Virginia Peak East Face, Sept 29,2022

[Wandering Daisy]

Harlen, I never meant to imply that your climbing was not safe.

I am not sure I would call it "brave" getting into that mess on North Chute of Langley. Sometimes you just find yourself in the middle of a bad location and you have to either go up or down and try to quickly get out of the danger zone. We went up because we were closer to the top. Had I known the rockfall danger I would not even have done it. If you climb long enough, you will find yourself in such pickles once in a while.

What you said about the kewi friends- I think there are a lot of climbing cultures that accept a lot more risk than the typical American. I have run into Russian climbers who go out in the most miserable weather and climbed with Czechoslovakian who would put a sling around a rock and wedge the thing in a crack on a 5.8 climb. I questioned this "pro" and he said that where he learned to climb, they did not have money for ropes so they just free climbed and he learned early NEVER to fall. But what scared me most about him was his driving. After the first climb I did with him I insisted met him at the trailhead. The peace of mind was worth the price of gas.

[Gogd]

Harlan:
You need to leave those crazy choss routes up Virginia alone, if you wish to climb into your senior years! (Congrats completing a gutsy route.) I avoid steep, chossy routes, fearing I will get stymied and be forced to down-climb. Hard to judge foot/hand holds from above.

I have run into Russian climbers who go out in the most miserable weather...

Yep, the Russians and Poles can be found climbing in the worst weather imaginable. Very stoic. When I was whining about poor conditions on a climb in the St Elias Range a fellow Russian climber decided to henceforth refer to me as the old lady - Babuska, I will keep you warm! Not so funny to me at the time, considering we had two tents for a six man team, and we spent days on end pinned down by the elements, spooning, sharing BO, bad breath and snoring into each others' ear all evening in order to not freeze under those conditions. The weather eventually turned us back. We knew it was time to abandon the climb when the Russian stopped smiling. I don't know why I ever got into that kind of mountaineering. The band of brothers bonding thing was compelling and necessary, but it seemed in the end that the stress, privation, and so much time in too close proximity made one more inclined to murder their fellow climber than embrace their humanity. "Medicinal" alcohol and cannabis were administered in therapeutic volumes. Both somewhat helped take the edge off or at least made the forced confinement less claustrophobic. A low bar sets the standard for sanity under these circumstances.

Ed

[CAMERONM]

Well, photos of peaks usually appear more scary than the reality, but still, some of the exposure in your photos just does not appeal to me.
Looks cool, congrats, good for you-

[Harlen]

Wandering Daisy wrote:

I have... climbed with Czechoslovakian who would put a sling around a rock and wedge the thing in a crack on a 5.8 climb. I questioned this "pro" and he said that where he learned to climb, they did not have money for ropes.

This makes me curious Nancy, as it reminds me of a similar technique used by my Aussie climbing friend. Three of us were climbing the small peaks above Nine Lakes Basin, and ran into a short cliff. All we had was a thin rope, and a few 'biners and slings. Cam says, "Check this ancient old technique out," and he proceeded to tie extra overhand knots in the slings, and fitted the flat sling into a crack, positioning the knot at the top, well wedged above the crack. He then clipped into that as old fashioned pro, and on he went, and we to follow. He said that this technique can also be used for direct aid, as a stirrup. I'm the type to follow blindly when someone knows more than me...which is to say-- I'm a follower, so up I went.

So, is this an olde standard tech. all over, or only in Australia? (which BTW, is not a particularly alpine island-- I mean Continent).

Here's that old Aussie, now sporting modern gear.... though you'll note the small blue and white sling ready to go!