Trad Climbing on Ants' line at The Gunks, NY

[@giopilli1]

Thanks for this video - I sent the line this weekend and the way you executed the crux roof was helped me a lot while I was executing it.

[@Hikergy16]

Sheesh. Kind of a technical 5.9 Also that burp is a total “phew, I was a bit nervous back there” 😂

[@badnews9312]

Nice lead.....good to see you using long runners....a lot of new climber neglect this but they really help reducing cams walking out of placements, especially when you are placing them blindly.....I also noticed the abundant use of cams....i guess it is an age thing as I still have my stiff shafted Wild Country "Friends" from the 80s........back then we used a lot more wired nuts and also hexes, which i have yet to see anyone use in all the videos I have watched here on KZbin .....I saw that tappered crack on your second last placement and thought "if he doesn't place a nut in that"? well, you did - really nice lead buddy - wish I could still get out there and climb old trad routes..... I lived to climb for near two decades now in my mid fifties with some health issues I have to get my thrills vicariously by watching you young lads tear it up - again, good job!!!!

[@toddkreider6759]

badnews - I'm in the same boat as you. I'm about to turn 59 & I climbed in the Gunks in the early-mid eighties and did many of the climbs I now watch on youtube, including this one. I remember Ant's Line as being a total forearm pumper. This was a nice lead. Though I don't have health issues, I want to back and do some of my favorite routes. Maybe I'll just hire a guide

[@maddie4077]

I noticed you really bury those nuts. Keep in mind your second has to clean them, they can be less deep and still be bomber.

[@foimassa]

nice bro! how's the weather down there?

[@FirstPersonBeta]

Thanks Man, Gorgeous!

[@karoleksylvus8807]

I've seen a lot of your climbs , very intersting, but... when you use cams- ok , when nuts (very rare :) I start to laugh . Train more with them . There was plenty of good placements for nuts in your routes . Don't be angry fot that, nice climbs.

[@FirstPersonBeta]

Heh, I've done more Nut placements in the past 6 months then in the entirety of my trad climbing. Largely because you're right, I don't really have a good beat on how to use them.

[@badnews9312]

I also noticed that - I feel safer with a well-seated nut below me than a cam that often can walk around inside cracks especially if not placed with real care and an eye for where one side of a crack starts to flare or dip etc...they can end up walking straight on out, especially if not using long slings.....now you seat a nice nut in a tapered crack and give it a little firm yank to set it and you have contact on both sides of the majority of that nut - you can bet your life on it not failing.....and no need to give it another thought