September 30, 2000 -- The Tangler

On September 30, 2000, I headed up to the Gunks with my friends Jake and Joan.  Our primary goal (okay, my primary goal) was the Dangler, a  short 5.9 (or so) traverse out along the lip of an large roof.  This is the definition of exposure in rock climbing.  Fortunately, Joan had agreed to record the event for posterity, and in case I fell to my untimely demise.

The Dangler is a short variation of a Gunks classic 5.3 climb called Three Pines, named after, well, the three large pine trees along the route.  The first two pitches of the route (which can easily be run together) go up a prominent corner and flake system for a little more than 100 feet to the GT (grand traverse) Ledge.

Jake made quick work of the section up to the GT Ledge, placing maybe three pieces over the first 100 feet.  Joan easily chased Jake up to the ledge, cleaning the few pieces as she went, tailing the second rope behind her, and carrying her camera in a backpack.  I followed Joan, enjoying the simplicity of climbing without the need to clean gear.  As I came reached the GT Ledge, I looked up to see Joan's camera pointing at me, reminding me that my demise would be recorded.

Soon, we were set up on the GT Ledge, 15 feet over from the prominent nose that forms the Dangler.  I walked over to the start and reached up to the short 5 foot climb to the beginning of the traverse.  Expecting solid jugs to get me up there, I found instead a few sloping holds that did not inspire confidence.  I could feel my stomach sink, the gear around my waist get heavy, and the rubber on my shoes turn to teflon. 

I turned around, tried to give a confident smile to Jake and Joan and began climbing.  To my amazement, my hands held and my feet stuck, and I climbed up to where I could places a few pieces out on the traverse.  I put in a solid .75 Camelot and a 1.5 Alien (the same size as a 1 Camelot).  I looked out onto the ledge and figured the next (and only other) piece I would place on the traverse would be a 1 Camelot.  To make it easier I preclipped a runner to the Camelot. 

Unable to delay any longer, I reached out, found two good holds on the traverse, and raised my legs up.  Slowly I worked my way out the traverse, hooking my left heel and finding solid flakes under the roof to push off with my right foot.  As I moved out, I suddenly realized I had managed to tangle myself in the rope and runners.  Getting untangled meant cutting loose with my feet, working my legs around the rope and gear, and getting back on the rock.  With all the grace of a tied pig, I wiggled my way out of the tangle into which I managed to put myself.

Having burned a painful amount of energy hanging there, twisting my legs in space, I started moving again.  Finally, I was out far enough to place the red Camelot.  As quickly as I could, okay, something close to the speed of light, I reached down, grabbed the red Camelot, shoved it in the crack and reached for the rope.  Unfortuntely, I could barely reach the rope and pulling on the rope and climbing the biner was, well, just not working.  I desparately reached over and over to clip the rope.  For reasons I can't explain, I used a runner that had a Black Diamond Bayonette locker on it, which made clipping even harder.  Finally, I managed to clip the rope.  At this point, my right arm was screaming uncle wanting to give up.  Suddenly, I hear "Um, James, you're not gonna want to hear this, but the biner is clipped open."  DAMN!!!!  That meant reaching back down and unlocking the biner.  Now my right are was beyond burning.

With my right arm burning, I made it to the end of the traverse, and looked up to try and find a way to start moving up.  I got the best heel hook I could, and pulled myself up.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get a solid hold on anything, and the reach was back toward my feet.  I was going nowhere, and my arms were done.  I yelled to Jake to take, it was time to go flying.

I lowered down, climbed back out twice, no luck, there was no way I was gonna make it the way I was and my arms were done.  I came back, untied and handed the rope to Jake, I was beat.  Jake tied in and took off.  Unlike me, Jake actually climbs with technique.  Jake traversed out, reached the end of the traverse, and THEN, turned his legs around and did a heel hook, well, really a calf hook with his right leg.  He easily reached up, pulled himself up, and was sitting on the ledge in no time.

Jake easily finished the pitch, and yelled off belay.  Once I was one belay, I headed out, cleaned the first two pieces before I started traversing, and headed to the end of the traverse.  I turned, did the right heel/calf hook, and reached up.  With a few pulls, I was there.  I pulled up, sat on the prow, and reached back and cleaned the red Camelot.

Glad to have made it, but mad at myself for not doing that the first time.  No question I could have led it clean had I turned around on the first time out.  Oh well, someday I'll learn technique.  The rest of the route was 5.6 or easier, and soon I was sitting next to Jake at the top.  Joan followed on the 5.6 face that heads up instead of out along the traverse (a fine climb in its own right), and met us at the top.

Well, it was ugly, but we did it.  We climbed the Dangler or, my case, the Tangler.