Brief Updates - 24HHH and Jackson Falls

Props to all our friends who climbed at the 24HHH comp last weekend!! I heard times were great, although this year I opted not to go. Each year the comp appears to grow bigger, flashier and better. More sponsors, more schwag. I guess my breaking point was knowing I'd have to pay $35 to volunteer. I did that the past 2 years, but with the comp now starting on Friday, and with precious few vacation days, I couldn't swallow the fee and the loss of time.

We're hoping to have a guest post by a couple of our climbers Jaime and Meg, who crushed their first time at 24HHH... 60 and 41 routes, respectively!!

A special Thank You to Sterling Rope for taking old ropes for recycling and giving Good Karma gift certificates towards the purchase of a new Sterling rope for each recycled cord. Thanks Jaime/Meg/Yusuf for taking those down for me!

Now, on to the climbing:

2 and 3 weekends ago, we headed down en masse to Jackson Falls: Jaime, John, Conor, Angie, Meg, Yoli, Christian, Frances, Justin, Colleen, Michael, Topher, Blair, Carine and Calvin.

Major kudos to Jaime, who has upped the ante and took her climbing to a new level. The Reckoning, .11d fell second go. The Farmer, .12a, went second go the next weekend. We're waiting to see what falls next!

Christian,Topher and I worked on Disco Fever, .12c, sometimes noted as the hardest .12c at the Falls. Not sure about that, but it's pretty effing tough, with a shutdown finger-strength dependent move at the 4th bolt. The name is apt: smearing, delicate climbing and dancing on your toes, interspersed with powerful moves off shallow two finger pockets and pinches. The final crux involves an interesting left heel-hook off a right handed bad pinch while rotating your left hand past perpendicular to a 2 o'clock-situated edge. A final throw gains you some required Jackson Falls bulges and finishing moves, but nothing too strenuous. We'll be back for more. Everything else is pretty doable, but the finger pocket is heinous. I've been hitting the finger board specifically for this move. I guess I should thank Wolfgang for inventing it.

In case you're wondering, I don't update nearly as frequently anymore because I've been disconnected from the internet for the last 8+ months (at home).  It's liberating, but not conducive to blogging. It's good that we have multiple authors.