Most of the time during the work week I think about what my goal will be for the next weekend out at the boulders. Which lines will I clean next? Were have I not looked for boulders? Are there any projects I am close to sending? As it turns out on this last weekend the hope was that some boulders I cleaned off about 1 month ago would be dry. On Saturday we headed in to the Orchard boulders to see if the wind was down. It can get a little windy there and we did not want to deal with the cold on this day. Upon arriving at the group of boulders there was no wind to be found so I set about finishing some cleaning and sending some lines in the area.
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| Idaho Spud V3 FA |
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| Idaho Spud V3 FA
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I made quick work of 4 climbs on the Potato Boulder and then gave a few tries to a short desperate face. No send this time but maybe next time out if I can figure out the move.
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| Chips & Dips V? |
Not one to burn myself out on the first boulder I move on to the boulders next door to give some new lines a try. A very nice arete climb and some wicked sloppers were the name of the game. It took about 3 goes but the V5 in the Grape Cluster Boulders went down!
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| Green Peas V5 FA |
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| Green Peas V5 FA
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| Green Peas V5 FA
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The texture on the stone is so good it is just amazing what you can hold on to. I tried to do a traverse into Green Peas but to no avale. More projects I guess.
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| Orchard Boulders Area |
On to the next boulder as it were. The Slug boulder is a very large traverse with a steep undercut to it and crazy sloppers. I know the whole thing will go but it is going to take some work to get there. With good conditions going on I tried the first line I looked at on this boulder. To my surprise I almost stuck the crux! I think next time out it just might go.
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| Stick the sick slopper! |
Then a few goes at the start of the whole traverse. I did get the first move and I know how to do the next to but I need to train more to make them happen for sure.
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| Move 2 of many. |
To get the motivation back up I climbed the steep problem at the corner of the boulder. A nice slopper V3.
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| Slimmer V3 FA |
Sick sloppers into a big mantal. This got the motivation up so I tried the last half of the traverse and came very close to a send. This will be my project for next time out for sure. Pumpy V5 with some incredible moves.
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| Salted Slugs V5 |
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| Salted Slugs V5
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| Salted Slugs V5
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| Salted Slugs V5
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Heel hooks on crimps and double hand palming is just some of the fun involved on this one. This made a nice breaking point in the day so we headed out to the castle boulders to see if they were dry. Yes! So back to work I went on finishing some cleaning and getting things ready for some sends. The highlight was a steep face with mono pockets witch I onsited. 007 V4.
Some sends hear made a great way to end the day so I looked forward to coming back the next day. Spring in in for sure with flowers coming out all over.
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| Lady Slipper |
The day started off with a V3 on the King size boulder. A super steep line of jugs with a nice positive mantal at the end.
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| Crown Jewel V3 FA |
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| Crown Jewel V3 FA
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| Crown Jewel V3 FA
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This problem even comes with a chair for looking out over the area.
Next came the whole point of the day witch was to work on the Big Kahuna Boulder. Big is the key word hear!!
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| Big Kahuna Boulder |
The boulder contains 7 problems and the whole traverse is 40 feet long. I am checking out the holds on the hardest problem to date, Squeeze Box V6. 50 degrees overhung with incredible compression climbing. I got the send after about 7 tries to stick the crux slap.
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| Squeeze Box V6 FA |
Bring 2 small pads for this one for sure. There is not a lot of room but just enough. I finished the day on some fun traverses on the boulder and a couple of good mantals.
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| Kahuna West V2 |
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| Nice V1 Mantal |
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| Finishing the mantal |
At the end of the weekend my hands were pink and every mussel in my body was sore. Wow what a trip this one was. There are now 100 problems out at the cascade boulders and many more to go. I will be out there this coming weekend as well. If you would like to check it out drop me a message and we can meet. Have fun out at the rocks and never stop climbing.
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