Loose Ends with Jason and Pavel

August, '04

Loose Ends on Lumpy Ridge with with Jason and Pavel

With 10 days to go before my wedding, I managed to schedule a day at Lumpy with two of my best friends.

I was excited. Neither Pavel or Jason had done much climbing at Lumpy so I picked a route that I knew was top-notch from personal experience. Loose Ends sports three wonderful pitches of 5.9 and an awkward finish that's sandbagged at 5.7+. It is also my favorite 5.9 on the ridge.

We certainly had one of the most enjoyable days I have spent at Lumpy. What a fantastic place!

Starting the first pitch. I would take a careless fall near the end of this pitch. Yikes!	Working through the thin crux section of the first pitch. This is one of the best 5.9 pitches on Lumpy Ridge.	Jason laybacking through the first pitch.
Jason passing an optional belay on the first pitch.	Working around the easy layback near the end of the pitch. This is where I fell off. I must have finished the hard moves and started thinking about the wedding. Yea, that's got to be it... :)	Pavel on the second pitch which ascends a tricky finger crack as it leaves this small ledge.
Pavel cheating by using holds that are more than 7 feet apart from one another. :)	Taking a better look at the options. This can be a difficult onsight for a 5.9 leader.	Jason hanging ten while belaying.
Pavel committed to the sequence and not yet sure of the outcome. :)	Taking my turn on the same tricky section.	One more move and it will be easy... one more move and it will be easy...
Jason casts off on his lead.	This was an exciting lead for Jason who had not been climbing much rock before this trip.	He took his time and found the excellent protection.
This is the probably the crux of this pitch.	Pavel working his way up the third pitch.	Taking a look for the camera.
"Hey... it's kind of steep here..." :)	Pavel arriving at the base of the 4th pitch.	Me leading the relatively easy 4th pitch as the wind and the clouds moved in.
Nearing the end of the 4th pitch with the Cave Exit looming above.	Pavel took all the fun out of my moment by climbing smoothly through the fissure on his first try.	I guess he has spent too much time on those "5.9" Valley climbs.
Jason about to take his turn.	"Hmm... it looks like you can just crank out on that lip.... no need for any unsightly chimneying..."	A short battle of physics ensued.
And the verdict is...CHIMNEY :) In all fairness, I fell out of this thing on lead twice before I figured it out the first time.