Skills update

This blog seems like waiting for some real adventures to happen. But until that happens, this blog and I will have to bide our time, continue my training and prepare for that big adventure.

Back in the gym this winter, I managed to break the 5.10 limit finally. Have got a few 5.10s clean, but largely projects for me. Mostly 5.10as, but working on a couple of 5.10bs & cs. (that's one each)

While cracking the 5.8 ceiling, i would simply tire myself, and built up my stamina.

5.9s challenged my tendons around my elbows and built up my balance.

5.10s seem to be challenging my finger tendons, and my footwork's critical for good climbing.

I have also quit smoking (since Dec 6-7th, if I don't consider the single puff I took on the 6th). Implying my overall hunger has gone up, and thus adding mass. Also, I have moved jobs. Implying I don't have the comfort of my midafternoon work out anymore.

Thus goes my training.

Update:

I simply call this an update because, I have been updating two things. One my skills and the other my gear. My skills are being honed in the gym. My gear via ebay and EMS.

My overall fitness levels have not been as they were last winter. I have put on weight. I didn't paddle or bike through the summer. So my shoulders are vulnerable to injuries if I pull too hard. My tendons are vulnerable too, driven by the fact that my workout isn't balanced.
At the gym, I seem to be doing the 5.9s more consistenly clean, but 5.10s still elude me. They are either too reachy, or too slopy for my fingers to remain in good grip. Or too balancy a move for me. It's always seems like I start on a 5.10 and call it quits midway or scratch my way up.

On the brighter side, I seem to now have an arsenal of gear to make up choicest racks depending on location I will be climbing at.

A break down of the same.

>>>>Biners:

- Total of 120

- 18 lockers

- 21 ovals

- 20 Ds

- 21 Straight gates

- 10 Bent gates

- 30 Wiregates

>>>>About 14 slings of various lengths for quickdraws

>>>>Protection:

>>> Passive - My passive range covers from 4 milimeters to 8.9 centimeters. My weakest gaps are under 4 milimeters range. I don't have anything to cover for such small cracks in my passive gear. Then after 7.5 centimeters, I have two pieces that covers the range upto 8.9 and that's about it.

>> 32 Stoppers:

- A set of Black Diamond nuts (2-13)

- A partial set of DMM Wallnuts (3-6)

- A set of Trango Nutz (1-8)

- partial set of Black Diamond Stoppers (2-6, & 11)

- Couple of Wild country pieces (5 & 6).

>> 8 Micro Nuts:

- HB Wales Offset Bronzes 3-6

- Black Diamond Micro Stoppers 3-6

>> 14 Hexes

- Slung Black Diamond hex set 4-10, Wired 11

- Wired 8, Slung 9, 10, Wired 11

- Metolius Curved hex 5

>> 10 Tricams

- Set one - .5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4

- Set two - .5, 1, 1.5

>>> Active - Active protection pieces I have cover ranges from 3 milimeters to 16.3 centimeters. The ranges mentioned here are not cam lobe ranges, but actual working range of the active pieces. I have typically two pieces to cover every milimeter between these ranges. Weakest links being, 6.2 or 3 centimeter (just one cam:) and from 10.1 centimeters to 13.1, and then again from 15.2 to 16.3, just one cam each to protect that range.

>> 6 Ball nuts

- Camp - 1, 2, 3

- Lowe/Byrne - 1, 2, 3

>> 24 Cams

- Metolius TCU - 1, 3, 4
- Metolius Power cam - 2

- Metolius Power cam - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

- Black Diamond Camlots - .75, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4.5, 5

- Black Diamond c3 - 00, 0

- Wild Country Technical cam - 6

>>>> in addition to all the hardware above, I have two pulleys, one small ascender, four belay devices (Grigri, two BD ATCs, & BD ATC Guide), two nut tools, a knife, two ropes (a 60 meter and a 50 meter), length of prusiks and anchor ropes, about 160' of webbing for top rope anchors, and miscellaneous slings.

