Day By Day - Rock Climbing and Life: April 2012

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Bouldering Weekend

On Saturday I headed out to meet up with Brian and his cosine from southern California at the Cascade boulders to show them around and do some climbing. When we got there the rock at the orchard boulders was just a little wet so we started on the Power line Boulder witch was dry. After hitting all the warm-ups we found some new variations to send.

Brian on High Voltage V1

Linking Lighting Bolt into High Voltage for a nice V2

Brian on the link up.

At this point we felt warmed up so off to the Surge Protector Boulder we went. The V2 Arete was dry but the rest was wet so we cleaned off the boulder next door and did some FA's instead. Three nice problems came out of the moss and then it was on to see more boulders. By this time in the day things had gotten a lot warmer so we headed for the Cascade Boulder and some classic lines. The end of the day was spent with Brian and his cosine working on BLT the classic of the boulder. Maybe next time boys.

Brians cosine on BLT V4

Sunday started with getting my wife ready for her first trip out in a very long time. The weather look incredible so off to Larch we went. When we got to the Leavenworth boulder and parked the car I noticed one other person climbing up there. I thought to my self very cool some one to climb with. I stepped out of the car to hear my name and noticed it was Matt from the Circuit climbing gym. This was going to be a fun day for sure. One of his friends came as well witch made things even better. I gave them the run down on the boulder and we got to work climbing things.

Mat on Iron Giant SDS V5

I also got some shots of his friend on Back in the Day witch is a great problem with nice big move on great holds.

Back in the Day V2

After the warm-ups it was on to the projects. There are two left on the boulder. One is a proud line right up the middle on some pretty pore holds and the other is a traverse of the whole boulder. The line in the middle is the one we were working on. There were no sends on this day but progress was made and a send should come soon.

Trying to stick the hold.

Matt trying to stick the hold.

Well I hope to get up there on Sunday and try some more. Until then keep climbing.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Finally Dry & the Big Kahuna

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.

Idaho Spud V3 FA

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.

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!

Green Peas V5 FA

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Salted Slugs V5

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.

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.

Crown Jewel V3 FA

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!!

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.

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.

Kahuna West V2

Nice V1 Mantal

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.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

FA's, Cleaning, and more Cascade Boulders

I think there comes a point in any project were you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and this give you more motivation to finish the job at hand. Out at the cascade boulders I thought that this was the case. I could not have been more wrong! Saturday was a nice sunny day with a little wind on the east side of the boulders. This time out I thought that I would start on the west side and miss out on the wind. Sure enough when I got out there the wind had disappeared and the sun was just peaking over the tops of the tree's. Since last time out I had left some boulders for the rain to finish cleaning so there would be climbs waiting this time. The one question in my mind was would the rock be dry? After all it had just rained last night and it is the gorge. Not only was the rock totally dry but supper sticky! Compelled by the thoughts of trying out my new Revolution crash pad I could not have asked for better conditions. I started with a short 12' boulder and then moved on to sending on 2 18' boulders. 2 great problems came out of the rock, both V0 and supper fun.

Supper Nova V0 FA

Next it was off to a traverse that I seamed to have missed before. A quick cleaning and it was ready to go as well. A few moves later and a nice 18' traverse was in the bag. Sharks Back V2. With the sun on my sitting spot lunch was in order. I thought about the 7 FA's in the bag already and it occurred to me that maybe a little exploration was in order plus there was those other 2 boulders that I could clean off for next time out.

So many kinds of moss.

With cleaning brush in hand I walked the 100' over to the new blocks and cleaned of 5 new problems for next time out. I through the pad on my back and headed to the west side of the area that I was in for a close look at things. Surprise is what followed next. 20+ new problems on some incredible looking stone that I had missed the last time I wondered though this area. Now the debate was on. Do I clean everything in sight our go for an old project that has not wanted to yeald to this point.

Supper Nova V0

Long ago I learned that when doing FA's at new crags it is best to finish what you have started before making more work to do our spreading your self to thin. With this in mind it was off to the Pocket boulders for some goes on the Perseverance SS. Temps were cool, rock was sticky, so now all I needed was to come up with the power for the send. Pulling on I felt strong and the first though went supper well. My hands fell strong as I crushed the small crimp and pulled into the lock off to set up the crux. As it turns out the feet (our lack there of them) is the problem on this one. Throwing for the slopper I felt so in control I new I had a chance but just as I caught the hold my key foot popped and I slammed against the rock. To my surprise I did not let go and threw my feet back on and went for the supper slopping heal hook. Bearing down with the will to never let go I thought to my self I am not going to fall now. Just as I started to throw for the final hold the heal popped! I grunted and put it back on. I was not about to wait for it to blow again so I thew with all my might and Success!! Rocking on to the top I could not be leave what had just happened. A send on the first try of the day. Perseverance Sit was done and a V7 was added to the area.

Perseverance Sit V7 FA sticking the 1st crux move

Perseverance Sit V7 FA Heel up and go for the top.

At this point I could have called it an end to the day but on the way to the car I stopped of at the Orchard boulders and sent 3 more problems on the way out. All in all it was a 12 FA's day from VB to V7 and all forms off climbing to be had. Looking forward to this next weekend for some more sending out at the Cascade Boulders. Drop me an email our a note if you want to check them out.