Tri-cam Rips Out

"This tri-cam is probably a bad example.  They can dig into soft rock pretty easy, and it's in there good.  You got me?"


Kevin was on top-rope on a new 5.6 just right of The Contortionist.  We were thinking that it might be a good easy trad route, and so he was testing to see how gear would hold.


Kevin leaned back off the cliff,  quickly weighting the tri-cam, as the top-rope stretched ... and SNAP! the tri-cam ripped and shot out like a bullet.  Kevin looked into the horizontal crack and said, 'It broke off the crystal that was holding it (the stinger.)'

Lesson learned.  The rock quality at the Powerlinez is at times great for climbing.  At times,  holds break off in your hands.  Trad rock pro places even greater stress on the rock than the pulling, stepping and wedging of climbing.  Trad pro at the Powerlinez is sketchy,  and bolting lines with 3 and 3/8 inch bolts has proven pretty prudent.


The CAMP TRI-CAM manual states: "The ability of TRI-CAMS to convert most shear forces to expansion (when used in their standard mode) means that they are the most secure form of protection available for decomposed granite and soft sandstone ... "  So, this experiment was a good guage for trad prospects at the Powerlinez.  Now to be exhaustive, there are some great trad only routes at the Powerlinez, and quite a bit of thought and expertise has gone into making that call.

Route Names Anyone?

21 May 10 - I believe this was a pheasant chick.  That I cannot confirm,  but what I can confirm is the existence of two new routes on the Good Book Wall.  Connecticut Rope Gun Kevin Johnson dropped in to give a hand, and sent perhaps our first 10d on the wall.  Dave gave the college try to what perhaps will be our first 10b.  Of course, Kevin Johnson sent our first 5.11 back last October with the God Jam Roof.   We have to invite him back sparingly or he's going to take all our best routes.  And these two routes are definitely plums, on solid, overhanging rock.  This brings our proud total of sports lines to four.

Focusing On More Routes

With 2 routes up, Dave and Jon marked two more and decided that they were such high quality climbs that they would wait for stainless steel bolts.

Dave focuses here on a third climb, and until the new hardware comes in,  they'll continue to mark exciting lines and pull friends out to try the new sport climbs.