April 26, 2009 - Draper's Bluff

Trad, trad, trad. And more trad. It's been a while since I've posted about a local climbing trip, but we've had a chance to head out to So Ill and sample some fine trad, getting some quality climbing in on the other popular So Ill crag owned by Eric Ulner.

The last two times I've gone with Craig both times, Tall Tim, Meg and Carine once each. My goal was to get some feel for gear placement again, climb some new routes (for me) and keep it nice and easy for my still gimpy wrist. I'm not quite sure what's going on with my wrist, but it's healing VERY slowly. I try to stay off it but I'm also being foolish and climbing because, well, I can't help it.

On our first trip, we had fun warming up on familiar climbs like Dust Doctors, then started to have fun. Craig tore it up, onsighting Never Pass A Chance to Get Pumped .10a mixed. We also climbed Ant Killer 5.9, a classic dihedral, which was my first time on it.

Has anyone ever noticed that most of the climbs of the .10b grade at Draper's are pretty tough? Case in point: Shame .10b. The guidebook calls it, "... [an] obtuse dihedral..." which would be quite right. It's probably the best .10 I've climbed in So Ill, right up there with Wild At Heart .10d at Railroad Rock at the Falls. You start on nice moves up a smooth, thin dihedral, then get to challenge yourself navigating a blind slopey roof. Interesting and varied climbing continues for another 50+ feet, and I only breathe a sigh of relief when I'm at the anchors. I was very happy to send, as I'd tried it a few times years ago to no avail.

Another tough .10b is Back to School, with sustained climbing and rather cryptic cruxes. There are good gear placements but they require some fortitude and forearm endurance... of which I am in short supply from lack of climbing.

We also had fun with Monarch .10b mixed, and Inner Space, .10a, which requires summiting two small bulges and World's Saddest Dog, 5.9 - which feels a bit spicy. Good gear placements, but you have to trust that the holds will be there.

The highlight for me, was High Over Camp .10a. Moderate 5.7 climbing takes you to about 10 feet of .10a handcrack. My crack technique is atrocious, and I took my first substantial lead fall on gear as a result. I first placed a #2 Camalot in what I hoped was a bomber placement, then placed a .5 TCU right before the overhang begins. Being the idiot that I was, I then gasped, grunted and heaved my way about 18 inches up and started crying while trying to place a #4 Camalot four unsuccessful times. After finally shoving the damn thing in, I attempted to clip the rope across my body, in a horrendous, twisted, non-crack optimized position. Mind you, all my own damn fault. Craig later schooled me on good stemming/back-stepping technique while jamming like a crack master. I felt my hand slowly slipping as I reached to clip, tried anyway, but just before I could clip, I was out and falling.

Craig saved me with a nice catch, and I took a little 15 footer on the .5. It held beautifully. Go Metolius!!

Tim, Carine and Meg all had good times on Surprise 5.8, Bad Day 5.7, Dust Doctors 5.8 and various other climbs. Tim's project is Fancy Lads, .10c, which has a tough first two bolts. He made good progress and hopes to finish it soon.

While Tim and I climbed Fancy Lads, Craig took Carine up Bloody Nose for the view. We always take Draper's Bluff newbies up this climb. I never tire of it, for the view is more than worth it. They ended up taking a bit longer than expected, so Tim and I watched Aaron Schneider work on Guns N Roses V9 on the Egg Boulder by the main path up to the bluff. I'm not sure if he sent it that day or not. I borrowed his pad and managed to climb Scrambled Eggs V5 after 4 or 5 tries. I was lucky that the hard move required the left arm, not the right. :) From a sit-start under a mini-roof, you do a nice move to a big, but good pinch, move your feet up and do a long-ish move to a jug. Control the swing, then figuring out how to top out is the next crux.

That pretty much ended our day. Great climbing, with great weather and good friends.