Gripped e-Mag, Issue 2, Full Edition

November, 2006

In This Issue

Welcome to The Gripped e-Mag
Gripped Questions Greg Child
Better Beta - How Strong is Climbing Gear?
Winter Hot Spots
Booty

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Enjoying the world class ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies.
Photo Beat Kammerlander

The Gripped e-Mag

Welcome to the second issue of the Gripped e-Mag! Published monthly and full of interesting articles on climbing personalities, destinations, techniques and new gear that you won’t find in the magazine, the Gripped e-Mag is FREE and a great compliment to Gripped Magazine.

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Gripped Questions Greg Child

Greg Child is recognized as one of the world’s most talented climbers with significant ascents in the mountains and on rock. Not content with just climbing, his accomplishments in the literary world have yielded numerous well-received books. Greg takes a few moments with Gripped to discuss previous climbing accomplishments, future plans and the risks with taking a nap on K2.

Greg Child climbing Excommunication on The Priest.
Photo Jay Smith

Age, height, weight, and number of years climbing?

I don’t know many women who would answer such an impertinent question so I don’t see why someone of my gender should. Its got nothing to do with being sensitive about turning 50 next birthday, or about having a Napolean complex (though I am taller than Lynn Hill), nor does it have anything to do with being 35 lb heavier than I was when I was fighting- fit. As for how many years I have been climbing, the answer is 37.

What are your five most significant/memorable ascents and why?

1. Excommunication (2003), a free route on a desert tower called The Priest. It’s got 5 pitches, of 5.12b, 5.12c, 5.13a, 5.11c, 5.10d. I did the FA of that, going ground up, bolting off hooks, redpointing as the route got higher. Inspiration for this amazing arête and face climb came when I saw a Layton Kor photo in his old picture book, showing The Priest from a unique angle. I noticed a sheet of white calcite flowing over the sandstone, and I figured there might be a chance of a face route. It was one of the big prizes in my climbing career.
2. First ascent of Great Sail Peak in Baffin Island (1998). A huge wall north of the Arctic Circle, lots of hard nailing, done with Mark Synnott, Jared Ogden, Alex Lowe.
3. First Ascent of Shipton Spire, Pakistan (1996), with Greg Foweraker (CAN) and Chuck Boyd. This now-popular spire was relatively unknown when we did it. We did a direct line up a proud buttress, which we called the Baltese Falcon. It was so steep, for 36 pitches, that a waterfall of melting snow flowing from the summit slabs poured about 100 feet into the air behind us. We stopped about 50 ft shy of the final snowcap summit because the snow was neck-deep sugar and we were sinking in. Some people decided this negated our claim of a first ascent. “Fill yer boots,” was Foweraker’s response to these nabobs of negativism. The next year, Synnott and Ogden did their own new route on Shipton, and, finding less snow on the summit, could stand on the tippy top summit rock. But that made the summit shorter that year, didn’t it?
4. Wall of Shadows on Mount Hunter’s north face (1993), with Michael Kennedy. Some great mixed climbing up there, so good in fact I decided I didn’t really need to do much more of that for the rest of my life. We traversed the peak, via the west ridge, making for a long Alaskan outing.
5. K2 with Steve Swenson and Greg Mortimer (1990) and Gasherbrum IV (1986). I put them in together because they’re similarly masochistic high altitude experiences.
6. Aurora on El Cap (1981), with Peter Mayfield. I know you only asked for 5 ticks but this one was a good first ascent big wall, and I hear it still is regarded as a tricky climb despite its original A5 state having been pounded out of it.

You have been climbing for a long time. Did you ever think you would not make back from a route? What has kept you alive during all these years?

I came close to pushing the boat out too far a few times. On Trango Tower, Mark Wilford and I came very close to being squashed by a pillar of rock the size of an apartment block that fell off the wall about 200 ft from us. On K2 I bonked during the all-night descent from the summit and told my partner I would catch up after a nap. I only got back to the tent because Greg Mortimer thought that was ridiculous and he kicked me until I got up from the snow. On Gasherbrum IV, when Tim MaCartney-Snape, Tom Hargis and me bivvied without any gear except the clothes on our backs at 26,000 ft, I wondered if the cold would annihilate us. As for exactly what kept me alive, it was always a combination of luck, and having very good partners. Believe it or not, I consider myself a conservative climber when it comes to risk. I minimize my time in and on the mountains, the idea being, that by restricting my time in the mountains to specific goals, rather than feeling a need to be on every mountain, all the time, I reduce my overall risk. Quality, not quantity.

What are your thoughts on the current and evolving climbing styles in the mountains and on big walls?

