Fall is upon us.

I and a handful of partners are kicking off the forthcoming Fall weather with a trip this Labor Day weekend...

And, how about y'all?

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

If the OR doesn't scare you (and it shouldn't) do it and Traditions in a day. I double dare you...!!!

hope you ladies have fun. but get ready for the next trip, because wonderbread will show you how its done.

Hell yeah. I'm glad someone else is excited about the upcoming cooler weather. Make sure to add Big Green to the list. I'll bring the bear spray and whiskey.

Ben Lyon wrote: Complete my conquest of every established route 5.10 and under at legally accessed areas in my home state --- !ALABAMA!

Well......being this discriminating will have you missing out on a few gems

.....and its supposed to rain all week

other than that, tally ho

bernard wrote: Well......being this discriminating will have you missing out on a few gems .....and its supposed to rain all week other than that, tally ho

I wonderd if anyone would catch that...arrrghhh!

Ben Lyon wrote:The Orginial Route - Whitesides...I am so scared! Well, maybe not.

This is the route that completely changed my perspective on the bolting controversy. That first pitch originally had no protection whatsoever from what I understand. Then, someone put in one lone bolt just north of the middle. I have climbed that route three times. I led that pitch (with the bolt) three times. On the second time, rope drag at the absolute last move before the ledge caused me to get too foward in my stance and my foot blew off a crystal - down I went. That is a loooooooong fall from there. I ended up breaking my leg, but I didn't die. That bolt has been chopped and replaced over the years from what I understand. But, thankfully, it was there that day, or I wouldn't be.

Nice,

I have been lucky enough to have missed very few weekends this summer (and with fall around the corner, looking forward to keeping that momentum into next summer). Oh and not losing 10 lbs. of water weight during a day at Sunset will be great.

Ben, lets talk about getting you out in N. GA. T-Gorge perhaps?? Maybe show you the biggest sandbagged crack in Ga up at Yonah? I owe you one for those topos.

No solid tick list yet but here are some goals for fall/winter:

Spend more time in North N.C.

push my trad onsight ability into the .10s

Push my sport onsights into high .10s low .11s

Visit Laurel Knob enough times to sleepwalk the hike in.

Get my ass up Whitesides.

Do some climbs away from the Golden Locks area of T-Wall (an easy goal)

OS Primitive Paradox at T-Gorge and maybe, just maybe redpoint Punk Wave.

Use less chalk

Alright...things will get serious in a couple more weeks...waiting on broken finger to finish healing completely...

Yeah, a fall tick list...

On the agenda (some planned some to be planned):

Sedona
Gunks
Laurel Knob
New River Gorge
T Wall
Jamestown
Linville
the Canyon - after all I gotta get strong again somehow...did I say again? I mean strong period.

Ben/Joey...let me know if you want beta/partner for the OR...

Did somebody mention Big Green? We are getting closer to scary...

Jeff Mekolites wrote:Ben/Joey...let me know if you want beta/partner for the OR...

Will do, hope your finger is mending well.

And speaking of the Canyon, took my first visit this past Saturday........ lots of air time, so good.

Jeff's Gunks trip has my mind wandering, little bit of a thread drift but who has climbing plans outside of the south this fall??

I'm headed out to Golden, Co for a week in Oct. Eldo, Lumpy, CCC, maybe some sub-alpine if it isn't buried.

joey wrote:Ben, lets talk about getting you out in N. GA. T-Gorge perhaps?? Maybe show you the biggest sandbagged crack in Ga up at Yonah? I owe you one for those topos...OS Primitive Paradox at T-Gorge and maybe, just maybe redpoint Punk Wave. Use less chalk

Joey-

Tallulah is probably my second favorite spot that I have ever climbed...let's get up there, I'll belay you on P.P. (the onsight eluded me as well) and we can do Punk Wave...Paul! You down?

I need to get to Yonah as well...so far I have missed multiple opportunities to go with one of the original FA'rs to the area...I suck, I know.

Jeff Mekolites wrote:Ben/Joey...let me know if you want beta/partner for the OR... Did somebody mention Big Green? We are getting closer to scary...

Jeff-

I may shoot you an email here soon. Thanks.

You do the same if I can help you with any LK approach/route info...I noticed that you have already been there...anyway, the offer stands.

OK, I'm in....

I want to top out on a route at LK and climb more often up there.

Make a Chattanooga run or two for some sandstone fun.

Guess I need to keep pink pointing behind Paul when he onsights my old FA's too.

Oh yeah, and after it gets cold, I'm gonna get out the scrub brushes and rebolting gear to restore some old routes and retry some old projects.

My Fall ticklist also includes copious amounts of Laurel Knob, yet another new route binge at the north side of the Bald and perhaps a Linville trip with the old timers crew. Oh yes, and my first foray to Red Rocks in Vegas!

Ticklist:
Fall Creek Falls specifically Gordita and then climb the rest down to Fiery Gizzard.
Tallulah
Gunks in Oct. - Jeff when are you going?
RRG in Oct. Anyone want to tag along?
Cloudland Canyon if we can get in.
Big Green if anyone else is going.
The unexplored Yonah.

Fresh back from Smith Rocks which was kick ass.

Not So Famous Old Dude wrote: This is the route that completely changed my perspective on the bolting controversy. That first pitch originally had no protection whatsoever from what I understand. Then, someone put in one lone bolt just north of the middle.

NSFOD- Holy crap! Im impressed you survived that one and are still climbing- you are the man! Ive done it straight up to the bolt and also actually following the instructions in the old NC guide book which are to start directly under the tree on the ledge above and ignore the bolt.

The bolt route felt more like 5.9 slab and the no bolt way felt a lot more like the 5.7 its supposed to. Funny thing about climbing the 5.7 var. is that I was so psyched to be climbing that day I got ahead of myself and 1/2 way up yelled down to my belayer that the guide book was full of shit and I could totally get a cam in mid way up. He told me that was nice but Id forgotten to rack any gear before leaving the ground.

Hey Sean,

How's the pro on Route of the Living Dead? I've seen the topo but thats it. Is the crux pretty well protected? I'm guessing that route probably dries pretty fast after a rain. I can't imagine what those water grooves looked like the past few days with tropical storm Fay rolling through.

Red Rocks is well worth a trip. I want to go back there myself, mostly for the long routes.

Rad- The first half of second pitch is the crux and it is fairly well protected. As I recall Bruce got a tiny wire in on the run between the bolts. As a moderate climber seconding a master, I would call that section of the pitch scary but not deadly. The rest of the route ain't too bad. It goes between the ditches, so yes, it should be dry fairly fast.

SE Represent: If you haven't checked the new Alpinist - dem Georgia boys done good.