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Location: UT : Maple Canyon
By: Brian in SLC When: Nov 16, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: There are no gates.
What shuts the place down for non-4wd vehicles (which should also apply to subarus, but, folks don't learn) is snow.
So, no snow, easy drive in.
Nearby lodging? Try Nephi or Ephraim. Most folks camp in Maple Canyon.
For dining, there's some diners in both of the above. Pretty limited.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Crescent Crack Buttress : Hand Jive (5.8)
By: Brian in SLC When: Nov 11, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Climbed it today...and...yeah, its spicy but I don't think its gotten a bunch harder over the years. One thing I noticed was I usually protect the chimney up high prior to the committing step over with a hand-ish sized cam on the left side, but, that crack seems have have disappeared.
Anywhoo...maybe 5.8+. Easier to clip the upper (old) anchor on Crack in the Wood, long, and have your partner belay from up there too. Then, step across, almost on a TR, dial the feet in on lower angle friction... more >>
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Location: CA : SF Bay Area : Pinnacles National Monument
By: Brian in SLC When: Nov 6, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Quote from Toula's Rock-n-Road, from a non-local: "You know what your poop looks like after eating corn-on-the-cob and a Payday bar? It looks like Pinnacles National Monument."
Classic.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Dragon Arch : Gimme Danger (5.10+) : Photo
By: Brian in SLC When: Nov 5, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: You are dead to me...
Ha ha.
Welcome to the darkside!
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : Gate Buttress : Schoolroom Area
By: Brian in SLC When: Nov 4, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Me and mine have always scrambled down to the standard Schoolroom rappel. Instead of rappelling from the tree mentioned in the descent description, climb slightly up and traverse over towards the west on a ledge with a handcrack rail (easy, maybe 3rd class). Then down climb the low angle chimney for 25 feet. Hike/scramble pretty much straight down low angle terrain and you'll hit the rappel ledge.
Climbers who haven't done this descent before, who may be a tad sketched, can easily be belayed... more >>
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Juniper Canyon : Cloud Tower : Spare Rib (5.8)
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 15, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Thanks for the new hardware, Greg!
I'll ditto your ratings, except to say that the first pitch is four stars, the second pitch three stars (maybe easy 5.8-ish?) and the third pitch was a tad tricky and head's up at a stouter version of 5.8 than either the first or second pitch (with softer rock to boot).
I noted the third pitch belay station has an aluminum hanger (Petzl) for one of the anchors. Looks ok, but, maybe some day...
My partners ratings for the first three pitches were: 5.6, 5.7 ... more >>
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Calico Basin : Cowlick Crag : Flying Chuckwalla (5.7)
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 13, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Supplemental pro from .5 to 1 camalots (or equivalent) can be had enroute to the first bolt, as well as along the way to the anchor.
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Location: NV : Red Rock : Calico Basin : Cowlick Crag : Cow Lick Co. Crag (5.7)
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 13, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: 4 lead bolts in the first 40 or so feet, then...nothing until the anchor.
Seemed like at least 25 feet to the anchor from the last bolt. Sport, or, sporty?
Make sure belayer is payin' attention if you bust a hold and fall enroute to the anchor, or, otherwise, you could deck.
Also, someone should eventually replace the last hanger (homemade) and the cold shuts.
Yeah, it's only 5.4 up there, but...
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : The Fin : The Dorsal Fin (5.10d)
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 5, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Micro cam might work too in a large enough pin scar. Especially a fat lost arrow.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Little Cottonwood Canyon : The Fin : The Dorsal Fin (5.10d)
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 4, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I think you meant "shouldn't be trusted".
Next size larger pin, and then what? Next size after that? A bolt makes more sense in the modern age, and, will limit piton damage to the rock that's obviously going on.
A pin is only "good" for the person who placed it. After awhile they all turn into junk. Only the FA gets the FA. After that, well, maybe these classic routes should be maintained with gear that makes sense, not bigger and bigger pins which will continue to rust away and get loose... more >>
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Location: ID : City of Rocks : The Breadloaves : Super Hits Wall : Featured Face (5.7 R)
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 4, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I used a sling to back up (and tie down) my cam for the belay on the ramp, but, didn't really notice any on the route.
After the initial moves, I tried to trend a bit left to extend the route up as high as possible (fun, big holds!). I really thought after the bouldery start, the route was around 5.3 in difficulty (give or take). Only thing I'd caution is that although the rock felt really solid, I'm sure you could find a friable jug to pop off if you yarded hard enough on the thin ones. Nea... more >>
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Location: ID : City of Rocks : The Breadloaves : Super Hits Wall : Double Vision (5.10a R)
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 4, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This ain't no "sport" climb....
I think Reid climbed this in '86. Then...me. Yee haa!
