Dreams of Icarus

[cobbledik]

Oh, don't get me wrong Brad, I like having that element of fear. The threat of failure and insecurity is where one can grow. Plus, it allows me to enter into the equation with more respect for the climb (as if one needs to figure out a way to have more respect and awe for clean aiding at the pinns)

This route will be epic and now I'll have more time to get stronger in the gym after my rotator cuff injury that I got from climbing too hard with mucci. Nothing like a gym to fix the problems you get from climbing in a gym.

Munge! I'm looking forward to climbing with you out there too. Not necessarily being a stranger but the end of the school semester means I get exhausted and such, then I'm heading out to North Carolina for christmas. Might do a winter wall in Yosemite with Dixie once we get back if the weather permits, but I'm off for two weeks in Jan so hopefully we can rope up then.

[mungeclimber]

Saturday A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Southeast wind 3 to 7 mph.
Saturday Night A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. East southeast wind 9 to 14 mph.
Sunday A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. Southeast wind 6 to 8 mph.

Good weekend for aid and projects though. No worries K!

[Brad Young]

Two people have asked how Kevin and I did on Icarus.

We didn't finish Icarus, but we learned a lot.

I was totally impressed when Kevin led the first pitch - which I've led and which I consider pretty tricky 5.9. He led it with a huge rack and pronounced himself "comfortable" with it all. That went quickly.

Things slowed down after that. We had a tough time figuring out where Glen and Gary went for sure on the last half of the second pitch. At the end of the day we concluded that it could only have been where I drew the topo (which is what I concluded when I drew it), but that they grossly underrated the pitch. Glen and Gary - the first ascentionists - called the route "5.8 A3," but I'd done a few of their 1970s routes before the book came out (they reported this route and about ten others one year before the book was done); enough to know that if they called the route "5.8" that I'd better bump it up to 5.9 at least. Factor no doubt recalls doing Daedalus with me and how bold it was and relatively hard for the rating.

So, on the second pitch, after trying various ways and being totally stumped, I avoided the dirty, loose, hard looking, but in hindsight obviously correct part by climbing up Sons of the West before moving right to Icarus' second belay.

Kevin then tried the third pitch before concluding that there's no way it will go clean. We realized at 2:00 that we were not going to finish, not even close, so we bailed off.

We'll go back, but before I try the top of pitch two the correct way, I will need to replace some bolts and scrub off some dirt and lichen (and maybe even try the free moves on TR - they look hard, run out and really friggin' scary; Kevin thought maybe 5.11, but they can't be that hard, they've got to be 5.10 something). Replacement bolts would make trying the really scary section a little less mental (at least the first ascentionists got to do their leading on "new" bolts).

We got back to the car at 4:00, waited for 20 minutes for other riff raff to show up, and, when none did, we took off.

[squiddo]

Two people have asked how Kevin and I did on Icarus.

We didn't finish Icarus, but we learned a lot.

I was totally impressed when Kevin led the first pitch - which I've led and which I consider pretty tricky 5.9. He led it with a huge rack and pronounced himself "comfortable" with it all. That went quickly.

Things slowed down after that. We had a tough time figuring out where Glen and Gary went for sure on the last half of the second pitch. At the end of the day we concluded that it could only have been where I drew the topo (which is what I concluded when I drew it), but that they grossly underrated the pitch. Glen and Gary - the first ascentionists - called the route "5.8 A3," but I'd done a few of their 1970s routes before the book came out (they reported this route and about ten others one year before the book was done); enough to know that if they called the route "5.8" that I'd better bump it up to 5.9 at least. Factor no doubt recalls doing Daedalus with me and how bold it was and relatively hard for the rating.

So, on the second pitch, after trying various ways and being totally stumped, I avoided the dirty, loose, hard looking, but in hindsight obviously correct part by climbing up Sons of the West before moving right to Icarus' second belay.

Kevin then tried the third pitch before concluding that there's no way it will go clean. We realized at 2:00 that we were not going to finish, not even close, so we bailed off.

We'll go back, but before I try the top of pitch two the correct way, I will need to replace some bolts and scrub off some dirt and lichen (and maybe even try the free moves on TR - they look hard, run out and really friggin' scary; Kevin thought maybe 5.11, but they can't be that hard, they've got to be 5.10 something). Replacement bolts would make trying the really scary section a little less mental (at least the first ascentionists got to do their leading on "new" bolts).

We got back to the car at 4:00, waited for 20 minutes for other riff raff to show up, and, when none did, we took off.

Thanks for sharing Brad. Incredible position that one is.

[MUCCI]

Got some great shots of you guys, between the showers of choss...

[mungeclimber]

most of them didn't come out very well.

Posted one in FB.

[JC w KC redux]

Got some great shots of you guys, between the showers of choss...

where are they?

[JC w KC redux]

and maybe even try the free moves on TR - they look hard, run out and really friggin' scary

You can borrow my stick clip since I've never used it.
I gotta warn ya though...there could be a loss of respect

[JC w KC redux]

We got back to the car at 4:00, waited for 20 minutes for other riff raff to show up, and, when none did, we took off.

Nice cya by inserting the word other before riff raff - although I have no idea who you are referring to!

[JC w KC redux]

Two people have asked how Kevin and I did on Icarus.

Nice TR. Wish we would have been somewhere closer to see you two on the wall.

[mungeclimber]

JC...



https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/16611_399592610129658_33607989_n.jpg

[squiddo]

I dig this shot and the route is such a cool location. I can just see the munge from here. We need a digital schmear of that Munge.

[Brad Young]

I can just see the munge from here. We need a digital schmear of that Munge.

No, he was across the canyon when these shots were taken.

[Brad Young]

You can borrow my stick clip since I've never used it.
I gotta warn ya though...there could be a loss of respect

No stick clip, we're talking way up on the second pitch. If we get the route done, including freeing the mandatory free parts, I'll live with the loss of respect.

Funny thing is, out of 450 or so feet of this route, I've led over half of it, and toproped a lot of the rest. There's a few parts left to do, and we'll get them done.

BTW I'm pretty sure it hasn't had a second ascent.

[squiddo]

No, he was across the canyon when these shots were taken.

Ha I meant "munge" like crud

[mungeclimber]

that's a bad pic for a smudge.

Need color and sky.  One of the JC pics would be cool with the Orange.

[JC w KC redux]

JC...

Thanks brudda - KC showed me that one on FB - I thought Mucci meant he had some too...
Looks like a long way to the deck!

[JC w KC redux]

I'll live with the loss of respect.

BTW I'm pretty sure it hasn't had a second ascent.

That was a joke my friend - made with regard to a comment you made to me a while back that prompted me to stop carrying da pole. You'll always get props in my book!

I had no idea that no one else had been up that route - pretty cool!!

[Brad Young]

Yes, I thought it was a poke in the ribs, but I stand by what I said: If we can get it done (and I'm sure we will), I could live with it (that is with a loss of respect if it really came).

Unfortunately it'll likely have to wait until next season now, with the closures coming on fast.

[Atomizer]

So whats the few lines-paragraph story of this Icarus route? I vaguely looked at the guidebook earlier while at the gym, but couldn't really comprehend the story or supposed restoration project. It's A3 but would it go free?