Back on the rock

Its been a while since I last wrote a blog simply because I haven't been out much lately. In fact I think I had four weeks without any climbing outside, which is unheard of for me this time of year. There's a few reasons, the main one being the weather has been pretty atrocious here for the start of summer, we don't have a car so have to rely on others for rides, I was really busy with school at the start of June and since then the world cup has taken priority over some climbing days. Enough excuses, I hope to be getting out a lot more this summer.

I went climbing at the quarry for only the second time this year on wednesday, it wasn't completely dry, but it was getting there. It was good to get the feel for the routes there again, Laura redpointed The Manly Wham for the first time, I wonder what else she can send down there this summer. Then on friday I climbed up at Little Si with Jimmy, Lisa, Laura ,Andrew and Micah. It was a good day out, mostly dry. I realized I need to improve a lot on my stamina, I couldn't even repeat Technorigine, but I did manage to figure out how to do the crux on Chronic, I'm still a long way off that though. Andrew has been climbing really well recently and sent Aborigine on his second go, Laura should have sent too, but she took on the last moves, the redpoint crux.

Then on Sunday I got out to Exit 38 with Laura, Sierra, Melody, Justin, Sara, Sarah and Erica. It was a really good day out. We hung out at Interstate Park which everyone seemed to like, I finished up a few routes I hadn't done there before, including a couple of new ones that aren't in the guide. I did a really steep burly climb that was a lot of fun, I reckon it was 11+ish, but its hard to say. Laura did well, cleaning up a 10c that she had tried previously, and climbing her first onsight of an 11a! Justin and Sierra also got flashes of the 11a, so it was a good day all around. We finished off the day stopping off at the Harmon Brewery in Tacoma for some delicious microbrews and all you can eat fish and chips mmm.

I plan on getting a car soon which will make trips a lot easier and now that it seems like the summer has finally arrived it should mean a lot more climbing, especially as the world cup winds down. So, hopefully it wont be as long a wait til my next blog entry.

48 routes later

What a good Spring Break, 8 days out east climbing and camping with friends was just what I needed after a busy quarter at school. We climbed a lot of routes (I managed 48 new routes clean on lead, hence the title) and had a lot of laughing and joking around the campfire. In the end we visited four different crags; Deep Creek near Spokane, Post Falls just over the border in Idaho, and Banks Lake near the Coulee Dam and Goose Lake near Moses Lake in Central Washington. We sport climbed at all of the crags but they each had a very different feel to them.

Micah on a warm-up at Deep Creek, check out the sandy landing!

Laura, Micah and I drove out Spokane and headed straight to the camping in Riverside State Park near Deep Creek, it was only a 4 and half hour drive (hmm weekend tripable?). I had heard a lot of good things about Deep Creek, but even so I was blown away by the atmosphere and climbing there, especially at the Main Wall. Gently overhung routes up to 80 feet tall, but they feel even longer because they are so sustained with very little rests. The holds are generally pretty good, but there are so many of them its often hard to know what sequence to use which makes onsighting difficult. We spent two full days climbing there which was enough to give us a good taste of the area, but there's still so much more I want to get on there. Micah onsighted some 11s, Laura couldn't have been closer to redpointing a hard 11a, but just couldn't clip the chains, and I managed to onsight or flash everything I tried including a 12a which was a real fight. I would love to come back to this crag sometime, I really like this style of climbing.

Micah about a third of the way up The Lizard, an amazing 11a.
Micah showing Laura the beta on a short 11a on the Mushroom Boulder (how come all my photos are of Micah?)

On Sunday we packed up camp and headed west to Banks Lake, it was a beautiful drive through a part of the state I had never seen before. Coincidentally we drove through the town of Rearden, WA which is the setting for a book I just read for my class over the weekend The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, I'd definitely recommend it. Anyway, we arrived at the campsite at the same time as Melody, Erica, Sarah and Megan our friends from Olympia and got out climbing straight away. We started out at Highway rock, which had something for everyone, the 5.8's were really good, Micah swears the 11c he did there was the best route of his life (it was pretty good), and I did a 12a second go. But I almost got blown off the top when a freak storm hit and chased us away to a bar, it didn't last long though we were having a campfire a few hours later, and that was the only rain we were to see the whole trip.

The crew on a few routes at Highway Rock, Banks Lake about an hour before a storm hit.

