Crack Climbing (Reopened, but unmoderated, post at own risk)

Damn Mark that sounds pretty harsh. I can't say I've had that happen before. Let's clarify here, by solo climbing I'm assuming your talking more along the lines of crack bouldering eh? cause (free)soloing a crack is a bit of a different thing IMO. I personally enjoy free soloing, no gear to obstruct ones path. Really feeling like your one with the crack you know? You just gotta learn to pace yourself, and make sure your really comfortable with the crack. Knowing the cracks history helps of course. As well as getting on a crack you know your "SAFE" on. No onsight hard crack soloing should be considered safe. I mean really you would probly be really excited, it would probly be a well traveled but extremely aesthetic crack. You know nothing about the crack except you for some reason want to solo it. Next thing you know your descent gear drops in the crack, you panic and fall to serious consequences or possibly death depending on how bad things go. Serious business folks; play it safe when soloing. One must know when to down solo if they are in over their head. Bailing on the crack as necessary.

John you have a point about crack climbing all day for sure. I'm young and I figure if I don't go all day I'm wasting valuable time to reach my potential. I'm sure as I get older I will become more effecient to make up for my loss of youthful exhuberance. We all peak at one point or another though.

Shawn Mitchell wrote: Oh, 32...that's what I thought.

So Shawn, is it true that some old crack climbers will just get too tired on the approach to rack up and then not be able to climb? That must leave your partner very unsatisfied. Kind of like finishing the crack climb and not being able to re-rack to let your partner enjoy the pitch, but worse. I wonder if they make some kind of Gu for that.

I'd bet that Beckey still climbs cracks...

John Langston wrote:Lets say you've got a regular partner but you go ahead and climb with someone else. Should you avoid letting your regular partner know? Should you invite the new partner to climb with the two of you? Do you have any strategies for efficiently climbing in a party of three?

Have the leader trail a second rope and fix it to the anchor then one of the other climbers self belays with a mini traxion while the last climber is belayed by the leader. I've only done it a couple of time but it seems to work really well on multi pitch routes. I know someone who did this on the Scenic Cruise.

Let's get the balls rolling.

Tony Bubb wrote:Anyone here going to admit to having experience stacking pieces...

Tony, in your experience, what happens if you bust a nut while stacking pieces? Is the weakest link removed, or do you work it? I bet things can get messy, and compromise the stability of the other pieces. Have you figured this out mathmatically yet?

Gigette Miller wrote:Have you figured this out mathmatically yet?

Or conducted a thorough Failure Analysis?
Tested pieces to destruction? (Wanna see the Youtube link for that one.)
Tested pieces to 50% strength rating?
Performed hang and pull tests?
Compared domestic and foreign gear?
Stacked sheathed with unsheathed tools?
Charted respective friction coefficients?
Compared cleaning and removal with multiple pieces?

Gigette Miller wrote:Tony, in your experience, what happens if you bust a nut while stacking pieces?

I never claimed or admitted to stacking pieces. You'll have to ask an aid-climber. They may have additional observations as well, about climbing with parties of 3 and short-fixing and all.

Back in the day, when I was young, I had a big rack consisting of rigid pitons...I could nail cracks all day long.

But when you get older, the pro becomes more passive and it just isn't as easy to place.

Lee Smith wrote:Back in the day, when I was young, I had a big rack consisting of rigid pitons...I could nail cracks all day long. But when you get older, the pro becomes more passive and it just isn't as easy to place.

So what are you saying Lee? That you'd rather go sailing? Is that your boat in the background:

mountainproject.com/v/tony_…

No sailing for me. I don't like seafood. I was actually trying to kill the thread but it didn't work.

Sorry Lee, I just can't let you kill this classic. I mean, so what if it gets polished like the first pitch of the Bastille Crack? It's still super-fun! Besides, I was thinkin' of it the other day as I was bleedin' all over Chockstone; you know, markin' my territory. For me, as it goes, I like my cracks bloody!

eeeeewwwww

wide for life it's a telling style ... keeps yer hart true

I've never been in a crack before, but I've got the gear just waiting to be used. If someone wants to show me how to do it, I'd really appreciate it.
I'm glad this thread is back.

I love stuffing my mits deep inside a nice smooth often polished crack however of I can't find a hand sized crack just getting my ballnutz in a thin crack usually keeps me happy

Sometimes staying in a crack too long will shred my skin. At this point I like to get out and transition onto the face

John Marsella wrote:A some point, you may find a crack route you really like, and it becomes your only crack route.

Fairy tails.
The reality is that you get tired of driving around looking for FA's and you settle in.

Is that River Rock? Same grain to my eye.

I like this, how you say, clack climbing?

johnnyrig wrote: Does this crack make my hand look small?

Nah... the tiny size of your tiny little hand makes your tiny little hand look small. (giggle)

A clear case of penis envy...