tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46330028717665105702024-03-16T11:52:53.009-07:00mikesironcladbeta.comNew River climbing, tactics, and ironclad betaMike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-12905655591769654082014-09-15T08:58:00.000-07:002014-09-15T08:58:25.313-07:00Lion's Head<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My good Canadian friends Mark Smith, Leslie Timms, Kyle Thomas, and Daniel Martian have been visiting the New River Gorge for years, spinning wild tales of how awesome their local climbing area is. Through the flurry of "eh's," I gathered that Lion's Head, the proudest portion of Ontario's Niagara escarpment, was a pretty dope cliff and I've been planning to visit for years but never following through.<br /><br />Finally, I pulled the trigger, despite the uncertain forecast, and made the relatively short 13 hour drive to the Bruce Peninsula, a narrow strip of land that divides Lake Huron from its own Georgian Bay. The climbing and scenery are stunning. Catch it on the right day in September, when the West wind blows cool, dry air off the freshwater bay, and the conditions make for Velcro friction on perfect blue-streaked limestone that rivals Ceuse. </div>
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I'm almost mad at myself for taking so long to visit what immediately became one of my favorite climbing locations. There's also a super friendly and welcoming local community. Greg Williamson let me camp on his gorgeous patch of mossy hardwood forest and Mark and his wife Monica provided showers, internet, authentic Indian food and uncontrollable levels of psyche for climbing. I hope to be back before the season ends! </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dCaMkDJgpeU/VBcBOlocFgI/AAAAAAAABM4/Ww8r8Y26SI8/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dCaMkDJgpeU/VBcBOlocFgI/AAAAAAAABM4/Ww8r8Y26SI8/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B073.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Look closely and spot Daniel Martian dangling from the lip of Batman (5.13d). Daniel has been one of the primary route developers at Lion's Head, especially the high-end routes. He's a fitness machine, despite being in his mid-forties, and can run laps on Lion's Head's hardest routes all day. One time he sent Titan (5.14a) and ran a half marathon in a day. What a beast, eh? He's currently working on linking up the hardest parts of a 13c and a 14a to create a 14b that will be the hardest route at the crag, aside from Sonnie Trotter's unrepeated 5.14d. <br /><br />As the story goes, </i>Forever Expired <i>has a dangerous mono move that Sonnie would only commit to on the send burn because he knew it was likely that he'd blow a pulley. Sure enough, on the send, he blew his finger out, but pushed through to the shake before a final 5.13b roof section. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to do the move again, maybe ever, he had to suck it up and send the pitch with a maimed finger. Understandably, the pros aren't lining up to repeat this one, despite it being over a decade old. Nice one Sonnie.</i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H5ey2YAVovk/VBcBhmBvgYI/AAAAAAAABNY/8k6aL9L6KpU/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B156%2Bps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H5ey2YAVovk/VBcBhmBvgYI/AAAAAAAABNY/8k6aL9L6KpU/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B156%2Bps.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>Mark Smith is another route developer that just moved to Wiarton, 30 minutes from the crag. This is one of his routes that just went up this year, I think. </i>Thirty Years in the Making<i> (5.13a).</i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hINEUexlPd4/VBcBXzjL9tI/AAAAAAAABNI/O8jfrD3nDNo/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B152%2Bps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hINEUexlPd4/VBcBXzjL9tI/AAAAAAAABNI/O8jfrD3nDNo/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B152%2Bps.jpg" height="472" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SQJspdpz9VU/VBcBYNFXUWI/AAAAAAAABNM/Y4kjTAACano/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B104%2Bps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SQJspdpz9VU/VBcBYNFXUWI/AAAAAAAABNM/Y4kjTAACano/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B104%2Bps.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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<i>Mark knows me well and immediately showed me the wall that he knew I'd drool over. I knocked off Couer de Lion (5.13a) first and then focused in on this one, an old-school techy face climb put up by Jerry Moffatt in 1991. Are you kidding me? Jerry Moffat, one of my favorite climbers, and 1991, my favorite year in sport climbing history, eh? Getting addicted to this one was easy. </i></div>
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Big Kahuna <i>(5.13d).</i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7tV2TVU55I/VBcBWsLjwAI/AAAAAAAABNA/UmlDgyJ0bnQ/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7tV2TVU55I/VBcBWsLjwAI/AAAAAAAABNA/UmlDgyJ0bnQ/s1600/lion's%2Bhead%2B108.jpg" height="640" width="410" /></a></div>
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<i>I got rained out on what was supposed to be my last day but extended my stay by half a day to cash in on prime conditions the next morning—if you consider down coats and toques to be proper attire for prime conditions. Milkdawg pulled it off in the final hour, as usual. Why do I always have to fail until the last possible moment, eh?<br />Thanks for the photos Mark!</i></div>
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<br />Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-89319726559895161772014-09-05T11:31:00.001-07:002014-09-05T11:31:55.088-07:00Rakkup VideoHere's a nice video that the folks at Rakkup put together to show off their new digital guidebook platform and why it rules. I'm lucky to be working with these guys and happy that the New River Gorge is included in their growing bookshelf of digital guidebooks. Check it out.<br />
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/vL_g3iO6R20/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/vL_g3iO6R20&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/vL_g3iO6R20&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-23081514048282406542014-06-28T02:45:00.002-07:002014-06-28T02:45:41.902-07:00Mugshots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Cast aside on this isolated misfit island continent, the critters here seem to have defied the wishes of evolution just for the sake of humoring me. They look, and act, so dumb.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxs_ihE_cQs/U66ADqf7u9I/AAAAAAAABKI/B_KogA8yNic/s1600/ps+red+parrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxs_ihE_cQs/U66ADqf7u9I/AAAAAAAABKI/B_KogA8yNic/s1600/ps+red+parrot.jpg" height="526" width="640" /></a></div>
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We've been calling this parrot bird "the red and green." They're everywhere. There is also a sick-looking "red and blue" that I haven't been able to get a good photo of yet. </div>
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The Wallaby. Hilarious. Look at his little tongue and his crossed eyes. He crept up to EC's backpack when we were away and stole her banana peel. </div>
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Hey man, I hear what you're saying, but I also hear some stuff over there to my right...and it sounds way more interesting than what you're talking about...but I'm going to stare intently into your eyes to make you feel like what you're saying is important to me because I don't want you to know that I now have no idea what you're talking about. Should I nod my head now...? Yeah, probably. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mdQgNSckDHs/U66Djif6vHI/AAAAAAAABKk/HdHWU8V7BfI/s1600/ps+magpie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mdQgNSckDHs/U66Djif6vHI/AAAAAAAABKk/HdHWU8V7BfI/s1600/ps+magpie.jpg" height="378" width="640" /></a></div>
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They call these shitheads Magpies but they're not like the ones we have. These guys wake up at the crack of dawn and make the most eerie underwater gargling call. It's strange. They are also crafty like crows and wicked territorial. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mhRwkm3OCTI/U66EHzsFL-I/AAAAAAAABKs/F3vLxzWF6so/s1600/ps+emu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mhRwkm3OCTI/U66EHzsFL-I/AAAAAAAABKs/F3vLxzWF6so/s1600/ps+emu.jpg" height="582" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Emu...by far the winner of the dumbest looking animal award. When it runs, it's so apparent that it doesn't have arms. Like in-your-face, impossible-to-miss...it doesn't have arms. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_jrNoDF3Ys/U66FlbckERI/AAAAAAAABK4/jo4S34l3U7c/s1600/ps+galinule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_jrNoDF3Ys/U66FlbckERI/AAAAAAAABK4/jo4S34l3U7c/s1600/ps+galinule.jpg" height="640" width="532" /></a></div>
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Purple Galinule I think? </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNeWHbRZhzQ/U66HK2MJ4mI/AAAAAAAABLE/DshK2a3FxHo/s1600/ps+kook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PNeWHbRZhzQ/U66HK2MJ4mI/AAAAAAAABLE/DshK2a3FxHo/s1600/ps+kook.jpg" height="640" width="554" /></a></div>
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The Kookaburra: LEGENDARY!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O9zKWa66Of4/U66Ia_uISsI/AAAAAAAABLM/9UMyAX5lV8U/s1600/ps+cockatiels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O9zKWa66Of4/U66Ia_uISsI/AAAAAAAABLM/9UMyAX5lV8U/s1600/ps+cockatiels.jpg" height="466" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cockatiels that ate too much acid and now have to watch their feet to walk forward. Seriously, when they walk, they stare down at their feet and march forward deliberately like Hitler's army. And their eyes light up with such pleasure when they see their knee-less legs march forward. "Vee are doing it! Vee are marching!"</div>
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Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-33167621891760132472014-06-23T22:20:00.001-07:002014-06-23T22:21:22.043-07:00The Dark ContinentWe're not in Africa but it's dark here too... Always dark it seems. It hasn't been the best weather for climbing; actually it's been terrible weather, but we're still having a great time. A couple of bullet points about Australia:<br />
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Internet is awful. There isn't really a good option so I have to be brief which I'm not good at. Here's some photos and videos:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BRfOnhy5ISE/U6kIHwavPtI/AAAAAAAABJ4/ZKx9Lfek224/s1600/ps+australia+1+565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BRfOnhy5ISE/U6kIHwavPtI/AAAAAAAABJ4/ZKx9Lfek224/s1600/ps+australia+1+565.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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These are our campsite pals, Mama Roocifer and Big Joey Hopsalot. </div>
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...and that's it. The internet is so busted here. This is why America is a world superpower and no one in Australia can have guns or freedom. </div>
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Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-71296135386069557162014-05-06T10:13:00.000-07:002014-05-06T10:13:48.872-07:00Color BlindLast weekend I was wrecked from climbing every day in the great weather and my old body finally forced a rest day. I heard word that Paul was going to give a go at <i>Color Blind</i> so I hiked out to Endless with the camera, poked my head over the edge, and saw him racking up. I barely had time to drop a rope, slide down it into position and hit record as he started up. As usual, I fumbled with the focus, ISO, and everything else, and by the time I got settled, he was getting into the meat of the route.<br />
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<i>Color Blind</i> was a route I put up last October and when I did it, I was in a good headspace and felt quite solid. Jonathan Siegrist punched up it right after me and, after the whole experience of everything that went into it, the closure of it felt really clean. <a href="http://mikesironcladbeta.blogspot.com/2014/03/new-river-season-1314-its-already-time.html" target="_blank">I wrote more about it here.</a> <br />
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I have to admit, I was not in that same headspace watching Paul send it! I know it looks like he hikes it in the video but the climbing is hard and the gear is good but still questionable since it's all slider-nuts. When Paul botched the first placement TWICE, I started to shake a little bit. I was way more nervous than him. Leading out into hard climbing over nothing but sliders is way more intimidating than he makes it look. It took some stabilization editing to get the shakes out of the footage. But like I said, he was way less nervous than me.<br />
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After he sent, we shot 5 minutes of interview and I threw this video together that evening. I suck at filming and editing in general but I'm happy to have some footage of this route and I like the way it turned out. It's pretty raw footage, just one take of the actual send, and it actually shows all of the route. I also like how it accurately depicts Paul just fully going for it over gear that might have some people a little nervous. This was a great send to witness.<br />
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<a href="http://www.dpmclimbing.com/climbing-videos/watch/color-blind" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eJ_tEGyXtCQ/U2kX4tjFLkI/AAAAAAAABGc/iwXrR9r_pHs/s1600/pn+color.jpg" height="382" width="640" /></a></div>
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Click it.</div>
Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-4226603028928002462014-04-21T18:50:00.003-07:002014-04-23T08:50:29.052-07:00Endless Wall Wildfire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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33 hours ago, EC and I were sipping Kona coffee and watching the sun rise from our baller bungalow in Maui. Since then, we saw the sun set then another sun rise and then another sun set, so I'm pretty tired but wanted to post some pictures and an update from the forest fire that picked up today at Endless Wall. I swear, I can't leave this place unattended for a week without something happening.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztQtDfqwx2M/U1W8DTZ4iDI/AAAAAAAABFU/KdO4gRydo8w/s1600/hawaii+trip+and+wildfire+305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ztQtDfqwx2M/U1W8DTZ4iDI/AAAAAAAABFU/KdO4gRydo8w/s1600/hawaii+trip+and+wildfire+305.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pretty much as soon as I got home, I saw a picture that Jay Young posted on Facebook of the fire. I quickly confirmed the legitimacy of the notorious prankster's claim by looking out the window for the smoke plume and then hopped in the rig and headed to the Hole Overlook on the Kaymoor side of the gorge. I ended up spending most of the day there and even managed to stumble up <i>Lactic </i>without puking...barely.</div>
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The photo above is from early in the day, maybe around 1:00, and the fire had burned about halfway down the gorge from Endless Wall.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vvRjn3KLq9o/U1W9FZ5lH6I/AAAAAAAABFc/8oHkeSVUxlU/s1600/hawaii+trip+and+wildfire+304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vvRjn3KLq9o/U1W9FZ5lH6I/AAAAAAAABFc/8oHkeSVUxlU/s1600/hawaii+trip+and+wildfire+304.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is a closer view of the fire around 1:00. The prominent buttress to the left of the thick smoke plume is Idol Point. The overlook from the top of the Hole had a few locals stationed on it and we all watched the action from a perfect vantage point. Within an hour, the fire spread upstream (right) to about the <i>Flashpoint </i>Area which is the orange streak near the right edge of the frame. It was also slowly spreading downstream as well as downhill toward the river. </div>
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This Peregrine Falcon grabbed a to-go lunch and peaced out. His distinct Peregrine call rang out, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7lkl7n83Vg/U1XA6Jg0qqI/AAAAAAAABFw/q1VCSiSVyIU/s1600/fire+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7lkl7n83Vg/U1XA6Jg0qqI/AAAAAAAABFw/q1VCSiSVyIU/s1600/fire+2.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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By late in the day, around 6:30, I got back up to the overlook and chatted with some NPS rangers that were there watching the fire progress. It had grown considerably but still didn't appear totally out of control. The spread is slow and steady. </div>
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If you're interested in what's going on with the fire, here's what I know based on watching it all day and what the Rangers told me. I won't necessarily claim that it's 100% legit or that it's "factual" info...just what I know right now.</div>
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Pretty sure the fire started somewhere around <i>Mellifluous</i>/Party Buttress at the base of the cliff during the late afternoon/early evening of 4/20. No one knows for sure how it started and there's not really a reason to send in the CSI team so we probably never will. It was almost certainly caused by some human doing something dumb like flicking a cigarette butt over the edge of the cliff, but that's speculation. Hippies, of course, can't be logically ruled out. <br />
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We've had some outrageously low humidity levels lately and I know that even a month ago the rangers were keeping their eyes peeled for fires. But even despite the dryness, this fire isn't burning like how a western desert fire would. It's moving pretty slowly and it's really just burning the underbrush and leaving the big trees pretty much unscathed. As it moves down the gorge, the burned areas left behind look pretty good. My guess is that a lot of it will recover pretty quickly, especially as the leaves come back on the trees. We probably won't even notice for the most part. </div>
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It moved most quickly upstream with the wind. I'd watch the front line slowly creep downhill into a drainage, then hit the bottom, catch a little breeze and skyrocket up the other side. It also burned downhill, which to me is fairly impressive considering how steep the gorge is, and it crept downstream toward Fern Buttress. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uitEPy-ILow/U1XEo_I-1zI/AAAAAAAABF8/MV0m0P3FUWQ/s1600/hawaii+trip+and+wildfire+301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uitEPy-ILow/U1XEo_I-1zI/AAAAAAAABF8/MV0m0P3FUWQ/s1600/hawaii+trip+and+wildfire+301.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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As far as I know, I saw no efforts by the NPS or wildland firefighters to put out the fire within the gorge. From what I understand, they immediately drew the line at the cliff, which makes sense, and starting working on keeping the flames inside the gorge between the cliff and the river. Working to put out the fire within the gorge is very difficult because of the steep terrain and inaccessibility.<br />
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At some point around 3:00, the fire hit the cliff just downstream of Diamond Point and jumped to the top. My understanding is that this may have occurred at the low angle corner to the left of <i>Shudder Bugger</i>. It's a relatively low angle gully clogged with dry green brier as I remember. I didn't see it, but apparently it happened quickly and the fire took off along the top of the cliff burning a lot of ground above Diamond Point.<br />
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Fire crews contained that fire pretty quickly and I believe that the top fire is currently under control. When I stopped watching it around 7:00, some cloud cover had come in, the sun dipped down, temperatures dropped, and humidity levels increased. The fire slowed down a lot. It appears to be holding on its own between Fern Creek, the river, the cliff and the ridge below Diamond Point. It could very easily cross Fern Creek or the Diamond Point ridge, but it did appear to be holding on its own there. </div>
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The area within those benchmarks described is pretty burned up and there doesn't appear to be a lot of small fuel left. The trees are intact and there were large areas where the fire had run out of fuel and just moved on. The forecast is calling for rain in the early morning hours. It seems like rain would put it out pretty quickly. Even some high humidity would really slow it down...but I'm not a fire expert.</div>
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Damage to the rock? I personally doubt it. This isn't the first brush with fire that the cliffs have had and they've done fine. The sandstone here isn't really that porous so I doubt a little heat would cause any exfoliation. It's not like there were 100 foot high flames licking at the walls, just some little campfire-sized flame ups at the base. But again, speculation from someone that's not an expert and it's possible that the flames were bigger than they appeared from across the gorge.<br />
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As for closures? We'll have to see about that. My guess is that the Endless Wall trail was closed to the public today but I didn't check. I would guess that it will be closed tomorrow as well. Beyond that, I imagine that once the fire is out, we'll be allowed to hike out there pretty soon after and go climbing.<br />
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I might be able to find this stuff out, but I'm going to sleep now. I'll add an update tomorrow, or when I find out, in case anyone's planning a trip and would like to know.<br />
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Take home point: I love this cliff a lot and I'm going to sleep pretty well tonight believing that it's all gonna be fine. It's a bummer, especially if we lost some of the beautiful forest or large Hemlocks, but it's part of nature's cycle and will make for a healthier forest in the long run. </div>
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That said...dammit people, be careful and don't burn the woods down! </div>
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Update: I said I was going to go to bed but couldn't help but search around. Here's a link to some legit news that says the trails and climbing areas are currently closed:</div>
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<a href="http://www.wvnstv.com/story/25298090/endless-wall-trail-in-new-river-gorge-closed-due-to-brush-fire">http://www.wvnstv.com/story/25298090/endless-wall-trail-in-new-river-gorge-closed-due-to-brush-fire</a><br />
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Update: 4/22 9:24</div>
<a href="http://www.ironarchmedia.com/photos-of-the-new-river-gorge-fire" target="_blank">Great nighttime photos from Jay Young and a morning update that says the fire is still burning. Click here.</a><br />
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Update: 4:23<br />
I went out last evening around 6:00 and hiked in to the Cirque overlook from Beauty Mountain. At that time, both of the Endless Wall parking lots were closed. The fire had spread upstream of Diamond Point but it was hard to tell how far upstream. Jay Young was over at the Hole overlook and estimated that it hadn't quite made it to Honeymooner's Ladders. It definitely appears to be dying down.<br /><br />Though both parking lots are closed, it's hard to say exactly how much of the cliff remains closed to climbing. Surely they'd want to keep people away from Diamond Point and Snake Buttress but it would be possible to hike into the Cirque from Beauty Mountain. It would be worth stopping to ask officials at the Endless Wall parking if that would be permissible. I haven't heard any news today yet. It was a pretty bad view from the Cirque last night but here's the photo.<br /><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y7JF2NEQNxc/U1fg6aKw9fI/AAAAAAAABGM/-RmQrVKTzmE/s1600/fire+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y7JF2NEQNxc/U1fg6aKw9fI/AAAAAAAABGM/-RmQrVKTzmE/s1600/fire+3.jpg" height="384" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-3995448286138437272014-04-07T11:29:00.000-07:002014-04-07T11:32:11.012-07:00Prohibition<div class="MsoNormal">
I finished my new line in the Coliseum yesterday. It’s a
gem, of course, and if it wasn’t so much of a cliché at this point to say it,
I’d likely spray that it’s “the best route I’ve ever touched” or “hands down
the best climb of life.” But searching for those terms within my blog turns up
more hits than google searching for “Demi Moore 80’s bush.” (Don’t do it, I
warned you)<o:p></o:p></div>
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It all started about two weeks ago when I went out to clean
up the clutter of tattered draws on <i>Still
Life</i> and replace the hardware with glue-ins and steel permas. While doing
it, I just couldn’t get over how crappy of a route <i>Still Life</i> is. It’s just terrible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Had I been around 20 years ago we wouldn’t be in this mess,
but I wasn’t, and that wall fell into the hands of Porter Jarrard. Porter is
known for his complete lack of vision and sloppy work ethic. It’s unfortunate
that he was around early enough to pretty much ruin most of the climbing
potential in the Southeast, somehow managing to always bolt inferior quality
climbs and even ‘squeeze jobs’ despite his routes often being the first routes
on the wall. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-31IEAksHIZM/U0LpFaTXNhI/AAAAAAAABEM/Bb9Rg18WLjw/s1600/mike+and+porter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-31IEAksHIZM/U0LpFaTXNhI/AAAAAAAABEM/Bb9Rg18WLjw/s1600/mike+and+porter.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i> Visual clarity on the left. Beer goggles on the right. The eyes behind those glasses are only able to see chossy routes destined for poorly-placed bolts and unpleasant movement. </i></div>
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Consequently, most of his routes have fallen into obscurity.
Ever heard of routes like <i>Apollo Reed</i>,
<i>Pod</i>, <i>Mercy the Huff</i>, or <i>Table of
Colors</i>? I didn’t think so… It’s because they’re terrible routes. That last
one, <i>Table of Colors</i>, is at some
backwater crag called the “Red River Gorge” that no one ever goes to. At some
point in the 90’s, the “visionary” Porter Jarrard bolted some routes there
thinking that someday people would be interested in climbing steep, pocketed
rock in Kentucky. Boy was he wrong!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyway, Porter is responsible for bolting <i>Still Life</i>, a solitary line up the
small, steep buttress at the right end of the Coliseum, an area that I would have
called the Thunderdome but first come, first served I guess. In typical Porter
style, he chose the absolute LEAST aesthetic way to climb the wall. He chose a
path that follows barely there holds that all face the wrong way. Not to
mention, the holds are too far apart. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There are a three qualities that determine the difficulty of
a rock climb: how steep the wall is, how big the holds are, and how far apart
they are. <i>Still Life</i> is steep with
bad holds that are far apart. That’s why it’s hard, but also why it sucks and
doesn’t suit my style. If I had to define my style, I would say that I’m best
at climbing low-angle rock with good holds that are close together. Maybe you
can relate if that style also suits you. Unfortunately, <i>Still Life</i> doesn’t fit ANY of that criteria, so in my humble
opinion, it kind of sucks. Most people that try <i>Still Life</i>, myself included, lower down bitching and moaning about
how bad it sucks due to those characteristics. When the holds are far apart
it’s generally classified as “reachy.” When the holds are bad and small on
steep rock, we’d call it “uncomfortable,” “thrutchy,” or “awkward.” NOT FUN,
that’s for sure! Conversely, when the holds are close together, big, and on
less steep rock, the route usually gets rave reviews using terms like “flowy,” “aesthetic,”
and “fun.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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So I set out to fix what Porter screwed up 20 years ago by
bolting a more flowy and aesthetic path up the wall. My “more fun” and superior
version breaks left after the 3<sup>rd</sup> bolt of <i>Still Life</i> and engages a way better crux sequence through the
tiered roofs. But wait, there is another reason that <i>Still Life</i> is terrible and his name is Joel Brady, the guy that
eventually climbed Porter’s project. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Joel is a total degenerate that started slopping around at
the New River Gorge back when hair bands were still in vogue. He made a name
for himself by thrutching his way up hard routes like the 2<sup>nd</sup> ascent
of <i>Mango Tango </i>and, of course, the
first ascent of <i>Still Life</i>. It’s a
miracle he was able to do it. His footwork is atrocious, but, somehow, he was
able to get by with just muscley shoulders and temper tantrums. I guess <i>Still Life</i> does suit his style:
aggressive, thrutchy, and ugly! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jybWpEN-U_s" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gT5lmYVAFZQ/U0LqW82rPnI/AAAAAAAABEs/IadAy4wXiIY/s1600/joel.png" height="474" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Click the image for a video montage of Joel demonstrating arrogance, poor footwork, and temper tantrums.</i></div>
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Joel and I have interacted on numerous occasions and if I
had to label our relationship, I might say “arch rivals” or, more accurately,
“mortal enemies.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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It was very important to me to complete my superior route,
which in turn would immediately transform his route, <i>Still Life</i>, into an inferior, squeeze job, variation eliminate. I’m
happy to say that I’ve achieved success! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I named my route <i>Prohibition</i>
as a final blow to Joel. When asked why he named his route what he did, Joel
responded, with the intellect of a third grader, “Durrr, it’s pretty like a
painting.” Very clever mortal enemy, but little did I know that Joel was about
to drop a double entendre on my ass. “Also,” he said, “the day I did it, I was
a bit hungover.” Get it? Still….like where alcohol is made. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Well guess what Mr. Brady…I have bested you once again with
an unprecedented TRIPLE ENTENDRE! Prepare to wallow in the depths of my
esoteric grandeur. <o:p></o:p></div>
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1. Prohibition was a response to the “still life” that was
ruining Americans, just like my route is a response to your trashy,
irresponsible, reckless lifestyle and route.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2. If you are the type of person that is “prohibited” from
reaching the chains of <i>Still Life</i> due
to the reachy, thrutchy, and awkward cruxes… this route is a fun and pleasant
alternative. <o:p></o:p></div>
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3. I “prohibited” all innocent and fun-loving teenagers,
which included the Horst brothers and Kai Lightner, from getting on my route
until I redpointed it. I used a proper red tag, the way the climbing Gods
intended. Nothing spells humble like looking a kid in the eye and telling him
to go bolt his own project! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G_SGOpZN9qk/U0LpR1NDXrI/AAAAAAAABEg/wuJkzRbwQ5E/s1600/thumbs+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G_SGOpZN9qk/U0LpR1NDXrI/AAAAAAAABEg/wuJkzRbwQ5E/s1600/thumbs+up.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>I think the choice is clear.</i></div>
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Here’s a simple breakdown of my route vs. Joel’s route:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>First three bolts</b>:
Same, same. It’s unfortunate to have to share with Joel but such is life. It
would have been a far inferior sequence to try to force an independent start.
