by Christian R. (guest blogger)
I wake up to the stomping of Carine's running shoes on the pavement as she runs past my tent, intent on leaving footprints in the asphalt. The echo off the surrounding rock intensifies the noise, but at her pace, it quickly turns into the sound of distant machine gun fire. It's 6 o'clock and the climber hive is already awake and buzzing. I can hear Angie and Calvin giggling in the tent next to us. We tear down camp quickly in the bitter cold, ice still clinging to our tent poles as we disassemble our nomadic living quarters. We only have half a day left in boulder heaven and there's still sequences that need to be linked and cruxes that need to be solved.
The crew is now a well-oiled machine. We're ready to go by 8 o'clock and the psyche is high. The theme for the day is "Divide and Conquer". John, Jamie, and Angie head to the Laguna Corridor, where John and the Wicicala Cave (V5) have unfinished business. Meanwhile, Carine, Scott, Calvin, Angie, Yoli, and I head to the top of North Mountain to work on Mexican Chicken (V6), Lobster Claw (V5), and King Cobra (V6).
We arrive at Mexican Chicken first, knowing that the Chicken is going to get baked by the sun later in the day. My arms and elbows ache from the previous three days of climbing. Undeterred by the pain, I give it a try with no warm-up and flow through the V6 crux, followed by the V3 crux, and fall on the last hold of the V2 top out. Ack! My second and third attempts get progressively worse and I begin to doubt myself. Realizing that time is running out, I suggest we relocate to the New Meadow so Calvin can work the Lobster Claw.
Upon arriving at Lobster Claw, I suggest to Calvin that he work out the top moves first before going for the redpoint. He looks at me and I can see the fire in his eyes. There will be no scoping out the holds, not here, not now. This boulder problem is going down. He pulls on to the climb like a shiny demon. I swear I can almost see the orange flames through his corneas. He rages through the lower and mid sections and arrives at the crux top out, but is suddenly halted in his tracks. His muscles twitch, his brow wrinkles with rage, his body convulses on the rock, and then, like a large elk that has been shot through the heart, the animal crashes to the hard volcanic floor of the cave. He rises with a roar that echoes through the caverns, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"
Calvin on Lobster Claw - V5
I take a few steps back and try to think of something comforting to say, but I'm too scared to speak. Scott, unphased by the carnage exclaims, "Good go, man!" The beast's breathing is still heavy, but slowly he turns, takes a few steps, and sits down on the cold rock.
"I need Angie," Calvin says, staring at the Claw. "Angie knows the beta."
I watch as Calvin reworks his beta, trying to remember what Angie had showed him the day before. After ten minutes of trying the top out moves, he's ready. He's calm now. No more Mr. Hyde. Only Dr. Hwang remains. He's cool and collected now as he flows through the lower and mid sections. His beta is refined as he sticks the crux crimp and reaches to the last hold of the climb. He arrives at the top, calm and collected, a new man, the beast within him, subdued.
We head over to King Cobra where Scott is working out the tough compression moves of his burly project. Scott thrives on loud encouragement, so when he pulls off the ground on his next attempt I shout at him, "Quit being a little bitch and send this thing!" He muscles his way up the wide snake feature of the climb, fighting it every step of the way and throws for the good hold at the lip, but his knee bar slips out and he swings wildly toward me. A loud cuss escapes his lips as he heads back to the base of the climb.
As we wait for Scott to take another burn on King Cobra, I hear voices in the caves. It's John, Jamie, and Angie returning from the Laguna Corridor. Jamie informs us that John has crushed Wicicala Cave (V5) on his first go of the day! Fist bumps and congratulations ensue. Another triumphant send on our last half day at Hueco.
Now, with more than enough spotters present, I ask John if he'll give me a spot on the Mexican Chicken. I think I've rested long enough to give it an honest effort. We head back to the Fern Roof and place pads strategically under the crux of the problem. While I'm working all the moves in my head for the Chicken, John walks over to Nobody Here Gets Out Alive (V2) and sends it sans pads and sans spotters.
John on Nobody Here Gets Out Alive (V2)
John feels better now, having completed one of the most classic lines at Hueco and is ready to spot me. I know what has to be done. I pull on to the start holds and immediately begin moving, quickly, but deliberately. I enter the zone and before I know it, I'm at the top out. I switch my feet from the right to the left and casually reach up to the finish holds. Piece of cake! Well sort of... I still have another thirty-five feet of climbing to go to top out this super highball boulder problem, but the rest of the climb is more about reflecting on the first twenty feet of roof climbing.
Christian on Mexican Chicken - V6
By the time I make my way down from Mexican Chicken, it's time for us to start wrapping it up. Scotty was unable to send the Cobra this time, but it will definitely go down on our next trip. I have no doubt. We take one last group picture on the rocks of Hueco and head back down to the base of North Mountain. As we leave Hueco, we stare out our windows and smile at the rock that has been so good to us. And as the rocks fade into the distance, I'd like to think that we're all thinking the same thing... WE'll BE BACK!
Angie savoring the last few hours of our time in Hueco
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2 comments:
Great post! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. We're looking forward to many more great trips to come.
Finally found an internet connection and got caught up on your trip. It sounds like everyone had a good time. Thanks for sharing!
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