Bishop over New Year

Just after Christmas Chas and I headed down to Bishop California for a week of bouldering. It was a cold week to be down there but we still ended up getting a lot done. We set up camp at the Pit, and ended up climbing only at the Happies all week, the Buttermilks were snowed out. I was worried about my injured finger, but I taped it up pretty good, and tried to avoid anything crimpy. Hanging off pockets didn’t hurt it, which was good because the Happies are all about pockets. On our first couple of days we managed a quite a few V4’s and V5’s pretty quickly. Chas was climbing really well for his first real bouldering trip, we didn’t find anything project worthy though. The temps were chilly, it was nice in the sun, but it was really tough when a strong wind was blowing. The forecast looked called for very cold temps and strong gusts, so we thought it would be a good chance to drive up to Mammoth to visit and old friend of Chas’. It was nice to sleep indoors and have a hot shower, but Mammoth was a little too crazy for me, and I was glad to return to Bishop the next day.

Chas sending a V4 "one finger!"



Me pulling on pockets on the west rim

We returned to the Pit to find my tent missing! It had blown away and was lying in a heap a hundred yards away, some people had pinned it down with big rocks. Apparently there had been crazy gusts and lots of people had lost tents, boulder mats and other things during the night. We decided it would be a good call to go in for a motel for the next couple of nights. It was definitely worth it. With a rest day behind us we were climbing really well, at least we thought so when I thought I had flashed a V7! And Chas was close on sending it too, but after about an hour of effort he checked the guide again and it turned out what we were doing was a undocumented traverse into a V2 that probably only clocked in at about V4. We were pretty bummed, but I did manage to flash a couple of V5’s afterwards and then we found a sweet V6 to work on. Its called WORK is a four letter word, up on the west rim. It starts with a powerful  steep move off small pockets to a left hand sloper, then you work your feet over and slap again to a slightly better sloper, hold the tension and bring your right hand up to a slopey dish then slap up to better holds. It was really sweet sequence with each move close to our limit. Chas came the closest to sending, but as dusk approached and the temps dipped below freezing , we knew we’d have to wait on it. That night for new years eve I enjoyed a couple of beers in the motel room and we watched a climbing movie, it was pretty low key, but we knew we had to save ourselves for the project.

The first powerful move of WORK is a four letter word

The next day we had one goal in mind, and after a quick warm-up we headed straight to it. With the beta wired, I knew all I had to do was execute the moves, on my first go I got to the last hard move, then on my next go I got it! I was pleased to have done it quick so I could try some other things. Chas however was getting frustrated on the problem. He worked it for a couple of hours with not much progress. Eventually, much after the point at which I would have given up, he summoned all his strength and got up the thing! I was just as pleased for him as he was. With not much time left in the day or skin left on my fingers, I taped my fingers all the way up and worked on pulling on the pockets as much as I could. I had a ton of fun working a V5, but I couldn’t link it all together (see second video). With another storm forecasted to be on the way, we decided to hit the road that night. We were both really satisfied with our sends. It was just exactly what I needed to get out for a quick trip before school starts up again, thanks Chas!

Me thinking I flashed a V7!

Almost sending a V5

The end of a good trip!

Bishop Videos

Here's a few videos that I took on my little camera, they're not the best quality but they give you a flavor of some of the problems we tried.

Me on Seven Spanish Angels a V6 that I did on my first day. Its a really cool problem climbing up an overhanging wall on slopers and crimps with a dyno or jump to a huge jug on the lip.

Micah getting really close on Cayla (V7) at the Druid Stones. This problem was absolutely beautiful, he makes the moves look a lot easier than they actually are.

Some guy on Checkerboard (V8), we tried it but kept falling off at the same point, its really crimpy.

Some other guy on Solitaire (V8) a two move power problem, Micah also got pretty close on this one.

George repeating Rene (V5) a cool thin overhanging wall on small sharp pockets. I got lucky on this one and managed to flash it.

Callum sending The Beekeeper (hard V6), a really long and high climb, he topped it out but he spent about 3 minutes on the top part so I didn't film it all. Micah got a good video of it too.

Beer can crushing (V8?), harder than it looks. I didn't manage the flash.

Giving Thanks for Bishop

Well the Bishop trip was a success, Micah and I made it back safely to Olympia on Saturday after seven awesome days of climbing. It was really fun to hang out with the Brits George, Dave and Ben again. We joked around the whole week, they said they saw a different side of me with Laura absent, maybe they were referring to my flatulence issues (note to self, cans of corned beef and raisins doesn’t make a balanced diet), but we certainly had some good guy time.
We made it to Bishop!


