Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Great Weekend/weekday

I had a few awesome days this week. Saturday My brother, Tom, Aaron and I went up to St. George to scout out some new rock, and new rock we found. Overhanging, featured granite for 120 feet. Solid. It quite literally blew my mind. It has huge potential for 5.12, 5.13, and maybe even 5.14 routes.

There are a few problems however. The first is how to bolt the damn thing. It's so overhanging that a tensioned line seems impossible, and aiding it would be bold. Any ideas?

Also, there are the ever-present access issues. While we were at the cliff, the landowner, eric, meandered up to meet us. He didn't seem overly happy to see us there, but he wasn't mean. Access is unknown.

Now onto today. Cory and I headed out to Minkey wall at Cochrane lane for some stiff trad. We warmed up on the super chill Smoking Crack (5.8). Then it was time for business. We racked up, and I started to lead up Bird of Fire (5.10 PG). I knew this climb was going to be a bit runout, but it was much more than I expected. I found myself 80 feet off the deck, 15 feet out from my last decent cam (A 0.5 Camalot in a horizontal), staring at a tipped out #1 mastercam in front of my face behind a thin, crumbling flake, and about to pull the crux. I gathered my courage and started into the sequence. A series of insecure laybacks off of flakes for 10 feet led to the final move of the crux. My feet were smeared to my left, my handholds facing right. I desperately stab to a horizontal, not knowing whether it is positive or not. My feet skate out from underneath me. If I fall here, I'm looking at a minimum 50 foot fall. My hand hits the horizontal. Slopey, shit. I hold on with all I can, and stab to a higher horizontal. Jug, thank god. I continue 15 more feet to the top, clip the bolt anchors and breathe. That was a tough one.

We continue on. Cory leads up the equally bold Bolts are for Kids (5.10 PG). Cory then leads Cry of the Redtail (5.10 PG). See a pattern? I finish off the day with an attempt on Reno Dyhedro (5.11). I don't quite get the sequence right on the onsight attempt, and take a 15 footer at the crux. I go back up, try it again, fail again, another 15 footer. Go back up, look around......nothing....nothing......AN UNDERCLING! With this previously uknown undercling now in existance, I pull the crux and head to the top. A great day. Since there were no pictures however, I'll leave you with a random picture from rumney.


Me falling off of Payment Plan (5.12)

1 comment: