I climbed Durrance in 1983, IIRC. I took the Mountaineering class at Wyo a couple of different semesters and we did a class trip after the end of the semester. (The classes were at Vedauwoo, so we had lots of experience with crack climbing.) We were a big group and didn't get started as early as some other folks on the same route, so we ended up doing the rappel down in the dark. I loved that second pitch. It was perfect for my style and size and it was an amazing experience. The jump traverse was ... memorable; I came up a bit short and caught myself with my arms on the ledge. I was never better than a mediocre climber, but I'm glad for the experiences. Thanks for the video; it brings back fun memories.
I did the same at WYO, in 1975-1980. Lived in McIntyre Hall and climbed with some guys on the floor at Vedauwoo and Devils Tower, Went to Joshua Tree over spring break around 1978. I was a mediocre climber, and only lead a couple of easy climbs.
Beautiful climb, man. That first pitch was sketching me a bit with the separation of that column from the face, but it’s probably freakier on the video than in person. That section where you placed the large cam and the cracks widened out was some impressive climbing. Then that old bolt thing, yikes. What a view.
I’m not a rock climber, so I don’t know what “5.7” number means. But my assumption is it’s how many heart attacks you can expect while doing this,right?
Der-ANCE. Great route. Named after Dick Durrance. Climbed it in the 80s. Hardest moves are 5.7 depending on your size. Too big, don’t fit in the crack. Too short, hard to reach around the columns. Thanks for the memory!
I did the first pitch twice back in 79. I was by myself and hung out in the upper parking lot with my rope and gear asking if I could join other climbers. One guy tried to lead but couldn't make any progress, so I lead it up to that first belay point. It then started to rain so we gave up on it and I rappelled down. The next day I tried it again with a different couple of climbers. Again, the leader failed and I climbed up to the belay ledge and no one would follow me. A group next to us, the, University of Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club, offered to belay me up past the ledge and on to the summit. I untied my leader rope and let it fall to the guys who wouldn't follow me, and tied into the Rovers Rope and finished the climb with them. I rappelled down off of the tower on the Rovers rope as well. I climbed the Grand Teton a couple of weeks later and met up with the Rovers again who let me use their belay and rappel to get down off of it. Previous to these climbs, I had been climbing at Taylors Falls, Eldorado Canyon, Palisade Head on Lake Superior and with NOLS in the North Cascades.
Been climbing since 1977. Try climbing cracks barehanded or with minimal tape, you will use less pressure and have longer endurance...still do not have crack gloves 😅🦫🤜🍻🐿
Imagine climbing it in 1938, with no fancy climbing shoes, no cams. And imagine climbing the Wiessner route nearby. A 65' 7" wide crack, with no protection other than 1 piton halfway up. The climbers back then were badass!
I am on Pins and Needles the whole time, I dont dare look down, I am thinking my hands or arms could not handle any more than 2 minutes, These guys are He Men for sure, yea I am scared to death and I am sitting at a desk LoL !!! Great Job!!!
Love your vids man, and appreciate how hard you are willing to push on some routes - the breathing sounds communicate a lot and make for sweaty palms while watching. Would appreciate though some content that talks about trad protection strategies and gear placement. "So, I put a #xx cam here, because..." I know, you aren't doing instruction and would have to put caveats to protect from legal BS, but you are Waaaay more experienced at trad than us, and we'd love to hear some thoughts and input on how to work towards expanding past sport and TR. Thanks for the 'virtual' climbs!
I really appreciate this comment! I’ll consider spraying more about my placements on the next ones. Some quick and great advice that helped me a lot starting out was to memorize what size gear fits with each part of your body. For example, I know a solid tight hand jam for me is a #2 cam, and a finger lock is .3, and if the piece doesn’t fit where I thought before I put it away I’ll try a foot or two above and below or deeper and usually I can get it first try! Other than that, mileage on moderate terrain will be most helpful.
When I started climbing back in the day you either top climbed or lead climbed. The words trad and sport did not exist. If you do get into trad climbing take your time and climb well within your abilities. I was seriously injured and spent a couple weeks in ICU. I made a recovery and climbed for many more years. I took the advice I am giving you after I got hurt. Take care
Did this many years ago, before camming units; perhaps a bit spicier on stoppers and hexes. Led a lot of it including the jump. Back then, I believe it was rated 5.6, but gyms have softened the masses... 🤭
Yep! Haha mountain project gives you 5.8 if you do the jump. You can finish direct, which is what our buddies did. I hear it’s pretty loose. Or you can aid through the jump on the piton somehow
I lead like 5.11+ indoors and this still looks harder than what I do 😅 Every time you got above your pro my hands got sweaty. Y'all trad climbers are crazy
They seem good enough. Does somewhat seem like they were smaller than needed and would walk, but the bigger stuff was well placed so could just be a bit of lower save the nice stuff for further up?
