Miles to go before I sleep...

My summer of climbing has come to an abrupt end. Unfortunately, on our first day out on the rock, my partner took a bad trad fall. We were climbing a right facing 3 pitch 5.7 dihedral. On pitch two, he attempted the 5.9- offwidth variation, and fell out of the top of the crack, with just a 0.5 and 0.4 BD camalot below him. A 35' crash into the corner left him with large bruises, abrasions and a sprained ankle. After a few days rest and perspective, we decided to cancel the climbing trip, since we wouldn't be able to climb much, if at all.

I spent some time reflecting and thinking - the goal for the summer was to challenge myself, to find new boundaries. A big wall seemed like the perfect opportunity. I thought about heading to the valley to meet up with other climbers, and pursue a few lines, but the accident really helped me realize that we need climbing partners not when things are good, but when they are bad. I have no doubt that there are some talented climbers in the valley, waiting to find a good partner. My head, and heart, just weren't into this situation.

I've decided instead to hike the Colorado Trail, 483 miles from Denver to Durango. I will be traveling light (my pack, without food and water, is just 15.5 pounds), so I hope to move fast and far. This is a much different opportunity to spend time in the mountains, but I think the wilderness connection will be stronger, the challenges a bit more diverse.

We'll catch up again in three weeks time! Until then - Cheers!

Article on Friction

Interesting write-up on friction with detailed explanations accessible even to the lay person. Credit to Dave Flanagan.

http://www.theshortspan.com/features/friction.htm

"Just a good day in the mountains"

It has been ten excellent days on the road, and my dad and I have finally arrived in Portland (just in time for father's day!). The drive was long - with lots of cold, rain and wind - but filled with expansive landscapes, big mountains, and beautiful surroundings. Sitting in the 1947 Plymouth was a great way to see the country roll by, at a *leisurely* 55 mph; the lack of a radio gave us a chance to converse and reflect, to spend time together. During the trip, I managed to fit in two full value adventure climbs, the first with my dad, the second with a friend from Montana.

The first climb might be stretching the definition for this blog, but it brought all of the same feelings as a roped multi-pitch - the adrenaline, the doubt, the excitement at reaching the peak. "Pikes Peak or Bust!" Pikes Peak is a 14,000' mountain, with a long history of motorized summits. The main road is 19 miles to the top, filled with steep grades, tight turns, plenty of gravel, and thin thin air. My dad handled the drive with precision, keeping the pedal pounded and the engine humming. There were a few times I wasn't sure we would make it, but in the end, the old car survived, we enjoyed the summit, and made a hasty retreat as storm clouds moved in around 9 am. What a great day.

The second climb was one of my favorite mountain days ever. A good friend of several years drove down from Boseman MT to the Tetons to meet up for a day. The spring has been cold and snowy in WY, and the climbing rangers warned us that Monday the 13th might (might!) be the first climbing day of the season. We woke for an alpine start at 5 am, with big clouds hanging low in the valley, but decided to head out and see what the rock looked like. The goal for the day was Irene's Arete on Disappointment Peak, an excellent 6 pitch 5.9 on a South facing piece of bullet proof granite (rare in the Tetons), which sits below the Grand, providing excellent views throughout the day.

John and I have spent plenty of time backpacking and hiking peaks, but never roped climbing, so Irene's was a special way to combine everything we've enjoyed in the mountains together. We hiked the four miles from the trailhead to boulder field relatively quickly, then got out the crampons and ice axes for the last approach in snow. Another short mile of relatively easy travel, then it was kicking steps and scrambling to the base of the route. A four hour approach, but the low lying clouds had broken, and it was nothing but bluebird skies above, promising a great climb (and in retrospect, an excellent sunburn).

The climb is documented well on other sites (climbing.com, summitpost.org, mountainproject.com), but the route follows the edge of the prominent arete, with every pitch providing fun movement and exposure. Pitch 2 followed a 5.8 handcrack through a small roof, to a belay directly underneath the arete proper; pitch 3 followed a band of black rock, moving back and forth on each side of the arete, putting plenty of air under your feet; pitch 4 moves up a 5.8 finger crack, to a juggy 5.6 roof, into a long flaring 5.7 crack; pitch 5 provides the crux - twenty feet of excellent fingers in a 90 degree corner, with a long 5.7 slab to the notch. From the notch, we pulled on a few pieces of gear to move through an awkward 5.8 finger/hand crack to a slab, then soloed the last 50 feet of easy fifth class slab climbing to the summit. It was 5 o'clock and time to get home!

Two more hours of kicking steps in the snow down the descent colouir, then a long section of lower angle snow that we were able to 'boot ski'. We finished with a beautiful hike out during the 8 oclock hour, back to the car in time for a celebratory beer as the sun began to set. All in all, an excellent day in the mountains, where John and I were each able to push ourselves in new ways. He finished his longest climb to date (all while carrying a backpack loaded with boots, crampons and ice axes!), and I got to experience mountains in early summer, complete with snow. Definitely a climb I'll remember.

