It appears that the Canadian Guide, Mike Barter, is starting to incorporate a few cooking tips into his videos. Last week we posted one of his videos wherein he discussed the clove-hitch while making pancakes. This week, we're posting one of his videos wherein he makes salsa while discussing the merits of the carabiner break for rappelling. As with his last cooking/climbing video, we found this one to be kind of fun while still being educational.
--Jason D. Martin
Toproping Sport Climbs
Pulling through the last few moves on “Lude Crude and Misconstrued,” a popular 5.9 located in the Black Corridor of Red Rocks, is not a particularly difficult thing to do. The moves at the top are easy. No instead, the scariest part of the climb is not the climb itself, but the anchors. So many people have put their rope through the chains at the top of the route and then proceeded to toprope or lower off the anchors that the sawing action of hundreds of ropes has nearly eaten them clean through.
This is a chronic problem at sport climbing areas across America. Chain and quicklink anchors are severely damaged due to ignorance or laziness. The problem is most visible however, in places where it is sandy. Once a rope gets sand in the sheath it literally becomes like sandpaper. The repeated sawing action of a moving tensioned rope -- especially one with sand in the sheath -- may severely damage anchor chains in as little as a matter of hours.
The question then must be asked, who is responsible for a newly damaged anchor? Is it the first ascent party's responsibility to replace the anchor? Is it the responsibility of a local guide service? Does it become the problem of local climbing conservation groups? Or are the people who damaged the anchor responsible?
There is no right answer to the preceeding question. I have personally replaced innumerable anchors out of my own pocket. I know a number of others that have the same. We do this because we don't want to see anybody get hurt. But it's not something that we want to do.
Most of us who put up new routes or repair existing climbs simply avoid toproping directly through the chains. Instead, we use a cordelette or a double shoulder-length sling in conjunction with locking carabiners.
To the left is an example of a rope threaded directly through the anchor. Do not do this for anything but a rappel.
On the left-hand side, the anchor is composed of quick links. These are easier to change-out when they are damaged. On the right, the anchor is made up of chain purchased from a hardware store. This is more difficult to replace when damaged.
The photo on the right provides an example of a properly set-up toprope. The anchor is composed of a double shoulder-length sling, tied into a pre-equalized eight. At the bottom, clipped into the power-point (sometimes called the master-point) are two opposite and opposed locking carabiners. This is the best possible system as it meets the requirements for a SRENE or ERNEST anchor and protects the anchor chains from damage.
There are two organizations that are currently replacing bolts and anchors throughout the country. The first is the nonprofit American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA) and the second is the Anchor Replacement Inititive (ARI) sponsored by Climbing magazine, the North Face and Petzl . It is possible to support the ASCA with donations and to support the ARI by purchasing items from their corporate sponsors.
Checking anchors to make sure that they are not damaged, replacing those that are or providing financial support to those who will replace them, and reporting damaged anchors to individuals who will fix them is the responsibility of every climber. But perhaps the greater responsibility is to simply avoid damaging an anchor to begin with.
--Jason D. Martin
This is a chronic problem at sport climbing areas across America. Chain and quicklink anchors are severely damaged due to ignorance or laziness. The problem is most visible however, in places where it is sandy. Once a rope gets sand in the sheath it literally becomes like sandpaper. The repeated sawing action of a moving tensioned rope -- especially one with sand in the sheath -- may severely damage anchor chains in as little as a matter of hours.
The question then must be asked, who is responsible for a newly damaged anchor? Is it the first ascent party's responsibility to replace the anchor? Is it the responsibility of a local guide service? Does it become the problem of local climbing conservation groups? Or are the people who damaged the anchor responsible?
There is no right answer to the preceeding question. I have personally replaced innumerable anchors out of my own pocket. I know a number of others that have the same. We do this because we don't want to see anybody get hurt. But it's not something that we want to do.
Most of us who put up new routes or repair existing climbs simply avoid toproping directly through the chains. Instead, we use a cordelette or a double shoulder-length sling in conjunction with locking carabiners.
To the left is an example of a rope threaded directly through the anchor. Do not do this for anything but a rappel.On the left-hand side, the anchor is composed of quick links. These are easier to change-out when they are damaged. On the right, the anchor is made up of chain purchased from a hardware store. This is more difficult to replace when damaged.
