Breaking Bad: Chasing the Naked Edge Speed Record

Frequently climbers who haven’t tried speed climbing disdain it. I can imagine why. Speed on a route has traditionally been a measure of competence. There is no way around that and if someone climbs a route faster than you...are they more competent? Maybe. Maybe not, but slower climbers sometimes are threatened. Not always, of course. The really secure climbers might be jazzed about the speed of others, even while not interested in personally playing that game. Others feign no interest in such precisely timed events, feeling they are above reducing a climb to a single number, though that is exactly what difficult ratings do.

While the reactions to record breaking ascents are mixed, I’ve found one aspect of speed climbing to be universally consistent. Once you’ve tried it, you come away with one overwhelming feeling: That was so much fun! The only people turning up their noses at speed climbing are the ones who haven’t tried it.

The most famous speed record in all of climbing is, beyond any doubt, the Nose on El Capitan. It has been the most blatantly competitive speed record since Hans Florine and Peter Croft went at each other in the early 90’s, though it started well before that. Colorado has had no real equivalent, as no other place does. The Diamond is an obvious choice and recently the winter speed record has seen quite a bit of attention, but it isn’t the same. With the latest Nose speed ascents there has been a sizeable crowd in El Cap Meadow cheering on the climbers.

But things seem to be heating up in Colorado on one of the state’s most storied routes: The Naked Edge. This route is classically five pitches long (with a two-pitch approach), but hardmen frequently link the first and second pitches and the fourth and fifth pitches. The pitch ratings are 11a, 10b, 8, 11a, and 11b. The speed progression on this route, as far as I know, has been:

1. 1h, 1988, Mark Gay and Keith Pike (reference: Matt Buckner)
2. 1h38m, early 1990s, Michael Gilbert and Rob Slater.
3. 1h22m, Sept. 6, 2006, Bob Rotert and Dave Vaughn. Parking-lot-to-parking-lot. Done traditional style (presumably as three pitches, with an unroped approach).
4. 1h13m, Dec. 2010, Scott Bennet and Blake Herrington. Bridge-to-bridge in 1h13m (the bridge is 50yds from the parking lot, but they thought it was a more consistent starting point). Same style as Bob and Dave: all free, soloed up the ramp to the base, and then pitched it out in 3 pitches.
5. 49m44s, May 2012, Jason Wells and Stefan Griebel. Bridge-to-bridge (from the center). Simul-climbed as one pitch after soloing up to the start.
6. 44m??s, Jan 2013, Scott Bennett and Brad Gobright. Bridge-go-bridge, Simul-climbed as one pitch after soloing up to the start.

Stefan and Jason went back for the record on April 9th. I’ve put up a really rough, incomplete video of that record-breaking ascent here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt0cesuMFmA

That day they went 40m36s and didn’t want to publicize it until they had a chance to break forty minutes. This evening, April 22nd, they returned to give it a solid effort. They did one lap up the Edge in a casual 60 minutes to get it fresh in their minds. After a thirty minute rest, they gunned it.

Both climbers ran from the bridge to the base of the wall and soloed up three hundred feet of climbing, up to 5.8 in difficulty, in six and a half minutes. Then Stefan tied into the rope and fired up the first pitch in just a touch over four minutes. At the top of pitch one, two, and four Stefan places a mini-traxion or Ropeman device to protect him against Jason falling.

Stefan fired the second pitch in under three minutes and by then Jason was done with the first pitch. Fourteen minutes later Stefan was atop the Edge and pulling in rope. They did the entire slab descent in around 5 minutes and hit the bridge in 35m01s.

Both climbers stress that, while it is cool to currently have the speed record, the overriding reason they do this is because it is incredibly fun. I’m not remotely in their league, and they probably aren’t in Florine and Honnold’s league, but the constant among all of us is that cruising up a great route without having to stop and belay is an absolute blast.

Congrats to Stefan and Jason.

