Trip Report
Spire 4
Sunday October 24, 2010 11:46pm
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Credit: mike m
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Cathedral Spires
Cathedral Spires
Credit: mike m
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I am showing my son how to post a TR. We will work on it for the next couple of days.
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Gill arrow
Gill arrow
Credit: mike m
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We went to far up the wrong way, but we still stopped to look at the Gill arrow.
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Credit: mike m
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This is where we found the Gill arrow at the S.W.buttress.
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Freaks foot
Freaks foot
Credit: mike m
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I saw the Freaks foot for the first time hiking to the base of spire four.
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This is the biggist slab i have ever seen!
This is the biggist slab i have ever seen!
Credit: mike m
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Time for bed. I just got home from school and now I will write some more.
After we walked by a huge slab we started climbing. It is very easy at first.
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Credit: mike m
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Credit: mike m
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We roped up by some giant crystals.
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Credit: mike m
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The first pitch was hard even though it is only 5.4.
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Credit: mike m
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We could see the parking lot because we were so high.
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Credit: mike m
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This was right before a 3 and a half foot step across. It was too long for me to reach the other side so I jumped and fell. It was then easy to the top. It was scary and I did not want to stand up.
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Credit: mike m
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I signed the notebook at the top.
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Credit: mike m
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Credit: mike m
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I did my first rappel on the last rappel with my dad backing me up.

  Trip Report Views: 19,432
mike m
About the Author
mike m is a trad climber from black hills.

Comments
onarunning

Trad climber
Duluth, MN
  Oct 24, 2010 - 11:56pm PT
I've gotten lost twice trying to find this climb. Next time I'm in the area!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Oct 25, 2010 - 12:29am PT
what's the story on the arrow?
2 l l

Sport climber
Rancho Verga, CA
  Oct 25, 2010 - 03:10am PT
what's the story on the arrow?
Oli will tell you.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 26, 2010 - 08:21pm PT
We finished up today with Jack typing and writing the first half and him having me type the second half as he lost a little steam. He did tell the whole story though. Also Jack says a Gill arrow is a mark that that John Gill put on his climbs a long time ago.
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
  Oct 26, 2010 - 08:28pm PT
Great stuff Jack!

Must have been wild missing the jump across! YIKES! Good on you for finishing it up. Looks like a great day out, hope to see more from you two!

Cheers!
Tom
scuffy b

climber
heading slowly NNW
  Oct 26, 2010 - 08:30pm PT
Spire 4 looks pretty cool.
Thanks for the story.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Outside the Asylum
  Oct 26, 2010 - 08:30pm PT
Wow! Sure wish I could have done stuff like that when I was in school.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 26, 2010 - 09:17pm PT
Hi Tom this is Jack I remeber the climbing comp in Butte.
Me and my dad stayed a while longer and my favorite one was Hidden honeycomb. Thanks for reading my story.
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
  Oct 26, 2010 - 09:23pm PT
I remember you at the comp too Jack...it was cool you and your dad came out for it.

Hidden Honeycomb is a fun one...nice picture of it! I'm always keeping an eye out for more faces like that.
goatboy smellz

climber
Gulf Breeze
  Oct 26, 2010 - 09:25pm PT
Nice report Jack!
Keep up the good work.
J. Werlin

Social climber
Cedaredge, CO
  Oct 26, 2010 - 09:31pm PT
Thanks for the excellent TR. Keep climbing!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 27, 2010 - 09:57am PT
Bump for my 9 year old's TR
Lithuanian

Trad climber
Reno
  Oct 27, 2010 - 10:21am PT
Growing future Super Taco Supreme in action. Good Job!
Zander

climber
  Oct 27, 2010 - 11:30am PT
Oh yeah!
Thanks for the trip report and pics.
And yes, 5.4 can be plenty scary.
Zander
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Oct 27, 2010 - 11:37am PT
Excellent! Way to get the n00b out there for some real adventure!
johnboy

Trad climber
Can't get here from there
  Oct 27, 2010 - 11:43am PT
Thanks for the TR Jack. Good job, hope you get to get out with your dad on some more climbs and report on them too.


Mike, to bad about the forest up there. Makes me cry.
Knave

Trad climber
Napa
  Oct 27, 2010 - 11:48am PT
Heartening story young man keep the stoke, and what a cool Dad you have. Best TR I've read in a while.
KlimbIn

climber
Sandstonia
  Oct 27, 2010 - 12:02pm PT
Excellent trip report -- thank you.
I remember waking up several nights in a row after jumping a chasm; good job for taking the leap.
Keep climbing and writing.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Oct 27, 2010 - 01:18pm PT
Way to go Jack! Great Trip report. You are a great writer and many mountain tops await you! Oh the places you go! (Have you read that book? If not, you should.) Its by a famous Doctor. I forget his name but I think it rhymes with Zeus. Thanks for sharing with us.
OlympicMtnBoy

climber
Seattle
  Oct 27, 2010 - 01:22pm PT
Cool, that looks like a fun outing and a great place for some "firsts" for you!
dirt claud

Social climber
san diego,ca
  Oct 27, 2010 - 01:25pm PT
Looks like you and your pops had a great time out there, thanks for the TR and picks.
jogill

climber
Colorado
  Oct 27, 2010 - 09:53pm PT
Amazing that arrow is still there. My problem on the Flying Buttress, perhaps?
Andy Busse

Social climber
SD
  Oct 27, 2010 - 11:48pm PT
Nice work boys. Come down south for a photo for the new book this week?
ab
Fritz

Social climber
Choss Creek, ID
  Oct 28, 2010 - 12:00am PT
Jack: Dude! You and your dad sound like a great team! Best wishes and climb safe.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Oct 28, 2010 - 12:16am PT
Very, very Cool, Jack! I wasn't that many years older than you, when I climbed spire 4, and I share your enthusiasm!

