Contributed Comments |
| |
|---|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Plumb Line Crag : Closer to the Sun (5.11a)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Nov 20, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I had to huck from lock to lock. Needless to say, I didn't get it clean. The moves are hard, but the locks are really good (if far apart). Worth trying.
|
Location: WY : Rogers Canyon : The Amphitheater
By: Brian Scoggins When: Nov 9, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Jesse, contact Davin, Helke, or Hennings for the newer stuff. Cross Country Connection should have topos for the Amphitheater, the UW Outdoor Program has the Dark Side topos. There's also some stuff on rockclimbing.com.
|
Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : The Dome : East Slab (5.6)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Nov 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Came back on Saturday, to do this again. This is always a good refresher to Boulder area trad-climbing in the sense that it still has a fair bit of heady climbing above gear (for the grade). There is some (not much) pro above where the crack runs out. However, you'll need a blue alien or yellow zero or one of those new white tricams for one placement, or be prepared to be in a lousy spot placing a #1 Camalot. Especially for the latter, these will feel like psych pro if you're gripped. ... more >>
|
Location: WY : Pinedale Area : Halfmoon Lake : Lower Peninsula Face : Caleb's Day Out (5.9+ V2-)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Oct 27, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: No, if V2 is called 5.11d (which is news to me, but that's why I hate the V-grades), then n is approximately 2.
If it was 5.9+ V7, then n is approximately 4. Get it? The idea is that we print both grades so that the average crack climber (who may or may not boulder that much) can figure out how difficult a crack line is without having to refer to a reference sheet. Mind you, it only works when both grades are sandbagged equivalently, rather than differently as in this case.
|
Location: WY : Pinedale Area : Halfmoon Lake : Lower Peninsula Face : Caleb's Day Out (5.9+ V2-)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Oct 26, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I bolded the plus-sign in my previous comment. I do find it a bit weird that its 5.9+ V2. Maybe we're to interpret 5.9+ to mean 5.9+n where n is the difference between the real grade and the sandbag grade.
|
Location: WY : Pinedale Area : Halfmoon Lake : Lower Peninsula Face : Caleb's Day Out (5.9+ V2-)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Oct 22, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Starting I think from Vedauwoo, pure crack climbs that are boulder problems are given YDS grades alongside v-grades, presumably with the understanding that if this was the crux of a route, that's what the route would go at, but there's rarely such a yawning abyss between the accepted V/YDS equivalency and the grade. Although, it is 5.9+
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Lower Blair III, II and I : Le Petit Arbre (5.8+)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Oct 19, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: First, this route is not in Zach's book, which is inexplicible considering that the route went up shortly after the first Harper/Kellman book was published and has been on Skip Harper's page for nearly as long. The remainder of the rant is better posted elsewhere, but the short version is "write down the directions before you go out there".
Second, this thing should be benchmark for 5.8. The first pitch was harder than I expected since it was a lot of big hands, but still. I carried a double... more >>
|
Location: UT : Moab Area : Big Bend
By: Brian Scoggins When: Oct 10, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I just noticed that Big Bend is in the database twice. Here, and http://www.mountainproject.com/v/utah/moab_area/river_road/1>>>>>
Any possibility we can get them merged?
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Party Dome : Awakening the Spine (5.7 PG13)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Sep 30, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: So, it's at Party Rocks. Sweet, can we get this moved?
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Crystal Freeway : Strawberry Jam (5.8)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Sep 29, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I found the apparent difficulty of this climb to be dependent on three things: hand size, how you approach the hand crack section, and the ambient air temperature.
If you have bigger hands (#3 Camalots are perfect hands for you), the lower section will have some distinctive cruxes.
If you go with the wrong shoulder leading, getting to that offwidth crux will feel difficult.
If the rock is very cold, it can be very difficult to get good pro as the flare requires some finger work to get a... more >>
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Nautilus : Horticulture (5.6)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Sep 21, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I did well with a #4 Friend, and a #4 and #5 C4. Over all, I took a double set from #0.75 C4 to #3 C4, with the afore-mentioned bigger stuff. The crux is brief, and just a shade harder, move-for-move, than Upper Slot Right. Just don't get your knee stuck.
There are also chains on top of the Thin Man Chimney which is the analogue of the top chimney thing of Horticulture. Beta on that rappel on the Deception page.
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Nautilus : Upper Slot Left (5.10)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Sep 19, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The feet are really only terrible if you're using a different (read: harder) sequence. Think about this one a bit before you leave the ledge. The hand jams are really good, so there's your hint. I once watched Craig Luebben flail, just completely thrutch trying to get off the ground on this one on account of a too-tight toprope and an inclination to use the obvious beta. So, think it through before you do it.
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo
By: Brian Scoggins When: Sep 2, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I think Jason has a legitimate point here. If not to proclaim your status as a climber, or to indicate where you've been to other climbers, why put such a bumper sticker on your car? Mind you, I have a sticker (which I picked up in Joshua Tree, in case you're curious, every one else seems to be) on my Toyota that says, simply, "Dirtbag Climber". I have numerous others.