It appears to be faster, harder, and better photographed.

Any recent ascents by other climbers that you think are significant milestones for climbing?

The Vince Edwards/Steve House route on Nanga Parbat takes the cake. In terms of style and commitment, it looked perfect to me.

What are your thoughts on all the free climbing taking place on El Cap?

Since El Cap is the quintessence of big wall climbing, then freeing those walls is the quintessence of climbing in general, or words to that effect. Tommy Caldwell should be knighted for his contribution to all of that.

You wrote Climbing - The Complete Reference. In your opinion, what do you feel are the three most significant ascents in climbing history and why.

I used to feel I knew the answers to such stuff, but climbing is such a broad topic now. Certainly the 1938 route on the Eigerwand is a landmark; Royal Robbins’ first solo big wall of El Cap via the Muir Wall is a major milestone too. In the Himalaya, there are a lot of balls-to-the-wall, death-before-dishonor climbs, but somehow the ultra-controversial German-speaking ascent of the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat, on which the Messner brothers summited and suffered their awful travails, contains a lot of the fine madness that makes mountaineering worth talking your kids out of pursuing. Those are all “big” routes. I’m unable to comment with authority on free climbing, though I once watched the Frenchman Patrick Edlinger win the world cup comp at Snowbird, and he climbed so poetically beautifully it looked like history was being made.

You have traveled and climbed extensively - what are your thoughts on how climbing and eco-tourism have impacted (and may impact) these remote areas?

Climbers, hikers, bikers, campers, trekkers, photographers, writers, motorized-recreation-vehicle riders, picnickers, and land managers all contribute to the demise of natural landscapes. If it’s a beautiful place worth visiting today, it’ll be popularized in a magazine (Fifty Secret Areas Revealed Now!), an interpretive trail will be paved into it, and it’ll buggered up tomorrow. I’ve contributed to that by writing about my adventures over the years, so I can’t complain too loudly. The impact I see in my home area in southeast Utah is ATV usage blazing trails into every bit of wilderness. Climbers have far less impact than that type of user, but climbers frequently get targeted as being hooligans for what they do. Bottom line is, all natural landscape would do better without humans being part of it - but we are not going away any time soon, are we?

You have written numerous well-received books - how did you get into writing and what are your thoughts current climbing literature?

I seldom read climbing literature these days, because literature is long and life is short. I started writing bad junk quite young and perfected my junk into something that was publishable by the mid-90s. I have tricked enough editors into thinking this junk is worth paying for that I even have a few books full of the stuff. Note that nearly all my junk is about climbing, indicating a lack of broader experience or imagination.

What advice do you have for aspiring climbing writers?

Do as your editor says, rewrite rewrite rewrite, distance your ego from your writing, when writing about climbing avoid writing too much about the climb, and take the money and run.

Any new writing projects?

The moment I get over writers’ block and change my daughter’s diaper I’ll get back to my memoir.

Future climbing plans?

Going to Guyana and the big mesas (called tepuis) that rise out of the Amazonian jungle, with Mark Synnott and Jared Ogden, in November. This is a joint venture by The North Face (who I have worked with for over ten years) and Rush TV, who’ll film us wallowing in the rain forest and peeling leeches from ourselves. It should be a good laugh.

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Better Beta

How Strong is Climbing Gear?

Kolin Powick is the Quality Assurance Manager at Black Diamond. A mechanical engineer originally from Canada, he now calls Salt Lake City home. On his off time he belays his wife while she warms up on his projects and he tests the real world durability of climbing gear.

(Disclaimer - The comments below are Kolin Powick’s and not authorized nor sanctioned by any business, person or other entity. These opinions and comments do not replace individual judgment nor the strength rating and testing results provided by manufacturers and distributors of the products discussed. Climbing is dangerous.)

Everyone has been talking about the recent Todd Skinner accident where his belay loop broke during a rappel. You have tested belay loop strengths. What were your findings?

Todd’s death is obviously tragic and there are many unanswered questions: how old was his harness, was it exposed to anything unusual, what kind of use did it see during and previous to that day? Without these answers, I can’t comment specifically, however, I can say that I’ve tested many harnesses and belay loops. My recent tests of purposely-damaged belay loops had interesting results, but remember that these tests are not conclusive or complete. The purpose was to show how strong belay loops are, and the bottom line is that belay loops are burly.

