Calling All Trad Climbers - "Clean & Climb a Classi

[peter]

"Clean & Climb a Classic" - Main Face

Who would be interested in spending a day at Main Face, with multiple ropes, each cleaning and then climbing a (at least) classic trad pitch? I am talking 5.8 - 5.9 routes, which have deteriorated with moss and grit, and therefore don't get climbed as much as they should.

Of late I have climbed three old classic (1980s) 5.8ish climbs, "Ecstasy", "Hurricane" and "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde", and found both partially, nearly or completely overgrown from lack of traffic.

Something needs to be done, or these routes will just not be worth climbing anymore, or at least not without a brush, safety glasses, and a painter's mask.

These are just two examples of fun enough routes at Main Face, fun for a relaxed day out, or great to try for those new to trad climbing, wanting to place gear and test their metal, but who have already climbed "Popcorn" and "Into the Blue".

The idea is as follows:

- find a common weekend in the next four weeks, good for as many existing and wannabe trad climbers as possible, and car pool to Main Face;
- choose as many classic, two or three star routes as we have ropes and brushes for;
- have each rope give the rope a good top-down scrub on rappel;
-proceed to lead climb in sequence as many of the freshly scrubbed routes as possible that day;
- take a swim in Pace's Lake, to get all the grit, moss and wood out of our eyes and orifices;
-retire to some fine local establishment for steak and a beer.

How many people/ropes could we get together, and what are the best to worse dates foreseeable? (We would "rain date" it to the next weekend.)

[Scooter]

I'm in, and have a rope.

[Nate]

I'm in too. I've got a rope and I definitly have some favorites that need a good scrub. Conan looks like a festering, vertical, swamp. I'd like to try popcorn after this all this rain to wash away the mess that jeremy and I left on it. That second pitch should be like a whole new climb.
Nate

[ben smith]

I'd be stoked if it was on a sunday- I'm in at the gym most saturdays- I some of the CNS cleaning gear- a brush a static rope and some other miscellaneous goodies which will be available regardless of whether or not I can get out. Peter give me a call or a pm and I can get you the gear.
Thanks for taking up the slack and helping out to everyone who get involved and to peter for organizing this.

[Zamboni]

Good call,

I'm in, and CNS will provide all the brushes and Gloves. But I'll put this in the mix of things. Who would be up for making a hole weekend out of it. Friday eve to sunday afternoon? Should CNS rent out the cabin at the top of main face?

CB.

[tracstarr]

bring a freakin tent. CNS doesn't need to waste money on that.

[Rich]

Great! I'm definately in
-rich

[Danger]

I'm in if it's the 23rd/24th weekend.
I have car and rope.

Roger

[Scooter]

Im in for the 30th 1st
23rd is the stones

[The Teth]

Sounds like a great idea. Since I am still into that aid climbing thing I might opt to clean from the bottom up. Solo aid lead and clean as I go. I could also really use a lift from Dartmouth out to Main Face and back the same day. I don’t think I am up for an overnight stay. I am not available on the 24th , otherwise I am open as long as I have enough advanced notice.

Teth

[Zamboni]

I vote to change my vote.. I've got stone thickets.. Last weekend!

Cb

[peter]

Hmmm. I can do the Saturday of the last weekend, but not the Sunday (start a four day trial Monday and can't be shattered).

Who is up for Saturday September 30? Yeah or Nay?

[Nate]

yay

[Scooter]

yay

[Zamboni]

ya ya.

[The Teth]

Yay!!!

[ben smith]

man I'm stuck in the gym pretty much every saturday- is anyone stoked to go out climbing and cleaning all friday night- or head out super early saturday morning, like 3 or 4 in the morning?

[peter]

So, let's go with Saturday September 30/06, say a 9:00 a.m. rendez-vous.

A brilliant idea would be to car-pool from the location that we want to return to after grabbing a beer and steak at the end of the day, such as a parking lot near a good pub.

Somewhere downtown Halifax, or MicMac Beverage Room in Dm, or what?

And who is going to clean with Ben with a headlamp on, so he doesn't miss any gym time?! Ben, the gym is only for days when you just can't climb outside.

Peter

[seanT]

I would love to attend but...alas dont think ill be able to make it. I do however have a shitload of static line that I would donate to the cause for rapping and such. It is at Ground Zero in huge yellow dry bags. Who ever is incharge of this day just let me know.
Cheers
Sean "new daddy"T

[Danger]

Yarr!....by that I mean nay... I'm afraid I'm out of town

[ben smith]

man peter but that huge lamp in the sky burns my pasty gym rat body, think of my poor retinas- ill adapted to the higher energy wave lengths of natural light.



ha- no man I have to work in the gym or I'd be there during the day- come on somebody man up- I'll bring beer. Jeremy? Cassidy? Stevo?
where are the hardmen at?

[Stevo]

Been at North Conway for the last week. I'll come out for some route cleaning whenever. Have a new route to try too.

Stevo

[The Mitt]

I am totally in. Anyday that I'm not working.

Mitt

[The Teth]

With me and Conan changing our votes we should be up to at least 50% for the 30th. Too bad we can’t reset the poll.

Since I am thinking of cleaning on aid lead, I am looking for some suggestions of what I should tackle. I am looking for something sustained (as in not too many ledges) and with frequent gear placements. A nice continuous crack system would be perfect.

On looking through the guide I thought some possible candidates might be:
E-Gully:
Enchantment [5.9],
Ecstasy [5.8] (says mossy in the book),
North Buttress:
Mainline (pitch 1) [5.8],
Direct Line [5.8],
Central Section:
Oskar [5.9],
Mr. Puff Area:
Don’t Let Go [5.10]

I am not familiar with any of these routes. Are any of them clean already? Any that really need cleaning? Any that someone else wants to clean themselves?

As for meeting location I vote for Neighbours’s Pub (just off of Portland St. in Dartmouth) as it is walking distance from my house. No? ....well are their any good pubs along Main Street? If it has to be Halifax, I suppose I can take the ferry over. Or how about the Old Triangle in down town Dartmouth (across the street from the Alderney Gate ferry terminal)?

Teth

[The Mitt]

I would say Ecstasy, Oscar is pretty clean. It sees traffic. E is pretty dirty but looks like a great climb and would be sustained on aid gear I guess.

Mitt

[peter]

I will start a new thread on this topic, re routes and location to rendez vous. P.