16-Jan-2011 8:46:21 AM
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As it's been raining I've been rapping waterfalls for my verticality, specifically rebolting Hot Cal (which is still needs 7 brackets at the base, wore my batteries out, but should fix it soon). As a side project I also retrobolted the first 3 pitches of Contented Cows (17, 8, 19) as a much easier and faster varient start. You still have the scramble (8) and the pumpy upper pitches (18, 19 undies traverse, hard 19 wall, 18 wall) and the 16 finish (cos' I don't like the gully, and you get to summit). All fixed stainless (some relics from the gear testing and some donated from Stu and Hargs). I'd take 2 brackets in case you have to share belays, but all the belays are on reasonable ledges now.
If you get to the base of HC, the CC start is 40m left around the arete, at the same level. It's about as dirty as HC was initially, so toss a few greenies for me as you pass.It's not as good as the first 3 pitches of HC, but the slab is quite nice.

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