Go Light, Go Fast by CAMP

BACKCOUNTRY BIGWALLING & FFFAA (First Flip Flop Approached Ascents)

We received the following update from Blake Herrington after he spent time in the North Cascades in August of 2011:

Flip flops have never been my go-to alpine shoe. But when our climb featured some of the Cascades' hardest free climbing (yet shortest approaches), they suddenly made sense as the day's footwear. As long as I could manage the final approach snowfield in shower sandals, we'd benefit from lightweight footwear in the pack as myself and friend Scott Bennett vied for a free ascent of Thin Red Line.

For me, these mountain adventures may entail long, circuitous hikes, and occasionally even some obscure, moderate climbing. After a spate of long hikes and a few short climbs last summer, my "Miles-to-Pitches" (MtP) ratio was becoming dangerously high. I decided to do something about this worrisome trend by attempting one of the Pacific Northwest's biggest and most iconic walls, the East Face of Liberty Bell Spire. The Thin Red Line route was climbed as grade VI aid wall from its first ascent in 1967 to its first free ascent in 2008 by granite guru Mikey Schaefer. Since then it has likely seen one free ascent each summer, so 2011 was our turn.

 

 

It might be because my feet stink, or maybe I just wear my approach shoes until they are
falling apart, but when I can get away with it, I enjoy doing approaches in flip flops. They
are breathable and lighter to carry on route (stick them in your pocket for climbs like the Naked edge or stuff on the Chief in Squamish). I have made the unofficial FFFAA (First Flip Flop Approached Ascents) of several memorable routes, and was keen to raise the bar by attempting Thin Red Line in this, the purest of styles. Since we'd be descending the opposite side of the spire from our route, we were concerned about a pack weighing us down. So I threw on the flip flops and started hiking up through the woods.

Scott was courteous enough to kick some improved steps in the sun-cupped snowfield below the face, and after some frozen hand-traversing along the edge of the moat, I hopped onto stone below the 1,200' wall of Liberty Bell. The climbing on Thin Red Line was brilliant, with 3 different 5.12 pitches, excellent protection, smooth 5.11 stemming corners, and just enough wet rock and mossy dirt cruxing to make me feel at home. With one rope, one small pack, ultralight wiregate draws, and a dozen cams, we traded leads and freed every pitch. Doing the rappel descent and 2 mile hike back around the mountain in a pair of foam shower sandals elicited some confused looks on the part of hikers and other climbers. I'd rate Liberty Bell's Thin Red Line as THE BEST rock climb in the state of Washington. And whether I'm hiking in 20 miles or 20 minutes, lightweight gear makes the climbing much easier. That's a view I'm not going to be flip-flopping on. 

 

Liberty Bell- Thin Red Line Beta:

 

BETA

• With 1 x 70m rope, you can rappel from 6 pitches up using in-situ anchors on TRL or just to the left

• With 1 x 70m rope and good throwing skills, there is enough extra rope to have the leader untie and toss their end back down to the follower on all 3 of the hardest pitches, so you can haul without a tag line.

• The face looses sun around noon, and the snow at the base was low-angle but firm. A burly tree branch makes an ideally ice axe to abandon.

• Bring 12 or 14 slings, a good set of wires, and double cams from tips to thin hands with singles from hands to 2".

• After a crux pin ripped on early free attempts, all prior parties had aided out the second roof on pitch 6 and placed a high piece clipped with a long sling before lowering back and re-leading this pitch. Some good small gear can now be found just above the roof, so there's no need for any alpine shenanigans or aiding-off/falling-on the manky fixed beak.

• If you have a guidebook/description for the aid version of Thin Red Line, your only variation is to begin pitch 5 by climbing directly rightward past 3 new bolts into a left-facing corner. This is shortly below where you would be forced to do an aid pendulum.
  
  

• Shower sandals, though certainly the route's ideal footwear, do create one final crux when the descent path crosses over a series of sand-covered slabs. FALLING!!!

