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What did I just see in Eldo?

L Kap · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 105

Still interested to hear if anyone knows the story of these climbers in Eldo on Lower South last Thursday... they were so skilled, they must be on MP, right? 

Charles Vernon · · Colorado megalopolis · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 2,655
L Kap wrote:

Thanks for sharing your story and your thought process when you untied. 

Super glad to hear it all worked out, nobody died, and he went on to become a safer and more skilled partner. 

I'm glad too. Just for some additional context, and at the risk of appearing to spray, I was regularly soloing routes up to 5.7 or so in Eldo at the time (I don't do that anymore), and had also climbed the West Buttress multiple times, at the time. So I did not feel that I was doing anything very sketchy (certainly not compared to a couple of other early episodes that I'd rather not speak on), but I'm sure it would have looked bizarre to anyone watching. 

As far as his body belay, my partner was built like a brick shithouse, and probably would have held me even though I outweighed him, but I'm glad I didn't need to test it all the same.

One final thought, there was a great story in Climbing or Rock and Ice some 10+ years ago by Josh Wharton about a guy named "Epic Eric" (I think) who was known to do outrageous things. For example, although a 5.9 trad leader, he allegedly "free-soloed" Pervertical Sanctuary on the Diamond (5.10d & 750') with a harness and a rack of cams and basically dogged his way up the splitter 5.10 pitches with a combination of aiding and resting on single cams. I had heard this and other stories about Epic Eric first-hand independently of Josh's article around the same time, and witnessed one of Eric's more traditional epics first-hand in the Black when he was benighted on the Porcelain Arete and made it back to camp around 3 in the morning.  Anyway, the combo of climbing with gear but without a rope that you describe sounds similar to Eric's exploits that I heard about. Maybe he's back!
Micah Ted · · Durango · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 120

The party in question was myself and Tim Greenwood (Possibly a woman?)

To answer your question, we were simul soloing ferda.

In all reality we were doing an easy approach pitch to get to the base of the Naked Edge. We both felt comfortable soling this pitch. We tied in so that as soon as Tim got up he could lead the first pitch. However a loop got stuck so he untied which was undoubtedly the best call as he was not on belay anyway so I pulled up the rope.

I hindsight it would have been significantly safer to not tie in to each other and avoid mutually assured destruction. But we both felt comfortable at the level we were climbing and we learned our lesson.

Let the roasting begin.

Timoth G · · Keene, NH · Joined Aug 2018 · Points: 666
curt86iroc wrote: nothing says "hardwoman" more than untying mid-pitch. i'll buy her a beer anytime...

I'll take that beer any time

Buck Rio · · MN · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 16
nothing says "hardwoman" more than untying mid-pitch. i'll buy her a beer anytime...

Ooof….sorry brotato chip.

Charlie Menke · · Watertown, MN · Joined Jul 2017 · Points: 65
Tim Greenwood wrote:

I'll take that beer any time

owes you one for sure

curt86iroc · · Lakewood, CO · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 274

i'll buy you 2 beers if you dress in drag...

Molly Mulcahy · · Bend, OR · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 10

I saw this happen and was actually 50/50 on whether it was a man or woman. The (apparently) man-bun threw me off. Glad to finally get a story/reason on the whole thing. Did we imagine that you clipped in directly to some pieces you placed?

M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911
Micah Tedeschi wrote: The party in question was myself and Tim Greenwood (Possibly a woman?)

To answer your question, we were simul soloing ferda.

In all reality we were doing an easy approach pitch to get to the base of the Naked Edge. We both felt comfortable soling this pitch. We tied in so that as soon as Tim got up he could lead the first pitch. However a loop got stuck so he untied which was undoubtedly the best call as he was not on belay anyway so I pulled up the rope.

I hindsight it would have been significantly safer to not tie in to each other and avoid mutually assured destruction. But we both felt comfortable at the level we were climbing and we learned our lesson.

Let the roasting begin.

Hindsight...  I think you may have invented a new sport, simul-soloing!

L Kap · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 105
Micah Tedeschi wrote: The party in question was myself and Tim Greenwood (Possibly a woman?)

To answer your question, we were simul soloing ferda.

In all reality we were doing an easy approach pitch to get to the base of the Naked Edge. We both felt comfortable soling this pitch. We tied in so that as soon as Tim got up he could lead the first pitch. However a loop got stuck so he untied which was undoubtedly the best call as he was not on belay anyway so I pulled up the rope.

I hindsight it would have been significantly safer to not tie in to each other and avoid mutually assured destruction. But we both felt comfortable at the level we were climbing and we learned our lesson.

Let the roasting begin.

No roasting from me - thanks for the explanation and sounds like good lessons learned.

What's ferda? I thought maybe it was the route name but couldn't find it on MP or in the guidebooks.

Also, did we imagine that Tim was cleaning and possibly clipping in to pieces while soloing? It was kind of hard to see. 

