April Eldorado Canyon with Dave

 

Kenton and Dave celebrate at the top of the Naked Edge

On Friday April 7, 2023 I flew to Denver to climb with Dave. It was an early morning flight which landed me at 8 AM, so we still had the full day to climb. For Friday we chose to climb The Yellow Spur (5.9+). I had been thinking I had never climbed this before, but Derek reminded me later that I climbed it with him a few years ago. We did the standard start on the right, which is now missing a key hold and has therefore turned into a bit of a highball boulder problem. Pitch 5 felt very difficult to me - above the last bolt I was climbing what felt like hard 5.10 before I began to traverse left on chossy rock up the arete. Dave finished the last pitch which was completely run-out for us.

The next day we got me back on The Naked Edge (5.11b). Although I still didn't climb it cleanly this time, Dave at least got us to the top, so I could experience the entire climb. We did Touch 'N' Go (5.9-) to start, with Dave leading pitch one and me on pitch two. P1 was fun all by itself. P2 was tricky exiting the cave.

I led P1 of The Edge. I fell three times or so, so this wasn't my best performance, having just climbed this pitch cleanly a year or so ago. Maybe I need to use the left side of the arete more at the crux move. Also it might be helpful to have a more sporty shoe for these small finger cracks - the TC Pros just can't fit in small cracks and also don't lock down on small edges quite as well.... Dave pointed out that I also made the start harder than it needed to be. Finally, I need to remember to finger jam by weighting my fingers downward rather than applying sideways pressure. 

Dave led P2; this one felt tricky coming around the wall from right to left and then especially above that in the final stretch. 

I led the P3. No way is it 5.8. The transition around the arete from left to right was totally insecure and poorly protected: there are no feet, and a fall would lead to a big swing back left. I belayed in the valley/alcove on some static lines wrapped around a large horn and with a cam as a backup.

Dave led P4. Stemming and very small finger jams. A high right foot allows you to work your way up into the chimney. There is a fixed nut above your head when leaning out from the chimney. To escape the chimney, reach out right and find some slopey but positive holds and work your feet out right. 

Dave also led P5. The move at the start wasn't too bad: you finger jam the left hand and traverse far right to some jugs. Carefully work your way up and over a small ledge, then you end up in an overhanging hand and fist crack. This crack destroyed me. I probably fell five times here before I managed to work my way through what I felt was the crux. It was difficult to do straight-in hand jam technique, because the feet really weren't there for this. Instead after moving up a short ways I turned it into a lieback with feet smearing on the left wall. This was a major grunt fest. 

I finished us up the slab to the very top. We could have escaped to the right earlier but ended up going all the way to the peak of this formation. Then we downclimbed a bit to skier's left to the East Slabs descent. We kinda fumbled the slabs descent. We didn't go to skier's left early enough and ended up sliding and rappelling down some fixed lines that were in place for some SAR training. Next time I'd like to get better beta for this descent or to have it dialed in.

On Sunday we went sport climbing on the backside of The Slab in the The Flatirons. I did five routes with Dave but only led the first and last myself.

Hippopotamus (5.11a) - Steep and sequency. Fingers got cold on the rock.

Sick For Sleeping (5.11b/c) - Was thin holds and jugs interspersed, the key jugs at the top were all wet.

Shalohsh (5.12-) - Not too bad until the last five moves or so, then it really kicks it up a notch. After moving onto the big underling, match on the rail up and right, get a high left foot, then reach up and left onto the other wall to find two small holds to finish off with.

Film Noir (5.12c) - Couldn't do the crux, I was just too short. I pulled on a draw to move through this face. The rest of the climb was crimpy and fun. I missed a big jug rail out left near the top and fell here too.

Prime the Pump P1 (5.11c) - Juggy and relatively easy, but I was tired by now and wasted a lot of energy fixing a back-clip on the 2nd draw above the ledge. So, I slipped after pumping out and fell near this draw, scraping my ankle on the ledge below. I finished easily after that. Dave climbed both this pitch and the second pitch above in one long pitch.

