Jay Smith - Incredible Hand Crack

Jay Smith, guide at October 2008 Splitter Camp, climbs Incredible Hand Crack, explaining crack technique.

[@trevordustin2613]

If you ever feel useless, imagine being the belayer.

[@crux321]

me thinking: "any day now he will place a piece, any day now. . ."

[@williammichaelsexton]

EXACT words going through my head.. hahah

[@rushthezeppelin]

Hand jams are the best pro.....funny that I say that considering the only part of my rack that is a triple is my hand jam size lol (although it's mostly because there are alot of anchor situations at my home crag that need #2s).

[@paulburnett2496]

crux321 c

[@bluetifulangel]

i can see he's a good climber, but i think i was having heart palpitations waiting for him to place at least one piece of gear.

[@logiconabstractions6596]

" First time I led it I probably put in more than 2 cams in ". That was hilarious.

[@badnews9312]

Jay is a god - I met him twenty years ago when he was climbing Hydrophobia up in Alberta Ghost region - he has to be 65 easy ten years older than me....great to see - a true icon of American Alpinism and rock and ice climbing

[@demarchisoft]

It's always a pain when they ask you to belay them and then free solo the thing...

[@vbuffalini]

can’t believe the fuckin’ nerds in these comments. do ya’ll even climb? Jay Smith is a G, who embodies the bold and free spirit of trad climbing.

[@imxd9698]

Thanks for uploading these.

[@jacylyons6423]

got jams, don't need cams. his confidence is inspiring.

[@brodient1]

Yes, it is an easy climb for him and he's done it many times. Objective was to show jamming technique, so he emphasized that instead of placements. Please see other video of him doing the placement demonstrations.

[@logiconabstractions6596]

These guys don't really know what they're talking about, obviously. Great climb!

[@speak2tone]

Great vid! That rock is a visual example of what i try to explain in terms of climbing mentality. Its so smoothe you cant climb it but it has a crack exposing the inner, thats the weakness that makes it possible to climb. The ground's pulling you down, the rocks trying to push you off, but they have every right to becasue your seeking to take advantage of its weakness for your own benifit. A conceptual battle of man v nature but with most climbs the strength and weakness isn't so opposed as this

[@wondersoxx]

That was a great video! Wonderful climbing, nice and easy, nothing to it (easier said than done I'm sure, haha!)! Great job!

[@Protains]

absolutely amazing

[@maxitaxik23]

Makes it look so easy and efficient

[@coolcat83]

running out the start? i'm sure this route was wel within your abilities, but it would also help to show placement spacing if you could

[@theopinson3851]

Was that rain or snow at the end?

[@worriedmn]

look at how eroded the rock face is from so many ascents, holy shit! I heard the cracks were widening but damn, I dont remember it looking like that 10 years ago.

[@NeillWylie]

He so chilled out.

[@NikySportsPromotion]

I would've placed 3 or 4 pieces before he put in his first. That was actually kinda scary to watch

[@blu3flare25]

didnt look like he had a whole lot

[@AlienCollective]

blu3flare25 And whose fault is that? Agreed, that was nerve-wracking...

[@DiamorphineDeath]

This is what, a 5.10 hand crack? Most crack climbers should be able to solo this comfortably, at least the first half of the route. Jams are incredibly secure...the safety patrol needs to lighten up a bit here

[@AlienCollective]

DiamorphineDeath Okay, great, but he's supposed to be teaching here. Do whatever you want when you're climbing, but that doesn't mean you should teach your students to neglect basic safety.

[@DiamorphineDeath]

AlienCollective He's teaching jamming technique, if you did't notice there's another video of him showing proper cam placements. Have you ever done any crack climbing? Because nothing in that video was "nerve-wracking," as you put it..

[@ananda_miaoyin]

What a Master.

[@BODIKY111]

very strong man -technique., power versus age -exelent

[@MegaThompson26]

I wish I could climb with this guy a few times. It would be like hanging out with the gandolf of trad. teach me oh great wizard >.

[@Brian_Moser1118]

he's old but he got more fitness than me and i am 24

[@agpyo06]

it depends where he slips.probably not after the first protection is placed. but this is done with a great deal of technical and mental training.

[@CottonwoodDraper]

He seems pretty awesome

[@DropChop69]

4:08 Good job belayer!

[@birgitza]

boah, respekt, das schaut alles so locker aus. Ich würde das auch gerne können. Bravo!!!!!!

