Deep Water Soloing at Banks Lake

I had a great time climbing with a bunch of friends at Banks Lake over the weekend, we headed out there to check out the deep water soloing. I had been out there a couple of years ago, and was impressed with the climbing but hadn't checked out the climbing out of the lake. Tony and I made the fun drive out there and met the rest of the group at a cabin we were renting for the weekend. It was a pretty big group there were 14 of us in total, we had enough canoes, kayaks and inflatables for all of us plus 3 dogs. We used the Washington Weekend Rock to find a couple of cliffs that looked good. The first place we climbed was on The Bunker a small rocky island near Roadside rock. We warmed up on a fun 15ft cliff that most people were able to top out. It was probably a V1 or so. Next I scoped out a sweet line close by on the Roadside Rock side of the Lake that started up a hand crack and topped out at around 30ft to a popular jumping spot. It was really fun, a little scary, but a fall anywhere on the route would be totally safe. Its hard to say how hard it was, everyone else got spat off by the tricky crack down low, probably 5.10-ish. Next we paddled out to the Tent and Awning Rock to do the 2 bolted routes there, you could climb them with a rope straight out of a canoe, or deep water solo them safely. I opted to rope up for the 10b, it was a pretty cool experience to be belayed out of a canoe. A bunch of people got up this one either on a rope or solo, it was really fun.  After that we canoed back to shore and headed back to the cabin for the usual climbing trip antics. On Sunday we were feeling like getting on some longer terrestrial routes, so I took the group up to the beautiful Northrup Canyon. Everyone seemed to have a good time, especially Rachel who couldn’t stop raving about Dr. Ceuse, one of the most picturesque 5.10’s I’ve done. This was the perfect trip for the summer. I’m definitely interested in heading back to check out more potential for deep water soloing there, it is a big lake and there is lots of rock! Here are some of my friends photos that I stole that will give you a better idea of the climbing.

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Jumping off the little cliff on The Bunker that we bouldered up.

Justin bouldering around

Starting up a sweet line. It may be an FA, we broke off a good amount of rock down low. Its really good though.

Good holds mid way lead to a balancey top out.

I was really hoping I wouldn't fall here. The scariest part was probably jumping off from the top.

Sara soloing ground-up (or should that be water-up) on After the Gold Rush a fun bolted 10b.

Rachel at her high point.

I opted to have Tony belay me up it, it felt much safer.

The cabin we stayed at, it was pretty nice.

Me climbing a longer route at Northrup Canyon. Next time I'm bringing a spare chalk bag.

Rachel reaching the top of Dr. Ceuse an amazing 10b.

The whole group at Northrup Canyon.

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.

adVantage Laura

We got out over the weekend again, this time to Vantage to do some sport climbing. It was Laura’s birthday on Saturday so after climbing all day we celebrated with some beers and cupcakes that Sierra made. Melody, Micah Laura and I climbed on Saturday and we were met out there on Saturday night by Sierra and Ian, and Justin and Sara, and we all climbed together on Sunday. The weather was pretty good for the most part. Saturday was a little overcast, which was nice for us because it kept the temps down, otherwise it would have been very hot, it rained for about 10 minutes in the evening. But we were done climbing by that point anyway. Sunday was a beautiful sunny day, and it got hot towards the afternoon, everyone was applying the sun screen pretty liberally. We climbed on the lower tier of Sunshine wall, which has a ton of excellent short sport routes. I have a slight ache in my left shoulder and wrist, I think its from pushing myself too hard bouldering indoors, so I tried to avoid climbs that would hurt it, but I still managed to get about 20 new routes done total, including a handful of 5.11’s. Laura was climbing awesome, she onsighted a bunch of 10's and flashed another 11a with ease. She is in the form of her life, and the way she was climbing at the gym last night as well makes me think we’ll see some harder 11’s from her this year. Everyone else had a blast, for most of them it was their first time at Vantage, and they certainly got a good first impression. I really want to go back soon and get on more routes I was scoping out, but its only going to get hotter there, so it might have to wait until the fall. Here are some photos that give a better picture of the weekend. They are all mine apart from the last one, which I stole from Sierra.
Horses in the valley below made us feel like we'd stepped back in time to the wild west

Micah checks out more routes at Millenium Wall with The Hen House in the background

Laura and Melody walk out on Saturday afternoon with rain clouds threatening in the background

Sunday morning breakfast at the campsite getting ready for a busy day of climbing

Sara looking relaxed on a 5.9 toprope
Ian belaying Justin on the start of a fun 10a

The whole crew flexing our muscles on the way out at the end of a great weekend!