Get your lazy dad to have you take him up devil's tower! You'll love it, I promise!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 30, 2010 - 02:45pm PT
hey John,yeah that is the flying buttress.
Roxy

Trad climber
CA Central Coast
  Oct 30, 2010 - 02:55pm PT
great TR there Jack, thanks for sharing man.

I like reading about far away places. Climb on!
wendy borgerd

Trad climber
Boise
  Nov 3, 2010 - 12:11pm PT
Jack, I loved your trip report. It is nice for us older climbers to be reminded there is cool stuff to notice like crystals and the parking lot fom up high. That's what its all about. And having a great partner! More reports! :)..
the Fet

climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
  Nov 3, 2010 - 06:54pm PT
Great stuff. I missed this the first time around, I'm glad it was on the SuperTopo newsletter.
rgold

Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
  Nov 3, 2010 - 09:32pm PT
John did have an arrow on the Flying Buttress. In Mike M's picture, it is the slab or ridge at the left. John's problem went up the face just left of the edge, so it might be in the picture, or else is just out of view to the left.

As I recall, the problem went up to a piton that John placed from a somewhat tenuous stance, just like his problems on the North Face of the Incisor.
fiddler

Trad climber
North Reading, MA
  Nov 3, 2010 - 10:13pm PT
Gorgeous trip report, that reminds me of the delightful thought technically modest trad climbs we did in the '60s. I remember fondly an afternoon with my ten-year-old son on Casa Emilio in the Gunks, circa 1994. (Rockclimbing.com comments that it's a sandbag at 5.3, and my son would undoubtedly agree!) Today he seems to prefer beaches, though my daughter's a pretty good climber who loves Tahquitz, Suicide, Joshua. Congratulations, Jack!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 4, 2010 - 12:51am PT
This is Jack's dad and I think you can see the arrow in this picture. It is just right of the the small rock sticking up at the bottom of the picture and just left of the seam. There are still at least a few of these that have held up well over the years. Always on the steep stuff. Also I had not done that route in ten years and it is certainly a stiff 5.4. I bet there are many areas that will never have a 5.4. Jack had done an 8 and an 8+ at Devils Tower the week before and did not have any problems. Old school Needles grades are hard. I am sure I can do 5.5 or 5.6 at some other areas.You have to chimney out of the chimney on his right past a couple of chockstones. There are some long reaches after stemming to huge crystals that he had to do several extra moves to get to. He wanted to stop but after keeping the rope tight and a couple of hangs he relaxed and climbed the rest. We did about 5 roped pitches with two of those being on the approach where there is a 5th class move for a four footer and then a lot of low angle rock to get to the regular first pitch.We did 3 30 meter rapels with him doing his first rapel on the last one with a antoher rope for back up. I am looking forward to doing a lot more of these with him but we may have to step it down to a 5.2.


Edit: When I saved this post the top picture has the edges cut off and you can not see it. You definately can see it in the origional picture.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Nov 7, 2010 - 11:06am PT
A great family outing!
thanks!
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Nov 7, 2010 - 11:11am PT
Serious Rope gun in training.
Diggin' it, in a BIG way. Thanks.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Mar 26, 2011 - 04:27pm PT
jack here, i did some backcountry skiing and ice climbing this winter might try for the top of devils tower this summer.
dfinnecy

Social climber
'stralia
  Mar 26, 2011 - 07:16pm PT
Hi Jack and Mike, Thanks for your reports!
This is just so stinkin cool. I can't wait until my boy is old enough so I can take him out for some adventures like you guys have. (a few years to go)
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Mar 31, 2011 - 05:19pm PT
Go for it (Deto) Jack, you'll love it!

My daughter, niece and nephew all did!
mctwisted

Trad climber
e.p.
  Mar 26, 2011 - 07:21pm PT
awesome dudes, you guys rock!!!
FeelioBabar

Trad climber
One drink ahead of my past.
  Mar 26, 2011 - 08:49pm PT
way cool...thanks for sharing.
hoipolloi

climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
  Mar 27, 2011 - 01:56pm PT
awesome. Jack, did you rope gun the whole route?


Best TR I have seen in a while.


Pictures and a careful selection of words.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Mar 27, 2011 - 03:51pm PT
No, my dad led, and I belayed
Dirka

Trad climber
Hustle City
  Mar 27, 2011 - 04:23pm PT
Solid TR!
BriGuy

climber
black hills, south dakota
  Mar 31, 2011 - 05:17pm PT
Nice work! Spire 4 is a great summit and looks like you guys had a wonderful time.

