The Word from Mount 7

We are now ensconced in the Red Rocks campground after spending three weeks in the Yosemite National Parks drive in campground in the Valley. The Red Rocks site is run like a military operation. There is no messing around. The “hosts” constantly patrol the roads, check up on the fees and [...]

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We had a rude introduction to Las Vegas last Friday. We drove in to the Red Rocks campsite, got one of the last sites, then headed in to town to get supplies and pick up a delivery at a UPS store. We were on our way back out to the campsite when we [...]

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Pine Creek Canyon
Slot Machine 5.10c
1 pitch
October 27th, 2007
R. Gmoser
I went to have a go at this climb which also starts at the same place as Dark Shadows.  The moves up to the thin looking crack semi protect with small cams but I didn’t feel secure enough with my gear or climbing to push up to [...]

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Pine Creek Canyon
Chasing Shadows 5.10a
1 pitch
October 27th, 2007
O. Sofer and R. Gmoser
I think this is the name of this climb. I’ll have to confirm. From the 2nd belay station on Dark Shadows, you climb the wide crack to the right. You don’t need gear larger than a #3 Camalot although larger gear [...]

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Pine Creek Canyon
Dark Shadows 5.8
3 pitches
October 27th, 2007
O. Sofer and R. Gmoser
I really like this climb because of the location and the quality of the rock. Also, the climbing is sustained and the final pitch has some exhilarating moves. The route goes up a large, black, right facing dihedral that ends at a [...]

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Yosemite
Royal Arches Area
Serenity Crack 5.10d
3 pitches
October 24, 2007
O. Sofer and R. Gmoser
What a great climb. If you can handle the first section of run out, you shouldn’t have too much trouble on the rest of it. There is a crux on the second pitch when you step over to the right hand crack. [...]

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Yosemite
Base of El Capitan
Pine Line 5.7
1 pitch
October 23, 2007
O. Sofer and R. Gmoser
This is a 20m finger and hand crack in a great setting. Fun climbing, great ledge to hang out on and good toproping on the harder face climbs to the right.

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Yosemite
The Pee Pee Pillar 5.10a
1 pitch
October 23, 2007
O. Sofer and R. Gmoser
This is 30m of hand and finger crack in a right facing corner. The right hand wall is slick, so you have to watch your footwork. There are two cruxes. One at the bottom in the crack to the left [...]

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Yosemite
5 Open Books
The Cavern 5.8
4 pitches
October 22, 2007
O. Sofer, C. Sullivan and R. Gmoser
I would call this an adventure climb.  It mainly follows the corner of  the book.  There are exposed liebacks, bushwhacking over trees and the airy face or chimney moves around the cavern.  Its not a classic crack climb but it has a [...]

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Yosemite
Sunnyside Bench
Lazy Bum 5.10d
1 pitch
October 22, 2007
O. Sofer, C. Sullivan and R. Gmoser
This is mainly a finger crack climb with a few thin sections, especially at the top. There is a good rest and spot to put in some small pro before doing the last sequence. You can get in one more small [...]

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