The next couple of days we climbed at Golf Course Rock and Northrup Canyon. The routes were really good, but the setting was incredible, and amazingly we had the whole place to ourselves, we didn't see any other climbers the whole time at Banks Lake. For the most part we stuck to easier climbs, which were a lot of fun, if not a little grainy. But Micah and I both managed a fun 12c as well, Baptism by Whipper. It climbs a well bolted overhung wall with good in-cut holds and a few big reaches. It was a really fun route, but to be honest its probably the easiest 12c I've ever done, but there has to be one right?

Megan on a fun 5.7 arete at Golf Course Rock

Micah headed up the long and exposed route Dr. Ceuse

Erica about halfway up an awesome looking 10b, that I didn't get around to trying in Northrup Canyon, Banks Lake

Once we got sick of Banks Lake we headed back east to climb at Post Falls, which is just over the border from Spokane in Idaho. I didn't really have much expectations, but this crag really impressed me, I just wish it were closer to Olympia. The rock is a much more fine grained granite that sometime seems a lot like the rock at North Bend. The routes are never too long about 40-60 feet, but always really good quality. Its the type of crag where you don't want to stop, you just want to climb route after route, and thats exactly what we did. I got in 13 routes that day, which is a personal best for me I'm pretty sure. Everyone loved this crag, especially Laura who managed 8 leads, all flash or onsight up to 10d. We would have loved to climb at this crag again, but the forecast didn't look good, so we headed back west again, this time to check out a new crag, Goose Lake.

Micah on a fun 10b at Post Falls with a steep crux

Laura flashing a really good 10c at Post falls
Me warming up on a steep 10b (that felt more like 11a) at Post Falls

Goose lake is a new bolted moderate sport crag similar in style to the Feathers at Vantage. Most of the climbing is up basalt pillars, but unfortunately since the crag is so new and doesn't get much traffic there is still quite a lot of loose rock, which made it hard to enjoy the routes. Nevertheless we did manage to get up quite a few routes here. We were thinking about camping at nearby Vantage and getting one more day of climbing in, but by this point we were all pretty worn out, so decided to head home, but not before stopping for dinner at the North Bend Bar and Grill for one last celebration dinner. All in all it was a really good way to spend my spring break, I can't wait for my next big climbing trip, and I wouldn't be surprised if I made it out to some of these crags again this year.

Micah doing his best not to shower rocks down on Erica at Goose Lake
Micah on a 10d at Goose Lake, probably the best route we did there

Group Shot. Starting with Micah looking disgruntled on the left and going clockwise, Micah, Me Laura, Sarah, Melody, Megan and Erica.

1 pair of shorts, 2 t-shirts and 5 days in Squamish

Space was tight as Nick, Jimmy and I packed into Erica's car on Friday heading up to Squamish BC, so I kept my gear to a minimum. Somehow we managed to fit everything in the car, piled on top of peoples laps and under their feet. I got the best seat in the car as the driver so I didn't have to worry about being crushed under all our gear. We got pulled over at the border and questioned, but luckily they didn't search the car, that would have been a huge hassle to have to repack. Eventually we made it up to Squamish around midnight where we met Laura, Melody and Sarah who left a little before us. Saturday started out pretty mellow with a tour of the boulders in the forest, I was happy to show people around some of the classics and repeat some easier stuff. Then in the afternoon we cooled off in Murren Lake and did a few routes as well, the highlight was an intense technical 11c granite sport climb called James and the Giant Reach. Nick onsighted it and I was happy to use his beta on the flash, it was hard.

Sunday morning we headed out to the Smoke Bluffs, to do some easy trad, I led Burgers and Fries a classic 5.7 that shouldn't be underestimated given its run out slab finish. Then in the afternoon, we went back to Murren Park and did some trad routes up on the Sugarloaf, which is a nice but busy little crag. I managed to onsight a 10c trad route, but my gear placements were not the best, so I was a little disappointed. At that point it was getting late, and Laura and Melody had to drive back down to Olympia, I was glad that I still had a lot more time up here, I felt like I was just getting warmed up.

Monday morning Nick and I got up early to climb a route called the Ultimate Everything Link Up. Its the longest route on the Chief since it starts right at the bottom of the Apron and tops out at the Second Peak. We started out on a 3 pitch 5.9 route at the base of the Apron called The Bottom Line, then linked up into the 8 pitch Banana Peel which I had done before. We were making pretty good time despite Nick going off route a couple of times and were up on Broadway Ledge about 2 and a half hours in. We had strung a couple of pitches together and simul-climbed a little bit to cut down on time. From here we did Broomstick Crack a really cool 2 pitch 5.7 route to get to the base of the upper headwall. The pitches were not too difficult, they were nearly all trad, with a few bolts to protect the blank parts.

