Climbing 101

Climbing is often misunderstood or thought of those not in the loop. E ', considered the domain of dependence on adrenaline and macho tough guys. While the escalation of the use of force certainly echoed by almost everyone who wants to learn and spend their time on sports. Even if you live in an area with no big climbs, you can always learn to climb, just a little 'creative.
Start-up
More information about this sport is the first step to control the escalation, you can read sports magazines. This will be the type of equipment required and conditions that may occur to learn to climb.
Visit the forum dedicated to the sport will also help you learn from others, in collaboration with the sport. Do not be afraid to ask questions is a great way to find out how others got their start in this sport. You can also find climbers in your area who can get the resources that are valuable for a beginner to learn.
Climbing wall
A big problem for many people is a logistical effort to learn to climb. Your home may be far from a decent rock climbing. While many diehard fans of the sport will tell you that the best way to learn is natural rock, there's nothing wrong with starting in a gymnasium.
indoor sports facilities are rapidly gaining popularity and chances are you can find a location near you. If you win a knowledge and experience in a gym, you can climb through the natural rock climbing routes. You can be sure that once you have bitten by the bug of rock climbing, you are ready to travel for a good climb.
Dress for Success
It 'also important climbing clothing and gear necessary for safety and comfort when climbing. Wear the right clothes and rock climbing safety equipment is much better and climb on top of that, safety equipment save your life.
Not
There are many difficulty levels as you choose what you want to drive, the more you are involved in the sport you probably want to branch and trying different types of climbing. To begin, however, climbing and bouldering are an excellent introduction to the sport.
Free climbing, a kind of escalation that does not use equipment, is probably the best attempt right after you have more experience. However, if you've been climbing for some time, try climbing trad. This type of climbing using climbing equipment to help your progress.

Climbing Donner Pass history

Thunder and incredibly historic rock Pass is located about 90 miles north of Sacramento, Calif., just west of Thunder Lake and Truckee, California. Yes, the famous Donner Pass, the party were killed in the early days of the Old West.
Apart from the modern history of the famous in this area with spectacular granite dome as walls, cliffs, overhangs with thin and launch ramps multi-recording has it all! What is most impressive about this area is a popular sport and traditional climbing in harmony with one another. Not succumb to the destruction of over bumps, scratches, or garbage along the trails. The beginner can top rope climber, a leader can clip bolts or change the position of soloist and has ample places in Boulder.
Once you reach the top, you start to see some of the reefs to see. The first wall you come to the "Stealth and Black Wall" on your right. Later the road was the "off road" and "Peanut Gallery" Space Agency "Wall" on the hill above. Finally get to the meat of the summit and see the Snow Shed Wall "on the left. Below the bridge is clear that the" Green Phantom walls and Sun. Beyond the Bridge School "Rock", "Baboon Rock ", then" Or Curls "
Believe it or not, that's not all! If you park at school, "Rock" and walk on the path, is the "Star Walls (who love the hardest of all the ribs), after the walls to reach the star 19 and 20" Grouse Flat "and the amazing rock, overlooking the lake.
Descent: The walls are not the article. It's just a matter of finding the path of least resistance and beyond.
When all is said and done for the day climbing activities, you can go on the north shore of Donner Lake, and enjoy one of several pillars for public use. Enjoy the clear blue waters of the lake.

Tehipite trip (contd)

The Kings Canyon drains to the west and the valley has about 3000-4000ft of elevation change. The native americans used to winter at the bottom due to the warmer temperatures and good fishing.

From camp we had to hike to the wall and this is just a piece of the 1300ft top half of the wall. As far as I know, no one has climbed the dihedral in this photo.

Mike and Ari setting up our line to hang the food. We had two haul bags of food for our ten days of camping. One was filled with meals and the other with breakfast and snacks. We saw bear tracks and scat while on the trip but no bears and pretty much nothing but birds. The area was burned by fire two years ago and there is very little food for anything to eat. Plus the fire must have killed many of the animals. At the beginning of the trip it took all three of us to hang the food (because it was so heavy) and by the last day or two it could be done by just one.

Our first recon on the first day to get to the wall. You can see the upper part of the dome (Tehipite Dome) that is over 1000ft of rock you are looking at. Plus notice the burn damage and the grasses coming back into the environment very slowly. We needed to use surveying tape (bright orange) to mark our path from camp to the wall because it took over an hour to get there hiking in the mornings and at night. It was too easy to get lost (as we did once) with out marking the trail. In the end, we removed all the tape and found the path of least resistance. The hike wasn't too bad, it was the mosquitoes that were no fun and the 1000ft gulley that we had to descend and hike out everyday.

Me at the last major river crossing. I chose to wear that long sleeved hoody on the horse because the bugs were so bad on the ride in and out of the base camp.
Have a great day!

piz : )

Tehipite Dome Part 1

Mike B on his horse at the biggest creek crossing of the trip. Little did we know that our camp was just a few miles away. At this point of the ride, all of our butts were getting a bit sore and we were definitely ready to finish the ride. It was nice though to have a few minutes of walking around and stretching the legs by the crystal clear river.

Ari, taking it easy in the woods of tall trees and ferns on the forest floor. The outfitter (Clyde Pack Outfitter), put the littlest guy on our trip on the biggest horse. It was funny watching Ari trying to get on and off the horse during the ride in and ride out of Tehipite Dome. He wore is only blue jeans and a hand me down western shirt and a fisherman's hat the whole time!

This here is Allen Clyde and he knows these trails and his horses really well. He has been a horse packer in these mountains for over 30 years, he is a doctor of the feet, has a ranch near Fresno and is the man that you want to take you into the wilderness for any of your needs!