The first three bolts of <i>Still Life</i>
are, admittedly, Porter’s only decent contribution to climbing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Exiting the
undercling move</b>: At the third bolt, you do a powerful and, unfortunately,
“reachy” move off an undercling to reach a hold up and left. For Joel’s route,
you immediately move back right. Whoa there Joel! What’s happening? I was going
left, now I’m going right? What is this, a carnival ride? Don’t run for office
Joel, you’re a flip flopper! He’s a flip flopper folks! And you’re skirting the
issue Joel. It’s much easier to go right. Why are you always shying away from a
challenge and taking the easy way out?<o:p></o:p></div>
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My route on the other hand flows so perfectly, you cross up
and over to a good hold, clip, and engage a much harder sequence to snag a door
jam-sized crimp followed by a wild dyno to a jug pocket. Two more moves on good
holds and you get to a rest beneath the roof. It’s 13c to here, a notch harder
than getting to the rest on Joel’s inferior version. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>The Rest: </b>The
rest on my route is a tad better than the rest on Joel’s route. You get a nice
shake with a good foot beneath. The rest on Joel’s route isn’t as pleasant. A
high heel toe in the horizontal just below your hands. ACL damage anyone? Any
takers? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Crux 1: </b>The first
roof crux on my route is a mirror image of the crux on Joel’s route. On <i>Still Life</i>, you reach off a pancake
flake to an uncomfortable sloper (gag), get a heel and bust a hamstring trying
to lurch up and over. Gross! On my route, you reach off a pancake flake with
the opposite hand to a nice 1/3 pad sloping crimp with delicate texture that
just begs to be beared down upon. Heel hook with the right leg and make
beautiful precision bumps from an intermediate non-hold, to a gorgeous 3-finger
shallow pocket intermediate, then a final stab for the door jam depth
horizontal. The first crux of both routes are exactly the same difficulty
whatever that is. V7 or 8? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Crux 2: </b>This is
the worst part of <i>Still Life</i> which is
a funny thing to say since it’s all so bad! That’s like saying, “the worst part
about being eaten alive by a pack of hyenas is…” It’s true though, the last
crux of <i>Still Life</i> is just awful. I’ve
never been able to do that section because the holds are pretty bad and far
apart. Too reachy! But if I had to guess, it’s probably V8 or V9. No need for
footwork up there, just arm power and grunting. If that’s what I wanted from
climbing, I’d stay home and campus. Boring! <br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
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My route, on the other hand, is a nice flowy V6 dyno from a perfect
sidepull plate in the roof, up and over to a nice jug. When you stick it, you’re
just dangling there by one arm like Stallone on the front cover of Cliff
Hanger. It’s so rad. All the bikini girl spectators bust into a frenzy of
applause when you stick it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Pretty much exactly how the last move goes on Prohibition.</i></div>
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<b>Top out: </b>Joel’s
route is pretty much over. You do a couple of stupid moves and you’re at the
anchor. On my route, you do a fairly rad lunge before scurrying up some close
together jugs on low angle rock. Did someone say “aesthetic?” I intentionally
placed my anchor a little higher that Joel’s anchor cause longer routes are
better. It’s about 6 inches higher than Joel’s and you really have to stretch
to make the clip but I think it’s totally worth it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rfe-isk54Ms/U0LpPcybQOI/AAAAAAAABEY/0CWYGAdUn2M/s1600/mike+and+joel+big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rfe-isk54Ms/U0LpPcybQOI/AAAAAAAABEY/0CWYGAdUn2M/s1600/mike+and+joel+big.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>You make the call folks. Face hair and goofball climbing to the right? Or aesthetically pleasing handsomeness to the left. </i></div>
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<i>Prohibition</i> is
certainly ¾ of a notch easier than <i>Still
Life</i>. I would say that if <i>Still Life</i>
is 5.14b.5, then <i>Prohibition</i> is
5.14a.75. It’s also an absolute classic. 4 stars all day. The only thing that
mars <i>Prohibition</i> is the inferior
eliminate variation that breaks off at the third bolt. But now that you know
which way to go when you get to the fork, just try to ignore all the
overchalked and broken holds, glue, and garbage climbing that goes right. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Here's Kai Lightner starting up his project Still Life. In all seriousness, Still Life is an incredibly difficult and beautiful route and Kai is all in on sending it. I got to spend the weekend climbing with Kai and Connie and they are some of my favorite people in the climbing world. Kai is such a boss! Watching him climb is incredible. He naturally floats on the rock, but this past weekend, just when you think he was going to hike to the chains, he'd unexpectedly drop from the last move. It was a heartbreaker for him but he handles himself so appropriately, internalizes it, analyzes what he can improve on, and tries again. He's kind of the opposite of Joel Brady. ;-) Thanks for letting the old man have his FA Kai!</i></div>
Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-88114238256006225962014-03-30T13:03:00.003-07:002014-03-30T13:54:25.478-07:00New River Season 13/14: It’s Already Time to Update your Guidebook <div class="MsoNormal">
March 30<sup>th</sup> and it looks like ice planet Hoth out
there once again. I think this is the third or fourth windy blizzard we’ve had
this month that we’ve all thought, “surely this is the last snow of the season.”
Judging by the many complaints found within my Facebook news feed, locals are
ready for spring. I always chuckle when I hear that everyone is getting psyched
for climbing season while I’m living in a state of mild depression because my climbing
season is actually coming to an end. Any day now, warm temperatures and
humidity will permanently descend on the region instantly transforming me into
a 5.11 climber with zero chance of sending anything harder. It’s so bizarre to
me how the parking lots are completely empty during the “good” season which for
me is mid-October to mid-April. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Typical bluebird day in the parking lot of one of America's best crags: Endless Wall.</i></div>
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As soon as the weather switches to gnarly, the parking lots
fill back up. There will be 100 cars jockeying for position at the Bubba City
parking lot before the climbers head out for a fun-filled day of jungle sweating,
wet rock, poison ivy, stirring up ground hornets, and busting through spider
webs. It’s a total mystery to me. I don’t have a problem with it; I’ll continue
to enjoy the solitude of perfect 45 degree days in the sun and rock so sticky
you can’t fall off. I must admit though, it’s not the season to plan a trip to
the New. All winter the weather is unpredictable and you have to live here to
benefit. But if you have a flexible schedule and can leave the house on a moment’s
notice when the weather permits, 3 or 4 days of climbing per week is a pretty
decent average. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The climbing season here breaks down into three fairly
distinct time frames for me. Endless Wall season comes first (late fall,
mid-Oct to mid-Dec). During this time you can climb just about anywhere in
perfect temps. When the deep winter sets in from mid-Dec to mid-Feb, it’s
Cirque season. Days are short and you have to be in the sun. From mid-Feb to
early April it’s lakebed season for me. The lakebed is one of the most
remarkable climbing areas here and it’s such a fleetingly short amount of time
to enjoy it. The breeze coming off the lake in the deep winter makes it
unbearable even in the sun most of the time. It’s a little more effort to get
out there too so the longer days of spring help a lot. But when it’s good, it’s
some of the best climbing around and you have to enjoy it while it lasts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here’s a little breakdown of some new routes that went up
this season in three parts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Endless Wall Season:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I rolled back into town from Wyoming during the first week
of October and it was still pretty gnarly hot. Every year when I get back, I
hustle to get stuff lined up for the season. It’s a pretty easy process. I keep
a running document of projects, things to rap and inspect, cliffs to hike, etc.
I’m constantly adding stuff to the list and subtracting others, sometimes
because I ticked it off the list, but more often than not it’s because it didn’t
pan out. Either it doesn’t go, turns out it sucks, I can’t do it…etc. So I scan
my list, prioritize and hustle. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I only had a week or two before Jonathan Siegrist and Zeke
rolled into town. I’ve been telling Jonathan about how bad ass the New is for a
few years now and he finally took the bait…only because his A-plan fell
through. He was supposed to be up on the Dawn Wall but the government shutdown
put a kibosh on that. So he busted out to the New where he would proceed to
complain about the heat for the first week of his trip. I can’t control the
weather but I felt bad. It was still hot. Definitely not yet in condition for
hard climbing. It worked out in the end though when it finally started to cool
off and Jstar ended up crushing expectedly. In two weeks or so, he hammered out
a good number of the hard classics like <i>Proper
Soul</i> (flash), <i>Trebuchet</i>, <i>Freedom Tree</i>, <i>Picket Fence</i>, <i>Coal Train</i>,
and a one-day ascent of <i>Mango Tango</i>! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Photo I took with my brake-hand of Siegrist on the flash of Proper Soul. Grigri's for life.</i></div>
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I had a great time showing him around and was really happy
to see that he wasn’t entirely focused on climbing 5.14’s which is a common
trap for the rare pro-climber that visits. Classics come in all grades and
Jonathan fit right into the New River mentality by not being afraid to rack up
for 5.12 mixed routes, or classic 5.11 warm-ups. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I got in a few new routes while he was here too. None of
these routes are in the 2<sup>nd</sup> edition guide so I figure I should get
the word out for those that are interested in keeping up to speed. Additionally,
Kevin Umbel went on a tear of ground-up new routing and got in a heavy handful
of great new trad routes, leaving nothing but a bit of now-gone chalk dust in
his wake. I’ll try to update when I get more info on those. For now, here’s
what I know.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Articulated</i>
(5.12d)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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First route of the season was a nice new one to the right of
<i>Under the Milky Way </i>at Summersville
Lake. I’m a bit surprised it hadn’t been bolted yet but not too much. The top
took a great deal of scrubbing and the crux is pretty blank. The route starts
off with a bit of 5.11 climbing before the crux, a super thin section at 1/3
height. The climbing up top is great. Check it out and help keep it clean
before the black dust settles back in. It’s a great route. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Metalocalypse</i> (5.11c)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This is a new, and not-so-great, trad route at the Lower
Meadow. If you walk left from Toxic Hueco, following the cliff line, you’ll
pass by a little routeless section in a wooded cirque. Just on the downstream
end of the cirque is a wall that hadn’t been climbed. I went ground-up the
previous spring and got shut down right near the top. No gear and no holds. I
rapped it and pulled my gear, checked out the crux and figured it’d be 12+ or
something. When I came back this season, I rapped in to add one bolt and a top
anchor. One of the days Jonathan and I were out there, I fired up it and the
crux wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it’d be. Goes to show how much
conditions matter. I easily could have headpointed it and done it without the
bolt but I’m the type that thinks routes should be equipped for the onsight
climber. Don’t bother with this route unless you’ve done everything else but if
you love rock climbing, it’s pretty damn fun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sidenote: When I added the bolt and anchor to <i>Metalocalypse</i>, I also rapped in and
added a top anchor to the super classic <i>Big
Top</i> (12a). I was unaware of the history of this route and always assumed
that the route finished at the bolt anchor below the big roof above the crack section.
I added the top anchor with the intention of climbing through the big roof and
topping out. I thought it might be a first ascent. It turns out that the first
ascent did top out through the roof and the route had been repeated that way by
Pat Goodman at least and probably many others. It’s a shame that someone added
the anchor below the roof because for as long as I can remember, everyone stops
there and misses out on some outrageous fun climbing pulling the big 10-foot
roof on trad gear. Point being, now that the top anchor is there, this is
absolutely the only way to do the route. It’s so much better. To clean, it’s best
to lower to the mid-anchor, pull your rope, and lower again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><b>Color Blind (13a
R)<o:p></o:p></b></i></div>
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Every once in a while, I get on a trad kick. <i>Color Blind</i> was a really fun process and
turned out to be a really interesting experience and a great route. This route
climbs the big orange and gray wall that you see to your left as you’re coming
down the Honeymooner’s ladders at Endless Wall. It was another one of those “last
faces” that are lurking out there. At the left end of the wall, starting on the
arête, is a nice 12a trad route called <i>The
Rabbit Almost Died,</i> but the wall itself hadn’t been climbed and looks
ridiculously blank. I rapped it the year before hoping it would yield a hard
sport route. It did! I was psyched, but it wasn’t perfect. You have to traverse
in from the corner at 20 ft to bypass a blank start. Beyond that, there are a
series of tiny crimps and pockets that end by forcing you right again and into
the path of least resistance, a 5.11 section that you could avoid by bailing
back right into the corner. BUT if you were to carefully position the bolts, it
would force the climber back left to stay on the face and engage another series
of amazing crimps that would have put the route in the 13c range. Would have
been a great sport route, despite being slightly contrived.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I put in a permit to bolt it with my permits for <i>Coal Train</i> and the Chunky Monkey project
that Tim Rose sent and called <i>The
Mandrill</i>. At the same time, Pat put in a permit to put a single bolt on a
variation finish to <i>The Rabbit</i>. Both
of our permits for this wall were denied due to a bit of lichen on the upper
third of the route. It was a surprising reason for denial because there are
many, many established routes at the New with a lot more lichen on them. This
wall is actually very clean. <br />
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Regardless, I wasn’t too butthurt and wrote it off as a lost
cause. But instead of deleting it from my list, I left it there and kept seeing
it. It was nagging at my brain and despite already writing it off as unprotectable,
I found myself out there, hanging from a rope with an array of gear and
fiddling with tiny bullshit trying to make it stay. It started to become more
reasonable in my mind and before I knew it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it
which I saw as a bad sign that I was about to do something very foolish. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I spent a few more days dialing in the gear on rappel and finally
had it all worked out. Jonathan and I were out in that zone one day and I
dropped a toprope on it for a little more practice. I toproped it clean and it
felt doable then Jonathan toproped it and messed with the gear. I had no
intention of leading it that day but all of a sudden “the time is now” just
kind of came out of nowhere and I got all sullen when I realized it. There’s
always a thousand reasons to not do it: the conditions could be better, I’m a
little tired, it’s too dangerous, blah, blah, blah… <o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the great things about climbing with a partner that
is better than you is that it changes your perspective and expectations of
yourself. When Jonathan came down, I could tell he was all psyched and wanted
to do it. This put me in the position to either A: sack up and lead it, or B:
be a bitch and tell Jonathan to not do it because I wanted to do it first. Of
course, he’s an awesome dude and would have respected that but it’s pretty
lame. And when you’re climbing with someone like that, the mindset changes. “It’s
ONLY 13a,” I thought. “I won’t fall, and if I do, the gear is reasonable.” So I
racked up and decided to climb it without falling. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You start by soloing up easy terrain in the corner for 20
feet, then you reach out and get a 00 C3 in a horizontal. Step left on this
little ledge and you’re out on the face where you can build a bomber nest
(yellow TCU and orange TCU). Then you launch into the crux section which lasts
for about 30 feet. You make big moves between these tiny incut crimps and when
the nest is at your feet, you slot a blue slider in a horizontal that’s good
but still suspect because it’s a tiny-ass slider. Then you do a few more hard
moves and when the slider is at your foot, you equalize a 000 C3 and a red
slider before the crux move. Lunge up and right and stick the crux then slot
another red slider in a horizontal. The next few moves ease up and there’s a
bit of a 5.11 runout over the red slider before you get to a big horizontal
break and slam in a bombproof anchor (red camalot and green camalot…as many as
you want really) <o:p></o:p></div>
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When that anchor is at your feet, you’re on a big jug and
can shake out for days. Blake and Erin from Chattanooga were there and I was
like, “Blake! Grab my camera and run up the ladder please!” The next section is
a 25 foot runout over the anchor through 5.12 terrain that is a bit heady but
totally safe. Then you get a blue TCU and a few more 12a moves and you’re at
the top. It actually felt pretty chill on the send go. Just really fun. I
lowered off, handed the Siegrist the rack and he scurried up it too. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gd-4VKk17mo/UzhvIpDzffI/AAAAAAAABBo/53vDHCU0AgQ/s1600/photo+%252815%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gd-4VKk17mo/UzhvIpDzffI/AAAAAAAABBo/53vDHCU0AgQ/s1600/photo+%252815%2529.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Chillin' at the big rest.</i></div>
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<i>We'll call Blake's focus on the foreground "an artistic choice."</i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gzoiFBtiIHw/Uzhu9e4jr0I/AAAAAAAABBQ/G9Wv8JbqD2A/s1600/photo+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gzoiFBtiIHw/Uzhu9e4jr0I/AAAAAAAABBQ/G9Wv8JbqD2A/s1600/photo+%252812%2529.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Hitting the big sloper horizontal and the next piece of gear. My last piece is way down there. So bawse.</i></div>
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<i>Couple more moves to the top.</i></div>
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The whole “R-rating” thing is funny because trad climbing is
always as safe or as dangerous as you make it. The R-rating for this route is
just to let people know that unless you’re completely solid at onsighting 5.13a
face climbs, it might be wise to check out the gear first. Is it actually
dangerous? I have no idea; I’ve never fallen on a slider nut. The sliders are
about as good as they get though. I’m pretty sure they’d hold. If you trust
that they’ll hold, then the route is safe 5.13 to safe, but runout, 5.12. It’s
a fun route and definitely worth checking out, even if just on toprope. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kYgdQkBxSSo/Uzh8l8Yb1HI/AAAAAAAABD0/lswVk48Md8M/s1600/photo+%252819%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kYgdQkBxSSo/Uzh8l8Yb1HI/AAAAAAAABD0/lswVk48Md8M/s1600/photo+%252819%2529.png" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Siegrist cruising up Color Blind.</i></div>
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<b>Cirque Season:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Siegrist didn’t stick around much longer but we always have
guests in the house throughout the fall. Nick Duttle stayed for a while and I
always enjoy climbing with him. Adam Taylor and Rachel rolled through for a
bit, and I’m sure some others that I’m forgetting right now. The fall is always
a whirlwind. But the temps continued to drop, as they always do, and before
long everyone was gone, it was deep winter, and Cirque season was on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My goal for the Cirque season was to do <i>Brian’s House of Cards</i>, a 13+ that hadn’t seen a repeat since
McCray’s 1997 first ascent. But before I got around to messing with it, I
rapped down one of the last bolted projects in the Cirque that I hadn’t checked
out. It was the last one I inspected because it looked like the least likely
candidate to ‘go.’ Turns out it did ‘go’ and ended up being the longest pitch
in the Cirque. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Into the Sarlacc</i>
(5.14b)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Located between <i>Mr. Magoo</i>
and <i>Brian’s House of Cards</i>. The bolts
were so bad, I think I only climbed on it once before rebolting the entire
thing with 1/2” stainless. It took a bit of cleaning too. The right end of the
Cirque is plagued by a chossy band that runs across the entire lower third of
the wall. Brian had done a fair bit of work to reinforce little flakes but it
took a while longer to find the solid foot jibs and snap off the bad ones. The route
starts with a sustained, technical, and crimpy section of 5.13+ that leads to a
cave that you can actually crawl inside of. The laydown rest is the route’s biggest
downfall. Because getting to it is so difficult, you have to lay there for
quite some time to fully recover and it’s boring. The next 35 feet out of the
cave is the crux: killer bouldering with snatchy moves on small holds and a
serious try-hard section to get to another good rest at a giant jug flake. It
then finishes out a big roof followed by a pumpy section that would be 12d or
13a by itself. Goes all the way to the top. 40 meters!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>A view of the Sarlacc from up top. The route finishes just below the tree on the ledge.</i></div>
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<i> The crux section after the cave rest under the roof beneath my feet. Thanks to Kevin Umbel for shooting these photos. </i></div>
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<i>Exiting the roof is the final crux.</i></div>
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It was hard to grade this one because of the big rests but
for me it was a 14b experience. I did <i>Lord
Voldemort</i> (14a) earlier this year when Jonathan was still around and I
think I did it 2<sup>nd</sup> day, though I’d done the <i>Proper Soul </i>section before. It took me a lot longer to put this one
together and, for me, certainly checks in a solid notch harder than <i>PS, Lord V</i>, and <i>Freedom Tree</i> which are all about the same difficulty (I think.) It’s
not the best route in the Cirque because of the glue and the cave rest, but the
movement is spectacular and can’t get much better. Not to mention the position
and exposure of climbing that hard WAY off the ground. Check it out! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Brian’s House of Cards</i>
(5.13d)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Not a first ascent but might as well be since it hadn’t been
climbed for 16 years. It’s worth mentioning this route because I royally
screwed up the guidebook description in both volumes. I gave it one star, I
believe, and a bolt count that reflected it finishing beneath the massive cap
roof. I’d tried it once, years ago, on a terrible smarmy day and never made it
past the chossy band. I mentally declared the route a pile and wrote it off but
I was terribly wrong. It’s amazing!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is a fair bit of glue and a creatively, but artfully,
crafted crux section but the climbing is phenomenal. Additionally, I didn’t
know that it actually climbs out that massive ceiling at the very top of the
Cirque. I rebolted this route as well and the old bolts were the worst I’ve
ever seen. I have no doubt I could have kicked the cold shuts off with my foot
had I tried. It’s now clean, safe, and represents one of the New’s most
spectacular pitches. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cmWm7EVcwKA/UzhvhYv9TqI/AAAAAAAABCc/C8eM8WlHLok/s1600/photo+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cmWm7EVcwKA/UzhvhYv9TqI/AAAAAAAABCc/C8eM8WlHLok/s1600/photo+%25287%2529.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Into the Sarlacc climbs into the left of the two high dihedrals and skirts the big flat roof to the left. House of Cards climbs right of the dihedrals and through the tiered ceilings at the top of the cliff.</i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D9761PFe1dQ/UzhvfWG6mII/AAAAAAAABCU/3a7Yc6cSDpI/s1600/photo+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D9761PFe1dQ/UzhvfWG6mII/AAAAAAAABCU/3a7Yc6cSDpI/s1600/photo+%25285%2529.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Old top anchors from House of Cards. Lowering off of these might have brought the whole house down. They were worse than I thought bolts could be. Careful out there folks. </i></div>
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<b><i>Card Shark</i> (5.13c)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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It’s a link-up. Deal with it. This line starts by climbing
all of <i>Hasta la Vista</i> (5.12c) to the
last bolt then stepping left to finish with the upper portion of <i>House of Cards</i>. You get a much easier intro
and a better rest before you do the crux of HOC which puts this route on the
low end of 5.13c. It’s an amazing pitch and the 2<sup>nd</sup> easiest way to
clip chains at the top of the Cirque after <i>Skylore
Engine</i>. This route fills the Cirque’s gap in difficulty as the routes there
jump from 13a to 14a with not much option for the transitioning climber. Just
because it’s a link-up doesn’t mean it’s inferior. Doing this first would set
you up for success on HOC if you’re just breaking into the 13+ grade. Super
fun. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cuBHIYO1IMA/UzhvWhRgNvI/AAAAAAAABCM/VyS9kxKL1xc/s1600/photo+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cuBHIYO1IMA/UzhvWhRgNvI/AAAAAAAABCM/VyS9kxKL1xc/s1600/photo+%25284%2529.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>It's crucial that you keep your sugar levels up to stay warm in the Cirque. Porter doesn't mind sharing. Yes, he put it back in his mouth. Also note the Breathe-Right strips. Gotta keep that airway open.</i></div>
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<b><i>Zombie Starfish</i>
(5.14a) <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Greg Kerzhner completed the <i>Delores Claiborne</i> project that branches right off of <i>The Crouch.</i> I rapped this one again
earlier in the season and could tell it definitely would ‘go’ but I couldn’t
envision the moves. Greg unlocked the sequence using a series of holds left of
the crux bolt which is somewhat counterintuitive. The crux is this crazy mantle
that puts your left arm in a fully extended, elbow-bent-backward position while
your right arm is pressing into an overhead gaston. I watched Greg redpoint it
and it looks heinous! He was definitely all star-fished out in the crux. Then
it finishes with what appears to be a harder version of the <i>Xanth</i> finish (is that possible?)