>>>> To augment my backwoods experience and to satiate my gear hunger, I have three headlamps, Princeton tec Eos, Petzl Myo XP & another Petzl nameless, but powerful headlamp. Three trekking poles, one Katadyn Vario water filter, two wireless FRS phones, a first aid kit, an array of backpacks including North Face Spire 33, BD Hollowpoint, another large sized North Face backpack, and so on.

Gear update

Now I am officially a gear whore. I have been enjoying putting together my climbing rack and gear as much as I have been enjoying the act of climbing itself (which is not much in the last month and a half.)
An update to my rack:
Biners: 67Locking: 15, i truly need no more than half a dozen. One for my belay device, four for anchor set ups, and one emergency.Ovals: 17Ds: 6All above used for racking (a few too many, but what the heck...)About 28 are used for slings/quick draws. Two on double shoulder length, four on 10 cm dogbones, and eight on 24" slings.
Protection:One set of black diamond nuts, 4-13One set of BD hexes, 4,5,6,8,9,10One set of tricams, .5,1,1.5,2,3,4One set of mixed nuts, bd nuts 2,3,5,6,11 & WC rocks 5,6.Also have extras of a hex 10, metolius curved hex 5.
Camming units:Metolius tcu Metolius fcu 2Metolius tcu 3Metolius tcu 4BD camalot .75BD camalot 1.0BD camalot 2.0Metolius fcu 9Wild country fcus - 1.25, 2, & 3.
All the above protection covers range from .48 cm to 9.45 cm. I need small size protection (probably bd cams .1 & .2, & one larger sized probably bd 5).
All hung on Metolius gear sling. Quick draws on harness.
One prusik, two lengths of anchoring rope. Nut tool ( I prefer BD's. Used Metolius, but doesn't have enough reach.)
Currently I use a 50 meter 10.6 mm diameter rope by New England ropes. Plan on getting a 60 meter 10.6 mm standard & retain my 50 m for toproping alone.)
Belay devices, two BD ATCs, One BD ATC guide. One GriGri. Do I need more? If I don't sell that Camp Yo Yo, then that will be five. Used to have two figure 8s, gone now.
For emergency, two pulleys, one petzl basic pulley, and the other Kong Turbo roll. Need to get couple of ascenders.
One switchblade knife.
Helmet Ecrin Roc.
Harness, Mammut Focus & Petzl Corax.
Shoes, one sportiva something and one 5.10 something. 5.10's lost rubber, needs resoling. Also need another pair of shoes for long multi-pitched climbing.
For top roping, I have another three lengths of webbing. (50', 50', 75')
Two chalk bags (or three if you consider that manky one I got with some gear on ebay.)
I carry the gear in North Face Spire 38. Perfect sized pack to get most of my gear in.
Additionally I carry a rain jacket, pack cover, small first aid kit, head lamp (Princeton Eos), bug spray, sun tan lotion, energy bars, water.
Approach Shoes, Timberland something, Tevas on warm days with easy approaches, now my Merrell Stretch (these are awesome). I would love to add Timberland Cadion to this list, as I love the comfort and the water proofability of it.
Preferred apparel. abrasion resistent Cotton pants with some give (don't want the rrrrip when I am on the rock.) Cotton's fine rock in my opinion. breathable old cotton. For uppers, a wicking T, long sleeved or short.
A pair of interchangeable lens sunglasses (currently a Julbo Magic something.)
An old watch that hangs light and can take a ton of hits. Need to know the time, while climbing!

Climbing - Update

All images above courtesy Art Morenz at Gunks, Aug 2007

Posting after many months. Life has been a bit hectic, considering I have been preparing to relocate to India end of this year. Considering which, the amount of time I can dedicate to climbing or other activities is limited.

I almost considered selling my kayak earlier this month and proceeded to sell my pfd & skirt. After which, a heavy gloom set in. So, figured I will postpone the entire process with the rest of the kayaking gear until a later time. Who knows, I probably could take the kayak back with me to India.

Back to climbing.