The photo on the right provides an example of a properly set-up toprope. The anchor is composed of a double shoulder-length sling, tied into a pre-equalized eight. At the bottom, clipped into the power-point (sometimes called the master-point) are two opposite and opposed locking carabiners. This is the best possible system as it meets the requirements for a SRENE or ERNEST anchor and protects the anchor chains from damage.There are two organizations that are currently replacing bolts and anchors throughout the country. The first is the nonprofit American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA) and the second is the Anchor Replacement Inititive (ARI) sponsored by Climbing magazine, the North Face and Petzl . It is possible to support the ASCA with donations and to support the ARI by purchasing items from their corporate sponsors.
Checking anchors to make sure that they are not damaged, replacing those that are or providing financial support to those who will replace them, and reporting damaged anchors to individuals who will fix them is the responsibility of every climber. But perhaps the greater responsibility is to simply avoid damaging an anchor to begin with.
--Jason D. Martin
September and October Climbing Events
--September 17-20 -- Salt Lake City, UT --8th Annual Climb4Life Salt Lake
--September 18 -- Oakland, CA --Touchstone Bouldering Series 5: Great Western Power Company
--September 19 -- Smith Rock State Park, OR --1st Annual Smith Rock Fall Thing
--September 19 -- Castlewood Canyon State Park, CO --2009 REI Adopt a Crag at Castlewood Canyon State Park
--September 19 -- Red Rock Canyon, Colorado Springs, CO --Summer Sandstone Series: Red Rock Canyon Climbing Comp and Clean-Up
--September 19 -- Devil's Tower National Monument, WY -- Devils Tower Adopt-a-Crag Trail Day
--September 19 -- Yellow Springs, OH --Adopt a Crag. Clean & Climb: John Bryan State Park
--September 22 -- Harrisburg, PA -- Climb Kilimanjaro: A Kids with AIDS Benefit
--September 23-27 -- Yosemite National Park -- Yosemite Facelift
--September 26 -- Carderock, MD --Carderock: Adopt a Crag
--September 25-27 -- Jasper, AR --24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell
--September 26 -- Indian Creek, UT --National Volunteer Day For Public Lands
--September 26 -- Ferguson Canyon, UT --Adopt-A-Crag: Ferguson Canyon
--September 26 -- Flagstaff, AZ --Adopt-A-Crag Day at the Pit
--September 26 -- Muir Valley Nature Preserve, KY --Friends of Muir Valley Annual Trail Day
--September 26 -- Harrisonbrg, VA --Hidden Rocks Trail Day
--September 26 -- Little River Canyon, AL --Little River Canyon Clean Up
--September 26 -- Upper West Bolton Cliff, VT --Upper West Trail Day
--September 26 -- Portland, OR --PDX Ice Fest 2009
--September 27 -- Joshua Tree, CA --3rd Annual Joshua Tree Experience Fundraiser
--September 27 -- Hudson, WI --Willow River Clean-up V
--September 30 -- Golden, CO --Pictures From Space, Taken from the Camera of the Late Bradford Washburn
--September 30 -- Seattle, WA --Colin Haley Slideshow
--September 30 -- Grand Junction, CO --Sir Chris Bonington, "I Choose to Climb"
--October 1 -- Bellingham, WA -- Climbing Across the Hemisphere: Storms and Success in Patagonia and Alaska
For anyone who likes climbing mountains. Join WWU Alumni and Bellingham native Blake Herrington for a night of photos, video, and sotries from climbing expeditions to Alaska and Argentina. The event will be held at Backcountry Essentials. There will be a $3 suggested donation to the Access Fund, and will be lots of free gear given out. For more information, please contact Blake at blakeherrington at gmail.com
--October 1 -- Indian Creek, UT --International Climbers' Meet
--October 1 -- Atlanta, GA --AAC and High Country Present Dr. Kenneth Kamler, 1996 Everest Disaster Slideshow
--October 2-4 -- Clifton, ME --1st Annual Clifton Climber's Weekend Service Project
--October 3 -- Horsetooth Resevior, CO --14th Annual Horsetooth Hang
--October 3 -- Coopers Rock State Forest, WV --Coopers Rock Adopt a Crag
--October 3 -- City of Rocks, ID --Moondance at the City of Rocks
--October 3 -- Dallas, TX --ABS Regional Competition
--October 3 -- Bear Valley, CA --4th Annual Bear Valley Boulder Bash
--October 7 -- Seattle, WA -- AAI Guide Dawn Glanc: Slideshow, Presentation, and Door Prizes
Meet AAI Guide Dawn Glanc, Mountain Hardwear Athlete and AMGA guide. Dawn will be presenting a slideshow and discussing her various climbing adventures and accomplishments. Learn about the "Big Expedition for Cancer Research and win door prizes! The event will be held at Mountain Hardwear, 250 Pine Street, Seattle, WA. For information, please contact AAI (info at aai.cc or (360)-671-1505), or call Mountain Hardwear at (260)-441-2639.