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Location: ID : City of Rocks : The Breadloaves : Super Hits Wall : Featured Face (5.7 R)
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 4, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: With the exception of the bouldery start, reasonable protection can be had with small cams (00 TCU to 3 TCU or equivalent) in fairly deep and secure horizontal cracks spaced at nice locations up the route. Save a #3 camalot (ect) for the belay on the bench leading to the groove/chimney down climb to the West. If this route went for 200 feet it'd be all world!
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Location: CA : Joshua Tree National Park : Photo
By: Brian in SLC When: Oct 2, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Great shot!
Diamondbacks have, uhh, diamond backs...
Good ID methinks!
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Location: MT : Madison River Area : Neat Rock : Standard Route (5.9)
By: Brian in SLC When: Sep 30, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Wasn't this called Pigeon Shit Express or Birdshit Express or some such?
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Ferguson Canyon : The Cathedral : Nuptial Vow (5.8)
By: Brian in SLC When: Sep 28, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: So, Brian, what say ye about the bolts, then? Ok or not?
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Location: WY : Sweetwater Rocks : The Moonstone : Blue Moon (5.5)
By: Brian in SLC When: Sep 17, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Could be, Bob. We did all three pitches in around an hour and since we're slow... Seemed like the Flake Route was more of a rope stretcher and went up a bunch higher on the Dome (but still not full rope lengths).
On the list for a repeat, though, and I'll mind the rope length a bit more closely. Cheers!
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Location: WY : Sweetwater Rocks : The Moonstone : Blue Moon (5.5)
By: Brian in SLC When: Sep 4, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Can also top out by climbing up and to the right of the edge of the roofy area above the last belay station. Then walk back around to the left (above the roof) and follow low angle slab back to the base.
I have in my notes that the third pitch is 35 meters, and the first and second pitches are 30+ meters. Makes for at most a 400 foot route rather than 3 pitches and 600 feet.
P1: 3 bolts. P2 4 bolts. P3 3 bolts. At least that's what my notes say (!).
Fun route!
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Location: MT : Elk Rock
By: Brian in SLC When: Sep 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Uhh, I think you meant to take a right on hwy 12?
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Big Cottonwood Canyon : Beachball Crag : Was His Name-O (5.7)
By: Brian in SLC When: Sep 2, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Yeah, that route has been on my standard Beach Ball solo circuit for over 20 years...But, maybe its the first time someone used a rope on it? Ha ha.
Cheers.
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Location: CA : Los Angeles County : Santa Monica Mountains : Echo Cliffs : Easy Street : Head Wound (5.9)
By: Brian in SLC When: Aug 15, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: First pitch anchor is actually a pair of Fixe sport anchors. Second pitch anchors are Fixe Super Shuts.
Rock quality may have cleaned up some. We didn't notice much loose rock as of 13 August 2009. Cheers.
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Location: CA : Los Angeles County : Santa Monica Mountains : Echo Cliffs : Easy Street : The Serpent (5.10a)
By: Brian in SLC When: Aug 14, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Take care on the first couple of moves of P2. There's a cracked hold just above the first bolt off the belay. Make sure you're solid when you step up, and, the belayer is attentive. A fall going to the second bolt would have very bad consequences as you'd deck on/at the P2 belay (flat ledge).
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Location: ID : City of Rocks : Flaming Rock : Tribal Boundaries (5.10a)
By: Brian in SLC When: Aug 6, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Consensus here has it at 5.10-. I think its 5.10a (climbed it not long after it was put up, prior to several bolts added, and several times since).
Kind of the neat thing about this website is that folks get to vote on the rating.
Ratings are pretty subjective, but, for comparison, I think Double Vision is harder. 'Bout the same as "N and C" on Decadent. Easier than Fall Line. On par with Acid Rain. On par with Just Say Go and Pygmies. Easier than Stan's Roof.
Cheers.
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Location: UT : Uinta Mountains : The Recess
By: Brian in SLC When: Aug 4, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: I think people should respect the FA folks who "opened" routes here and not add anchors to the routes without their permission. Even DK, someone who's not afraid of putting in bolted anchors, respected the tradition of this crag with his route and didn't add a top anchor.
Plenty of rock in the Uintas.
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Location: UT : Wasatch Range : Big Cottonwood Canyon : Challenge Buttress
By: Brian in SLC When: Aug 3, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: "I would hope people will show the area a little more respect."
Hey, soon to be old dude, I think the staging area has been gettin' hammered for years. There's just a gob of traffic, all day on the weekends, and, every night on the weekdays. Super popular area. Kinda compares to the Slips staging area.
Not sure what kinda of TLC we could effect there. Got a pretty good buffer of foliage which hides the staging area from the trail. Erosion hasn't seemed to be out of hand. Its just flatt... more >>
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