Spire 1 better be on your list if you have not done it already. Spectacular climb!

Cheers and and a great TR!!!
TKingsbury

Trad climber
MT
  Mar 31, 2011 - 05:28pm PT
Nice Jack!

Good to see you're getting out!

Tom
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Apr 16, 2011 - 10:35pm PT
bump to the top of the list for my tr

Jack m.
rockermike

Trad climber
Berkeley
  Apr 16, 2011 - 10:59pm PT
OK Jack,
Very nice TR. You must be the youngest poster on Supertopo. Now you'll have to ask your dad to teach you the arts of trolling and starting controversial threads about God, evolution and nuclear energy. lol

thanks for the great TR
Mighty Hiker

climber
Outside the Asylum
  Apr 16, 2011 - 11:00pm PT
jogill: Amazing that arrow is still there. My problem on the Flying Buttress, perhaps?

More, please! That's not nearly enough for a curious eight year old. If you can't remember exactly, be creative.
johntp

Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
  Apr 17, 2011 - 07:50pm PT
Too Cool!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jul 16, 2011 - 02:17pm PT
hi
jogill

climber
Colorado
  Jul 16, 2011 - 04:41pm PT
Hi Mike and Jack. The needles are really something, aren't they? The history of climbing there goes back at least to the 1930s. One time I was climbing a spire in the 1950s (can't recall which one) and I pulled out an ancient, rusted and pitted long piton, which I treasured for years, until it disappeared. Probably was placed by Fritz Wiessner, maybe in the 1930s. It looked it.

Happy climbing!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jul 22, 2011 - 12:46am PT
jump to the top of the list for my TR, Jack.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jul 22, 2011 - 12:55am PT
John, this is Jack's dad. Where does the route indicated by the arrow on the Flying Buttress go. Did you do a boulder problem on the seam and then down climb, or did it go all of the way up the route. Did you ever put arrows on roped climbs?

Speaking of finding cool things in the Needles. My first climb in the Cathedral Spires I went to do Spire 4. All we had was the poor man's guide and the beta in the book said climb the highest spire basically. We walked into the meadow below the spires and from there Khayyam of course looks the biggest. So that is what we climbed. We were surprised to see that it obviously wasn't the highest and could not prononce the name of the spire or the first ascentionist. A lady in the shop told us about Wiessner and that route on Khayyam(I believe the route we did is part of the Wild Man Traverse) continues to be one of my favorites. 300 feet of great crack climbing. I will keep my eye out for one of those old pitons I might know where one is. Hope you are doing well. Mike
The list of First ascentioist of routes on Khayyam spire is quite impressive for such a small objective. They include Fritz Wiessner, Bill House, Lawrence Covney, Fred Beckey, Bob Kamps, Mark Powell, the Conns, Jim Kanzler, Paul Piana, and Bob Archbold, among others.

jogill

climber
Colorado
  Jul 22, 2011 - 01:38pm PT
I did the boulder problem first pitch of the FB route, then a few days later brought Pete Cleveland over to squirm up the chimneys above since he thought he would like to finish the route doing the grunt stuff. I stayed on the ground watching and ate a tuna sandwich.

I may have put a few arrows on one-pitch climbs, but I don't remember.
Prod

Trad climber
  Jul 30, 2011 - 02:00pm PT
Fun TR. What is a freaks foot?

Prod.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Aug 17, 2011 - 11:45pm PT
A freaks foot is a big rock that looks like
It has a lot of toes
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Aug 18, 2011 - 02:08am PT
Took the family to the tower where I put jack on the start of the bowling alley to start to get used to the wide that it will take to get up the tower. Ruby wanted no part.
John Moosie

climber
Beautiful California
  Aug 18, 2011 - 10:20pm PT
Bump to see what happens..
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Aug 19, 2011 - 02:22pm PT
I see I missed some excellent add-ons later!!

Nice work Mike M!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 2, 2011 - 03:22pm PT
after bumping up enough stuff over the last week to give myself carpal tunal(spelling?) I thought I would bump up my son's TR. Planned to take him up Devils Tower this fall with my brother but he couldn't get out of Colorado due to work. Jack is fairly short so I think he would sruggle a little with the exposed stemming on Durrance. Anybody got any suggestions for a good alternate summit route for someone 4'5". I was pssoibly thinking solar, (not fun hanging belay) or Walt. He has pretty good hand crack technique.

YoungGun

climber
North
  Nov 2, 2011 - 03:52pm PT
Nice job bumping the TRs. I enjoyed some of the ones you bumped as well. It helps water down the political nonsense that tends to fill up the first page. Good work!

