June 2010 Bounty Problem at the PRG. Scott Benish was the first person to send this problem and got $50 cash from the PRG. Stay tuned – more bounty opportunities are coming.

Date: 5/2/2010

Summary:
April 29: PDX -> SEA -> ANC -> Talkeetna.
April 30: Paul/TAT flew us to the Dickey camp early (~10 am); spent the day setting up camp and checking conditions on surrounding peaks.
May 1: Skied up and down the great gorge of the Ruth Glacier; spent the day scoping potential lines.
May 2: Combined a portion of Season of the Sun with the East Buttress of Mt Bradley via new/unclimbed terrain.
May 3: Rest day: retrieved our skis from Bradley, more scouting.
May 4: Ham and Eggs on Mooses Tooth from Dickey camp
May 5: Picked up by TAT/returned to Talkeetna. Talkeetna -> ANC -> SEA -> PDX

Southeast aspect of Mt Bradley

Details/Pics:
Due to unfortunate circumstances I was suddenly partnerless for AK only days before I was suppose to fly north. Fortunately a friend connected me with Dylan Johnson who, though couldn’t swing the full two weeks I had originally planned, could break away for a long week. Sometimes little is better than none.

So for the second year running I met my AK partner for the very first time in the airport. We spent the 29th running the usual errands in ANC; Rob Smith was kind enough to provide shuttle service around town (thanks dude!)

On the 30th Paul was able to zip us in before the predicted w/x arrived that afternoon. Fly TAT or budget more $$$ for booze at the Rib while you wait to fly

Always always always call shotgun. Especially if it’s your first time flying in.

Home on in the range

We bumped into Mr Jack Tackle at the Dickey camp; he was gracious enough to update us on snow conditions which unfortunately weren’t ideal. A dry, cold winter had yielded a lean selection of spring ice and recent spring snow had left many of the north facing aspects covered in unconsolidated sugar.

With that in mind we spent the remainder of the 30th and the 1st studying the few lines that would have both minimal sugar snow but some amount of snow and ice. After some careful consideration we settled on the SE aspect of Bradley. Specifically we both liked the look of the Giri Giri boy’s April 2007 route Season of the Sun as well as the Orgler/Jochler July 1987 East Buttress. Frankly we were both more drawn to the aesthetics of the buttress but given that the lower portion of the buttress contained several sections of rock slab that were currently covered in sugar snow (it was originally climbed as a rock climb) we decided to see if we could somehow connect the lower portion of Season of the Sun with the upper portion of the buttress. Doing so would require covering some new terrain but we were both excited to see if we could get the combination to work.

The East Buttress (left hand skyline) of Mt Bradley

On May 2nd we got a slightly later start than originally planned due to an alarm clock failure but started Season of the Sun around 6 am. A sampler of neve sprinkled with rock and water ice steps passed quickly until we reached the Season of the Sun crux: an M6 offwidth.

Early in the day

Season of the Sun crux pitch

Though we found noticeable less ice on the pitch than the FA party the pitch protected well and passed quickly. We continued up Season until reaching the second major ice pitch of the route that marks the start of the “central gully” It was here we left Season and pointed for what appeared to be a viable point to join the buttress. Snow slopes quickly turned into a series of mixed pitches before we found ourselves on the East Buttress.

Mixed steps enroute to the East Buttress

We continued up the East Buttress simulclimbing as often as possible but ended up pitching out much of the terrain. Near the top in order to avoid some cornices we had to deal with some deep unconsolidated sugar that slowed our pace but we finally topped out at 6 pm almost exactly 12 hours after leaving our skis.

East Buttress

Deep sugar enroute to the summit

BOLTS ACTION

Headed home

We opted for the Wake/Bradley col for the descent as I was familiar with it from last year which unfortunately meant we basically had to traverse up over Bradley. Additionally reaching the col required avoiding several slopes that had been baking in the sun most of the day. This meant staying on top of the ridge line which created additional climbing and added to our descent time. 5 hours after leaving the summit we crossed the schrund and hightailed it back to camp. All told it was ~17 hours on route and ~19 camp to camp. As we never really had the leisure to stop and brew both Dylan and I completed the effort on a liter of water each. Good times.

The 3rd was spent mostly rehydrating, refueling and looking at other options for a second route. Unfortunately nothing in the lower gorge appeared to be in desirable shape so we decided to take a run on Ham and Eggs on Mooses Tooth camp to camp.

