The Forgotten Wall

Climbers, a.k.a. cacti's targets: Angie, Joe, Burke, Calvin, Sophie

Burke does not like long approaches.  So as good friends we kept the best one for him...the one no one knew about.  The less travelled road to... the Forgotten Wall.  
We should have known.  I have learned in my travels that the most poetic names are often kept for the harshest places, as to lure you into going anyway.  He He it worked.  Let me put it that way: Bush-whacking in Arizona is a different concept.  There is no catching yourself on a branch or an inviting bush.  None of those are really inviting you to anything but loosing some blood. Pretty they are. Incredibly esthetic, for sure!  Friendly?  Nope.

I learned it the hard way by poking my hand on a palm cactus while Angie got attacked by mean little flying spiky balls.  Ahhh the joys of climbing...and getting there.

But we did get there, and since no one knew which route was what, we worked out a little guessing game.  Joe, our favorite local, pointed out a couple of "10s".  So Calvin and I got set up and led out both routes, one right next to each other.  After the fourth draw I had a funny feeling this was no 10.  Humm and hearing the grunts next to me I believed Calvin was having the same doubts.  Yup.  It turned out we were "warming" up on a couple of tricky hard 11s.  OK so we came down and Burke and decided to get on that other 10 (of course it had to be!).  By the 3rd draw...words which were coming out of Burke's mouth....well the Queen would not have approved! No it was no 10 either. I got on it and after a few grunts and swinging falls got through the crux by a hang clip ( you know the thing you do when you hang the draw and get so sketched before you hook the rope that you hang on the draw for a second...!) Anyway Burke had his eyes on a sweetie around the corner, a beautiful line. Yeah yeah the man has taste!

And it went. The Onsight of the day went to the Captain himself who sent , in great style and determination the beautiful line of Blood Book, a magnificent 5.10- dihedral.

This was a beautiful sent.  Bravo to the Captain.
We all took runs on it after that, Calvin on lead as well.
Burke truly owned that day and even said it made the approach worth it.  He He he had not walked back yet.  We timed that one pretty well as we got a bit lost, or should I say misled... which is always a lot of fun when nature wants to spike you anywhere you go and the daylight is slowly disappearing.

One day not to be forgotten.

You can see more pictures if you click here.