Son of Sam & Great Arch in Stone Mtn, NC

Photos from this trip can be seen at http://www.geocities.com/samshank/ncweb/catalog_1.htm

The trip started out innocently enough. Friday afternoon at  4-5ish Mike and I hit I-77 south. After about 7.5ish hours of driving we arrived at the Stone Mountain Park entrance.

Now where were those directions to the campground outside the gate... Look for a small church and something that looks like someone's driveway. Creep on back, and THERE'S SITE 4. We MUST be there!!

We scope out a spot away from the buzzing power lines. It's about 12:30AM at this point. In 20 minutes the tent is set up, and Mike realizes he left his Therm-a-rest in his car back at my house. Uh oh...

"Ahhh. I won't need it anyway. I've gotten by without it before."

"Mike, that ground is frozen. Look at all the frost." (Plus it's about 25
deg. F outside)

"So."

"So you're going to freeze your ass off if you don't have something between you and the ground. Use your coat and, here. You can use mine too."

"I'll just use mine. It should be enough."

"Here. Take it."

40 minutes pass...

Bark, bark, bark. Bark, bark, bark.

2 God damned dogs belonging to the manager of the camp barked ALL night !Bark, bark, bark.

I think they did stop for a few minutes from 4-5AM. Then it's back to bark, bark, bark. Bark, bark, bark.

7:30 AM can't roll around too quickly for me. Up and at'em! Bark, bark,bark. And, now one of them is about 15 feet away. I yell at it to shut the fuck up, and it does! Damn, if I had only known it was that easy!

We were the only campers, and I waited for someone to come riding out on a lawnmower like a rec.climber told me. No one... We ate breakfast and packed up, then drove to the trailer with the riding lawnmower in the lawn. Now both dogs were going NUTS again. Bark, bark, bark. I was really getting the urge to grab my .44 from under the seat and start whacking people off. The dogs were really speaking to me!!!

No, wait... they weren't telling me to kill anyone after all. They were telling me to LEAVE. So leave we did. No camping fee for Friday night. Damn dogs.

We were the second car to park in the parking lot at Stone. We arrived at the base of the mountain at about 9 AM, without another climber in sight.

I racked up. Time to pop my cherry. Even though this was my second trip to Stone, the first one was rained out after 1/2 a pitch. Up I headed on the Block Route to the tree ledge. Easy climbing to a stout set of anchors. I could have easily made it to the tree ledge, but since it was Mike's first time on friction (and my second), I thought I'd stop there and make sure we were working together on the same page. No worries.

I headed up the second pitch to the tree ledge. The tricky move stumped me for a while at the big block. Someone yelled up some beta from the bottom, and I made it over the large block. A few short steps and I'm at the ledge.

Mike sails up, moving so fast I have to tell him to slow down so I can get all the slack up in the rope. The block move on toprope proves little challenge for Mike.

We re-rack and relax. There are about 4-5 parties starting towards the tree ledge at this point on various routes. The sun is now shining, and it's quite warm in the direct sun. But the shade is nice and cool. And there is NO WIND to boot. I couldn't ask for better weather! Time to cruise up the arch!

I set out on my way. This is my first multi-pitch trad lead, and really my first trad lead. I've set pro for anchors and in-between bolts occasionally, but this is the real thing now.

I find the going at first to be a little slow. I take my time, but slowly I gain my 'Stone Mountain friction feet' and figure it all out. The crack eats up all my nuts and hexes and tricams. A tree here and there to sling. Man, this shit is GREAT!

I reach the first belay anchors and get set. I yell down to Mike and he starts up. He's pretty nervous at this point from the exposure. He decides to layback almost the first whole pitch. Man, was he tired when he got to the anchors!

Mike took some time to relax while I re-racked my gear and got the rope ready for the next pitch.

Another great pitch to a stout set of anchors. Mike follows and make it up this pitch easier. He took my advice of trying the friction. After all, if he fell it would be 2-3 inches. He was on top-rope after all!

One more easy pitch to the top, and then a walk up. Man, that was fun!

Since we only brought one rope we had to walk-off. Next time I'll make sure to bring that extra rope we left in the car!

Pause for some summit photos (see http://www.geocities.com/samshank/ncweb/catalog_1.htm)

I can't wait to get back now and try No Alternative. Another Stone 5.5 waiting for me to climb it! I would have done it on Sat, but the exposure had Mike a little spooked, and he needed to take a break.

Sun we hit Crowders, and then Mon we stopped by Pilot on the way home. Great fun, great times, great weather.

Climb on,    sam

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