Why I like cams

I really like my cams, and as I've explained before, they allow me to climb rocks without having someone else go up and place bolts.

A cam works by having at least two and up to four spring-loaded, rounded metal lobes(1) that oppose each other. The spring allows the lobes to be pulled in, by a trigger bar(3), making the cam head more narrow. Then the lobes are placed in a crack in the rock, they expand, and hold tight. A stem(2), either single or U-shaped, extends from the axle running between the lobes. The rope is clipped to this stem by a carabiner(4), often attached to a nylon sling(5).

When a climber falls, force is applied which pulls on the stem causing the lobes to expand even further. This outward pressure is transferred to the rock, and combined with friction in a good placement, the cam holds in place.

The rounded lobes are actually curved in a logarithmic spiral. This is important because it allows the outward pressure caused by the expanding lobes to always have the same angle. If the lobes were just circular round, the angle of the outward pressure would change depending on how far engaged the lobes were when placed in the rock. I'll go ahead and steal an illustration to help me explain this part.

(There are a lot of people who have explained this a lot better than I can.)



Here's a nice diagram that Metolius provides:


Anyway, this blog started out as a post about my first time falling on trad gear. Thing is, since I started this blog, I've fallen on the gear more than once, and the excitement and luster of trad virginity has slightly faded. Only slightly though. It's turning into trad love. I fell on the yellow TCU (Metolius "three-cam unit") on a climb called "Extreme Unction" in the most beautiful canyon in the Wasatch.That's Jerad getting ready to go up second and clean all my fancy cams up.

I fell again on a yellow TCU in the San Rafael Swell on a climb called "Anchors from Hell".
The picture doesn't do the climb any justice at all. The climb is a finger crack in a tight dihedral with scary moves up at the top. I actually fell just a little bit off the ground, but it was still nice to have the gear hold me off the deck.

I'm going to take the liberty of linking a photo that Adam (friend) took of Alex climbing on "Old Bushmill's" crack. I was actually able to climb this crack cleanly and didn't have to test any of the gear that I placed. (It would have held fine)

This crack is in a really wide dihedral and goes from rattly fingers up to big hands in size.

I climbed it twice before I felt like I was ready to lead it, and by then, it was the end of the day. I was sure shaky, and almost slipped out of the crack in a few places. It was exhilarating to get up there and clip the anchors. I almost hated to be lowered back down to the horizontal world. If anyone ever gets a chance to climb something like this, don't let it go. Crack climbing is dangerous and painful and so so rewarding.

Climb safe out there.

Price

Comes a Time

"Oh oh, This old world keeps spinning 'round.
It's a wonder tall trees ain't laying down.
There comes a time . . ."

Summer is a season for love. Fall is a season for solitude. There's something magical that happens in the air. It makes the leaves turn color, and makes every breath bite like crisp apples. Those leaves turn color because all the world is beautiful in the fall. They aren't preparing for winter. They love the fall, just like me, so they dress it up and make themselves pretty.

Some have questioned some of my decisions in the last few months . . . particularly regarding a relationship that ended. I'm content. My mind is not focused on careers or family, no matter how society, the Church, my parents or anyone else wants it. My mind constantly wanders to 5.12, how good the cold air feels in my breast, rhythm, classical guitars, the burning soreness in my arms. I wanted my drive home two nights ago to never end. 90.9 just kept giving me new wonderful flavors of music. The air blowing in my face was like kissing the prettiest girl.

I'm happy where I am, and I think back on the relationship I had. It was as perfect a relationship as anyone could have. No drama, no stress, lots of love and fun. So why did it end? It just did. Why did God decide to make fall such an amazing time to be alive? Things like this don't require explanation. They cannot because there is none. There just comes a time . . .


Just one more thing that puts fall head and shoulders above the rest. Climbing, of course. I climbed Mexican Crack (5.10a) in LCC today. I onsighted that climb. I placed cams and nuts, and thought that I would fall, but the cool air sucked the moisture off the rock and allowed my hands to stick. I never had to test the placements of my climbing gear, and I'm happy about that.

Mexican Crack is pretty easy to spot once you know where it is. It's the only crack on this rock. It diagonals up and left, if you are still lost. :)


Jared showing me the way . . . up.

To live a simple life is all I need. :)

Making a Tick List

So,

I try to keep track of all the rock climbing I do. It satisfies me to get home from climbing and immediately get on mountainproject.com to tick off the routes I've done.

I've recently started trad climbing which is an amazing new experience. I'd say it's nearly impossible to understand the difference until you've been out there and done it. It allows you to go places that weren't "designated". Uncharted territory is cool even if it's been done before and is in all the guide books and has anchor chains at the top. There's just something about it. Comparison: Rock Band vs. playing guitar - Both quite satisfying, only one feels real.

That being said, I've also climbed in the gym a lot lately which has made me strong. Kind of like playing lots and lots of air guitar. (stole photo/Sharma dab)























Here are some of the places I've climbed over the last 6 months or so. (many pictures linked/stolen)

Grand Teton, WY:




























Wind River Range, WY:



















Near Mesquite, NV:






























Wasatch Range, UT:



















Moab, UT:





























City of Rocks, ID:

(I stole Moab and Big Cottonwood)