The Season

Yes Fall is here. The season all of us Midwest climbers, plagued by sizzling summers (and this last one was a scorcher) and frigid winters wait for with impatient chalked hands! Another reason to celebrate last week-end (Oct 15-16th) was the birthday of his majesty Captain Burke! Too many reasons not to caravan a crowd of willing climbers to the best local crag, Jackson Falls. Michael and Tony, with a bit more of days than the rest of us that week, went on Thursday to warm up the routes a bit, and pick a mighty good camping site for the coming tribe.
Some of us arrived Friday night. The weather being so magnificent, who would not want to enjoy one more night under the stars around the campfire in the company of great friends.
Happy birthday Burke. The stars were aligned, it was going to be a good one.
By the time we retired to our tents that nights, the site already had its share of colorful shelters.
Michael and Rex, Tony, Burke, Blair, Justin, Frances, Draco and I were already smiling thinking about a certain place called the Promised Land, the next morning destination.

Bound for the Promised Land we were.. Meg and John arriving late into the night, and then the early risers joined us for the day Angie, Calvin, Woody, Carine, Jaime and Topher. And promises we kept, to work or sent projects there or even climb new lines.


Angie had her eyes set on the mega classic Fashionably late, a beautiful 11a line which she sent in style, inspiring Meg to flash it with beautiful composure. Jaime moved on to Team Honda, an awe-inspiring 12a line with a bouldery overhung middle and a horizontal roof.


I have attempted that line a couple of time.There is nothing easy about it.Jaime worked it and made strong progress. In the meanwhile Calvin, with Topher, went back to an old “friend” Zambezi or, as we like to call it, Miso Soup, a powerful 12b line which he will get oh so close to send.I had promised Burke to do a Trad line or 2 with him for his birthday.
I had looked up a couple of lines in this area which had good rep. a 7 and a 9. This was back to leading out trad for the Captain after a bit of a scary fall a year or so ago. Chasing the demons away he did great making it up a not so clean 7 line with a bit of a cryptic route finding. Great job Burke! Inspiring. On my way there I had looked at the 9 line which is in the X-block area. This is one of these climbs that no matter the grade, inspired me. Burke let me lead it out. A great lay-back crack system which looked very protectable. Having not climbed trad in a couple of years, I needed that level of inspiration to get on it. And that climb made my day. Everything about it was great. It reminded me if needed be why I liked Trad so much. The mere creativity of it, the challenge, the attention to details, the precision. Burke who cleaned it after me, Woody who lead it out again, and Carine who did the final clean loved it as well. Then of course there was that nut that would not come out. The nut tool was…in Burke’s car so we had to find a way. Burke and I took turn hanging on a piece trying to work the rebellious metal head out. To no avail… I even tried to use a swiss army knife, and we decided it was not worth the risk. Hanging on a cam with very sharp and pointy object in my hand equals to very probable upcoming disaster. Then when everyone had left the area, Woody went with his Indiana Jones-size knife and in good Woody fashion got it out!
In the meantime Tony went back to find his balance again.
And he did indeed:Balance of Power, a 12c amazing line (very beautiful and intimidating to me) which he had sent a couple of years ago and repeated his feat in style. Rob, and Allan had joined us during the morning. They both crushed Team Honda, and Allan wined his way up the 12a on the corner of the X-Block. It was quite hilarious to hear/see him climb this line realizing quickly the awkwardness of it. Not a memorable experience for him I am sure, probably one for us in the peanut Gallery!
Back to camp, a fire good food, beer, cupcakes (thanks to Carine) and a cake with candles to blow out for our favorite Captain. I even had brought him some 1964 Armagnac in a small bottle on which his sipped late into the night.
Happy Birthday Burke! Your friends were happy to celebrate with you under the stars!
On Sunday, the rose on another beautiful day. My dog Draco who had been alert to every racoon or possum passing by the night before, did not peep that night. The long path to the Promised Land, involving a very uncomfortable railroad walk, had worn him down.

