September Foster Falls Climbing

Malcolm making his way up Saturated

On September 8, 2018, Malcolm, my nephew Phillip, and I took a two-day trip to Foster Falls. We were joined by Adam, Jacob, Kellett, and two of their friends, and we concentrated on the Jimmywood area. First up was Saturated (5.8), a long jug-haul with lots of bolts. This was a long climb for the area! We also climbed Miss Prissy (5.9), Mammy (5.9), and Diamond Cutter (5.10b/c). The most memorable part of the day for me was the start of Diamond Cutter; it felt like a reasonably difficult boulder problem, but we were able to climb it with the right beta. We finished on Bear Mountain Picnic (5.8+). At this point the boys were both so pumped that neither of them could finish the climb, so I knew the day had been a success! This climb is a beautiful, exposed arete with some fun moves transitioning back and forth from one face to the other.

Malcolm on the start of Bear Mountain Picnic

On September 9, we were supposed to all return for another full day of climbing, but Phillip and Malcolm weren't feeling well, so I was the only one to head back out. Jacob, Kellett, and their friends met me in the parking lot, and we hiked the 45-minute approach to a different area, the Red Light District. We warmed up on Pocket Pool (5.9), where I had some difficulty deciding exactly where the route was supposed to go. Did it go straight up the face, which felt more like 5.11, or did it make use of the shallow corner to the left, which made it feel more like the 5.9? In the end I chose the latter. Then we started on Mrs. Treated (5.11a). Unfortunately, it started raining pretty hard right after I pulled through the tricky mantle move, and I was forced to bail, lowering off an old carabiner.

The hike back to the car was long and very wet. Too bad!