Trip Report
A Chilly Half Dome With My Daughter
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Tuesday January 10, 2012 2:33pm
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Trip Report Views: 10,258 |
Jim Herson
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About the Author
Jim Herson is a climber from Emerald Hills, CA. |
Comments
survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Jan 10, 2012 - 02:38pm PT
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Wow. Wow. Wow.
YOU GUYS ROCK TOO HARD!
I tremble at your feet.
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Jan 10, 2012 - 02:49pm PT
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way to haul your dad up that route Kara !
there's a bit more sun on the big formation across the way, called el cap - is that next?
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Jan 10, 2012 - 02:56pm PT
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Too cool! I love your TR's!
John
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Scraptee
Trad climber
Tacoma
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Jan 10, 2012 - 02:58pm PT
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Jim,
Great trip report, but I had to read it twice to be sure I was really understanding what you did, when you did it and who you partner was. I'm 61 and house-trained. How about adopting me?
Terry
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jan 10, 2012 - 03:25pm PT
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Way to go, Jim and Kara!
I thought you'd be back.
Excellent upgrade on the logistics.
Good luck on deciding on what comes first on El Cap - Salathe' or Nose :-)
Of course you can delay this tough one by scampering up the Lost Arrow Chimney, West Face of El Cap, etc.
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jfailing
Trad climber
PDX
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Jan 10, 2012 - 03:00pm PT
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her entire knowledge of Valley climbs has been filtered through me. And I'm like the Fox News of climbing beta. What I lack in objectivity I more than make up for in partisan enthusiasm.
Hilarious! Great TR - really enjoyed it. Thanks!
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nutjob
Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
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Jan 10, 2012 - 03:05pm PT
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Stunning!
Either you and your son have dopplegangers, or I saw you last Sunday on the flanks of Stately Pleasure. I was nursing two scamperers on top-rope up the approach slabs that you and your son 4th-classed to avoid our ropes?
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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Jan 10, 2012 - 03:33pm PT
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Great report, what a memory for your daughter and you. No jumars? Does she tension up sections or use aiders? Climb 5.12?
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jan 10, 2012 - 04:32pm PT
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Dood, aren't you afraid someone from Child Protective Services is
gonna see this thread?
Whoa- Kore Kid!
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A5scott
Trad climber
NE Philly, PA
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Jan 10, 2012 - 11:40pm PT
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amazing report Jim... thanks for sharing!
scott
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WBraun
climber
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Jan 10, 2012 - 11:57pm PT
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Jim Herson: not only the best el cap free climber that is the least known, but maybe the best TR writer out there!
I agree ....
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Double D
climber
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Jan 11, 2012 - 12:53am PT
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Wow... that's impressive. Wouldn't want to face the in-laws though.
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E Robinson
Trad climber
Salinas, CA
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Jan 11, 2012 - 01:40am PT
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Too cool. Kudos on the hat, gloves, jackets, and headlamp. Can't sait for the Lost Arrow report.
E
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Jan 11, 2012 - 02:36am PT
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Absolutely stellar. Way to make my day after Snake Dike trip seem like an utter waste of time, effort and testosterone. From one dad to another, congrats on a successful father/daughter mission. We were in the neighborhood at the same time, sharin' the same dome on New Year's Eve/Day.
You guys were a few hours early. You were the last ones on Half Dome for 2011. We were the first of 2012. We win. Take that.
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/The-Gift-New-Years-Eve-and-A-Long-Day-on-Half-Dome/t11321n.html
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Jan 11, 2012 - 07:17am PT
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Fantastic TR! Still want to do that route with my son, but he is a bit older than your adorable daughter.
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Tony Bird
climber
Northridge, CA
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Jan 11, 2012 - 07:49am PT
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check out the rest of his website.
"some pig ... some spider" -- e.b. white
some family.
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Dos XX
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jan 11, 2012 - 08:44am PT
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You two are the coolest! 'Nuff said.