This summer, I have free climbed about a dozen or so pitches. And followed on twice that many pitches. My rack still has a few gaps to be filled, and probably will continue to be so. Just the nature of free climbing.

My skills have taken a backseat respect to climbing, with all the energies focused on free climbing, which usually implies that I climb lower grades versus top roped situation.

Also, I took a rather moderate fall in June at Gunks. I was attempting Shockley's Ceiling, a 5.6 climb with overhanging crack problem. I failed to protect the lip of the roof, and I fell, slamming into the face below the roof. In the process I hurt my ankle severely enough to warrant a visit to the ER. Recovery took a good month and half.

While hampered by this injury, I did manage to climb a PG 5.7+, that made me understand the concept of Elvis legs rather personally.

So, I hover in the range of 5.6-7s for now respect to free climbing. But the important thing is my hunger for climbing is strong.

Also, the attitude of some of the other climbers (especially the older crowd) is that I don't have the experience to climb 5.7s. I listen, so I haven't attempted to climb the grade in the presence of this crowd, while I continue to take my personal risks. Risks that I consider acceptable. I continue to climb harder pitches with a section of the crowd that is either too ignorant of my past experience or is willing to climb with me accepting the risk involved.

Until later...

Whitestone Cliffs

Location: Whitestone Cliffs, Watertown, Connecticut.

Directions can be found at the following location: http://www.ct-amc.org/mountain/directions.htm

Once you get to the face of the hillock, skirt it around the cliff to the left. Probably my first time, but I soon discovered wearing shorts and Tevas to the place was a bad idea. Multiple scratches and some minor gashes to prove it. To get to the cliffs, once you are on the trail as per the directions from the above link, turn left and walk along the cliff perimeter. The approach to climb-worthy section is riddled with class IV rocks or through shrubbery.

We got disoriented on the cliffs, as they terrace down in ledges, and we set up ropes from way higher up than we should have. Wasting much time in the process, we managed one climb per person in about four hours spent from the parking lot back to parking lot.

Learnt a few things though.

One. Never leave anything (including your partner), unclipped or unanchored on the cliffs, gravity's a bitch. Lost an ATC, after my partner left it unclipped next to her.

Lesson number two. Don't share your belay device with anybody unless a real emergency, let them use their own. Certain communal acts are understandable, but left with no belay device, you might have to resort to, alternate methods of rappelling in the dark, or walking off a hairy ledge that slopes down, and covered with slippery pine needles.

Three, always prepare. Headlamp, additional batteries, full length trousers, right shoes, compass, bug spray, all things that could easily be forgotten. Getting out climbing in the outdoors can easily turn from a picnic to a minor emergency. Especially, if you are going to a place that you aren't certain about, and it get's late. Never assume your partner will know it all.

Well, all in all, the cliffs are absolutely beautiful and secluded (atleast yesterday). Climbing is worth all the effort. Though short climbs, they are of good quality. Views from top of the cliffs are nice. Though you could still hear the traffic from route 8.

Apart from that one toproped good quality climb, I solo climbed a couple of easy 5.3-5.4s. Nice rush. It's funny how the mind becomes more alive, once you begin soloing, even on the easy stuff.

Rack

Here's my basic rack breakdown, put together with help from numerous folks and sources. Please consider that I currently attempt some 5.10s, and climb in the range of upto 5.9 plus, top roped. And this is my first season with lead climbing.