 

TRAIL TESTED: A THRU-HIKER'S INSIGHTS INTO HIKING & BACKPACKING

CAMP athlete Justin Lichter, aka ‘Trauma’, has finished his self-published book, Trail Tested, A Thru-Hiker’s Insights into Hiking & Backpacking. It is a beautiful collection of his short stories, tech tips, and guidelines for getting smarter about foraying deeper into the backcountry. Knowing Justin personally and having had the opportunity to join him on some of his more trivial outings like 50 milers through the Evolution Basin in California, we can say with confidence that he is an absolute gear junkie. He spends more time than anyone we know tinkering with gear and systems and this has enabled him to carry his absolutely minimalist attitude on some of the longest continuous hikes in history. Since 2002, Justin has hiked more than 35,000 miles, equivalent to nearly one and a half times around the Earth.

 

 

Spending time with Justin’s book is like spending time with Justin himself. Hiking with him is a singular experience. One spends as much time watching him interact with his gear and thoughts as they do focusing on their own. It is because his are so much better thought-through. For this reason alone, Trail Tested comes highly recommended—the book is guaranteed to point out inconsistencies and help you troubleshoot your own ideas in the same soft manner one experiences interacting with Justin personally.

Here we offer a selection of pages from the book to give you a taste of what we are talking about. In all, there are more tips than you could pack your 60 liter rig, let alone the new 40 liter rig Justin will talk you down to. But each tip (and everything in between) will prove invaluable when you are on the trail and the tips come to mind. It will mean the difference between healthy and sore feet at the end of each day on the trail, a lousy or good night’s sleep, even the difference between accruing fines and avoiding them along the way.

 

So, without further ado, we want to say congratulations to Justin and please enjoy his NEW BOOK!

 

 

 

INNOVATE. XLC CRAMPONS.

The XLC series crampons are the lightest 12-point crampons in the world. Their real brilliance, however, comes from their pressed design--a unique engineering process that helps build back some of the strength that is naturally lost by using lightweight aluminum alloy instead of chromoly steel. Chromoly steel is a spectacular metal with several drawbacks:

• It is hard and has a high tensile strength, but it is heavy
• It bends and rebends without breaking (fatigue strength), but it naturally flexes more than other metals

Aluminum alloy is a similarly spectacular metal with several drawbacks:

• It is superlight, but it is softer than steel
• It is stiff, but this also makes it more brittle than steel and it has a lower fatigue strength than steel

The question is how to use which material, where and why. The XLC series crampons are one brilliant answer to these questions. The material is 7075 aluminum alloy which can be heat treated to create a finished alloy with an ultimate tensile strength and yield strength comparable to some steels.

Once the material is determined, we figure out ways to address its specific weaknesses. Details like the thickness and length of each individual part are fine-tuned for the optimal blend of strength v weight. Then in some cases, there are unique manufacturing methods we can use to achieve this blend in remarkable ways. The pressed construction on the front platform of the XLC crampons is a prime example. We mentioned that aluminum alloy has a lower fatigue strength than steel. This means we want to mitigate the propensity for bending of the points or frame repeatedly over time. The best way to do this is to buttress against the angles that allow the bending in the first place. By pressing the front platform on the XLC crampons the way we do, we produce six side points that would require bending against a reverse curve and a long continuous bend. Not only does this strengthen these points in ways most aluminum alloy crampons do not, but because they literally do not flex, they provide exceptional stability underfoot. 

The XLC crampons have become absolute best-sellers for general and ski-mountaineering. They use a softer metal in aluminum alloy than steel crampons, the fatigue strength is lower than steel, and the aluminum alloy will not absorb the shock of sharp impacts from kicking as well as steel. But they are half the weight and used for walking, stomping and stepping, they do everything steel can do. And with the innovative pressed construction on the front platform, they actually do some things even better.  

CHOLATSE NORTH FACE UPDATE FROM FABRIZIO ZANGRILLI

In the big mountains, we must wait for the good weather. Fabrizio has more patience than most ...

