Routes that are on my life list….
I was going to write this in my climbing journal. By the way for any of you who actually read this, I strongly suggest starting a climbing journal. I've been keeping mine for almost 10 years now and its great...climbing days just run together and keeping it all together really helps to remember what you did last year this time etc. Also, its a good way to long-term track progress...and I figure if I make it to 50, it'll be fun to read back to my younger days. Anywho, off the top of my head, hear are my life-goal routes:New River Gorge:
Just Send It - 5.13b
Quinasana Plus - 5.13a
Diamond Life - 5.13a
Nude Brute - 5.13a
Ruchert Motion - 5.13a
Welcome to Conditioning - 5.12d
Thieves in the Temple - 5.12b
Unbroken Chain - 5.12a
Let the Wind Blow -5.12a
Portly Gentleman's Route - 5.12c
The Beast in Me - 5.12a
Leave it to Jesus - 5.11d
Red River Gorge:
Stunning the Hog - 5.12d
Soul Ram - 5.12b
Golden Boy - 5.13b
Bohica - 5.13b
Triple Sect - 5.13a
Snooker - 5.13a
8 Ball - 5.12d
Harvest - 5.12d
Cell Block Six - 5.12c
Stain - 5.12c
Heart Shaped Box - 5.12c
Ten Sleep:
Insect - 5.12d
Circus in my Pants - 5.12d
EKV - 5.12c
Happiness in Slavery - 5.12b
Bishop:
Checkboard V8
High Plains Drifter V7
The Hulk V6
Atari V6
Mister Witty V6
Hueco:
Choir Boys Light V7
Daily Dick Dose V7
Baby Face V7
Mushroom Roof V8
Baby Martini V6
King Cobra V6
Dragon Fly V5
Coopers Rock:
Coral V7
Illusionist V6
Death Block V6
Indian Creek:
Deseret Moon 5.11+
McConnells Mill:
Way of the Carpenter - 5.13a
Hanging in Space - 5.12b
The Burning Zone V6
Joe's Valey:
Pocket Rocket V7
Rocktown:
Sherman Photo Route V7
Little Bad Boulder V5
Campus Punks V5
The Orb V8
Sending a Family Project: Flash Point (5.11d)
This weekend the hubby and I had the unique opportunity to send a project together, one that was equally meaningful to us both, but for very different reasons. For Steve, Flash Point was about redemption. After a pretty successful toprope run this past January, he tied in on the sharp end with no expectations and shocked everyone (but probably himself the most!) by making it through the first two cruxes clean before pumping out one move before a good rest 80 feet up. After jugging back up he found some better holds that probably would have kept him on had…Read the rest of this entry →A few high quality Grades.
My climbing partner for the last 2 weeks, Buster Jesik, put together this time break down of our recent adventure in Zion. I added a little bit of narrative.
Start time - 6:10 am, Sunday, April 28th, 2013
Spaceshot Total Time - 3:27:09 (note: this was Buster's first time up the route!)
2:08:16 - Buster's lead block on Spaceshot (5 pitches - including our free solo of first 3 pitches) #1 and #2 Ballnutz made the C2 pitch a breeze!
2:08:16 - Buster's lead block on Spaceshot (5 pitches - including our free solo of first 3 pitches) #1 and #2 Ballnutz made the C2 pitch a breeze!
1:18:53 - Q's lead block to the top of Spaceshot (3 pitches + solo to top)
1:53:15 - descent of Spaceshot, re-rack, and approach to Touchstone Wall - (EPIC*)
*We fixed our full tag line to the Pitch 7 anchor and fixed our lead rope on Earth Orbit. Rappelling the route wasn't that bad, things were going swimmingly! One tug- movement, two tugs- movement, three tugs--eh, three tugs--eh, shit! I could barely see the tail ends sticking up from the knot and the sandstone groove the knot was jammed in. Buster yarded on the other end while I flicked the rope. Being almost 50 meters down and diagonally left, our efforts were futile. I cursed as I put the jumars back on the rope. I re-jugged the whole rope line, adjusted the knot below the lip and rappelled again. We finally pulled free and clear. The rappel back to the top of Pitch 5 was a strenuous leftward swing. A wonderful learning experiment, not awful, but just as time consuming as the standard decent.
*We fixed our full tag line to the Pitch 7 anchor and fixed our lead rope on Earth Orbit. Rappelling the route wasn't that bad, things were going swimmingly! One tug- movement, two tugs- movement, three tugs--eh, three tugs--eh, shit! I could barely see the tail ends sticking up from the knot and the sandstone groove the knot was jammed in. Buster yarded on the other end while I flicked the rope. Being almost 50 meters down and diagonally left, our efforts were futile. I cursed as I put the jumars back on the rope. I re-jugged the whole rope line, adjusted the knot below the lip and rappelled again. We finally pulled free and clear. The rappel back to the top of Pitch 5 was a strenuous leftward swing. A wonderful learning experiment, not awful, but just as time consuming as the standard decent.