Bump for Jack and Mike!!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 2, 2011 - 04:33pm PT
He would love to show me video games but I don't want to waste my time staring into a screen doing nothing, just sitting there like a bump on a log. Opps kinda like ST
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 09:48pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 09:54pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 09:58pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:04pm PT
Slater

Trad climber
Central Coast
  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:02pm PT
Way to go Jack, you did a great job!
We'll be expecting big things from you in the future :)
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:07pm PT
a proper trip report!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:09pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:12pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:14pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:16pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:20pm PT
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 11, 2011 - 10:24pm PT
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
  Nov 12, 2011 - 03:55am PT
Nice work Jack! Cool kid Mike.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 21, 2011 - 09:46am PT
Took Jack out for an early season run up Bridaveil last night. He got his first taste of the screaming barfies.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 25, 2011 - 07:12pm PT
Took Jack out to Spearfish Canyon where he did a route named after his grandfather. We went to boulder in the Maze with his gradparents today where it was around 60+ degress. He climbed a really nice little corner and is getting stroger by the day. He maybe even scared me a little for the first instead of him getting scared and coming down. I guess you should watch what you ask for. But it was a great Thanksgiving.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 12, 2013 - 10:32am PT
Happy birthday Jack! Twelve years ago my life got a whole lot better. Dad
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Feb 12, 2013 - 02:24pm PT
Love the whole thread, thank you for posting
matty

Trad climber
Sad the forum is gone =(
  Feb 12, 2013 - 02:39pm PT
Missed this the first time...great stuff...made my day ;)
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
  Feb 12, 2013 - 04:23pm PT
Very very cool! TFPU!
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
  Feb 12, 2013 - 04:29pm PT
What a wonderful thread!

John
TrundleBum

Trad climber
Las Vegas
  Feb 12, 2013 - 04:40pm PT

Parent child bonding doesn't get any better (not any!!!)


bumpity bump ;)
brotherbbock

climber
So-Cal
  Feb 12, 2013 - 05:25pm PT
Awesome. As a soon to be Dad, this pumps me up.
jogill

climber
Colorado
  Feb 12, 2013 - 07:56pm PT

Here's my bouldering start to Flying Buttress ca 1967


;>)
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 12, 2013 - 08:47pm PT
John, that is an awesome picture. I have walked by that problem so many times and have never seen someone on it. Did you down climb after doing the problem? It is another 100 ft to the top from there. Most of your problems I can not get off the ground on, but I always thought I could make a few moves on this one. Sounds like good TR possibility. Also I think you would be sad to see the state of the forest up there right now. Almost all of the large tress have been cut up. It ollks like a different place. Another vectom of the beatles. This is Mike btw.
limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
  Feb 12, 2013 - 09:59pm PT
Aaaaaaaaand... Awesome. I'm right there with brotherbock, my first kid (son) is due May 20th and I'm looking forward to times like you guys had!

Good job doing what dads should do, and I hope your son is enjoying it!
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Feb 12, 2013 - 10:04pm PT
Happy Birthday Jack!!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 24, 2013 - 06:23pm PT
Jack raised $350 today for special olympics by doing the polar plunge
hobo_dan

Social climber
Minnesota
  Feb 24, 2013 - 07:59pm PT
That Municipal pool in Deadwood looks familiar.
Great posts
HD
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Mar 16, 2013 - 10:57am PT
Jack on his first lead.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Mar 21, 2013 - 10:27pm PT
I helped Jack put up his first new route Sunday one day after his first Spearfish Canyon but we had a lot of fun doing it. Weather was crap, on and off snow all day, but we never got cold.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jun 1, 2013 - 11:17am PT
I was checking through our pictures a couple nights ago and found these sweet pictures of me on this moderately overhanging, totally splitter, 10 foot crack. I got FA, Dad got the second. It was just a wee bit wider than my hands, but not quite an offwidth for me, so it wasn't that easy. Definetaly was hardest problem I had done at the time. we found the problem in a place called Grace Basin down by Hermosa. Named it Jack's Crack, but looking at it, I think it should be Little Indian Creek.
Johnny K.

climber
  Jul 16, 2013 - 07:01pm PT
up :)
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Sep 22, 2013 - 10:11pm PT
Jack followed the 10a First Pitch of Tulgey Wood today and then led the 5.6 first pitch of Mr. Clean placing a 6 down to a .75 Camalot looked super smooth. Not much longer now and I won't have to lead anymore.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 24, 2013 - 08:29pm PT
Did Bonn Homme Variation today. Jack got a little spanked on the wide.
thebravecowboy

climber
The Good Places
  Nov 24, 2013 - 08:37pm PT
what fun! you are a great father, mike!

so jealous of your dry weather!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 12, 2014 - 05:51pm PT
Here are a couple of photos of Jack's first ice lead. He styled it putting 3 screws in the fat 100 foot WI3. He has followed most of the classic flows in the Black Hills and has soloed some approach ice and led this route. Might be time to goto Cody.Happy Birthday Jack!
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Feb 12, 2014 - 05:55pm PT
Awesom!
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Feb 14, 2014 - 08:58am PT
Needles bump
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  May 27, 2014 - 09:50pm PT
Jack dropping into the Rock Creek Headwall on Beartooth Pass yesterday. This is some of the most continuously steep skiing I have done, which isn't saying much but pretty good for 13 year old.
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
  May 27, 2014 - 11:29pm PT
So sick Mike and Jack!! You guys rule!
HighTraverse

Trad climber
Bay Area
  May 27, 2014 - 11:41pm PT
You go Jack!!
You too Mike
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  May 28, 2014 - 12:23am PT
Not only is Jack badass, he's a great kid, too.
Hi you guys. Woot!
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
  May 28, 2014 - 12:27am PT
I think it's high time Mini Me starts growing his beard.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  May 28, 2014 - 12:47am PT
Doing my best to put some hair on his chest/chin but it just doesn't seem to be taking. Actually he is putting hair on my chest not that I need anymore.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  May 28, 2014 - 01:27am PT
quite nice
dkny

Trad climber
Boston, MA
  May 28, 2014 - 01:34am PT
Great post Jack! TFPU
Charlie D.

Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
  May 28, 2014 - 08:20am PT
Great thread, Jack you are a lucky kid!!! Loved seeing the Rock Springs Head Wall shot, skied it a couple years ago with my son on Father's Day when he was living in Red Lodge.......heading back up to Montana this Father's Day for a visit with both my boys and this time I'll see my grand son!!!
martygarrison

Trad climber
Washington DC
  May 28, 2014 - 09:52am PT
Really fun TR. Thanks!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  May 28, 2014 - 11:42am PT
Charlie D. take your skis. Everyone up there is saying it is an epic year. We saw some guy from AK sking off the headwall with a todler on his back.
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
  May 28, 2014 - 11:50am PT
Always have loved this thread and the fact that you (both) keep adding to it. Badass cool bump!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jun 22, 2014 - 11:50am PT
Downloaded pictures off of Jack's camera and found a couple of good shots of us in Cody in March this year. I think the first one is Broken Hearts and the second two on Bozos Revenge. Can't wait for it to get cold again. Might even find some cold next week.

Maybe Jack can drive.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Aug 16, 2014 - 08:32pm PT
Larry Nelson

Social climber
  Aug 17, 2014 - 07:17am PT
This thread keeps getting better. Great adventure, great parenting, great inspiration. There is hope for the future!!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Sep 7, 2014 - 07:40pm PT
I was supper impressed with Jack yesterday as he and I put up a 400ft crack route 2.5 miles into the Black Elk Wilderness. We first threw everything together afterschool Friday night and ran down to the Rushmore area where we hurriedly biked up to the edge of the wilderness to try to put in a bolt that I thought we were going to need. It turned out I felt the original first pitch I wanted to do did not look so good so we left the bolt kit and planned to do a different first pitch first thing in the morning. We then packed up a double rack to a 4 and a 5 and 6 and hiked up to Elkhorn this time parking on the road closer to the formation and bush whacking up through terrible prickly-head-high weeds and tall grass that covers debris left from try to clean up the bug kill trees that are rampant in the area.

I knew he was a little nervous as he was a little grumpy with me in the morning and we were fighting over something stupid, but after hiking for about a half hour we both calmed down and got in a better mood. I had been looking at this route for about a decade so had scoped it out as well as I could from below, but had not given it a shot for many reasons including lack of interested partners. I guess if you can't find partners you can grow your own. The first pitch we eventually chose looked to be quite nasty with a lot of moss and vegetation in a long chimney. If you were 13 would you want to head into this? I actually found this pitch to be quite pleasant as you were able to protect it quite nicely(which I did in copious amounts) with a nice crack on the right. I used that crack and nice face holds on the outside of the chimney on the left to avoid a lot of the nastiness.

After ending the pitch on a nice ledge we could see the rock was impeccable for the rest of the way with a splitter crack that I had been eyeing for over a decade. I thought it would only be about one pitch but after a 110ft of hands to offwidth crack we hit a ledge and I could see I was not going to make it to the top with the rope I had left so we set up another belay with another section of great crack looking us in the face.
This pitch looked a lot harder than the low angle crack I thought it would be from scoping from the ground and pictures. We had a 4 and a three in for a belay and I started off walking the 6 for about 20ft. It then closed down for to make a nice hand crack on steep rock without the all too common jugs on the outside of the crack that make a lot of Needles cracks easier than they look. After about 60ft of crack it landed me on a ledge with a 30ft heinously steep offwidth and what looked to be a couple of easier options on either side. I decided to go for the plumb line to finish it to the top thinking Jack might have a hard time with it, but what a way to end a great day.

I struggled through it placing the six and a three and a half until I could grab the finishing jugs. Now it was Jack's turn and he quickly dispensed the first part of the pitch and got to the ledge at the start of the offwidth I pulled up his shoes and a couple of the big cams on a loop of rope so he could give it a good go with out getting stuff caught in the crack. He hesitated a couple of times but fired it straight up the crack without using a stem way out left that I had used to make it easier. The look of pride in his face as he latched the final jug was priceless and we both felt a sense of relief.
We then had to figure out how to get down and we knew the backside was shorter but had not checked it out. We only brought one rope to save weight on the hike as I thought there was a chance we could 3rd class off the back. We ended up being about 150ft off the deck so we climbed across the ridge for about 100ft to where the ground was closer. We had brought the bolt kit, but after climbing in the shade all day we were burning up in the 70 degree heat and searing sunshine on the top so we did not want to spend the hour plus it would take to drill two bolts in the completely stellar stone. We ended up finding a big block that we rapped the rope around to do a needles style rappel which got us on the ground. From there we had an awful time getting down to our stuff as it turned out we chose to go down a hanging valley. After some dicey down climbing and a short rappel for Jack we finally got down to the ground. We called the route Chipmunk Stampede after all of the chipmunks that were scurrying everywhere while riding our bikes up to the route on the first night.

