Newly Established and Found Routes (Since the '07 Guidebook)

[NOAL]

What is IT?

[JC w KC redux]

Much of the rock on these routes seemed almost like granite.

Some of the rock at Wind Willow Rock is very much like some of the blacker, really solid and often holey stuff at Red Rocks.

As a lifelong student of geology I don't know which statement horrifies me more. 
The last one is certainly the most inaccurate.
Brad talking about rocks is like me talking about the history of war.

[Brad Young]

What is IT?

IT is the thing I'd been trying to get specific about that was just lingering in the back of what is left of my mind.

There was something about the rock that reminded me of something. And then IT hit me.

[Brad Young]

As a lifelong student of geology I don't know which statement horrifies me more. 
The last one is certainly the most inaccurate.
Brad talking about rocks is like me talking about the history of war.

True story about another climber and hopelessly pathetic geology nerd that I hang with.

It was his first time at the South Fork Stanislaus climbing areas. One of the best climbing areas on all of Sonora Pass.

The granite down there is bullet hard. Immaculate. From a climber's perspective it's as good as any granite I've ever been on, including but not limited to the stone in Tuolumne Meadows. And most climbers who've been there would agree that Tuolumne Meadows has world-class rock.

And I'd told Roger these things before we even started hiking down there. Hiking down there to climb on the rock.

As we're walking up to South Forks Slabs - Center the rock just looks good. It's beautiful and shiny and very, very clean.

So I said: "see Roger, the rock is just like Tuolumne Meadows!"

His response: "oh no Brad, look at the size of the feldspar crystals in this rock, they're much bigger...."

Yep. Lost me there.

[JC w KC redux]

The granite down there is bullet hard.
His response: "oh no Brad, look at the size of the feldspar crystals in this rock, they're much bigger...."

Bullet hard - total oxymoron. Lead has a Mohs hardness of 1.5 (your fingernail is about 2.5).
Feldspar (Mohs 6) is harder than typical steel, quartz (Mohs 7) is one level harder than feldspar.
Just for the sake of argument - an armor piercing round has a hardened steel core that could be harder than 7.

"Quartz hard" is as hard as it gets with granite.

[JC w KC redux]

hopelessly pathetic geology nerd

Oh...and thanks for the compliment.

[Brad Young]

Hopelessly hopeless.

I hereby also announce that black diamond can eat shit. That’s twice in two seasons that a new-this-season hammer has failed. Literally fallen apart failed. This time on lead. A&@holes.

[Brad Young]

And yes, I’ve had half a glass of wine. But there’s simply no excuse for a hammer to Godamn fail and that’s me, not the wine. Who’s using what hammer nowadays? One that’s reliable? Ass&$holes.

[Brad Young]

And I may not have a chance to post tomorrow until evening. So, in case I miss it, isn’t tomorrow the birthday of our oldest of two illustrious leaders? MISTER MUD, isn’t February 28 your birthday?  Miss you. And happy, happy birthday.

[Brad Young]

Now I’m almost done with the wine.

So, a confession. Forgive me father for I have sinned. I am a litterbug. Godamn ravens stole my food bag today. I only lost a few bars, but their wrappers are now scattered somewhere around Pinnacles. Damn birds.

[Brad Young]

I love ravens. They’re smart and gorgeous.

[JC w KC redux]

I love ravens. They’re smart and gorgeous.

You should get two and train them to ride on the backs of your hounds.

[JC w KC redux]

And yes, I’ve had half a glass of wine. But there’s simply no excuse for a hammer to Godamn fail and that’s me, not the wine. Who’s using what hammer nowadays? One that’s reliable? Ass&$holes.

Specifically what failed?
Mine had the rivet that holds the metal straps on fail but the hammer did not fall apart and I was able to fix it with a few hardware store parts. Simple easy and cheap. Gavin had the same thing happen and also fixed it with the same "rig" I did.

You should be grateful you can get out at all and quit drunk posting...

[JC w KC redux]

Hopelessly hopeless.
I hereby also announce that black diamond can eat shit. That’s twice in two seasons that a new-this-season hammer has failed. Literally fallen apart failed. This time on lead. A&@holes.

Helplessly Hoping

Bring me the hammers and I will rework them.

[mynameismud]

And yes, I’ve had half a glass of wine. But there’s simply no excuse for a hammer to Godamn fail and that’s me, not the wine. Who’s using what hammer nowadays? One that’s reliable? Ass&$holes.

Thanks Brad,
I think Dammer is the hammer of choice for choss

[clink]

And yes, I’ve had half a glass of wine. But there’s simply no excuse for a hammer to Godamn fail and that’s me, not the wine. Who’s using what hammer nowadays? One that’s reliable? Ass&$holes.

 It seems as though someone may have been keeping your glass half full. You swing a hammer like Thor's protege. If I could swing a hammer with the force that you do, a 4 inch hole would take me about 2 minutes to drill. May have something to do with a hard aid background.

 

[clink]

 Happy Birthday Mud!

[mynameismud]

thanks

[Gavin]

Yeah, Happy B-Day Mud - hope it was a good one!

[Gavin]

Also, thanks to JC for the suggestions on repairing my hammer - he gave very specific details on what to get to repair it. It cost me less than $2.00 of supplies at the hardware store, and maybe a half hour of work at home.