Slapping and liebacking up a mini-dihedral with no feet leads to a desperado
anchor clip that Greg barely pulled off. Exciting stuff. Nice job Greg and
another new 5.14 for the Cirque! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-saP2ygPiyqo/Uzhu9OUcHWI/AAAAAAAABBU/f2SXpu7EGe0/s1600/photo+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-saP2ygPiyqo/Uzhu9OUcHWI/AAAAAAAABBU/f2SXpu7EGe0/s1600/photo+%252811%2529.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Greg and Tara claimed that they moved here but instead just dropped off all their stuff, told me to check their mailbox and then went to Spain for three months. </i></div>
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Is the Cirque tapped out yet? Nope! Kerzhner and Adam Taylor
went up on the project that goes straight up from the first bolt of <i>Sloth</i>. I didn’t think that one would go.
They’re saying it does and that it might be 5.14d. Another testament to Brian’s
vision and my lack of… There are a few more already bolted ones and if you’re
willing to get a permit, I think there’s even a few more. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Final Cirque note: Mr. Magoo is good to go again. This 12c
route was always a mystery to me. I’d look up past the chalkless holds and see
nothing but the massive runout from the last bolt to the anchor. Finally, one
day, I just decided to go up and check it out thinking that the runout must be
easy or there would be another bolt. I got up until that last bolt was below my
feet and spent a few minutes contemplating the body length crux out a 45 degree
wall to get to the anchor. I bailed and Craig Reger went up with some TCU’s and
made it to the anchor. Turns out, there used to be a last bolt at the lip of
the overhang but some poor unknown chap took a fall and blew it out! The bolt
was too close to the lip of the roof and broke off a cinder block-sized chunk
of stone. I could still see part of the hole where it used to be. Anyway, the
bolt is back and the anchor is replaced. It’s good to go and despite having a
little choss, it’s a good route. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Lakebed Season:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Just as the Cirque starts to feel played out, it warms up
enough to get out on the Lakebed. The Long Point side of the lake has some of
the best rock in the region but people rarely climb there. I’ve been poking
around out there for the past 4 or 5 years, usually getting in a couple new
routes per season. The first two seasons, Kirk Bjorling and I picked some real
plums but I’m always finding more. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEuY314qEIE/UziEVvK9DLI/AAAAAAAABEA/SvZdn6KZA8I/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEuY314qEIE/UziEVvK9DLI/AAAAAAAABEA/SvZdn6KZA8I/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>The frozen lake makes it easy to cover a lot of ground in search of new routes. I send Lilah out first to test the strength of the ice.</i></div>
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<i><b>Ash and Urn
(5.13a)<o:p></o:p></b></i></div>
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Super sick line in the Monstrosity roof. I’ve stared at this
wall for years trying to find a way up it. I finally buckled down this year and
stood there staring at it for 20 minutes until I saw something that might go.
It turned out a little different than I thought it would, but better. I won’t
bore you with the details but I promise, the climbing on this one is
incredible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ozFAzRoOhA/UzhvrMiSK6I/AAAAAAAABC0/HUgnlUuiziY/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ozFAzRoOhA/UzhvrMiSK6I/AAAAAAAABC0/HUgnlUuiziY/s1600/photo.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Route starts just right of Chris Whisenhunt's face and moves up and right through the white stone. Ash and Urn finishes out the flat roof between the icicles and the Horizons project climbs the flakes that finish to the right of the ice.</i></div>
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When the bolt line splits after the crux, go left for <i>Ash and Urn</i>, or right to tackle the <i>Horizons</i> project. Bolting routes is such
a challenge. I try to avoid at all costs bolting something that doesn’t go. At
the same time, when you’re looking for something hard, you have to take some
chances. Before the bolts are in, and you haven’t climbed on the route, it’s
hard to tell how difficult it might be. Some moves look terribly hard then aren’t
and vice versa. The <i>Horizons</i> project
didn’t look that bad. I thought it might be 13b. Turns out the crux is heinous.
Maybe V10? I do believe it goes though, just not for me. Someone please do it
so my bolts weren’t wasted. It would be a 4 star classic, just like the easier
finish, <i>Ash and Urn.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b><i>Double Yoke Egg</i>
(5.13c)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Hardest route on the Lakebed. This thing is great! It’s on
the south-facing wall just around the corner from <i>Houseboy</i> and just right of <i>Liturgy</i>
and <i>Sascrotch</i>. This was one of those
routes that was a bit of a risk to bolt. It looked really hard. I had rapped it
the day we put up <i>Sascrotch</i> the year
before and didn’t know if the moves would be possible for me. But I came back
this year, rolled the dice, and got lucky. Power bouldering on tiny crimps. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Booger Sugar</i>
(5.12a)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Amazing face climb on the same wall as, and just to the left
of, <i>Chopping Bloc</i>. The really good
white rock. Possibly the best you’ll ever touch. Starts with a 12a boulder
problem off the ground protected by a bolt then it’s all gear-protected 11a
face climbing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ql79F-DCRzI/Uzh2jp3nneI/AAAAAAAABDY/Zxp5n0xDdag/s1600/photo+(17).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ql79F-DCRzI/Uzh2jp3nneI/AAAAAAAABDY/Zxp5n0xDdag/s1600/photo+(17).JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Climber on Chopping Bloc (5.12a). Booger Sugar climbs the same white face but just to the left.</i></div>
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<b><i>Fifty Shades of Spray</i>
(5.13a)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I’ve been eyeballing this thing for years from Long Point.
It’s across the lake at Whippoorwill, actually it would be the first route
described in the Lost World sector which is the land-locked portion of cliff to
the right of Mormon Wall. Two rad cruxes split by a jug rest and then a cool
finish up the left side of the arête. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R-N3Pb3ePh4/UzhvS9lIidI/AAAAAAAABCE/UfE_edjGZms/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R-N3Pb3ePh4/UzhvS9lIidI/AAAAAAAABCE/UfE_edjGZms/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>Starts on the right side of the faint arete and finishes on the left. </i></div>
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It looks like Jim Taylor has bolted 3 or 4 new lines in the
zone around <i>Penance</i> and <i>Scientific Paws</i>. Look for the glue-in
bolts. I’ll try to find out more about these lines. I know the one left of <i>Penance</i> is in the 12d/13a range. Tough
boulder problem at the start. The others look more moderate, maybe 5.12-.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Recollection</i> (5.13d)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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This one is not at the Lakebed. It’s the old Doug Reed
project below the Keeney’s parking. What a special route. Pat did the work to
resurrect this one and now it’s safe again. Thanks Pat. This route is the
all-around package that incorporates all the qualities of New River climbing.
It starts with a heinous tech crux on the face, then goes out a big, but easy,
ceiling. Another face crux awaits on the 2<sup>nd</sup> panel and then the real
climbing kicks in through a variety of tiers and changing corner dihedrals.
Getting to the last bolt is about 13c and then there’s a scummy rest in a
corner that I thought was going to be a lot better than it was. The final crux
section is unbelievable and on redpoint… I haven’t tried that hard in a long
time. It was super desperate and felt every bit of 13d. Hard to say though. I
warmed up at home and then did it first try that day so I may have been
carrying a flash pump. I’d put this route in my top 5 favorite 5.13s in the region.
It’s a must do. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The name comes from a story that someone told me, though I
forget who. Apparently, years after Doug was gone from the New, they talked to
him about NRG climbing and he asked if anyone had done this route. It seems
likely that he remembered it being very good. It is! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wakSqyjF_Ck/Uzh4Vg93JNI/AAAAAAAABDk/aQbPYxYPQX0/s1600/photo+(18).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wakSqyjF_Ck/Uzh4Vg93JNI/AAAAAAAABDk/aQbPYxYPQX0/s1600/photo+(18).png" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<i>The route goes up the white face, through the ceiling, and finishes up the crack system through tiers.</i></div>
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I’m sure some more new routes have gone up that I’m
forgetting about or don’t know about. Please keep me in the loop if you’re out
there establishing routes. I’ll be adding the new stuff to the app in real time
from now on which is what spurred this blog post. New routes, corrections and suggestions
can be sent to <a href="mailto:mikey@newriverclimbing.com">mikey@newriverclimbing.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-36187217552593336642014-03-27T08:20:00.001-07:002014-03-27T08:38:51.733-07:00NRG Guidebook App Now Available: Rakkup!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DjisYeYdZ8Q/UzQ-Le3bUZI/AAAAAAAAA_I/XE4tFn_XtKI/s1600/cover+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DjisYeYdZ8Q/UzQ-Le3bUZI/AAAAAAAAA_I/XE4tFn_XtKI/s1600/cover+1.jpg" height="320" width="227" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZ9Q0ZekvN8/UzQ-U9G_tHI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/xl6VjHb_RSE/s1600/cover2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZ9Q0ZekvN8/UzQ-U9G_tHI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/xl6VjHb_RSE/s1600/cover2.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
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The New River Gorge guidebooks, both Vol 1 (NRG) and Vol 2
(Meadow and Lake), are now available as smartphone apps for the Iphone. (Android
is on the way soon.) I’ve had the test version of the app in my phone for a
while now and I have to say, I’m geeking out a little bit. It’s pretty cool.</div>
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For the first edition books, Wolverine Publishing and I
partnered with Alpinewerx who did a great job of formatting the book into app
form. It was a great app and I really liked the look of it but it was
essentially just the book in my phone. Smartphones can do so much more and
<a href="http://www.rakkup.com/" target="_blank">Rakkup</a>, the developers of this 2<sup>nd</sup> edition app version, realized
that. They've incorporated some amazing features that really enhance the
content of the book. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Rakkup version of the New River region guidebooks is now
an altogether different experience from the print version of the book. Print
guidebooks will always hold a special place in my heart. I love turning pages,
seeing exciting large format photos, studying the history and getting psyched
for a trip. I still think the print version is crucial for that aspect as the
app is currently lacking in a few areas. Climbing history and trip beta are not
included yet, but, as I said, this app offers an entirely different experience
that offers functions that a print book can’t. Let me walk you through a few of
the features that make the app special. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Navigation: </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Navigation is what sets this app apart from a book. Plug in
your destination and it’s as easy as following the arrow that pops up on your
phone. Say, for example, I’m sitting at my house and I want to go climb the
classic 5.10 splitter <i>Remission</i> at
Diamond Point, Endless Wall. When you open the app, the default screen shows
you an overview trail map. The green dot shows your current location. </div>
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<i>Now you know where I live. Stay off my lawn paparazzi!</i></div>
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All the
blue and red dots are sector indicators that show how many sport and trad routes
are at each sector. I could click on the Endless Wall icon or, at the bottom of
the screen, click on “climb list” which brings up an index.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once in the index, I can click on “endless wall,” then “diamond
point,” then “Remission” and click “go.” The map shows your highlighted route
and you follow the arrow. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MaSf7JIJo6g/UzRAMVynBGI/AAAAAAAABAI/OX2Yr_eC3mg/s1600/photo+(2).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MaSf7JIJo6g/UzRAMVynBGI/AAAAAAAABAI/OX2Yr_eC3mg/s1600/photo+(2).PNG" height="400" width="225" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7swVkU768U/UzQ_iNuMO0I/AAAAAAAAA_8/Ouljq13syQ4/s1600/photo+%25285%2529.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7swVkU768U/UzQ_iNuMO0I/AAAAAAAAA_8/Ouljq13syQ4/s1600/photo+%25285%2529.PNG" height="400" width="225" /></a></div>
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All of the text directions are in the app as well, so if you’d
rather read than trust the system, you have that option too. One of the coolest
aspects of this system is how helpful it will be for those unfamiliar with the
area. Say, for example, that you’re climbing at <i>Legacy</i> and want to end the day in the Cirque. Those unfamiliar with
the area might just hike the cliff base thinking it’s a straight shot until you
get there. Those familiar with the area know that it makes more sense, and is
much quicker, to go back up the Honeymooner’s ladder and hike the top of the
cliff back to the Cirque ladder. The app knows that because we told it that!
Every trail is given a cost estimate that tells the app how fast you’ll be
moving along each trail. It’s the closest thing to having a local guide that
knows the area and your handheld local guide will always choose the fastest way
to your next destination. Cool bonus feature: when you get to your destination,
the app will say “You have arrived. Rakkup!” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Search engine:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The navigation is helpful if you know what you want to climb
but what if this is your first day in the region and you’re scrolling through
your tiny screen trying to figure out where to go in a region of 3000 routes? <o:p></o:p></div>
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This is where the search engine becomes useful. Say for
example, you wake up and it’s freezing outside. You want to go climbing and you
have no idea where to start. You’ve heard people talk about Endless Wall,
Kaymoor, Summersville Lake…but you have no idea which ones are the best for you
and your friends. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You can use the filter function to find a suitable area by
setting the search criteria for multiple variables. This morning, I feel like I
want to climb a 4 star sport route within the grade range of 5.7 to 5.10a in
the New River Gorge proper. Oh, right, it’s also freezing so it has to be in
the sun. Guess what…you’re going to <i>Rico
Suave </i>at Kaymoor. It’s the only one. Of course you can set these variables
to anything, in any conjunction: 5.14 in the shade, 5.11 trad in the sun, only
4 stars or within the range of 2 to 4 stars…whatever you’re looking for it will
narrow down your search. That’s something that a book can’t do. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Updates</b>:<o:p></o:p></div>
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The app can be updated anytime and will be. If a new route
goes up today, I can add it into the app. If access changes, like it has at the
Meadow, I can note those changes immediately. Anyone that visited 3<sup>rd</sup>
buttress at the Meadow this past year using the 1<sup>st</sup> edition
guidebook was likely frustrated to find 50 new routes there. The book was
almost worthless for that zone. With the app, the updates can happen in real
time. When you open the app and go to your “bookshelf” you’ll see a little
cloud icon appear next your book. That means there is an update. Click it and
your book is immediately up to date. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Subscription Service:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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When Wolverine Publishing and I realized that we had to
divide the region into two volumes, I had mixed feelings. There are certainly
benefits, but I was concerned about the growing cost of owning both volumes. I
realize that $55 is no small chunk for dirtbag climbers, especially those that
are just passing through for a few days. I believe it’s worth it for core NRG
climbers but if you’re only here for a week before you head to the Red, then
the Gunks, then Rumney, etc. etc… A road trip could easily set you back 500
bucks if you bought a quality guidebook for every area. Also consider that it
doesn't make sense to an author to sell an app that will be on your phone for a
lifetime and receive constant updates for a flat fee. You pay once, I keep
working as an indentured servant for eternity? <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Rakkup app operates as a subscription service. For New
River Rock Vol 1. the app costs $27.99. About $7 less than the book. That
subscription is good for three years which is about the same amount of time as
a print run (edition of the book). But if you’re only passing through, you can
buy a short term subscription: 2 months for $13.99. This is a great option for
road trippers, even those that will be here for almost an entire season. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There are lots of cool things about the app but these are
the functions that set it apart from the print book. Like I said, I love the
print guide but I haven’t lugged that thing to the cliff for years. With the
app in hand, I can always look up who got the first ascent of the route that
just scared my pants off and immediately curse their name publicly on Facebook
right from the crag. That feature is priceless. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Also know that the app will only continue to get better. It’s
being released now but Rakkup and I will continue to add features, functions, photos,
and new routes. Consider it an investment. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you’re using the app and have suggestions for improvement
or corrections, you can email me at <a href="mailto:mikey@newriverclimbing.com">mikey@newriverclimbing.com</a>
and we’ll get it squared away. Rakkup is really leading the way in digital
guidebooks and I’m glad that I could jump on board with them. I think this app
is really going to be a great addition for New River climbers and I hope you
enjoy using it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You can download the <a href="http://rakkup.com/" target="_blank">Rakkup app at their website</a> for free and try out
the Red Rocks Sample pack (also free) to get an idea of how it works. <a href="http://rakkup.com/" target="_blank">You can also learn more about Rakkup and purchase the app at their website</a>. Check it out. <o:p></o:p></div>
Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-42704258114568582082014-02-26T07:32:00.000-08:002014-02-26T11:36:00.121-08:00Summer 2013The snow is flying once again here in the 'Ville which offers a good opportunity to post some pictures and recap last summers travels. Like I mentioned before, most of the good stuff is stranded in my dysfunctional hard drive. Since I can barely remember what happened last summer, I'll just post some iphone photos in chronological order and hopefully they spur some memories.<br />
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I do remember feeling like I was stuck in West Virginia. I had a seemingly unending stream of work holding me back with my regular DPM duties in addition to finishing the 2nd edition NRG guidebook. The guidebook was a lot more work than I had anticipated for a number of reasons. I also remember that one day I just freaked out, threw everything in the van, and left. Elissa stayed home this year, mostly because her shoulder finally gave out after a Crossfit injury from two years prior and she couldn't climb very well. Murder Dog stayed home too. So it was just me, heading west on I70 and I didn't really have a destination. At some point along the drive, I decided to head back to Ten Sleep because I was guaranteed to have some partners there only to realize that I should have taken the road north about two hours ago. That's what happens when you don't have a plan. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_qoEOAFhJQM/Uw4CvzkwQzI/AAAAAAAAA5w/Ck7SSwvIVgo/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_qoEOAFhJQM/Uw4CvzkwQzI/AAAAAAAAA5w/Ck7SSwvIVgo/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+409.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>My home away from home, the Buffalo, Wyoming library. </i></div>
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I feel like I spent a solid month mostly working at the library, climbing a bit in Ten Sleep, and hiking cliff looking for new routes. I spent a lot of time by myself and settled into a nice rhythm of working most of the day at the library, then driving back up to camp in the Bighorns by Crazy Woman. I love camping up there. It's so quiet, open, and peaceful. Every evening I'd just sit there with my legs hanging out the door, drinking beer, eating burritos, and watch the most amazing sunsets.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ePUjC1DuO1g/Uw4DxCwaeVI/AAAAAAAAA54/QSfxal3fOR8/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ePUjC1DuO1g/Uw4DxCwaeVI/AAAAAAAAA54/QSfxal3fOR8/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+413.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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One of the cool things about being alone was that I was forced to seek out new climbing partners and I got to climb with some great new, and old, friends this year. But I'm still generally antisocial so on the 4th of July, when Ten Sleep is packed to the gills, I hiked up into the Lost Twin Lakes Cirque to check out the climbing potential. It's something I've been meaning to do for years. It's pretty amazing up there in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. It's remote, beautiful, and there are multiple lifetimes of new routes to climb up there on the alpine granite. The Bighorns have long been overshadowed by the endless possibilities in the Wind River Range which is much closer to the climbing communities of Lander and Jackson. I know there are plenty of established routes in the Bighorns but, like I said, the potential is staggering.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yjPuaBFIgec/Uw4GD8hzzsI/AAAAAAAAA6E/bShDyW0boqg/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yjPuaBFIgec/Uw4GD8hzzsI/AAAAAAAAA6E/bShDyW0boqg/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+427.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I drove south from Ten Sleep to Lander to hang out with one of my best old climbing buds Devlin Junker and to check out the International Climber's Festival. On the way there, I drove through a badass hail storm.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyLQfnVYDWOqfyhIdFetAs3ihDLfhv2oYKZ1CJcxueDKP23JkpfPK204VFZWLH6TEMbFAKX4yjJZCEtwn53gw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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Funny thing about spending a lot of time alone. I guess after a while it makes sense to just bust out the phone and hit record because it feels less weird than talking to yourself. I sound good and cocky in the first video but when I started getting closer...</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx9ND9dMBWEG4rP2-fo1hgElIYkbcZLNZMNS_OkG6HfZ3Y9lRESBmoaWME5G7CBihrLHcJ4qQlXgiCmJaxyqA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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I did drive right through it, and it was insane. The hail wasn't quite golf ball sized, but big enough to have to pull over and wait it out. Wyoming summer storms are amazing. I've been caught by a few when I'm out climbing or bolting and it happens so fast. Blue skies turn black and then you just get pummeled by hail and lightning. Wild and awesome.<br />
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I remember still being in work mode in Lander, though I did get to climb a bit. I think the climbing around Lander is great, but I'm always there in the middle of the summer and it's just so hot. Even Wild Iris, which has a reputation for being a great summer area, bakes in the sun most of the day and at 8500 ft, the sun is super intense. But the festival was a good time it was fun to hang out with Dev, Ana and their little daughter Shanti. One day, Lander route developer Tom Rangitsch took us for a drive up into the Winds to check out some relatively undeveloped cliff line. It's crazy to see how much rock there is in the Lander area. The issue is access. Even though you can see a lot of it from the highway, it's always tucked away behind Rez land or only accessible by an hour long 4wd drive. Without fail though, Todd Skinner has already checked it out and left some bolts in his wake.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iphn5ajo-7c/Uw4OZfw6dHI/AAAAAAAAA60/q-csus8Fsy8/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iphn5ajo-7c/Uw4OZfw6dHI/AAAAAAAAA60/q-csus8Fsy8/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+440.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fgmwuu5Cn7w/Uw4PDW4m1WI/AAAAAAAAA68/XZobF9RXkYc/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fgmwuu5Cn7w/Uw4PDW4m1WI/AAAAAAAAA68/XZobF9RXkYc/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+453.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>This wall reminded me a lot of the Picnic Lunch Wall at Smith Rock. It could have 10 Big R's on it.</i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aNtjzOCe1bY/Uw4PEcpOlRI/AAAAAAAAA7E/6dIzVa5vJHE/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aNtjzOCe1bY/Uw4PEcpOlRI/AAAAAAAAA7E/6dIzVa5vJHE/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+460.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>These curious dudes were chilling right at the base. They let me get really close. </i></div>
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<i><br /></i><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxGlm4akroiGrv-DE8tS8OpaIHN5n1CF5s51i2919_sSBLhHzaXktYNUufqmNZS4pjP8WQl7OBLWJe78bLY7w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<i>As I usually do, I will approach wildlife until we either spar to the death or they run away. They always run away like little bitches.</i></div>
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As far as my personal climbing, I didn't do much in Lander. I got to check out the Sweatlodge, which is a pretty cool little cave, and also hiked up to the much talked about Wolf Point. Killer crag but it was like 100 degrees. Sandbagged by Blake Cash who, being from Chatty, seems to operate on the mentality that it's a dry heat and better than what he's used to. I also spent some time hanging out with Zeke and his owner Jonathan Siegrist. Zeke is such a boss. Jonathan's pretty cool too. I put this video together of Jonathan climbing Wyoming's hardest route: <i>Moonshine </i>(5.14d). Zeke makes a brief appearance. </div>
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<a href="http://www.dpmclimbing.com/climbing-videos/watch/jonathan-siegrist-climbs-wyomings-hardest-moonshine-514d" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1nzl7OK8WUM/Uw4T_MKPU6I/AAAAAAAAA7U/H7wNbzReGdE/s1600/moonshine.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.dpmclimbing.com/climbing-videos/watch/jonathan-siegrist-climbs-wyomings-hardest-moonshine-514d" target="_blank">Click it for video</a></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f58--Grp4Zs/Uw4UnsJtwaI/AAAAAAAAA7c/TzCzOV0lSO4/s1600/tommy+crop+paint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f58--Grp4Zs/Uw4UnsJtwaI/AAAAAAAAA7c/TzCzOV0lSO4/s1600/tommy+crop+paint.jpg" height="400" width="365" /></a></div>
