Sweet climb! Good job! …….I was on Green Dragon, Dr Feel Good, and Cosmic Comedy about 40 years ago…….this brings back awesome memories. I hope to be there this June ‘23, as a 63 year old OG!
40 you say? My first trip was in ‘85. Pulled out my old Myers guide with all my notes Love the Mr Natural pro list: “man nuts……”. I don’t recall even taking one Friend up on it, but I do remember being gripped outta my mind fiddling in stoppers and Rocks. The good old days 👍
I remember doing this climb in "91. We started on the Green Dragon. It was a really fantastic route. I think the Green Dragon start made the slabby exit from Mr. Natural a little less intimidating. Although I did take a couple of falls on the Dragon. Highly recommend.
I need to spend like 4 months in Yosemite. I just am so bad at slab climbing, and I think hopping on a ton of slab there would make me a much better climber.
@@bradfordLburns I grew up climbing at Tahquitz and Suicide rocks. There` were a lot of thin slab climbs so that's what we did.. Slab climbing was frowned upon by some as the grades grew and steep climbs were all the rage. Still the delicate dance of thin smears can be good fun.
Sick dude, nice job staying cool during that slab finish... Awesome to be able to relive this pitch through your video. I think if it was accessible straight off the ground and/or didn't have the traverse and downclimb to get to it, this climb would get a ton more traffic. I went on a whim with a stranger last time I was there and got a chance to onsight it when they gave me first go, and it was my favorite pitch of the whole trip.
Not one stopper placed ? I have done this climb a number of times. I always bump the belay up to the top of the flake stance at the begining of the finger crack itself. You rap for the top of the Finger crack, so you can just leave the anchor and grab it as you rap past it. A lot of people think the crack is .10c ~ It's the four or five face moves exiting the crack and gaining the belay ledge :)
Stoppers would be bomber too, but I guess if you have a ton of .3 and .4 cams, its a little faster to bop those baddies in instead. Yeah the little slab exit is tricky for shorrree!
notice you're often using those thick bulky (bluewater?) slings. Is there any intentionality there? curious why you don't use the thinner (BD/mammut ones)... maybe you just got em on sale. i know they're equally strong
I prefer the blue water slings personally. I like nylon or thick Dyneema rather than the thin, slick dyneema material. Any time I tie knots in the thin stuff, it’s impossible to get them untied. I also do a lot of ice climbing, and I find the thicker slings easier to handle with gloves. The thinner dyneema seems to be more slippery and tightens down on knots even more when wet. Also I really like blue water materials. Seems really well made and I am used to the feel of the slings by now. Really it’s just personal preference. I’m sure I could shed a few ounces by changing out slings, but I like the ones that I have. Great question though!
@@bradfordLburns ah, makes sense. when i first started, i was gonna get all Bluewater's, but they aren't colored by size and back then in my rookiedom, I was worried I'd confuse single & double runners when clipping. I'm a dork and I often clip a small wiregate into the knot, so I can remove it + add some slack when untying the knot.
Sweet climb! Good job! …….I was on Green Dragon, Dr Feel Good, and Cosmic Comedy about 40 years ago…….this brings back awesome memories. I hope to be there this June ‘23, as a 63 year old OG!
40 you say? My first trip was in ‘85. Pulled out my old Myers guide with all my notes Love the Mr Natural pro list: “man nuts……”. I don’t recall even taking one Friend up on it, but I do remember being gripped outta my mind fiddling in stoppers and Rocks. The good old days 👍
An absolute gem
One of the best pitches anywhere hands down
I remember doing this climb in "91. We started on the Green Dragon. It was a really fantastic route. I think the Green Dragon start made the slabby exit from Mr. Natural a little less intimidating. Although I did take a couple of falls on the Dragon. Highly recommend.
I need to spend like 4 months in Yosemite. I just am so bad at slab climbing, and I think hopping on a ton of slab there would make me a much better climber.
@@bradfordLburns I grew up climbing at Tahquitz and Suicide rocks. There` were a lot of thin slab climbs so that's what we did.. Slab climbing was frowned upon by some as the grades grew and steep climbs were all the rage. Still the delicate dance of thin smears can be good fun.
that looks absolutely incredible
Its a 6 on a 5 star system
Great route and great climbing. Hope I can send it like that one day
Thanks! I’m sure you can! It’s all in the feet. Try to not climb it in 90 degree weather like in this video. 😂 that would be my pro tip.
Sick dude, nice job staying cool during that slab finish... Awesome to be able to relive this pitch through your video. I think if it was accessible straight off the ground and/or didn't have the traverse and downclimb to get to it, this climb would get a ton more traffic. I went on a whim with a stranger last time I was there and got a chance to onsight it when they gave me first go, and it was my favorite pitch of the whole trip.
Thanks for sharing that story! It’s such an amazing pitch. I totally agree! Thank goodness the approach is janky. Such a beautiful crack.
Not one stopper placed ? I have done this climb a number of times. I always bump the belay up to the top of the flake stance at the begining of the finger crack itself. You rap for the top of the Finger crack, so you can just leave the anchor and grab it as you rap past it. A lot of people think the crack is .10c ~ It's the four or five face moves exiting the crack and gaining the belay ledge :)
Stoppers would be bomber too, but I guess if you have a ton of .3 and .4 cams, its a little faster to bop those baddies in instead. Yeah the little slab exit is tricky for shorrree!
Great climb! However, I've been terrified about venturing over there since all of the bad rockfalls in the 1990s-2000s.
Rightfully so! Falling rock in that area is certainly a hazard. It’s too bad too, as the climbs out there are 5 star!
What a crack.
Right? Top 3 routes I've ever climbed, hands down. Just perfect finger splitter for days. So dreamy.
notice you're often using those thick bulky (bluewater?) slings. Is there any intentionality there? curious why you don't use the thinner (BD/mammut ones)... maybe you just got em on sale. i know they're equally strong
I prefer the blue water slings personally. I like nylon or thick Dyneema rather than the thin, slick dyneema material. Any time I tie knots in the thin stuff, it’s impossible to get them untied.
I also do a lot of ice climbing, and I find the thicker slings easier to handle with gloves. The thinner dyneema seems to be more slippery and tightens down on knots even more when wet.
Also I really like blue water materials. Seems really well made and I am used to the feel of the slings by now.
Really it’s just personal preference. I’m sure I could shed a few ounces by changing out slings, but I like the ones that I have.
Great question though!
@@bradfordLburns ah, makes sense. when i first started, i was gonna get all Bluewater's, but they aren't colored by size and back then in my rookiedom, I was worried I'd confuse single & double runners when clipping. I'm a dork and I often clip a small wiregate into the knot, so I can remove it + add some slack when untying the knot.
@@bradfordLburns looking forward to more dope content. thanks bro!
@@jglantz08 thanks for the support!