When we got to camp the evening before the ride into Tehipite Dome we had to explode the truck to repack all the gear in the horse pack bags. So we had to make sure that we had everything, ropes, harnesses, shoes, cams, nuts, toilet paper, stoves and cook sets, food, tents, backpacks, the whole works. It took over three hours to figure everything out and get the 6 pack bags equally loaded and all strapped down. As we did this the Pack station dogs joined us and sniffed our gear and we had a nice campfire going to keep away the bugs. It is always tough to pack the final amount of gear for a trip like this because you never really know what you need and it is always too late when you find out! We quickly realized that we forgot the bug spray!

Mike B and Ari just outside the Fresno airport where they picked me up. I was flying in from Canada and the Squamish Mountain Festival and they drove in from Colorado and Utah in my truck. Ari was wearing my warm weather gear to keep the 100 degree heat at bay while we walked to the truck. Notice the wind block hat and the woolen Arcteryx neck gaiter. I don't think that there is an outfit that Ari doesn't look good in.

piz : )

Climbing in Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming

Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming. The new IN spot in the US. Interesting though, because the climbing is kinda old school! Techy vertical walls abound. More rock than most could climb in a lifetime. Pockets EVERYWHERE! About 700 routes and growing. Summer only destination pretty much. Free camping. Come check it out.

Best guidebook cover - EVER :)

Crazy weather

Quality bridge access to French Cattle Ranch sector © G Llewellin 2010

 

Sam onsighting Eurotrash Girl 5.10b © G Llewellin 2010

Me standing on the newly developed 'Cigar'. You could possibly think of other names for this feature. © G Llewellin 2010

Me onsighting Floydirect 5.12a, Downtown. © G Llewellin 2010

Molly cranking out 11b on Valhalla

Now what?

Me flashing Keilbasa 5.12c/d at the French Cattle Ranch

Campfire planning

Gareth dispatching Floydirect 5.12a

Me doing the new Gravy Train 5.12b. © G Llewellin 2010

Mega rope whiplash!

We've been having some fun here. Completely opposite style to Maple Canyon where we've just been, so I've had to dial the grades back a bit, meanwhile Sam is dialing them up. And while I thought the size 40 Mago's I bought were too small and I would have to sell them, they've turned out to be just the ticket here to tame the often non-existent footholds.

Alright fingers, show me what you got!

New Route in Kings Canyon National Park

piz : )

Maple Canyon Climbing: The Beta Page

Planning a trip to Maple? Here's our thoughts from spending two weeks in this cobble-filled canyon...

Camping

• You can book online and pay $8 a night. The benefit of this is you reserve your campsite (most are booked solid on the weekends). You also get one of the 12 "nice" campsites that have firepits, several flat tent spots each, big table and shade. It's also possible to just turn up, and if one of the $8 sites is free, you can book and pay, but more interestingly for dirtbags are the $3 per night campsites. These are a first come first served basis and are great for long termers. They're not reservable.  They are less deluxe, not having a table, and might be a big hike to the nearest toilet.

Amenities

• There are several pit toilets located within the campground. They are kept in quite good order.
• There are no showers.
• There is no water. Bring your own.
• You'll get no phone reception anywhere in the canyon.

Laundry

• Nearest and best is the coin laundry behind the Fast Trax service station in Mt Pleasant.

Food and water

• In Ephraim, you can buy groceries at either Kent's Market (very cheap specials for dirtbags) or Wal-mart. Nephi and Mt Pleasant also have supermarkets.
• For rest day meals, there is a Subway and McDonalds in Ephraim. Nephi also has a Wendy's. I recommend Roy's Pizza (formerly known as Fat Jack's) in Ephraim or Cavalier Pizza in Mt Pleasant. And for something sweet, you can't go past Ephraim's Malt Shop for great shakes and slushes.
• Water is easily obtainable at the service station adjacent to Ephraim's Wal-mart (near the air hose).

Wifi

• Various unsecured home routers on main street of Manti, good for picking up emails on the move, or updating your scorecard ;)
  
  For longer stints you have two options: 

1. McDonalds in Ephraim has power, free wifi and endless soda. Use the ice machine to top up your esky on the way out.
2. Computer lab in the Snow College in Ephraim. Drive around Snow College until you spot a bell tower. Park there. The building left of the bell tower is the computer lab and has free Internet access on very fast computers.

Showers

• There are $2 hot showers and an indoor pool in the Gymnasium/Recreation centre at Snow College in Ephraim.

Guidebook

• There is an online guide available (link) for $12. It is not a new guide. It is over 10 years old but is the best that is on offer currently. Supplement this with the online information on Mountain Project. Ask around for info on new sectors if you're interested.

Climbing

• Routes tend to be endurance affairs. Holds tend to be open grips, but there is some crimping to be found where cobbles have fallen out. A 60m rope is fine. There is enough to occupy the 5.10 climber (unlike Rifle), and plenty if you climb harder than this. Because of rockfall, helmets are good. Especially for belaying. And for routes 5.12 and above, you're going to want your kneebar pads.

Grades

• Grades of routes are all over the shop at Maple. For example, routes at the great cliff "The Minimum" are so ridiculously soft I'm surprised the bolts don't fall out. And yet, routes in Box Canyon are often quite stout. The best thing to do is take the grades with a large pinch of salt, and if you want to see what consensus is saying about a route, check it out on 8a.nu's Maple ticklist. And if it's obviously soft, don't take the higher grade ;)

If stuff changes, email me and I'll keep this post updated.