Mountain Project Logo

DL winter aid climbing?

Original Post
NickinCO · · colorado · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 155

Does anyone do it? Im looking to learn aid and was thinking about doing it over the winter. Any easy aid route advice at the lake in winter?

DaleMoirDukeyetnotPrince · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 10

I should not tell you this but there are some easy aid routes in the quarry area of DL. The rock is crap as it was an old quarry for railroad rock - so who cares if you beat on it more? But be careful of not only the darn park police (so climb fast), but also the rock is a little weak from ages old blasting..... There are slabs on the right and overhangs on the left. It was an old DLFA winter aid climbing training ground....

Duke of F#cness

Doug Hemken · · Madison, WI · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 13,668

Both "Congrats" and "Thoroughfare" get done a lot. "Birch Tree" is a great first lead. "Sometime" is entertaining. I also enjoyed "Cheatah" (might need a hook for that). For pure hooking practice, you can do "Stretcher" (I'd suggest a TR). I've watched "Chicago" being done, but you'll need to do a free move or bring hammered gear for that one, I think.

Over in the Sandstone I've done "Tarantula."

Dress warmly!

DaleMoirDukeyetnotPrince · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 10

Personally I would not aid a free climb even in practice, you have to bash some aid gear in to get big wall experience, and get a drill (Hilte) or RASPS, the only place that I’ve found in DL is in the quarry. Hooking is the last resort,and scary, most times the rock is to soft! I have hammer if you need it and can talk about stirrup advice if you need it…

DaleMoirDukeyetnotPrince · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 10

Many of my friends and I used to solo Birch tree, Sometimes, Congratulations, & Thoroughfare just for fun even in the winter. Keep your Aid climbing focused on place where you can in bash hardware, you will have to pull out all the dirty tricks, just my advice…and be careful - please, we have lost too many souls

NickinCO · · colorado · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 155
DaleMoirDukeyetnotPrince wrote:Personally I would not aid a free climb even in practice, you have to bash some aid gear in to get big wall experience, and get a drill (Hilte) or RASPS, the only place that I’ve found in DL is in the quarry. Hooking is the last resort,and scary, most times the rock is to soft! I have hammer if you need it and can talk about stirrup advice if you need it…
I'll take all the advice you can give, I don't have any experience with placing anything other than clean gear.
Alex A · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2005 · Points: 2,526

FYI, the quarry it self, is closed to all public use, you be may arrested for trespassing, but you have to do some pounding of steel the quarry is the best (only) place to do it,

winter and rainy days is a good time aid, it avoids pissing people off, if your aiding popular routes, like Congrats" and "Thoroughfare, any route the protects well, will be good pratice, the routes, that Doug listed, is a good start, I think its best to master clean aid, before moving on to pins, rurps, copperheads,

my for 1st big wall, I was told I needed a rack of pins to do it, by the Yosemite climbing store, carried them, did not use one,

DaleMoirDukeyetnotPrince · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 10

What AA siad is all true, depending on where you are going to climb walls... last piece of advice get some old school knee pads, you will look like a dork, but your bones will thank you.

Nate Miller · · San Diego, CA · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 20

Hey Nick,

I'm interested in working on my aid game too. I've done a little bit but haven't practiced at Devil's Lake yet. Let me know if you're looking for partners to aid with.

Nate

Jay Knower · · Plymouth, NH; Lander, WY · Joined Jul 2001 · Points: 6,036

There is a fun clean aid line at the Railroad Amphitheater. It starts near Jack the Ripper and then wanders over right to Cop Out and tops out via that route. Probably C1+ (whatever that means).

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

NOW you want to do aid at DL.! Great timing, as we could have pulled out my aid gear last season sometime. Nick, I assume you just want to do this on nuts, no pins, pitons, rurps, etc? Dale (Duke of Fukness) knows the way around the lake for sure, but be real careful if you choose the quarry area. I"ve done solo aid up the usual cracks such as Congrats, Sometimes and Birch Tree. Guess the best time to do it and not draw climber criticism is now, during the off season. But being a skier and ice climber I'm in favor of more cold and snow than aid climbing weather. cheers.

Ron L Long · · Out yonder in Wisco. · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 90

Jay's suggestion is great if you are looking for some 'trickier' clean aide. Routes like Congrats are good for dialing in your aide systems but most of the placements are straight forward. Railroad will give you the chance to hang from the smallest brassies/offsets that are not fully in the crack. About as much fun as hooking......

EB · · Winona · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 1,207

I would suggest starting aid climbing on TR. That way you can get the feel for systems and placements without hitting the ground if gear rips. With aid climbing its all about building a system which you can then get proficient with. Learning to top step and use hooks is strenuous and risky, especially on quartzite, and with a few practice runs first on tr both your system and skills will get dialed quicker. Also, dont be afraid to bust free moves when there's options. Getting tunnel vision on your daisy and aiders will lead you to a multi-hour DL aid epic for your belayer.

DaleMoirDukeyetnotPrince · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 10

I wasn't going to say anymore... however, you can top rope aid climbing for practice by yourself we used to do it all the time. Just fix one end and use ascenders, it is good practice. Just be safe and follow the recommendations provided in earlier posts. Sooner or later though you are going to have to bash stuff in, unless the times have changed..... which is possible..... sneak to the quarry, don't drive in or they will find you... hammer bebe!.

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

Ditto on what Dale/Duke said. Ascender up a fixed rope for backup, while you walk up in your etriers or aiders on the placements. If one pops, you are snagged by your ascender and can live to fix your technique without taking a beating. Tons of not-so-popular cracks to follow, without hogging some classic route for a few hours.

EB · · Winona · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 1,207

Times have definately changed. Pounding pins is not a requirment of aid climbing especially if you are planning on climbing in the desert where clean climbing is the preferred style. In addition, a better way to self belay is using a traxion(pro or mini). These are the preferred means of hauling as well, so if you are really amped to get into the aid game a traxion will be part of your rack. They are also great for top rope free climbing as well.

Alex A · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2005 · Points: 2,526

If you are going to solo aid routes, with a ascender make sure you back it up, to tie in once you a safe distance off the ground, should be doing these when seconding routes on jumars, ascenders do fail, ask Peter Cleveland he was working on his roof with a ascender
and it failed, he shattered his ankle and leg,

TR good way to practice hooking, and playing crack-an-ups and C2 to C5 placements,

one of hardest thing about learning to aid climbing can be cleaning traverse and overhangs and the haulbag, nicknamed are's the Hellbag, practice will help on walls,

Traverse with haul bag Yosemite about 1100ft up

Ryan Strong · · Golden, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 1,710

Bump?

Alex that shot looks like Leaning tower to me? I remember that traverse very well, pretty scary considering the fixed line looked like shit. I am interested in some more info on aiding at the quarry? The idea never crossed my mind but it sounds perfect. I Have a few hooks, but no pins or bashees.

Ryan Strong · · Golden, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 1,710

EB i am curious too as to how the traxion can be used for aid solo. The traxion only allows the rope to feed one way. I have tr Soloed on a traxion, but i don't think its possible to lead solo with one.

Ryan Strong · · Golden, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 1,710

How do you get to the quarry, is there a trail to approach from the top? Bushwack from the base?

Ryan Strong · · Golden, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 1,710
Aid
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Midwest
Post a Reply to "DL winter aid climbing?"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.