--October 9-11 -- Salt Lake City, UT --Craggin' Classic 2009
--October 9 -- Slade, KY --Rocktoberfest
--October 18 -- Estes Park, CO --Lumpy Ridge Trail Day
--October 19 -- Birdsboro, PA --3rd Annual Clean and Climb at Bridsboro Quarry
--October 23-25 -- Joshua Tree, CA --Climb Smart 2009
--October 24 -- Chapel Hill, NC --2009 Reel Rock Film Tour
--October 26 -- Golden, CO --Celebrate Eldo: Ace And AAC Book Release Party
--September 18 -- Oakland, CA --Touchstone Bouldering Series 5: Great Western Power Company
--September 19 -- Smith Rock State Park, OR --1st Annual Smith Rock Fall Thing
--September 19 -- Castlewood Canyon State Park, CO --2009 REI Adopt a Crag at Castlewood Canyon State Park
--September 19 -- Red Rock Canyon, Colorado Springs, CO --Summer Sandstone Series: Red Rock Canyon Climbing Comp and Clean-Up
--September 19 -- Devil's Tower National Monument, WY -- Devils Tower Adopt-a-Crag Trail Day
--September 19 -- Yellow Springs, OH --Adopt a Crag. Clean & Climb: John Bryan State Park
--September 22 -- Harrisburg, PA -- Climb Kilimanjaro: A Kids with AIDS Benefit
--September 23-27 -- Yosemite National Park -- Yosemite Facelift
--September 26 -- Carderock, MD --Carderock: Adopt a Crag
--September 25-27 -- Jasper, AR --24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell
--September 26 -- Indian Creek, UT --National Volunteer Day For Public Lands
--September 26 -- Ferguson Canyon, UT --Adopt-A-Crag: Ferguson Canyon
--September 26 -- Flagstaff, AZ --Adopt-A-Crag Day at the Pit
--September 26 -- Muir Valley Nature Preserve, KY --Friends of Muir Valley Annual Trail Day
--September 26 -- Harrisonbrg, VA --Hidden Rocks Trail Day
--September 26 -- Little River Canyon, AL --Little River Canyon Clean Up
--September 26 -- Upper West Bolton Cliff, VT --Upper West Trail Day
--September 26 -- Portland, OR --PDX Ice Fest 2009
--September 27 -- Joshua Tree, CA --3rd Annual Joshua Tree Experience Fundraiser
--September 27 -- Hudson, WI --Willow River Clean-up V
--September 30 -- Golden, CO --Pictures From Space, Taken from the Camera of the Late Bradford Washburn
--September 30 -- Seattle, WA --Colin Haley Slideshow
--September 30 -- Grand Junction, CO --Sir Chris Bonington, "I Choose to Climb"
--October 1 -- Bellingham, WA -- Climbing Across the Hemisphere: Storms and Success in Patagonia and Alaska
For anyone who likes climbing mountains. Join WWU Alumni and Bellingham native Blake Herrington for a night of photos, video, and sotries from climbing expeditions to Alaska and Argentina. The event will be held at Backcountry Essentials. There will be a $3 suggested donation to the Access Fund, and will be lots of free gear given out. For more information, please contact Blake at blakeherrington at gmail.com
--October 1 -- Indian Creek, UT --International Climbers' Meet
--October 1 -- Atlanta, GA --AAC and High Country Present Dr. Kenneth Kamler, 1996 Everest Disaster Slideshow
--October 2-4 -- Clifton, ME --1st Annual Clifton Climber's Weekend Service Project
--October 3 -- Horsetooth Resevior, CO --14th Annual Horsetooth Hang
--October 3 -- Coopers Rock State Forest, WV --Coopers Rock Adopt a Crag
--October 3 -- City of Rocks, ID --Moondance at the City of Rocks
--October 3 -- Dallas, TX --ABS Regional Competition
--October 3 -- Bear Valley, CA --4th Annual Bear Valley Boulder Bash
--October 7 -- Seattle, WA -- AAI Guide Dawn Glanc: Slideshow, Presentation, and Door Prizes
Meet AAI Guide Dawn Glanc, Mountain Hardwear Athlete and AMGA guide. Dawn will be presenting a slideshow and discussing her various climbing adventures and accomplishments. Learn about the "Big Expedition for Cancer Research and win door prizes! The event will be held at Mountain Hardwear, 250 Pine Street, Seattle, WA. For information, please contact AAI (info at aai.cc or (360)-671-1505), or call Mountain Hardwear at (260)-441-2639.
