Author Topic: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)  (Read 445788 times)

JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1700 on: February 03, 2020, 01:56:16 PM »
I will bring a 2x4 when :P I go there, I will pretend the name of the climb is "Walking the Plank"  :P

You're gonna need a bigger plank  :yesnod: :lol: :devildevil:
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BAP

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1701 on: February 03, 2020, 02:27:12 PM »
John,
Give me the measurement, I will ask our shop to make one for me. >:D

JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1702 on: February 03, 2020, 02:49:51 PM »
John,
Give me the measurement, I will ask our shop to make one for me. >:D

Just get Brad to stand in there and you can pretend he is a tree (all holds are ON!)
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NOAL

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1703 on: February 03, 2020, 08:14:21 PM »
 Mono :puke:

JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1704 on: February 08, 2020, 08:56:32 PM »

We climbed an amazing route today. I led it, then dropped the rope and BAP got on the sharp end. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and Kat dug following it. Fifty Meter Must 5.7R* on The Thumb. It reminded me a lot of the Salathe routes and variations on The Hand. Every bit as good as Salathe - with features everywhere (great rock), steep climbing plus breathtaking exposure and runouts. Absolutely worth more than one star (The Thumb Regular Route gets two stars and this route puts that one to shame). I'll vote for three stars... I have talked to several other folks who think it is a great route too.
Should I start a poll? Fifty Meter Must 5.7R***

The topo shows a kooky path from the 3rd to the 4th bolts (imo). There are knobs everywhere that allow you to move more or less straight up (several were good enough to sling) and there was never a point where I stopped and said hmmmm...this must be the crux. I'd be okay dropping the grade to 6 and BAP and KC agreed.

 
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JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1705 on: February 09, 2020, 05:38:40 AM »

I woke up thinking of routes that I can compare Fifty Meter Must to quality-wise.
Three came to mind immediately and these are all great routes in their own right.

Pay Dirt, Glory Days and Shades of Jade.

Fifty Meter Must is 115 feet of climbing to the lip (on amazing knobs the whole way) - plus 15 more feet of walking back to the anchor - total 130 feet and it just keeps on giving. Did I mention it has amazing knobs?
Knobs...

Man...I wish I had done that FA - a Kammerlander classic  :thumbup: :biggrin: :yesnod: :arf:
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Brad Young

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1706 on: February 09, 2020, 07:09:02 AM »
^^^

Pretty sure you climbed it wrong.


JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1707 on: February 09, 2020, 07:18:30 AM »
^^^
Pretty sure you climbed it wrong.

ESAD
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JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1708 on: February 09, 2020, 07:19:55 AM »

Getting started on Fifty Meter Must

Did I mention this thing has knobs? And this is just the start.

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Brad Young

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1709 on: February 09, 2020, 07:36:55 AM »

ESAD


Yeah, yeah. But the instructions on this one couldn't be much clearer.


JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1710 on: February 09, 2020, 08:12:38 AM »
Yeah, yeah. But the instructions on this one couldn't be much clearer.

I climbed the route in excellent style, clipped all the bolts and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had Tom Petty's song - Won't Back Down playing in my head the whole time.

If that is wrong then everything I do must be wrong.

When in doubt, I follow the line of least resistance and the best features and rock.

Besides...someone once told me you can't direct climbers.
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Brad Young

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1711 on: February 09, 2020, 08:52:23 AM »
And how long was your rope?

The instructions on this one couldn't be any clearer....

Rupert might be turning in his grave.


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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1712 on: February 09, 2020, 09:42:08 AM »

The route was first described in Gagner's book (no topo).
His description says...

Climb diagonally up and right past two bolts.
Higher is another bolt where a move downwards to the right leads to the exposed NE corner.
Climb the near vertical wall above moving left to another bolt directly above the last one.
Finish up and left past one more bolt to the top.
Gagner had it at 5.6

Bruce and Clint removed all the old bolts in April of 2019. The Merry Cranksters replaced the old bolts in the 90's (with wedge bolts) but left the old bolts intact (in lodestones). I wasn't looking for evidence of the old bolts. I'm sure when I climb it again (and I will because it's so damn good) I'll do some looking - since I know what to expect now.