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<i>I also went full paparazzi on Tommy Caldwell. It was cool to meet Tommy because...he's Tommy Caldwell. </i></div>
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According to the sequence of photos of my phone, Elissa flew in to Casper a short time later and we drove back up to Buffalo, The Bighorns, and my favorite spot...Crazy Woman. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BVYnT9ECNGQ/Uw4WacjWDDI/AAAAAAAAA7o/34KDRsouXQQ/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BVYnT9ECNGQ/Uw4WacjWDDI/AAAAAAAAA7o/34KDRsouXQQ/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+478.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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The blue streaks at Blue Chuck Cliff were the first prime lines I saw on the first day I "discovered" Crazy Woman the year before. Somehow though, I got so distracted by all the other routes that I had yet to sink bolts on them. I bolted the left blue streak and then got caught in one of those heinous hail storms. The left blue streak has a heinous crux near the top. It's a 5.14 project that I don't know when I'll get back to so go get it. </div>
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<i>Looking down the blue streak project. Later in the summer, I went back and added a four bolt variation finish that bails to the corner. That route is called The Ice Maiden (5.12c) and it's classic. 35 meters. </i></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxF4v2sf4bpk5btyA0WRLf1yN_E1HMRiMS6-8Uz5J1srp3JuIOA9ja356_oZsUjysaGY0d2sXGLdVj7iYVKMA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<i>The hail storm was heinous. I did a little product testing. #Outdoorresearch!</i></div>
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This was a memorable day because the hail storm left the dirt roads that we drove in on impassable. We were stranded out there and forced to camp in a place where we weren't supposed to. At some point in the night, I woke up to a strange guttural growling. The sounds of the beast outside were terrifying. It's hard to explain just how irrationally scared we were but these sounds were insane. I'd never heard anything like it. At the time, we thought it must be a mountain lion, or a bear, or a dying cow. Later, we found this <a href="http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Bobcat_sounds_audio" target="_blank">soundboard </a>and knew right away that it was a bobcat. You know how everything is scarier when you've just woken up and it's pitch black and you can't see anything and your brain is still foggy? Try to imagine these sounds right outside the van and having no idea what it could be. Aliens, Sasquatch, and crazed murderous rednecks were thoughts that crossed our minds. Yes, it was irrational but we were terrified and couldn't drive away. Check out <a href="http://www.soundboard.com/sb/Bobcat_sounds_audio" target="_blank">Bobcat Growl 2</a> in particular for an idea of how diverse and threatening one of these little kitties can sound. </div>
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<i>Shortly after, Siegrist and Emily Jean showed up to check out Crazy Woman. I was psyched to see him repeat some of the hardish routes I'd established the year before. Here he is on Gold Digger (5.14a)</i></div>
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<i>Here's EC chillin' at Crazy Woman.</i></div>
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After that, EC and I went back to Lander and chilled with Devlin some more before we went on an alpine big wall mission. We circumnavigated, by car, the entire Wind River Range, driving south from Lander first to the Cirque of the Towers. That area is mind-blowing beautiful. We didn't have camping gear so we had to do a day trip in to climb one of the closer peaks, Sundance Pinnacle. It was still an epic journey. 50 miles on dirt roads, a 6 mile hike, then a 10ish pitch 5.10c called <i>the Northeast Arete</i> that was hard! Such a killer route. Then we went to Jackson to climb in the Tetons and did the classic Death Canyon route, <i>The Snaz</i> (5.10a). It was also hard! Our alpine missions were mega extreme so we put together this video.</div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/71595082" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XBeBhvf02OM/Uw4fTSw5CAI/AAAAAAAAA8U/T594M8nEG4I/s1600/alpine.jpg" height="354" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/71595082" target="_blank">Click for e#treme video</a></div>
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Thankfully, we survived our alpine excursions and EC was back on a plane headed for the Dub V. I was on to City of Rocks, Idaho. I'd only visited the City once before back in 2004 when I was working for a therapeutic survival school near Twin Falls. It was snowing back then though, so I'd never climbed there. My trip this time was for a post tradeshow Scarpa/Outdoor Research event. It was basically a community-building get together for media and athletes and ended up being a really fun time. I got to climb some classic cracks, meet some new folks, and hang with my friends Brenden O'neill and Gord McArthur among others. I also got to spend a morning climbing with the legendary cobbler Heinz Mariacher which was a real treat. Heinz is a true old school badass climber and one of the coolest dudes in the industry. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that he invented the modern day sticky rubber climbing shoe. He's at the very least been an integral part of shoe evolution. Pretty much every benchmark shoe has come from his mind and hands. Shoes like the Mythos, Testarossa, and Solution all came from him when he was working with Sportiva. Now he shapes for Scarpa and the current line-up of his shoes are amazing. I've been wearing Scarpas since my very first pair of climbing shoes, a board lasted pair of Edges, and I've worn them ever since. I've been a grassroots Scarpa athlete since 2007 and have really enjoyed being part of the team. I truly believe they make the best shoe on the market and when they finally decide I'm washed up and stop giving me shoes, I'll just start buying them. I wouldn't wear anything else. </div>
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<i>The City of Rocks, Idaho.</i></div>
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After the City of Rocks event, I went back to Ten Sleep and Crazy Woman. I hooked up with my Canadian friend Mark Smith and his brand new wife Monica. They are great folks and were so much fun to climb with. Mark is the friendliest, happiest dude I know. When he comes to stay with us at the New, he'll be awake in the dark, talking to Elissa before she heads off to work at like 6:00 am. He's awake and so psyched he can barely contain himself. </div>
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<i>Mark at the belay and me on the first ascent of a route I bolted at Crazy Woman. Mafic Dike (5.13a).</i></div>
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<i>That same day that I sent Mafic Dike in the morning, we headed back to Ten Sleep to check out a cool new crag developed by Mike Snyder, JB, and Full Charge Charlie. The Lakepoint crag is definitely worth a visit, particularly this buttress. Here, I'm sending Wavy Gravy, a cool 13b. I also flashed a 13a that day just around the corner. This was August 15th and the conditions were getting better, I sent the final edits of the guidebook off to the publisher the day before which meant my work load had decreased, and I was finally able to focus on climbing.</i></div>
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My goal for the season was to get back on <i>General Litzenheimer</i>, the hardest route in Ten Sleep. It's graded 5.14c, and I'd never climbed that grade, so to say that it was my goal to send it would be a bit much. My goal was to try it some more. Mark was belaying me the first day I tried it this year and I surprised myself by doing all the moves. This was really exciting for me because usually, if I can do the moves on a route of this angle, I can do the route. So I immediately went all in on it. But finding partners after Mark and Monica left was a challenge. Alli and Kevin were around but they were spending a lot of time at another, steeper climbing area that stays a lot warmer and heat is my Kryptonite. So I headed back to the hills to bolt the final routes I wanted to do at Crazy Woman.</div>
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<i>I finally sunk bolts on the right blue streak, which is the very first route that caught my eye when I found Crazy Woman. I also bolted the variation finish to the 5.14 project and a nice 12d further left over by a route I did the previous year called Milky's Ultimate Steeze (5.13a).</i></div>
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<i>The last line I bolted goes up just left of the black streak. You can barely see the rope on it. It's actually amazing. Way better than I thought it'd be. From the ground, it looked like the steep section was fairly short but when I rapped it, I realized the cliff there is 150 ft. and the view was foreshortened. It's actually a sustained 6-bolt section on 20 degree overhang with tiny two finger pockets and edges. It's definitely another 5.14.</i> </div>
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<i>I love this photo. You probably can't read the sign but it says "end motorized travel." I can't even take a guess at how many undeveloped dolomite cliffs are in the Crazy Woman area. Overall, I've spent weeks driving around, getting to some, and not being able to get to others. This one was a ways off the beaten path and, as it turns out, locked up on private property. Some old rancher on a 4-wheeler got curious about what the hell I was doing with a van like Max way out there so he rode up, curious, and a bit defensive. He had a gun on his hip and a cowboy hat, of course. As is always the case in Wyoming, he was super nice and we talked for a long time. I asked him for his version of the legend of the Crazy Woman (there are many variations). He told me he didn't know but I clearly remember one nugget of knowledge that he left me with. He said with a drawl, "This land was good on men and horses but hard on women and dogs."</i></div>
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<i>I went back to Ten Sleep to focus on the Litzenheimer and was greeted with this amazing double rainbow over the the cliff in the distance coincidentally named "City of Gold." One of my favorite campsites. I have much better pictures of this...on my hard drive.</i></div>
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I really enjoy the process of projecting a route and <i>Litzenheimer </i>was no different. I love figuring out the moves, then the clips, and making small links...all that stuff. I actually didn't spend that much time on the route before I went into redpoint mode so it was just a matter of finding partners. Alli and Kevin were nice enough to walk back and forth between the Cattle Ranch and Alli's project at the Superratic so every three days or so, we'd be up there. I was getting really close and then, one day when the conditions were less than perfect, I went full bore into the opening boulder problem which involves catching a sharp half-pad mono with the left middle finger. I started to fade away and did one of those numbers where your finger goes kind of into a crimp, then straight again, and right when I reeled it back in, something yoinked. I came down and went through that whole process of thinking, "it's not that bad," playing with it, bending it, pulling on it. It felt OK. So I decided to give it one more burn and pulled on my shoe and was like, "Aaagh!" Kevin convinced me that if it hurt to put my shoe on, it was probably a bad idea to pull body weight on the tip of that finger. He was right, of course. And just like that, I thought it was over. I needed to rest and there is nothing more annoying than not climbing. </div>
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So instead of resting, I decided to take a break from the route and go to the Fins in Idaho, another vertical crag with tweaky pockets. Perfect! The Fins has been on my 'must-visit' list since I saw some footage of Siegrist on <i>Algorithm</i>, the 14d he put up the year before. Jonathan was already there, so I hustled to meet him. </div>
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<i>The fastest way to the Fins from Ten Sleep is through Yellowstone Park. In the early 2000's I worked for a wilderness program in Dubois, Wyoming and we used to go there all the time, so I've seen the amazing sites and just wanted to blast through. I managed to avoid the entrance fee by camping right outside the park, getting up early and driving in before the gate opens. But it wasn't early enough. I think it was Labor Day weekend cause the Park was packed and every time a bison herd gets near the road, you get stuck in standstill traffic for like an hour. I was screaming, "you gotta be effing kidding me!" for a while before realizing how much of a dick I was being. This herd eventually took off and actually swam across the Yellowstone river. I've never seen bison swim before. It was pretty cool.</i></div>
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I was blown away by my first view of the Fins. You drive up this really steep dirt road and it looks small from a distance. But when you get up to the 2wd parking, the Discovery wall looks incredible, like Ceuse. </div>
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<i>The Discovery Wall</i></div>
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I hustled up the hill at warp speed to meet Jonathan and was pleasantly surprised to realize that I knew everyone at the crag already: Jonathan, Zeke, Seth and Neely, Leif and Lindsay Gasch....such is the climbing community. I ended up staying at the Fins for a week. With such a short amount of time, I didn't want to pick off any lofty goals so I focused on doing a bunch of 5.12's and 13's. Like Ten Sleep, the Fins suits me really well. I managed to onsight or flash all the 5.12's and 13a/b routes on the Discovery Wall except one or two. That's really good for me. The one hard route I did was <i>La Cabanita Especial</i> (5.13c) which Siegrist had put up the previous year. All of these routes are simply incredible and I can't wait to visit again and try some of the harder rigs. I also bolted and sent two new routes on the left end of the Discovery Wall. <i>Hazmat</i> and <i>Decon </i>(both 5.12-) are decent additions. Definitely not the pick of the litter but worthy. Siegrist was a machine, as usual. He slammed in a few more 5.14 routes that week and I got some great pictures of his hardest addition of the year, <i>Better Living through Chemistry</i> (5.14b/c). </div>
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<i>This was my favorite of the series. It really shows the style of climbing at the Fins. Lots of blank rock and rad pockets with a beautiful view. <a href="http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/more-514s-fins-siegrist" target="_blank">See the rest of the pics here.</a></i></div>
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Then Siegrist was off to do more of what he does and I was heading back to Ten Sleep to battle the <i>Litzenheimer</i>. My last day at the Fins, I really wanted to finish up <i>La Cabanita</i> and I went a little too big. It starts with a 12+ that has a really hard pull on a ring finger mono. On my 2nd burn of the day, I felt something rip all the way down to my elbow but kept going anyway and fell at the very last move with the chains in my face. I'm not one to listen to my body so I tried again and felt the same twinge at that tweaky move but worse. Regardless, I pushed through and sent but not without consequence. My first day back at Ten Sleep I was feeling rough. My fingers were in terrible shape. Not only had the <i>Litzenheimer </i>injury not healed (how could it after 'resting' by climbing tweaky 5.13 pocket routes) but it had gotten angrier. In addition, I had a new injury in my ring finger/forearm. I was a mess. </div>
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This go 'round, I teamed up with Brenden O'Neill and he was psyched on <i>Galactic Emperor </i>(5.14a) which is right next to the <i>Litzenheimer</i>. No way I was going to blow the opportunity to get on my project by resting, especially with limited time in the trip left. The day I sent, I warmed up on a 10d and was struggling. My fingers felt terrible. It was painful to tie my shoes. We did another warmup and I felt the same. But I stepped up to the rig thinking that if I feel something twinge, I'll just let go. Nothing twinged. I sent.<br /></div>
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<i>Kevin Wilkinson at the belay just before I left for the Fins. I think this might have been the burn before I tweaked my finger. Alli Rainey photo</i></div>
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I guess I should clarify that the route I actually took is called <i>Masters of the Universe</i>. James Litz sent this project, that was bolted by Alli Rainey, in 2009. The straight up independent bolt line is <i>General Litzenheimer</i> and was graded 5.14c. Litz was on a rampage in Ten Sleep that year so right after he did <i>Litzenheimer</i>, he did the link-up called <i>Masters of the Universe</i>. You do the crux section of <i>Litzenheimer </i>to a big jug at the 4th bolt but instead of going straight up, you step two feet right onto <i>Galactic Emperor</i> and finish with that route. Litz felt like this finish was harder so the word on the street was 5.14c/d. I doubt James ever really proposed grades for these routes. I know him a bit and can make an educated guess that he doesn't give a shit. Somehow the media morphed this into 5.14d for <i>Masters of the Universe</i>. The reason I chose this finish was not because I was looking for something harder, though 2nd ascent did sound pretty cool. I'd done both finishes before because I've done <i>Galactic </i>and there is a reverse link-up that climbs <i>Galactic </i>to the rest then finishes on <i>Litzenheimer </i>called<i> Private Halfenheimer</i> (5.14a) which I'd also done. I remembered the finish to <i>Galactic </i>being more straightforward and secure. Additionally, it has chalk on it whereas the <i>Litzenheimer </i>finish is blank and techy and insecure. Maybe the <i>Galactic </i>finish is a tad harder, I can't really tell. But I knew that if I did get to the rest that I didn't want to blow it up high so I took the right hand variation. <br /><br />Siegrist has done <i>Litzenheimer </i>and Litz has done both so, although this was truly the 2nd ascent of <i>Masters of the Universe</i>, it's more like a 3rd ascent after Litz and Siegrist. I even got some sweet cred on <a href="http://www.8a.nu/?IncPage=http%3A//www.8a.nu/forum/ViewForumThread.aspx%3FObjectId%3D28558%26ObjectClass%3DCLS_UserNewsComment%26CountryCode%3DGLOBAL" target="_blank">8a.nu where Jens noted that I gave the route a "personal grade" of 5.14c</a>. For the record, I don't do personal grades. I always just take it at face value and don't put much thought into it. I've been on 13b's that feel impossible and I've done 5.14's that feel easy. Who am I to judge? I'm one of the most imbalanced climbers on the planet. I can climb vertical rock fairly well but I can't send V9 boulder problems. Because I did send this route, I doubt it's 5.14c but who knows. Crazy stuff can happen. I was really psyched though and even more psyched to finish off the wall with the 3rd ascent (after Litz and Siegrist) of <i>Porcelain </i>(5.14b). I wrapped up a 5.13d at Leigh Creek called <i>Fangs</i>, had a good day with Brendan at Dry Wall onsighting two 13a's, and that was it. My time at Ten Sleep is pretty much over which is kind of heartbreaking. I love it there so much but with almost nothing left to do, it's hard to justify another long-term trip. I'll be back though. </div>
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Brendan split for the Valley and I only had one day of my trip left to send the routes I'd bolted at Crazy Woman but no partners. I had another great solo day up there, alone, climbing in silence on a shunt and just enjoying one of my favorite places. I TR sent <i>Earthbound Djinn</i> (the right blue streak 5.12b), <i>The Ice Maiden </i>(the easy variation finish of the left blue streak 5.12c), and <i>Wilky's Anti-Steeze</i> (5.12d). It's a shame I had to "send" them solo on TR but it was the only option. I consider them first ascents...if you don't, go snake 'em up you rat bastard! Ha! And like I mentioned, I did leave two 5.14 projects up there that are wide open. They're worthy. Go check them out. </div>
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I drove back across this great land, stopping in Rapid City for some van repairs, and on to Delaware to visit my awesome gramma. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l7-UghpFjm4/Uw5Ajt-QPTI/AAAAAAAAA-o/52zVeEL36n8/s1600/gramma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l7-UghpFjm4/Uw5Ajt-QPTI/AAAAAAAAA-o/52zVeEL36n8/s1600/gramma.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Gramma is strong as hell!</i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5uSO5KJDPY8/Uw5BBhhkpbI/AAAAAAAAA-w/1M8mILDvnuE/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5uSO5KJDPY8/Uw5BBhhkpbI/AAAAAAAAA-w/1M8mILDvnuE/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+590.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>I made it to Richmond, VA one day after EC got out of shoulder surgery. She was doped up and five months later she's still struggling, but she did her first 5.6 this past weekend and I didn't even pull her up on toprope!</i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7d6vJM1BmA/Uw5Bl54AoWI/AAAAAAAAA-4/_Gp_gNWQtbg/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n7d6vJM1BmA/Uw5Bl54AoWI/AAAAAAAAA-4/_Gp_gNWQtbg/s1600/iphone+photo+import+feb+2014+592.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>After 10,000 miles since we left on our trip, Max blew up in the home stretch from Virginia to West Virginia. He'd had enough. It got straightened out though, and we finally made it home just in time to kick off New River Gorge season. Like all the others, this past season has been amazing and I'll get something up about that asap.</i></div>
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Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-88404994250706522262014-01-19T11:04:00.000-08:002014-01-21T09:32:56.623-08:00Flashback: Hoax of Clocks<div class="MsoNormal">
My buddy Chris and I were climbing at the Cirque AGAIN the
other day and talking about the possibility of courageously visiting another
crag in the near future. I know, it’s crazy. But he asked if I’d done <i>Hoax of Clocks </i>at Central Endless and I
was all, “Hell yeah, son! I’m the only one!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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It reminded me that I had put together a little video of the
route a few years ago and never done anything with it. It also reminded me of
what a terrible job I’ve done of updating this blog this past year. I’m going
to make a strong effort to make this blog a place for reading about current
climbing happenings in the region. All kinds of (somewhat) exciting stuff
happens around here and there’s no place for that info to be disseminated so I’m
going to hustle to catch up and then do a better job of keeping it updated. New
routes, access issues, that kind of thing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For now, here’s that little clip of <i>Hoax</i>. I had grandiose plans for making a really cool time-themed
video about this route with some sweet Porter Jarrard interviews. It would have
conveyed the following:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Porter and Doug Reed were two of the sport climbing pioneers
here at the New. They established what is considered the first sport routes on
Endless Wall, <i>Freaky Stylee</i> (5.12a)
way back in 1988 when I was 10 years old. During the following 9 years, sport
climbing exploded at the New and hundreds more were established. At some point during
this flurry of development, Porter rapped the wall to the right of the popular arête
<i>Bullet the New Sky </i>which is located
in one of the most trafficked zones at Endless Wall. He placed some cold shut
top anchors and may have toproped it briefly but in the end, he deemed the crux
too difficult and left the route for another generation. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
(Edit: <i>OG guidebook author Rick Thompson has corrected the previous paragraph. The cold shut top anchors were placed by Doug Reed. Doug and Rick toproped the wall and abandoned it. Porter adopted the project at a later date</i>.)</div>
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Porter discovered the potential of the Red River Gorge in
the early 90’s and moved on from the New to live in Kentucky. Lots of time is
passing here… <i>Hoax of Clocks</i>…get it?
I’m not sure why Porter named it that, though. He was originally calling it <i>The Mellified Man</i>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellified_man" target="_blank"> a reference to Egyptians turning dead bodies into honey</a>, which is also really cool. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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Anyway, he moved back to the New in 2007ish and opened a
restaurant. Times were different, but that route was still there, completely
unchanged. One of the things that did change is that Porter could no longer
just drill bolts in the route. He was the first to apply for, and be granted, a
permit to bolt the route under the National Park Service’s new climbing
management plan. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In 2008, with permit in hand, Porter sunk bolts into Park
Service sandstone, possibly the first time this had happened, at least legally,
since 1997. It’s a beautiful wall with a singular line on it but the difficulty
of it kept it off the radar for most. I was preoccupied at the time with my
4-year project <i>Picket Fence</i>, so I
didn’t bother with it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris Sharma came shortly after it was bolted and spent an
hour or two on it. He was attempting an outrageous crimp/dyno move at the crux
and the media was there to film it. He eventually did stick the move and on his
2<sup>nd</sup> try at the route, he fell at the crux and couldn’t repeat the
move. Instead of trying again, he walked around the corner and claimed the
first and only onsight of <i>the Racist</i>
(5.13b+)…apparently. I wasn’t there; I remember because the conditions were
perfect that day and I was at Beauty Mt. failing on my project again. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The short clip of Sharma trying <i>Hoax</i>, was in the movie “the Players,” sandwiched in between clips
of him sending <i>Lucifer</i> (5.14c) at the
Red on his 2<sup>nd</sup> try and onsighting <i>Proper Soul</i> (5.14a). I thought it was safe to guess that the <i>Hoax</i> project was in the 14c range since
the crux move gave him some trouble and, well, he’s Sharma! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOz54X3liF0" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TV1uhxDB-Ok/UtwfTwPWn8I/AAAAAAAAA5g/0f79uQ82IyM/s1600/sharma.jpg" height="356" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOz54X3liF0" target="_blank">Hoax footage starts at 3:15. I bravely and humbly present this footage of the world's greatest rock climber not being able to do something I did. No big deal.</a></i></div>
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When the 1<sup>st</sup> edition guidebook came out in 2010,
I gave <i>Hoax</i> a projected grade of “somewhere
in the 14c range.” Vasya Vorotnikov hung his draws on it a little while later
and gave it a few efforts, I believe trying the move the same way Sharma was. I
never bothered with the route ‘cause I don’t climb as hard as I believed the
route to be. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course, I eventually did try it and solved the boulder
problem with different beta, getting a really high foot and doing the move
almost statically. It’s a classic NRG move: small crimp, high foot, rockover. After
a few days of efforts, I clipped the chains, almost disappointed that it wasn’t
going to be the New’s first 5.14c. I honestly thought it might be 5.13+ but I
figured I might as well call it 14a since it did give some 5.15 guys some
trouble. Regardless of the grade, it’s cool in that it does represent the ‘final
exam’ in Endless Wall face climbing: small holds on a barely overhanging wall.