Touchstone Wall - 2:20:35 -
1:10:47 - Buster's lead block on Touchstone Wall (3.5 pitches)
1:10:47 - Buster's lead block on Touchstone Wall (3.5 pitches)
03:48 - transition on Touchstone Wall
1:06:50 - Q's lead block to the top of Touchstone (4 pitches + solo to top)
Touchstone Wall felt cruiser. We passed one party of nice gentleman without a hitch. Thank you gentleman!
1:21:17 - descent of Touchstone, refuel and river crossing/approach to Moonlight
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| Quinn on the upper pitches of Moonlight |
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| Buster soakin it up! |
2:09:27 - Buster's lead block on Moonlight Buttress (5 pitches)
1:10:29 - Q's lead block on Moonlight Buttress (4 pitches)
Moonlight also felt pretty good, I did not climb as quickly (our previous go I climbed the top 5 pitches in an hour. I was one pitch less this go around and 10 minutes more-- and so it goes).
Start of Spaceshot to top of Moonlight - 12:23:02
32:47 - summit dance and decent of angles landing trail
12:55:49 - Total car to car time from start of Spaceshot to valley floor
12:55:49 - Total car to car time from start of Spaceshot to valley floor
36:46 - Wait for bus and approach to Monkeyfinger -
37:46 - Time spent climbing on Monkeyfinger - (climbed first 2 1/2 pitches**)
** In November I hit the ledge and ricochet past my belayer. I was injured for a few weeks, so it was with hesitation I started our 4th wall of the day.
It was still light out and would be for at least another hour or so. We soloed up to the base of the pillar and I led the 5.11 without a hitch. "Line fixed!!" I yelled to Buster and glanced down to the base. I saw a pool of red in the sand while Buster mumbled up, "I have another bloody nose and this one is worse." He had gotten one on Moonlight earlier in the day but just dealt. I was unaware of his predicament until we both stood atop Moonlight and I noticed blood smeared on his face.
This time, I waited and watched from my perch. He fumbled his helmet off and I watched his glasses tumbled down a ledge a little further. "We aren't stopping on account of my bloody nose."
I must admit I was still a little put off by this climb and this was solidifying my angst, "alright dude." I turned around and started going up. I placed my first piece and leaned over onto the aider, no problem. I placed my second piece high, unclipped my aider from the anchor and leaned over onto it, bingo. Just as I was reaching for a third piece, I was off. Just as quickly I was standing upright back on the ledge. My right leg took the brunt of the impact and there was a small twinge in my back. I luckily had the exact right distance in my daisy land on the ledge but not to full impact.
"That's it dude!! Three walls are plenty. This is the second time I have hit this ledge, I am out!" I called it. I am a little disappointed but with the recent tragedies in my life I am glad we are both safe!
With that we were off, back to the car and drinking a beer with the last inches of light.
** In November I hit the ledge and ricochet past my belayer. I was injured for a few weeks, so it was with hesitation I started our 4th wall of the day.
It was still light out and would be for at least another hour or so. We soloed up to the base of the pillar and I led the 5.11 without a hitch. "Line fixed!!" I yelled to Buster and glanced down to the base. I saw a pool of red in the sand while Buster mumbled up, "I have another bloody nose and this one is worse." He had gotten one on Moonlight earlier in the day but just dealt. I was unaware of his predicament until we both stood atop Moonlight and I noticed blood smeared on his face.
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| Buster in predicament #2 |
I must admit I was still a little put off by this climb and this was solidifying my angst, "alright dude." I turned around and started going up. I placed my first piece and leaned over onto the aider, no problem. I placed my second piece high, unclipped my aider from the anchor and leaned over onto it, bingo. Just as I was reaching for a third piece, I was off. Just as quickly I was standing upright back on the ledge. My right leg took the brunt of the impact and there was a small twinge in my back. I luckily had the exact right distance in my daisy land on the ledge but not to full impact.
"That's it dude!! Three walls are plenty. This is the second time I have hit this ledge, I am out!" I called it. I am a little disappointed but with the recent tragedies in my life I am glad we are both safe!
With that we were off, back to the car and drinking a beer with the last inches of light.
Kaymoor and the Lake
We warmed up on "Lost Souls", though 5.12a, I think it is easier than a lot of the 5.11s at Kaymoor. I have trouble getting a good warm-up pump on it since I have it so wired so I typically skip all the rests and climb/down climb/climb the crux several times (no rest) then do a few pull ups at the final roof before lowering off.
After warming up, we headed over to the 7-11 wall where my and Ryan's respective projects were. The last weekend, though tired and all crimped out, I did a beta burn up "Buzz Kill" 5.12c. This spectacular and adventurous techy face climb hits your early with the stopper boulder problem crux right at the second bolt.