As far as the detour to the right on the topo that first appears in Rubine's book and again in the current guide (way out right, then up to a big knob and way back left), there was no reason or any need to go out that way.
The face above is irresistibly good.
I had the topo in my pocket and got it out several times during the climb.

From the third bolt, I moved a little right and then up the vertical face, slinging knobs as I went - following a very natural line and a featured, steep face. I got a softball sized sling knob first and a bigger and better one a few feet higher. The stances were so good that I reached down and removed the sling from the smaller, lower knob and placed it on the higher, better knob. Did I mention that this face has a lot of knobs? From there I could see the mid anchor directly above me. It made perfect sense to go this way and absolutely no sense to traverse out into no man's land, looking for a big sling knob that I could not see on the horizon, not to mention following a circuitous path that would do nothing but introduce rope drag and provide no more meaningful pro. Sling knobs imo are virtually useless once you move above them. 

I will say the one thing that is hard to find on the route is the second bolt. It can't be seen from the first bolt and after you climb up and over the headwall to a ledgy area where you expect to find the next bolt (I was logically looking on the next headwall) it is still hard to find. The bolt is way lower than expected (did Dorf place this bolt?), at about knee level (maybe lower) and it has a SMC stainless hanger that makes it even harder to find. I will make a point to replace that hanger with something else when I get back out there to work on the rappel anchor.

Rubine's decription is entertaining.
This route is very severe for its grade.   
Characterized by long runouts, interspersed with crumbly rock, this thriller should be taken seriously.
A strong leader will find this climb a handful.

As Bob Dylan said...Most likely you go your way and I'll go mine  :thumbup: :biggrin: :yesnod: :devildevil: :ihih:

I'm still waiting for the worm to turn...
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briham89

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1713 on: February 09, 2020, 10:01:52 AM »
Hmm sounds like this needs a few more ascents to check it out.

John how is your ankle? I heard you got banged up.


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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1714 on: February 09, 2020, 10:09:38 AM »
Quote
Sling knobs imo are virtually useless once you move above them.   

?

JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1715 on: February 09, 2020, 11:45:32 AM »
Hmm sounds like this needs a few more ascents to check it out.

John how is your ankle? I heard you got banged up.

Get out there with Gavin and climb it - it is freakin' amazingly good - so is the Burnette Variation on The Hand if you haven't done that. You and I can go climb them too - anytime dude.  :thumbup: :biggrin: :yesnod:
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NOAL

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1716 on: February 09, 2020, 12:47:23 PM »
I think that there are plenty of lodestones and knobs at pinnacles that would hold a fall.

One thing I prefer to do when slinging  stuff is to girth hitch the runner around the feature vs. Just draping over the top.  This way when you are pulling up rope you do not dislodge your runner or if you fall it will cinch down on the feature and not be as likely to be pulled off.

JC w KC redux

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1717 on: February 09, 2020, 01:28:20 PM »
Quote
Sling knobs imo are virtually useless once you move above them.    

?

What I meant is once you move above a sling knob - if you fall - that sling is probably going to come off as you go flying past.

Has anyone ever fallen on a sling knob after they are significantly above it? I have not and don't want to find out.  
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NOAL

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1718 on: February 09, 2020, 01:49:44 PM »
Quote
What I meant is once you move above a sling knob - if you fall - that sling is probably going to come off as you go flying past.
 

Yes, that is what I thought you meant. It is more likely not to come off if you girth hitch it .

Brad Young

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Re: Quest for Mud (Special Edition)
« Reply #1719 on: February 09, 2020, 01:57:34 PM »

Yes, that is what I thought you meant. It is more likely not to come off if you girth hitch it .


Maybe and maybe not.

How about a knob/lodestone that is rounded underneath but incut on top? A girth hitch coming tight would have nothing to come tight against underneath and fail.

Situationally dependent and better to make up one's mind on a case by case basis.

Note though that, like J.C., I'm NOT volunteering to test any of this.