Stoked for my Big Trip

I leave on my New Zealand/Fiji trip in a couple of hours, and I so excited!

In the last few weeks I haven't done too much climbing. I've been getting in to other things, preparing for this trip and making the most of the nice weather. I went scuba diving with Tony in the Sound, mountain biking with Chas and Tyler, fishing with a bunch of guys for Chas' bachelor party. Anthony a good friend from Scotland visited recently which was a lot of fun. I've even started running regularly, I feel in great shape, and its helped me shed 9 pounds in the last two months. Here are some photo's of what I've been up to recently.

I got out climbing at Nevermind with Chas and Tyler, I repeated a bunch of stuff.

Tyler and Chas cruised the classic Steep Street, and the both came close on Culture Shock.

Getting ready to go spearfishing!

No cabezon or crab, but it was still a fun dive.

It took some goading to do this jump, but it was worth it.

Salmon fishing off the coast on a charter boat.

Fishing for rockfish at the Westport jetty.

In New Zealand I'm visting Anthony who lives there now. We're adventuring around the North Island, skiing, surfing and mountain biking before flying down to the South Island for more skiing and partying. I'm hoping to boulder at the awesome Castle Hill, its somewhere I've wanted to climb at for a while, and the friction should be awesome right now. I'm also looking forward to seeing my friend Melody who is on the North Island. After a couple of weeks there, I'm flying up to Fiji for a week. I think I'm the most excited for this part of the trip. I booked a week at this dive resort including 10 dives. The area is world famous for diving, there's tons of different dive sites, from wrecks to shark dives, and soft coral, all with 100ft+ visibility this time of year! I'm really excited just to be around the traveller/backpacker scene, its been too long since I've done a trip like this. Hopefully I'll be able to update my blog mid-trip through my iPhone, I'll definitely be taking lots of photos. Well I better get on my way to the airport.

Another couple of days in Tieton

I got back out to Tieton with Tyler, Laura, Rachel and Esteban on Sunday and Monday. It was looking like the best bet for weather. We met up with Boon at Lava Point, I've done all the routes on that wall already, but it is such a fun place to climb. There was actually one new route bolted just to the left of Saint of Circumstance which I climbed. It is a really fun addition to the wall, a bit balancy and technical, I thought it felt around 10d or so.

The gang (minus Rachel) at Lava Wall

After Lava Point we stopped for lunch then climbed a few routes at The Oasis. I got on a few routes I hadn't done there before including a couple of fun mixed climbs. The next day we headed straight to South Fork, I had climbed there a couple of years ago, and was really impressed with it. We spent most of the day climbing the routes on the hexagonal satellites, which are really fun and really unique looking.

I did a 150ft (or so) 11a on Astral Wall, that was simply incredible. Overhanging jugs the whole way. I've got to say Astral Wall is in my opinion the best moderate sport crag in the state, and the most under-rated. I will definitely be back there a lot this summer. Here are some photos from my camera, Rachel's and Tyler's.



Rachel enjoying the beautiful views from the crag.

Elbow deep hand jam on the 5.8 trad route at The Hexagonal Satellites.

The rock here is so cool.

It looks like there are tons of holds, but there really aren't.

Laura warming up on a fun 5.8

Rachel keeping her cool on a run out.

 

Getting ready to start a whole lot of climbing.

Its hard to photo the whole of Astral Wall, but this photo gives you a bit of perspective.



The view from below. Tyler is only about half way up.

Let Summer Begin

I finished up teaching for the year last week. What a year it was, I didn't think I would enjoy teaching this much, but part of me is already looking forward to September already. That's not to say I'm not going to have fun this summer. I'm in a pretty good mood right now because I just had my last physical therapy appointment for my injury, and I am cleared to climb. My achilles was in really bad shape just a month ago, to the point where I couldn't put any weight on it without a lot of pain. I was really worried that it was going to prevent me from climbing this summer, but its improved hugely in the last couple of weeks much to my relief. I was out climbing the last two days, and I could barely notice it.


Leading Inca Road. I ran out of draws towards the top and bailed to a nearby bolt on the route to the left.

Tyler and I got out to Tieton, we had a bit of a late start driving out there on Monday morning because I had to watch the England vs France game, which was well worth the wait. We headed straight to Royal Columns, because we both were in the mood for some trad. It was really warm in the blazing sun but we still got a few pitches in. I have to say, I didn't really enjoy myself. The climbing wasn't too difficult, I just didn't trust my gear in the rock, and felt pretty sketched out on lead. I think I might just be a sport climber.

The next day we decided to clip some bolts. My plan was to head up to the Astral Wall at South Fork. But I guess its still too early in the season, because there was still snow blocking the road. We ended up getting stuck in a snow drift, and spent a very uncomfortable hour digging the car out with a trowel and pots and pans. We changed our plan and headed to Dream Wall which was a good choice.



I guess its still too early in the season for South Fork.

I'd done a couple of routes at Dream Wall before and wasn't too impressed, the rock is a little sharp and junky in places. But the routes are long, and give you a nice pump. This time we had more fun as we swapped leads making our way through most of the routes down there. I think we did 8 routes in 5 hours or so, which was pretty good considering they are not the shortest. We both did a cool 11a, Tyler didn't tell me it was his first flash of the grade until he was clipping the chains. It turned out to be a really fun day. The best feeling was being able to climb on my ankle without any pain. Now I'm excited to get as much climbing in as I can. I don't really have any commitments this summer until I go to New Zealand and Fiji in August, so let me know if you want to get out!




Tyler on his first 11a flash.

Climbing in January

When friends wanted to climb last week, I was eager but skeptical since it is still January. Tyler Austin and I biked out to Fossil Rock, for only my second visit there. We were surprised to find other climbers there, but there were plenty of dry routes to get on, and it was surprisingly nice in the sun. I was feeling a little out of shape, I fell on an 11c to left of Battle of the Bulge, which I know I would have done with ease if I was climbing regularly. But still managed to get up some other fun routes. We had one golf ball sized pebble pop off and nearly get me, but despite that constant threat, I still enjoyed the climbing. I'm keen to get back there, there's a good handful of routes that I've yet to get on, and now I know that its fine to climb there in the winter.

Austin sending Battle of the Bulge

The view from the crag

Me enjoying the vertical crimpy test pieces