The grade 5.12c at the New River Gorge generally satisfies the following crux conditions: A slab pull-up on 1/4 pad crimpers with no feet. Buzz Kill produced! I won't give the beta away (I normally do, I know!) After the crux, there is maybe 40 feet of some of the squirreliest climbing you'll ever do...moves such as a no-hands traverse to a slab jump to a jug (all easy but woaaaah boy!) lead to some really funky good-hold to weird-to-get-to holds finally give way to a full on stand on the ledge rest.
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| Buzz Kill 5.12c |
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| Buzz Kill 5.12c |
Though it took me a few goes on the crux (and subsequent, LOWER! try agains), I managed to send the rig.
After a long rest, I next decided to try a route that has notoriously been pretty crappy: Mr. Hollywood 5.12a just left of Slash and Burn. I would concur with the guidebook description that it's not as bad as the rap. And its not. I was very happy to have also headed the guidebook advice and brought some small cams! It will take just about any finger and smaller sized pieces (pink BD maybe too big) to make the route sane. There aren't too many 5.12as left for me to try at the gorge and I was pretty stoked to get the onsight on this one!!
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| Ryan Smith - Slash and Burn 5.12d |
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| Ryan Smith - Slash and Burn 5.12d |
I finished the day by ticking off two more routes that I had not done, leaving only 1 un-done sport route at the 7-11 wall for me: Fuel Inject 5.13b of which I shot some pics of my friend Paul on.
This is getting long so I'll continue about the lake in the next post.
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| Ryan Smith - Slash and Burn 5.12d |
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| Paul Nelson - Fuel Inject 5.13b |
Fellow Cragmama Charmagne Cox: Inspiration Multiplied!
A lot of times I wonder if the only reason our family has remained as active and adventurous as we have is because we have just one child…Then I met Charmagne Cox. Her inspiring story leaves no question as to whether or not its possible to continue recreational pursuits with multiples…and by multiples I don’t just mean multiple children, I mean MULTIPLES. As in TRIPLETS. Let that sink in for a moment – 3 kids to carry in to the crag (in addition to all of your climbing gear), 3 kids to get down for a nap at the base…Read the rest of this entry →I just keep blowing my mind
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| Adam Wisthoff - Apollo Reed 5.13a |
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| Adam Wisthoff - Apollo Reed 5.13a |
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| Apollo Reed 5.13a |
For years, through college, I would come to Summersville lake and just beat my head off of the classic route "Apollo Reed" 5.13a. A 70? foot desperately overhanging pitch which climbs mostly V2 and V3 jugs to a distinct two boulder-problem crux at the top. With my recent weight gain, I figured I'd warm up on the route, climbing until I got pumped, take, then work out some of the moves...well. I got to the crux and I wasn't even pumped!! Not even the slightest bit so I figure - what the heck!! and fired the first crux easy. I had never actually done this move on the go and had only actually stuck it maybe half a dozen times off the hang-full recovery...I was like...woah!! The next move likewise I had maybe done once or twice off the hang and though I had to try a little bit, I stuck it too!!!! The last two bolts are pretty cruiser though people have certainly blow it on point, but I was hardly pumped. I casually took it to the top - utterly shocked that I climbed it!!
This past weekend, I managed to get 3 days of climbing in and Friday was arguably, my best day of climbing ever!! I climbed at Area 51 with my friend Tim (see the Rocktown cover photo.) Area 51 is a cave basically, with incredibly steep roof climbs! I had 3 projects there: Made in the Shade (5.12d), Cage Match (5.12c) and a route I bolted, but Mike Williams sent called Skin Job (5.12c).
I warmed up on Made in the Shade, easily climbing past my high point sending the crux as a warm-up. I wasn't even pumped, but was chalking up on the "billboard crimpers" when my crimper blew and I fell!! The last move is like - one more punch move but basically, I had done the crux! Darnit! I wasn't too worried though and got back on the rig and sent it!
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| Me working Cage Match 5.12d several years ago - Photo Elodie Saracco |
Next up was a really intimidating "kung fu" pitch - aptly named Catch Match. This route hits pretty hard right off the deck, climbing through the steep roof on good jugs. The crux hits pretty early and involves a gymnastic knee bar move and a sorta "just go for it" sideways move to a jug, then basically a sketchy chimney rest. From the rest, there's a steep blind roof move, then...guess what...you have a mid range 5.11 crack section to do!!! I had previously fallen twice on red point (last season) on this crack section, but using new fangle dangle crack techniques (I put my foot in the crack), I did it easy! Super stoked.
The final pitch for me for the day was a route that I had bolted last spring. I did not put a project tag on it and had considered it an open project since I couldn't do it, but I figured..well since I'm having a good day, I should try it!
