Trip Report
Excalibur, Less Talk, More Action
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Saturday July 23, 2011 6:55pm
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hollyclimber
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About the Author
Excalibur was Holly Beck's 25th El Cap route and 34th ascent. For partner Erik Eriksson it was 53 and 55. Climb dates: Fix free first 4 on July 6, 2011, climb July 11-16 2011. |
Comments
ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:10pm PT
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good TR, would like to get on that next season
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:11pm PT
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Awesome, Holly, Thanks for sharin'!
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ElCapPirate
Big Wall climber
Ogden, Utah
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:57pm PT
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It was cool to have some neighbors on that side of the wall. GREAT JOB, Holly and Erik. Sorry about the loud screaming coming from the Great Slab... all hell was breaking loose. LOL
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
El Portal, CA
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Author's Reply
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:20pm PT
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No Worries! Its a battlefield up there at time! Hugs,HB
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freerider
climber
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:21pm PT
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Nice! Thanks again for lending the gumbies gear - I would've liked to use it more than once, but it was not to be.
cheers!
ps.i gave it to dave t, just in case i would not see you before you leave.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
Wyoming
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:23pm PT
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Really strong imagery and what an insanely beautiful route, Holly. I love that you have really good shots of yourself and partner. So often we don't even get a clue what the climbers really look like. Nice Nice and thanks tons. Your partner is unnamed...and oh, a better shot of Wookie also.
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:23pm PT
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Some of the best photography I've seen in any trip report.
Really motivating to see your efforts.
Excellent TR!
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Highlife
Trad climber
California
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:30pm PT
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Holly, you definitly look like you mean buisness in you "after pitch 14" pic. Good job again!
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
El Portal, CA
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Author's Reply
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:32pm PT
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Partner is Erik Eriksson.
This is Wookie! Right after fixing we headed to Ventura for the dog show (she won)
Chillin at Motel 6 - a dogs favorite out of town digs.
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:35pm PT
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Nice! Always wanted to do that route.
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
Wilds of New Mexico
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:40pm PT
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Really nice TR, thanks! Our dogs love motel 6 as well.
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Jul 23, 2011 - 07:48pm PT
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Nice pics, love the Wyyyde!
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
On the road.
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Jul 23, 2011 - 10:44pm PT
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I met Holly on my way down from my first ZM attempt this spring and was surprised at how tiny she is! I was expecting a burley big wall mama! I surmised that there must be a lot of power tucked into that little frame!
Good work, Holly! You too EE!
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Tork
climber
Yosemite
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Jul 23, 2011 - 09:01pm PT
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Nice job Holly!
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Dirka
Trad climber
Hustle City
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Jul 23, 2011 - 11:08pm PT
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Bump!
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 24, 2011 - 12:11am PT
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25th and 53rd routes - nice job.
I loved Exacalibur, particularly the Round Table and Frosty's Claustrophobic Bivi.
There is a giant cave partway up that you could aid up into, and be dry in even the most savage storm.
Tom started making his Valley Giants for our ascent of Excalibur, and here they are again. Superb cams, those.
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
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Jul 24, 2011 - 03:41am PT
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love the picture's.
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Captain...or Skully
climber
Boise, ID
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Jul 24, 2011 - 08:59am PT
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Right on, Holly! I can dig it.
TFPU!!!
That's a huge dog.
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namascar
Trad climber
Pasadena, CA
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Jul 24, 2011 - 11:07am PT
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Do you have a photo of the Round Table?
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
El Portal, CA
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Author's Reply
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Jul 24, 2011 - 11:43am PT
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I don't have any Roundtable pics. Its on the Freerider so other users out there must have some that they could post up?
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Captain...or Skully
climber
Boise, ID
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Jul 24, 2011 - 11:49am PT
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You might consider a post to the Bigwall board, Holly.
The small fire folk love this stuff. It'll keep it from getting lost in the din, too.
Cheers!
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 24, 2011 - 01:38pm PT
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You guys look amazingly bundled for a July El Cap wall! Was it really that cold up there?
Man, I climbed the whole A.O. Wall in a pair of shorts last month, it was so warm. Lucky you guys for cool summer weather!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Jul 24, 2011 - 03:38pm PT
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Infrickingcredible!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Jul 24, 2011 - 04:04pm PT
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Thanks Holly, and Erik - a fine report!
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Prezwoodz
climber
Anchorage
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Jul 24, 2011 - 04:11pm PT
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Great trip report! As a second note I notice that Erik is attached only by what looks like a Yates adjustable daisy? I have a friend here in town who has spent some time working with Yosar and noted that while there they recorded some fatalaties due to failures in the Yates adjustables. Maybe there is some documenation on this or extra information?
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Prod
Trad climber
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Jul 24, 2011 - 06:39pm PT
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Nice job.