On the 4th we left camp on the 4th at 4 am and battled a stiff headwind up the glacier. We lucked out and found a boot pack up to the Root Canal. 2 hours and 45 minutes later we stopped just under the Mooses Tooth for a quick brew stop. After racking up Dylan led out and we started simulclimbing clipping rap anchors as we went. We quickly caught the other teams ahead of us (they had started from the Root Canal camp) and were forced to pitch things out as passing wasn’t really an option. Dylan scored a nap at one “pit stop”. Regardless of our slowed pace the route was in great shape so we enjoyed ourselves. Near the top of the couloir we punched it and passed all the other teams and took it to the summit: we wanted to make sure and be first on the way down.

Dude… lets just do it tent to tent. I hate carrying bivy gear anyways…

Pitch 1

Oh yes, is very nice!

Traffic jam

Dylan doing his best “A young Mark Westman” impersonation

The descent went smooth and we were on our way and back in camp right at the 16 hour mark. We could have shaved a few hours off that if we had been first on the route but we were just stoked we didn’t have to hump bivy gear up to the root canal and back.

Good times with great people back in camp

On the 5th we called TAT at 8 am and they snapped us up at 9:30 right before the next storm rolled in. Did I mention how great these guys are?

Back in Talkeetna we ran into these two guys that tried to get us drunk and steal all our secret projects but we were wise to their tactics.

We were in ANC that afternoon and I had breakfast back in PDX on the 6th. Love it.

Until next year

Shameless Plugs: Many thanks to

- Dylan for a great trip and taking a chance on a complete stranger. VERY NICE!
- Mark Westman for all the condition updates and being a bad ass
- Roj for hooking me up with Dylan: I don’t know what lies you told him about me but it worked and I owe you!
- Rob for the ANC shuttle service.

Most importantly: many thanks and much respect to Mark, Rob and Lisa of Gym Jones. I visited Gym Jones last July where they evaluated my strengths and weaknesses and based on those provided me both programming and guidance which resulted in reaching personal bests both in the gym as well as outside. For sports where power-to-weight ratio truly matters (like climbing) they have no peer.

In addition to being experts in their field they are some of the most nurturing, gracious individuals I have ever met. All paths to the Way start in the mind.

As words fail me I can only hope my actions fill in the blanks. Much Respect.

Approach Notes:
TAT

To become a member or renew your old membership, please visit the CCC website for step-by-step instructions.  Once you’ve downloaded the online application packet, you’ll need to complete the new waiver and bring it to either the Portland Rock Gym or ClimbMax to get your membership card.  There is also a one-time, $8 membership fee, payable by cash or check only (renewing members who have already paid need not pay again).   NOTE that all climbers, both new and old members, must complete the new waiver.

Feel free to post a comment if you have any questions, or send an email to info@carverclimbingclub.org.

Looking forward to a great season!

Stellar arete climbing above Lake Louise, Banff. Photo: T. Scales

Climbing is climbing, right?  Well, yes and no.  Technique-wise, whether you’re bouldering or lead climbing, you’ll find yourself pulling from the same bag of tricks.  That said, there are some important differences.  Boulder problems tend to be shorter and more power-oriented, whereas routes tend to be longer, endurance-oriented affairs.  I like to think of bouldering as “crux training” for routes.  If you find yourself regularly stymied by stopper-moves on hard routes, a healthy does of bouldering might be just what the doctor ordered.

However, more often than not, failure on hard routes is a function of endurance, not power.  You can do the individual moves; the challenge is linking them together!  The simple solution is to get more fitness.  Problem is, harvesting fitness takes time, and you’re looking to climb harder now, not later.  The good news is there are a few tricks that will help you make the most of what you’ve already got.

When faced with an endurance problem, the basic goal is to conserve energy.  This can be achieved in several ways.  First off, relax.  Save the “death grip” for those steep, four-move boulder problems.  On routes, you should be undergripping whenever possible, using an open-handed, cling grip.  Crimping not only fatigues the hands and forearms, it creates tension throughout the entire upper body.  Second, don’t forget to breathe.  This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how quickly controlled breathing goes out the window when the climbing gets pumpy.  Conscious breathing will lower your heart rate and more oxygen will make your muscles happy.  Third, find good rest stances.  A common mistake is to hit the brakes when things get cruxy, and then blow past the good rests.  Moving quickly from one rest stance to the next will ensure that you spend minimal time on bad holds, and provide you with valuable opportunities to regroup and devise a plan for the tricky moves above.  Finally, think outside the “static” box!  Contrary to conventional wisdom, static climbing is not necessarily better climbing.  In fact, static movement often requires more energy than quick, dynamic movement.  How many times have you strained endlessly to reach a hold when a simple “pop” would have sufficed?

