RRC Archives

In that case, everyone on here is just a lazy, good for nothing, fukin hippy.

no, just wannabes, but workin always gets in the way of it.

Downclimb. Then come back with a new angle. Rap down, funkness the old angle out and replace with a new angle. Then do the send.

That's not very efficient. But you've done a nice turn for the next party.

You sack up and keep climbing.

Or get a sack and don't go climbing.

Which route are you talking about, if this is a specific route?

Another question: How do you climb one of these 10+ routes on the Red Garden wall in Eldo when it's like really fucking cold?

The pin is (was) on Red Garden wall. It's been around twenty years ago, and I can't remember which route it was on. A related note, the park rangers started putting in a limited number of retro bolts on some of the scarier classics in the mid '80s. They had an understandable interest in making the routes safer, but they definitely changed the nature of the experience on a few routes. Lines, which at one time had been both bold and difficult, were reduced to being merely difficult.

When it's really cold in Eldo I'd recommend you go with the flow and either ski or climb ice.

Which routes are you talking about? I know that not every bolt in Eldo is necessary, but I can't think of too many that aren't. I've definitely been on some routes which could use the retro bolt though. It's my understanding that getting a retro bolt added in Eldo is a huge process, involving a commitee that doesn't really want any bolts period. They even choose a mess of colorful slings over discreet rap anchors. I'm surprised that anyone's politics are in conflict with theirs (in that direction).

When it's cold I drink tequila.

I think the committee referred to was probably formed since the retro bolting that occurred back in the '80s. Specific cases are pitch one of T-2, maybe halfway up pitch one, there is a small bulge (5.9) "protected" by an angle driven straight up behind a flake. A bolt was added there. The second case is the belay for the final 5.11 pitch of the Naked Edge. For twenty years climbers constructed an anchor from gear and maybe a fixed pin or two. I don't recall the exact details, but do remember that it took a bit of work to get it right. The park service installed a two bolt belay there.
The third case that I've heard about is X-M, 5.10(R). First, this quote from Jim Erickson's guide. "A free climbing masterpiece, it supplies difficult, continuous face climbing with disheartening protection near the cruxes. A joy to ascend for those who are competent at this level." The money pitch is the second one, really tough moves protected by tiny RPs. I've heard that a bolt was added here, though this would have happened since I was on the route. I'm not sure about this last case, but I'd bet that these weren't the only ones.