Anyone willing to do the Naked Edge with me?

Please direct all bitching at the cold weather to the forum: "Rock Climber's Support Group: Part 2". Cheers!

Kateri / Lee,

I would be MORE than willing to do some multi's with you of course. I love this stuff!

Kateri, I saw that you wanted to do some routes at Lumpy. I have done some of the ones you have listed, and we could most certainly swap leads. I also did the casual route, but we would have to work our way up to that one. When the weather is good, let's do a 'spur' together in Eldo or something if you would like.

Lee, I am willing to do ANY climb you so desire with you. I have never been to Mt. Evans. Let's do it!
Are you going to join us this weekend again? Thanks again for the belays last weekend! Always a pleasure.

Have fun!

Whoa! Slow down there honemasters. Before we downgrade the Edge too far, I seem to remember that fourth pitch, the only one that I've never led, has a little sting to it. My partner got a nasty rope burn on his leg taking a fall trying to get established in the chimney. I don't remember the details, as it's been a while since I've been up there, but once the historical pin fell out, I remember not really being able to get in a solid piece due to the flare of the placement.

Brad White wrote:Whoa! Slow down there honemasters. Before we downgrade the Edge too far

I don't think anyone has downgraded the route. The consensus rating is 5.11a/b to b, which is spot on, IMO. I would agree that the flaring placement on P4 is tricky, as I pointed out in my earlier post, but it's good - even better with modern gear.

I don't know your friend, but rope burns almost always occur from incorrect position of the rope in relation to the climber. It is not an inherent hazard on that particular pitch.

At any rate, the cruxes of all of the 5.11 pitches are very short and well protected.

Ken, maybe you can school me sometime on using the little box thingy when you quote previous postings in your responses, as you seem to be very good at it, and VERY fast. I didn't mean "downgrade" in the sense of rating the route, although we could probably have a discussion on your .11a/b rating. It's just that the discussion seems to be in the context of how trivial the Edge is, when in fact many .11 leaders will find that the Edge delivers. Yes the cruxes are short, but afterall it is in Eldo.

Cheers!

It's easy to downgrade a route that you have climbed a few dozen times....I do it all the time.

The 4th pitch is harder now that that big block fell out, and of course placing gear behind that flexing flake has always been a blast.

Still an awesome route...get on it!

Brad White wrote:Ken, maybe you can school me sometime on using the little box thingy when you quote previous postings in your responses, as you seem to be very good at it, and VERY fast.

Yeah. I've gotten pretty comfortable with the quote button, but I still haven't figured out how insert images into the posts.

I guess I just don't find that anyone is trivilizing the Edge. I think Scott T. probably said it best when he talked about its reputation maybe making it more imposing that it actually is.

If I had to use an analogy, I would say that the Naked Edge holds few surprises, unlike routes with more continuous natures. You do a hard move and then cruise for awhile, which, I believe, makes a route like NE feel more reasonable than some. I personally feel that Diving Board is a more intimidating route, although clearly easier, over all.

Shumin Wu wrote:...your partner, while is there to help, is not there to bail you out.

Exactly. Which is why I'd guess most people would not hop onto a multipitch trad route that is above their (or their partner's) ability. Personally, I downgrade a lot going from single pitch sport to multipitch trad. And consider the area ratings - e.g. Eldo vs Boulder Canyon, or alpine vs comfy warm sunny windless crag....

dangit, when is the weather going to warm up!?! oh, I guess I better head over to the Rock Climber Support Group.

Chris Cavallaro wrote:Lee, I am willing to do ANY climb you so desire with you. I have never been to Mt. Evans. Let's do it! Are you going to join us this weekend again? Thanks again for the belays last weekend! Always a pleasure. Have fun!

Ok Chris, it's on! We will blissfully climb some multi-pitch trad as soon as Mike's @#$%^%!&% Mountain Wave goes away. Course the Mt. Evans thing might have to wait for summer.

Unfortunately, no CWC for me this weekend. I hope you guys have sunny good times!

I DID IT!
Well, followed anyways.

Josh Janes pulled me up the edge on Sunday. First off, this dude is a badass! He was suffering from a bad cold, and still ripped every pitch in no time at all..in tevas no less! (kidding about the tevas)

Here is a quick recount:

We took the ramp for two pitches up through the cave and into the 1st belay.

P1 - I started to lead this thing, but barely got off the belay. It was amazingly windy (45+ mph gusts) to the point of messing with my balance and confidence. A great lead by Josh. Josh linked 1&2 together. The whole 'pitch' was awesome. Definitely an honest 11a.
Did I mention the wind?

P2 (3) - I lead the wandering 5.9 pitch which was great, but out of character with the route considering the grades of all the other pitches. Not much gear until the second half.

P3 (4) - As Josh said..tenuous. Putting your back against the chimney was the way to go. Fixed friend below the first piton on the 10c thin section. Josh backed up each and every piece of fixed gear on the whole climb, which gave me mad respect for him. In a lot of the pics on the site, you see people only clipping pins. Josh knows what he is doing.

P4 (5) - Holy exposure! The move off the belay was well-protected, and after a quick boulder problem you are into a good crack. The move around the arete was awesome. The handcrack was the only place I took a fall due to the shear pump factor and my current lack of handcrack ability. I came off and had no problem getting back on. Did I mention the exposure? Josh combined this and the top 5.6 pitch with no communication problems too.

I would say the last move off the belay was the hardest (albeit the quickest), the last pitch was the pumpiest, and the 4th pitch was very technical, but not terrible. The first pitch was very delicate, but straightforward. I also thought this climb was rather sustained compared to other eldo routes.

I am glad I took the opportunity to have Josh lead this thing for me. I am not about my resume, and leading it after following it, for me, will be just as rewarding. It's an epic climb no matter what style you do it in.

I have made some contacts thanks to this website and this forum, and will definitely be climbing in eldo and working up to leading this thing with them when it reopens. My goal is to onsight wings of victory, the 13b arete paralleling the 4th pitch. (yeah right!)

Have fun!

Awesome, Chris. Good job.

awesome!

nice dude!
sorry i did not get to make it up there.
SHiet!
Maybe I should just try to go lead that thing saturday.
Damnit I will!.
Thanks for the motivation. Now i just need a partner.
cheers

Way to go Chris!

Nice job on the Edge Chris & Josh. It's fun hearing about someone having their mind set on a particular climb then getting out and doing it.

Damn, I'm so happy the "*!@$#@&*%$#&! Mountain Wave cloud" moved out for the weekend. Climbed on real rock for the first time since last November, and I was a bit confused where the good holds were without the pink or blue tape marks. I also forgot how granite tears up the skin more than plastic...

This is Mountain Project at its &@#%+!@&%#! finest!

Bravo Chris!