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| Matt Fanning - Cage Match 5.12c |
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| Matt Fanning - Cage Match 5.12c |
From the rest, there is a short traverse and a pretty tough blind move - maybe 12a or 12b to a good hand-jam rest the ledge. The crux follows. The move is crazy! You use the crack and a good pocket to lean out this 45 degree wall, get a so-so edge and a terrible sidepull pinch. Paste a sketchy right foot on the arete and JUMP blindly to a sloper. I didn't have any high expectations but STUCK THE MOVE first try on the go!!! I was like...holy crow!!!! All points cut and you just hold this hero-hang sloper...The rest of the route is maybe 5.10 and I was super stoked to put that one to rest!
I think we'll end here as this post is getting long, but Saturday was a redemption day for me at Kaymoor. Stay posted!
Rocks For Research – An Inner Peaks Fundraiser
This past weekend I had an awesome opportunity to participate in Rocks for Research, a fundraiser event at Inner Peaks Climbing Center. In a matter of hours, we raised more than $10,000 dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)! As volunteer coordinator, I had the chance to work behind the scenes with an amazing crew of hard-working folks. I also got to represent Trango/Tenaya with a shoe demo, which is always fun (shout outs to Steve Lineberry and David Barbour for helping get shoes on stinky climber feet!). Despite an emergency evacuation inside due to rain, the…Read the rest of this entry →Operation Beefcake Gams: Squat, Bike….Playground?
If you’ve been following the blog of late, you may remember that I sustained a weird knee injury back in early March. Apparently the theory that climbers don’t need to do any sort of workout for their legs is FALSE, as I’ve been strongly advised to incorporate some leg-strengthening exercises into my workout routine. Anyway, in addition to all of the weird little exercises that my PT has prescribed for me (most of which make me feel ridiculously uncoordinated), I’ve also added a few more conventional activities into the mix. For one thing, I’ve been replacing some of my weekly…Read the rest of this entry →What a weekend!
So officially, I'm 30 + lbs down from February and I'm really noticing a huge improvement in my climbing!! I've been working really hard with my diet, trying to balance energy demands with caloric deficit.
Saturday, we climbed at Kaymoor at the New River Gorge. Temps were just perfect!! A little chilly in a T-shirt, a little warm in a jacket but just amazing for climbing. I really love this time of year!
I warmed up on my favorite Butchers Branch route: Lost Souls 12a, which funny enough, felt so easy that I had to do pull-ups at the anchor to get myself pumped, then lowered down and top-roped through the crux a second time, using a harder sequence to get the fingers warm. Losing all this weight has just been incredible for my climbing!!
Next, I bolt-to-bolted, hanging the draws on my project at the 7-11 wall, the classic 4 star crimpfest: "Slash and Burn" 5.12d. The business on Slash and Burn is the first six bolts. There really isn't a "stopper crux" but I've heard the business described as "Continuous 5.12b climbing for 6 bolts." I would disagree as I think that the section consists of 3 hard boulder problems. The first comes right at the first bolt, a really long, stand tall move to a sharply drilled/enhanced pocket (V5) that is a crimp jug. From here, you latch a knob with so-so stand tall feet (V4), get some high feet including a glued-on-foot chip to latch a good crimp (V3). From here, you match up, clip, get another hold, then do the final hard crux - a height dependent reach to a 1/4 pad rounded crimper (V5), high step and bump move to a good "let it all out and sigh" edge, then to a jug. There is next move is not so bad, maybe a V2 or V3 dead point move from good hold to good hold that is just long, then the route culminates with a final, in your face beta intensive move. Its probably no more than easy 5.11, but its sequencial and you could totally blow it.
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| Photo Dustin Canterbury. Slash and Burn 5.12d |
I saved the top half of the route (maybe 11-) as an onsight having always lowered off the six bolt and was pleasantly surprised to find that the top is excellent movement!
Being lighter and conditions being about as close to perfect as they get in WV, I basically ran up the route, thinking that it felt pretty easy!! I was so super stoked!!
I have not actually seen this video, but heard about it. Now that I'm posting it, I'm going to watch it. Mike Williams doing Slash and Burn.
https://vimeo.com/39848889
My day's goal achieved, I backed things off and climbed what the guidebook calls as one of the best of the grade in the region - the traditional route "Fair Tracer" 5.10d. I'm not gonna give away any beta on this one other than this....DO THIS ROUTE!!!!!!!!!!!
I finished the day by doing a working burn on my next "TO-DO" there - Buzz Kill 5.12c. My fingers were toast from Slash and Burn, so I was unable to do the well-defined crux at the 2nd bolt though managed to work out the rest of the route (most mid 5.11 climbing with a final 12a sequence going to the chains.) I'll blog more about that route if/when I do it.
I think Sunday's climbing warrants a separate blog which I'll hopefully get to write in the next day or two.
