Winter Cragging: Low Temps and High Spirits!
It seems like every spring I declare my hatred for Eldorado Canyon (about 10 miles from my office), but every fall I am totally obsessed with it again. Here’s to another winter climbing cycle! I’ve been sport climbing a lot lately, and fiddling with tricky gear placements at the Rincon Wall this weekend was just what I needed. Pair that with about three weeks off nursing a damaged pulley in my ring-finger, and it didn’t take much to get my fill… or so I thought (I had to come back the next day for more).
Eldo is a heads-up kinda place – any new leader embarking on Calypso (5.6) will know what I mean. The gear is (usually) there, but its less than obvious (and less than comforting at times). I’ve wanted to climb Over the Hill (5.10b) for years, and finally got around to it this weekend… twice… Did I mention that I love climbing? I clipped the first fixed pin and entered crux number one. Quickly, I realized I have never done any remotely hard stemming moves – and Over the Hill is all stemming. A featureless right-hand wall meets a somewhat textured left-hand wall in a 90 degree corner – the holds that do exist face the corner. “I guess I don’t have to worry about hurting my finger,” I thought, as I pressed my palms against the walls through the lower crux. Exhilarated by the unique movement, I scampered to the ledge below the upper crux, squeezed behind a tree, and spent five minutes figuring out how to get off the ledge without crashing back through the tree. Want the beta? Left finger mono-pocket, right thumb pressing a dime edge (okay a nickel-edge), and a good left foot. Voila! I was in the upper dihedral ready for the upper crux. A few more press moves and a few more pitons landed me on top – smiling. My partner has climbed this route at least once a year for the past 25 years, so he cruised right up it. Next up was the beautiful, arcing arête to the right, rising 150ft from the talus.
After watching my partner spend an hour fighting the wind and cold on Aerospace (5.11R) I decided against that level of suffering this early in Eldo season. But, (un?)fortunately, the weather was better the next day, and I promised Jeff I would do it the next time we were there. The bottom of the route has potential for a ground fall from 25 feet, so that was quite a “welcome back” to Eldo. Tiny water-formed divots and edges carried me through the delicate crux, and I was greeted by more run-outs. I almost fell 15ft out from a bolt when the micro cam I was testing ripped! So I placed the cam again (because it looked friendlier than 30ft of slack) and backed it up with a brassie. Had I taken a number 3 or 4 BallNut, I would have been totally confident in the gear. Next time!
It all came together, though – one more tough section followed by gorgeous views through the exposed 5.8ish headwall, and the send was complete! The best part will be repeating it for years to come with the comfort of familiarity and, of course, the crucial BallNut.
Eldo season is open for business, and I’m in love with the place – for now.