Here is Jason's report on the record:

Ohhhhhh yeah so much fun!

415pm we roll into the parking lot all psyched up. It just doesnt get old, in fact it just gets more fun!

First warm up lap I made a wrong turn on the solo climbing approach as I was chatting away with Stefan, and heard a "ahem...ah Jason, where are you going?" One would think I would have it dialed at this point, but apparently I need some neon arrows. Later while I was simuling on the chimney pitch with Stefan on the overhanging handcrack I got the rope stuck and proceeded to short rope Stefan so bad I thought he was going to pull me out of the chimney and I was going to get him so pumped he'd fall out of the crack. Dang it! Simuling that part was way tougher than I remembered. It sprinkled a little on route and with the humidity, that slippery eldorado sandstone was feeling like glass. 1:03 later and we were back at the bridge and my confidence was quite low that the next run would be "it". But one thing I've learned is I never really know so we agreed to give 100% and see what happens.

The passing rain brought cooler temps and a nice breeze, so by the time we were ready at 6pm for round 2 conditions were splitter.

With the cobwebs now cleared out, perfect temps and the 100% pact made, we slammed the pedal to the metal on round 2. I was fully maxed on the approach, breathing as fast as I could and trying to shut out the pain. Nothing else mattered but moving up and all there was to focus on was the few square feet in front of me. No thinking, just doing. Then the adrenalin kicked in. This time I didnt make a wrong turn. Hit the base in like 6min with Stefan saving and pacing slightly behind so I would have time to set up the rope. Stefan tied in and after having fun taking a minute to figure out how a micro traxion works, sudenly took off like a shot. Three pieces of gear and about as many minutes later he slammed a micro traxion on the anchor and I was climbing. The rope was flying up ahead of me. I could barely keep up and resorted to whipping gear out and letting it hang off the rope, hoping I'd have a couple seconds to take it off later. Half way through guidebook pitch 2 I just knew we were at record pace. The rope just kept sprinting ahead. Stefan was really moving. We topped out and as Stefan coiled the rope I began the descent. My climbing shoes were slowing me down so I switched to approach shoes. Stefan started to pull ahead in the last 200 feet so I took what felt like the first risk of the day and let it fly for the last few boulder hops. We hit the middle of the bridge a split second apart and Stefan stopped his watch. 35:01.

One of the most fun times climbing! 100% focus with no distractions. So hard to get to that place in life for me. Good times!!!

Dinosaur Mountain Sport Climbing

I went up to Dinosaur Mountain today with Tom and Bruno. Tom and I were recruited to belay Bruno on his project Milkbone (5.13a). Bruno was close to sending it. He'd done all the moves and just needed to link it. He has it down to just two hangs.

We met at NCAR and hiked up the Mallory Cave Trail to the north face of Dinosaur Rock. To warm up, Bruno cruised up a Patience Face (5.12a), making it look super easy. While Bruno led this I went for my own warm-up on Sunnyside II, a 5.0 scramble on nearby Der Zerkle. Detect a difference in our warm up routes? This is very indicative of our respective abilities.

I then followed Patience Face on toprope and got totally crushed. I made it up a few clips before coming off my first time. I got back on and climbed up to the first crux, which I couldn't do and pulled through on the draws. I did the same at the second crux. And again at the finishing section. It felt 5.12 to me while pulling on the draws! There are many hidden or hard to find holds on the route. Bruno called up copious beta to me but my lack of power, endurance and technique were the limiting factors.

Not so with Tom, though. He flashed it! I was super impressed having just been completely stumped. Tom climbed it really well, very smooth. Oh, and the reason I went first was to clean the draws. Tom, like me, is one of those very rare climbers that still likes to redpoint routes, not pink point them.

While Bruno took a go at redpointing Milkbone (yes, a redpoint go, though he'll be satisfied when he gets the pinkpoint), I went off on another scramble. This time up the East Face of Dinosaur Rock (5.5). I was testing out my new scrambling shoes: La Sportiva Mix. The seemed to work pretty well, but I don't think the rubber on them is as sticky as the dot rubber that was on the old Exum Ridge shoes.

