2006 - 05:49pm PT
Cool photos, write up Jake. Maybe you should've brought along socks or something, huh? Watch out for large insects in the cracks. Hope to climb with you again, I'm in AK. Kitchatnas? Yo, Alik.
scotty
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Feb 5, 2015 - 10:51am PT
BBST.

The pics are so dang good on the OP.

See for yourselves.
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