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Talking with God
5.11d,
Sport,
Avg: 2.6 from 36
votes
FA: Nate Postma (1990)
Minnesota
> Red Wing (a.k.a…
> Large Roof Area
Description
The Big Roof area is the farthest little wall as you walk east and north along the trail. Yup, it's a big roof. This route is pretty sweet, if only for the intimidation factor. It starts on the sandy wall directly below the obvious big roof. Don't blow it on the first clip or 2 as there is a back-breaker rock that you started on. Have your belayer clip into the rusty bolt on the huge block on the ground. Climb up and trend a little right just under the roof and try to catch a little (uncomfortable) rest. Clip the next bolt while below it, obviously. The crux is pulling the roof. There is a definite sequence that makes it easier but it's still not easy. If you're shorter than 5'10" good luck. Maybe try levitation.
Protection
Bolts. Please use your own gear for top rope. Please bring an extra biner and if the ones up top look bad or don't easily clip or shut, please replace it. It's good karma. Bring a long runner for the bolt under the roof to reduce drag. Also, your belayer might wish to clip themselves into the bolt that is behind them on the huge fallen block to anchor in case you fall early on. There is a nasty back-breaker boulder that it would be conceivable although unlikely to hit if you bit it while clipping a bolt early.
![Holger Gassner pulling the crux roof on Talking with God. Summer, 2005.]()
[Hide Photo] Holger Gassner pulling the crux roof on Talking with God. Summer, 2005.
![Frank going after the onsight]()
[Hide Photo] Frank going after the onsight
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talking with god goes on gear. if you decide to lead this chosspile, you'll need small cams and small to medium nuts, as well as three 24" runners and some long draws.
up to the roof's lip, i used a .75 BD, an orange TCU, a yellow TCU, and three blue tcu's. the gear down-low looked solid. i cannot say the same for the stuff in the roof. those cracks are chossy and flared! in shape, they resemble hourglasses. that's not good for either cam or nut placements. but, eh, such is par for trad leading at red wang. haha.
the climbing above the roof is easy, but gear placements are infrequent and poor (again, chossy, flared, etc). i found it was easiest (quick, convenient) to run it out to the chains. if you do decide to protect that section, take small nuts and another orange/red TCU.
by the time you have read this comment, you could have climbed talking with god twice or done countless other activities that do not waste your time by discussing some obscure chunk of choss and the chossy route that climbs it. congratulations. you have wasted your valuable time, time you will never get back. yay!
now excuse me while i go SPRAY all over another mproject page. Oct 11, 2008
Minneapolis, MN
Oh, and yeah, I'm not 5'10" no matter what I tell people, and I've climbed this thing a bunch of times. May 24, 2010
Madison WI
When I wrote that long ago, I knew a buncha taller folks who sent with ease and a few shorties who couldn't. I stand corrected. I'm 5'10" and I could barely pull it off, 5.11d seemed about right. Yup.
Bummer about your friend. That bottom section is total choss. Leading it on gear is for the clinically insane! May 25, 2010