Now, the reason such a sticker does not exist is because Vedauwoo lacks an advocacy organization. The Access Fund has been ... more >>
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Coyote Rocks : Home on the Range (5.14-)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Sep 1, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: A Z4 is the smallest piece I've ever placed as legitimate protection. I have the Z3, and I've only placed it once, and didn't climb above it.
I do recall that first day you got a rope on this thing and aided between moves. And especially when that piece blew on you unexpectedly. Because I was staring off into space when you fell and it took me quite by surprise. I also remember a few other trips when I thought you would send. Good work Justin!
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Walt's Wall : Edward's Crack (5.7)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Aug 27, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Well, there's the standard way, which is pretty bleedin' apparent, and the route taken by people who parked down at the Turtle Rock Trailhead thinking that since it was closer to the base of the climb, it would be easier. Start from the Gazebo, approach as for Fall Wall, but cut left under Mainstreet and follow the embarrassingly worn trail to the base of the route.
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Plumb Line Crag : Plumb Line (5.9+)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Aug 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I know a lot of people for whom #1 camalots are perfect hands, and they all found this one a little bit stiffer than the 5.9 grade would suggest. However, in keeping with the grades in the area, this route is definitely 5.9. Maybe plus or minus, depending on who you ask, but still 5.9. I won't deny that in other areas, it might be graded whole number grades harder or easier, but in comparison to other Vedauwoo 5.9s that lack an offwidth crux, Plumb Line should feel to be middle-of-the-r... more >>
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Spelunk Spire : Old Dogs New Trick (5.11 V2+)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Aug 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This one is pretty easy to find if you start from Parade Rock or End of the Road Rocks, since it is very close to Wrist Ranger. From EOORR, follow the trail, bearing right at the fork, to a stand of aspens. Keep your eyes peeled to the right, and you'll notice the short, perfect splitter finger crack.
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Parade Rock
By: Brian Scoggins When: Aug 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: If you're approaching from End of the Road Rocks, this thing is really easy to find. Follow the trail from the parking area (see EOORR comments for details), branch right at the one obvious fork, then follow the heavily rutted trail for about a quarter or half mile. You'll see this thing on the right, maybe 30 feet off the trail.
By the way, does anybody have any info on the splitter flared-tips crack that's around the corner (to the right) from Soft Parade? It looks like an even more heinou... more >>
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Nautilus : Lower Slot and Upper Slot (5.7+) : Photo
By: Brian Scoggins When: Aug 17, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Last year, after climbing Lower Slot Left, I watched the late, great Craig Luebben fall several times on Upper Slot Left (the 10b) because he was on toprope, and the rope was in the way of the good jams, turning the 5.10 hand jams into 5.12+ offwidth flare. Memorable, to be certain.
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Nautilus : Mother 1 (5.7+)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Jul 27, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I hate this fight, but I have to put in the caveats that explain the grades:
First, offwidth requires a different understanding of grades. If you consider Easy Jam to be 5.4, everything else makes sense.
Second, these grades assume zero issues with gear. Hideaway Chimney notably vacillates between 5.5 and 5.7 depending on if you are leading or toproping/soloing.
Third, Edward's is NOT benchmark 5.7 at Vedauwoo. There are one, or maybe two moves of 5.7, and the rest is 5.6. Lower Slot Left... more >>
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : Walt's Wall : Satterfield's Crack (5.8)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Jul 22, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Despite considerable effort on my part, I've never placed anything larger than an old style #4 Camalot on this climb. While there are places where something larger would fit, there are always better placements for smaller pieces slightly below those spots. The only place where you might really want a big piece is entering the squeeze chimney, and you'd have to place it below your feet to avoid knocking it loose as you passed.
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : End of the Road Rock : Women's Work (5.10+)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Jul 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: We stemmed from that block so we didn't have to use that rattly tips lock thing (its too shallow for anything but tips, but too wide for anything else). It'd be doable, and wouldn't impact the grade that much (maybe bump a full number grade up from the sandbag grade), but the stem makes getting off the ground so much easier that you'd have to force yourself to not use it.
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : End of the Road Rock
By: Brian Scoggins When: Jul 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: 700BB, I was just informed.
By the way slim, did you leave a sling and a carabiner at the base of Poker Face? I picked it up yesterday.
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : End of the Road Rock
By: Brian Scoggins When: Jul 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Another approach is to take 700B (after the Crow Creek crossing on FS Road 700), and follow it down to 700BD, then follow 700BD all the way down the end of the road. High clearance and moderate rough road skill is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL for this approach. Four wheel drive might be very useful as well. Driving in is definitely the easy way to get here, but don't get cocky, the last 1/2 mile is downhill, and the most rugged part of the road. It would be easy to get stuck if you don't know what y... more >>
|
Location: WY : Vedauwoo : End of the Road Rock : Women's Work (5.10+)
By: Brian Scoggins When: Jul 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The fixed nut is gone. Incidentally, we found that stemming in made the start doable, but we're not certain if that bypasses some of the crux. Thoughts?
|
RSS Feed
