The Amphitheater II/Internet Connection

This will be the last for the ice video uploads (for now, may post additional next season - might not).

Rope gun Tim Anderson partnered with wife Laura on two mixed rock/ice routes. Locations are Ohiopyle SP (The Amphitheater II) and the Rod and Gun Club (Internet Connection):

The Amphitheater II (2011)

Run Time: 11min (Approx.)

Internet Connection (2012)

Run Time: 11min (Approx.)

The videos of this and the past few posts were previously viewed on our old website which until recently had been up and running since 2006. The AVI/MOV video media was driven by Adobe Flash Player via a third party server. Adobe ceased supporting Flash Player a year or two ago. All the video was subsequently inaccessible for viewing. Was no big deal to us, they're rather old in format and content anyway. Almost a bit corny by todays standards. We then came to realize firsthand that DVD discs degrade over time. Rather than leave 'em to languish into obscurity, and with some free time on our hands, we decided to transfer (most) of the existing DVD-format video content to current MP-4 format and "perpetual" computer hard drive storage. Other than the discs, we had previously had 'em backed up stored in a DVD duplicator hard drive. Subsequently uploaded 'em to a private YouTube account. A few of the videos have gone from a generation of transfer from 16mm film to Beta tape to VHS tape (Hi-8 and "digital") to DVD to now MP-4 format. It's pretty cool now'days to be able to download media from a computer hard drive on to a USB drive and toss it in your pocket - especially after starting out years back conforming hundreds of feet of A Roll and B Roll (a whole different meaning back then) negative 16mm film to an eventual "print".

A bit of image recap (may have posted a few previously - maybe all):

A good shot of the scale of the "Beast Wall"

Tim high on the 'Beast'

Climber high on the north section of the wall (SC II)

Tom in mixed conditions

"Dr. Bob" on a thin column ('Son of Beast')

Tom

Un-identified climber

Laura on a foggy morning

Some "hairy dude"

Great condition anytime there's snow on the ground

Ditto

Warm-up bivouac

Laura checkin' the snowpack

More good snow conditions at the parking area

Climbers at "Irishtown"

Panorama along the 'Gun Club Wall' in average conditions. We've seen it almost completely frozen over during an exceptional winter

A few guys have inquired as to the "chick" in one of the previous videos:

That would be our buddy 'Regina'

"Elle est un bon oeuf"

She's also a (now retired we understand) university professor of astro-physics (true)

The Awakening/The Infinite (Cinema Part 6)

 Tim and Laura Anderson lookin' pretty casual on first ascent of two local Grade 5's:

The Awakening (2009)

Run Time: 19min (Approx.)

The Infinite (2012)

Run Time: 19min (Approx.)

Check out those great snow conditions at the beginning few minutes of 'The Infinite'. Gotta' be near 3ft. Hope the snow spirits are watchin' - we wanna' place a similar order for this year.

Western Pennsylvania Ice II/Taming the Beast (Cinema Part 5)

While we're at it we figured that we might as well post two additional old videos - follow up to last post. Is also a lousy afternoon and we're waiting for some epoxy to dry:

Western Pennsylvania Ice II (2004)

Run Time: 49min (Approx.)

Taming the Beast (2007)

Run Time 11min (Approx.)

We had made four of those WPA Ice videos. This is the second and best one (our opinion). Principal cast of characters include Tim Anderson and Tom Koppler. A bunch of other folks who are credited at the end of the "flick". That was a pretty good winter - probably two months of deep freeze and lots of snow - you could actually snowshoe about for several weeks. That 'Sky Monkey' route of Tim's has never even come close to being in since then.  Keep the grapes peeled for around time 20:20  - there's a shot of the Yough River completely frozen over. That would be for over a mile from above the SC dam. We were lucky enough to be out walkin' the dog during the spring thaw when that ice jam let loose. Sounded like a train wreck with huge blocks of ice then sweeping down stream. Pretty spectacular sight to behold. If we're lucky and weather patterns follow their typical 20 year cycle, then we're due for similar (we think that was more like a 50 year cycle, though - we'll see)

We had posted some narrative and images regarding that first free ascent of the "Beast' a few years back. We didn't look it up or we would have provided a link. It's back in the archives somewhere. That was one heck of an effort by eastern PA climber  Rob "Griz" Ginieczki, seconded by Brintton Price. Basically just walked up, looked up the thing, geared up and climbed it. No falls and in flawless style. "Cool as a cucumber" and smooth all the way. 

We hadn't looked at any of this stuff for probably the past ten years. Was fun viewing it yet again. Now glad we had processed it all to MP4 video format. We had almost abandoned it all (we like to keep moving along to new endeavors).

The Sick-le/Collapse of the Sick-le (Cinema Part 4)

With winter moving in, thought that we would post two older videos that were originally on the website. Both highlight the "Sick-le" formation that occurs at an old section of limestone quarry located high up on the ridge. There's a prior post from a few years back with some narrative and images. We didn't go back into the "archives" to search for it, or we would have posted a link. It's back there, though.

'The Sick-le' (2007)

Run Time 6 min (approx.)

'Collapse of the Sick-le' (2009)

Run Time 11 min (approx.)

The "Sick-le" is a pretty spectacular ice formation for our "neck of the woods". It's about 100ft tall ground to top. The upper section is a huge, detached, free hanging column which overhangs the wall by about 5ft. A good winter it probably forms for a length of 30ft. A spectacular winter it would be a completely detached column touching the ground. We've never seen that - we're waiting for the theoretical Earth crust displacement anticipated for around year 2030 to shove us to a bit higher latitude and better winter conditions - presuming that the ancient's stellar clocks are correct. 

The first video, The Sick-le, highlights climber Tim Anderson, assisted by Doyle Tarwater, on first ascent done on top-rope. Tim was afterward "chompin' at the bit" to get a lead attempt. Conditions were soon out within the week, so he'd now be lookin' at the following winter at best - the Sick-le to loom like Melville's "white whale" 'till then.  In the interim - how to protect that thing? Considering that there was no way to ever assess the stability of the column, the plan was to place one bolt in the bare limestone rock at the initial airy traverse move out onto the "face" and another near the top. No way was one to trust ice screws. Worst scenario, he'd be looking at a potential 60ft fall on to the lower bolt after riding the distance airborne on the back of a several ton block of ice. Any screws beyond that point, out on the face, and he'd surely be Ahab lashed to his leviathan. The second video, Collapse of the Sick-le, was the following year (and only that we know of) lead attempt, assisted by his wife, Laura. The title of the video says it all. This was at the end of a several day late February freeze and formation and the only and last opportunity during that winter.

Suffice to say, subsequent to that first ascent on top-rope we can't recall an extended spell of winter weather conditions for the Sick-le to sufficiently re-form to any extent. The lower bolt is in place for anyone to give it a try, though, when it returns. 

We're posting this information only for purpose of antiquity and our perpetual devotion to "duty and humanity". We're not prompting anyone to go into that place. Since around the early 2010's everyone's gotten a bit older and has slowly drifted from the "scene". We have no idea what others have been up to, if anything at all.  Last we drove by (a few years back) there had been several recent "No Trespassing" signs posted along the tree line.

Tim and Laura

Overlooking some awesome ice during a good winter

Viewing south from the north end of the quarry wall. The Sick-le is visible to the near with the rope running down.

Tim on a big mixed route during a sketchy winter.

Doyle and Tim posing beneath some "Gun Club" ice. 

Regrettably, Doyle has passed away a year or two recent

Good climbing with ya' Doyle - see ya' in the next dimension.