The Fake Cuban
Joe you are on our mind especially after seeing the video of the guy kiteboarding. Never would of thought that rock climbing is safer. The photo is an old one but we took it for you Joe.
posted by ludrock at 10:55 AM
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Joe you are on our mind especially after seeing the video of the guy kiteboarding. Never would of thought that rock climbing is safer. The photo is an old one but we took it for you Joe.
2 Comments:
Oh man, you have to climb Devil's tower. Do Durrance - start early and don't get your rope snagged. :)
From the parking lot as you walk up the main trail to the tower you come to a T. Look up and slight to the right across a huge boulder field. Look for a little sign by the trees. You want to get up to that point and then progress slight up and directly right. You then find a massive ledge system and take that far right until you can't go any further. Look up - 50 feet - grass in the crack, may want to rope up for Susi. That takes you to the bottom of the first pitch.
That takes about an hour to get there. First pitch is a breeze. 2nd is the hardest by far. Third pitch - first 15 pitch - gearless - maybe a Big Bro and after that the rest is a walk in the park. Susi could do pitch 4. Pitch 5 - chimney. Pitch 6? I hear is great, but due to the lateness we did the Meadow scramble. The traverse from top of 5 to the Meadow is a bit hairy. You can't see around this bug boulder and have to feel for a hold. Rope in for sure.
Keep going right - follow the trail and look for white streaks. You come to a point where it is a 200 foot drop or 60-70 feet up. Rope in you're tired, but it is easy once you get rolling. The top is awesome!!
At the top look south. You will see three sets of carnes. The one directly south drops you down to the meadows.
As you head up - keep an eye to the right - you'll see the rap stations. You could also rap down from the route itself with a single rope. Of course, we learned that too late and of course you have to be the last idiots off the tower.
Final rap - takes you to a trail and then down to the main paved trail.
Awesome!! Have fun!
Sorry - type too fast and forget things. The top of each route is bolted. Look to your right at the top of each route and slightly down. You can't miss the rap stations.
If you walk around the tower head right and go to the area where the telescope is located. You will then see each pitch of Durrance. It is very clean and clear. You can even hear the climbers talking.
Again, pitch 2 is the hardest. Small left hand crack and wide right hand crack. You have to use both sides as you go up and then commit to the right at the last 15 feet. The first 15 feet of pitch 3 is a stem for the 2nd and requires some work, but once you get to the ledge then scoot to the right and then up a 10 feet easy crack.
I'm not sure if Susi has been setting trad, but pitch 4 is fun and easy and has plenty of rests. Most of the time you are just on your feet and have your hands free to plug gear.
It looks intimidating from a distance, but once you are on the rock and on a route you really don't notice.
You will need two ropes to rap down.
I would recommend one #4 Cam. Works great on the very top of pitch 1 and to place before going over the chockstone on pitch 5.
Otherwise, the regular gear you would use at the Gunks will get you up each route. #6 is the longest - 150 feet, but 1 and 2 are under 80, 3, 4, & 5 are barely 40.
Hope to see you guys in September.
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