New rock comes with a lot of work.

Ah the winter rain. This is the time of year when I just want to find a dry place to climb and make it through the winter in the best shape that I can. Unfortunitly this is not always possible because we have a lack of steep rock around these parts. It is because of this fact that I sought out new rock in the winter time 4 years ago and found something new.

What I found was overwhelming in a big way. The potential was great but the work would be very hard indeed. The next weekend I came back with route development tools and started in ground up. Over the coarse of three visits I put up two routes and was ready for some tries on them.

The rock is hard basalt and supper steep. There are features but they are not as easy to deal with as one might think. I thought that my fist route would be in the mid 11's but 13- is were it landed. After this learning this I thought that I would come back at a later time when I had finished some of my other projects at other crags and thus got a lot stronger in the process. While I was away some others put in some hard work and got some routes going on the walls. I thank them so much for the work!! So three weeks ago I got back out and brought some friends with me. We got to work on a new line and the excitement is back.

Working up my route to rap in on the new line.

Check out the moves

Just a little higher

Trying to swing to some gear.

Lichen

Now to find a placment

Gear is in.

It steep!

Nice rock.

Placing a bolt.

Bolt number two.

All said and done we got in part of a route. My friends come back later and put in the rest of the route. The next weekend I got back out and climbed on some of the other established lines. They were hard to say the least. I cant say enough how primitive this area is. Maybe in a couple years it will be ready for the main stream.

High bouldering

The big one

With the change in the weather coming I had some loose ends to tie up before it was all done for the year. This meant a trip up high was in store again. The surprise was how warm it was and this turned out to make it a trip going for the shade of the boulders. Fist stop was a nice boulder with some warm ups on it and a couple nice moderates to get the blood flowing.

Morning sun

A nice VB to start

On to V2 sit

The rock is textured and super clean so all that was needed was climbing. I found a nice line on the arete to the right of the one above and made the quick onsite.

Nice V2

Sloopy topout

After a while and a lot of different problems I found some hard ones to work on. A nice dyno, some hard underclings, and a crimpy face all checking in between V4 and V6.

Hard toss to edge

Jab to a crimp

Big toss to slooper.

Next some undercling fun.

Incredible line with power moves all the way.

Then on to the dyno next door. An all out throw for a small slot then stick to to top.

Stuck it!!

Ya

Then I found a brilliant little lighback that had super cool moves.

To tell the truth though the face to the left was the big surprise. A V5 send on the first go! Sloping crimps was the name of the game.

Stuck it!!!

All that remained now was a cool down on the way back to the car. A nice trip up between the trees will do.

Brilliant V2 and a great finish.

20 problems later and it was time to go. Bring on the rain its time to get back to cleaning more rocks for the winter.

Rat cave sends.

I was out at the cave the other day to climb with Sam on his last day in Portland for a while. He was close to a send on his project out there and I had not been there for a while so it was going to be a great day. The temps were good and by the time things got rolling there were 20 or so people out there.

Rat Cave Saturday

We warmed up with laps on the warm up and Enchalota then it was time for some projects. I crushed held down but could not get to the send on supper burrito but I was glad for the nice moves. Sam had a good first go on his project and fell of with only a couple hard moves to go. Audrey was there as well and working on Burrito for her first 12b. She came close.

Next it was time for Sam to go for the send again and he fought hard. There were a couple times when I though it might not happen but he stuck with it for the send. Congrats my friend and climb hard on your long trip. Hear is a vid of most of the send.


Sam Send 13c from Tymun Abbott on Vimeo.

Back to Rock Creek for the send

Last time up at rock creek I came super close to the send on my project Electric Blue. This time I thought if I could get up there early and beat the sun I would have a better chance of the send. So I got a couple of my friends in the car and left at 7am for the crag. We arrived at the wall about 8am and headed up the trail. It was my friend Dave's first time climbing there and his first time back since he injured his arm about 6 weeks ago. This was good because there are a lot of warm-up's at rock creek to get on and I wanted to do it all right for the send. We started the day on some easier bolted routes before heading to the mid 11's to get the blood flowing.

Dave on a nice 5.8

The weather was looking great for the day so we just hung out and did one right after the other.

Dave and I at the base

Dave starting up a 5.8 corner

On the corner

The fun transition

Nearing the top with me belaying

Ready for the next one.

Cleaning the corner.

Next it was on to the harder lines for some 10 and 11 fun. Time to get the blood flowing.

Dave on a 10a

The leaning trees next to the cliff

I am taking a lap on the 10a

Dave leading a 10c

As the morning went on a couple of other climbers showed up to have some fun for the day. It was there first time out to the rock creek crag.

Climbing a great 5.9 crack

The happy belay

It was time for a go on the project so off with the clogs

and on to the rock.

Right up the center of the wall and just right of the shadow crack is the route.

It all starts with some hard moves right off the ground. A high step and very delicate move gets you to the secound clip but the real fun has not even started yet. Tight body tension gets you to the ok right hold on the face and you clip the third bolt. You slap your way up the arete with your left hand and hope your right foot high then heal hook with the left foot. Clip from a small left hand hold and be quick. Hear is were I thought I might take to much time and not have the power for the crux but the rock was cool and the temps were great so I felt strong and clipped the bolt with ease. Then it is straight into a small tips only pocket and stab high for a little 3 fingure edge slot with the left. Walk the feet across the face and slap the right arete. I take a deep breath at this point but keep the focus for the 11- finish. The first jug on the route comes to help you pull onto the ledge to clip the chains. I sent with confidence and a big smile on my face and Electric Blue 12b was born. To finish the day we climbed a great 11b crack and a nice 10c bolted line.

Dave on the 10c

Dave on the 10c

Dave on the 10c

Dave on the 10c

 What a great day at the crag! This 10c and the 11b to the right are not to be missed.

Dave half way up the 10c

If you get a chance head out to rock creek and check out the great rock. Keep on climbing.