When I got back to the base I found a chaotic outdoor gym. People, kids, and ropes were everywhere. I was hoping to get another burn on Patience Face, to pull down Tom's draws, but the rope had been pulled and another team was loitering at the base. Not climbing, but getting ready to climb - a process that would take them another 15 minutes. Dang. I was just going to head out, as I don't enjoy this scene. I have exactly zero interest in going to an outdoor climbing gym. This atmosphere was more crowded than Movement. I train in gym in winter, but when it comes to climbing outside, I want at least a little wilderness or at least a little space from other climbers. Tom could see that I was frustrated and he convinced me to take a burn on Milkbone. I was reluctant, thinking I wouldn't get more than a couple feet up it. There is no chance I'd ever work that route, as it is 3 letter grades above my hardest redpoint and well beyond my abilities. But, given that I was there and at least wanted to get more of a workout in, I reluctantly headed up. I made it up to the start of the crux, three bolts up, and then, after finding the holds useless, starting pulling on draws with gusto. I still had to hang very few seconds, but I pulled myself to the top of the route, nearly without grabbing the rock! I think Tom, belaying me, got in more of a workout than I did. He did a masterful job of keeping the rope tight, despite starting with 200 feet of rope out.

I lowered up and re-clipped the rope into the draws on the way down. Tom was up for a TR lap, but gave it up early as he was running into the rope of another climber on Ultrasaurous and a climber lowering off Patience Face nearly landed on my head while I was belaying. It was a very unpleasant scene and Tom didn't like it any better than I did.

Bruno had led Milkbone, placing the draws, with just two hangs. That was really his second warm-up. He now pulled the rope and prepared to send it. Tom belayed and I shot some video. Bruno is very strong and a really good technical climbers. He uses his feet and positions his body so well. It's very instructive and inspiring to watch him climb. He got up to the first crux, turned the roof onto the pillar, made the clip. Then his feet slipped off, but somehow he hung on and moved up to the next clip, the crux clip. Here, he ran out of juice and had to grab the draw to clip. Dang. He hung one more time just a clip or two above and then finished clean. I don't know, but I think chaos of the scene disrupted his efforts as well.

We packed up and moved over to the south face of Der Zerkle, which has three separate areas of bolted sport climbs. We got on one of the lower routes with a vicious sandbag reputation called April Fools (5.11c). Tom led up, but not without difficulty. He fell off between the second and third bolts. He fell again. He made the third clip and took. He climbed way above the fifth clip, didn't like and downclimbed to take again. Then he finished it. I followed using my now customary draw-grabbing approach and had a hard time imagining how I'd ever do it. The route is very overhung and the handholds are bad, but the footholds are much worse.

Or so we thought until we watched Bruno onsight it. He purposely didn't look up and watch either of us climb it and then he just read it so well and styled it! To me it was the best performance of the day. I asked him how hard he thought it was and he said, "I think 11c is about right." Hmmm... Tom gave it another try, with the draws in place - very unusual for him. He climbed smoothly and got the pinkpoint, looking pretty solid.

We then climbed another, shorter, overhanging route that starts at the bottom of Sunnyside Two. This route is called ? and is rated 11b. This is probably right. If I had trained in the gym more on the steeper gray wall, I'd have been better prepared for it. Alas, I don't usually climb on the steep walls in the gym, telling myself that "I never climb that angle outside." But here I was climbing that angle all day... Or rather, not climbing that angle all day.

Bruno cruised the route easily. I fell off a couple of times following, but for the first time all day, I made the ascent without pulling on the draws! Tom and Bruno were stunned. Tom then led it, easily as well, and I decided to try again, with a bit more beta. This time I climbed it clean, albeit just on toprope. I think I could lead this route in a couple more tries. I'll probably work on that.

That was it. We packed up and hiked back to the car.

