RRG - May 25-27, 2013 Memorial Day Weekend

Climbers: Yoli, Christian, Micah, Dawn, Carine, Jaime, John, Conor, John B(udde) Angie and Calvin

Weather: Pretty darn good, for Memorial Day weekend

Yoli with max extension on Crown of Thorns, .11c @Brightside

Day 1 - Solarium, Muir Valley

Lago Linda's was packed. If you were there, we probably missed you. Tents dotted the landscape, cars blocked the common area and I thought we might have trouble finding a spot. Not to worry, YCR (Yoli/Christian + crew) had found a nice spot in their new Sprinter van and there was open land right next door.

When we got up, mist drifted through and dew covered the grass. Smelled like the fall. We knew we were lucky to get a spell of unseasonably cool weather on Memorial Day weekend and climbers had flocked to the Red. Well, we knew that would happen too.

The Solarium is an old friend. Just a couple groups there when we arrived, even though the parking lot was packed. Mrs. Weber graciously allowed us to park on the driveway by her home and we quickly hiked into the valley.

We threw some draws up on Air Ride Equipped, and started climbing. Carine and John B. headed out to the Great Arch to start warming up.

In case you didn't know, Team YCR now includes Micah:

Micah, Captain of Team YCR

As a result, they have a compressed climbing schedule - climb your project immediately to warm up, then immediately climb it and send the next go. Seems to work well for them. For those of you with kids, someone please explain to me how this phenomenon works: you have a kid, get no sleep, stop climbing, then start climbing again on an occasional weekend - usually outside, and start sending harder than ever. Yoli has now sent .12b, flashed .11d and Christian has sent .13a and flashed at least .12b (c?). Anyone?

Anyway, Yoli followed her usual pattern and hopped on Magnum Opus. Originally rated .12b, now settled at .12a; I think it has a rather difficult crux. Yoli sent it second go, of course.

Jaime Kreft on Magnum Opus

Meanwhile, Angie and I were hoping to get on Banshee, .11c and Abiyoyo, .12b respectively. We missed our opportunity, as the crag soon overflowed with people. I opted to get on Summer Sunshine, .12b  with Christian while Angie and John B worked Manifest Destiny, .11d. SS has moderate climbing similar to Super Best Friends - steep, juggy, fun, with a boulder problem around bolts 4-5 trending right over an arete. Unexceptional climbing, but fun, with the usual .10 climbing to finish it out. It went second go for me, but at the cost of a wasp sting. Glad there weren't more.

As I got to the top of SS, I clipped the chains and looked over the valley. I've missed the Red. Beautiful place. I didn't miss the screams and shouts of hundreds of people echoing around the cliffside, but when you're a weekend warrior it's a small price to pay.

Day 2 - Brightside, PMRP

Day 2 found us at Brightside, a "newer" crag with several stellar looking climbs. Brightside has fairly long routes, although several of the climbs featured no-hands rests, which broke the climbing up nicely.

John B flashed Chica Loca, .11a, while I climbed Pickpocket, .10d to warm up (not recommended). Chica Loca is described as poorly bolted, but I think that's been fixed now - an extra bolt is where you need it to avoid a ledge fall. Angie had fun working CL a few times, but no send. Carine and Team Kreft went to Solar Collector and had fun climbing Super Pinch, .10d down there.

The climb of the day goes to Crown of Thorns, .11c (see top pic). YCR of course tried to warm up/flash this thing (uh, flash pump)... with Christian pumping off in the last few feet off a nasty little crimp rail. Described as a rare RRG five-star route, it has full-value movement and interesting cruxes. Highly recommended. Half-way up it has a sit-down rest in a large hueco, which breaks up the climbing too much in my opinion, but without it would be at least .11d or soft .12a. Several certainly commented on .11d's which felt easier than CoT.

Yoli entering the crux sloper sequence, Crown of Thorns

Christian promptly sent second go, I flashed, and Yoli fell just before the anchors 3 times!! Achtung. John B and Jaime gave it two awesome runs and will be back for more. We finished up the day climbing with our new friends Meghan and Eric, who were climbing Golden Brown, .12a and Brownian Motion, .12b but no sends. With the full sun on the wall, it certainly felt very challenging and my forearms had melted after CoT.

Day 3 - Curbside

Meghan and Eric had suggested Curbside and we were game. Massive props to Jaime, Angie and John B. for flashing  Conscription, .11c and for Yoli's first-try-of-the-day send of the same, a/k/a an old "project." The peanut gallery definitely enjoyed watching each climber 'finagle' the sandy ledge and blast through to the chains.

Christian onsighted Avalanche run, .11d (nice job!), and I sent immediately after. But the biggest congrats goes to Yoli for throwing this thing down first go. To my knowledge, Dr. Chen has now sent .12b and flashed .11d this season, both high points for her. All while climbing the lowest mileage ever (e.g. less than once a week on average). I'm still flabbergasted.

Christian then impressively almost onsighted Wildfire, .12a, and easily sent it second go. Challenging climb, with a premium on finger strength or bouldering power, of which I have neither. Move after move, I watched Christian reach past finger pockets to slightly better holds and resolved to do the same. I should have known better. Wildfire is deceptively overhung, and if you can't go straight to the decent edges, you must tick-tack your way up using two finger pockets and quickly move your feet. I did all of that except move my feet quickly and couldn't make it go.

There are climbs like Wildfire at the Red; e.g. Infectious at Left Flank and Stay the Hand at Roadside. These climbs remind me that without finger strength, the truth of one's climbing ability comes sharply into contrast. More hangboard?

Big Shoutout to Team Saucission! For a Spring Recap - please see YCR's blog here. For more pics, please see here.

We Love the Red!!