Using only nuts in Red River Gorge

Don Ferris wrote:Climbing on passive pro only is kinda like riding a hardtail...it's badass. Nuts are pretty easy to tell if they are bomber or not. My main worry about passive pro is sometimes not having multi-directional protection. I suggest putting a sling on each piece instead of a draw so they are less likely to walk out with the rope drag. It also makes it less likely to create an outward pull on each piece instead of more downward.

Nuts can be multi directional. Check out this link: climbing.com/skill/nuts-101/ They are pretty sweet. A friend of mine Fell on one and said they feel different but in a good way.

In my opinion one of the best routes in the RRG regardless of grade, sport or trad is Central Scrutinizer 5.9 at Pebble Beach. It's basically a slabby face climb with lots of good incut crimps with constrictions to place bomber stoppers in. There is a bolt and a pin to protect the bottom 20 ft, then a small horizontal that I place a blue TCU in, but would definitely take a stopper. After placing the TCU, I only placed stoppers for the next 40 ft. Even with a full rack at your disposal, this route is a must-do.

Chris D wrote: This. Those few cams would probably cost less than it's going to cost you to get to the red from utah, especially if you pick up some nice second hand cams.

I agree with this which is why I have invested several thousand dollars into my trad rack over the years. I started this thread for my cousin who wants to climb trad with his passive pro right now. I haven't asked him what cams he would get if any.

Thanks Matty H for the link!! Thanks bro!

Sick pic Tony B !!

Don't miss the Bitchmobile!!

Skat B wrote:I have invested several thousand dollars into my trad rack over the years.

Perhaps your cousin asked you for advice hoping not that you'd post a topic on a climbing forum, but that you'd offer some cams from your rack.

trad in RRG is hard, sandy, and awesome. i would climb at least a grade below what you normally climb at if you don't have any cams. I forget what it's called but there is a cool area with a bunch of moderate cracks right next to each other. snake was a super fun one i believe.

jordan cocanower wrote:trad in RRG is hard, sandy, and awesome. i would climb at least a grade below what you normally climb at if you don't have any cams. I forget what it's called but there is a cool area with a bunch of moderate cracks right next to each other. snake was a super fun one i believe.

Fortress wall is the name of the area. Very solid area to cut your teeth on RRG trad. Can't recall though what mix of gear I used.

Michael R Sweet wrote: Fortress wall is the name of the area. Very solid area to cut your teeth on RRG trad. Can't recall though what mix of gear I used.

I have lead almost everything at fortress on a set of stoppers and hexes with some tricams thrown in.

+1 for fortress wall. Lots of fun, moderate trad lines, with a couple that top out to nice views.

WDW4 wrote:+1 for fortress wall. Lots of fun, moderate trad lines, with a couple that top out to nice views.

Bedtime for Bonzo is the easiest of the topouts. Party Time tops out at only 7+, if memory serves, but the wider spot 40-50' up (if memory serves from 20+ years ago) is harder to protect on nuts and a few nice, large tricams helped.
On the harder end, The Battlement tops out in the 10+ range, but unless solid at the grade, doing that on hexes with no #4 camalot might be an enduro-fest.

I appreciate the replies y'all. Here's what my cousin emailed me today:


"I got Mat to buy a ton of cams, so now we have 15 cams, two sets of nuts, a set of hexes, bunch of runners and what not. Can't wait to start bagging routes!"

What a cocksucker!! He's a lawyer and Matt is an orthopedic surgeon. It pisses me off when rich people with almost no climbing experience are able to buy a bunch of gear like it's no big deal. It's fucking tantamount to those rich bastards that don't know shit about mountaineering and getting a guide service to take them up Mount Everest!! What the shit?? damn right I'm pissed !!