Red River Gorge Suicide Run (ROCK CLIMBI NG)

“Just FYI in case anyone wants to join us.”

“Sounds like fun, Jimmy. Should be around the time that Dent (AT Thru hiker I met this last week) and his brother go to climb. If you see them, tell them I said 'hi'. :D

Oh, they'll be trad climbing . Look for them there.

Hmmmm, haven't been to RRG in a while. Maybe I need to make a trip down there.
last edited: 8/27/07 2:41:29 PM”

“added a few proposed routes but i am open to suggestions.”

“moved to fit the schedules of my buddies at the climbing gym... about 4-6 of us will be there saturday, weather permitting.”

“leaving tomorrow at 6pm from chicagoland, returning saturday evening...”

“One of these days...”

“good luck car shopping. think of me climbing while you fill out all that paperwork! haha!”

“Yep...Cannot decide between the blue, white, red or black van.”

“leaving at 5pm, totally stoked. went to the gym last night. i practiced changing lead at a belay station with one of my friends. we can't do it that quickly yet but it's fun to practice. we also played around with rope/webbing and setting "SERENE" climbing anchors.”

“climbing dorks!”

“I knew it....a mini van!!!!


OMG......

Think of the dieing iceburgs WK!!!”

“Think of watching porn all the way to the trailhead SC.”

“Porn is gross!”

“ok, so now you HAVE to change your mind about the nct hike... and you are driving. haha!”

“Speaking of, Jim.... We have to make arrangements! I'll give ya a call sometime next week lol”

“great weekend!

we wound up spending the entire day at left flank! tons of illegal campers and the sign was torn town (if you know what i mean). people suck. anyway, we got in at like 2am and the crew crashed in the car and i wandered back into the pitch black forest and camped at "my" legal camp site way back in the sticks. it was a cool clear and fantastic night! i just dropped my groundsheet on the ground, laid down, and tossed my quilt over the top. pure!

i climbed:

tr "mr bungle" 5.8+ (clean)
tr "fast food christians" 5.10a (clean)
tr "to defy the laws of tradition" 5.10a (hung twice, took 30' whipper from top!)
lead "brother stair 5.9" (hung on a draw once)

did a lot of belaying of course

my big whipper was a classic. the prior climber that lead didn't make it to the top so the TR wasn't set. so i climbed to the last set draw, hung once to get my arms back, then pushed for the top. i got up to make the clip but couldn't find a good spot that was balanced, so I dropped down (gently), rested and tried again. this time i found a bomber hold with the anchor off to my right an arms length away. my feet were on the edges of little pockets. anyway, i leaned over and pulled up a lot of slack to make the clip into the chain but fumbled to get my finger on the 'biner. i tried again, pulling out a little MORE slack. i had the rope in place, ready to pinch the rope into the gate when my hand (on the bomber anchor) just let go... it didn't hurt, it just said "ok, no more!" i tossed out the rope so i wouldn't get bound up in it and kicked off the wall. my buds told me it was a beautiful fall... perfect... at least 30 feet... i landed back on the wall and only swung a little but totally under control. i hung there and we all laughed our asses off then i started the climb again but my concentration was lost and my arms pumped. i highly recommend this climb to anyone going to left flank... it's really an outstanding line. it's simply a beautiful vertical surface pocked with two-finger holds and little relief for the feet. you have to boggie or you'll get pumped like i did... try to think a little less and climb on your instincts. the top is a slight overhang, this is where i fell, and the last clip was for me less than fun. in hindsight i should have made this one... next time!

i was really bummed that i hung on the draw on "brother stair" (5.9). it was near the end of the day and i was pretty tired. when i got back down to the bottom i realized that my barrier here was totally mental and i could have pushed through and made it. this was a real let down but there is always next time. this is a fun but easy climb.

i was stoked to climb the 5.10a clean. the last time i was there two months ago i struggled on this climb and didn't make it past the first move. this time the climbing was almost effortless and i sailed to the top. that climb has has a tough start, however, and it just gets easier and easier as you go up so it's not what i would consider a sustained 5.10a but still it's a clear and noticable improvement over two months ago. all that time in the gym paid off!

someone was taking photos so i'll post some pics.
last edited: 9/23/07 11:42:56 AM”

“congrats bro! I don't actually know what you were talking about sometimes but it sounds like you had a good time. Can't wait to see the pics!”

“my challenge right now is that all my climbing buddies want to ONLY climb "(F*CK greys arch, LET'S CLIMB") and all my hiking friends only want to hike... argh!”

“I would like to learn to climb, but as you know I have no gear and no real experience either.”

“sounds like when you started hiking... ;)”

“Jimmy, what climbing gym do you go to?

I worked in Naperville several years ago and there was a climbing gym across the parking lot from my office. I always had the desire to pick it up, but I really didn't have time to add one more hobby at that time.”

“I gotta admit... you got a point there. I was saying things like that about BP'ing about a year ago. I'm not ready ot give uo hiking though that's for sure. If I started climbing it would have to be mixed in with hiking. Maybe we could plan a trip to cut straight across the gorge, and just climb over any thing that got in the way instead of hiking around it...
Do they climb the face of Courthouse Rock? I really like camping up there.”

“...i have never looked into climbing courthouse rock.

hubcap: i use the climbing wall at Lifetime Fitness in Bloomingdale or Schaumburg and once in a while treat myself to a trip to VE in Warrenville (in the Lifetime Fitness out there).

you don't have to give up hiking to climb of visa versa. the two sets of skills complement each other.”

“So when you climb, do you wear a backpack or pull one up after you? I especially like camping in high open places. I have definately learned that.”

“i have never done this. i would prolly pull it up after the climb. big wall climbers (who could spend several nights on the wall) use a "haul bag" that is designed not to get snagged when you drag it up to where you are going to spend the night.”

“Maybe we could plan a trip to cut straight across the gorge, and just climb over any thing that got in the way instead of hiking around it... (captain jack)

goddamn... THE PATH OF GREATEST RESISTANCE... what a fracking great idea! i only just now read this captain jack. this is something i must do... what a great idea!

seriously (you know that i am)
last edited: 5/02/08 8:02:28 PM”

“pack a lunch”