My buddy has soloed this. It’s pretty chill but the consequences are hard to ignore. The gear we bring usually weighs less than 10 lbs and when it’s around your waist you don’t feel it much.
@@albertlutton9920 Yep, truth is “lame” to NPCs. For those of us who have eyes ri see and ears to hear and love to learn and grow in understanding of the world around us, knowing about the giant trees of the past is one of the most fascinating realizations/truths of all time. Enjoy your boring world of fiction, poor little NPC.
You are wrong. No tree could ever be this big. The tower is an igneous type of rock. Look at the NPS website about the geology of the Tower. Where did you get your info?
@@albertlutton9920 I’m not wrong. I know well the reality of ancient giant trees. And in fact that tree stump is the remains of a very, very small tree in comparison to the true giants. One channel I highly recommend is Hangman1128. If you don’t have a desire to dig into the topic and want to stick with the teachings of mainstream geology then you likely won’t get far, as his videos are rather lengthy. I do encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and watch for a bit. Many of us have come to realize that so much of what is taught as science is in fact pseudoscience. The narratives and theories of geology often fall to pieces when out to the test. Much like the fake history that fills school textbooks or the countless lies of Western medicine. You ask where I got my information. It started and continued with many like Mike from channel I recommended. And then just using my own eyes. I’m in Houston and went back to Colorado last year for my first trip to the mountains since realizing the reality of ancient giant trees. It was easy to see the truth with my own eyes. The mainstream explanation for the tower in question is laughable and holds no weight when scrutinized. To the contrary, when viewed as remains of a giant tree everything matches our observations and scientific studies without having to just trust some so-called authority and the textbooks. I hope you’ll explore deeper. There are tons of videos on it and you are sure to have your mind blown. One other video that comes to mind is titled something along the lines of “No Forest on Flat Earth”. I’m sure that title alone will trigger you and I might have differences of opinion with some parts of that video. But it’s well worth the watch.
Hey Grahm! I was enjoying watching you hand and fist jam like you were using a hammer, they were such sinkers, what a great place to climb, saw the “Bears Lodge” from a distance on a road trip back many moons ago, don’t remember from where🤪… this fall you guys should come out here and climb at Taquitz and Suicide.. the place were it all began with the 1st 5.9 you all could stay at my house, 4 bedroom with plenty of space, 2 1/2 hrs from Redrock, 2 hrs from Taquitz, and about 500 sport climbs a mile up the road! Could be a lot of fun! 🐺🧗♀️👍😃
@kurtstolzenburg544 oh yeah! Like a karate chop/hammer fist! I love it when that works out. And that sounds like a sweet deal! I freaking have to plan my trips a year in advance but maybe I could stop by when driving through. The first 5.9 sounds great!
Living vicariously on this video. Attempted it in 2016 with my then 86-yr-old partner Rob, it was an epic. You guys are entertaining, love the video
I climbed Durrance in 1983, IIRC. I took the Mountaineering class at Wyo a couple of different semesters and we did a class trip after the end of the semester. (The classes were at Vedauwoo, so we had lots of experience with crack climbing.)
We were a big group and didn't get started as early as some other folks on the same route, so we ended up doing the rappel down in the dark.
I loved that second pitch. It was perfect for my style and size and it was an amazing experience. The jump traverse was ... memorable; I came up a bit short and caught myself with my arms on the ledge. I was never better than a mediocre climber, but I'm glad for the experiences.
Thanks for the video; it brings back fun memories.
I did the same at WYO, in 1975-1980. Lived in McIntyre Hall and climbed with some guys on the floor at Vedauwoo and Devils Tower, Went to Joshua Tree over spring break around 1978. I was a mediocre climber, and only lead a couple of easy climbs.
Thanks for sharing! Thats very cool to hear and funny how you and my buddy had a similar jump 40 years apart.
Thanks for taking me with you. ..I can’t go 10 ft on a ladder without getting dizzy. Hanging onto my couch while you’re climbing..
Damn dude! What an awesome climb! Great work!
Great video! Climbed Durance back in 93. Thanks for bringing me back!
Glad you enjoyed it! It’s a quality route!
Beautiful climb, man. That first pitch was sketching me a bit with the separation of that column from the face, but it’s probably freakier on the video than in person. That section where you placed the large cam and the cracks widened out was some impressive climbing. Then that old bolt thing, yikes. What a view.
I’m not a rock climber, so I don’t know what “5.7” number means. But my assumption is it’s how many heart attacks you can expect while doing this,right?
Der-ANCE. Great route. Named after Dick Durrance. Climbed it in the 80s. Hardest moves are 5.7 depending on your size. Too big, don’t fit in the crack. Too short, hard to reach around the columns. Thanks for the memory!