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YoungGun
climber
North
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Jan 11, 2012 - 09:14am PT
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This TR makes me question the wisdom of my choice not to reproduce.
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Jan 11, 2012 - 11:06am PT
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wow this is awesome, thank you for sharing!
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Macronut
Trad climber
Fresno, Ca
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Jan 11, 2012 - 11:18am PT
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Too bad our paths didn't cross. Would of loved to top out with you guys! It was a beautiful day in the mountains.
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wayne burleson
climber
Amherst, MA
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Jan 11, 2012 - 12:05pm PT
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I suppose it was inevitable.
You are thorough...
Way to exploit the weird weather...
The most memorable part may be the caching of the child...
And the flight back East...
Happy New Year!
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Jan 11, 2012 - 01:44pm PT
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Jim, had to come back for another read.
Just a note to throw in with the grandmothers a little.
First, I applaud your effort and skills and your daughters toughness and attitude. I agree that not reversing the slabs at night was the right thing to do. I have seen strong people struggle on them in daylight.
I myself almost surfed off a cliff once when a loose flake took off with me on it. So hoofing the long trail was the right thing to do.
You are obviously an accomplished guy, so I won't rant or be rude.
But, you were surfing the razors edge with your daughter in tow.
What if something had happened to dad, like a fall or a dislocated knee or any other of about a million things that can go wrong?
Bad things sometimes happen in the mountains, and that is a mighty high and cold place to be paying the bills, that's all I'm saying.
That being said, I've done more than my fair share of bone head moves, so I'm no judge.
Congratulations on a supreme day.
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aspendougy
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jan 11, 2012 - 03:50pm PT
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These are always great trip reports.........Jim, it is possible to say no to a son, but your daughter.........they pretty much call the shots, don't they?
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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Jan 11, 2012 - 03:54pm PT
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Left speechless once again by you two, who together have got to be considered THE most incredibly kick-ass team of the year.
My guess is that for many of us parents reading along there is a blend of Survival's sentiment, well-expressed, and utter admiration. Just like he's saying. And yet you two seem super competent and at no point over your heads or even close to it. It's so far out there - in a good way - that it leaves us gripped and exhilarated at once.
Said it before, but I'd love to read one of these sends from Kara's perspective.
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Jim Herson
climber
Emerald Hills, CA
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Author's Reply
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Jan 11, 2012 - 06:26pm PT
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Survival,
It's hard to argue that a winter HDIAD with a 12 yo isn't pushing it.
Was it worth it just to share a few warm memories and a smile with her when I'm a doddering old fool? I hope so. Maybe I'm rationalizing but on an absolute scale it was a much less risky climb than my first time up HD as a group of 3 completely green gumbies. How we didn't win a Darwin award for that trip is beyond baffling!
As far as the freak, what-if scenarios, a car careened out of control and killed two people in front of us on the drive back from LA. Does that make having visited Aunt Pat to eat birthday cake unnecessarily risky? To answer we need an equation:
EV = (1-P)*X
where
EV = Expected Value
P = Probability of car crash
X = Joy of eating birthday cake
or
EV = Expected Value
P = Probability of slipping on HD
X = Joy of climbing with my daughter
In both cases P is small and X is huge.
-Jim
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Cancer Boy
Trad climber
Freedonia
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Jan 11, 2012 - 07:28pm PT
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Superhuman! You two are in a class with Charlie Porter and Walter Bonatti. Will you regret this on your death bed? No freaking way.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Jan 11, 2012 - 07:29pm PT
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Kudos to a phenomenal TR and congratulations on the adventure with your daughter Kara.
I am glad Survival brought up the inherent concern with winter and cold and the need to move fast and light and the possibility, or as you justly stated, probability of "minor" problems. We always think of the things that can go wrong on a minor level such as a dislocated shoulder that can develop into a major scenario rapidly.
