Yosemite, Here we come.

After all of our training throughout the season, starting back when it was way too hot for Frog climbing, we are finally heading off to Yosemite.

This season has been great out at Frog, especially with all of the other locals heading off to Yosemite around the same time as us. We also saw a lot of people from down south crushing some hard stuff which helps to keep one inspired on such a long lead in.

After Jays accident back in 2014 in Yosemite and our 32 hour ascent of the Nose, there were a lot of skills to build and I think that we have done well for the most part. Jay is both mentally and physically stronger than ever and ready for his shot at the nose.

We plan to do the nose as 2 teams of 2 this time and have basically ditched the idea of simul-climbing. Instead, we have focused on leading fast and efficiently.

In addition to the Nose, we also plan of doing:

• Half Dome in a day, even with the new knot throwing beta because of the rock fall.
• The Rostrum free. In 2012, Alex and I did it but not very cleanly.
• Astroman free (hopefully). In 2012, Alex and I failed. 2014, Alex and I climbed it but with sits on the rope and the occasional pull on gear.
• Mt Watkins or a High Sierra epic, depending on our states of minds when over there.

Stay tuned for photos and updates. You can also keep in touch with us on twitter with @hardmanclimbing where we hope to post during our ascents.

Double Gov

We had been talking for a while as to whether or not attempting to get up the governor on mount barney twice in a day would be good training for our Yosemite trip at the end of August. It wasn't the style of climbing that interested us so much as the long walk in combined with the 640 metres of climbing.
The Governor is a 320m grade 22 that starts 30 mins from the top of the south east ridge and heads up the middle of the east face. I had done it once years ago and Hamish had done it twice more since then. Alex and Jay - the other 2 members of our Yosemite team did thier own test the day before. As far as we knew, no one had ever done it twice in a day before. Because of the unknowns of time and fatigue, even though Hamish freed every pitch recently, we decided the we would do it french free style. Pulling on gear to clip safer and to go faster through cruxy moves.

When we reached the top on our first lap, our time was 3:27

Our second lap, due to better tactics, familiarity and the impending darkness, was 2:57

Probably won't bother doing 2 laps again but it is nice to have done it.

Double Gov

We had been talking for a while as to whether or not attempting to get up the governor on mount barney twice in a day would be good training for our Yosemite trip at the end of August. It wasn't the style of climbing that interested us so much as the long walk in combined with the 640 metres of climbing.
The Governor is a 320m grade 22 that starts 30 mins from the top of the south east ridge and heads up the middle of the east face. I had done it once years ago and Hamish had done it twice more since then. Alex and Jay - the other 2 members of our Yosemite team did thier own test the day before. As far as we knew, no one had ever done it twice in a day before. Because of the unknowns of time and fatigue, even though Hamish freed every pitch recently, we decided the we would do it french free style. Pulling on gear to clip safer and to go faster through cruxy moves.

When we reached the top on our first lap, our time was 3:27

Our second lap, due to better tactics, familiarity and the impending darkness, was 2:57

Probably won't bother doing 2 laps again but it is nice to have done it.

Jays turn to go Tropo

A week after Hamish and I set the speed record on Troposphere, Jay and I went for some climbing at half way house. I lead and we went at a slow pace where I waited for him to sus out the crux sections. I made sure that I used microtraxions for safety. The 5 pitches took us 33 mins
After we ticked a great climb at halfway house called Barge Arse, Jay wanted to go for another run up Tropo. I was to lead again and we would use all of the traxions, which also allows me to skip a lot more clips. Jay said that he was aiming for 25 mins. I commented that he might be surprised. He was. With still much work to do, Jay became the 4th and final member of the main hardman team to go under 15 minutes. 14:55. Well done Jay.
Needless to say that Jay has now caught the speed bug and is talking about going under 10. I'm up for it when we next get a chance.

Photos of Crookneck

 Photos of Mt Crookneck. Not taken by me of course, cause I would not go to a banned area. But still, nice photos of an amazing looking, but unfortunately close crag.

  I think that this is the direct start to the East Face of Crookneck climb

 A sports climb? Looks like maybe 26 or so. Thin feet and little side pulls.

New Troposphere Record

 It must seem to some that we do nothing more than try to break the speed record on this climb. Fact is, we rarely get on it and mostly just to get to halfway house.
After filming our Rope Solo instruction video on Troposphere -which is good for filming on - Hamish and I talked of hosting a speed climbing day. He said that he would have to learn it again before he would be able to go fast on it.
Just for fun, we decided to kill some time by having a run up it. Hamish decided to lead due to me being more familiar and less likely to fall. The aim was to go at a steady pace since Only I and Alex had gone under 15 minutes. After seeing him speed through the first low angle part and then skip a bunch of draws, I realised that he was set for speed
I started up after him (just 20m apart). When he got to the 2nd pitch anchors, where we have always placed our first microtraxion for safety, I noticed that he didn't place it. What the hell, if I fall, he was only likely to be 10 metres above his last piece. Fact is, I didn't plan to fall. Turns out that he forgot the 2nd microtraxion too, which protects him from me falling on the crux pitch. I knew that we were going fast, although we had a couple of timing issues where I waited for him then subsequently dogged him
When we reached the top, I couldn't believe that the clock was at 12mins flat. I guess that Hamish wasn't out of practice afterall