This spring after guiding I waited around for reasonable conditions to attempt to solo the North Face of Cholatse 6440 Meters in the Khumbu Valley of Nepal. Conditions never came, I reached the "1/3rd" snow band - the same height Steck/Wilkinson reached a week prior to my attempt. I will be back. For more photos and info please see my Facebook athlete page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fabrizio-Zangrilli-Climbing/235205046492925

REVIEW OF TRAIL TESTED BY SECTIONHIKER.COM

Justin Lichter has been a CAMP athlete for years and his new book is all about how to optimize through-hiking performance with smart choices in gear. Of course, the CAMP lightweight ethos and Justin's minimalist mentality make for a great fit. We recommend picking up a copy of Justin's book and internalizing the material. His approach combines analytics, science and experience in a way few others in history have acheived making it a truly reliable and accurate resource.

Sectionhiker.com just published this review: http://sectionhiker.com/trail-tested-justin-lichters-new-backpacking-gear-book/

 

ADOPT A CRAG IN BOULDER CANYON - MAY 11

If you have ever climbed the infamous Country Club Crack or if you read our LTE about a human feces on rope debacle in Rock & Ice last year, you understand why Castle Rock is an important crag to maintain. Erosion from the river, hippies, and growing numbers of climbers and tourists is real. But even more real is the quality of the routes which serve as the best access to true trad routes in area. Details on the event below ...

 

I wanted to let you know about an Adopt a Crag event happening in your area.

Where: Castle Rock, Boulder Canyon

When:  Friday, May 11 at 3pm

Hosted by:  Boulder Climbing Community

Details:  Come join the Boulder Climbing Community Friday, May 11th at Castle Rock.  Activities will include additional step installation near Country Club Crack, fencing & sign installation, along with graffiti and trash removal.  BBQ to follow work!

For more information, please contact Tony Bubb at tonybubb@gmail.com

Every hour of time you donate to a crag helps show land managers that climbers are responsible stewards. Grab some friends and a pair of work gloves and spend a day giving back to the sport you love! We hope to  see you there.

Thanks for your support,

Ty Tyler

Stewardship Manager
Access Fund

HUGE DISCOUNTS ON LIGHTWEIGHT & INSULATED APPAREL

Check the OUTLET AREA for huge discounts on hyperlight wind and rain apparel, and our complete overstock of insulated jackets that are being updated for Fall 2012.  

 

LIGHTWEIGHT. PHOTON WIRE RACK PACK.

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The Photon is the lightest full-size carabiner ever conceived which also makes it one of the most functional biners ever conceived. The Photon Rack Pack is a statement piece about one of these recommended functions. The trend towards individually racking cams has grown stronger over recent years and today is the prefered method for racking amongst the climbing elite. The Rack Pack color coordinates with the most popular cam colors to futher help with organization and efficiency when digging through the rack looking for the right piece. The unique design of the Photons keeps them surprisingly low-profile on gear loops, but primed for easy clipping on the sharp end. Best of all, re-racking with Photons is guaranteed to cut significant weight.

READ MORE

DESERT TRUNDLE

 

Thanks to Mike Brumbaugh and Rob Pizem for this video addendum to our recent Wiki article about navajo v wingate sandstone. Read the article HERE.

WIKI: NAVAJO v WINGATE SANDSTONE

Is that Navajo or Wingate sandstone up there? The question is often synonymous for climbers with this one: do I want to climb that or not? The short answer to this conundrum is always YES! Through a time-proven process of hardening your ass up and gaining experience with both varieties of rock, climbers have been able to open the most compelling free lines in the desert on both types of sandstone. This Wiki from CAMP is an overview of the basic differences between Wingate and Navajo sandstone. Thanks to Rob Pizem for authoring it. Rob is a CAMP athlete well known for his huge first free ascents throughout the West. He is also a high school science teacher and majored in geological engineering at the Colorado School of Mines.

