Fall Weekends

Its been a little while since my last post, and looking back at my previous one, it feels like a lot has changed. The rain has come and we are deep into fall here. I've been climbing more indoors, but have still managed a couple of weekend trips. A few weekends ago Tony and I drove out to Vantage and met up with some other folks there for a fun weekend. I was pretty tired from work, so didn't really feel like pushing myself, but I never really do at Vantage. It was nice just to be outside having fun with friends.

Tony showing us how to "plank" on top of The Cob at Corn Wall

Last week I made it out to Tieton and met up with a good group from Olympia. It was many peoples first time climbing at Tieton so we started out at The Cave area which had something for everyone. We managed to avoid the dozen or so rattlesnakes we encountered and I did a few new (to me) routes there, which were really fun. After an excellent campfire Saturday night, Chas and I got our trad gear out at The Bend. According to the notes in my guidebook, it had been exactly 5 years and a week since I last climbed at this crag. I don't know why I hadn't been back since, because the routes are great. I felt pretty challenged warming up on a 5.8 hand crack, but decided I'd be more comfortable on a 10c finger crack. There was one point up high in the climb where I was in a sketchy spot above a half-set small nut and a tcu with only two lobes in. I swore at myself for putting myself in that situation but I managed to get through it and can now look back on it and laugh. Chas opted wisely to just top-rope that one. After that experience it may be a while til I get my trad gear out again, but most likely I'll forget about it until the next time I do a route like that. Here's a few photos of the Tieton trip from Tyler.

The routes on the middle wall at The Cave are phenomenal, I just wish there were more of them.

Mark's Wall at The Cave has some pretty awesome routes too!

I don't think I've got many more climbing trips in me this year. Maybe a Smith trip in November. I'm loving teaching but it leaves me pretty tired on the weekends, and its nice to able to have a relaxing weekend in town, like I did this weekend.