On a couple of other notes this is one of the longer continuous crack systems I know of in the Needles. And the upper half is of the best quality rock. Splitter cracks are hard to come by in the Needles especially ones that go the length of the whole formation let alone ones that are 400ft long. The route was done ground up and onsite with no fixed gear.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 1, 2014 - 08:56pm PT
Jack cleaned Walt Bailey and led the first pitch of El Matador today.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 16, 2015 - 08:58pm PT
Had a great weekend in Bozeman. Jack turned 14 Thursday and bought some new ice tools from money he had saved and a little bit from mom and dad. He put them to use leading Lower Green Sleeves and the super fun 180ft long Hangover in periodic dumping snow. It has been really cool watching him mature to the point where this weekend we were swapping leads.

Lower Green Sleeves Hangover
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Mar 1, 2015 - 06:24pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]After getting back from the south fork this afternoon I took Jack up in Spearfish Canyon where he put the rope up for his dad.
johntp

Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
  Mar 1, 2015 - 06:51pm PT
Missed this until now. Nice Jack!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Mar 15, 2015 - 07:50pm PT
Jack finishing up the first pitch of California Ice.
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  Mar 15, 2015 - 08:22pm PT
Shake the Tools at the howling winds,
Curchunk Curchunk , thunk thunk Curchunk Curchunk
Keep tearing it up!!
CoolRead! Inspire the next generation !
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  May 13, 2015 - 08:35pm PT
[Click to View YouTube Video]Jack sending the Dean's List. By far his hardest lead by two number grades, but it was only a pinkpoint.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jun 21, 2015 - 08:12pm PT
Jack did an awesome job doing his first lead in the Cathedral Spires. He did Grandma in the Picket Fence area. No one had signed the register in 4 years. Every piece was placed very nicely and did a great job managing the rope as the route did a couple of major 90 degree turns.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Aug 19, 2015 - 08:51am PT
Jack is leading more and more. He lead vershnedung in Eldo a week ago. All placements were solid and no rope drag.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jan 22, 2016 - 07:49pm PT
Jack got a nice lead in last night in Clear Creek
Larry Nelson

Social climber
  Jan 23, 2016 - 08:47pm PT
I just love this TR that has turned into a great thread and a life's journey.
Good on both of you.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 12, 2016 - 08:09pm PT
jack got ins couple of good leads on camp bird rd on his 15th dirthday
jgill

Boulder climber
The high prairie of southern Colorado
  Feb 12, 2016 - 08:16pm PT
What a great article. A young man's journey to accomplished climber. Keep it up!
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Feb 13, 2016 - 09:12am PT
Happy birthday Jack!

Flashback to Nemo So Dakota, '11

How old was anyone reading this when they started exploring invert techniques?
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 15, 2016 - 05:24pm PT
Thanks for the nice comments John and Jay. Here are a couple more shots from his birthday weekend. Jack soloing the first pitch and leading the last pitch of Avocado GulleyLeading on Senator's Gultch.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 19, 2017 - 10:18pm PT
despite not climbing much the last couple of years Jack was determined to lead Walt Bailey a routewe had done several times and he had tried to lead as an 13 year old. That trip didn't work out so great as he got up the initial 35 feet of 5.7 flake but balked at the 150 of splitter 5.9 old school to go. This time how ever he was ready and he fired out the pitch puttting in as few of pieces as I ever have. I was so impressed that he held it together for such a long, demanding, and sustained pitch. It was his first time leading a route that summits and it was nice to just draft for the day.
jgill

Boulder climber
The high prairie of southern Colorado
  Feb 19, 2017 - 10:06pm PT
This is an exceptional thread. Keep goin' you two!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Mar 18, 2017 - 05:56pm PT
Jack came out of retirement and has started to do a bunch of classic leads around boulder. Today he did empor on cob rock and last week he did the first pitch of calypsoboth have slippery spicey starts to very solid climbing for the grade.
i-b-goB

Big Wall climber
Nutty
  Mar 18, 2017 - 06:52pm PT
A beautiful thing!
flatlandermcjack

Trad climber
Colorado
  May 8, 2017 - 08:41am PT
hobo_dan

Social climber
Minnesota
  May 9, 2017 - 04:26pm PT
Team a go-go!
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  May 9, 2017 - 05:04pm PT
Note sure how I managed to miss this every time it got bumped over the years. Pretty cool! That place looks wild.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  May 10, 2017 - 01:15pm PT
Jack is getting all grown up. Probably climbs harder than me now just don't tell him that. Here he is onsighting incredible hand crack at the creek a month ago. He really did a great job leading 5.10 trad for the first time. He cruised it and several of his friends who climb 5.13 sport had a hard time getting to the chains on TR. I guess it just depends what you are good at as he has a hard time with 5.10 sport.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jul 16, 2017 - 03:59pm PT
Jack and I got up a little before 2am to try to get the Petit Grepon done on a Saturday morning during prime time in RMNP. It was crazy busy but it was a beautiful day and we summited much much later than planned. Jack ended up leading all of the hard pitches and did a great job. Some of the more serious climbing he has lead. All his gear, rope management, and anchors looked great. I did not feel good for most of the day which was compounded by having to wait up to an hour at some belays due to the conga line but felt better by the last pitch. We rapped without incident but Jack must have caught what I had on the walk out as he kind of bonked. All in all it was a great outing and I was very impressed by his ability to too hold it together on some of the climbing that has less than perfect gear.
Daphne

Trad climber
Northern California
  Jul 22, 2017 - 10:03pm PT
What a great thread, which I have just now (7/2017) found out about, from Jaybro.

