Durango Big Wallers: Help Wanted

Hello Durango big wall enthusiasts,

My name is Dylan Weldin and a buddy and I are heading to Zion for turkey day this November. I thought I'd ask here to see if anyone would be willing to lend me and my partner some of their wall climbing gear for that trip.
Neither of us have done a wall before, but we are looking to try it out and see if there's potential that either of us will pursue it in the future. For this reason, we are both trying to avoid making any major purchases that we might regret.

Specifically, we are looking to rent/ borrow the following items:
-Aiders $80
-Mini/ pro/ micro traxion $85
-Fifi hooks $12
-Daisy chains $30
-Chest harness rated gear sling $50
-Haul bag $200
-Swivel for haul bag $40
-Double portaledge $700
TOTAL $1200 for two days on a wall...

Durango climbers, please let me know if you'd be willing to assist!

Other MProject users, how did you get equipment for your first wall?

Cheers,
Dylan Weldin

I'm a responsible guy... why else would the college give me a backpack with a vacuum strapped to it?

I've never big-walled, but don't people typically try to get the hang of aiding on single pitch before heading up with a portaledge and haul bag?
I would assume you would already have aiders, daisys and Fifis then.

Yeah I highly recommend doing a lot of single pitch practice first. Get your own daisy and aides and a good book. Then get after it.
Then do day wall trips, thus skipping hauling a bunch of stuff.
I love wall climbing and have my own gear, but truly, as it is so expensive I personally wouldn't lend it out.

Good luck in your venture.

What route are you guys getting on? Luckily my first zion wall partner had lots of $$$ and invested in most of the gear. Either way, I wouldn't head up even the easiest zion wall without having practiced aiding and following on lots of single pitch stuff. Even with lots of practice...your first time dealing the exposure of a zion wall will put your balls into your throat.

Theres always lots of used big wall gear in the MP for sale forum. Check that. I do most walls in Zion by fixing pitches the first day and climbing to the top the next with a stubby haul bag and usually don't use a swivel. Ive brought a portaledge up walls there and it definitely adds fun to the experience, but it also makes things a hell of a lot more complicated. I would reccomend avoiding a bivy on your first wall.

Most walls in Zion can be done easily in a day, maybe fix a couple pitches then fire the rest of the route the next day. Hauling a bag is hard on the rock there so best not to haul. This eliminates the need for a haul bag and portaledge. Routes like Touchstone and Spaceshot have a lot of free climbing on them and some easy aid, so they climb fast. So all you really need is a couple sets of aiders & daisys and 1 pair of ascenders and your good to go.

Hell, that is a crazy enough request that I will loan you aiders, traxion, fifi hooks, daisy chains, haul bag, and static haul line. You just have to take lots of pictures and write a decent trip report.

My only request is you practice rapping with a heavy haul bag between your legs. I live in Albuquerque.

Thank you all for being skeptical.

I did not make it clear that I will be practicing aiding, hauling, and jumaring religiously before we even depart. Ideally, if someone were kind enough to loan some equipment, I would be using it beginning this weekend and honing my skills through the end of November.

@Coldatom: I will be practicing in the single pitch environment. I have asked to borrow aiders, daisys, and a fifi accordingly

@Mia: thank you for your encouraging words. I am considering investing in the daisys and aiders to begin practicing C1-2 routes in my area

@T_jones: We are looking at Moonlight and we will attempt to free all but the .12+ pitches. I am not concerned with the exposure, but thanks for the heads up.

@Highlander: we're kinda doing a big wall to do a big wall. We think, especially with the amount of free climbing we're planning on doing, that we could do the routes in a day, but the idea of eating Thanksgiving turkey out of a can, pooping into a bag and carrying it, and sleeping under the moonlight on Moonlight is appealing to me. Sorry for scratching the wall.

@Bill Matlin: I'm not picking up on your sarcasm because we are communicating via typed text, but if you're serious I'll buy your dinner in ABQ some time soon... I can take decent pictures :) Additionally, unless we bail, we plan on walking off Angel's Landing. I love those Walter Wiggles...

@JLP: thank you for your advice. I know I don't need some of the things on the list but I would prefer them. 1500 feet in hand-tied etriers sounds less than ideal.

Walter Wiggles!

Dylan Weldin wrote: @JLP: thank you for your advice. I know I don't need some of the things on the list but I would prefer them. 1500 feet in hand-tied etriers sounds less than ideal.

I've used hand tied ladder aiders for the last 3 years. They work great if you put a spreader bar in the top, and for 20 bucks you can have a set of fairly deluxe ladders. Perfect if you just want to do a single wall.

here is yours truly on the robbins traverse, half way to the top of HD. 3 year old hand tied ladders going stronger than ever.

Day 1 of aid climbing scheduled for tomorrow!
Agenda: top stepping on bolted ladders

Bill, I found a Durango partner with everything but a ledge. He hasn't given me to go-ahead to borrow things from him, but I think there's a strong chance he will. I will email you back to confirm meeting up with you in Albuquerque some time. Thanks again for your generosity towards a stranger.

Has anyone out there foregone the ledge on Moonlight Buttress? The 2 foot wide ledge at the rocker block might be wide enough... no?

Dylan Weldin wrote:The 2 foot wide ledge at the rocker block might be wide enough... no?

fuck no

and the ledge on P5 (i think?) is shitty as well

S Denny wrote: fuck no and the ledge on P5 (i think?) is shitty as well

Haha! That "ledge" would be worse than the rocker block! Haha.

PS - Don't knock the homemade etriers until you try them. Commercial ones versus homemade ones will be the least of your worries.

Google up some old photos of folks on the FA of, say, the Pacific Ocean Wall and tell us again how the modern climber can't possibly endure a handful of c1 pitches in hand-tied aiders.

If you can't be troubled to get scrappy and figure a few things out for yourself, maybe climbing big walls isn't really for you.

Have fun and don't sweat the gear too much- just git after it!

Another thing to keep in mind is if you plan to get to "that nice natural ledge" well it may not be as big as you think, it may be full of people already, and/or you won't make it there being a wall noob.
Just a few extra cents....

Sleeping in a haul bag isn't really all that bad, specially if its just for one night.

'Poor bivy for 1' pitch 26 New Dawn.

The last decent place to sleep is at the start of the pitch leading up to the rocker block. For 2 people it is adequate if you bring along a pad. You could fix the pitch to the rocker block in the PM and then fire off 1st thing in the am.