Thank you for clarifying the pronunciation. Been wondering the correct way. Dick Durrance established a fantastic route!
@@grahmtheoverstoker Wrong again. It was Jack Durrance, climbing with Harrison Butterworth. I also thought it was a great route, though.
Jack sounds more familiar. Thanks
it’s actually pronounced DURrance, if you pronounce it the way the Durrances pronounce their family name.
What an epic scenic route. Beautiful. Scary jump too!
The full package! Amazing thing to summit as well
Those jumps were EPIC. Thanks for sharing!
Lucky to capture it! Glad you dig it. Thanks!
I did the first pitch twice back in 79. I was by myself and hung out in the upper parking lot with my rope and gear asking if I could join other climbers. One guy tried to lead but couldn't make any progress, so I lead it up to that first belay point. It then started to rain so we gave up on it and I rappelled down. The next day I tried it again with a different couple of climbers. Again, the leader failed and I climbed up to the belay ledge and no one would follow me. A group next to us, the, University of Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club, offered to belay me up past the ledge and on to the summit. I untied my leader rope and let it fall to the guys who wouldn't follow me, and tied into the Rovers Rope and finished the climb with them. I rappelled down off of the tower on the Rovers rope as well. I climbed the Grand Teton a couple of weeks later and met up with the Rovers again who let me use their belay and rappel to get down off of it. Previous to these climbs, I had been climbing at Taylors Falls, Eldorado Canyon, Palisade Head on Lake Superior and with NOLS in the North Cascades.
What a cool climb and footage is great!
Thank you! 🙏🏼
Been climbing since 1977. Try climbing cracks barehanded or with minimal tape, you will use less pressure and have longer endurance...still do not have crack gloves 😅🦫🤜🍻🐿
I've done El Cap wall routes. That jump would stop me flat.
Aidings way scarier!
영화에서 보던곳인데 등반도 할수 있는지는 영상보구 처음 알았네요~ 신기하네요~ 영상잘보구 갑니다.~
Imagine climbing it in 1938, with no
fancy climbing shoes, no cams.
And imagine climbing the Wiessner route nearby. A 65' 7" wide crack, with no protection other than 1 piton halfway up.
The climbers back then were badass!
For real!! It’s somewhat paralyzing to think about when I’m halfway up a pitch
I am on Pins and Needles the whole time, I dont dare look down, I am thinking my hands or arms could not handle any more than 2 minutes, These guys are He Men for sure, yea I am scared to death and I am sitting at a desk LoL !!! Great Job!!!
Haha! Thanks! It’s a normal thing for climbers, I bet 20 people did it on this specific day.
“What happened??”
“I fell CLEARLY” 😂
Love your vids man, and appreciate how hard you are willing to push on some routes - the breathing sounds communicate a lot and make for sweaty palms while watching. Would appreciate though some content that talks about trad protection strategies and gear placement. "So, I put a #xx cam here, because..." I know, you aren't doing instruction and would have to put caveats to protect from legal BS, but you are Waaaay more experienced at trad than us, and we'd love to hear some thoughts and input on how to work towards expanding past sport and TR. Thanks for the 'virtual' climbs!
I really appreciate this comment! I’ll consider spraying more about my placements on the next ones. Some quick and great advice that helped me a lot starting out was to memorize what size gear fits with each part of your body. For example, I know a solid tight hand jam for me is a #2 cam, and a finger lock is .3, and if the piece doesn’t fit where I thought before I put it away I’ll try a foot or two above and below or deeper and usually I can get it first try! Other than that, mileage on moderate terrain will be most helpful.
Love the aloha sportswear. Y'all look like lifeguards with the zinc oxide. Full value 5.7.
Heck yeah! Haha and we stayed in the shade all day
It doesn't seem like the columns are securely attached to the rest of the mountain! 😮
The first one is just kinda wedged in there!
I gotta learn Trad - this looked so dope
When I started climbing back in the day you either top climbed or lead climbed. The words trad and sport did not exist. If you do get into trad climbing take your time and climb well within your abilities. I was seriously injured and spent a couple weeks in ICU. I made a recovery and climbed for many more years. I took the advice I am giving you after I got hurt. Take care
Did this many years ago, before camming units; perhaps a bit spicier on stoppers and hexes. Led a lot of it including the jump. Back then, I believe it was rated 5.6, but gyms have softened the masses... 🤭
All these wide cracks would be wild without cams! Did that cable anchor look familiar?
Looks super fun
Nice work!
Was Richard Dreyfuss up there?
I could do that but too busy trying to break 4hrs free soloing El Cap.
Sick!
16:44 You're on Scare Tactics!
What the f is that rock holding on to?? Its loose from every angle
Dang Bro, I literally Jumped when your friend did. Glad he is OK. Is that a mandatory lunge/dyno move on 5.7+? LOL.
