Escape the Heat and the Rain

After a long day at work last Wednesday I thought that a hit to the Cascade Boulders was just the thing to beat the heat. The woods out there are so thick that it can be quite cool and the breeze makes it supper nice for climbing most of the year. My first problem was that I had no partner so I send out some messages and called my father to see what he was doing. He let me know that he was in for a trip to the woods so I picked him up and headed out. We were met with sun and beautiful wild flowers on the hike in witch was a nice start to the evening.

Daises

Tiger Lilly

The first place I went was to check on the spring boulder and see if the water had gone down at all. The spring has been so wet this year that I do not think I will be cleaning this one until the end of the season.

Spring Boulder

Next it was off to the triplets to clean the last boulder and see what things looked like. A nice large block with 5 problems on it waiting was the result but I need some help from the rain to get all the dust off so maybe it will be ready for sending next time out. By this time the sun had gone down a little ways so I went out to the east scree field to finish some boulders I cleaned a couple months back. At this point Rob who I meet on facebook showed and we got started on some climbing. We started with a smaller boulder that I cleaned that had a line of pockets heading up its left side. After some work the line went at V5 and had some  nice hard pulls on small positive pockets. Rob sent the direct version at a much more moderate grade and then it was of to the bigger boulder next door.

Me topping out on Mosquito Eater V1

At about 12 feet high and with a face that overhangs this was one that I could not weight to get back to. I cleaned the lines when it was all wet and have not been on it since. We both sent the warm up and then started in on the overhanging main line.

Rob sending Mosquito Eater V1

The line starts down on the far right and climbs the overhanging line all the way to its high point. Then a hard mantal is needed to top out the boulder. After some close examination of the holds I gave the line a try. It all starts with a long reach left to a small gaston. Then lock it all off and go big over the top with the right hand to a small edge. Next it's an all points off throw to a good but slopping left hand on the lip. Feet up and throw for the only hold on the upper face. The problem was I could not seam to stick the last move our even reach the hold.

Me working Jungle Juice V7

After 5 goes that night it got dark and I still did not know how I was going to reach that final hold. As we walked back to the cars I thought about a different plan for next time out. Now I could not wait to get back and see if it would work.

          Friday evening came and I was ready to head back out for what I hoped would be a send. The big question was would it be dry since it was just starting to sprinkle in town. We got there about 5pm and started the hike in and again were met with great flowers and cool air. The best part was it was dry and not looking like rain.

Daises

I had a little more cleaning to do on the way in so I stopped off and got that done first. Then off to the project to see if the new beta would work. I new the new beta would not be any easier but I was just looking for some way to get to the last hold at this point. By the time we got the pads set up and the camera ready I started feeling rain drops and new the clock was ticking. My first go got me to the last move but I did not have the sloper right and so I came up short. Next I rested as long as I thought that I could get away with considering the weather and then it was on. In my head I was thinking if you get that far just go for it.

Hitting the gaston

Big power to the small crimp

Setting up the first dyno.

Flying

Sticking the dyno

Looking for the bad sloper foot.

Foot on and eyeing the last small hold.

Just go for it!!

Sticking the last hold!!

Wishing the last hold was much better but setting up the mantal anyway.

Left foot is on and topping out is certain!

What a great line with an incredible finish. Shortly there after the rain started to fall harder and by the time we got back to the car everything was wet. A great finish to a great evening. I look forward to next time out and some more sends. Thanks for reading and keep climbing.