Nick and I on Broadway Ledge 11 pitches down 12 to go

Me starting up Broomstick Crack about half way up

The upper headwall was a lot of fun the climbing got a little steeper, but still relatively easy. We made it up to the very last pitch clean with no real problems and were feeling good. The book describes the last pitch as the crux pitch, going free at 11c, or it can be aided at 5.9 A0. It was Nick's turn to lead so he gave it a shot, he ditched the gear and just took a few draws since the guide showed it had a few bolts, but in retrospect he should have brought some cams to protect the runouts between the bolts, nevertheless he made it up to the crux, where the wall got steep and the holds got small, he worked his way up on tiny crimps, then his feet popped, he tried to hold on tight but he came off and fell on the bolt. He was obviously a little disappointed, but 11c is hard to onsight especially after 7 hours straight of climbing. He came down, we pulled the rope, and I tied into the sharp end. The plan was that I would try to free it, but if I couldn't I would just pull on the bolts and aid past the hard part. I made my way up the wall, placing gear between the bolts, I got up to where Nick was and felt the crimps Nick was grappling with, they weren't good, but about a foot to the right there was a decent crimpy layback, I pulled on that, got my feet up high on the crimps, rocked over on my foot, and reached up high left hoping there would be something there. There were a few slopey holds above that were just good enough then a good jug rail which I followed up to the summit and chain anchors. Nick followed up, able to toprope it clean using my beta, he said it was still pretty hard though. We highfived and untied, it felt good to bask in the sun at the summit, and the tourists who had hiked up there seemed very impressed when they saw us come up 'the hard way'. Our total time up the route was 7 hours 16 minutes, but I'm sure I could cut at least an hour off that if I were to do it again now that I know where I'm going.

Nick at a belay anchor only a couple of pitches from the top

The view at the summit of the Chief, from Second Peak looking towards the busy First Peak

We were feeling pretty worn out after that, but we got back to the campsite about 3.30 in the afternoon so had plenty of time to get out climbing again. We decided to check out The Sanctuary a small area described in the guide book as having Cheakamus-like sport climbing close to the Smoke Bluffs. When we got there I was pleasantly impressed, it was very similar rock to the exit 32/38 rock of North Bend, with about 15 routes between 10b and 12d. I did a couple of the 10b's to warm up again, then fired into the onsight of Morpheus a 12a. It was tough, and I had to work hard, but I managed to onsight it, my first 12a onsight in Squamish after trying 4 routes here of that grade. It was a great route, a little steep, fingery, technical and thin. I was pretty worn out after that route so we went back to the campsite for dinner then The Howe Sound Brew Pub for a pint, where we met Tony. I had arranged with Tony to meet up with him up here on Monday, so was glad to see him when he sauntered in to the Pub. I climbed a lot with Tony back in 2007, but since then we haven't gotten back climbing together again, so it was good to catch up with him in the pub where we all made plans to head up the Apron the next day.

Tony leading the last pitch of Banana Peel

Tuesday morning we got an earlyish start and Nick and Erica headed up Diedre, while me and Sarah paired up and Jimmy and Tony paired up to go up the 8 pitch 5.7 Banana Peel. Sarah had very little experience climbing multipitch so I was a little concerned for her, but I needn't have been, she did great. In fact it was me that I should have watched out for. I've written about the accident I had on this route as a different blog post, cause I have a lot to say about it and I didn't want it to detract from this post. Tony and Jimmy did great on this route, they shared leads on it and made it up the route soon after us. It was a big route for both of them, since neither of them had a ton of multipitch trad experience. After our experience on the Apron I think we all wanted to get on something a little less intimidating, so we headed up the road to do some single pitch sport climbing up at Cheakamus Canyon. I couldn't really pull hard with my injured thumb, but I still managed a hard 11a, and some easier stuff, and was a good cheerleader when Nick and Jimmy got on some hard stuff. Nick tried The Fleeing Heifer the classic 12c at Chek, he got to the chains with a lot of hangs, but managed to figure out the sequence. Jimmy was watching Nick on it and fancied a flash attempt since he was feeling pretty good. He hopped on and with me and Nick shouting beta to him he made it past the crux and continued up for the flash! It was a pleasure to watch Jimmy on this, he climbed it really well and it was great to see him climbing at his potential. It was by far his hardest flash to date, before this his hardest was just 12a. Once we were all done there we headed back to the campsite to finish off the last of our boxed wine.

Jimmy flashing The Fleeing Heifer 12c!