The trip almost started with disaster after Micah and I almost spun off the road driving over the snowy mountain passes in Oregon, we arrived a bit later than we hoped on Saturday afternoon and the rampage began. George showed us the beta on the V6 classic Seven Spanish Angels and we promptly crushed. Micah should have flashed it, but wimped out on the committing last move and had to settle for a 2nd go send, and I sent it soon afterwards. I also managed a quick send of the Cave Route a burly V6. That afternoon we met another Brit out there Alan, a small guy of 49 who had just arrived from Yosemite where he had been onsighting 5.13 trad! It was awesome to climb with him, he had a great attitude and is one of the most technical climbers I have ever witnessed. He would find different beta on every boulder problem we tried, it usually involved a heel hook behind his ear or some other contortion.

The giant boulders at the Buttermilks


On Sunday we got on a few harder things like Checkerboard and Solitaire, I didn’t push myself too hard on things that I didn’t think I could do quickly since I knew I’d have to save my skin for the rest of the week. We cut the day short and headed into town where the guys found a church that was serving free thanksgiving dinner, and we were more than happy to take advantage of their generosity.
The jumbled Happy Boulders


The next day we headed to the Happy Boulders to get on a few things we had our eye on. We did a team ascent of The Clapper, a V6 George said was really easy, it may be easy if your 6ft+ but Micah and I had to work it for a while before we topped out. Next up was Rene, a highball V5, I managed to flash it which was lucky cause the holds were razor sharp pockets that would rip your skin with repeated attempts, Allan and the rest of them thought it was pretty hard for V5, but like I told them its hard to tell how difficult the problems are when you flash everything. My other projects in the Happy's such as Rave and The Hulk didn't feel doable though, but Micah finished off Acid Wash Right for his first Bishop V7! We celebrated that night with half price dinner at Whiskey Creek.

Dave topping out The Clapper

Tuesday we decided to check out the sport climbing in nearby Owens River Gorge. I was impressed with how large an area it is. We only visited one small part of it, but there were enough routes there to keep you busy for a long time. After a quick warm up I got on a really cool 12b called Enterprise, it climbed through a roof for a few clips on pretty good holds, then had a crux turning the lip of the roof before a tricky headwall. I came pretty close to onsighting it, but fell off at the crux, I was able to send it second go though, along with Alan although he used crazy beta and did it a completely different way to me.

Me on the start of Enterprise (12b)

Micah on a less steep route at Owens River Gorge

The next day I felt surprisingly good and was psyched to get on more boulders, we made the long hike up to the Druid Stones Area, which was tough but so worth it. The boulders at the Druid Stones are simply amazing, like the Buttermilks but more featured, and on a scenic plateau overlooking bishop. We warmed up on the Thunder Wall where I flashed a tough V3 and V4 that climbed up immaculate overhanging patina, before we moved on to the amazing Skye Dance Boulder. We all worked a V6 called Skye Dance which may be the best boulder problem I've ever tried. It starts out on an undercut boulder on slopey huecos, you get a heel up in the hueco then make a burly move out to a undercling, match it, reach up to some good crimps then bust a hard move up right to some juggy patina, and top out. We all worked it for about an hour before Micah got the first send followed by George, Me, and Allan. I really wanted this problem and was really psyched to finally get it. We played around on a few other things up there before we headed back down and got a roaring camp fire going.

The immaculate patina of Thunder Wall at the Druid Stones


On Thursday we set about getting on some of the classics at the Buttermilks that we really wanted to try. First up was Jedi Mind Tricks, a super classic highball V4. I managed to flash it, it felt pretty steady if you are good on crimps and don't worry about the height. We then tried a V7 Cindy Swank on the Honey Boulder. I got on it and realized it could be doable. It starts standing with a couple of powerful moves on good incut holds on an overhang to reach a jug on the lip, to here its probably only V5, then comes the crux, you have to bone down on a small grainy crimp over the lip while highstepping to reach a bad sloper, get a high foot perched on the jug, then snatch high up right to hit a victory jug. It took me a few goes to figure out the beta, but once I got to the last move I fully committed and latch the jug! It was awesome to do a V7 relatively fast, it definitely suited my style. Micah sent as well a few goes later.
Dave trying The Beekeper at The Buttermilks


Later that day we headed to the High Plains Drifter, we knew it was our last day at the Buttermilks so we sacrificed our remaining skin. We didn't manage to send it but Micah couldn't have been closer, he fell off the last hard move after fondling the finish jug. We also did a really fun V1 to finish off the day called A Birthing Experience, its a trick problem that starts lying down in a giant hueco and you have to use a shoulder jam to reach a jug. Once the sun went down we headed back to town where we treated ourselves to a motel and a lot of beers.
Me on my highpoint of High Plains Drifter