These are just a few suggestions for saving energy on the sharp end.  Good luck out there!

David Pryor navigates the tricky finish to Dracula. Photo: T. Scales

Tired of driving to Smith every weekend?  Stay home and explore some local crags!  The Bat Wall out at Broughton Bluff (Lewis & Clark State Park) is without a doubt one of the most underappreciated crags in the greater Portland area.  I’ve enjoyed countless days at the Bat Wall over the years, and invariably we had the entire crag to ourselves. It even stays dry in the rain!

The right side of the wall is home to a couple classic moderates.  The first pitch of Superstition (5.10+) offers fun, technical moves separated by several good stances, making it a surprisingly good warm-up.  Just to the right is Lost Boys (5.10+), another great route with pumpy and exposed moves all the way to the anchors.  It’s a wild ride!

The real gems, however, are found on the left half of the wall, starting with Bloodline (5.12b), a bouldery affair punctuated by good rests and a committing finish (most folks seem to exit left along an obvious jug rail, but for full value pull directly over the final roof).  Bad Omen (5.12b) is perhaps the most sustained route on the wall, combining a technical start with devious face moves and a strenuous finish.  Not hard enough for you?  Keep climbing past the anchors into Manson Family Reunion (5.12+), which will take you all the way to the top of the crag.  Use a 70m cord and you can lower to the ground!

Last but not least, Dracula (5.12a) is in my opinion the best route on the wall.  Technical and pumpy, it keeps you thinking all the way to the intimidating finish.  Originally an aid line, it was first free-climbed by our own Gary Rall back in 1990.  In 2004, my friend Eric Vining and I made the first “clean” ascents, skipping all 10 bolts.  The first half of the route is a bit dicey, with the first gear (a couple RPs) coming at the 3^rd bolt.  Keep it together while climbing the “ramp” and you’re rewarded with bomber placements at the 5th bolt; just don’t get too pumped plugging cams below the pod!  We sent Bloodline sans bolts a few days later, which was far less nerve-racking, as it eats gear start to finish.

This is just a sampler of what the Bat Wall has to offer.  A number of other routes have seen little if any traffic in recent years, though some are quite good!

Have fun out there!

Steep pocket-pulling in Austin, TX. Photo: T. Scales

Spring is on my mind.  Sure, El Niño made for a relatively mild winter, but it also made for a lousy ski season.  And of course whatever else the “little boy” may bring, longer days never make the list.  That’s what I really miss…daylight.  More sun.  Warmer temps.  Grilling on the back deck.  Flip-flops.  Rock climbing.  Okay, I’m jumping the gun a bit; after all, it’s only February.  Still, with spring right around the corner, it’s time to harvest some fitness and plan some road trips!

As we start thinking about getting stronger, let’s not forget that the key to a strong climbing season is good health.  Let’s face it, climbing injuries suck.  Dark thoughts of never climbing again cross the mind.  And while it’s never a good time to get injured, they tend to come at the worst times: either when we’re starting to climb again after a long hiatus, or when we’re at the top of our game, pushing the envelope on hard routes.

Fortunately, staying healthy isn’t rocket science.  While injuries tend to happen sooner or later, here are a few easy ways to postpone the inevitable.  First, take it slow.  If you’re just getting back into climbing, build up your base fitness before tackling climbs at the limit of your ability.  The go-slow approach will pay dividends later in the season.  Second, take rest days.  Climbing only makes us stronger if we allow our bodies to recover between sessions.  Be sure to take enough rest days, and to back off when you’re feeling overworked.  Third, warm up.  Jumping onto hard routes right off the couch will put you on the fast track to injury.  Start each session with plenty of stretching and “easy” climbing.  Warming up properly not only helps to prevent injuries, but it results in a more high quality climbing session.  Fourth, listen to your body.  Know what a healthy baseline feels like so that you’ll know when you stray into unhealthy territory.  Fifth, drink water.  When you get dehydrated, your tendons dry up first.  Staying well-hydrated will keep your tendons happy.  Sixth, climb smart.  Some types of climbing are more injurious than others, and everyone has different vulnerabilities.  Know what yours are and climb accordingly.  Finally, have fun!  Happy climbers are healthy climbers.  Happy climbing!

Jesse Bentz climbing The Upsetter at the Bridge of the Gods Boulders. More information about these boulders is on our Local Climbing page.

T – Most folks reading this probably know you from your days setting routes at the PRG…what are you doing now?

R – Well, since leaving the PRG I’ve been working on finishing up my post-bacc in accounting.  Currently I work as an intern at CMS, a heavy equipment manufacturer, in their accounts finance department.  I know it sounds boring, but the company and the people are great, which really makes a 40-hour workweek bearable.