[@hogintheskyskysky]

totally sounds like his elbow crunches like crazy at 2:00 ("watch my elbow")

[@peanutjenner]

I swear if u close your eyes you hear Tommy Chong explaining crack climbing lol. The best Ive ever seen. Beautiful climbing

[@gimlisrage5]

i always get problems with my feet when i climb cracks. They hurt so much everytime

[@arthurjohnson3438]

+gimlisrage5 put your feet in at an angle, worked for me

[@knuckldragger]

+gimlisrage5 You may be climbing in shoes that are too aggressive for cracks. Are you climbing in some really tight sport shoes? this was my issue, and when i switched to a softer shoe, flat lasted, street shoe size, I had virtually no problems

[@gimlisrage5]

Nick King yes that was also my problem, thanks ;)

[@Mattmillerhahaha]

inherent risk comes with doing wheelies, the only way to lower the risk is just not to do them. but in the case of climbing, by placing good gear more often you can lower the risk.

[@mralex5425]

he is so ridiculously confident. i want to call that runout but it's not even runout because there is zero gear in until he gets as high as most indoor walls. (funny how serious the belayer is when he is providing no more safety than he would be if he just took him off belay and set the rope down until jay puts the cam in)

[@evanvideo]

or if you climb well you don't need as much protection. Seriously, how many people bother to place a bunch of gear in a full hand crack??

[@marcmongango]

Para que la cuerda ?? Si no pone seguros....

[@adammattox894]

He was teaching crack climbing technique. Presumably, his students already know how to place pieces. You do not recognize true mastery

[@constantinosschinas4503]

when you really trust your friends.

[@northaunt]

if You know how to jam, it doesnt hurt that bad. Its much safer technique than dufler when trad climbing

[@paulmitchell5349]

groove on the left looks a tad more difficult.

[@francovaderno3532]

The number of protections is absolutely OK!!!!! More is overprotected! Such a crack don't let you fall out - here jamed is jamed! The crack shown here jams so good, the surface of the rock inside the crack is smooth and gives a good friction. (fine grained sandstone) If you moan here your haven't understood how the technique (watch video again!) or you are a Mollycoddle! Later cahnge to cracks in limestone, granite, raugh grained Sandstone, finger cracks, off width - and then a crack like this here you will call 'easy rubbish'.

[@knuckldragger]

I disagree. He obviously has climbed the route before, and is clearly a long time creeker. It makes sense that he is extremely comfortable in sandstone cracks, but that isnt the case for the people he is leading. He is teaching essentially people who are new to crack climbing how to climb crack, and he does not mention where you might want to think about placing pro, or what position you might want to have in order to be comfortable enough to get a good piece in. He definitely should have placed more gear. Not just for his own protection, but to be more of a demonstration for the group he was taking out and teaching to crack climb. You even hear him say in the video "the first time I led it I probably put more than 2 cams.."

[@crjanow]

you people just dont understand climbing. when your at the level he is a climb with holds like this is like climbing a 100 foot tall ladder. most people wouldnt use a rope to climb a ladder unless their afraid of heights. some all these comments are based on ignorants. not that your stupid you are just misinformed

[@williamfeasey1486]

Put some gear in!!!😄

[@larryhazlett1752]

The route is called Luxury Liner, nicknamed Supercrack. Its first ascent was by my close friends Earl Wiggins, Ed Webster and Brian Becker in the mid 70s. Please call it Luxury Liner. Earl didn’t like super crack!

[@trikael]

Nope. It's the Incredible Hand Crack.

[@helgagrams2393]

🙈🙈🙈

[@xXxdaguitarfreakxXx]

i know exactly where that is

[@miguelcastorena4293]

textbook technique

[@Centrodemasa]

Amazing skill, you should wear helmet and place more protection gear

[@RideAdventurous]

Shit does happen....justsayn...

[@Eddiep80]

Ive done Super crack with 4 pieces. But 3 on IHC is boss lol

[@raganusmc]

You know he could have set some gear way be for he did. to make the rout safer no talk on that he even amits it. Good climder though ill admit that

[@Smarflovesthecufjug]

May be confident but no need to highball on a crack like that

[@HondoTrailside]

He's a guide, why should he pretend he is a gym slob. On steep cracks there is a burn factor from carrying extra gear, placing it, and dragging the rope through it. He presumably didn't place low because it wasn't going to stop him hitting the deck, in one of the other vids his belayer was like 10 feet out from the rock. Then say when the pro might have done some good, you still are at a point where you only get coverage for a short while until you are back looking at a gorund fall. If at that point you are bomber, you just keep going. Presumably he placed where the hands where not full on solid, and at points where he had the best ratio of being able to run out some rope without ground fall potential, but no more than that. If he is sane he isn't ignoring his safety he is calculating it.