Yep! Haha mountain project gives you 5.8 if you do the jump. You can finish direct, which is what our buddies did. I hear it’s pretty loose. Or you can aid through the jump on the piton somehow
I lead like 5.11+ indoors and this still looks harder than what I do 😅 Every time you got above your pro my hands got sweaty.
Y'all trad climbers are crazy
It’s just a different style. You’d crush! I believe they guide non climbers up this pretty regularly.
Never seen cams placed as fast as on that pitch 2
They seem good enough. Does somewhat seem like they were smaller than needed and would walk, but the bigger stuff was well placed so could just be a bit of lower save the nice stuff for further up?
be careful of seagulls laddy
all jokes aside this is ridiculous. wonder how this cliff would have looked a couple million years ago…
Ancient petrified tree stump. Am I wrong?
Native American lore says a big bear scratched the grooves in it.
Yes, you are wrong.
5.6. I’ve done it.
See I was really confused about the 5.7 but it's crack so I get it now.
Some even say 5.6! Old school though
@@grahmtheoverstoker Old school guys are some gnarly dudes
That's a lot of gear...have you considered free soloing? Seems like it'd be more fun than hauling al lthis around.
My buddy has soloed this. It’s pretty chill but the consequences are hard to ignore. The gear we bring usually weighs less than 10 lbs and when it’s around your waist you don’t feel it much.
The camera is going too fast for me.
Nice …
What's with the gloves???
Aid!
Climbing an old tree stump. Wonder I tall it was before is was cut down.
😂😂😂😂
@@SiliconMolybdenumNitrogen eyes wide open and still can't see what is in front of you
Not a stump. Igneous rock.
@@albertlutton9920 Programmed sheep, public school expert. You have it going on!
You and spelunkers....I just don't understand why you do it.
Then why bother to comment.
Too many jumping parkour in our climbing gym. Wait that doesn't look like a gym
looks like a jug fest
Pretty much!
That’s literally a tree stump. So you’re a tree climber.
Very lame.
@@albertlutton9920 Yep, truth is “lame” to NPCs. For those of us who have eyes ri see and ears to hear and love to learn and grow in understanding of the world around us, knowing about the giant trees of the past is one of the most fascinating realizations/truths of all time. Enjoy your boring world of fiction, poor little NPC.
You are wrong. No tree could ever be this big. The tower is an igneous type of rock. Look at the NPS website about the geology of the Tower. Where did you get your info?
@@albertlutton9920 I’m not wrong. I know well the reality of ancient giant trees. And in fact that tree stump is the remains of a very, very small tree in comparison to the true giants.
One channel I highly recommend is Hangman1128. If you don’t have a desire to dig into the topic and want to stick with the teachings of mainstream geology then you likely won’t get far, as his videos are rather lengthy. I do encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and watch for a bit.
Many of us have come to realize that so much of what is taught as science is in fact pseudoscience. The narratives and theories of geology often fall to pieces when out to the test. Much like the fake history that fills school textbooks or the countless lies of Western medicine.
You ask where I got my information. It started and continued with many like Mike from channel I recommended. And then just using my own eyes. I’m in Houston and went back to Colorado last year for my first trip to the mountains since realizing the reality of ancient giant trees. It was easy to see the truth with my own eyes.
The mainstream explanation for the tower in question is laughable and holds no weight when scrutinized. To the contrary, when viewed as remains of a giant tree everything matches our observations and scientific studies without having to just trust some so-called authority and the textbooks.
I hope you’ll explore deeper. There are tons of videos on it and you are sure to have your mind blown.
One other video that comes to mind is titled something along the lines of “No Forest on Flat Earth”. I’m sure that title alone will trigger you and I might have differences of opinion with some parts of that video. But it’s well worth the watch.
Fantastic work gentlemen! Loved the “hammer jams” on pitch 1 🐺🙏🧗♀️👍
You’re the first Kurt! Is a hammer jam just a first Jam? I know you’re the crack master
Hey Grahm! I was enjoying watching you hand and fist jam like you were using a hammer, they were such sinkers, what a great place to climb, saw the “Bears Lodge” from a distance on a road trip back many moons ago, don’t remember from where🤪… this fall you guys should come out here and climb at Taquitz and Suicide.. the place were it all began with the 1st 5.9 you all could stay at my house, 4 bedroom with plenty of space, 2 1/2 hrs from Redrock, 2 hrs from Taquitz, and about 500 sport climbs a mile up the road! Could be a lot of fun! 🐺🧗♀️👍😃
@kurtstolzenburg544 oh yeah! Like a karate chop/hammer fist! I love it when that works out. And that sounds like a sweet deal! I freaking have to plan my trips a year in advance but maybe I could stop by when driving through. The first 5.9 sounds great!
Nice work!