T – How has school and the 8-5 grind affected your climbing?

R – Well, I’m a weekend warrior now…sad but true.  And since I spend so much time on my ass, I’ve found it necessary to double my training efforts.  Every day after work I do something, whether it’s climbing, running or lifting weights.  I definitely map out my climbing sessions in the gym, some days working contact strength on the hangboard, other days working endurance or power endurance.

T – How did you come up with your program?

R – I read a book a long time ago by Udo Neuman and Dale Goddard called Performance Rock Climbing, which advocated training with a specific goal in mind and then measuring your goal…nothing too radical, just taking principles people had been using for decades and applying them to rock climbing.  I also read a book by these guys Mark and Mike Anderson, a couple of my heroes…

T – What’s their story?

R – They’re not genetically gifted rock climbers or anything – they definitely didn’t start out like Chris Sharma climbing 5.14 in a couple years – they worked hard and trained hard, set specific goals and worked toward them…I really look up to the unsung heroes, the people who kill it, but had to really work for it.

T – Right, not the genetic mutants, but the working-class heroes…

R – Exactly, working-class heroes, I think that’s a good way to put it…

T – Do you see yourself fitting into that category…working-class hero?

R – Well, I was definitely able to climb pretty well when I started out, but my technique was awful, and then my technique caught up with my strength and I plateaued for a bit, so I was looking for ways to improve, and that’s when I started taking a more systematic approach.

T – And did you get the “measurable” results you were looking for, in terms of sending hard routes?

R – Definitely, my on-sighting went through the roof…

T – Are we talking mostly out at Smith?

R – Yeah, mostly out at Smith, but really anywhere…I’ve yet to go to an area and get shut down.

T – What are some of your recent hard sends?

R – Just recently I did Bad Man (5.14a), which is notoriously hard for short people.

T – How short are you?

R – Five-foot seven, so doing the route was really hard…definitely added another crux section.  But I still managed to do it in good style…I didn’t beat it down or anything.

T – How may goes?

R – I did it in 9 goes…total times on the route.  I definitely prefer that style, where I get on a route and do it fast…you know, in three or four goes.

T – Yeah, it seems a lot of folks get sucked into season-long projects out at Smith…starts to feel more like work than climbing.

R – Right, the climb becomes a burden, and that’s not how I like to climb.

T – So what else besides Bad Man?

R – At the end of last season I did White Wedding (5.13d/14a), and I did it pretty fast, in like four goes.  I also on-sighted Time’s Up (5.13a/b) and the same start yields another route to the left, Slit Your Wrists (5.13b), which I also did first go.  It’s pretty cool being able to do these gorgeous, iconic lines.

T – Aren’t you close on Vicious Fish (5.13c/d)?

R – Oh my god, why do you have to bring that up!  I’ve fallen like six times maybe three moves from the chains, and every time you don’t know if your belayer is gonna clip you in the roof…you know it’s like a 40 foot fall to the roof and you can see it coming the whole time.  Every time I start I know that I can do the most difficult section of it, the first 60 feet is the physical crux, but putting the thing together is the actual crux.

T – The upper arête, right?

R – Yeah, and I’m pretty well versed at arête climbing, and I can do it, but I get panicked and misplace my foot…I mean there are not footholds, no handholds…I don’t even know what I’m hanging on to!

T – What do you think about Smith?  I mean, obviously you like it, but what’s your take on the place?  Seems like a lot of people either love it or hate it…

R – It’s a weird place for sure.  I learned to climb there…I climbed 5.9 there.  It’s strange because you can do a 5.14 next to a 5.6, and the routes are not even remotely modern…

T – What do you mean?

R – Well, the handholds never really change.  The 5.6 handholds are on the 5.14s…the angle is kicked back, but you’re still using the same sort of stuff.

T – Do you feel like Smith climbing skills transfer well to other areas?

R – Oh yeah, it’s so technical, and it requires such a wide skill-set…you can really apply that anywhere.

T – How long ago was that…when you climbed your first 5.9 out at Smith?

R – Five years ago…

T – Not that long…

R – I had some great mentors, people who really called me out when I made excuses and put me out there on the sharp end. My mentor guy told me…you’re in your early 20s, you’ve got good fitness, you’re in good health, so what’s your excuse?  And I didn’t have one!

T – Okay, so you like Smith, but what about the local crags around here?

