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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Pulling the pin: Clean climbs that rely on fixed.. 24-Sep-2008 At 8:19:26 PM sliamese

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i havent read the whole thread but my two bobs...

we climbed the route a few months ago and a third of the fixed gear was removed on lead, just wiggled out by hand. the roof on ozy was particulary 'interesting'. i got on a wire and god only knows what held it in there, sorta looked like a mini cam-hook! one could argue the point this kind of fixed gear is even more dangerous to the assumptions of a beginner, but i think thats why you test placements. i dont remember section where the pins were absolutley vital to protection/progress. for the free-climbers i think they could find alternatives, same goes with the aid-climbers.

i think it adds to the experience when the gear is not there, little bit more of a challenge. recently on Zodiac i had one of the C3(mark of zorro) pitches ruined due to the corner being fixed with peckers and angles, i removed them when i cleaned the pitch. i really felt robbed on this pitch. just because others werent good enough to make some moves above gear it spoiled something i had lost sleep over.

if your not good enough to do a route that goes clean without hammering, consider wether or not you should be on it. sure its your god given 'right' according to our spoilt western upbringing, but these routes are finite, and maybe your kids want a similar experience! thats just a general comment, but i dont think the fixed gear on ozy is required for a clean ascent. its just makes it easier!

over time the fixed gear will come out and i think it should probably stay out. of course there'll be wires that are stuck etc but thats just common sense. if you cause more damage removing it your shooting yourself in the foot. i intend to re-climb th route this summer, and ill be bring my drill. theres a lot of shitty bolts and i think some, or all of them should be replaced. if your on a bolt ladder your on bolts, they should be bomber(to keep in style with the FA!!) and some of the belay bolts will be replaced to make setting up camp easier, in the gledhill bivy. also some of the things on Holden Caulfield should be replaced, belay 2 in particular. so while fixed gear is an interesting topic, i think energies could be better spent.

but im probably wrong... :)

but if you havent done it, make it high on the list, even if you havent done anything like it before you'll have the best experience ever! theres some trip reports at thealpinist.blogspot.com if you interested too!!

simon young

>Anyway, I can end this pointless discussion with one simple bit of logic
>that negates all of your arguments............tomorrow, while you're driving
>to work, I'll be on a train to Font.....suckadick

yeah, really constructive and logical. why would a boulderer even care enough to get cut?!?