George showing us how its done on A Birthing Experience


Friday morning we were all feeling a bit worse for ware, but we wanted to get a bit more climbing in before we headed back up the road. We headed up to the Rock Creek area, which is a small area with fine-grain granite blocks at about 8,600ft. It was pretty chilly up there and our skin was absolutely trashed at this point so everything felt hard, but I did manage to get up a V2 and V3, they felt really hard though. Before we left we made some additions to their van (see photo below) and said our goodbye's. George and Dave are headed down to Baja California for some R&R in the sun, then who knows where next. I'm kinda jealous, although I think one week with them was about all I could handle. Now I'm back home catching up with all my schoolwork, I think its going to be a long winter before I'll get back climbing outside again, but at least I'll have the memories of Bishop to hang on to.

The Crew

The Van

Countdown to Bishop

There's only 3 hours of class standing between me and the road down to Bishop. Micah is picking me up from Evergreen at 4pm today. Right now I'm trying to think of all the things I might have forgotten, but I think it might be to late for that. I'm really psyched for this trip, but part of me is going to miss my classes, sad I know.

I haven't been preparing at all for this trip. The last month I've spent far too much time sitting on my ass studying and drinking beer (not at the same time usually). I've only been going to the gym once a week, and havn't climbed outdoors since Smith. I feel really out of shape, and have probably put on 10 pounds since my peak in late summer. So basicly what I'm saying is I'm praying for a miracle to be able to climb anything hard in Bishop.

Nevertheless I'm going to try hard, and maybe with a bit of luck I'll get up a few things. Two years ago when I was there I climbed a V7 and flashed two V6's, I'd love to repeat that performance. I really want to climb 5 problems V6 or harder since my top ten bouldering score on 8a.nu is pretty weak. I have 5 hard problems on it that I did in Spring of this year at Leavenworth and Castle Rock. But since then I haven't really bouldered at all.

Here's my ticklist:

V6

Cave Route

Shelter from the Storm

Pope's Prow

Saigon

The Hulk

Seven Spanish Angels

Fly Boy

V7

High Plains Drifter

Rave

V8

Disco Diva

Gleaming the Cube

Fly Boy Sit Start

I have some reason for optimism, George who's been down there for a few weeks now, texted me saying he's done Cave Route, a V6 on my tick list, and says its piss and I should flash it. That sounds good, but then again George is climbing strong right now. Micah has a pretty ambitious tick list, he's been training a lot more than me, so hopefully that'll translate to some hards boulder problems down there for him. I also want to check out some other places like the Druid Stones, so maybe I'll find some stuff worth projecting there. And I'm also quite keen to get on some routes at Owen's River Gorge, hopefully I'll get up some 5.12's. I might have the chance to update the blog while I'm there. If not expect long blog here in about a week and a half.

Bishop!

Last week Laura, Micah and I made our eagerly awaited pilgrimage to the bouldering mecca that is Bishop California. We left Olympia on Monday afternoon and 20 hours and a few energy drinks later we pulled up to The Pit Campground near the Happy Boulders, pitched our tents had a quick bite to eat and headed out to the boulders! The Happy boulders area is basically a mini canyon in a volcanic tableland, with a jumble of free-standing boulders in the middle and on the sides of the canyon. The boulders have a good range of lowballs and highballs, with nearly all perfect sandy landings and are heavily featured with pockets and huecos. When we first entered the canyon and all the chalked up boulders came into view we were overwhelmed. We ran around exploring the overhanging faces and running up to the top of the boulders to get better views. After a quick warm up we found ourselves at the Central Happiness area, the epicenter of the happy boulders. There was a large crowd there with several mats under The Hulk (V6), there was even some guys with a tripod filming. Then some guy shouted out to me ‘dude, I see you everywhere’ he was from Tacoma and had seen me around at Smith and Little Si. I have to admit it felt pretty good being recognized in Bishop, it just goes to show it’s a small world in the climbing community.