I'm planning a trip with Jaybro to this area, South Dakota (I never thought I would see the state, much less climb in it) and Wyoming. This thread is a travelogue (in more ways than one) and since I don't climb hard, no doubt I will be doing a lot of these climbs :)

Mike, will you and Jack be at the Eclipse Sushifest? It would be great to meet you both.
MikeL

Social climber
Southern Arizona
  Jul 23, 2017 - 08:16am PT
Impressive. First time I've seen this thread. It's wonderful to see the progression of thought, feelings, and experiences.

Age and aging are so humbling. When you're young, you're immortal. And then, . . . .

TFPU.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jul 24, 2017 - 07:18pm PT
Probably won't make it to the sushi fest. It is in Casper? Fremont is a very cool place. We live just outside of boulder now and it is pretty busy at CU at that time of year. Would love to get to the Laramie range possibly during the eclipse but we will see. Thanks for the kind words.
Daphne

Trad climber
Northern California
  Jul 25, 2017 - 10:44pm PT
Hey Mike, sushifest is at Fremont Canyon, we are hitting Casper for the eclipse and then taking off east. Sending good vibes your way! I know you know how to reach us if you are around SD or Deto.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jul 27, 2017 - 03:18pm PT
Daphne, I wish I could but will be in CO. May try to make it to the needles for labor day.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Sep 18, 2017 - 06:31pm PT
Super proud of Jack and his friend Max who went in to sky pond last night and styled the Petite today. Not too bad for two 16 year olds. Also super appreciative of a kid who took my rack and lost my best two in-route somewhere and talked to his mom and transferred $80 out of his account to get me a new one before he got home. He did not have to do that but I am very appreciative.
L

climber
Just livin' the dream
  Sep 19, 2017 - 09:39pm PT
OMG!
I sooooooo loved this TR!

Thanks for bumping it, and thanks Mike & Son for sharing it.
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Sep 26, 2017 - 03:01pm PT
Rad TR that just continues to keep sharing. Someday, Jack and his son will add to this thread......
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 22, 2017 - 06:55pm PT
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
  Oct 23, 2017 - 03:24am PT
What’s that last one mike?
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Oct 23, 2017 - 06:40am PT
way to be!
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
  Oct 23, 2017 - 07:15am PT
Great thread....an ongoing documentatiin of Jack growing up and getting it done. Not many kids have dads like you!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 23, 2017 - 08:50am PT
Jaybro, this is some 5.7 by Buffalo Creek in the South Platte. It was actually really steep and felt like pretty solid old school 5.8or9 or possibly easy 10 in the creek. Jack floated up it only placing 3 pieces in 50ft. Thanks for the complements, but my nice and nephews all have parents like that. We took them up quite the adventurous approach through the sharpest sticker bushes my older brother could find(just kidding). Then all the cousins got their turn at what has to be a soul crushing offwidth to them. We will have these kids shaped up for the black in no time. Jim it was good to see your wife last week. Are you guys still around. I would still love to get down to the black with you sometime. I have two three day weekends coming up.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
  Nov 10, 2017 - 03:56pm PT
What a unique thread: a real time capsule!
Keep it going flatlandermcjack !!!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Nov 13, 2017 - 09:03am PT
Jack on the sharp end at Lincoln on Saturday morning.
flatlandermcjack

Trad climber
Colorado
  Dec 6, 2017 - 08:18am PT
Got up to hyalite a couple weeks ago and climbed the dribbles
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Dec 7, 2017 - 03:34pm PT
Sweet!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jan 1, 2018 - 06:30pm PT
we have been in Silverton for a few days. Conditions are really nice.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Jan 2, 2018 - 04:15pm PT
WOW! totally amazeing start to finish!Hope to climb with you guys next summer if we make it out west...
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jan 3, 2018 - 01:49pm PT
A few photos off my camera from the trip.Jack leading the first pitch of the Campground Couloir on the 30th. On New Years Eve we went up to Eureka. Me doing Highway to Hell. Jack doing Road to Nowhere.Jack rapping off Road to Nowhere and Highway to Hell is on the right. Figured we should do both after soloing 500 feet of rolling ice to get there. On New years day we were moving a little slow after attending festivities in Ouray and Silverton. So we did a cool long rolling route called Moe next to Fat City.On the last day we did a TR lap in the Ice Park then headed for home. Had to hit Penny Hot Springs and Pitkin Falls in the dark in Vail on the way home.
TLloyd-Davies