And it’s a gorgeous line with bulletproof swirling white stone, and
multi-colored water streaks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s what the movie was going to convey; instead I just
put together the climbing footage and never got to the rest. I thought the “Hard-Grit”
inspired heartbeat sequence was a little too cheesy and I was going to swap out
the music which is why I never posted it online. But when I went back to do
that yesterday, I realized my hard drive no longer works and the premiere file
and raw footage is stuck in there so I only have the rendered version from my
laptop. Youtube hasn’t crashed yet, so I figured I should upload this before it’s
gone forever. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to how the day played out for Chris and I at the Cirque…
I got punted off <i>Xanth</i> again, a 13b
that I’ve tried on and off for a few years but never seriously. This comes just
a few weeks after I proposed the lofty grade of 14b for another Cirque route
and got the 2<sup>nd</sup> ascent of Brian McCray’s old <i>House of Cards</i> (5.13c/d). All Brian McCray routes and grades, <i>House of Cards</i> seemed as hard, or harder,
than <i>Proper Soul </i>and <i>Xanth</i> seems harder than both so we joked
about how jacked Cirque grades are and grades at the New in general. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I think it’s funny how time and history are going to sort
things out around here. My thought was that Brian was the first 5.14 local
climber at the New, but <i>Proper Soul</i>
wasn’t necessarily the one. Around here especially, things that weren’t that
bad for Brian, like <i>Xanth</i>, are very
difficult for others and things that he thought were hard, might be pretty
chill for others. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I think it’s going to be the same for some of the routes I’ve
put up here. Everybody thinks <i>Trebuchet</i>
(I called it 14b) is kinda piss and <i>Picket
Fence</i> has seen fast repeats by Matt Wilder (three tries), Ben Spannuth
(3ish days due to poor conditions), and Jonathan Siegrist (2<sup>nd</sup> go).
Looks like that one is not 14b either! <o:p></o:p></div>
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But then again, I’ve sprayed beta at some serious tough guys
on <i>Hoax of Clocks</i> and no one can do
the move the way I did. Jimmy Webb said it was the hardest move he’s tried on
rope and when I yelled at him to just get his damn foot up he responded, “I can’t!
I don’t have as much practice sucking my own dick as you do.” Well played
Jimmy. I take this to mean that I can flash V13, I just haven’t tried yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So here’s the beta for <i>Hoax</i>.
Now go up there and get your damn foot up! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yZrGd9B9-w&list=UU3Mkh5XQzJvMW3Gjlmfy2Yw&feature=c4-overview" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c0BctAJce74/UtweZhCyDII/AAAAAAAAA5Y/Y1CycBPeqrE/s1600/lilah+hoax.jpg" height="388" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yZrGd9B9-w&list=UU3Mkh5XQzJvMW3Gjlmfy2Yw&feature=c4-overview" target="_blank">Click it.</a></i><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Thanks to Pat Goodman and EC Williams for hanging on ropes and shooting the footage!</div>
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Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-22991251832930784392013-05-27T14:19:00.001-07:002013-05-27T14:22:44.739-07:00Smoking Crack<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was out hiking today at the Meadow and found this hilarious
bolted crack. It's probably about 5.7 and 20 feet high. It made me LOL. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXqZL11axRI/UaPLLnCea8I/AAAAAAAAA4w/-5AvVKhTev4/s1600/rehab+route.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cXqZL11axRI/UaPLLnCea8I/AAAAAAAAA4w/-5AvVKhTev4/s400/rehab+route.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There's no sense in getting all preachy and running through
the last 50+ years of climbing history including the current consensus on how
routes should be established. I feel like this picture accurately portrays my
feelings and the feelings of...well, I would say everyone but I guess that's
not the case. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--UMC1DG4OAg/UaPLbWIncbI/AAAAAAAAA44/BKsisRKVbWI/s1600/rehab+route+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--UMC1DG4OAg/UaPLbWIncbI/AAAAAAAAA44/BKsisRKVbWI/s640/rehab+route+ps.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are some bizarre ironies here as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Irony 1: It's actually kind of run out to get the 2nd bolt.
If you fell, you'd probably deck. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Irony 2: The equipper was thoughtful enough to camouflage
the hanger with a neutral-colored spray paint. He's a real minimal impact kind
of fella. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Irony 3: He spray painted the hangers after they were placed
and got paint all over the rock. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EAY4qfemAm4/UaPLtd3L-gI/AAAAAAAAA5A/wbCVSevjnWg/s1600/rehab+route+bolt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EAY4qfemAm4/UaPLtd3L-gI/AAAAAAAAA5A/wbCVSevjnWg/s320/rehab+route+bolt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This route has probably already been named but since I get
to write the guidebook, I'm trying to decide between some of the following
options. Other suggestions are welcome.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Murder of the
Possible</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Too Short for Sport</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stirring the Pot</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I Smoked SuperCrack</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bolt the Planet</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two Bolts and Three Ironies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I Do What I Want</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sell Your Rack, Buy a Drill</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What's an Ethics?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Durpy Durp</span></div>
Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-39803027182320229192013-02-15T20:05:00.001-08:002013-02-15T20:05:26.247-08:00Coal Train
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back when I used to be a climbing guide, I had an impactful
and memorable encounter with a woman I'd taken out for a full day trip at
Endless Wall. I always enjoyed those rare one-on-one days with a reasonably fit
person because I could take them away from the roadside top-rope crags of
Bridge Buttress or Junkyard. I felt like the Endless Wall experience was more
valuable for them due to the remote location and superior quality of the lines.
</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We roped up beneath some classic and I was excited for the
lead/free solo since you can never trust their belay. I said something like,
"You're going to love this route. It's a four star classic." The
response I got still sticks with me. "What makes a route good?" she
asked. I stood there a bit taken aback and honestly unable to answer the
question on the fly. What makes a movie better than other movies? What makes a
particular meal better than other meals? There are characteristics to routes
that we all agree make them 'better' or 'worse' but, like a food preference,
there are also feelings and sensations that accompany certain climbs that are
hard to define. You could argue that vanilla ice cream is better than chocolate,
or vice versa, and never be right. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I finished my Beauty Mountain project yesterday and my opinion is that it's the best route at the New and the best climb I've ever been on in my
life. I'll go on to attempt a defense of that statement, but first a little
history of Beauty Mountain. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--bcbf9ph6O0/UR7GKGHhx6I/AAAAAAAAA14/2eL4CZlMvnw/s1600/nick+trebuchet+video+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--bcbf9ph6O0/UR7GKGHhx6I/AAAAAAAAA14/2eL4CZlMvnw/s640/nick+trebuchet+video+012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Why is Beauty Mountain not part of Endless Wall? The answer is this little devil right here: Short Creek. One of the most beautiful streams in the region tumbles through the cliffline cleaving off the last mile of Endless Wall. That last mile is Beauty Mountain. Hiking down short creek is like a step into a magic forest with boulders, ferns, moss, and falling water everywhere.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Beauty is my favorite crag at the New. The quality and
concentration of routes is unparalleled, even compared to Endless Wall in my
opinion. Furthermore, the history of Beauty is a microcosmic display of overall
New River history. You can look at just Beauty alone and get a feel of the
progression of New River climbing. While some of the very earliest ascents were
being done at Bridge and Junkyard, Beauty also saw late 70's action. In the
early days, access was from the upstream end, and the core group of pioneers,
including Bruce Burgin and Nick Brash were top-roping in the boulder field
upstream of the descent gully. In 1979, the duo descended to the cliff base for
the first ascent of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Screamer Crack</i>, a
wide 5.8 on the Thunder Buttress, and a year later for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supercrack</i>, the New's best traditional pitch of 5.9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steve Erskine, Hobart Parks, and T.A. Horton
climbed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Welcome to Beauty</i> in big wall
style, bivying half way up the 120 ft. pitch! Nowadays, climbers wonder why <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Welcome to Beauty</i> is one of the last
climbs they get to after hiking in for nearly a mile. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next wave of development hit the Burning Buttress with
early 80's ascents of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Burning Calves,
Wham, Bam, Thanks for the Jam, Happy Hands, Spider Wand </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rod Serling Crack</i>; a line-up of the
New's best moderate cracks. Just before the sport climbing craze took hold,
boldness ruled the era. In 1986, Mike Artz and Andrew Barry established <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Will to Power</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Steve Martin's Face</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chorus
Line</i>; all hairball<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>runout face
climbs that connect discontinuous cracks and letterbox slots. And how could I
forget <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chasin' the Wind in </i>'85!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-btvv6YMetHw/UR7HPX89POI/AAAAAAAAA2E/r6U59YVGs3w/s1600/goodman+proj+3+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-btvv6YMetHw/UR7HPX89POI/AAAAAAAAA2E/r6U59YVGs3w/s640/goodman+proj+3+048.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Pat Goodman does some mini-trax mixed climbing to warm up on the ultra-hyper-mega-classic Chasin' the Wind.</em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the late 80's approached, bolted climbs appeared like
Doug Reed's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grace Note</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sportster</i> in 1990. It was 1989 that two
Frenchman showed up. As Porter Jarrard recalled, "We couldn't believe
those Frenchmen had the audacity to fly over here with all that bolting gear.
To hike the cliff and see that there was a line there. At the time it was too
intimidating to even try it." </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Porter spoke of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat
Mater</i>, located on an upstream facing wall on one of the first walls you'd
come to when approaching from the upstream end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When Pierre Deliage and Nicolas Richard established <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>, they reportedly suggested 8a+ for the route which
translates to 5.13c and the hardest route in the region at that time. Later
that same year, it was flashed by America's best climber, Scott Franklin. It
was one of the hardest flashes achieved by an American and possibly the impetus
for its current and legit grade of 5.13b.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NcrMp1Zuf7A/UR74T2q8fHI/AAAAAAAAA20/wXRCB6LiDKg/s1600/BM+disturbance+1+5.11d+david+gibbons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NcrMp1Zuf7A/UR74T2q8fHI/AAAAAAAAA20/wXRCB6LiDKg/s640/BM+disturbance+1+5.11d+david+gibbons.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>One of the best 5.11d's in the region. David Gibbons on Disturbance.</em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Onward through the 90's, every major player in New River
history left their mark on Beauty Mountain. Rick Thompson, Kenny Parker, Porter
Jarrard, Doug Reed, Eric Horst, Eddie Begoon; they all established classic
routes at this beautiful crag. Significant ascents in Beauty history include Cal
Swoager's back-to-back, in-a-day first ascents of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Left and Right Sons of Thunder</i>, Dan Osman's free solo of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gun Club</i>, and Harrison Dekker's ascent
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Travisty</i> (the New's hardest for
many years). Of course, no historically significant crag is complete without
controversy like the chipped holds on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Travisty</i>,
who actually got the first ascent of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Happy
Hands,</i> and did Gus Glitch really climb <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super
Whiny Bugs </i>(5.14a)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>in 1991? </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3e5MJQM7oE/UR73_8RhZHI/AAAAAAAAA2s/PODy1e8Plfs/s1600/nov+2+124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3e5MJQM7oE/UR73_8RhZHI/AAAAAAAAA2s/PODy1e8Plfs/s640/nov+2+124.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Leslie Timms on Genocide (5.12a)</em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In recent history, Beauty's naturally seen the addition of
some harder trad routes like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blood
Meridian</i> (5.12d), as well as Pat Goodman's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thundering Herd</i> (5.13b) and his new 5.13 project that he'll finish
up soon. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the past 5 years, I've focused nearly all of my efforts
at Beauty. It's likely that I've climbed at Beauty more days than I have at all
the other crags in the region combined. And, fortunately not without
productivity. Beauty now has four 5.14's and one more on the way. That's the
same number as all of Endless Wall including the Cirque. That's also more than
the Red River Gorge's Motherlode.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TAsNkvbClxA/UR7-onY9D8I/AAAAAAAAA30/zYJZIFpEzgc/s1600/goodman+proj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TAsNkvbClxA/UR7-onY9D8I/AAAAAAAAA30/zYJZIFpEzgc/s640/goodman+proj.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <em>Pat Goodman climbing above the only bolt on his 100 ft. project left of Gun Club.</em> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It took me four years to finish off the Travisty Wall,
adding in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Climax Control</i> (5.13b), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Tradjedy</i> (a silly 5.13b variation), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mono Loco</i> (5.14a), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Picket Fence</i> (5.14b) and finally <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super Whiny Bugs</i> (5.14a). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This conclusion in fall of 2012 left me
wandering Beauty in search of a new project. I realized at some point that I'd
never done <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat Mater</i> and needed to
finish it off. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ER0yxrgaIeU/UR78zuZ9NxI/AAAAAAAAA3c/CWuIRZUxhqQ/s1600/bm+MW+proj+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ER0yxrgaIeU/UR78zuZ9NxI/AAAAAAAAA3c/CWuIRZUxhqQ/s640/bm+MW+proj+3.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Picket Fence. Old photo from 2009 or so. Matt Stark photo</em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My first bout with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>
was in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2008 with Porter Jarrard.
Revisiting Porter's early impression of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>,
he felt some unfinished business with the intimidating and proud line. Our
first day working the crux was futile as I remember it. Porter claimed he
needed a stiffer shoe so he returned home and dug through his boxes in search
of an old pair of board-lasted Scarpa LeMenestrel's. He couldn't fit his aged
and bunioned feet into them so he soaked them in water and put them in the
microwave. Porter is a genius in many ways but this incident does not adequately
display that. The microwave got the brass lace holes sufficiently hot to burn
the shit out of the top of his feet, but it worked, and days later Porter was
high-stepping solidly through the crux and clipping the chains. I gave up and
didn't revisit the line until this past fall. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was jonesing to climb at Beauty with not much left to do.
I reopened Porter's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Broken Dreams</i> (now
5.13b) which hadn't been done since the first ascent in 1990 due to a broken
hold that happened ten minutes after the FA. A few days later I went out for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>, figured out the crux and
finished it that day. The upper face offers many opportunities to shake out and
gaze left at the brilliant white wall that would become <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i> and I knew then that I had to at least rap it to make
sure it didn't go. It looked impossible. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2DiuHlRSiFc/UR79ZtBehtI/AAAAAAAAA3k/bg7jBROO2Eg/s1600/stabat+and+coal+train+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2DiuHlRSiFc/UR79ZtBehtI/AAAAAAAAA3k/bg7jBROO2Eg/s640/stabat+and+coal+train+photo.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<em>Coal Train on the left, Stabat Mater on the right.</em> </div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back in 2008, Porter and I spent quite a bit of time
discussing that wall. It truly was one of the last great faces to be climbed at
the New. The really discouraging characteristic was the 12 feet of white glass
about 1/4 of the way up that blocks any passage to the upper bit. I believe it
was he that suggested coming in from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>
and skirting the shield. But the terrain, even by that method, looked only
marginally possible. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course when I rapped the wall the first time I nearly
cried with giddy excitement. There was definitely a line, but there were also
some big unanswered questions. Once the bolts and chalk are on a route it's all
so obvious, but before that, there are so many questions. There are actually
two lines on the upper face, each linking barely-there features. The left one
looked slightly easier but would require another ten feet of traversing and the
right one looked like one section might not go. Furthermore, the big question
was the traverse off of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>. It
looked very difficult. So difficult that I didn't know if I'd be able to do it
at all. I hoped and prayed that a tiny chip would just snap off with a light tap
of the hammer revealing a crimp, but was dismayed to hear it ring solid. If
that section wasn't climbable it would still be possible to do the crux of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i> and then traverse in higher but
the true line climbed through that lower section.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hadn't made any firm decisions yet when I put in my
application to the NPS for a bolting permit. I actually put in three. One for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i>, one for a project left of
Chunky Monkey that will be the fifth 5.14 at Beauty, and one for the wall right
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the Rabbit Almost Died</i>. Hurricane
Sandy blew through and halted any progress on the permits for a month due to
the all-hands-on-deck state of park recovery. I waited anxiously and during
that time I'd climb <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>, do a long
hand traverse left, plug gear in a horizontal and lower down to top-rope the
face. After a few days of this, I'd done the upper cruxes and finally figured
out the lower crux. The line was there...barely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In mid-December, after five weeks of waiting, I got word
from the NPS. My permit for the Rabbit wall was denied but I didn't care. Only
one route really mattered at that point. My <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chunky
Monkey</i> permit was granted but the anchor had to be moved down 20 feet from
the cliff top to protect some moss. No worries, I didn't want to climb that
shit anyway. But I was devastated to see that my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i> permit was granted with the stipulation that the anchor
be moved down 2 meters from the cliff top. That is simply not the route. That
would be like painting the Mona Lisa but stopping before you add the smile. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The reason for this requirement was to protect lichen
species that grow most densely in the upper 2 meters of cliff. A recent cliff
ecology study done by Pete Clark and WVU suggested that many cliff side plants
enjoy the light and water runoff of that last 2 meters. Since no lichens were
present on this route, I saw this as a serious step down a slippery slope
towards a blanket policy that might prevent climbers from climbing on the last
few feet of cliff. That would be a terrible policy for climbing management in
my opinion. I'm all for the installation of top anchors to keep people off the
fragile cliff top soil and I'm understanding of a case by case analysis for
each particular route, but shutting down the last 2 meters of cliff for no
reason seemed like a bad call.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, as part of the ongoing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i> saga; I read Pete's thesis, armed myself with knowledge,
organized a meeting with NPS resource management, and walked out with a permit
in hand to bolt <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train </i>the way
God intended. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">These may seem like petty and irrelevant steps in the story,
but to me they're important. There is so much more to establishing a route than
what some people see as the easy way out. It's just rap bolting right? It's so
much more than that. The vision of the line, the exploration of the wall, the
permits, the equipping, the climbing... I cherished every step of the process.
I've done this enough times now that I know it has to be enjoyed because even a
three-month process of climbing one route is so fleeting. I almost
ceremoniously prepared for the day that I'd sink the bolts. I used 10mm Petzl
glue-ins for this masterpiece and waited for a perfectly enjoyable sunny day to
install them. The view from the route is breathtaking, perched high above the
trees with a long view upstream above the Keeney's rapids and the quiet breeze
of winter intermittently broken by the distant sound of coal trains chugging
by. Each hole was painstakingly analyzed for the perfect location and every
drop of glue was meticulously wiped clean. The whole thing is just perfect.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NvYb7rDHTDk/UR794usvm8I/AAAAAAAAA3s/kyhbcX6cc4M/s1600/start+of+coal+train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NvYb7rDHTDk/UR794usvm8I/AAAAAAAAA3s/kyhbcX6cc4M/s640/start+of+coal+train.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Starting up Stabat/Coal Train.</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The rest of the story is the same old stuff you've read 100
times. Small links, progress, regression, snow storms, good days, bad days, big
links, finally a one-hang, then another, then a week of snow, then the perfect
alignment of good days and good partners. Pat Goodman and I climbed out there
together for a while as he worked his project to the left of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gun Club</i>. Then he bailed to climb tepui big
walls in Venezuela so Nic Spruill stepped in to work on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>. Yesterday was Valentine's day and I jogged out to the rig
to meet my sweetheart (the rig, not Nic) around 1:30. The air was dry, the sun
was baking the wall and I knew the conditions were perfect when I warmed up on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i> with barely a pump. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As far as climbing goes, the only thing I truly pride myself
in is my ability to keep it together under stress. I knew before I set off that
if I kept it together mentally it was in the bag. Just knowing that is reason
for nervousness and I felt so solid through the first crux that I almost scared
myself off. But I shook it off and for the first time, stuck the 2nd crux on
link. I smiled and gave a holler to Nic, "I'm doing it!" and laughed
and smiled. It's very possible to fall at the next 13a crux because you're
pumped, but I pulled it together, then again for the last 12d crux and the 5.12
victory bulge at the top. I enjoyed every second of it. It was one of those
times where the pump is comforting, the rock is sticky, the confidence soars,
you're light as a feather, and it feels impossible to fall off. It's that
feeling for me that is the culmination of everything that leads up to it and
I'm always sad as soon as it's over. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrRO8MKJbpk/UR7_awDIbLI/AAAAAAAAA4A/G7xkBYVOrBk/s1600/74586_10200270865794717_1118482363_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PrRO8MKJbpk/UR7_awDIbLI/AAAAAAAAA4A/G7xkBYVOrBk/s640/74586_10200270865794717_1118482363_n.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>The good shake before the final hard crux getting to the break.</em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Maybe a month ago, I boasted to original guidebook author
and New River climbing historian Rick Thompson that I'd found the best route at
the New. He responded expectedly with "...<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">that new project sounds stellar. That's such a
spectacular stretch of stone! Just remember, just because it's the hardest
doesn't mean it's the best." It brought me full circle to the memory of
the woman asking, "What makes a route good?" </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rick's right of course. Just because it's hard doesn't make it good. I can
think of some terribly hard routes that suck! So why does <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i> top my list as the closest thing I've experienced to
perfection? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rock: My belief is that Nuttall Sandstone is the best climbing medium on
the planet. The rock on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i> is
the best I've ever seen anywhere in the region and thus the world. If I had to
look at a sample and guess what it is, I'd probably think marble. The route
starts up a black and golden pillar of stone shared with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat Mater</i>. At the fifth bolt you gain a flat jug and shake out
for either the crux of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>, going
right, or the crux of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i>,
going left. At this point the rock transitions to white glass. I've never seen
anything quite as smooth or bullet hard. It has to be seen to be believed. But
climbing glass would suck. Fortunately the holds you use are textured.
Consistent the entire way up is this pattern of a sheet of vertical white glass
with a miraculously textured serious of crimps that lead to a shake at a
textured horizontal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sustain: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a musical note that is
prolonged.</i> Possibly the greatest downfall of New River routes is the lack of
sustained nature. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Racist,</i> for
example, (that is world class anyway) is amazing and sustained 5.13 climbing to
a huge rest to more 5.13. It breaks the flow. This is not to say that good
routes don't have rests, but in my mind, anytime a route has a stopping point
it detracts. I hate standing on a ledge and resting up for the next section.
The 6 bolt section leading to the 9th bolt <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of
To Bolt or Not To Be</i> is probably the most sustained climbing I've experienced.
It's never hard but you can never stop. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal
Train </i>does have stopping points but you're never hanging out for long.
There is nowhere to hide from the pump and not a kneebar in sight. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Design: This is why I think hard is better in some cases. Take a 5.10 and
it's likely that you can climb it 30 different ways. Remove any one hold from
it and it would probably maintain its grade, or at least close to it. The rock
is most likely highly featured and offers many options. The moves on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i> are remarkable. You use every
hold that's there and if any of them were missing, it might not go. Consider
the 2nd crux. Your hands are on a horizontal. You reach as high as you can with
the right hand to a half pad undercling/sidepull, put your feet where your
hands were and jump to the next hold which is 7 feet above your feet. If that
hold wasn't there...it wouldn't go. The next section is the same, campusing
left and smearing feet on glass leads to a lunge for a crimp rail and a huge
lockoff to a right hand hold that looks like someone took an ice cream scooper
and scooped out a chunk, leaving just enough room for some fingers. Then you
cross to another similar hold and set up for another dyno to overcome the
blankness. The moves are incredible and unique. Speaking of the distance
between holds, I had nicknamed this route <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Child
Proof</i>. I don't think Ashima can do this one. In fact, if you're under 5' 10",
I think this route might be very, very difficult. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Position: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal Train</i> faces
upstream and basks in the sun all day. On winter days when it's 40 degrees and
the sun is out, climbing in a t-shirt is perfect. As I mentioned, the view is
incredible and there is no one ever around. Even from the base you can see far
upstream past Keeney's Buttress and South Nuttall. Once you're up high on the
route, it seems like you're above the river out in the middle of nowhere. To get
poetic about it, I feel like the route's position at the very end of the gorge
is symbolic. It's like the entire wall from Fern Buttress, Endless Wall, and
all of Beauty goes out with a bang culminating in a display of what it's capable of. It's
as if it took everything that makes it great and spat out one wall, right at
the end, that possesses every attribute of perfection. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">History: I started out describing the history of Beauty Mountain from the
very first 5.8 crack, through the era of boldness, to the modern day head points
and hard sport routes. I feel like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coal
Train</i> is the cherry on top of Beauty's history. The biggest, baddest wall
at the crag didn't go up until 2013. It's not the hardest, nor the last new
route to be done at the crag but it does symbolically mark the end of an era of
development. After studying the entire cliff line with Pat, I believe that his
new route and this one are the last really good routes to be done. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Length: 35 meters. Taller is better. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Angle: starts with some 5 degree overhang up the shared <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i> section then transitions to about
15 degrees overhanging for the majority of the climb and finishes with a final
35 degree bulge. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It climbs like a face
but you never get to unweight the arms. It's far steeper than it looks though,
and you end up lowering out at about 30 feet from the base. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And there you have it. Take it or leave it, that's my defense of why it's
awesome. That's a lot of perfection packed into one wall. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Grade? Of course it's irrelevant but I'm guessing 14a. It took me quite a
while in really good conditions and I was barely able to pull it off just after
climbing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i> easily. I felt like it
was harder than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To Bolt or Not to Be</i>
which is my most recent 14a benchmark but this route is probably less my style.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Breakdown: 12b to where it breaks off of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i>, then a hard techy crux that is 13c if the crux of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stabat</i> is 13b. Then a bit of 5.12 to a
5.13b redpoint crux, then 13a, then 12+, then 12a? Something like that. What's
that add up to? Definitely harder than anything I did last summer but it's not
14b, that's for sure...which reminds me. At the final break before the
finishing bulge, it's possible to clip the 2nd to last bolt and climb straight
to the anchor without traversing way out left like I did. This would add a
V9ish boulder problem that will definitely put this route in the 5.14b range.
