Getting Aid At VEM

This morning, Marianna, Peter O. and I had a few hours of aid climbing. Peter did a traversing bolted aid route and a traversing aid route on gear. I got to clean them - which is typically women's work - but, I did it anyway because  was the only one who had an apron.

Marianna had her first aid climb and loved it.

Marianna high stepping - which is pretty awkward.

Here's Marianna inside my haul bag. Our next project it to haul her up the wall while she's inside the haul bag.
















Here's Peter putting gear in the crack, testing it, and then aiding on it.

The summit.

Rappelling Off The Rope

Usually rappelling off the rope is dangerous. In this case, it's just plain fun.



(At the very beginning, you can see he's tied into the green rope which is anchored above. So when he raps off the end of the blue rope, he's falling onto the other rope.)

Aid Climbing At VEM

Jen loves aid climbing. Here she is after her first aid climb. 

Peter O., Jen and I did some jugging and hauling today too. I wasn't able to use my belay seat though - I couldn't figure out how to get over to it. Maybe next time. 

Aid Climbing At VE

Peter O. and I had our first clinic on aid climbing  and bag hauling this morning at VEM. I'm very slow at it; he's very fast.

 

This Will Make Your Stomach Churn

A short video of Alex Honnold free soloing a 5.12 pitch halfway up 1500' wall.



You could say what he does is exceedingly dangerous - and you'd be correct. Except, here's a story of a climbing killed while bouldering in the gym.

"Mark Hesse, a long-time Colorado Springs resident, made numerous ascents of mountains, cliffs, and desert towers in his long and storied climbing career."

And here's a story of a climber killed by his partner. The guy who was killed was known for "hectoring fellow climbers with unsolicited advice on routes and holds.." So be careful out there folks; it's a dangerous world. 

Portaledging at VES

Still taking me a long time to set up my ledge. It's very comfy though. Here I am today at St Paul VE.

Mt Fairweather and Portaledge

I'm continuing to go through my old slides. Here's a photo of John examining plane wreckage on Mt Blackburn when we climbed it in August of 1982. This plane was scattered for quite a distance on the glacier at the foot of a 2-3,000 foot icefall. It was a little eerie because this was just where we were starting the technical part of the climb.

Here I am with Michelle today at VEM on my new portaledge. It's very comfy.

My New Porta Ledge

Just set up my new porta ledge in my yard. It's still a little too cold for using overnight on the wall, but I'm ready when the weather warms.

Another High Tech Clothing Day - With Big Hair To Boot

First time I climbed Devils Tower - July 1977 - I did it with 2 friends and my younger brother. We had big hair and lots of cotton; I'll bet our high tech clothing cost us about $12.50 each.
Ha, I say to you high tech clothing peeps; get real, get cotton. If it was good enough for the ancient Egyptians, it's good enough for you.

The fellow on the far left - Jeff - had climbed in Yosemite many times, including several ascents of El Cap. The next year, he and his climbing partners were killed on El Cap. They became (somewhat) famous because the technique they use to attach to anchors - which was the standard technique at that time - caused them to fall when one of the bolted anchors let loose. After that accident, the recommended way to clip into anchors, was changed.

High Tech Clothing For Climbing

Here is a photo of me and some friends climbing the Grand Teton in 1975. Notice my jaunty and fashionable porkpie hat in the first photo and our high tech clothing - sweat pants, jeans, tennis shoes. (In fact, my friend climbed the entire mountain in a pair of Tretorn tennis shoes.) That's old school.

This is our summit shot. 

Kickin' It Old School in Yosemite

I am starting to scan my old slides and came across these from a trip to Yosemite in August of 1980 (I think.) It was 100 degrees in the Valley when we were there. Here is Johnnie Mac relaxing after a multi-pitch climb.




Here is our complete gear rack for an easy multi-pitch. Pretty cool, huh? None of those nasty and expensive cams!


And here was a band member of the Grateful Dead; nope, that's Johnnie Mac. Look at his clothing - all high tech fabrics like a white cotton T shirt and the latest in climbing shoes - EBs. (The socks were so we wouldn't rip the heck out of our ankles climbing cracks.)

Ice Climbing Homer's and Franklin

Wednesday afternoon we had an ice festival at Franklin; there were 12 people climbing. Here's a shot of Pete pulling the icicle. We had a few more climbers initiated into the Monkey Death Jump.

Thursday, 5 of us climbed at Homer's - maybe my favorite place because it's a slot canyon and it's got some delicate verglas climbing on a sloping wall. The indomitable Lisa showed up and Johnnie Mac made a rare cameo

Training For Climbing

Here's what happens when you spend more time looking good than being good.


The Boyz Climbing with Marianna from rgsletten on Vimeo.

More Joshua Tree

These are a few of Marianna's photos.


J Tree; Marianna's Photos 01-14 from rgsletten on Vimeo.

BroMance In The Mountains

 A guy can get pretty close to other guys on a climbing trip. I call this video from our recent Joshua Tree trip, "Bro-Mance in the Mountains."


Bro-Mance in the Mountains from rgsletten on Vimeo.