Ground Up - A Vermont Route Development Video

^^^Haha,

Kris, please leave this for the experts in this room to discuss

TSluiter wrote:Falling with a drill in tow, yikes.

I shivered a bit

KrisFiore wrote: Can we for once assume someone in a video knows what they're doing? Please?

But... but then how do I internet?

These dudes are hard and their routes are legit. My partner was crying after 1 pitch of a rt in the notch

TSluiter wrote: But... but then how do I internet?

Hahaha. I know, I know, it's a struggle for us all.

Also, you mentioned wanting the drill bit in further...The drill bit actually didn't come out of the hole the quickdraw unlocked the bit from the drill. If you pull back on the nose of an SDS drill it unlocks the bit. I talked to Seth about it after but you can see it in the video if you pause it.

That isn't faked. I climbed with Seth for a while living in the Northeast over a decade ago and did various trips with him and other friends all over. Whenever he would get stressed he would make what we'd call "Seth face"; eye's squinted, mouth open- pretty distinctive, that's why I watched the video, it looked like him in the preview, sure enough it was.

Glad to see he's still having a great time out in Vermont. And as far as solid climbers who know when to place a bolt, versus a cam in a crack, I wouldn't second guess him.

If they are having fun who cares what they do. If you want it done differently get up there and do it. Did think the angle on the drill was bad because he was drilling so high above his head. Might not be as fun for a shorter person to try and clip. Whatever, they are out there testing their mental limits and possibly physical as well.

KrisFiore wrote: If you pull back on the nose of an SDS drill it unlocks the bit. I talked to Seth about it after but you can see it in the video if you pause it.

I'm considering modifying my drill to remove this problem, and possibly welding the clutch so it behaves like an old-school bosch

My buddy's trying to send Ganesh in Smuggs this weekend, kudos to the bolters up there

Nice Job guys, way to go, i Will stare my first project this coming sunday, so im supertrill, only one tought,,, no QuickDraw on a drill please....

I can absolutely assure you that the fall was real. And no, those blocks are not the biggest ones we've removed doing routes in Smuggs. There was no possible trad gear or pins at the stance, I was standing on a wobbly flake and the nearest hook placement (without taping a hole in for a BAT hook) was a downsloping slimper just out of reach over my head. I was also in free climb mode looking at easing of difficulties ahead and hooking wasn't in the forefront of my mind. I was pulling hard on a sidepull to get the hammer to engage on the drill and got pretty pumped. Although I'm embarrassed about what, in retrospect, was a silly mistake, I think it would help the general community to understand what went down.

Just to clarify, the bit did not break. The bit was sunk 4" into the rock and I'm pretty sure you could whip onto a 3/8" bit sunk into the rock (provided the force was shear force, not pull out) without it breaking. The issue was that I clipped the bit assuming there was no way the sds chuck would release. If you are familiar with these drills, it is near impossible to pull out the bit without releasing the chuck. However, there was a slight down tilt to the bit that caused the biner to inch down the bit and disengage the SDS chuck and cause the whip.

Mistake #1 - Being videoed. I can honestly say that that was one of the few (only?) stupid falls I've had in 16 years of climbing. Naturally, of course, the video was rolling....
Mistake #2 - Clipping the rope to the bit instead of girthing a short runner to it and clipping into that (which would not have moved so much and would have shortened the fall distance) :I'll chock that up to bad judgement due to pump.

Needless to say, this is the first and will be the ONLY time I have ever actually clipped the rope to the drill bit on a ground up project. Wouldn't recommend it although I could see how it might work on a <90 degree face if you are desperate and looking at a big whipper.

The route is now christened "Once Bit'n Twice Shy" 5.9 470'...

Seth Maciejowski wrote:The route is now christened "Once Bit'n Twice Shy" 5.9 470'...

Good job on the route.
....and letting it all hang out.

Seth Maciejowski wrote: Mistake #1 - Being videoed.

Oh, not a mistake. We can all agree on that, perfect time really, ha!

Fun to watch Video..... and good job on the new routes.

When I hook and power drill we usually have the drill on its own belay with its own belayer. That way when you fly the drill gets out of the way quickley...

One time though, the hook blew and Kris hung on to the drill.... the bit stayed in the hole but it bent 90 degrees, Kris held on and got his hook back on and the day was saved..... the drill owner was incensed... "you guys are going to break my Bosh"...