Trad climber
Santa Clara, ca
  Jan 4, 2018 - 07:25pm PT
No way! I just read through this whole thread then realized we met you guys in Hyalite Canyon, you were climbing with Chad! How cool to see this whole history
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jan 4, 2018 - 08:44pm PT
TLoyd were you the two we climbed with on Dribbles?
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Feb 25, 2018 - 06:58am PT
Jack and I got to Vail yesterday where he tried to lead the Spiral Staircase. He started out well but the picked out nature of the ice made it hard to find good screw placements. It was only about 10 degrees, windy, with a lot of snow blowing around. I think he learned some good lessons today as he had to down climb from his last screw. He went on to get an easier lead in later in the day that went well up at the Firehouse climbs.
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
  Feb 25, 2018 - 01:37pm PT
this is turning into the best thread on SuperTopo
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Apr 15, 2018 - 07:40am PT
Jack learned some old school lessons over the last few weeks. First is not everything goes as planned as we had big plans over spring break to rock climb, ski or ice climb everyday for the whole week. It didn't really happen that way, but we did get some classics in. Most of it was my fault as I was sick as a dog for most of the week and to top it off I forgot the tent poles so it was sleeping in the dirt for most of the week. He stepped up to the plate on some old school 5.8s and 5.9s and got spanked over the last few weeks. I am very proud of him for trying, but I think it also taught him some humility as he was talking about plans with some big numbers. Escalante, Ancient Art and Boulder Canyon all kicked his ass a little. Houghtons crack and a short wide 5.9 at escalante worked him, and it took some mental fortitude and aid trickery to continue on the stolen chimney. He did make a comeback and got a nice lead on the center route on Cobb rock, but the learning process continues.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Apr 15, 2018 - 03:47pm PT
Awsome! nothing wrong with grabbing the nylon bucket once in awhile ;) upward progress :)
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Apr 20, 2018 - 08:26am PT
jJack has gotten a few good 8’s in this week with real good crack climbing on all of them including v3, mr natural, and the great zot to rewritten.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  May 7, 2018 - 09:45am PT
Jack is stepping up and doing routes now that I can’t do. Today he did Blind Faith on the Bastille. That route has puzzled me and I have not been able to get it clean on lead or following which I have done a few times. He did a fine job of leading the first pitch which is the crux. I lead the tricky 5.9 second and was so pumped I did not get that either. It won’t be long and he will realize he has the experience and strength to do so much more. Over the last several weeks he has racked up a bunch of old school 5.8 leads in CO so this summer is shaping up to be s good one.
hobo_dan

Social climber
Minnesota
  May 7, 2018 - 04:05pm PT
Thanks for sharing your history--this is aces
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  May 7, 2018 - 04:11pm PT
Awsome!
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  May 9, 2018 - 03:50pm PT
Big smiles over here.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 4, 2018 - 09:40am PT
Jack and I soloed the third in anticipation of going to free solo tomorrow night.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 14, 2018 - 11:46am PT
Yesterday in Eldo today in Eldo
jogill

climber
Colorado
  Oct 14, 2018 - 12:16pm PT
Wonderful thread. Mike, what are Jack's plans for his future (apart from climbing)?
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Oct 14, 2018 - 02:08pm PT
Awsome!
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Oct 14, 2018 - 05:31pm PT
I bet jack had an easier time of this move on Spire 4 than I did :)
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 16, 2018 - 01:18pm PT
John, we are looking at schools. He gets a 30% discount on tuition at CU Boulder where I work, but he is also looking at the school of mines in Rapid City.

On a side note. I was at CSU pueblo for work last Thursday and Friday and would have loved to have said hi but not sure how to contact you now that the message function on here does not work. I met a couple of people that my boss knew that knew you as he was the Disability Coordinator there about 10 years ago. Wanted to check out some bouldering but the weather was crap and from what I can tell a lot of what is around there is now not accessible.
jogill

climber
Colorado
  Oct 16, 2018 - 03:26pm PT
Yes, the nice sandstone areas are pretty much all on private land. (Which didn't deter me BITD)


;>)
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Oct 21, 2018 - 03:14pm PT
Did the center route on the Cynical yesterday.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Oct 21, 2018 - 05:53pm PT
That looks super cool!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Jan 5, 2019 - 07:07pm PT
Jack got a really sweet one in the South St Vrain today.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Jan 6, 2019 - 02:41am PT
Nice!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  Apr 27, 2019 - 02:31pm PT
Jack and I climbed up the Emperor Couloir on Torrey's and descended the dead dog couloir last weekend for the longest ski run either of us had done. It was a good day. We are moving to Bozeman shortly and I am excited what new adventures lie ahead. Gonna miss Boulder and all my Colorado friends and family. Will be back come visit. You can see a couple of people ascending the dead dog which is the route we skied.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Apr 27, 2019 - 03:57pm PT
Nice. We liked Bozeman the time we had car trouble there. wall mart was clean. Galatin canyon was great climbing. Seems reasonably close to the tetons :)
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Author's Reply  May 17, 2019 - 04:12pm PT
Jack succeeded on a different sort of climb today.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  May 17, 2019 - 08:16pm PT
Congratulations!
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