I have written a couple climbing stories and noticed that they all lack feeling and plot,just being an account of what happened.I got inspired for this one by reading the stuff at Tradgirl.com. (Great stuff there thanx for the link Legion).You all can tell me how I did.I mean besides the obvious tie in blunder.
DOG DAYS
I drop my pack at the base of Dog Days.That is an instant relief.The approach to Tower isn't bad,but my pack is cheap and never rides well. I had made up my mind to lead another 5.8 trad route today and I am still trying to convince myself that I can do it clean, first try, today.Ahead of us three guys we hooked up with at Shell this morning are racking up for Arachnic,another 8 that I tried and hung on,weeks before.Di,my trusted partner had belayed me then too and I remembered her telling me she sketched as bad on belay as I did on lead.I finished it that day but the lip move had been scary.I told myself "Don't let her hear the fear this time,you can do this".I had done the first 20 feet before but was too exhausted that day to finish it and downaided it.I remebered it having decent holds and good jams.From the ground it looks interesting and the guide gives it 2 stars.I can do this.
I set a nut low to protect the zipper effect and finished racking and tieing in.The next two pieces were both cams and another move put me on the little ledge were I had bailed off last time.the route takes off from the ledge10 feet to the right of where you climb up so a long sling would be nice for reducing rope drag but also makes hitting the ledge in case of a fall almost sure.I short sling a cam and place it as high as possible.the move off the ledge seems tricky so I downstep to the ledge and rest first,I'm still confident and the route is good hand jams so far. The crack veers back left again above me.I make a balancy move to a bomber jam and think "wow that wasn't so hard".I climb on and place most of my big and medium cams and a nut along the way.It's pure verticle jamming and decent holds so far,great route,wonder why it doesnt get done much?Occasional chalk tells me someone has done it recently.About 70 feet into the climb I am getting thirsty and Di cant see me as well for the tree tops,because she keeps asking me if I am clipping or placing, so I start telling her each time.I am getting tired and take advantage of a good rest stance.below,one of the guys from Arachnid has wandered over to watch and starts chatting with Di.I scan the route above and notice it gets more and more overhung and the crack is wide with a thin crack in the back offering scant pro. I immediatly dont like what I see,but I call out climbing and make some moves to a reasonable stance with a jug to hold onto while I search for a placement.I try a nut and it's obvious it won't work.Maybe a big cam,I look at my rack and there's not much left except tricams and nuts and tiny cams.Crap.I'm more than a little gripped.Should have saved some cams for the crux.I climb a little more and find a solid nut placement if I can just hold on to this crappy hold long enough to place and clip....I fire it in tug on it and its bomber.Desperatly I croak," clipping"! As soon as it's clipped I beg Di to "take!"My arm is pumped out and I dont want to feel like I am falling over backwards,for awhile,and Now Di knows That I'm up here all sketched out again.My throat is so dry I contemplate lowering for water.No way, it's to far and the anchor is only 15 feet or so away.I am going to finish this thing,redpoint or not.Ahead it looks like it gets kinda flarring and slopey then mossy and dirty at the anchor.I am still gonna finish this.I climb on and make a tiny cam placement it looks pretty iffy and I get in a good small nut placement just above it and clip that too.I can hear the fear in my voice as I call "clipping" and I know that she can too. I climb on and the going gets sketchy .I have a great fist jam and make a scary move off it to another scary move and it's dont stop now damnit!I get into the slopey part and jam my leg into the crack.Wow,I feel better.I can't believe I just did all that without taking a huge upside down whipper like before,but that's another story.I reach above me and grab two branches of a bush being carefull not to pull on them very hard ,they get me to a crappy little root and then to the anchor slings.I am standing in mud and moss but I frigging did it !!!!I rigg up a toprope settup for Di and call "lowering".I am so thirsty its unbearable.I lean back in my harness and it rides up to my nipples.I knew in a second that I had missed my legloop tie in point.Didnt we doublecheck each other before I left the gound?I still cant remember.Now I dont regret yelling Take, instead of chasing that redpoint and climbing on to a certain fall that could have been really painful.I get to the ground and they both congradulate me on a good lead.All I need is a water bottle,and I drain half of it.It tastes like heaven,I think I'll just rest here against this tree awhile and be a spectator.
Jesse New Oct 02
Dog Days
yea trying to figure out how to write about climbing is fun. I have tried a few times myself.
I enjoyed your story quite a bit. I like how it factors in what you are thinking the belayer is thinking.
If i ever go do this climb I am definately going to review your story.
if you want more a critique let me know and I can private message you.
thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed your story quite a bit. I like how it factors in what you are thinking the belayer is thinking.
If i ever go do this climb I am definately going to review your story.
if you want more a critique let me know and I can private message you.
thanks for sharing.
Great Story!
Great writing. Really enjoyed it.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthen's me.
Nice job making it to where you did Jesse. That route gets hard up there -- you can't hang out too long or you'll flame. I think it's a great one though. Too bad getting to the anchors is so nasty. Bring your ice axe next time! Actually, next time someone goes up there bring a long sling and hang it over the edge a little so that future climbers can grab it instead of grabbing those little trees and clawing their way up the slope.
The route is great,the moves were no problem.I did flame out,becoz my endurance is limited and the route is way more than 75 ft.The jams were great too.I think all 3 people that followed it missed a great fist jam,becoz one fell another didnt finish and the other asked for a take at the same spot. My biggest problem was my lead head,and thats what the story is about.thirst and a tie in blunder only contributed to the conspiracy.The vegetation at the top was usefull but not to be trusted.and probably the reason it doesn't get another star.
thanx for the input everyone.I was lousy in english class in school.The english language never made as much sense to me as math did.I like logical things.Lately I have decided to write a book of shorts,nonfiction, and the computer has really helped,but I need an editor.and a few more stories.Nevermore is next ,I think.
thanx for the input everyone.I was lousy in english class in school.The english language never made as much sense to me as math did.I like logical things.Lately I have decided to write a book of shorts,nonfiction, and the computer has really helped,but I need an editor.and a few more stories.Nevermore is next ,I think.