A few pots of coffee for the tribe, peanut butter/Nutella and slices of pear on a bagel for breakfast, and off we went, after a stretch session Frances style
. Spleef Peak/ Lovely Arete/ Snake Roof area would be our day base camp, and an obvious place for our furry friends to rest a bit
I kept telling Frances and Justin about a classic when it comes to slab climbing: Fine Nine. By far the hardest 9 at the Falls (if indeed it is a 9….) and a definite SLAB. This route actually scares some hard core climbers who climb way above that grade! While Justin, Frances, Meg and John went on to climb the Spleef peak lines to warm up, the rest of us (Michael, Blair, Tony, Burke and I) headed to the Lovely Arete. The day was a bit warmer, not the best conditions for that very fine nine. Nevertheless, Burke will grunt his way up the line with sheer determination. This is the kind of climb where one rely on feet to stick on nothing, trusty move after trusty stance, finding balance and accurate angles. Try to do this on a rock that does not have that very much needed friction and you face a whole new grade of climb. Ask Frances who “caught” herself beautifully as she was close to reaching the anchors and almost fell steadying herself out of pure balance. So cool to see. Blair worked on Lovely Arete (one fall from sending it I believe), Tony found himself a new project with Here come the Snakes, a 12c on the Snake’s Roof, which He’ll work down to one fall ( and will send the following Week-End!). I went to check out a line Tony kept telling me about: Umbrella Girl, 11d/12a. He and Michael had to work out the beginning for a while on Friday, before unlocking the sequences. This was going to be a challenge. This is the kind of sequence where it is all about these little details, a toe in a small divet, a flagged foot which will establish that balance you need for a milli-second in order to go through the next move. But ah when you found these, this is the essence of climbing, of the pure joy of learning, solving a puzzle. With some key suggestions from Tony, I found my own beta for the start, and made progress throughout the day, delighted of it. It was not about sending, not even finishing the route if it was not meant to be that day, but about finding out a few things. I would be back (and I did… the following WE, unlocking the route in 2 falls. I WILL be back for more!). Michael will hop on it a couple of times, having all the moves down and will have a “soft” send of it ( ask him what that is).
While we were working on these routes, a bit of a situation was developing nearby:a family, father, mother, girl and boy were about to climb a dihedral, a 10a trad line in the book.The father had set up a top rope which looked like a static line and was about to belay his son ( who looked about 12 and obviously was not comfortable climbing). Beside s the fact his dad had hooked up his son's harness in a very "personal" way, we kept looking out and everything about that "picture" was not right. A line set up on fairly hard climb, the son starting to climb off route way to the left from the anchor point line and yes a tree between the father and the son.... The law of physics were simple. If the son was to fall he would swing into the tree. It is a fine line to say or not to say something: embarrass a father in front of his family, telling him what he is doing is not safe, or... say nothing and observe to make sure something really bad does happen. We chose the latter and after talking at length about it later on swore we never will be silent again. The kid did fall and swing into the tree the rope wrapping around a couple of times. Imagine that.... Luckily the kid was not heard too badly. He could not really walk as he was in pain, but it looked OK. Arggghhh....
Interesting to know as I was relating this story to my brother who teaches climbing to kids in France, there is an actual rule in my country about this kind of situation: if a dangerous or potentially dangerous situation develops in a climbing area and more experience climbers notice it and do not say anything, they could be held responsible if something happens!!!!!!!
As Burke put it so well, one has to understand climbing has to be considered like something more than a casual family outing. It is a sport that can be extremely safe if one is willing to ask for help or advice if one is in doubt.

Lesson learned for us as well. Better to be yelled at by someone who considered we made him or her look bad in front of others, than being witnesses to an accident.

The only note a bit out tune for a Wonderful Week-end with wonderful friends.
Lovely Arete, Fine Nine, Here come the snakes...Umbrella girl, so many routes/projects for all of us! We'll be back soon. TIS THE SEASON!