The line I bolted is "the" line but climbing straight up would be a
cool and much harder variation. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Name: I decided not to call it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Child Proof</i> because I didn't want to eat my words. J.B. Tribout
once famously spouted that no woman would ever climb 5.14. Lynn Hill threw that
in his face when she did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mass Critique</i>
in 1992. Since then, that quote has been thrown in J.B's face hundreds of
times. I did not want to be that guy, made to eat my words when some
11-year-old 5.15 kid jumps his or her way all the way up this thing. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Child Resistant</i> would be more
appropriate but doesn't have a nice ring to it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I first rapped the wall, it reminded me of my dream
route <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Groove Train</i> in Australia. Then
I started thinking of the white rock and thought of "clean coal" and
it evolved from there. Plus, I've always called Elissa "Coal Train"
for some reason. That comes from her last name "Colley." Oh, and of
course, it's possible to watch the iconic coal trains go by, far below, from the base
of the route.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After traveling all over and seeing many areas and many
routes, I realize that this will be the best route I ever put up or even climb
on. It simply can't get any better. That's a sad feeling but also pretty cool.
It's always about the route for me. That piece of rock always existed but only
now is it personified and opened for the enjoyment of everyone. Well, not quite
everyone. It's almost a shame that it's quite hard, but that's just the price
of admission for getting to climb the best route. You've got to put a lot of
time and effort into climbing to get the most out of it. Should everyone in
Europe buy a plane ticket to come climb this route? Yes. Absolutely, it's that
good. Will they? Eh...definitely not. In fact, it would be pulling teeth to get
someone to set aside their crush on the Red for a week and come check it out.
I'm OK with that. The climbing here at the New is different. I realize that
what I view as the greatest thing in the world might not be seen that way by
some others. It's totally understandable to want to dodge human shit piles on the way
to the crag, wait in line, clip fixed draws, and break holds off choss. I get
that. I mean, this route is straight vanilla and there are a lot of chocolate
fans out there. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Note: Pat shot some photos and video of this rig but he's in
Venezuela. I also shot vid of him on his project and the plan is to put
something together. I'd really like some good video of this route so if
#JoshLowell @Bigupproductions wants to roll out, I'm just saying I'd pose down
on it for #ReelRockTour or #Dosage 6 or #Queen Lines or whatever. #Peter Mortimer? #Sender Films? I'm kidding. If
you do want to come climb on this thing though, let me know cause I'd like to
shoot some video of it.</em> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-41105991364659101502013-01-21T15:42:00.000-08:002013-01-21T15:42:17.920-08:00Back at the NewYeah, I've been back home for 3 months but time flies. Working on the 2nd edition book is keeping me busy but thanks to the gift of global warming we've been able to climb a lot also. I've been trying to take more photos and video and I got a some sweet new lenses that I've had a lot of fun with. Here's some cheese ball waterfall shots. I know photos like this are overplayed but I enjoy taking them. You will look at them and you will like it.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wpxZ5-GDKeI/UP3HcFFQxII/AAAAAAAAAxY/Mkm49owaD8M/s1600/Pat+GC+proj+2+029+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wpxZ5-GDKeI/UP3HcFFQxII/AAAAAAAAAxY/Mkm49owaD8M/s640/Pat+GC+proj+2+029+ps.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>This one never exists unless it's pretty much flood stage on the river. You can find it, on the right day, a bit right of the Pinnacle. </i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTFpzLq9y5U/UP3ILEgvm-I/AAAAAAAAAxk/u4-D1RKkUiM/s1600/Pat+GC+proj+2+081+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vTFpzLq9y5U/UP3ILEgvm-I/AAAAAAAAAxk/u4-D1RKkUiM/s640/Pat+GC+proj+2+081+ps.jpg" width="496" /></a></div>
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<i>Right near the road on the way up past Sunshine Buttress. </i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NnZdYyvVZg0/UP3JQv_lXEI/AAAAAAAAAyM/oRPTCg6-Pjc/s1600/kaymoor+waterfall+011+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NnZdYyvVZg0/UP3JQv_lXEI/AAAAAAAAAyM/oRPTCg6-Pjc/s640/kaymoor+waterfall+011+ps.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>I found this 50-footer today on a long bushwhack from the Hole towards Domino Point. This gorge still holds a lot of secrets...at least from me. </i></div>
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Yesterday was a beautiful day and the whole crew made it out to Beauty Mountain. The sky was blue and the rock was sticky. The people were good. We climbed classic rigs such as Steve Martin's Face, Chorus Line and Fat Man's Folly. Then Pat and I got pummeled on our projects again. You will look at pictures of my friends and you will like it. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OLtGZFzD0a4/UP3J4tMZMZI/AAAAAAAAAyw/JOpwiub4vZ0/s1600/Pat+GC+proj+2+116+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OLtGZFzD0a4/UP3J4tMZMZI/AAAAAAAAAyw/JOpwiub4vZ0/s640/Pat+GC+proj+2+116+ps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Old Master, Porter Jarrard.</i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VNndQBo9ON0/UP3KSTjyl2I/AAAAAAAAAy4/rlXN0P4hUF4/s1600/Pat+GC+proj+2+126+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VNndQBo9ON0/UP3KSTjyl2I/AAAAAAAAAy4/rlXN0P4hUF4/s640/Pat+GC+proj+2+126+ps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Whoa Jessa Goebel, put a rope on!</i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GEQ_JLHiDW0/UP3LF8Vpz_I/AAAAAAAAAzA/95S4JbK1G98/s1600/Pat+GC+proj+2+095+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GEQ_JLHiDW0/UP3LF8Vpz_I/AAAAAAAAAzA/95S4JbK1G98/s640/Pat+GC+proj+2+095+ps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Kevin Umbel thinking about the next rig to crush.</i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVHPM0G58Mo/UP3LkW0ITRI/AAAAAAAAAzI/e-X6Q_1Tmfo/s1600/Pat+GC+proj+2+130+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="554" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BVHPM0G58Mo/UP3LkW0ITRI/AAAAAAAAAzI/e-X6Q_1Tmfo/s640/Pat+GC+proj+2+130+ps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>My family.</i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mgKF_fbmSsY/UP3MYqipvhI/AAAAAAAAAzY/hE3Q1TsApx8/s1600/Pat+GC+proj+2+128+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mgKF_fbmSsY/UP3MYqipvhI/AAAAAAAAAzY/hE3Q1TsApx8/s640/Pat+GC+proj+2+128+ps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Pat Goodman eyeing up his project. </i></div>
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Now I'll recommend that you check out some videos. Here's one of Pat falling off his project yesterday. This was shot with the new 50mm at 1.8. I always wondered how they got that amazingly crisp look in videos. Prime lenses...that's how. I'm a rookie. I'll figure this stuff out eventually.</div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsG9vCvEbbU&list=UU3Mkh5XQzJvMW3Gjlmfy2Yw&index=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGdM1pwvP0I/UP3OFduSRKI/AAAAAAAAA0A/2x3q_uLfW4s/s640/pat+goodman.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Click on the image to watch the very short video. Make sure to bump the settings up to HD. </i></div>
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://3.gvt0.com/vi/jardub_eCLs/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jardub_eCLs&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jardub_eCLs&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<i>Here's another one I put together of Peder Groseth climbing Mono Loco (5.14a). The footage is shaky. I was in a tree and the wind was blowing me all over the place.</i> </div>
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<a href="http://www.dpmclimbing.com/climbing-videos/watch/something-old-something-new-west-virginia-514" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MkgX6RVcF0Y/UP3PmblVYUI/AAAAAAAAA0o/3IYQFQnZuXc/s640/mega+proj+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>This is a great video that Jon Glassberg put together when he visited. I was really happy to finally get some footage of Picket Fence. The moves are beautiful and, of course, after it took me 4 years to do it, it's special to me. The majority of the movie is Ben Spannuth tearing up the gorge. He was able to get the 2nd ascent of Picket Fence and two more 5.14 first ascents. Ben is awesome and I can't wait until he visits again. </i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Ib38uN9R8U/UP3RjIiJiII/AAAAAAAAA1Q/InsPuU2DXUw/s1600/74586_10200270865794717_1118482363_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Ib38uN9R8U/UP3RjIiJiII/AAAAAAAAA1Q/InsPuU2DXUw/s640/74586_10200270865794717_1118482363_n.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<i>As for my climbing life, I'm all in on the Coal Train project. I've been able to eek a one hang out a few times. I had myself convinced it was 5.13d for a while. Now, after a bunch of work and having it dialed, I'm thinking a notch harder. Regardless, it is the best piece of stone I've ever touched. It's a contender for the best route in the country of any grade. Big words, I know. But for real...look at it. </i></div>
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Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-26268364410577301992012-09-13T14:15:00.000-07:002012-09-13T14:17:15.747-07:00What’s in a Name: Would a New River Route by Any Other Name Sound as Sweet?<em>(Note: I wrote this last year sometime and just found it while scrolling through some old files. Thought some New River climbers might like it.)</em><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When the last bolt is drilled and the moves finally linked,
first ascentionists are faced with one final finishing touch for their new
route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What should they name it?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a lot of pressure to come up with a
good one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the rest of eternity,
their chosen path up the rock before them will be known as what they
decide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The name reflects not only on
the quality of that path but also on the character of the namers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How to decide…?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some, especially those that have put up hundreds of new
routes, might cop out and pick a favorite song or album like Brian McCray’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ride the Lightning</i>, Dan Osman’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Through the Never</i>, Eric Horst’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Diamond Life</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Advance Masked</i>, Porter Jarrard’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Freaky Stylee</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nazz, Nazz</i>,
Eddie Begoon’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rock Lobster</i>, or Kenny
Parker’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hot Tuna</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others look to the rock, asking the route to
name itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Toxic Hueco</i> at the Meadow River is a good example with its
pronounced hueco dripping with green slime near the first bolt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few feet to the right is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">White Trash</i>, linking a path of sloping
pockets up a shimmering white face clean enough to eat off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further examples are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Scoop</i> at Fern Buttress, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Growing Hole</i> at Endless, and the fruit-colored <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mango Tango</i> at the Meadow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Occasionally a play on words is introduced like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Euro-nation</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meaty-urologist</i> (a reference to the equippers occupation), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">De-funked</i>, or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meadowbolic</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could just
as easily be a play on the equippers name or a tribute to a friend like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tim Fissure</i> (Tim Fisher), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kirkules</i> (Kirk Bjorling), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Geneius</i> (Gene Kistler), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’ll Be-Gooned</i> (Eddie Begoon), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Artz vs. Parker</i> (Mike and Kenny), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Munson Burner</i> (Lee Munson), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kline the Billy Goat </i>(Kris Kline) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Komatose</i> (Koma Shuichi) or the most
well-known of all, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Apollo Reed </i>(Porter’s
tribute to Doug).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s also common to poke
a little fun at a more famous climb like the routes, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To Bubba or Not to Be</i>, (a play on America’s first 5.14 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To Bolt or Not to Be </i>at Smith Rock,
Oregon), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Likmé</i> (a play on Eldorado
Canyon’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lakmé</i>), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just Send It</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just Forget
It</i> (a play on another Smith Rock test-piece, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just Do It</i>), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dreams of White
Hörsts</i> (a reference to the British sea cliff climb <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dreams of White Horses</i>), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gram
Delusion</i> (Sugarloaf, California’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Grand
Illusion</i>), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bullet the New Sky</i>
(Penitente Canyon’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bullet the Blue Sky</i>),
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Churning in the Butter</i> (Smith Rock’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Churning in the Wake</i>) or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cliff notes of Hate</i> (a miniature version
of Yosemite’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Book of Hate</i>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PwglUNlqF7Y/UFJJr2AOwRI/AAAAAAAAAws/uX5pK2uI3ng/s1600/hoax+3+112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PwglUNlqF7Y/UFJJr2AOwRI/AAAAAAAAAws/uX5pK2uI3ng/s400/hoax+3+112.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
O<em>ne of the finest aretes in the country is Penitente Canyon Colorado's Bullet the Blue Sky established by Bob D'Antonio. Bob also had a hand in putting up another brilliant arete just 2000 miles to the east. Karissa Dunbar on Bullet the New Sky. </em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sometimes a theme reveals itself like the Tigger theme at
the Meadow River’s Other Place, the Cotton theme at Cotton Top, or the literary
references to the book “Little Black Sambo” at the crag formerly known as Sambo
(now Carnifex Ferry).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps no other
area in the country has embraced a theme as much as Bubba City with its 44
Bubba-themed names such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bubbacide,
Bubba does Debbie, Bubba Bath, Axis Bold as Bubba, White Bubbas on Dope, Bubba
Black Sheep, Bubba Shitty</i>, and of course 37 more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve heard that back in the boom days of first ascents at
the New that some route developers had little books of potential route
names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After they established a route
they would look through the jotted down ideas and appoint one to the route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others would wait until the ascent was
completed and name it something that reflected on the day, who was there, and
what happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doug Reed, in particular,
placed a great amount of worth in a route’s name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His good friend and partner in route
development, Porter Jarrard, said about Doug:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perhaps most
frustrating to visiting climbers and guidebook authors was his penchant for not
naming routes, or delaying their naming for years or for eternity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To Doug, the line of the route was foremost, not
the name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Absence of a name did not mean
a route was inferior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The line had to
somehow suggest a name, a turn of phrase, some concatenation of vowels, a
syllabic flourish, something beautiful, but rarely anything with a literary
meaning or which somehow told a story of the climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would be crass and vulgar and
extemporary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had no pre-fab list of
trite names to pick from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Climbs were usually
named like works of art: Titan’s Dice, Harbinger Scarab, Rebel Spade, Loud
Noise, Dissonance, and The Racist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
names could be somewhat nonsensical and/or ambiguous, kind of like Stipes’
lyrics in early REM songs, allowing each climber the opportunity to create
their own mythology for the route</i>.”</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zihkg3iOiCc/UFJIfxN_5BI/AAAAAAAAAwg/MyJZR_Aldn0/s1600/hoax+day+2+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zihkg3iOiCc/UFJIfxN_5BI/AAAAAAAAAwg/MyJZR_Aldn0/s400/hoax+day+2+022.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>A mental conflict, the properties of a chord, or just a beautiful word? Pat Goodman on Doug Reed's Dissonance.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Regardless of Doug’s intent, a route’s mythology does reside
in its name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doug’s act of intentionally
naming routes based on a random “concatenation of vowels” still gives the
thoughtful climber insight into his character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are feelings associated with given routes, especially at the New,
that offer hints at who the first ascentionist was and analyzing the name can
offer clues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throughout the process of compiling the New River Gorge
guidebook I invested a good deal of energy into cracking the code behind
individual route names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some will remain
mysteries forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The meaning behind
the name will go to the grave with the first ascentionist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others are obvious, like<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Toxic Hueco </i>for example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The one’s that really interest me though are the ones that tell a
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The names that somehow reflect on
the time period, the day, the people, the route, the moves, the view, and
somehow…in two simple words… sum it all up.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZccvJ5vNi3g/UFJHMW7qQMI/AAAAAAAAAwY/EdDCwV8gkUg/s1600/hoax+day+2+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZccvJ5vNi3g/UFJHMW7qQMI/AAAAAAAAAwY/EdDCwV8gkUg/s400/hoax+day+2+053.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<em>Originally called Black Rider by Doug Reed, the notorious two-finger pocket crux characterizes this route in the minds of climbers. These days, everyone just calls it the Pocket Route. Climber: Jessa Goebel.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Proper Soul</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1995,
Steve Cater released his first edition guidebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It included the prophetic quote, “There is no
doubt that a line will go at 5.14, it is just a matter of the proper soul
finding the proper line.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1997, Brian
McCray redpointed his project in the Cirque to establish the New’s first 5.14
rock climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Travisty</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An
out-of-towner visited the New and bolted this very difficult climb at Beauty
Mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also drilled a couple of
holds in the rock to make it easier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After his departure, the holds were filled in with epoxy and when
Harrison Dekker completed the climb in its natural state, he couldn’t resist
the opportunity to exploit the unfortunately-named equipper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The intentionally misspelled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Travisty</i> offers adequate hints to the
name of the driller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years later, an
inferior, traditionally protected variation to the route was done and dubbed
the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tradjedy</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes naming routes is just too easy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chunky Monkey</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harrison
Dekker’s favorite ice cream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Magnatude</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve heard a
few times that there is a typo in the guidebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The proper spelling is Magnitude,” they
say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the name comes from an old ad
campaign for Magna cigarettes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
smoked Magna cigarettes you had Magna-tude, a certain bad-ass attitude
associated with the brand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the early
90’s, 5’3”, 5.13+ climber Bobbi Bensman visited the New and got completely shut
down on the reachy move of this 5.11.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She declared the New a road cut, left, and never returned…as the story
goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The incident was at least partial
impetus for the name of a route a few feet to the left called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Tantrum</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mega Magic</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the late
80’s, La Sportiva released a cutting-edge climbing shoe called the Mega.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The board lasted shoe allowed climbers to
stand on smaller edges than ever before and opened up a new world of
possibilities for difficult face climbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the time, it was said that some of Smith Rock’s hardest routes were
impossible without La Sportivas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
1988, Eric H<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ö</span>rst
tapped into the potential of his new kicks to establish <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mega Magic</i> at the Bridge Buttress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Caption</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doug Reed
equipped the very difficult and tricky face climb that would become <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Caption</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While working for the redpoint he allowed Porter Jarrard to take a turn
up it thinking that there was no way Porter would flash the route and claim the
first ascent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remarkably, Porter flashed
the route and lowered to the ground to find a visibly peeved Reed standing
there speechless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tension was
palpable as Doug stood there, jaw slightly open, unable to utter a single
word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Porter pictured a caption bubble
above his head filled with expletives and the route name presented itself.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-exBv5Or_kRY/UFJLC3RgS2I/AAAAAAAAAw0/PyRvT66a2IE/s1600/skylore+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-exBv5Or_kRY/UFJLC3RgS2I/AAAAAAAAAw0/PyRvT66a2IE/s400/skylore+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <em>It's a little known fact that Porter Jarrard actually ran for public office in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Though he didn't clinch a win, his efforts will forever be remembered in Long Point's amazing blunt arete, Porter for Recorder.</em> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Butcher Man</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This short
arête at the far end of Butcher’s Branch could have been named solely based on
the crag at which it was located or it could have been named for the butchering
of a large tree that used to reside at the base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Gus Glitch finished the route he sat
down on the ground, reached for his pack of cigarettes, and took a Copperhead
snake bite right to the hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His other
hand wrapped around a machete and butchered the snake right there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Butcher
man</i> is a properly named route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Weight</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kenny Parker
started this route but before finishing it circumstances in his personal life
prevented him from returning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It ended
up taking forever,” he remarked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Somehow, over time, the name of the route evolved from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wait</i> to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Weight</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leave it to Jesus</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cal
Swoager was one of the strongest and most daring climbers of the very early
years of New River route development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was known for his reckless hard-partying lifestyle as well as his ability on
the rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cal’s last first ascent, of
the New’s finest crack climb, marked his transformation from rock-star
lifestyle to born-again Christian.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">By the Way, I Did Your Mom</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Stop by Waterstone Outdoors and ask Kenny Parker!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nude Brute</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly
before the establishment of this route, an article was published in a climbing
magazine written by two very well-known climbers documenting one of their first
ascents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reportedly, the article had a
very pompous tone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reed and Jarrard
painstakingly rewrote the entire article, replacing individual words with
similar sounding diatribes to paint the protagonists as homosexuals that were
interested in “Nude Brutes” rather than “New Routes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the intent was to send the article
to the climbing magazine, this brilliant piece of literature was cast aside and
forever lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Picket Fence</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
proudest contribution to the already amazing selection of NRG rock climbs took
me more than 150 days of </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">effort over a four year period to
complete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I started working on it,
I was a single chap with a full head of hair living in a van and traveling the
country six months of the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to
move to the New and drastically limit my travel time to complete it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I finally clipped the chains this past
fall I was married to my beautiful wife, lived in a house, had a dog, a
lawnmower, and a few less hairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing
says domestication like the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Picket Fence</i>!
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">First Strike</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1983
there were very few routes at the New and even fewer climbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pittsburgh climbers Cal Swoager and Phil Wilt
drove right over the New River Gorge Bridge on their way to the far inferior
crag of Crowder’s Mountain, North Carolina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the way back they stopped to investigate some rumors they had heard
of climbable rock in the gorge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
aptly named <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">First Strike</i> was the
first of many they would establish at the New.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pudd’s Pretty Dress</i></b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the early days, climbers camped out under the bridge in the parking lot for
Bridge Buttress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They weren’t the only
low-life’s there though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the modern
day highway rest area, it was a popular meeting place for degenerates to hook
up and engage in drug use and explicit sex acts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pudd was the nickname of a cross-dresser that
used to frequent the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be
assumed that his dress was quite pretty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wY3P9rNYq_A/UFJFwbFfnQI/AAAAAAAAAwE/Kn0FJjLBbqY/s1600/pudds+108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wY3P9rNYq_A/UFJFwbFfnQI/AAAAAAAAAwE/Kn0FJjLBbqY/s640/pudds+108.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<em>Jason Marshall enveloped in the floral patterns of Pudd's Pretty Dress.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another time, Gus Glitch was camped down there and happened
to run into a Japanese climber that he had met out west named Koma
Shuichi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The meeting sparked a long-term
partnership that began the next day when they established <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chance Meeting</i> at Beauty Mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gus had long dread-locked hair at the time and he tells a tale of
another time that he was camped out in this zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bunch of local boys drove by and tried to
start a fight with him because of his hippie appearance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They eventually drove off, only to drop
flaming Molotov cocktails on him from the overlook above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He claims that the fire damaged his car and
shortly after, he established a sport route at Ambassador Buttress named <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fear of Dreads</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When the weather turned for the worse, the rain would force
climbers to camp under the trash compactor roof near <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Underfling</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chockstone</i>
at Bridge Buttress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one of these
occasions, rats raided the climber’s camp in the night and stole someone’s eye
glasses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Mike Artz (or maybe
Eddie Begoon) that uttered the phrase, “Them rats are slicker than
olives.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The route <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Slick Olives</i> is a slippery R-rated journey at Fern Point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are 2500 routes in the New River region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each one has a name that somehow, in its own
way, paints a picture of a time before the route was a route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While that crack or blank-looking face was
always there, it wasn’t until it was touched by the hand of man that it
acquired character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next time you step
up to a climb at the New, take a moment to reflect on the pioneers that crafted
the path before you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine
bushwhacking in, selecting an objective, and carefully creating a route that
will be enjoyed by future generations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
personification of these little chunks of stone offers us the opportunity to
view the New River climbing area as not just a cliff, but instead a collection
of bygone adventures had by the first party and subsequently, every other party
that has ventured upward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a privilege
to be able to follow in the footsteps of those that came before us, the ones
that gave it a name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-59452899221266392342012-09-06T13:51:00.000-07:002012-09-06T14:06:12.153-07:00The Derek Zoolander/Chris Sharma Interview<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/rock-star-3/" target="_blank">This morning Chris Sharma shared his thoughts on skin care with the New York Times.</a> I thought I'd ask a few follow up questions.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LAP-Zp_3Fqw/UEkJqVLOlSI/AAAAAAAAAuo/jg2p_7DXIRI/s1600/sharma+blue+steel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LAP-Zp_3Fqw/UEkJqVLOlSI/AAAAAAAAAuo/jg2p_7DXIRI/s320/sharma+blue+steel.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Up until recently, Derek Zoolander had reigned supreme as
America's number one male model. But there's a new "Rock Star" in
town that's threatening Derek's throne. I sat down with two of the best looking
people in the world to find out just who is really better looking.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_hB1JNqj0zI/UEkMc4qEuBI/AAAAAAAAAvo/9KK2iVziZGo/s1600/zoolander+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_hB1JNqj0zI/UEkMc4qEuBI/AAAAAAAAAvo/9KK2iVziZGo/s1600/zoolander+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: All right guys. Let's see some signature looks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: Wow, that was hot. You guys gave me a semi. Let's talk skin
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chris: "Daila bought me a L’Oréal anti-aging cream that
was really nice,’’ he says. (</span><a href="http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#/#/?page=top{main:pdp//objectid+SK3_25//{pdp_tab:pdp_overview//objectid+SK3_25//}"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">RevitaLift Triple Power Deep-Acting Moisturizer</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">;
$25 at drugstores.) ‘‘I’m not picky, though. When it ran out, I just started
using her cream,’’ (Nivea Q10 Plus Anti-Wrinkle Cream; $18.70 at </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nivea-Visage-Plus-Anti-Wrinkle-Cream/dp/B000KUAKTG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346781027&sr=8-1&keywords=nivea+q10+plus"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">amazon.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: Sounds nice. Derek?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Derek: "I prefer an unleaded gasoline. Usually a regular 87
Octane, but before a big shoot, I might use premium or even diesel."</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6nnqlRq3qc/UEkKkPrSGDI/AAAAAAAAAu4/X7CcB_4bT2E/s1600/zoolander_gas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k6nnqlRq3qc/UEkKkPrSGDI/AAAAAAAAAu4/X7CcB_4bT2E/s400/zoolander_gas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: Werd Derek. Now Chris...I understand you do a lot of deep
water soloing which is a very pure form of ropeless ascent over the ocean. Any
problems with getting too tanned and beautiful when you're swimming around that
Mallorcan coastline?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chris: Yes, sometimes getting too tanned has been a problem for me.
