Herndon Climb Class of 2025

[Scots2002]

Have to give them props for regrouping after the demoralizing epiphany that the dixie cup cover was under the mid cover the first time....they should've known, but still, they basically started over!

 

[Dr. Strange Love]

Where have I heard that before ?
The quantify of lard really doesn't matter, as the bulk of it gets wiped off quickly ..its the remaining film that is the killer.
I still remember going out into the town after Herndon, and my eyesight was fuzzy because of a film of lard.

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This year’s long time to finish correlates with last years time … I think statistically significant … not outliers

Something is changed. …. More stickier lard

The times over the many years cannot be compared. The formula and conditioner keep changing …. No control environment.

 

[Huursoldaat]

Have to give them props for regrouping after the demoralizing epiphany that the dixie cup cover was under the mid cover the first time....they should've known, but still, they basically started over!

Yes I didn't understand what was going on when they declared victory then regrouped and started up again. Did they not understand the rules?

 

[OldRetSWO]

Showers must be crowded for a few hours, and lots of soap.

No more so than every other day during plebe summer after PEP.

In Bancroft Hall, every room has its own shower so there is a shower for every 2 or 3 affected plebes.

 

[OldRetSWO]

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This year’s long time to finish correlates with last years time … I think statistically significant … not outliers

Something is changed. …. More stickier lard

The times over the many years cannot be compared. The formula and conditioner keep changing …. No control environment.

You're basing this on many years of observing this process?

 

[Scots2002]

DD confirmed the upper class "larded" the dixie cup cover to the top...very sneaky

 

[Old Navy BGO]

The times over the many years cannot be compared. The formula and conditioner keep changing …. No control environment.

DD confirmed the upper class "larded" the dixie cup cover to the top...very sneaky

Of course there is no control environment or even rules, but who is going to let little details and facts getting in the way of Class bragging rights ?

Every class wants to make it a more difficult than their class, and quantities of lard may vary. Of course "larding" the Dixie Cup to the top is supposed to deter Plebes from throwing shoes or tshirts to knock the Dixie Cup off, then toss the Combo cover up (like I just saw on some of the video above). The objective is to climb the monument , remove the dixie cup, and "place" the Combo cover on the top, and there will always be upperclass and grads who think the current Plebe classes' effort is not as good as theirs. Actually, I think hot humid weather is a lot more signficant than the amount of lard-- look at the video, by the time a class is serious about getting to the top, all the visible lard is gone ....but its the film that is left that makes it really slippery.

 

[Dr. Strange Love]

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The very long times last year and this year (‘24 and ‘25) are Significant …. Something in formula is changed …. More lard, more water (safety and hydration maybe)

Who holds the rules & recipe? How has it changed?

The classes aren’t any less physical, nimble, or intelligent.

If Same formula next year … time will be similar to ‘24 & ‘25 times.
.

 

[justme]

Of course there is no control environment or even rules, but who is going to let little details and facts getting in the way of Class bragging rights ?
...

Actually, I think hot humid weather is a lot more signficant than the amount of lard-- look at the video, by the time a class is serious about getting to the top, all the visible lard is gone ....but its the film that is left that makes it really slippery.

I would agree regarding the weather. Though, the amount of lard would play into the residual amount everywhere. ie, on feet, on shirts, etc.

 

[Old Navy BGO]

he amount of lard would play into the residual amount everywhere. ie, on feet, on shirts, etc.

Of course..but all that gets thrown away !

One of the things that amazes me is how quickly the area around Herndon is refurbished -- I know it probably looked war torn when it ended, but by tomorrow morning you will only be able to tell because of the fresh sod.

 

[usna1985]

You can't look at Herndon as something that can be readily compared year to year. Part of it is the amount of lard and the type of lard. Part is whether and how well they glue the dixie cup to the top. Part is the weather. Part is how well the class is organized to set up the pyramid and the stamina of those at the bottom. Part is just plain luck.

I must say that, all these years later, I couldn't tell you how long we took. If memory serves, we definitely were on the slow side. One of the things that tended to slow things down at the time was the effort to pull female plebes off the pyramid. It had the effect of destabilizing the pyramid, causing others to fall, and thus requiring a rebuild. Hopefully, not the case today.

 

[Capt MJ]

Of course..but all that gets thrown away !

One of the things that amazes me is how quickly the area around Herndon is refurbished -- I know it probably looked war torn when it ended, but by tomorrow morning you will only be able to tell because of the fresh sod.

Yep, call away the Emergency Sod Team, on standby for urgent assignments during Comm Week.

 

[OldRetSWO]

Yep, call away the Emergency Sod Team, on standby for urgent assignments during Comm Week.

Ah, these are the legendary "Diggers and Fillers" who operate throughout the yard during the warmer months.

While I was a mid, someone created an additional scientific law regarding holes (in the dirt throughout the Yard) which goes something like this.

The Conservation of Holes: The Number of Holes is a constant and while the Holes themselves will shift throughout the Yard, the absolute number remains.

 

[2025Navy]

My Plebe has been at the base the entire time!!

Trooper!

 

[LT360]

You can't look at Herndon as something that can be readily compared year to year. Part of it is the amount of lard and the type of lard. Part is whether and how well they glue the dixie cup to the top. Part is the weather. Part is how well the class is organized to set up the pyramid and the stamina of those at the bottom. Part is just plain luck.

I must say that, all these years later, I couldn't tell you how long we took. If memory serves, we definitely were on the slow side. One of the things that tended to slow things down at the time was the effort to pull female plebes off the pyramid. It had the effect of destabilizing the pyramid, causing others to fall, and thus requiring a rebuild. Hopefully, not the case today.

Agreed and many other factors:
-shoes and socks not allowed this year. From previous years pics it appears they were allowed
-hoses on Plebes
-white works were not allowed this year and in past they were based on pictures
-number of plebes participating—-several varsity teams were gone or not allowed to participate, zero block trainees, med chits, etc. I estimated half the class actually in the fight
-while they are all plebes they don’t ever gather as a “class”. In fact for most the year they are fairly segregated into their companies with little time organizing.

Anyways it does not matter. They did it and are Plebes no more.

 

[justme]

Agreed and many other factors:
-shoes and socks not allowed this year. From previous years pics it appears they were allowed
-hoses on Plebes
-white works were not allowed this year and in past they were based on pictures
-number of plebes participating—-several varsity teams were gone or not allowed to participate, zero block trainees, med chits, etc. I estimated half the class actually in the fight
-while they are all plebes they don’t ever gather as a “class”. In fact for most the year they are fairly segregated into their companies with little time organizing.

Anyways it does not matter. They did it and are Plebes no more.

You forgot the most important one... Plebes spending all their energy hiding from the photographers instead of helping their classmates.

At least that is what I can only assume happened last year.

 

[8th Wing Refugee]

You can't look at Herndon as something that can be readily compared year to year. Part of it is the amount of lard and the type of lard. Part is whether and how well they glue the dixie cup to the top. Part is the weather. Part is how well the class is organized to set up the pyramid and the stamina of those at the bottom. Part is just plain luck.

I must say that, all these years later, I couldn't tell you how long we took. If memory serves, we definitely were on the slow side. One of the things that tended to slow things down at the time was the effort to pull female plebes off the pyramid. It had the effect of destabilizing the pyramid, causing others to fall, and thus requiring a rebuild. Hopefully, not the case today.

Our class got gigged because if I recall correctly the cover didn't go over the point of Herndon, but got stuck flat side down in the lard on one of the triangular sides at the top. The cannon went off and we were done.