--October 9-11 -- Salt Lake City, UT --Craggin' Classic 2009
--October 9 -- Slade, KY --Rocktoberfest
--October 18 -- Estes Park, CO --Lumpy Ridge Trail Day
--October 19 -- Birdsboro, PA --3rd Annual Clean and Climb at Bridsboro Quarry
--October 23-25 -- Joshua Tree, CA --Climb Smart 2009
--October 24 -- Chapel Hill, NC --2009 Reel Rock Film Tour
--October 26 -- Golden, CO --Celebrate Eldo: Ace And AAC Book Release Party
Weekend Warrior - Videos to get you stoked
I thought that we should continue where we left off on last Saturday's blog and take a look at another ski video to firmly cement the dreams of backcountry skiing into our minds. This awesome video is from Powderwhore's newest ski film.
And to make sure everyone also gets a little climbing fix, here is a video of Hayden Kennedy climbing the Bachar/ Yerian (5.11c R/X). Enjoy!
-- Erik Budsberg
Flakes: the latest ski film from Powderwhore from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.
And to make sure everyone also gets a little climbing fix, here is a video of Hayden Kennedy climbing the Bachar/ Yerian (5.11c R/X). Enjoy!
Hayden Kennedy on the Bachar/Yerian (5.11c R/X) from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.
-- Erik Budsberg
Mount Whitney - A Classic East Face Ascent
In the 1920s and 30s Robert Underhill was one of the top climbers in The United States. Frequent climbing trips to the Alps left him well versed in state of the art rope techniques. In 1931 the Sierra Club invited him to California to teach its members proper belaying and rappelling. Afterwards he and some of the other climbers toured the range and made a number of first ascents. Chief amongst these routes is the East Face of Mount Whitney, which Underhill climbed with Norman Clyde, Glen Dawson, and Jules Eichorn. This fun and exciting route is one of the best alpine rock climbs in the range.
Fiona puts on a monster pack
Photo by Ian McEleney
Fiona puts on a monster packPhoto by Ian McEleney
A few weeks ago Matthew Holt, Fiona McIntosh and I shouldered heavy packs for a hike to the base of Mount Whitney and a crack at this route. Matt and Fiona had travelled to California from South Africa for a week of rock climbing culminating with this ascent. We made the 4 mile hike in in good time and enjoyed a very brief swim in the aptly named Iceberg Lake. Matt and Fiona are backcountry gourmands and their dinner highlights included fresh vegetables, hot soup, tea, and cookies.
We awoke the next morning to the wind tugging at our tents. This made me uneasy; the East Face of Mount Whitney can be a chilly place while a stiff breeze blows. Fortunately it died down as we started up the 400 feet of scrambling that constitutes the approach to the route. It’s easy to know where to rope up for this climb. The Supertopo Guidebook to the High Sierra says, “Intense exposure signals the start of the East Face route.”
Scrambling to the base of the route.
Photo by Ian McEleney
The first pitch is the “Tower Traverse”, 130 feet of airy 5.4 and 5.5 climbing. After this, a prominent 400 foot ramp of easier climbing leads to the “Fresh Air Traverse”. At this point, the youthful Dawson and Eichorn wanted to continue straight up, but more experienced heads prevailed and the party made the now famous traverse. Matt and Fiona moved handily up this pitch, despite the 1000 plus feet of empty space underneath their heels. Fiona had brought her camera along, and frequently asked Matt and I to hold still while she captured the action. Two pitches later we were at the technical crux of the route, a 20 foot corner with a wide crack in it. Usually wide crack climbing is awkward, but this section was passed smoothly with stemming and the liberal use of handholds hidden in the crack.
Looking down the Fresh Air Traverse
Photo by Ian McEleney
After the crux, many climbers traverse right to meet up with the East Buttress route. However, continuing straight up allowed us to enjoy two more long pitches of moderate 5th class climbing on good rock. 50 feet of much easier, blocky climbing deposited us on the summit.
Just below the Summit
Photo by Ian McEleney
This fun and exciting route is one of the most classic alpine rock climbs in the range, if not the nation. It features an unbeatable combination of a classic location, great granite, and excellent California weather.
--Ian McEleney, AAI Guide
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