That's why I use </span><a href="http://www.aveeno.com/baby-care/np/lotion/baby/spf50"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aveeno Baby Natural Protection Mineralblock face stick</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
($9.99 at </span><a href="http://www.drugstore.com/aveeno-baby-natural-protection-mineral-block-face-stick-spf-50/qxp328495"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">drugstore.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Derek: I recently did a commercial for Aveda in which I starred as
a merman. Our motto is: Moisture is the essence of wetness and wetness is the
essence of beauty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: What! Sick work Derek. Chris, what do you do to unwind after
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">‘‘It’s important not to get too caught up in the rat race.
When I climb, I fully disconnect from all the stresses of everyday life and am
completely in the present.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: Unwinding must be the key to great skin. Look at that back! Not one spot of bacne on that brisket. Derek, how do you
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Derek: I like to get an orange mocha frappachino and drive around
with friends. Sometimes I talk on my tiny cell phone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: This rivalry between you is very recent. Chris just popped
onto the modeling scene this morning and already he's turning heads around the
world. Who was your last arch nemesis in the modeling world Derek?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hansel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Me: And you Chris?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hans</span></div>
Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-59989612603661903032012-09-05T13:28:00.000-07:002012-09-05T13:28:09.201-07:00Twister Vid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://youtu.be/AD0iWvTzi40" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afp6xwYx608/UEe0z-QOGBI/AAAAAAAAAt4/ButgIhJbClI/s640/Twsiter+Poster+2_edited-1.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
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A ragtag trio of thrill seekers heads into the backcountry of Wyoming in search of the ultimate ride. But are they prepared for what they might find? Starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, and Milky Williams; this non-stop, action packed thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat and gasping for breath. Click the image for video. </div>
<br />Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-52253552955172629032012-08-06T18:41:00.000-07:002012-08-06T18:41:19.847-07:00C'mon Sun!The other day, someone left a comment on one of my blog posts that was kind of aggro. I figured it was one of my friends messing with me so of course I responded in my usual style with something like, "lick my nuts." Something like that. Then I was curious as to who it was, so I went snooping around inside the dark underbelly of blogger.com and found this tab called 'stats' that shows how many page views I get and where they're from, etc. Dude, I'm big time for sure. Climbingnarc posted a link to my last post today and I got like 700 hits or something ridiculous.<br />
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What really fascinated me though was the map of the earth that shows where people viewed this blog from. Dude, 25 Germans checked it out. I'm sure one of them was Kenny Barker but the other 24...Maybe it was just Kenny checking 25 times. I don't know how it works. Two Spaniards checked in. I assume it was Dani Andrada and Ramon Julian just scoping my guns. Nine Australians, twelve Brits and 67 Canadians? Not bad eh? </div>
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<em>Come on Africa? Can I get a little Brazil? Get your head out of that sweat shop China! </em></div>
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<em>200 million people in India lost power recently. They have an excuse. But honestly, I'm surprised that 200 million people in India had electricity to start with. </em></div>
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The point is, I had to delete my ball-licking comment cause I figured it might really be a real person, not just one of my friends. I also saw that I still get a bunch of traffic from the Sprinter forum site. There are a lot of folks that are interested in Max the rig cause they want a sweet rig too and they want to know how to do it. Since my beta is ironclad in all respects, and those van nerds don't give a crap about rock climbing, I figured I'd throw up some photos of Max's newest accoutrement.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R2p9ePiuDDo/UCBmh_7vzqI/AAAAAAAAAsg/XOKkDhOokHU/s1600/solar+panel+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R2p9ePiuDDo/UCBmh_7vzqI/AAAAAAAAAsg/XOKkDhOokHU/s640/solar+panel+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>C'mon Sun!</em></div>
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I've had Max for about 2.5 years now and he's still killing it out on the highway. He stumbled a bit on this trip and busted up his harmonic balancer which set us back 500 bucks but other than that...oh and we had to replace the front rotors but that's just standard maintenence. But let's talk ironcladbeta.</div>
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When I first got Max, I had no fridge and just one 55ah battery. The next year I installed the electric fridge and needed to up the battery bank so I got two more 100ah batteries for a grand total of 255ah of bank. I thought that would be plenty. For the most part it is. As long as I drove him a bit each day, the batteries would stay topped off. At least in the 12 volt range. Thinking back though, even last summer, we'd have to pay for hookups every now and then and really charge them overnight from shore power. This summer, we struggled a bit and really had to watch the charge. When we were up at Crazy Woman for weeks at a time, just driving to town every other day, we even crept into the 11.8 volt zone which is borderline bad for the bank. Drain them too far and they'll never hold the same charge again. Sadly, I think Max's batteries just aren't what they once were. I feel ya Max.</div>
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With the prospect of having to replace the whole bank in the next year or two, a cost of about 700 dollars, it looked financially more appealing to bite the bullet and hook up solar to keep them healthy. Thanks to the Chinese, who've also brought down the price of flat-screen TV's, Ipods, and everything else, (which is probably why they don't have time to EVER check my blog), solar panels are cheaper than ever. This panel I ordered from Home Depot for 200 bucks and the shipping was free. It's a 100 watt panel which just a few years ago would have been double the price. I also ordered a cheapo charge controller at the recommendation of 'customers who bought this also bought this.' The whole package was 240 bucks, but then I spent another 80 on wire and mounting hardware. Still a hell of a lot cheaper than damaging those precious battery cells and having to replace all the batteries. </div>
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<em>If anyone can figure out what's going on here, you're a better man than me. I say 'man' cause there's no way a woman could figure this out. (Ladies, I'm joking. No one can figure this out. Not even Sarah Palin and she's wicked smart)</em></div>
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You'd have to be a total idiot to mess up the wiring on this thing though. Red wire from the panel goes to red wire on the charge controller which goes to the red post on the battery. Black to black to black. Done. The only freestyling I had to do was to put the ground wire to the ground post of the monitor instead of the battery. The monitor wasn't reading the charge flow but I knew it was working cause it was reading an increase in voltage. A call to dad and some brainstorming cleared that up. </div>
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<em>End result. An immediate increase from 12.6 volts to 13.2. Despite a few clouds I was getting 1.9 amps and when it was full sun I was getting about 5. At one point, the fridge was running and I was charging my phone on the inverter and I still had a 1.7 amp charge from the panel.</em> </div>
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Why would this interest you? Well, if I knew then what I know now... I may have invested too much money into the battery bank when I could have originally put that into the solar panel. For my use, in a small camper, I think a 200ah bank with a 100 watt panel would be sufficient. I was worried too that 100 watts wouldn't be enough. I'll comment fully on that later I reckon. I'm also keeping in mind that a 1-year old solar panel puts out about 80% of what it does out of the box. It gets weaker over time, kind of like the batteries and my muscles. </div>
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Moral of the story is that I'm really excited to have this panel on the rig and I highly recommend incorporating it if you're in the conversion phase. It's totally worth the relatively minimal cost and I foresee this saving me lots of worrying and being more carefree with charging the laptop, leaving the fan on, etc. </div>
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Lastly, a note about mounting it. I fully freestyled this, so take it with a grain of salt. I just bought some aluminum angle and created a little framework that barely overhangs the edge of the van. I bolted the angle to the panel and then bolted the framework to the rain gutters. I just drilled right through them and siliconed the crap out of the holes. If they start to rust anyway...it'll just go with the theme of the rest of the van. I drilled a hole through the plastic brake light cover and ran the wires through that. Siliconed the crap out of that hole too. </div>
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We'll see what happens from here and I'll make some comments a few months/years down the road. Hopefully it will be tales of never worrying about power needs and a constant 13 volts. More likely it will be that I didn't realize that the hot wire was running over my hack saw that I store in the battery compartment and driving down a washboard road finally shaved through the insulation causing it to ground and spark right next to the propane hose that's in the same compartment and Max and Milky went down in a blaze of glory. </div>
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<a name='more'></a>Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-77286231441659780992012-08-02T14:44:00.001-07:002012-08-02T15:06:23.110-07:00Fanning a TwisterOne of the warmest summers on record had us fleeing from the usually cool climate of Ten Sleep. With the completion of the last route I bolted, a crimpy little gold wall called <em>Milky's Ultimate Steeze</em> (13a), we'd finished up the new routes at Crazy Woman and thought we'd get a bit of climbing in back at the canyon. But even the breeze didn't help much and mostly felt like blowing a hair dryer on your face. <br />
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At the same time, Elissa applied for an actuary job in Chattanooga. With the looming hope/fear that she might have to fly out early for an interview we decided to split. As we know, Elissa is the kindest, most selfless/easily manipulated partner one could wish for. Knowing that the project I bolted north of Sheridan at Steamboat Point was the best of the bunch, and the most important to me, we headed back to actually climb on it. <br />
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This route is the proudest line I've bolted, and one of the best routes in the country. It is still absolutely unbelievable to me that routes like this still exist in plain view of a major road.<br />
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<em>Steamboat Point</em></div>
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Flashback to when we first came up here about two weeks ago. I'd looked through the tiny guidebook "Rock climbs of the Eastern Bighorns" and seen a picture of Steamboat Point. Massive 200' walls of steep, always-climbable Bighorn Dolomite loom over highway 14 that passes through the northern part of the Bighorn Range. </div>
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We drove up on a whim to check it out and arrived at the cliff around 5:00. The cliff was blazing in sun but we tromped up the hill to check it out that evening. Walking along the base from right to left started out relatively uninspiring. There are a handful of established routes that generally stick to the tall gray slabs. <br />
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<em>The tornado-shaped pillar. For scale, the first small roof on the pillar is at 150 feet.</em></div>
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About mid-way along the cliff is a huge semi-detached pillar of stone that looks like a giant tornado. The current hardest rig at the cliff climbs the left side of the pillar up the face. Todd Skinner bolted the 140-foot pitch in 1991 and cleverly named it <em>Stub Farlow</em> (5.12d). Stub Farlow is a famous cowboy from Todd's hometown of Lander. As legend has it, at some point between 1901 and 1914, Stub rode one of the most famous horses in bucking bronco lore; Steamboat. Steamboat was named for his high-pitched snort that sounded more like a steamboat than a rodeo horse. Inducted into the pro-rodeo hall of fame in 1979, Steamboat will forever be remembered as one of the wildest rides in the rodeo business. <br />
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But nothing thrust Steamboat into the limelight more than the silhouetted image shown on the state's license plate. Though there is some dispute over which horse and rider are depicted in the image, it's commonly believed to be Stub and Steamboat. <br />
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<em>Stub Farlow, Steamboat the bucking horse, and Devil's Tower; summing up Wyoming on the license plate.</em> <br />
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Route name etymology, first ascentionists, and the history of routes fascinate me. I imagined Todd Skinner stomping up to this massive pillar in 1991 and sinking 140 feet of bolts up the blank looking face. I imagined him quickly climbing the route, with it's rad Euro 'rose move' crux, smiling and knowing that Wyoming was the future of American sport climbing. I pictured him standing there at the base and looking out toward's Elephant's Foot, a huge 200-foot tall and 1/2 mile wide wall that looks like a bone white version of Ceuse's Biographie sector. (Sidenote: 2wd roads only get within four miles of the wall located at the northern tip of Walker Prairie, the highest elevation plain in the Bighorns. From Elephant's Foot, heading south there are 4 more giant reefs of dolomite.) <br />
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Todd Skinner and his friends of the time period, were really the first to see the true potential of Wyoming sport climbing. As the story goes, Todd's sister was living up in Wyoming as a rancher. She'd been to the south of France and knew what to look for in climbable rock. One day she rode on horseback along the cliffs of Wild Iris and called Todd to let him know what she'd found. This story is told from memory, which is how legends form, but as I recall he told his wife he was driving up for a day to check it out. She didn't hear from him for a week. <br />
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<em>Wyoming legend Todd Skinner at Baldwin Creek near Lander.</em></div>
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It wasn't long after that that bolts were being fired into the short cliffs of Wild Iris. But it was only the beginning and the crags around Lander are the tip of the iceberg. Rumor has it that Todd flew in a plane over the Bighorns and proclaimed that there was more climbable rock here than anywhere else in America. <br />
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I think multiple things led to the overall stall of development in Wyoming sport climbing. Firstly, the nature of the climbing plays a role. Climbing on Bighorn Dolomite is my favorite style of climbing but that opinion is not shared by everyone. It's gently overhanging on small tweaky pockets and edges. The climbing is technical, thought-provoking and pumpy.<br />
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In the early game of sport climbing, throughout the late 80's and 90's, techy faces were king. Smith Rock, the New River Gorge, Penitente Canyon, and Shelf Road were some of the first in America to see bolts and all define that early style. By the late 90's and early 2000's, steep climbing was in vogue and developers sought out the steepest overhangs and caves like the Red River Gorge's Madness Cave, which saw it's first routes in 1995. Over the past 17 years, I'd say that steep rock has been the focus. In vogue areas include Maple Canyon, Rifle, the steep deep south, and of course, the ever popular Red River Gorge. <br />
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Of course, Todd's untimely death in 2006 probably played a large role in halting development as well. In addition, Wyoming is the least populated state in the nation, far from any population center. Regardless of the reasons, development in Wyoming has chugged along at a relatively slow pace. Much of the past decade was focused on Ten Sleep which is only now being recognized as a true destination area. <br />
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<em>Screen grab, hiking up to the pillar. The steep arete above Elissa's head is the rig.</em> </div>
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I stood there at the bottom of that route at Steamboat and saw what Todd saw in 1991; enormous potential. So much that one person can't ever scratch the surface. It was immediately apparent to me that Todd had put up this route with the intention of coming back. There is no way he could have looked at this wall and not been drawn to the arete. <br />
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About 25 feet right of <em>Stub Farlow</em> the wall makes a drastic 90-degree bend forming a perfect overhanging arete. My first impression was that it was completely blank. I stared at it, heart-racing, and just could not believe my eyes. "The perfect line, the perfect route," kept repeating in my mind, sometimes followed by an exclamation point but just as often followed by a question mark. I could see, about 40 feet up, a big pocket right on the corner. It was the only hold I could see from the ground. Knowing that Todd had rappelled over it coming down from <em>Stub,</em> I honestly thought it probably didn't go. He would have bolted it otherwise.<br />
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<em>Left hand in the pocket, the only visible hold from the ground.</em> <br />
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The next morning, we got a rope up to the anchor of <em>Stub</em> and I fixed it and rapped down over the arete. It went for sure but it wouldn't be easy. By lunchtime, I was geared up and tacking over from the <em>Stub</em> anchor. I sunk my own cold shuts at exactly 34.5 meters so you can get down with a standard 69-meter rope. I cooked like a lobster in direct sun all day but 8 hours later, at sunset, I was brushing the last of the holds and cleaning my gear. <br />
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The next day we jetted back to Crazy Woman. Steamboat goes into direct sun at 11:30 and becomes unclimbable so the project was left for cooler temps. But with the prospect of Elissa having to leave, it made sense to come back up here and take care of business. For now, It's 6:00 am wakeups and three burns before the sun hits. I got 'er down to two hangs yesterday and came very close to a one hang. <br />
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<em>It's about V7 to get to the second bolt, like Babyface V7 not Tommy's Arete V7.</em><br />
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The question mark has been erased from the "perfect line" that repeats in my head when I'm climbing it. It's perfect...almost. The rock is a little crumbly still, I imagine just like it was at Smith Rock the first time a route went up. But it's already cleaning up really nice and everything else about it is absolutely perfect.</div>
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<em>Pinching the arete at the first redpoint crux.</em></div>
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The first 55 feet are the crux. It's super continuous up the steepest part of the route. The arete overhangs about 30 degrees on the left side and about 20 on the right. The climbing stays right on it the whole time; right hand on the right side, left hand on the left side. Slapping, balance, high-stepping, precision...the whole works. It's amazing. At 55 feet is the first real break at a good hold that can be matched. The top kicks back to barely overhanging but has some really big holds. It's still 5.12a or so but if you know what you're doing, it's chill with plenty of rests. </div>
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<em>Dynoing for the break. After the sustained opening section of 5 bolts there is a marginal shake. Getting through the next 3 bolt section is the 2nd redpoint crux.</em><br />
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I just have this suspicion that Mr. Skinner intended to come back for this route and never got around to it before his death. With so many projects on his plate, it would have been easy to forget about. But I also have this feeling that he had a name for it. The other iconic symbol of Wyoming is the University of Wyoming's distinctive logo. Similar to the one on the license plate, the symbol depicts a rider on a bucking bronco. In the early 1920's the University obtained a photo of famous cowboy Guy Holt riding a bucking horse. It became the inspiration for the logo. Of course, that horse was none other than Steamboat, bucking and snorting his characteristic whistle while refusing to be tamed during his 12-year reign as king of the rodeo ring.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AoPX6ZJLKXg/UBrsMmVSw8I/AAAAAAAAArA/oLgXgd6ZtmY/s1600/steamboat+aunt+flo+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AoPX6ZJLKXg/UBrsMmVSw8I/AAAAAAAAArA/oLgXgd6ZtmY/s640/steamboat+aunt+flo+069.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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<em>Miles of cliff stretch away in every direction. You should hike out there and check them out.</em> </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-csuO4qzGH-0/UBrzbNSX4SI/AAAAAAAAAsE/X8CLJEl-zSc/s1600/from+far+left.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-csuO4qzGH-0/UBrzbNSX4SI/AAAAAAAAAsE/X8CLJEl-zSc/s640/from+far+left.jpg" width="640" /></a><em>I added this picture because at the very right edge of the photo, as far back as you can see, is Elephant's Foot. I was eyeballing that thing through binoculars and it might be the real deal. Like Biographie good. But I'm just saying that to get you to hike out there and find out. It's 4 miles from Steamboat and the shortest way might be right across that open meadow. </em></div>
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For a century, Steamboat the bucking horse has symbolized the spirit of the state. Wild and still untamed, it's possible to step off of any road in Wyoming and find yourself in immediate wilderness. The countryside in the Bighorns will never be reigned in. They're too big, too wild, and hold too many secrets.<br />
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The spirit and iconography of Steamboat, ridden by Guy Holt, was cast in bronze in 1991 and erected outside of the University of Wyoming stadium. It was that same year that Todd stomped up the hill to Steamboat Point and sunk the bolts on <em>Stub Farlow</em>. I wonder if he looked at that arete, twisting and turning it's way up the outrageous 200-foot tornado tower and thought of Steamboat and the statue that'd just been erected: <em>Fanning a Twister</em>.<br />
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<em>The statue named "Fanning a Twister" depicts Guy Holt on Steamboat the bucking horse.</em></div>
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<em>Yup, that's a moose. I also saw an ermine yesterday which was a first. Never had seen one before. Ermines are also known as 'Stoats.' Stoat was a nickname for bold New River climbing pioneer, Andrew Barry. There is a route at South Nuttall called</em> Stoats aren't Dangerous. <em>With this knowledge on hand, I was unafraid of the 4-pound rodent shaped like a dachsund</em>.</div>
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<br /></div>Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-38697638257511075372012-07-22T16:43:00.000-07:002012-07-22T16:52:05.525-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Murder Dog's death toll rose to two marmots yesterday. We did not let her chase this majestic specimen. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gg3V8wZ-LiA/UAyKwS7j-II/AAAAAAAAAoE/cdlmgcDVnLg/s1600/steamboat+aunt+flo+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gg3V8wZ-LiA/UAyKwS7j-II/AAAAAAAAAoE/cdlmgcDVnLg/s640/steamboat+aunt+flo+021.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Aspen. I love the way it quakes.</div>
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Billy and Elissa.</div>
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Outside the library (AKA: DPM's temporary branch office)</div>
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Chillin' before the business on Aunt Flo (5.13+). New rig I got done this morning. This was the last of the rigs I bolted here originally...but i bolted another one yesterday so I'm not quite done. </div>
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Business time on Aunt Flo. </div>
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I bolted a bunch of stuff on this trip. Some of it is really, really good. I've spent a great deal of time making outrageous claims like, "that's the best pitch in the state." I think I've said that more than once. It's a bad habit of mine. I think over the past few years I've said, "That's the best 12c I've ever done," probably in excess of 30 times. OK, I'm starting to realize that sometimes I just really like rock climbing and my emotions get the best of me. </div>
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But seriously, this one here... I will never, ever, in my life find a line this incredible again. I pulled a 12 hour bolting shift in direct sun to get this thing in. It's far too hot to climb on it yet but damn...it's amazing. I put the anchor right at 35 meters. The climbing above eases off anyway. It's a 35 meter arete that starts steep at the bottom. Like 35 degrees overhanging. It snakes up to vertical after about 60 feet. Likely in the 14a range. </div>
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Called "Fanning the Twister" </div>
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<br /></div>Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-68206706657820055172012-07-02T18:11:00.002-07:002012-07-02T22:29:48.633-07:00No time for titlesIt's been my motto lately and the mantra I've been living by: There's no time! I've never felt this busy in my life. I know a lot of people think I'm on vacation but when this is all over I think I'm gonna crash hard. I'm working hard to stay online when I need to be, climbing like crazy, bolting in the evenings, taking care of Max and his annoying quirks. I've been living the beaver life for a while now and love it. Here's some photos:<br />
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It's a deer.</div>
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Sunset over the Bighorns. This is from where we camp. Not too bad. The Wyoming sky is usually bright and crisp. These hazy sunsets are from all the smoke in the air. The whole west is burning down. </div>
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The biggest bull I'd ever seen. This Jabba the Hut looking monster is guarding that sicky crag up there. If I had time, I'd photoshop in Princess Leia leashed up in front of him wearing some scandalous clothing.</div>