March Puerto Rico Nuevo Bayamon with Malcolm

 

Crazy wax-like limestone features at Nuevo Bayamon

Wednesday March 8, 2023

Climbing at Nuevo Bayamon in Puerto Rico with Malcolm over spring break. Weather was warm, but the entire climbing area was shaded behind the wall itself at this time of year. And, we were surrounded by dense vegetation, so the temperatures were actually rather pleasant.

The rock is limestone. All the climbs were sport.

Paz (5.8-) - Easy warmup.

Amor (5.8) - Another short and easy warmup. Malcolm led this himself, too!

La Cueva del Alacrán (5.8) - Slight crux in the middle. Malcolm top-roped this once, then led it himself, too.

Jadihel (5.9) - Longer than the others but bottom half was trivial. Another strong lead for Malcolm.

Yan Gabriel (5.9-) - Crux near the top actually felt like 5.9.

ADD (5.10b) - Cruxy and hard on the fingers in the second half. I had to climb this twice, because Malcolm pulled the rope by mistake without intending to lead it.

The Shark Attack (5.10c/d) - Overhung and sharp, but over quickly.

I'm Only Human (5.11a) - Challenged me more than I expected.

Shanghai Bombay (5.12a) - Hard near the bottom, hard near the top, easier on the middle. Go left at the top until the last chance to escape right toward the chains. I had to take twice just below the chains on this one before I figured out the beta.

La Venganza del Planeta (5.9) - Harder than I expected near the bottom and at the overhang.

March Woodcock Cove with Malcolm

March 4, 2023

After a rainy Friday, Malcolm and I drove up early Saturday morning to Woodcock Cove to try to get in some sport climbing before spring break. Woodcock is truly a winter climbing destination - it was getting sun all day, and although the temps had started in the mid-40's, even I was too hot after a few hours wearing only a long-sleeve t-shirt. The drive is a bit farther than other nearby-Chattanooga destinations, but not so much that it's not worth it. Our biggest challenge in the morning was finding some moderate climbs that weren't too wet to climb. Luckily, we did find some to start out on, and the others quickly dried out in the perfect morning sunshine.

Malcolm standing in front of the waterfall between the two main areas at Woodcock Cove

Regret (5.9+) - This climb has a bouldery start but gets easier up top. The area right beneath the chains was dripping when we climbed it, but the good holds are out left, so this didn't matter.

Reach (5.10) - Tough long moves at the bottom, an especially tricky section around a two-finger pocket in the middle, the much easier at the top.

Man with the Hammer (5.10-) - Tricky getting off the ground, but the rest of the climb was quite easy and this short climb was over rather quickly.

The Lizard of Oz (5.9) - A very chill saunter compared with the previous wall. Slightly cruxy slab section near the top.

Pup Friction (5.7) - Malcolm's lead, and he hung the draws himself! Very casual.

Anonymouse (5.10+) - I felt as if this could have been a trad climb instead of sport. Also, it was lots of fun, but it felt more like 5.10- to me. It would be worthwhile returning to this climb and trying it on trad gear.

February T-Wall with Daniel

 February 18, 2023

Met up with Daniel for the first time to climb at T-Wall. We carpooled from the Walmart parking lot. Weather was ideal, with clear skies and highs in the mid-50's.

People's Express (5.10a/b) - Daniel's lead. Crux was down low at the mini roof. He used a #5 to protect it, then mantled out right. Another possibility would have been to stay left using the face holds/pocket. The middle of the climb was also tricky/balancy.

Open Sesame (5.9-) - My lead. Exciting below and getting out of the smaller second cave. Also exciting traversing under roof at the top. This climb felt Full value for the grade.

Stepping Stone (5.10a/b) - Daniel's lead. This one has a hard sequence at the bottom with thin protection, but it doesn't really let up tremendously even after this low crux.

Hungry for Heaven (5.10+) - My lead. I fell at the crux right above the dish. This climb felt harder than I expected and was exciting the whole way. I have to admit I was disappointed not to make a clean send, as I have climbed this clean once before.