Your quick response is to be commended as you have obviously thought through such potential scenarios and made a go of it in your own style and fashion. Quite a team you have assembled. Difficult to conceive of anything more enjoyable than adventuring with my own daughter.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jan 11, 2012 - 09:38pm PT
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Proud ascent! Very few can send a Grade VI in a day in winter, and without ascenders. How did she second all those pitches?
Some dad you are. Every leader should leave pro for his second on a traverse!
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cmclean
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Jan 11, 2012 - 11:08pm PT
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Thanks for the great TR! Your previous writings about working the Salathe were very inspirational to me as I was gearing up to climb El Cap, and these recent ones are possibly more amazing.
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YoungGun
climber
North
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Jan 11, 2012 - 11:30pm PT
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Expected value is the value of various outcomes weighted by their probability. The weights (probabilities) have to sum to one. So it should be:
EV = (1-P)*X1 + P*X2
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Jan 11, 2012 - 11:25pm PT
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Thanks for the response Jim.
P is bigger than we think, much of the time, but I do appreciate your response.
I have taken a lot of people up things that were out of their league, but well below my limit, so I know how competent and strong I can feel on a given day.
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the goat
climber
Mazama, WA
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Jan 11, 2012 - 11:49pm PT
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Absolutely amazing! I'm sharing this with my daughters in the hope that they will drag my sorry arse up HD or south crack sometime soon.
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Trad Climber
Trad climber
Alexandria, VA
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Jan 12, 2012 - 12:49pm PT
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Being the father of an 11 year old daughter who is pretty tough and climbs I am blown away your girl can manage the hike up and down in a day let alone the NW face!
I'd second PTPP's question too: How does she second all the pitches with jumars? Is she free climbing most of the zig zags?
Having done some much easier routes with my girl (necessary to stay within my zone of competence with kid in tow) I can only imagine the bond you guys must have.
Truly amazing.
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laurel arndt
Trad climber
phoenix
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Jan 13, 2012 - 12:43pm PT
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unfreakin believable, your daughter is sure to go far in life with the "can do and will do" attitude.
Made me laugh since I left a partner(15 years younger) in the mtneer gully of whitney on spring ascent once, he fell asleep too with my puffies, gloves and backpack as a bivy...I got sh#t for that, can't imagine what your family says!!!!
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Tod
Trad climber
Idaho
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Jan 15, 2012 - 08:25pm PT
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Dood, aren't you afraid someone from Child Protective Services is
gonna see this thread?
As a middle school social worker, I endorse this type of behavior.
Way to go Kara!
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Brian Biega
climber
Truckee, CA
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Jan 15, 2012 - 08:13pm PT
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Hi Jim-
Sounds like a awesome time and adventure for you both!
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Brian
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PAUL SOUZA
Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
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Jan 15, 2012 - 10:45pm PT
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Soooo freakin AWESOME!!!
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protour
Trad climber
Yosemite, CA
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Oct 18, 2012 - 03:23pm PT
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This is proper parenting!
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Branscomb
Trad climber
Lander, WY
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Oct 18, 2012 - 03:37pm PT
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Really impressive. Great job for both of you.
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briham89
Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
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Oct 18, 2012 - 11:51pm PT
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WOW
a) Sweet adventure
b) I need to man up after reading this haha
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David Wilson
climber
CA
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Oct 19, 2012 - 10:11am PT
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This is awesome ! Hats off to Kara and Jim.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Oct 19, 2012 - 10:32am PT
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Wow! I just assuemed she free climbed those pitches.... Some kids are like that ya know....
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Jeremy Hadland
Trad climber
aptos
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Nov 23, 2012 - 07:56pm PT
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Why are you making her carry the pack in all the pictures??
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Nov 23, 2012 - 08:46pm PT
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So cool. Thanks for sharing.
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Johnny K.
climber
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Jul 16, 2013 - 07:28pm PT
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up
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The Regular Northwest Face. Photo: Mark Kroese
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