NC Aid Rack?

Rhett Burroughs wrote:unless someone zippers all of the heads on the route =]

Which is usually my fault for being a fat aid climber. I feel like I should get extra credit on route grades.

Scott O wrote:Also, it's generally bad form to place heads on a trade route. Leave the heads in the bag or better yet in the store.

TNF is riddled with heads!

IA being one of the routes that regularly has heads on it. There are fixed heads all over the 3rd pitch and the upper pitches on brain wall, not to mention P2. Just look at Braindead!

What is with all these ludicrous broad statements about climbing. Cant hook GM, cant head IA, Pisgah is closed because the government is shut down.

Just because IA made an appearance in Accidents in North America doesn't make it a dangerous route. Just means the guy ripped a hook and hit the ledge aid soloing.

Someone please post the number for rock and resole before this degenerates any further!!

I stand by my statement. Hooks are not needed on GM. Yes I am tall 6'3", but my 5'10" partner has made every move on the route. As to the original P3 after the 5.8 traverse. Yes a lot of people use a hook, but you can also place a tiny offset in the crack to the right. It's scary, but doable.

You have plenty of gear to get out there! Try both the P2 roof variation and the original route. Take the hooks if they make you more comfortable. Don't worry about getting a #5 yet(you want it for the offwidth), rappel from the top of p5. Just get out there and give it a try. GM is great you can rap off of any pitch. It was my first aid route, and an awesome place to practice.

Thanks to Parker all of the manky rivets on 5 are now replaced.

rock_fencer wrote: TNF is riddled with heads! IA being one of the routes that regularly has heads on it. There are fixed heads all over the 3rd pitch and the upper pitches on brain wall, not to mention P2. Just look at Braindead! What is with all these ludicrous broad statements about climbing. Cant hook GM, cant head IA, Pisgah is closed because the government is shut down. Just because IA made an appearance in Accidents in North America doesn't make it a dangerous route. Just means the guy ripped a hook and hit the ledge aid soloing. Someone please post the number for rock and resole before this degenerates any further!!

I didn't say there aren't heads at the North Side. I said it's generally bad form to add heads to a trade route. The reason being that the route has been climbed many times before without the addition of the head you're thinking about adding. Think about your options a little more before changing the route, because you're probably overlooking something that everyone else saw. And if you are going to hammer, at least a pin is easy to clean and eventually yields a good clean placement.

my point is that IA has had heads on it on and off from the start. I'd rather have a blown out head to hook than see the damage from hammering a pin, though you make the case for constructive pin scarring which has its benefits in the context of eventually becoming a free route 50 years down the line. I'm not going to add heads, i've done it clean with said scary hooks and will do so again.

Since we are talking about Andy going out for the first time to aid GM, i wouldn't limit his rack. I'm 5'10 and i had a hard time top stepping and reaching bolts. I know he is shorter than me, so i would still recommend he bring the hooks in case he cant french free aid/ topstep whatever.

I was making an observation about the hard and fast "ethics" being thrown around lately. Shades of grey!

I recommend the hooks as well. I'm 6'3" and use them every time.

Both times I did GM, we did the first move on pitch 3 by me clipping my belay loop into a pin of the anchor. My partner climbed up my back and literally stood on my helmet on my head to reach the bolt. When I do it again, I'll do it the same way.

Brian Abram wrote:Both times I did GM, we did the first move on pitch 3 by me clipping my belay loop into a pin of the anchor. My partner climbed up my back and literally stood on my helmet on my head to reach the bolt. When I do it again, I'll do it the same way.

might as well stick clip rather than that shenanigans. amusing to say the least

My first time, I top stepped off the anchor and used my nut tool as a hook to snag the bolt, then just aided off my nut tool.

LOL Brian!!!!!!! That is an awesome image :D :D :D

I'm 5'7" so I better bring some tricks. Maybe I can find a trash boulder somewhere nobody boulders to figure out hooking. Looks...somewhat...straightforward, though (famous last words!).

Brian Abram wrote:Both times I did GM, we did the first move on pitch 3 by me clipping my belay loop into a pin of the anchor. My partner climbed up my back and literally stood on my helmet on my head to reach the bolt. When I do it again, I'll do it the same way.

Brian, are you calling the 3rd pitch the open book? Its confusing because a lot of people have referred to the first pitch as the 5.11a and then the traverse to under the open book as a separate pitch in and of itself. I was just planning on freeing the first pitch and the traverse and then start aiding on the open book (and then try to free the next 5.11...??? Then aid the roof then probably rap cuz I'd be good on not topping it out.

2x60m ropes will get me down from the top of the roof pitch?

Exciting!

Never look at the hook if your going to bounce test it close to the ground. They give explosively

I've used a nut tool to hook as well aid is all about the bag of tricks outside the box

rock_fencer wrote:Never look at the hook if your going to bounce test it close to the ground. They give explosively I've used a but tool to hook as well aid is all about the bag of tricks outside the box

safety glasses!?!?

I'm spectacled anyways so always have my eye protection

rock_fencer wrote:I'm spectacled anyways so always have my eye protection

maybe I should wear my full face skydiving helmet hehehehe :O

You could hook at chossy's creek. Might even break an edge or two and go for a whip

5.samadhi wrote: Brian, are you calling the 3rd pitch the open book?

Yeah, I'm talking about after the traverse. I've seen the alternate second pitch that avoids the traverse and the high bolt move, and I've thought about doing it that way next time.

The final pitch of the route is one of the most perfect (easy) hand cracks in NC, btw. Initial 5.9 hands through a bulge to 5.6 hands forever. It's worth getting up there.

There is a good tiny rp placement right off the belay on pitch 3 (open book) to get you to the first bolt.

Also, you definitely need to take it to the top. Great crack/grooves up there if they are dry. Actually quite a shame that all of those great pitches are not closer to the ground - would be dozen or so awesome (and accessible) free crack pitches, but as it stands now, they hardly get any traffic at all due to their location.

nbrown wrote:There is a good tiny rp placement right off the belay on pitch 3 (open book) to get you to the first bolt. Also, you definitely need to take it to the top. Great crack/grooves up there if they are dry. Actually quite a shame that all of those great pitches are not closer to the ground - would be dozen or so awesome (and accessible) free crack pitches, but as it stands now, they hardly get any traffic at all due to their location.

great! thank you for the beta and the recommendation.