Here are some of the results. Below are some photos of the different belay loops (before they were pulled to failure) and their tested values:

(Disclaimer - These tests were performed on new belay loops with a slow “static” pull. Photos Kolin Powick)

50% cut through - one side: 3480 lbf

Aproximately 75% cut through - both sides: 2918 lbf

Aproximately 90% cut through - both sides: 777 lbf

2 of 4 tacks cut: 3970 lbf

All tacks heavily abraded across file surface: 5280 lbf

Structural webbing heavily abraded across file surface: 4805 lbf

All tacks heavily abraded across file surface: 5338 lbf

All tacks heavily abraded across file surface: 7429 lbf

For complete results go to QC with KP “off the record”.

So why shouldn’t I ignore the belay loop completely and just clip directly into my two tie-in points?

Years ago I belayed through both tie-in points, and then a guide suggested I belay using the belay loop - that’s why it’s called a belay loop.

I now prefer belaying and rappelling off the belay loop for the following reasons:

1. My brake hand is oriented down and not out when braking
2. The belay biner and ATC or GriGri are slightly away from my body. This setup is clean and allows you to easily check that everything is oriented correctly.
3. No chance of tri-axial loading of the carabiner.

The tie-in points on most harnesses have a tough fabric covering to protect them from abrasion. Pulling the rope through during tying in, taking whippers and even threading a belay biner can easily contribute to the wear of your tie-in points.

On the other hand, belay loops are only designed for belaying/rappelling. They typically don’t see the same amount of wear and therefore don’t need the same protective layer. They are just as strong, or stronger than a single tie-in point but are specifically designed for use with your belay/rappel device.

Tie into your tie-in points, belay off your belay loop - that makes sense to me.

There was a well-publicized accident where a climbing rope broke. You did some testing on the rope and came up with some shocking results. What did you find?

This is the short version. A climber fell at a rock gym, his rope broke approximately 8 ft from the end and he hit the deck but was not injured. An extensive investigation found that the rope was contaminated with sulphuric acid. I was initially skeptical, but the lab reports don’t lie. How the rope got contaminated is unclear - most likely from a car battery. This accident opened my eyes regarding climbing gear storage and inspection.

The full report can be found on my webpage.

What about fixed draws? How long can they stay up before they should be replaced?

There are many variables which effect the strength of nylon and/or spectra including but not limited to: moisture, sun exposure, duration of use and abrasion.

My findings so far have been that quickdraws weaken with time. In most cases they are still strong enough to withstand the forces seen in typical sport climbing falls, but I have heard of old worn quickdraws breaking during whippers. The type of material, amount of exposure, amount of abrasion and wear all play contributing roles here.

When it comes to fixed gear one of the biggest problems I see is sticky gates. If the gate doesn’t close all the way you’re now looking at an open-gate scenario. Biners are typically from one half to one third as strong with the gate open.

So how long should fixed draws stay up before being replaced? I don’t think anyone can give a definitive answer, so I fall back on the safety conscious mantra - when in doubt, switch it out. It really is a small price to pay for piece of mind and safety.

What programs has BD implemented to assure the quality and safety of BD gear?

Our own Quality Assurance Department is Black Diamond’s second biggest consumer of climbing gear - we test both during product development and production phases.

1. Development
   During this period we devise standards that gear is required to meet. These often begin with the the CE standards which are considered the absolute minimum. We also create a comprehensive internal list of requirements for all new products including ultimate strength, cyclic requirements, wear characteristics, environmental concerns, usability, performance in the field etc. When prototypes are ready, they are field tested to gain real world data. Only when all these procedures and tests are completed successfully will a new product be ready for production.

2. Production
   Once a product is in the production phase and being manufactured, there are three main categories of testing that BD performs: RM (Raw Material), WIP (Work in Process), and Batch (final batch).

• RM Testing
  When raw material comes into the building, we test and qualify it before it is received into the stockroom. Materials tested include cable for stoppers and cams, all webbing, cast parts for ice tools, etc.

• WIP Testing
  During the manufacturing process, we perform tests mid-stream to ensure the machinery is set-up accurately and products are being manufactured to spec.

• Batch Testing
  When a manufacturing order is complete, we will take a random sampling and perform destructive testing. These values are compared to the CE minimum requirements, our internal requirements, as well as typical production results. This ensures that the product maintains the minimum required values and also allows us to track our manufacturing processes.

People may ask, “Why does BD test so much?” There are two reasons:

1. Our top priority is to make safe, quality gear so that our customers can enjoy great outdoor experiences,
2. So I can sleep at night.

Enough about work. So what routes are you working on right now?

My wife, Ellen, and I will be spending the winter in southern Utah crimping on perfect limestone - with the odd weekend of desert cracks, and some fun ice thrown in for good measure. I’ve done most of the routes in the areas that I can do. Now I’m working on routes I can’t do. I’m really good at taking monster whippers.

How about your wife?