For those interested, a lot of pictures of the '47 Plymouth and roadtrip are here; a few decent pictures of Irene's Arete are here.

Support Our Friend Tony Perolio - Please Consider Donating

This is for a fellow local climber and friend, Tony Perolio. Tony is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He has come back from battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia TWICE - the latter time via stem cell transplant through a donor. Read his inspirational story here.

Tony's now facing graft versus host disease, and his body is rejecting the transplant. He's been through more than I thought anyone could manage and here he is fighting everyday. I've talked with Tony several times and if you didn't see the physical manifestation of these tough side effects, you wouldn't know he was suffering. Tony's kept a strong, positive attitude; he shares and reflects the love of his family and friends, and he's determined to fight and live.

There are two ways to help help support Tony: 1) by going to the above link and consider donating to support his treatment and 2) attending the show on June 24 headlined by Jon Hardy and the Public, The Hibernauts & Kid Scientist. Insurance and Medicare have now denied paying for experimental treatment he's due to receive in Boston.

I've added his page link permanently to the right as well.

Would you please put a shirt on?*

*Would you brush my teeth?

Climbers:
Jaimie, John and little Connor, Scott, Meghan, Tara and Craig , Tall Tim, Sharon, Carolyn and Tommy, Calvin and Angie, Yoli and Christian, Sophie.

HORSESHOE CANYON, AR. Memorial day Week-End.

The spring storms had been rolling in on and off in the Saint Louis area, sometimes bringing apocalyptic shows and yes... puddles in my basement. But for the WE the forecast had cleared, somewhat miraculously. Arkansas looked like the sunny spot to be
Craig and Tara had been floating on the Buffalo river for the past week, and had secured a camping area for us which was quite lucky on a week-end we knew was going to be busy at the Ranch.
By Friday night everyone had arrived but for Calvin and Angie and Tommy and Carolyn. Yoli and Christian were in their "secret camping spot" and would meet us in the morning.

Saturday morning, the sun rose on a cloudless sky and a bit of warm weather. But whoever knows this area in the summer will attest this was "ideal". Stay out of the sun and you would be a happy climber. And that was the plan.
I love camping. I have already an internal clock very much based on the daylight ( and get teased about it endlessly) but when I camp, it is even more of an incentive for me to follow the sun patterns. And this is the season when the sun is an early bird. By 5:30 am/6:00 I am fully awake. Through the mesh of my tent, the starry sky was chased away by dawn. The morning fog is slowly rising on the Eastern side of the canyon, the air still crisp. Let's go climb!
By 6:30 am half of our group is already moving around. Craig has emerged from his tent and his going through his morning stretch routine.
"For Pete's sake, Craig, would you put a shirt on, you make me feel bad!"
Scott just came out of his morning daze with the shirtless vision of our friend!
I do not mind Scotty...don't know what's your problem!
Yoli and Christian roll in, half awake.
We are ready to go by 7:00/7:30.

Mr Magoo Rock is our first stop for the day. A detached boulder on the Western side of the Ranch, Mr Magoo offers some splendid lines. Scott and I are on a mission: 10 routes today. By 9:30/10:00 am we are on our way to a good start. He has 6 , I have 5!
Everyone takes turns on Man Servant a powerful 5.9 arete, while Tall Tim, Sharon and Tara go warm up on Memoirs of Daisha 7 and The Flying Daisha 6, coming back around the corner to join us on Road Hoag 10a. We then move on our warm up to Mr Magoo, the classic 10b, Mr Charlie (pumpy 10d), and Christian and Scott finish off on Heavy Stigmatism 11b, Scott pulling the rope with a gigantic knot in it! Ah it takes a PHD...never mind I am just an artist what do I know? eh eh. Scott just wanted to climb one more route.
It is not even 10 yet....oh yeah we are on the roll.
The sun is moving fast and gets ready to hit the Eastern face of the canyon. It will be time to move across soon.
Just enough time to get one or two climbs on the far East faces.
King Kong, 11a for Craig, Scott and I while the others move on to Orange Crush, 9+ and Purple Nehi, 11b.
King Kong is a great line, sustained and keeping you on your toes pretty much the whole way. I had never done it on lead and was really happy to finish it with just one fall while the boys crushed it in great fashion, the three of us using very different beta (imagine that!)!
The trickiest part of all was to pull the rope away from the poison ivy which has invaded the base of that wall, making falls before the first clip even less inviting. A good incentive to go up!
A hike across the canyon brings us back to the campsite as the sun is brushing the faces we were just climbing. A little lunch pause means siesta time for Super Craig. Scott follows suit while Connor is working on some good healthy food.