Wednesday was our last day in Squamish, and Tony and I wanted to make the most of it by doing some classic trad climbing at the Smoke Bluffs. We started out on Cat Crack a great 5.7 that Tony got an unfortunate bruise under his eye after pulling on a big nut to test it and it flying out and hitting him in the face. I managed to onsight a tough 10b crack climb called S-M's Delight, it was challenging for me cause it was a long sustained route that had all kinds of crack climbing from thin fingers to wide hand crack, it was a good confidence booster. We did a couple other nice routes after that, but it was soon time to go back to the camp to meet up with the rest of the guys to pack up. I felt that Tony and I could have just kept on climbing at the Smoke Bluffs all day. We managed to pack everything back into the two cars and headed on back down the road. Part of me wanted to get back home to shower, tend to my wounds, and recover from some food poisoning that was creeping up on me fast from eating some raw sausages. But there was another part of me that wanted to tell the rest of the crew to go on without me, I could fend for myself up here. I'm glad I home now and recovered, but I can't wait to get back up on the granite at Squamish.

Tony on the left leading Classic Crack 5.8 on our last day in Squamish

5.13 Eh?

On Saturday I climbed Crawling From the Wreckage my second ever 5.13 rated route, my first in North America. It all began last Friday, I caught a ride up to Exit 38 with Micah, Nick, Erica and Greg. We hiked up to Bob's Area where we warmed up on a couple of 10's at Lost Resort. Micah really wanted to check out the 13a there that we had seen a couple of years ago. It was a lot different than I had remembered, a lot steeper and harder looking. Its 20 degrees overhanging the whole way, very featured but it looks like all the holds are sloping the wrong way. Once we were warmed up I volunteered to go first and put up the draws. The start is really nice, the first three clips are technical 5.10+ climbing to a good rest below the third clip. Then from there you bust straight into the crux, which is a V4 deadpoint move to a small three finger crimp, except that on my first go I had no idea how to do the move, it wasn't until later that I figured out a sequence that worked there. From there you make a series of big moves off of small but positive holds, its really fun climbing. Then you get to a point where you have to use two bad opposing pinches to slap up to a big sloper, that is probably the redpoint crux, then from the sloper you have to make a hard clip and then its a series of crimpy moves up to a victory jug, which is still really hard when your pumped. I managed to put up all the draws and get to the chains on my first go which was a good mental barrier to overcome so quickly. Micah took his turn and we exchanged beta, refining our sequence. Nick then showed up from warming up with Erica down below, and he hopped on. He loved it as well, making good progress using our beta. We were all feeling pretty worked by then so figured we better move on and try some easier stuff. I decided to toprope it one last time, to take out the bottom draws and replace some so that we had leaver draws for the next time we got on it. I surprised myself by getting it clean on toprope, which was definitely a confidence booster. We moved on up the hill to some other crags, but Micah and I vowed to come back to work on this route more. Up at Slumbersome Ridge we did a handful of other routes which were good fun, we had the whole crag to ourselves. Erica had the idea to bring a stove and food up to make a curry which at first I thought was pretty crazy, but it was really nice eating some good food and some wine before the walk down.

Micah on the technical start of Crawling from the Wreckage

Mmm dinner!

The next day Micah and I were really tired, but we knew we had to go back up there and strike while the iron was hot. Laura came along too and the three of us made the long hike up again. The day got off to a good start with Laura redpointing her project at Amazonia on the way up, an 11a that she looked really smooth on. When we eventually made it up to the climb I was absolutely exhausted, I wasn't even sure if I would get on the climb. But after a bit of a rest and some food, we warmed up on some other climbs then went for it. I had been going over the beta in my head the whole walk up so I knew I had the sequence dialed. I got up to the rest at the 3rd clip took a shake, looked up at the moves ahead and went for it. The next few moves went by so quickly and before I knew it I was on the sloper making the crux clip, just a few more moves to go, I wasn't even feeling that pumped. I got up to the victory jug, but I didn't celebrate yet, I wanted to make sure I clipped the chains first, and I did! Project sent! It was more of a relief to have it sent first go of the day, as I knew I probably couldn't match that attempt again on that day, its short but really intense. Micah was shocked that I did it so quickly, and part of me felt that I had let him down in a way by not working on it longer with him, but I was really glad to have it done. Micah gave it a few goes with long rests in between, but he was having trouble keeping the pump at bay going into the crux. We tried a couple other climbs at Peannacle during his rests, and Laura managed an onsight of a 10d there! This was her hardest onsight in over a year, so understandably she was really pleased. Micah didn't manage the send on that day, but he has the sequence down, so it is only a matter of time now.

You'll get it soon Micah!