Stone Wave (5.11a) - Dan's lead. Stick clip a nut into the crack down low. Then pull up the rack once you are established near the nut. Move at the start is hard V3. Put feet far out left and high, pull up, reach for a small knob up and left, then push off/mantle with the right hand. The finger section two thirds of the way up is really tenuous, too. It would be great to make this a project.

Finger Lockin' Good (5.10b/c) - My lead, and it spat me off. This was a real fall fest for me - I took a big whipper above my second cam placement (black alien) and almost hit the deck. So glad Daniel is such a good belayer! I was clearly tired from all the other climbing we had done earlier, and after the fifth piece of pro I just gave up and came down. This was especially disappointing as I have climbed this one clean in the past after projecting it. It would be great to set up a toprope on this climb and just do laps to practice finger crack techniques.

January T-Wall with Zach

 January 15, 2023

Beautiful weather, lows in the 30's in the parking lot, highs in the upper 50's. Was wearing long sleeves and a fleece the whole day but felt perfect.

Climbed with Zach.

Kenton just approaching the crux of Blood on the Rocks

Prerequisite for Excellence (5.8) -  Zach's lead. Fun. Dripping crack in places. Warming up in the sun.

March Hare (5.10a) - My lead. Stiff bottom, easy after the roof. Fun. Interesting movement through the bottom corner and roof.

Sugar in the Raw (5.11-) - Zach's lead. Stiff bottom, easy after the roof. Fun. Interesting movement through the bottom corner and roof.

Centerfold (5.10) - My lead. Just kinda on you the whole way. So much fun! Crack climbing all the way in a corner to the roof, then hand jams and liebacks through the roof to very easy face climbing over the roof. Maybe my favorite climb at T-Wall. 

Stepping Stone (5.10a/b) - Zach's lead. Thin arete. Tricky pro down low (but Zach led it, not me!). Thin start. Balancy, but it's all there.

Blood on the Rocks (5.10+) - My lead. Super techie finger crack and corner down low. Had to hang on a black totem halfway up at the crux. Made it through the crux by reaching high for a painful pinkie finger jam and smearing my feet up. Super burly getting over the roof using jugs on the left side.

January Denny Cove with Cammie

January 8, 2023. Had intended to climb at T-Wall with Cammie, but it started to rain as we drove toward Chattanooga. There was a band of storms that never came far enough south to impact Atlanta but which completely drenched Tennessee. So we made a last minute decision to climb at Buffet Wall at Denny Cove instead. I was glad I had brought along extra jackets, having at first believed that I would be climbing in the sun and potentially stripping down to a t-shirt. It rained the entire time we were at the Buffet Wall, but the wall itself was mostly dry. Unfortunately, the 5.11's were not dry, especially near the top, only the 5.12's stayed dry, so it was tough to start out gradually!

Squeeze Daddy (5.11), or was it Moral High Ground (5.12a) ? - first climb to the right of Donald Pump - Hung at first fixed draw because I tried to move right instead of left. Lowered off last draw (fixed) before anchors because the route was a stream of water above. My fingers were going numb constantly.

Pressure Cooker (5.12a) - My second and third times on this route. Had to hang many times at the crux. Finally made the move but couldn't do the clip. Came down and got a long draw. Went back up for another attempt and only made it through the crux by pulling on the draw. One more hang above that led me to the top. I can do this clean in better conditions.

Overall conditions were not optimal. Our fingers were going numb, and at one point we were in a fog cloud.

Castle Rock with John

December 17, 2022

Castle Rock. Temps in the low 30's with wind at the beginning of the day chilled our bones to start, but the wind died down and the sun warmed up the rock by lunch time.

Tallboy (5.10a) - Warmup. It was windy and cold though!

Kingpin (5.11-) - Wandered a bit. Some runout near the top. Interesting overall.

Wish I Was Trad (5.11c) - Hard. Very technical. Worked me over. Fun.

Copperhead (5.12d) - John's lead. I toproped but only made it two-thirds of the way to the top before I ran out of gas. Fun. Technical. Thin, but doable.