R – That’s a loaded question!  No, I love it.  I wish places like Ozone existed when I was learning to climb.  It’s got lots of different kinds of movement and is really good for the budding climber.  But if you really want to progress into the harder grades, Portland just doesn’t offer the challenges necessary to becoming an elite-level climber.  Crux sections on routes around here tend to be short-lived…

T – What’s an example of that?

R – Well, take Smerk, a great route out at Carver…the business is like 15 feet long.  The classic 11a at Smith will keep you on your toes for 60 or 70 feet, so you’re gonna get that endurance gain that you don’t get here in Portland.

T – What’s your favorite local crag?

R – Another loaded question!  I gotta give it up to the Rat Cave…can’t go wrong at the RC!  For that very reason…it offers an endurance challenge when you’re doing hard moves…

T – Power endurance…

R – Yeah, power endurance…it looks like a pile but it climbs the best of anyplace.  I’ve climbed over a 1,000 routes, and for the grades I’ve climbed at the RC a couple of my top five are there.

T – What about outside the area, anyplace you were super psyched on?

R – Well, I’m gonna have to give the default…the Red (River Gorge) obviously.  Steep, gorgeous climbs, friendly handholds, super fun…but if all you did was climb there you wouldn’t progress as a climber.

T – How would you compare the Red to Smith…apples and oranges?

R – The Red is like…you’re screaming through the moves, but not because you can’t do the move, but more because you can do the move, and you’re just tired…

T – Right, not nearly as technical, you just get pumped silly…

R – Yeah, exactly, I never get pumped on hard routes at Smith, but I felt like my arm was gonna split in half at the Red…

T – You sent a 5.14a out at Maple (Canyon) right?

R – Yeah, I sent Wholeshot, but it gets a slash grade now (13d/14a)…

T – And that was a totally different type of climb, right?

R – Oh yeah, I mean you lower 90 feet from your belayer after about 60 feet of roof climbing…really endurancy, some hard moves, super fun, big clean air…none of this fall 50 feet and slam into the wall business.

T – Now that you’ve broken the 5.14 barrier, what’s next?  Any big goals on the horizon?

R – I have a few pipedream goals for the next year.  They’d be hard, but not impossible.  I’d really like to flash Ultraperm (5.13d) at the Red.  I’ve seen several videos of it.  It’s just my style…about 70 feet, steep and endurance-oriented.  I’d also like to free either the Regular Route on Half Dome or Free Rider (on El Cap), but not sure if I’ll have time this spring.  I’m planning on spending next summer on the road, with visits to Rifle, Maple and American Fork.  If all goes to plan, I’ll be moving to Salt Lake City at the end of that fall season.

T – How about local objectives?

R – Well, I’m really close to establishing the first 5.14 in Portland, out at the RC.  I’ve one-hung the thing several times now, so we’ll see how it goes this fall.  At Smith, I’m looking at a few routes that have really intimidated, influenced or inspired me.  In particular, To Bolt or Not to Be (5.14a) is high on my list.  The moves on that route are not as bad as others of the grade; the devil is in the linkage and mental game on the beast.  Another one is Chemical Ali (5.14a), established by Scott Milton back in 2004.  It sits on top of the Prophet Wall, just right of Scarface.  Great position, with crisp edges and several large dynos.  As far as I know, it’s only seen one another ascent by another Canadian, Derek Galloway.

T – Okay, final question: What would you say to someone in your position five years ago, going out to Smith, looking to climb hard…you know, as a spokesperson for all the “working-class” climbers out there?

R – You gotta get out there and try hard!  I mean, you hear that so much, but I feel like so rarely do people understand that they can push themselves a lot further than they think they can.  You don’t expand your comfort zone just staying inside of it…you’ve got to get outside your comfort zone to progress.

T – Sure, if you’re not falling you’re not trying hard enough.  How about climbing gyms?  How do they fit into the equation?

R – Gym climbing is tricky, because you’ll get fit doing one guy’s style, but you have to get out there, you have to mix it up…you know when you’re climbing in the gym, you’re learning my style, or your style, but you’re not really learning all the awkward-ass things you learn outside, like how to do a funky mantle…

T – But then again, I mean, we’d all be climbing outdoors all the time, but gym climbing probably has a place in a routine?

R – Oh of course, I mean I don’t think you can excel without a kick-ass crag right next to your house or a good gym nearby…

T – What’s the best way to maximize the value of a gym if you’re trying to climb hard outside?

R – Get someone who will honestly tell you what your weaknesses are…not your friends, who are like, oh you can do it…you need an honest outside opinion to tell you what you need to work on…and good god, try hard!  Get in there and push it, you know?  You’ve got nothing to risk in there…