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Screen image. I've got some video of Elissa working this incredible 13b called TWC. She also got some uncut send footage of my new rig Mixed Message, a little 13 dogface I rapbolted the crap out of. That monster is 16 bolts! The first ten protect toe-cramping 11c face. Then it gets raw dog. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSazs2vW7c4/T_KCcZcggvI/AAAAAAAAAnw/rbbyo1iq9j4/s1600/mixed+message.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BSazs2vW7c4/T_KCcZcggvI/AAAAAAAAAnw/rbbyo1iq9j4/s640/mixed+message.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's that screen image of Mixed Message I was talking about. This is at bolt 15. It's a big face. Max is officially pissed and refusing to let us climb tomorrow. I am extremely dissatisfied. Looks like we might be paying 1000's of dollars to sit around in town for a few days. I am really rethinking the Sprinter van decision. I love this rig but have yet to get through a trip without a serious thousands of dollars let down. This time it's something about a harmonic balancer. The forums call it a 'common problem' just like the last 3 'common problems' we had. Not psyched.</div>Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-31715970552044833322012-06-23T15:29:00.000-07:002012-06-23T15:29:41.951-07:00RigsBefore Elissa showed up here in Ten Sleep, I spent about a week just hiking in search of new rigs. I saw a ton of rock and found some sweet rigs that needed to be manhandled into submission. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4WNeUEeuCM/T-YvXmuxkMI/AAAAAAAAAlc/h_bVwQJtipo/s1600/Point_Break_Wallpaper__yvt2+ps+my+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4WNeUEeuCM/T-YvXmuxkMI/AAAAAAAAAlc/h_bVwQJtipo/s400/Point_Break_Wallpaper__yvt2+ps+my+face.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tyler Endicott: "That's Milky. They call him the Milkisattva. He's a modern savage. He's a real searcher."<br />Johnny Utah: "What's he searching for?" </div>
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Tyler Endicott: The ride! The ultimate ride. The guy's even crazier than you, Johnny."</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0I8MvFFDbo8/T-YxgX4u79I/AAAAAAAAAlk/SfeTwbuNjgw/s1600/ten+sleep+2012+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0I8MvFFDbo8/T-YxgX4u79I/AAAAAAAAAlk/SfeTwbuNjgw/s640/ten+sleep+2012+002.JPG" width="425" /></a></div>
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Say hello to my little friend! <em>Tony Montana</em> (12c) climbs up past the tree at the left edge of the face. A full 35 meters up the Wall of Awesome. I went crazy trying to bang off this big flake about halfway up. It succumbed to Billy's 'Southern Steez' rockbar. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9sAO1-7FEss/T-Yyc4FRJHI/AAAAAAAAAlw/UNX6iSoBB3E/s1600/ten+sleep+mecca+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9sAO1-7FEss/T-Yyc4FRJHI/AAAAAAAAAlw/UNX6iSoBB3E/s640/ten+sleep+mecca+025.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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I bolted this not-quite-ultimate ride for E-train. It's really good but is well-bolted and does not require that you pay the ultimate price to experience it. This little rigatoni is up at the Tupac Memorial Buttress. Here she is on the first ascent of "Not too Hood." (11d)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C1wPXwhT8FM/T-Y0iIPaNwI/AAAAAAAAAl4/kqYIEYWxL-k/s1600/ten+sleep+mecca+042+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C1wPXwhT8FM/T-Y0iIPaNwI/AAAAAAAAAl4/kqYIEYWxL-k/s640/ten+sleep+mecca+042+ps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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"What does 'Not too Hood' mean to me? I don't know, it's like my hood is the place where I climb and stuff and this is my hood right here. But it's not <em>too</em> hood, you know what I mean? I mean Ten Sleep is hood but there aren't as many Co-ops, yoga studios, and climbing gyms for white people as my real hood which is Boulder, Colorado. That place is straight HOOD!" </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U03utRnn5KM/T-Y32Q_JdqI/AAAAAAAAAmE/3tbmrsh9W-Q/s1600/ten+sleep+mecca+003+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U03utRnn5KM/T-Y32Q_JdqI/AAAAAAAAAmE/3tbmrsh9W-Q/s640/ten+sleep+mecca+003+ps.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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This is looking straight down the "Ghostface Killa" project. </div>
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"<em>Ayo this snow nigga is 14a son! F'real! It gets points for stayin true to its own crackerjack
self n shit. But its still a marshmallow ass muthafucka. Ayo its like this nigga
made out of baby powder namsayin. This nigga is human baby powder in the flesh
son. If you aint under the age of 22 n dont have no vagina you basically aint
got no excuses to be climbin' on this soft ass rig." </em></div>
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For those unfamiliar with the wordsmith that partially crafted such legendary quotes as the one above...Ghostface Killah is a member of the Wu Tang Clan and is credited on Wikipedia as being, "critically acclaimed<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostface_Killah#cite_note-3"><span>[</span>4<span>]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostface_Killah#cite_note-4"><span>[</span>5<span>]</span></a></sup> for his loud, fast-paced <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(rapping)" title="Flow (rapping)">flow</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-newyorker_2-1"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostface_Killah#cite_note-newyorker-2"><span>[</span>3<span>]</span></a></sup> and his emotional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stream_of_consciousness_(narrative_mode)" title="Stream of consciousness (narrative mode)">stream-of-consciousness</a> narratives containing cryptic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slang" title="Slang">slang</a> and <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non_sequitur_(literary_device)" title="Non sequitur (literary device)">non-sequiturs</a></i>.</div>
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Read more of Ghostface's loud, fast-paced flow and emotional narratives, non-sequiturs, etc, at his excellent blog <a href="http://bigghostnahmean.blogspot.com/2011/02/ayo-top-10-softest-niggas-in-game.html" target="_blank">The Big Ghost Chronicles</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8gZo5cvC8g/T-Y8Ye3-YZI/AAAAAAAAAmU/xUxq_rYNQ3o/s1600/ten+sleep+mecca+050+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8gZo5cvC8g/T-Y8Ye3-YZI/AAAAAAAAAmU/xUxq_rYNQ3o/s640/ten+sleep+mecca+050+ps.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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This is me gettin' straight nasty on the "Ghostface" project. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tHlCov75chs/T-Y-B410LcI/AAAAAAAAAmc/FtNiaQPvX28/s1600/ten+sleep+mecca+057+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tHlCov75chs/T-Y-B410LcI/AAAAAAAAAmc/FtNiaQPvX28/s640/ten+sleep+mecca+057+ps.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<br />A videogaming boy, seemingly doomed to stay at his trailer park hom all his life, finds himself recruited as a gunner for an alien defense force. That young man is known as Billy 'Southern Steeze' Brown...AKA: The Last Starfighter (5.12a/b)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Pw41_-WdVA/T-ZArnQ557I/AAAAAAAAAmo/Y701xa3EWcM/s1600/ten+sleep+2012+crazy+woman+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Pw41_-WdVA/T-ZArnQ557I/AAAAAAAAAmo/Y701xa3EWcM/s640/ten+sleep+2012+crazy+woman+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lilah was there to greet Elissa when she got off the plane.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9rCcnd7fshw/T-ZBQUCJ0oI/AAAAAAAAAm0/DvzYC3WeA6o/s1600/ten+sleep+2012+crazy+woman+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9rCcnd7fshw/T-ZBQUCJ0oI/AAAAAAAAAm0/DvzYC3WeA6o/s640/ten+sleep+2012+crazy+woman+019.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Equipping the Gold Digger project at Crazy Woman. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdGFjsSBs2k/T-ZCFT6pSWI/AAAAAAAAAnA/UpblSt9_r4Y/s1600/ten+sleep+2012+crazy+woman+027+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdGFjsSBs2k/T-ZCFT6pSWI/AAAAAAAAAnA/UpblSt9_r4Y/s640/ten+sleep+2012+crazy+woman+027+ps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Crazy Woman.</div>
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</div>Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-23281528219438549032012-06-09T23:51:00.000-07:002012-06-09T23:51:26.685-07:00Lilah'sfurcladadventures.dogspot.com: Suspended until further notice<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lilah will no longer be allowed to make blog posts until I
decide she can handle the responsibility again. After the laughs and positive
response to her moose chasing post, she thought it must be cool, and acceptable,
to kill nature. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the third day in a row, we've been hiking up to bolt
rigs in the Mecca area of Ten Sleep. The hike is long, about 45 minutes, and
winds up through open meadows to the tree line. Right where the meadow meets
the trees is usually where the woodland creatures hang out. Lilah was leading
the way as usual and, as usual, was just out of my sight up ahead. I heard some
shrieking and thought she had jumped a rabbit. But this shriek was peculiar to
me and one that I'd not heard before. I knew she was chasing something and
there was nothing I could do about it so I tried to shrug it off. This scream
though, had a primal urgency to it. The kind of sound that irritates the psyche
of the modern man on a visceral level. I imagine it to be the same sound that
made primitive man drool in anticipation of a meaty dinner. The repetitive
shrieking was made eerier by the airy atmosphere. In the wide open space of Wyoming
meadows, the sound has nothing to reflect off of and seems to be absorbed by
the silent stillness like a screech in outer space. It was a supernatural sound
that reminded me of a child's night terror. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I saw a flash of brown through the intermittent trees and assumed
it<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was a deer. I continued hiking as the
shrieks grew further away, occasionally punctuated by Lilah's characteristic
'chase yipping.' In the echoless atmosphere I could tell that they weren't
moving away quickly and decided that intervention might be necessary. I dropped
my pack and ran in the direction of the shrieks. The frequency of screaming
never changed pace and quickly grew closer as I scrambled through boulder
fields, talus, and downed pine. I was yelling for Lilah, knowing she wouldn't
listen, and covering ground quickly. The shrieks grew nearer but never ceased
in their frequency or urgency. I bowled through a thicket of sage to the tree
line again and Lilah was standing there staring at me silently. She was covered
in blood across her chest, legs, and around her mouth. It was her silence and
motionlessness that sent a chill down my spine. It reminds me now of the two
little girls standing in the hallway in the movie "The Shining." The
complete stillness of the setting and the death cries of the animal being
absorbed into the open space were chilling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I ran to the screams and found a juvenile elk lying on the
hillside. It was a female, about 80 pounds in weight to Lilah's 45. Lilah had
run her down and the little girl had finally given up and accepted death. The
weight of her torso was on the downhill side and her legs faced uphill in a
final defensive gesture. She looked awkward and broken; a tangled mess of
undeveloped, oversized limbs. She had multiple puncture wounds from Lilah's bites
on her shoulder and an unhealthy amount of blood covering her leg. Her tongue
arced upward from her mouth and flicked in beat with her screams of terror. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I stood there for a minute saying out loud, "Oh no, Oh
no," then took a minute to yell at Lilah for being a total BITCH!
"How could she do this," I thought. She probably acted on instinct
through the chasing and take down all the way until the blood hit her lips and then
thought, "Wait, I'm not really gonna eat this am I?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hurried down to the little elk and crouched down next to
her. She was in shock and I think had accepted death. She wasn't moving at all,
never making any motion to kick at me or defend herself. I ran my hand down her
thick neck to her warm, pulsating chest. She was warm, her heart was racing,
and she was still screaming but she didn't mind the interaction. Her leg didn't
seem to be broken, just bloody. The puncture wounds around her shoulder were
deep but despite the present blood, she didn't seem to be bleeding any more.
Lilah had received the same kind of wound after getting bitten by a crazy dog
in the chest. Her wound was deep but didn't bleed much and this little elk had
suffered the same fate. I sat there with the elk, simultaneously stroking it,
yelling "bad dog" at Lilah, and looking around for the father elk
with the 26 point rack that I assumed was about to end me. Slowly the screams
tapered in frequency and the little girl started to catch her breath. She became
surprisingly calm and her breathing and heart rate started to slow. I got all
Cesar Milan on her and used a quiet voice to tell her it was over and that
she'd be fine. She never tried to fight me or move away, only occasionally
looking at my face for reassurance that I wasn't a threat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After a few minutes, I reached my arms around her body,
interlocked my fingers, and heaved her onto her feet. She stood there looking
at me, kind of wobbly-legged, for a moment, then made a few limping steps. She
looked back one more time, then trotted off through the pines. As soon as she
was gone I grabbed Lilah by the bloody snout and smashed her face into the
ground. Lilah's a smart dog and could tell how upset I was and I believe she
knew why. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging on my rope, 150
feet up a perfect shield of limestone. I was so absorbed in drilling,
hammering, and inspecting every pocket and potential handhold that it wasn't
until I saw the disappearing white flecks of snow melt on my pants that I spun
around and faced the canyon. Miles of white and gold cliff tapered off into the
distance lining both sides of the massive gorge. From high above the trees, I
could see all the way down to the town of Ten Sleep and up to the Bighorn
Mountains. I stopped long enough notice that my ears were cold and then watched
a few more flakes land on my hand and transform into drops of water. Beneath me,
I could see Lilah, wishing she was at home on the couch, licking every last
drop of elk blood from her coat. She is such a bitch. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-36331712572728371462012-06-05T22:42:00.000-07:002012-06-05T22:47:41.664-07:00Lilah'sfurcladadventures.blogspot.com: Moose Tracks<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I want all y'all to take a moment and picture me in your
mind. Picture me how you normally see me. I'm probably laying on a blanket on
the couch, snuggled up next to E-train or something, watching Desperate Housewives and looking all pathetic and
cute. You probably think that I'm lying there thinking about dog treats and my
next forced piss break. Forget about it. I'm thinking about tearing the throat
out of the next woodland creature I see, regardless of its size. I don't give a
shit! Honey badger's got nothing on me. I'd take out a cobra too if given the
chance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I sure as hell wouldn't be
afraid to take on something bigger either. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8CtuGEEGPy8/T87hVkyQ_rI/AAAAAAAAAj8/dnHcbcdb6qw/s1600/17-55+test+photos+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8CtuGEEGPy8/T87hVkyQ_rI/AAAAAAAAAj8/dnHcbcdb6qw/s640/17-55+test+photos+017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>If I could get that desperate housewife in my teeth, I would wreck that.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You might be shocked to hear this? Well let me ask you
this... Why do I have an entire basket full of stuffed animals at my disposal?
Answer: training. I trained all winter for this trip to Wyoming. I'd walk into
the bedroom and carefully select a stuffed toy from the basket. Then I'd carry
it into the living room and shake it in my teeth, roll in its faux-bloody
carcass, then disembowel it. And every time I'd do it, M-dub would be like,
"Oh, isn't that cute.." Then when I do it in real life to a real
woodland creature, he gets all pissed and sad. What a pussy. Those critters had
it coming to them, rolling up on me like they do. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHV_lvVjEwE/T87lLN8hqsI/AAAAAAAAAkM/2QSZi5ooRgM/s1600/ten+sleep+2012+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><em><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHV_lvVjEwE/T87lLN8hqsI/AAAAAAAAAkM/2QSZi5ooRgM/s640/ten+sleep+2012+008.JPG" width="640" /></em></a></div>
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<em>Here's where we went hiking. We parked by that road down there. Prime habitat for things about to get their lives straight ENDED. </em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Case in point: the marmot. I was just strolling along and
heard some chirping so I go to check it out. Marmot fronts, I chase it down and
destroy it. Shook it to death in 3 seconds. No challenge. Now get this... M-dub
takes me on a monster hike today looking for new rigs. He saw some sweet rocks
but I don't give a shit. I was sniffing around for something beautiful to kill.
Overall, the death count was pretty minimal but I must say this was one of my prouder chases. On the hike out we emerged from the trees into this spectacular alpine meadow full of lupine and aspen trees. I didn't notice cause I was sniffing for something to destroy. Then I see M-dub take his camera out which means to me that there is something beautiful nearby that I would like to either A: chase off to prevent his nice picture, or B: kill. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Nlv6wLB9s/T87nYa-S2rI/AAAAAAAAAkU/wTptuh6qyBw/s1600/ten+sleep+2012+015+ps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Nlv6wLB9s/T87nYa-S2rI/AAAAAAAAAkU/wTptuh6qyBw/s640/ten+sleep+2012+015+ps.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>Ah, the majestic moose. So noble and peaceful in your natural habitat. Let me ask you this moose: How's it feel to know you're about to die?</em></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-02VNhL0bAcU/T87oRs0gbnI/AAAAAAAAAkc/oEByvBuFWpA/s1600/chase+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-02VNhL0bAcU/T87oRs0gbnI/AAAAAAAAAkc/oEByvBuFWpA/s640/chase+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>Here I come bitch!</em></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ax7N7FesBEY/T87pVM-LB-I/AAAAAAAAAkk/cw4G1W3Xn6Q/s1600/chase+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ax7N7FesBEY/T87pVM-LB-I/AAAAAAAAAkk/cw4G1W3Xn6Q/s640/chase+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>Oh, you're going right? Guess what..me too sucka!</em></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4zYtElWidSc/T87p7D38KpI/AAAAAAAAAks/0QmszMLi51s/s1600/chase+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4zYtElWidSc/T87p7D38KpI/AAAAAAAAAks/0QmszMLi51s/s640/chase+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>Yer gonna die!</em></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYvj1mQ2XvE/T87qf3YMXII/AAAAAAAAAk4/hzdUkqDfwRc/s1600/chase+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CYvj1mQ2XvE/T87qf3YMXII/AAAAAAAAAk4/hzdUkqDfwRc/s640/chase+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>Hahaha...look at it's stupid face! It looks like a dumb ass camel or something!</em> </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrgFktsl0Bc/T87rFmb5hpI/AAAAAAAAAlA/WZN7LAPwkBo/s1600/chase+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lrgFktsl0Bc/T87rFmb5hpI/AAAAAAAAAlA/WZN7LAPwkBo/s640/chase+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>Your knees look stupid! How you gonna run? How you gonna taste!</em></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dmTrI-rCF6I/T87ryQoznKI/AAAAAAAAAlI/1ejuZTEIX3Y/s1600/chase+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dmTrI-rCF6I/T87ryQoznKI/AAAAAAAAAlI/1ejuZTEIX3Y/s640/chase+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>This thing corners like a Pontiac! C'mon bitch! Make it a challenge at least!</em></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRMTgz2TtRo/T87sZaJYFJI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/LIyRpbGa6q0/s1600/chase+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VRMTgz2TtRo/T87sZaJYFJI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/LIyRpbGa6q0/s640/chase+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em>I'm so happy! I'm just so happy! I love killing nature!</em> </div>
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Hahaha...yeah, that was awesome. Highlight of my trip so far. I wish I could make a movie about myself like M-dub does but he seems to have a lockdown on that. What happened next? Hell, I'm not telling you. No way. What happens in Wyoming, stays in Wyoming. That's my motto. Maybe I chased it down, killed it, and ate the whole thing? Maybe it turned on me and smacked me around a little bit? Maybe I just got tired of chasing it and let it go? That's for me to know and you to wonder about. I will give you a clue though. When I came back to the spot where M-dub had been waiting for 20 minutes, I was wet. The nearest water is at least a mile away. I'll leave it at that. Oh, and I threw up in my mouth on the drive home...a lot! Yeah, that happens when I get a good jog in. M-dub went through the motions of scolding me but he knows...When I hear the call of the wild, forget about it. I'm out! </div>
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</div>Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4633002871766510570.post-32197225623804750302012-06-03T14:08:00.000-07:002012-06-03T14:08:28.678-07:00Life in Reverse<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last fall I was in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. Then I headed to
Rifle, Colorado before heading home to West Virginia. Time flew by and I found
myself heading back to Rifle. I stayed there for about 2 weeks and then blasted
back up here to Ten Sleep. Both places have become second and third homes for
me. I feel comfortable in these places, especially Ten Sleep where I am now. I've
set up shop outside the Rainey/Wilkinson homestead and settled in with my new
roommates Gordon McArthur and David and Christine <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Sjöquist</span>.
I'm fortunate to get to hang out in this place with these people. There's
something wacky about the vibe in Ten Sleep and the people that are drawn to
this place. David's a zany Swede that made a video called 'the Last Cowboy.'
We're trying to get it to go viral among climbers. Hook us up and watch it. It
has a message that people need to hear. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/last-cowboy" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MtEBOXNSGo0/T8vMJsASDzI/AAAAAAAAAjE/_fDQhNRXmo8/s1600/last+cowboy.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p><a href="http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/last-cowboy">The Last Cowboy. Click the image for an interview with TLC and a link to the video.</a><span id="goog_600287075"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_600287076"></span> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back track the timeline a
bit. I rolled in to Casa de Wankster in Denver, Colorado and stayed for a
spell. We climbed one day in Clear Creek Canyon which is a place I haven't
climbed before. I did a couple cool routes and got to sample the infamous New
River wall. I kept telling myself, "Whatever you do, don't forget to
unclip the purple draw! Or was it the green draw?...dammit!!!" I survived with
ZERO rope drag and the climbing was a lot of fun. I even got to throw down an
orange box flizash on a 5.12 dizog which was surprising and a little confidence
booster. I thought I was gonna be mega weak but instead I was just marginally
weak. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wanted to stay at Casa
de Wankster for a while longer but his girlfriend is this super high-strung Latin
chica. She's always like "Buenas dias, ju wanna taco, taco." Taco
flavored kisses are great and all but Hennifer lays on the Mexican thing really
thick. It's ALWAYS margarita time and my liver was killing me so I blasted to
Rifle to meet up with Eddie 'Jumbo Hoss' Avallone and his brand new fiance, Rachel
'Twin Cannons' Melville.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PFiUJ_KodeA/T8vM8QYMrNI/AAAAAAAAAjM/bHDTP53AGMs/s1600/margarita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PFiUJ_KodeA/T8vM8QYMrNI/AAAAAAAAAjM/bHDTP53AGMs/s640/margarita.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ-q-DGcpAw&feature=related" target="_blank">Hennifer says, "Do you remember what I want to order? Three tacos, two tostadas and a soda pop."</a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also happened to run
into some old Fayetteville buddies, John and Laura, for an impromptu WV
reunion. With the WV crew around around we got some good climbing days in. I
got to do some classics in Rifle I hadn't done before like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anti-Phil</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Squeel to Stihl</i>.
Really good. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eXykLHpUWPo/T8vPFJgnkwI/AAAAAAAAAjU/iKMH0RmTvM0/s1600/RIFLE+2012+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eXykLHpUWPo/T8vPFJgnkwI/AAAAAAAAAjU/iKMH0RmTvM0/s640/RIFLE+2012+024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>From left: John and Lilah, Laura and Evy, Rachel, Eddie and Apollo.</em></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After they left, I was on my own and had some solo time on my
hands. Dave Pegg showed me his top-secret new crag that he is telling everyone
about and desperately trying to get them to come to. Hogwarts is pretty rad. I
bolted and sent a nice new rig at the top of the hill called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death Eaters</i> (5.13b). I don't know
anything about Harry Potter, which is the theme of the crag, so Dave had to
help me with the name. It's a pretty damn cool route. It starts with a little
5.12b section down low and some moderate face climbing to gain a chossy scoop
where it breaks right off of Dave's route, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Order
of the Phoenix</i> (5.12+). After the scoop it stays on you for about 6 or 7
bolts of dynamic, powerful movement on perfect rock. I was pretty stoked to get
to add a new route to this cliff. In the future, the area might have 100 routes
and may even be slightly popular? It'll never be Rifle but in my opinion the
climbing is better...maybe not better but different, which is nice if you're
burned out on blocky thuggery. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ihgh0EmR0WM/T8vPdYvAEuI/AAAAAAAAAjg/9XMj9XLh8Ds/s1600/order-of-the-phoenix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ihgh0EmR0WM/T8vPdYvAEuI/AAAAAAAAAjg/9XMj9XLh8Ds/s640/order-of-the-phoenix.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<em>Master P finishing up the equipping of Order of the Phoenix 5.12+ (left line). The right line is Death Eaters 5.13b. Both routes are about 35 meters and about 1/3rd of the length is below the bottom of the photo.</em> </div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dave hooked me up with a
bunch of bolts and hangers and I was all set to keep bolting at Hogwizzles but
it started getting hot. Heat is my arch enemy. It is stronger and more powerful
than I will ever be. I will always run rather than fight it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Blammo, here I am in Ten
Sleep. It's still cool enough here to climb in the cave and I'm getting the
workout<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping to get from Rifle.
I am wrecked up! It's possible that the cave is even more physical and tiring
than Rifle which would make it the most body-wrecking crag I've ever been to. One
pitch feels like going three rounds in the UFC...without the head trauma. Soon
enough though it will be heating up here as well and we'll head further up into
the mountains to climb at Ten Sleezy proper. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Coal train will be here
in about 10 days! I'm psyched to see the wife-piece! So is bebe chien who made
her first kill the other day. She chased down a big marmot and grabbed it in
her jaws and shook it to death in like 3 seconds. It was an amazing display of
dog prowess. So proud of my little hunter. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSZcdgBTW3g/T8vQXGc5QBI/AAAAAAAAAjo/ANta6d3kyeI/s1600/rifle+animals+2012+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSZcdgBTW3g/T8vQXGc5QBI/AAAAAAAAAjo/ANta6d3kyeI/s640/rifle+animals+2012+075.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><em>Beware woodland creatures. She is a ferocious hunter.</em></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49-eeu5F2XM/T8vROcT3UqI/AAAAAAAAAjw/mJNPUWU1UMg/s1600/magnus+melville.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49-eeu5F2XM/T8vROcT3UqI/AAAAAAAAAjw/mJNPUWU1UMg/s640/magnus+melville.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><em>Congrats to Eddie 'Jumbo Hoss' Avallone for picking the more attractive of these two crushers to be his bride.</em> </div>Mike Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03508647567654088253noreply@blogger.com0