Stage Fright @ Cathedral

[climbnplay]

TRed it over the weekend and thinking about leading it - if anyone who's done it has creative gear beta, I would love to hear from you. Thanks!

[kenreville]

I'll bet Strand's all over that beta.

John? Hook the guy up.

[M_Sprague]

A really, really big crashpad?

[Chinos]

don't fall!

[sneoh]

Strand's write-up for mp.com - http://mountainproject.com/v/stage-fright/106820371

To OP, good luck on your very impressive goal.

Hugh's audacity and skill, expecially post surgery, has never ceased to amaze.
Not sure if it is true; I heard that Scott Franklin flashed this on lead, placing gear after an "inspection" on rappel.

[strandman]

I wish...never had the ballsto lead this one. I would THINK...tiny offsetts, Hugh had sliders (cough) and it took forever. i left a chouinard 1.5 wire years ago, missing the ground by 2' or so

[DaveR]

Strand's write-up for mp.com - http://mountainproject.com/v/stage-fright/106820371

To OP, good luck on your very impressive goal.

Hugh's audacity and skill, expecially post surgery, has never ceased to amaze.
Not sure if it is true; I heard that Scott Franklin flashed this on lead, placing gear after an "inspection" on rappel.

I'm pretty sure the only ground up ascent was Peter Vintoniv In the days when he and Tim Kemple Jr. were freeing alot of stuff in the area. He had tr'ed it first but all gear was placed on the lead. The guys at IME were sure it was the first ground up ascent and I have not heard of it being done since.

If you want to contact Peter send me a pm.

[om]

yea, right. Total time online for "climbnplay" = 8 minutes. He is either not interested in your answers or a very fast reader. Better send us some pictures of your ballsy lead 

[climbnplay]

thanks for the info - went back to check out the gear and found some marginal stuff (probably as good as it gets). some key holds still very wet though, so waiting for drier conditions.

om- maybe some ppl just don't spend as much time on the internet as you, especially when it comes to keeping track of how many minutes other people spend on the forum. go climb something dude.

[om]

Dear climbnplay, while i still think your post is a troll, let me explain why i question your honesty.
People who seriously considering leading Stage Fright don't need to be asking for gear beta on the internet. Such people usually know a thing or two about climbing and gear placement themselves, and interested in the sport enough to care about local history, recognize the climb for what it is and approach it with respect it deserves. Especially if they managed to pull through it on wet holds.
I guess there is a possibility that you are just very young and very talented and really have not managed the concentration for reading couple pages of the guide book and looking up the right people to ask a question... In which case I wish you best in your climbing at most importantly to be safe.
So that is my explanation.
Now, do you care to explain why you assume I spend a lot of time on the internet, don't climb enough and that i'm a dude?
It takes two clicks to figure out how much time a user spent on-line, I'm sure you can figure it out
Be safe!

[DaveR]

Now, do you care to explain why you assume I spend a lot of time on the internet, don't climb enough and that i'm a dude?

OM-The world needs more "dudes" like you! 

[sneoh]

Touché, my dear dudette.
For someone with a life and all the responsibilities a family brings to the table, OM manages to climb plenty.
I will be so thrilled if I manage to get in half as much climbing as her.  Pulling on plastic don't count.

To OP, be careful but go for it.  Post up a report when you have a chance.

[climbnplay]

my apologies for assuming you were a dude - no reason why I thought that. Must be my frivolous young age - also at this age we tend to call everyone a dude (not that it's the right thing to do). Quite young I am indeed, talented? I think not, but thanks anyway. The reason why I asked for gear beta was because I saw in a few places that the crux could be potentially protected by a precarious piece or two of odd gear that I do not own. So I thought before going on a rampage to borrow every size of sliding nuts or offset brassies that I can get my hands on, I'd ask online if someone's already got the gear beta so I only need to borrow exactly what I need. Honstly I do not know the history behind this climb other than the FA, neither have I spent much time climbing at the Cathedral - therefore I was not aware of the "trolling" that this would have created. I didn't think that headpointing a climb equivalent of British E6 or E7 would be worthy of it.

But anyway, thanks to everyone's well wishes and I will come back with a short report once I've done it.

[DaveR]

Just spoke with the guys at IME and IMCS to make sure I had my history right. For years I have had an interest in NE climbing history and follow alot of this stuff. That is one reason I like hearing Strandmans stories from the Strand/Callahan days. There have been some real badass climbers come thru the NE over the years.

Stage fright has only had 2 leads;
1) Hugh Herr- It was extensively tr'ed first and all the gear was placed on rapell.
2) Peter Vintoniv- It was again extensively tr'ed first but he placed all the gear on the lead. TK jr. was the belayer.

Many of the country's most badass climbers have tr'ed it but would not lead it! Hell, I have tr'ed it and i'm an old guy!

Brad says if you lead it pray first and get pics because it will be will be a historic ascent.
Dave

[M_Sprague]

Leading it sounds like a really stupid idea to me, hardly worth dying for, but to each his own. I'd suggest a re-think.