- 39 biners.
- 8 locking. (ideally about 5 should be adequate),
- 20 on slings (an assortment of bent gates, small pear and wire gates)
- 7 for racking purpose. (Includes ovals for nuts, tri-cams, and small pears for cams)
- 4 are just bums, I hang miscellaneous gear on, nut tools, prusics, extra slings etc. I plan to use these if I have to use gear for retreating on multi-pitch climbs, etc.
- 10 pieces of cams, 3 black diamond C4s (#0.75, #1.0,#2.0), 1 Metolius Powercam (#2.0), 3 Metolius TCUs (#1.0,#.3.0,#4.0), 3 Wild Country Friends (same sizes as BD C4s).
- 4 pieces of Camp Tricams (#0.5,#.1.0,#1.5,#2.0)
- A set of Black Diamond stopper nuts (#4-#13)
- Another set of assorted nuts and hexes (about 8 pieces, #8 BD Hex, BD stoppers #2, #3, #5,#6,#11, Wild Country Rock #5,#6)
- BD Nut tool, unknown brand Gear rack, one prusik loop, one cordelette
- 6 shoulder length, 2 double shoulder length slings (8 of the biners above are on 10cm quick draws, hence this many slings only).
- plus the regular climbing gear including rope, helmet, shoes, belay device, harness, etc.

In addition, I carry a head lamp, obviously my backpack (but considering something more efficient as the total gear plus weight is close to 40 pounds), bug repellent, water bottle, extra batteries, compass.

Gym Climbing

This week, I am winding up my climbing in the gym, and getting outdoors. But before I lose the memory of it, let me articulate the experience of gym climbing.

Gym climbing has its advantages.
- You learn to climb in a relatively safer top roped environment,
- Less hassle of logistics like reaching a crag or cliff, setting up ropes for top roping, ensuring your anchor set up is good & then taking them down after the climb,
- You tend to build your strength faster, as most climbs are meant to provide for multiple cruces, in a shorter route than you would get outside.
- You also, can find potential climbing partners in the gym environment than outside.

I climbed in the gym for two seasons, winters of 2005-06 & 2006-07. Two days a week, for 5-6 months each season. The first season I progressed to climbing some 5.8s by the end of the season. The second season I began attempting 5.10s, getting one 5.10a, clean.

For some the psychology of pursuing those rating numbers is Para-normal. But for some it is pursuit of the ratings that allows you to know what you can attempt, comfortably, and also knowing that your body is capable of hitting a higher rating.

Considering my reasonable state of fitness and age, I started rather easily on 5.7s. 5.7 to 5.9s progression was hard in itself. It took me about a year. Improved technique with handholds and footwork, and body balance, allowed me to reach 5.9s. But 5.10s were and are being hard on my tendons. 5.9 onwards, it is more than technique alone. It is requirement for better finger strength, some dyno moves, better thinking, planning, mental strength, and endurance to retain the same holds after making the moves over half the distance.

Probably will go into the techniques some other time. But as I leave the gym environment, I realize that color coded routes of the gym have got me a bit perplexed in the real environment. While climbing inside has helped me with those crimpy holds, and good footwork, applying those techniques implies, first recognizing the route. Minus the color tags of the gym, a route outside sometimes throws you off.

So much for transition outside.

Blogging revisited with new scope

As I attempt to get back to my blog, just to keep up, I don't want this to be just a Kayaking blog. Considering that since Oct 22, 2006, I have paddled once and have no idea when my next outing on a river would be, there would be little to write about. Besides I want to keep writing, hence the expanded scope.

Of the last six non-paddling months, I spent a considerable amount of time (ten hours in a week), in an indoor gym, working on my climbing skills, then some biking, and then some playing ping pong and hiking, just to stay in shape.

My Target store 'Schwinn something', suspension-challenged MTB, survived some intermediate trails in the hills of Southington under my noob riding. MTB is a hard sport, hard on your lungs. That and the increasing chill of the winter and some rather badly frozen fingers later, I decided to lay off the biking as well.

Back to Climbing, started climbing Dec of 2005. Through summer of 2006, I occasionally top roped, and then resumed climbing in the gym in the winter of 2006. Considering Kayaking was my main focus, and juggling between family, work and other pursuits I could focus very little on climbing. But since I started climbing indoors this winter, I figured, I should probably focus more on climbing as it is one craft, I could pursue back in India, where I plan to return turn of this year. (Accordingly, I have been gathering data on climbing in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai in general, and in Sahyadaris (western ghats) & Eastern Ghats in specific). Accordingly I started also accumulating gear for trad climbing.