Tosh Peters on the First Pitch (5.6) Photo: Rocky ...
Description
This is the first climb on the south-west facing portion of Hard Rock, just around the corner. Climb the prow for the first pitch and the white colored rock on the second.
Pitch 1 (5.6): Easy climbing on big pockets. After the 3rd bolt the climbing seemed a little runout. Good for learning how to climb toprope, not lead.
Pitch 2 (5.11b/c): This is where the fun begins. Haul over roof on good holds, then up to the second roof/bulge. Fun sequence with good holds and long reaches make the climb, not to mention the exposed feeling when going over the roof/bulge. Fun.
Protection
3 bolts to the first set of double chains anchors. 6 more for the second pitch to the pair of chains.
By criscokid From: PG, Utah Jul 3, 2008 rating: 5.11b
This was the climb that Greg Chin took the legendary whipper on in 2006. I had just led it and left the draws up for other people to do. Greg had never onsited a 5.11 before and as I feel this route to be pretty soft for the grade I recommended it to him as a first onsite chance. I began to climb the 5.7 into the new roof finish just to the right as Greg started up. He had asked one of the guys who had come up with us to belay (of whom we knew from the Quarry). He started to crank through the roof and reached the part where it moves left. As those of you who have done this route know the left moves can be a bit tricky if you are getting pumped already. It was at this point that Greg fell. As he was only about 3 feet above the last bolt it should've been a very routine sport fall. But as I moved up my climb, I heard a painiced scream from Greg and turned around to see him sailing through the air. In a split second we looked at the belayer and the problem became obvious. The individual whom Greg asked to belay him, while having belayed many times top ropes (including several times earlier that same day) had aparently never lead belayed. This fact was not been disclosed by him upon Gregs invitation. He was also belaying with a BD ATC, which in the hands of an experienced belayer is a perfectly good device, however the belayer made a critical error. At the moment of the fall he failed to break correctly with his break hand. Instead he kept both hands level with one another above the belay device. This caused minimal friction on the lead line that went shoting very quickly through his hands. To his credit, he did attempt with all his might to slow Gregs fall by griping the rope as tightly as possible. He screamed as smoke actually came from his hands that were being ruthlessly burned in the attempt to arrest Gregs fall(which did in fact slow Greg down from death speeds). Eric Allen who was belaying me just to the right of this very quickly jumped over and grabben the rope and brought it down into a proper break position. This action happened just as Greg landed in a bush at the base of the climb, but a split second before he actualy hit thereby he actually landed in a manner that he was able to basically walk away (though scared out of his wits). The belayer had to be rushed to the hospital, with severe rope burns that completly burned down to the bone in his palms. The belayer does deserve credit for doing whatever it took to slow Greg down despite the intense pain. Greg has still not fully returned to climbing as much or as hard as he used to (admits the insident is still in his mind) and the belayer has never done more than bouldering since. Moral? Know who you are climbing with, and if you are unaware of techniques or unsure of your abilities to do certain tasks, don't be to proud to admit it. There were quite a few very qualified lead belayers on the scene at the moment and is it possible that the belayer in question didn't want to feel that he didn't fit in. You never learn how to do something like this without having someone teach you at some point. Good communication can save your life. I though this story might make some of you reevaluate your system and be of some worth.
It isn't an onsight if the person just watched you hang the draws. It isn't an onsight if the draws are hanging.
Long story about NOOBS. Plays out every summer in different locals.
By criscokid From: PG, Utah Jul 6, 2008 rating: 5.11b
So I guess everything with bolts is impossible to on-site as well? I guess that also means the routes in the Hell Cave with fixed draws are out also. I find it in bad taste that the thing you point out about the story, is the technical definitions of on-site. Not the actual POINT of the story. But if it makes you feel better about yourself to take a near tragic story to pump yourself up...
ugh. i was thinking about attempting that route on wed. maybe i'll tell my girlfriend to wear gloves. always make it a point to distinguish lead and top rope belaying, especially if it's someone you met in a (gag) gym.