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General Climbing Discussion

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Havachatwithhexy... 2-Jan-2006 At 9:51:21 PM The HEX

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'...Vertical shelters have been the most recent advance in equipment for the most extreme multi-day routes. Evolving from the Warren Harding's BAT (Basically Absurd Technology) hammock that could be anchored from a single point, the LURP (Limited Use of Reasonable Placements) tent was developed by Greg Lowe in 1974. Though lightweight, BAT hammocks were cramped and forced the inhabitant to lean against the wall, which in a storm ran with cold water. The precursor to the modern portaledge, the LURP tent solved the problem by adding a solid aluminum frame around the bed, keeping the inhabitants away from the wall. During its use on the first winter ascent of the Northwest Face of Half Dome, heavy winds and snow were comfortably survived for the first time in the history of big wall climbing. However, it was initially considered a specialized tool rarely worth the weight, and never made it past the prototype stage. Climbers seeking the comfort of a portaledge made their own. By the early 1980s portaledge use became popular with the somewhat more widely available one person "Cliff Dwelling," manufactured by Mike Graham. Graham also produced a dozen two-person "Fortress" portaledges, which facilitatied the unpeeling of new layers of remote big wall possibilities, and equipped Hans Christian Doseth and his partners who went on to make the first ascent of the spectacular Norwegian Buttress on the Great Trango Tower in 1984...'

...Heeeeeeeeey ... Mikey be hip !!! ...

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Re: Who invented the Portaledge? Jul 15, 2005
WBraun
>Mike Graham aka chief designer of Gramicci Products (probably spelled it wrong) but >it was Mike.

>He test drove it on his solo of El cap route forgot that one too, over by the southwest >face.

>But I remember him getting soaked to the bone on it because he forgot to seal the top >of the fly. He told me he thought at one time in a half hypothermic state that some >friend of his was sitting next to him and wanted to eat his food. I drove down to El Cap >looking for him when I knew he had topped out and found him walking towards C4 in a >daze.

>The first thing he said to me was “talk to me Werner I haven’t spoken to anyone in >days”.

:D

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