RRC Archives

How many times do we have to read about the Nose speed record being beat? The new Rock and Ice has about 7 pages dedicated to yet another Hans speed record. Its like the 46th time he’s been on the damn route, if he didn’t quicken his time he should feel bad. Its impressive and all, but there’s a shit load of climbers out there pushing the envelope more than shaving seconds off a route that’s been done thousands of times, print that stuff. What’s next, the quickest accent barefoot without chalk on a Monday. The climbing rags have been going down hill the last year or so. Gonna start saving that money and borrowing the old copies from the library

(climbing onto my soapbox)
Sure, they seem to have alot of coverage of the current speed debate but hey, 3500' of granite in sub 4hrs is flat out moving on. That's like 33 pitches over a time of, we'll say, 3.5 hrs to make it easy to figure. That's an average time of 6 minutes and 36 seconds per pitch, including time to fix the belay. So what if he's been on it 46 times, it would probably take me 460 tries to get it in less than 24 hours. My fastest time on El Cap right now is 8 days. (downclimbing)

On a related note, I picked up a copy of "Alpinist" not long ago, this is the new american mag on the market. It's a little more pricey, $12 per issue, 4 issues per year, but it seemed to deliver on the first issue. It has great articles, great photos and little advertising. Pictures of trench warfare, tales of paralysis in the big mountains, Jim Beyer's account of his new El Cap route, desert mud fests, rapping off 2X4's, calibrated pee bottle shenanigans, all sorts of good stuff. I highly reccomend it.

Unfortunately it is a sign of the times of the publishing industry going down the tubes in general. Both my brother and my cousin who sold advertising for major publications (Industry Week for my bro & Rosie for my cous) just got laid off. It is also a sign of the times of climbing as big business. I was just checking out a website http://www.climbingmotion.com that allows you to drag your mouse over the picture of the featured climbers to see what gear they like. And you should see the climbers who have bought in (or sold out) to this idea. I stopped buying Climbing when Kennedy sold to a media publisher. I know I share the beef with many on this bbs that trad in the Red gets no mention in any climbing magazines.

Maybe its the lack of multipitch.

Im not by any means saying its not an amazing feat and that only a few in the world could pull it off, or will I ever be anywhere near that good. Its just been played to death the last couple years,then they give 7 pages in one mag to it. I know there is more interesting things to write and read about going on in the climbing world.

I dont think its the due to the Red not having much mulit-pitch, there are a lot of trad areas that are world class and most climbs are single pitch, look at Josh as an easy example.

There are lots of quality single pitch climbs here.What I was getting at is that,the multipitch is short pitches and not very high compared to places like colorado where one climb takes all day and the topout is fantastic.Raven Rock is really cool but it just leaves you wanting more after you've done it.

Its no more a waste of space than any other hot flash.

Yeeee HAW Christopher Charmin added two moves, groveled further back in a dirt hole, and sent the worlds hardest boulder problem.
Ohh and Ahhh at Frank Ledgend's hardest send to date, he now on-sited 14d (his previous hardest was a 14c that had been downrated from a 14 d just before he arrived in Frog land).
Crazzy! Joe Canook just sent a terrible Canadian Rockies M14+-+ testpiece. Joe had worked the route in worse conditions, but this time sent it leashless, pantless, with one front point on his left crampon, hauling his minature Peekapoo dog in a bucket teathered with a trail line tied around his waist.
Winter Acent smashed. Davie Brassenears just completed the seven sumits like no other. Tired of humping loads, suffering in a tent, and walking, Davie took a plane ride OVER each of the summits, dropping a flag with his name on each. From beyond the grave Mungis Stumpious stated "Davie is cutting edge, waaaaay ahead of his time in this alpine game".

You get my point. That speed record stuff is really cool when you stop to think about it and in the Yosimite world. Does it matter to the big picture that Hollywood Hans shaved 5 minutes off his record? Probabbly not, but it is none the less an accomplishment just as other personal best that printed in Hot Flashes. Thing is how the mags present it all. Right now speed records are the in thing.

Well when so much has been done in the climbing world, the only thing left is to do it again, only faster.

That's the distinction of the Red. It is one of those rare places where not everything has been done. To me, it is news in the Valley when someone frees an old aid route or a new variation or the rare new line goes up. But it is not news when someone does a trade route faster. Hollwood Hans is obviously a flamboyant self-promoter. Then here we are in the Red, handicapped by a government process requiring almost an act of congress to put up a new route. And those putting up new routes and pushing the limits fear reprisals from both the government and peers for even the slightest spray about their accomplishments. We are definitely getting the short shrift.

I couldn't have said it better CS.