Timoth G · · Keene, NH · Joined Aug 2018 · Points: 666
L Kap wrote:

No roasting from me - thanks for the explanation and sounds like good lessons learned.

What's ferda? I thought maybe it was the route name but couldn't find it on MP or in the guidebooks.

Also, did we imagine that Tim was cleaning and possibly clipping in to pieces while soloing? It was kind of hard to see. 

Urban dictionary definition of Ferda - "Commonly used among hockey players. It means "For the" for short. Like ferda boys and for the boys. Also used to describe someone as a good friend or something that sounds cool."        

Example: Micah: Bro I just double dynoed to hand fist stack 20 feet above gear!     Tim: That might be the most ferda thing ever.

We just like to joke around with our friends with the word ferda, nothin too serious;
but you were not imagining that I was clipping into pieces, I clipped into one pin with my PAS for a brief moment while I was preparing to climb a sketchy part.  I took it out before I started to climb, just used it as safety while I was in an awkward rest.  
L Kap · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 105
Tim Greenwood wrote:

Urban dictionary definition of Ferda - "Commonly used among hockey players. It means "For the" for short. Like ferda boys and for the boys. Also used to describe someone as a good friend or something that sounds cool."        

Example: Micah: Bro I just double dynoed to hand fist stack 20 feet above gear!     Tim: That might be the most ferda thing ever.

We just like to joke around with our friends with the word ferda, nothin too serious;
Ha, okay. Funny, I was joking with some friends about dynoing to a fist stack once in Vedauwoo. Obviously a missed opportunity to use "ferda". Now I know.


but you were not imagining that I was clipping into pieces, I clipped into one pin with my PAS for a brief moment while I was preparing to climb a sketchy part.  I took it out before I started to climb, just used it as safety while I was in an awkward rest.  

I'm glad that worked out okay for you! You might know this already, but relying on a fixed pin without backup is always a risky proposition. If it was a piton before the crux on a classic like Redguard, it might have been there since the 50s. That's a lot of years of freeze/thaw cycles working on that pin. Old pitons that look fine on the outside have been removed by hand, and definitely they can fail under body weight. Check this thread, be safe, don't die: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/112476249/pulled-a-piton 

PWZ · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2016 · Points: 0
L Kap wrote:

I'm glad that worked out okay for you! You might know this already, but relying on a fixed pin without backup is always a risky proposition. If it was a piton before the crux on a classic like Redguard, it might have been there since the 50s. That's a lot of years of freeze/thaw cycles working on that pin. Old pitons that look fine on the outside have been removed by hand, and definitely they can fail under body weight. Check this thread, be safe, don't die: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/112476249/pulled-a-piton 

Seriously?

Timoth G · · Keene, NH · Joined Aug 2018 · Points: 666
L Kap wrote: Ha, okay. Funny, I was joking with some friends about dynoing to a fist stack once in Vedauwoo. Obviously a missed opportunity to use "ferda". Now I know.

I'm glad that worked out okay for you! You might know this already, but relying on a fixed pin without backup is always a risky proposition. If it was a piton before the crux on a classic like Redguard, it might have been there since the 50s. That's a lot of years of freeze/thaw cycles working on that pin. Old pitons that look fine on the outside have been removed by hand, and definitely they can fail under body weight. Check this thread, be safe, don't die: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/112476249/pulled-a-piton 

I for sure understand that I should never rely on one piton or pin, and I guess I should have clarified that there was never any weight put on the piton. But I still appreciate the concern because I totally understand where you’re coming from. In addition, we really don’t know what route we were on exactly. It may have been redguard but it also didn’t feel like 5.8. It was that rotty band of rock leading up to the cave pitch on the upper ramp. Anybody have any pictures of the line redguard takes?
L Kap · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 105
From Steve Levin's excellent guidebook. First photo is the base. Redguard is #79, old school 5.8+. If you were climbing the band to the right #77 that is the start of anthill direct, 5.8.

On the second photo, the cave route is 157, Naked Edge is 160. They are just indicated on the left side.

Third photo moves west to better show the naked edge and cave route.
Timoth G · · Keene, NH · Joined Aug 2018 · Points: 666
L Kap wrote:
From Steve Levin's excellent guidebook. First photo is the base. Redguard is #79, old school 5.8+. If you were climbing the band to the right #77 that is the start of anthill direct, 5.8.

On the second photo, the cave route is 157, Naked Edge is 160. They are just indicated on the left side.

Third photo moves west to better show the naked edge and cave route.

It appears we were on the first pitch of anthill direct, which I guess is still 5.8.  

L Kap · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 105
Tim Greenwood wrote:

It appears we were on the first pitch of anthill direct, which I guess is still 5.8.  

Cool, thanks for figuring that out. I was wondering which route you were on. Soloing Eldo 5.8 is no joke...kudos on keeping it calm and smooth. 

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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