Laura on the excellent Solarium V3

There was a long line on The Hulk, everyone seemed to be falling of the big crux cross-though move. I watched a few people on it to get the beta and waited my turn in line. From the sit I got through the first few moves, but the cross-through move felt pretty burly to me and I quickly found myself on my ass on a large pile of pads. I talked Micah into trying it knowing it would suit him down to a tee. He made it look easy and cruised though the crux move, only to fall off the next move hitting the wrong part of the next hold. He got it with ease 2nd go impressing everyone else who was trying it. We also did the awesome Solarium nearby which has to be one of the best V3’s I’ve ever done. Technical vertical moves up to a punch for a jug on the lip, then finishing on great jugs. Laura came agonisingly close to latching the jug, but came off from the crux move again and again. Eventually we decided to move on and explore more of the canyon. We were really impressed with the quality of the problems and how densely packed the area was. Pretty soon we were jumping on anything and everything we saw, trying to flash as much as possible. Micah and I searched around for some good looking harder problems to try to work. We got on Disco Diva a classic V8 featured in the best climbing movie ever - West Coast Gimps. It starts low on a thread in a large hueco, then goes up a steep wall with big moves on crimps up to another hueco and the top. After working it for half an hour or so, I figured out good beta that got me through the first 4 crimpy moves, then you have to make a big throw a sloping hueco. I couldn’t even get close on this move so we decided to save our energy for other problems. On our way back down the canyon, we spotted a well chalked up hard looking line. A quick look in the guidebook showed it to be a V7 called Froz. It starts low in good pockets with a heel hook, then you make hard crimpy moves up left and snatch for a good right hand sidepull crimp. From here you turn the right heel into a toe and make a hard throw way out left to a decent pinch on the arete, you then get another heel on and slap up on opposing holds then one last lunge up left to a good hold and top-out. It sounds like a lot of moves but its actually quite a short problem compared with some of the other boulders. Its cramped and crimpy just my style. After 20 minutes of refining the sequence I latched the big throw to the pinch. Then pop, my right hand greased off the crimp. I thought that was my go on it, but I knew I could get through those moves again, so I took a minute then got back on it and dispatched it. YES! Bishop V7! I had completed my goal for the week in the first day. Micah didn’t really like the cramped nature of the route, so we decided to call it a day it was getting dark and cold. Back at the campsite we got a fire and some food on, it was getting cold really fast. As soon as the fire died down we got straight in our tents and tried to get some much deserved sleep. The next morning I woke to find out that Micah couldn’t handle the cold, and had perished during the night…only kidding, he got really cold so bailed and booked a room in the Motel 6 in town for the rest of the week. Fair enough, he was rested and ready for the next day at the Buttermilks.

The Buttermilks

The Buttermilks is a couple thousand feet higher in elevation and it was cloudy, so it was pretty chilly. We drove up the dirt road and parked right across from the giant Grandpa Peabody boulder. We were immediately drawn to the classic steep problem Evilution. I stood up on the cheat stone (pile) and felt the first holds, not bad I thought, then I saw how far it was to the next holds. At that point a friendly guy from Truckee came up and started telling me the beta, I guess I look like a V12 climber. I quickly explained to him I wasn’t quite climbing that grade. He gave us some good recommendations for some problems for us to try. The first boulder we climbed on was the Green Wall boulder, a midget boulder compared to the rest of them, but it felt plenty tall to me. We did a tough V2 on the left side of the boulder, then after a few tries I finally got the crux high step and sent Green Wall Center a cool V6. We walked around some other boulders, but unlike the Happies it’s a bit of a walk between each boulder. Micah and I then decided to try the super-classic High Plains Drifter (V7) which must be one of the best problems of its grade in the world. We worked it with a Quebecois guy, we were struggling to do the first move off the ground, then I figured out it was easier to just campus it. The first few moves are really good, once you hit the first crimp, you get your heel up to the starting hold, then make couple powerful moves out right on good positive crimps. You then have to reposition your feet and get a big incut right hand crimp, then throw up high left to an open hand sidepull and make a couple more moves on grainy slopers up to thank god jugs, and a 5.6 (or so they say) highball top-out. I didn’t manage to get it in the end, but its something I’d definitely like to go back for. Here’s a video of me getting to my highpoint.

High Plains Drifter V7 (almost)

Next we walked over to the cave area, there were some guys trying The Buttermilker (V12/13) which was cool to see. We did Inner Sanctum (V2) and Micah worked on a doable looking V8 on nasty slopers and huecos called Gleaming the Cube. I tried it but I couldn’t pull of the ground. The guide said ‘a high start from the better slopers is an excellent V6’ so decided to try that. I managed to pull off the slopers into the big hueco, and before I knew it I'd flashed it! It was only my second V6 flash ever, I was really pleased! Meanwhile Laura was struggling on the Buttermilk Stem a classic V1. Micah and I walked up thinking, ha we’ll show her hows it done, ten minutes later we were still on the ground and stumped. Eventually we figured out some tricky beta for getting off the ground, and we all sent it, but a redpoint of a V1 isn’t going to look good on the scorecard! We walked around the boulders for a while longer, but it was feeling a bit cold to put our shoes back on. So we gladly took Micah up on his offer of dossing on the floor of the motel room. Warm showers, cable tv, and a mini fridge to keep your beer cool, what more could you ask for.?