By 2:00 pm the Western walls are more in the shade. Time for some little trad action! Craig is leading Tara, Meghan, Scott and I towards a line, Deft Jam, a classic 9 hand crack. The rest of the group is still in nap mode and will end up bouldering at the Idahoes.
The spring has been quite wet, and nature has taken over. A blanket of poison ivy is covering the grounds all the way to the Confederate Cracks wall. We really wanted to climb some crack but not at the price of itching for days. I have never seen the Ranch so lush, beautiful yet deadly.
Plan B, another classic for which the approach is clear: Hackberry Crack a 9 splitter crack.


I had done that crack on gear over two years ago, back in the days I was doing more Trad. Funny then it felt comfortable and moderate. I looked at this thing, and nope it was not going to be my choice for a return to Trad! And I was glad I followed it! Scott lead it without much problem, climbing with style...did I hear a grunt?

And we all took TR turns on it. Meghan, on one of her first true crack climb showed she was a natural, and Tara flew up it (it must help to live with a "crack-nut" Craig that is). Craig used it as his lap-route (TR and lead)...



We then decided to get away from the "rain forest" and head down to the North Forties.
"10 routes we have to get to 10 routes!"
Scott was insistent. he was on a mission. Our morning rhythm had let up a bit!
"Come on Sof let's finish this!"
Scotty was on climbing overdose, judge for yourself:

Our energy level was starting to crash. I knew I had maybe a couple moderate routes in me, that was it. Then I realized I was facing my chance to get my trad head back on. Green Goblins, an 8 I have climbed many times used to be a trad route. Perfect, I would do it on gear. If I would freak out I could go for the bolt! Not the purest thing to do maybe but safe enough! So while Craig and Scott were scaling Sonny Jim, an 11a next to Lavender Eye, I racked up (Craig style_with a gear loop sling_which I had never used before) and headed for my first placement.

Ah...more than 2 years with no trad and suddenly placement are not so smooth, reminding me, trad is also about finding that more comfortable stance. First cam in: solid, resisting fine under a strong pull. and then just before I decide to move on I test it one more time and the piece comes right off. Right Sof. Let's see about the left side if I have more luck. A bit of placement struggle at the beginning which made my very patient belayer Meghan a bit nervous, and then I found my groove and my run-out towards the top!!
Cool that felt good. Scotty 8 routes will do for me!
Here is Scotty on Sonny Jim, his 8th or ninth route of the day:

And Meghan on a new route right of Green Goblin (8, 9?):

Scotty made it to 10 routes that day. Animal. I knew I was going to feel the day in the morning. 8 was plenty for me. As the light was dimming I headed back to camp to find the rest of our friends already tucked into camping chairs sipping on beer having a few laughs with Carolyn and Thommy who had made it in shortly before. Sounded good. Dinner could wait a bit!
While laughing on the events of the day, we had additional entertainment provided by some brainless guy who thought it was a good idea to "parade" his tiny Honda Civic capped with a full size canoe up and down the very rough road leading to the upper campground. at the rate of his round trips, not one but 4 of them, it looked like he was too lazy to WALK down (a mere 5 minutes walk) to the camp store! The fact he was rolling up and down way too fast and that his (but was it his?) car was bottoming out at every rock did not seem to phase him a bit. By the fourth trip, we gave him a sarcastic applause, raising our beers to his endless idiocy.
By dinner time Calvin and Angie rolled in. Time for a round of Jadan, this crazy card game Yoli and Christian had taught us at the Red.
The night was clear and the sky full of stars. Another good day awaiting.

Sunday.
Yes indeed the campers of HCR seem to offer free entertainment. Meghan wakes up to an odd scene indeed: walking to get water, she runs into our "neighbors" going through their morning "routine". Odd one that is, the guy leaning towards his girlfriend brushing her teeth. No, no typo: HE was brushing HER teeth. OK that is weird. Needless to say that would become the quote of the day "would you brush my teeth". Yes I know very little can entertain our joyous group.
Thanks to the early morning light, we had another early start under perfect clear skies. Headed towards the North 40s, where some of the members of our group had never climbed, we lined up a few warm-ups before hitting a few harder lines. Lavender Eye (12a), Big Top (11c), Love Slave (11c), Mine Mine Mine (11d) and a new line next to Love Slave among others.
By noon, dark clouds had rolled in. Out of nowhere it looked like a storm was brewing. Sure enough. I was on Love Slave about to attack the crux, when thunder and lightning tore the sky.
Angie who was belaying me got me down in a hurry. Our tents where not covered. No rain fly so confident we were with the forecast! We raced down the campground under pouring rain, to be stopped half way by Craig telling us Scotty had taken care of all the tents.
My hero.
In fact his bowel movement had saved us! He was in the camp area's bathroom when the sky came down!
The rest of the climbing day was pretty much a wash. Love Slave and Mine Mine Mine remained dry (besides Love Slave's top out which was rather soaked) and some of us played on them for bit. But the range of climbing was now reduced to these couple of lines. Yoli could not climb anymore as she had developed a mega flapper on Mine Mine Mine. It was not long before we headed back to camp and called it a day. A pizza in the little town of Jasper sounded pretty good then.
....
To be continued