[@ogdemigod]

i dont know this guy but i do love him after watching this....NO HOMO!

[@tylergeringer3796]

laser cut splitters rarely see cams fail...and if you dont fall nothing bad happens...just like in a wheelie on a motorcycle....

[@sydneydoc]

very nice. He certainly travels light ... 5 mins in before placing his first piece ! If he had a grounder at that height a helmet probably wouldn't have helped anyway.

[@flexibleaspect]

I don't like how the rope goes behind his leg for a bit at 6:25. If he fell there, he'd be flipped upside down and hit his head on the wall.

[@claytonwalker9938]

+flexibleaspect Yeah... but it's Jay Smith dude.

[@hickstylez]

alex honnold

[@SirWillOfWeBB]

Gah I agree... freaking horrible climbers always demonstrating flawless technique and only placing mental pieces where they need them. or even climbing routes all together without protection thats just poor skill... also I mean People who can solo a route shouldnt hook up to a belayer yea they may get injured or stuck and want to set a piece to bail from but who doesn't commit like that .. WHO

[@trentarnold7226]

I think that after 6:00, if he had taken a fall, that would've been it. The path that his gear was placed in would've slammed him into a mantle

[@Mattmillerhahaha]

he has some climbing skill. but some skill is also in placing gear, he would have hit the floor if one of those cams failed

[@wradford1]

Climbing cracks is great if your masochist, jaming hurts bad.

[@paulmitchell5349]

tape up and learn some technique

[@lazerusmfh]

Even the best climbers make mistakes. it only takes one mistake to loose your ability to continue your sport.

[@MountaineeringSense]

I have climbed with Jay at Super Crack Buttress a few times. The fact he is supposedly guiding is a joke! Reminds me of the old John Long Learning to Climb films. No helmet is just for starters. Jay is a great climber but terrible guide and has been freeloading off his families trust for a long time. Cams Skid even at Indian Creek and people that fall off usually land on or hit their heads. Again, reminds me of the bullshit John Long learning to climb films.

[@jolllyroger1]

So have you exceeded the fall factors if you have then if your not dead on this climb eventually the numbers will get you Also why would you teach students or anyone to ignore safety. ?.. I love extreme sports ... flying, skydiving, windsurfing and am now returning to climbing..... Every one of these is our responsibility to promote safety following check lists and staying with In eatery margins This guy isv an ego a silent ego showing off.... Just because you don't yell out look at me Listen to these guys they are impressionable and will emulate you. ?.. And concerning the guys comments about this being like climbing a ladder to him ... so what he is unsafe if he is so great why did he use any anchors at all I have no problem with free climbers but my god don't set bad examples with rope for students

[@logiconabstractions6596]

I take it you're not trad climbing all that much yourself? You place the gear you need to make the climb safe. Some climbs you may be forced to run it for long stretches - you either do that climb or not. Of course he could have placed more gear in that case - but he didn't need to given the climb and his obviously very strong technique in pristine rock. While leading on gear, there's basically 2 components - the grade and the protection. You can push your limits on one of them at a time (but never both). Given his technic there, I see no problems in him using like 3 cams in the whole pitch.

[@constantinosschinas4503]

he could put one more friend after the first loft. falls where clean, he would not fall anyway, his hands were properly jammed so was not using much muscle power. this is trad climbing where each nut is calculated based on skill and efficiency, not sissy sport climbing with bolt every 2 metres.

[@doormat321]

Can I say it is not good practice to be teaching people to not place gear. Climbing is not about ego, he has all cams that are fast and easy to place there are no excuses.

[@zachdavis9748]

Is he really teaching them not to place gear? No one gets that run out unless they are secure by their skill, and knowledge of the route. The ducklings get top roped.

[@mes6276]

+doormat321 I believe it was peter croft that said.. a handjam is as good as a cam..

[@NickDangerThirdGuy]

and where is Peter Croft now?

[@mes6276]

Climbing somewhere awesome I imagine... because he is still alive.. and still strong as hell... sooooo your point?

[@dotadojardiner8893]

Is it just me or did this guy take way too long to place any gear - especially if you are teaching? After all teaching good technique is pointless if your students take a massive fall and cripple themselves.