Dom on Buttermilk Stem V1

The next morning we were feeling a lot more refreshed after a good nights sleep. We decided to check out the Sad Boulders, just down the road from the Happies. We got there pretty early and had the place to ourselves apart from an English couple. On first appearance the Sads is just like the Happies except for the the obvious lack of crowds. It’s a lot more jumbled and harder to navigate though, we walked past quite a few boulders before we finally recognised an area from the guide. There are a few gems that should be sought out, but there is a higher proportion of chossy-looking problem than the Happies which I guess is what puts people off. One of the gems we found was a awesome looking V6 Rio’s Crack. Its an undercut boulder with a diagonal finger crack cutting right across the face, its basically big moves between shallow finger locks with very poor feet. Micah tried it first but struggled and made it look pretty hard. I got on it and managed the first moves into the finger locks, got a tenuous heel on, then snatched up higher in the crack, I got my feet high on some decent smears and reached up and latched a bomber ring lock, from there I just had to reach up and top-out. Nice, another V6 flash! We checked out some other stuff further up the canyon, but we weren’t that impressed so we decided to sack it back to the Happies. The Happies were buzzing, but it was cool to get some psyche from other groups around, there were some guys who were doing some filming on Serengeti (V5) and they offered a their pads and beta on it. Micah waved away their offers of beta and flashed it anyways. I fell off a couple times trying it Micah's way, then used their beta and got it, it was really good! We lazily did another few things at the Happies, and found some other cool problems to try the next day.

Micah trying a V7 at the Happies

On Friday we headed back to the Happies, and started out in the headbanger cave and managed to flash everything in it (the hardest problem is V4). We were starting to feel pretty comfortable at the Happies now. Micah and I decided to try something a little harder, we found Rave a 3 star V7. It is quite a long problem, it starts out with a hard move to get off the ground where you have to deadpoint a small crimp, then a big out left to a decent shelf. From here its V5 to the top, but still not easy, you have to throw a heel up high and reach up and use two bad slopers, rock over into a shallow gaston and stand up to reach a good heuco. After working it for a while I had the V5 stand start wired, but couldn’t do the first move off the ground. Micah on the other hand could do the sit start almost every time but couldn’t keep it together on the easier upper part. After failing on it repeatedly for about an hour we decided to move on. Its definitely something I’d like to come back to though. We tried some easier problems and goofed around a bit, (see photo below) then Micah decided to try a V6 he liked just next Morning Dove White. My skin was pretty sore by this point so I didn’t try it. But Micah soon got it by means of a cunning drop knee. He was pleased with his 2nd V6 of the trip. But it was getting late and time to go back to the motel.

Micah at the Happies

On Saturday, we packed up our stuff from the motel and headed back out to the Buttlermillks for our last day. The skies were blue and it was warm and sunny, which was a nice change from the last time at the Buttermilks. We headed straight to the Iron Man Traverse, the iconic buttermilk problem. Its one of the few problems in the Buttermilks that isn't highball, and the holds are all skin friendly which I'm sure adds to its popularity. I got psyched and went for the flash. It starts out on a big rail with good feet, then the further right you traverse the smaller the holds get. There is one good incut hold about 3/4 of the way along, then the feet disappear and you have to heel hook and use crimps. Then just about when you're ready to come off you have to lunge out right to a jug on the lip and try to top out with style. I managed to flash it just, but i made a bit of a mess of the top out and it was a bit scrappy.

Micah on Iron Man Traverse V4

Micah struggled on the finish, the culmination of a 5 days bouldering was starting to catch up with him. He gave it a few goes but eventually moved on, we did a few other things in the area on the King Tut boulder and Bowling Pin. My favorite of the day was the excellent Bowling Pin Arete, which somehow only gets 1 star in the guide. Here's a video of it.

The Bowling Pin Arete V4 flash

Before we left, Micah wanted to get back on Iron Man, he knew he couldn't go home with this unfinished business. He refined his sequence and sent it with style, then did again for fun before we had to hit the long road back home.
Heading back home we talked about about the highs and the lows of the trip. Micah said having been to a world class venue like Bishop he rates Leavenworth even higher now. And Laura said she has a new found appreciation of the lowballs at Squamish. Nevertheless we all agreed that Bishop is an amazing place and vowed to return sometime. Having climbed on such quality problems I feel like every other place I visit will pale in comparison. But who knows? The next entry in my blog will most likely be from Scotland!

Laura and Dom at the Buttermilks