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ec
climber
ca
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Jul 24, 2011 - 07:52pm PT
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Nice! Good to see ya out there still Erik!
 ec
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 24, 2011 - 08:05pm PT
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Prez - Yates adjustable daisies are the bomb for climbing, but they are really nothing more than a strap and a buckle. They are no substitute for being tied into a rope or full-strength sling, because if you take a hard fall onto them - or any other adjustable daisy like Metolius or Fish - they will break.
Be very very careful when crawling around on the belay attached by nothing else. If you factor 2 onto one, it will break.
That being said, I do it all the time. However I have taken to climbing with a "third arm" - a third adjustable daisy so that I can always be attached with two. This is good if you're not tied in, or while climbing hard aid and testing from tenuous gear.
I would like to hear of the YOSAR stories, as it is certainly pilot error. And I have never heard of such failures.
Also, which photo do you mean?
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Zander
climber
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Jul 24, 2011 - 08:16pm PT
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Great pics Holly!
Thanks for posting.
Zander
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D.Eubanks
Big Wall climber
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Jul 24, 2011 - 09:04pm PT
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It's nice to see pics of a route that doesn't get done much.
Thanks Holly.
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
El Portal, CA
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Author's Reply
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Jul 25, 2011 - 12:51pm PT
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Erik and I were always tied in, never just on one daisy. Are you talking about "morning at belay 20"? Our lead line is green. You can see his tie in at his belay loop. Green mammut supersafe. I am not aware of any fatalities related to a Yates Daisy. Only one whipper from the Sheep Ranch due to a failure of a Metolius Daisy, no YOSAR rescue involved (but a broken ankle to Pete yes).
Perhaps you are thinking of the Daisy Chain strength information presented by Rigging for Rescue in their classes, which we in YOSAR often participate in and which they often hold in Yosemite. Their testing shows a very low breaking strength for all daisy chains.
http://www.riggingforrescue.com/files/Download/Rigging%20for%20Rescue%20-%20Daisy%20Chains%20-%202005.pdf
That is why you are most likely to see YOSAR folks using a purcell prussik as a personal anchor when free climbing, not a daisy chain. Aid climbing requires the use of daisy chains and we try not to shock load them!
HB
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tahoe523
Trad climber
Station Wagon, USA
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Jul 25, 2011 - 11:50am PT
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Incredible work by a pair of incredible climbers! Wow. I wish your TR had more narration. Us aspiring big wall climbers drool over the backstory of hard routes we can only dream of. Thanks for sharing the photos. Amazing!
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dogtown
Trad climber
Cheyenne, Wyoming and Marshall Islands atoll.
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Jul 24, 2011 - 09:56pm PT
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Nice work Holly! Pretty Dog, How old is she? She looks the real proud type in the pic.
Cheers DT.
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Gagner
climber
Boulder
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Jul 24, 2011 - 10:16pm PT
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Awesome TR Holly, and great shots. Always wanted to do that route ..... too many routes to do, too little time.
Hi to Erik!!!!
Paul
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jul 25, 2011 - 01:33am PT
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Great stuff! Thanks for sharing.
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hollyclimber
Big Wall climber
El Portal, CA
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Author's Reply
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Jul 25, 2011 - 11:51am PT
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Hi Dogtown- My doggy is 10 months in that picture exactly. Still growing. So she alternates between regal and silly puppy.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Jul 25, 2011 - 02:43pm PT
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Nice job Holly and EE!
Looks Thuglike in those big corners.
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J. Werlin
Social climber
Cedaredge, CO
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Jul 26, 2011 - 06:42pm PT
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Very cool. You are an inspiration Holly.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Nov 23, 2015 - 07:07pm PT
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Bump for beta begging.
Can you share thought on how accurate the ST recommened rack for pins, heads, and such? Any other rack beta beyond heaps of big cams?
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Nov 23, 2015 - 08:12pm PT
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Great photos !!
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Nov 23, 2015 - 09:28pm PT
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Beautiful
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johntp
Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
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Nov 23, 2015 - 10:02pm PT
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Bump for beta begging.
Take the dawg. He can rope gun all the pitches.
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona
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Nov 24, 2015 - 03:37am PT
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Nice TR, the rock up there is very interesting. What happened to get the skint nose?
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7SacredPools
Trad climber
Ontario, Canada
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Nov 24, 2015 - 04:52am PT
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Terrific pics. thanks for sharing!
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overwatch
climber
Arizona
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Nov 24, 2015 - 06:33am PT
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Agree with everyone, great pictures. Pretty funny gaffing Erik Eriksson on his tie-in.
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Nov 24, 2015 - 08:27am PT
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You know what I like, besides the cool route photos? I like seeing all of that grass and plant life still there after many ascents. I always look for that on pics of routes that I have done or have seen older photos of.
Climbers do a lot of damage to the cliff ecosystem, but wall climbers seem to keep it to a minimum. Probably because they don't need to clean every inch, like free and sport climbers do.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Nov 24, 2015 - 10:24am PT
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Thanks for the bumps. What a superb set of pictures and TR in general.
John
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Nov 24, 2015 - 01:49pm PT
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WOOT!
Throw that Dodgers hat in a trash bin! Aside from that a great report! :)
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