NAVAJO SANDSTONE

• Pucker Factor: On a scale from 1-10, Navajo ranges from 6-10. In short, all Navajo climbing is scary compared with granite or better consolidated types of sandstone like Wingate. Why? The rock is soft meaning protection is less secure even in the most bomber placements. Particularly, when wet, climbers should take extra care in protecting Navajo formations. Active pro is the best since it can expand into soft rock and soak up gaps caused by crumbling rock. Tower climbers will inevitably encounter Navajo since it often tends to form on the tops of towers. This is why it is uncommon to top out a desert tower on a splitter and why so many towers finish with a rounded pinnacle first climbed via bolt ladders. It is also why we finish towers disproportionately dirty compared with the opening splitter pitches.
• Color: Navajo is typically characterized by lighter hues like yellow, white, soft red and tan.
• Formation: Navajo is younger than Wingate by approximately 20 million years. Since it is younger, it also resides on top of the Wingate layers. Wingate cliffs topped by trees and plateaus are evidence that the Navajo layer was so weak that wind and other forces demolished it to the valley floors. The same stresses that form the bomber splitters in Wingate can have a devastating effect on the softer Navajo sandstone. So rather than getting a perfect splitter, the result can often be total annihilation. Navajo is also where climbers will encounter those unique round iron-covered balls called Moqui Marbles, or Death Marbles. Geologists call them concretions.
• Quality: A weaker lithification process (the process that turns sand into rock) results in rock that is typically much softer than Wingate. Weather and the elements also have a more severe impact on the overall shape of Navajo resulting in more rounded (as well as dirty!) structures and holds. 
• Location: Navajo formations are found in these parks: Zion, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Arches and the Colorado National Monument.
• Age: 200 million years old +/-
• Anchors: Glue and long bolts become more mandatory, the softer the rock gets. Formations in the Colorado National Monument have actually been known to be hand-formed with fists and finger tips, to give you an idea. Use as much active pro as possible so if and when the rock deteriorates, the pro can suck up some of the space and still hold. Belay out of the way of falling rock. 
• Parting Thoughts: Navajo formations can be as tall at 1500 ft in places. Combine that with the Wingate and you can have walls up to 3000 ft tall! So, while the pucker factor might be higher, it is important to note that the best desert adventure routes (and the biggest) are likely to be a combination of the two. My best recommendation is to harden up to the various challenges that Navajo can present. The reward is mega-routes that put Indian Creek to shame!

WINGATE SANDSTONE

• Pucker Factor: On a scale from 1-10, Wingate ranges from 1-10 (majority = 1-5). Why such a big range? While the rock is harder than Navajo thereby making the cracks truly secure and ripe for climbing, the harder rock is also prone to massive cleaving which means huge fissures that create loose blocks and flakes that can be as common as the splitters we aspire to climb. Evidence of this can be found in the talus fields forming the approaches to Wingate formations and in huge flexing pancakes and suspended truck-sized chock stones hanging on many classic desert climbs. A clean Indian Creek splitter ripping through varnished Wingate gets a pucker factor of 1 as long as it is wide enough to accept cams. An adventurous tower like Vision Quest at The Bridger Jacks gets a higher pucker factor due to shifting chock stones or enormous flakes that could be trundled with little more than body prying. 
• Color: Wingate usually ranges from red to orange in color, sometimes brown with varnish. Desert varnish is the smooth dark coating on desert sandstone and is composed of fine-grained clay minerals, black manganese oxide and red iron oxide. 
• Formation: Wingate weathers into steep, vertical walls with cracks extending from the bottom to the top of the cliff. 
• Quality: The best desert towers and cliffs are Wingate sandstone. Wingate is significantly more compact than Navajo.
• Location: Wingate Sandstone is what most people think of when they think desert splitters and Indian Creek.
• Age: Wingate sandstone is actually the result of weathering on ancient sand dune deposits dating back 200 million years. 
• Anchors: Glue and long bolts are still recommended, but Wingate is much more likely to hold all pro over Navajo. 
• Parting Thoughts: The difference between a whipper on Navajo and a whipper on Wingate is like night and day. I like to train, hone my skills and get mileage on Wingate. At places like Indian Creek it is like sport climbing on cams. Safe, fun and a good environment for pushing the limits. Then again, my backyard is the Colorado National Monument and I made my home-away-from-home in Zion for so many years. Navajo is the only reason we have the huge, radical walls and gnarly towers that put the spice into desert climbing … god bless it! 

- By Rob Pizem

Now ... watch this VIDEO of Mike Brumbaugh demonstrating the variability of desert sandstone with an awesome trundle!