Ellen warms up on my projects then goes on to even harder things. She’s really strong and is a great climber for sure - but I get no credit - I have amazing belay skills!

You can read more about Kolin’s tests at his webpage.

We originally planned to run a second sport anchor threading article but in light of the recent tragic death of Todd Skinner (possibly due to equipment failure), we decided it was more timely to examine some preconceived notions about the strength of climbing gear. - Ed

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Winter Hot Spots

Rock climbing destination options during the winter months are limited. Instead of suffering another season training in you basement or battling the hordes in Bishop, consider a trip to one of these foreign winter climbing hotspots.

El Potrero Chico, Mexico

With its easy access by car or plane, perfect weather and incredible limestone walls, it’s no surprise that El Portrero Chico is a regular winter destination for many North American climbers. Located just across the American border in Mexico, El Portrero Chico offers an amazing climbing experience with single and multi-pitch sport climbing at all grades. Accommodations are similarly impressive with excellent facilities available at Homero's and the Rancho Cerro Gordo. The best season in El Portrero is between November and March with classic desert conditions - comfortable climbing temps during the day and cool evenings.

For more information check out:
Rancho Cerro Gordo
El Potrero Chico

Cuba

Until recently, the only reason to visit the Worker’s Paradise was to lie on a beach and smoke cigars. That changed in the late 90s with the re-discovery and development of the high quality limestone cliffs. The island now boasts hundreds of routes that will keep visiting climbers occupied for weeks. Unlike many sport climbing destinations, the large number of moderate climbs ensures that even beginners will enjoy themselves. Airfare to the island from Canada is very affordable and many companies provide holiday charter packages. Remember, Fidel’s health is failing and the inevitable coup by Ronald McDonald will eventually jack up the prices.

For more information check out:
Cuba Climbing

New Zealand

For the dedicated boulderer, New Zealand seems like a dream come true. With its endless fields of surreal boulders, it’s no surprise that The Lord of The Rings trilogy was filmed here. Being in the southern hemisphere, the weather patterns are the opposite of what we experience in North American and therefore ideal during our winter months. Unlike many of the more established bouldering and climbing destinations, New Zealand is relatively undiscovered. You won’t find polished holds, trashed out areas and queues on classic problems. Although airfare is daunting, the pristine areas and superb climbing easily justify an extended stay.

For more information check out:
Mojo Zone

Thailand

More than one climber has arrived with the intention of climbing some of Thailand’s seven hundred or so routes only to succumb to the area’s beaches and relaxed lifestyle. If you can stay focused, Thailand is an outstanding limestone climbing area and an even better winter holiday destination. The beach, ocean and casual atmosphere are an ideal alternative to a winter of snow, sleet and short daylight hours. The recent political unrest initially created some travel concerns but the climbing areas are unaffected and neither the American nor Canadian governments are discouraging travel there.

For more information check out:
Climbing Railay Beach

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Booty

Edelrid Eddy

The Grigri was the first auto-locking device that actually worked and even after 15 years on the market, it’s still the benchmark for performance, safety and ease of use. Recently, various manufacturers have entered the autolocking market hoping to supplant Petzl’s dominance, and although they all offered some improvements, they fell short of the mark when it came to matching the Grigri’s overall performance.

The new Eddy may be the first legitimate alternative. It feeds rope easily and catches with absolute security. Lowering with the Eddy is also a joy. It’s very controllable and handles heavy and light climbers with equal ease. One feature that makes the Eddy unique is a panic lock off mode when lowering. If a belayer holds the lever in the fully open position the device locks off just as if it were catching a fall. Moving the lever slightly forward releases the lock to resume normal lowering. The hand sequence and position for feeding and taking in rope is different than with a Grigri, but it is natural and can be mastered in a few minutes. With the proliferation of thin single ropes on the market, Edelrid wisely designed the Eddy to accommodate cords down to 9 mm. In our extended tests we found that the Eddy lived up to the thin rope compatibility claims. It caught and held falls securely and with no rope creep. We also tested the Eddy for rappelling and ascending and were impressed with the how well it worked. The only concern was weight. This device is heavy and not ideal for extended backcountry climbing, but as long as you stay on easily accessible single pitch climbs, you will have no complaints.

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Contest of the Month

Now you can win a pair of brand new Edelrid Live Wire 8 mm 50 m half ropes, valued at approximately $200, by subscribing to the FREE Gripped e-Mag. Simply forward us your email address to be entered for the draw that will take place on December 1, 2006. Enter as often as you like, just as long as you provide a new valid email for a friend that would also like to receive the Gripped e-Mag for each new entry. Offer closes November 30, 2006.

Enter yourself or a friend HERE

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