Bolting For Glory and T2 Start w/Derek

Pulling over the A-shaped notch on the first pitch of Touch and Go

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Derek and went to Eldo today. We originally planned to repeat what Mark and I did last weekend, but weather and crowds had us change plans slightly. We geared at the car and then walked to the first pitch of Touch and Go (5.8+) where we talked two young guys out of the climb and they moved on up the hill and we took off. As I was flaking the rope, it started to snow. Great. I thought I'd just be coiling it back up, but Derek really wanted to do this pitch. Two years ago it has stumped him, Arthur, and my brother. So I led up to the ramp and then Derek followed nicely, easily doing the lower crux and taking just a bit to figure out the A-shaped pinch above.

From the ledge I noticed Tanya and Bruno below. They had bailed off their route when it started to snow and now the weather was looking better and they decided to climb Touch and Go as well. So, as Bruno led the first pitch, I led Bolting for Glory (10a). This time I moved right off the belay, put in a blue Alien and made it up to the first bolt much quicker than last time. I knew the moves to the second bolt and soon I was there. At that point things started to go downhill for me. I could not get comfortable with either the handholds or footholds. I stepped up and down a couple of times before committing and falling off! I was right at the bolt so I "fell" about three feet. Derek caught me and I got it next try, but, dang, I'm regressing! I mantled out the last hard move after clipping the third bolt and then went hard left after clipping the fourth bolt, ala Mark from last week.

Derek followed the pitch quickly and cleanly! First time he's climbed something that I fell off of! He's just really good with his feet. He has the confidence of a toprope and he just trusts his feet and pulls on the terrible, rounded, tiny holds. He looked way better getting by the third bolt as well, not doing the desperate mantle that I do.

Climbing up Bolting for Glory

We gazed over at Anthill Direct, which had a party on the third pitch - the really long, runout pitch. A chick was leading with a pack on and she was going the wrong way. I had watched them at the belay and they took forever and a day to do the change-over. I knew then we wouldn't be following them up. They were way too slow. I asked if they wanted some route advice and the second nodded so I started telling the chick that she needed to go hard left. She yelled back, "I don't need any beta, thank you." Oops. My bad. Just trying to help. I thought they might be in trouble, but she had things under control. She was probably a solid leader, just unfamiliar with the terrain and not reading it right at first. I sure done that many times in the past. A bit later another chick wearing a pack comes up the first pitch and launches straight into the second pitch. Lo and behold, it is Michelle from the Minions.

Well, that route was too busy for us and I offered up toproping the first pitch of T2 (11b/c) and Derek was game. I led up a short, easy pitch to the bolted anchors that are above the anchors on T2. Derek followed and we did two raps to the ground. Off our last anchor we could toprope the first pitch of T2. This is an extremely burly, very overhung start where you get horizontal for a bit and even on toprope you can hit the slab if you fall. I have. I coached Derek to run down the hill a bit if I came off.

I pulled off the ground on the small but positive crimps and stuck my right foot straight up into a crack. I'm I then deadpointed to the rail above. Hitting it, I then swung my right foot up into a heel hook above my head. I was now horizontal to the ground. I deadpointed my left hand over to match, switched my heel hook to a toe hook and pulled for all I was worth and then deadpointed for the flake above me with my right hand. I got it! I pulled up on the still very overhanging ground and made a deadpoint to the crimp. I moved my feet way to the right and bumped the right hand higher. Then I could move up my left hand and reach right to the finishing jugs. Whew! The rest of the pitch is steep fun at mostly 5.7/8 with a touch of 5.9 thrown in.

Derek learning how to let go with both hands while on rappel, by wrapping the rope around his leg.

I rapped off and it was Derek's turn. He gave it four good tries, each time having to lower to the ground because it is so steep that you can't get back on it. Once he came within a foot of the slab below, but I caught him. He made the match to the rail each time, but couldn't make the reach to the flake. He wasn't as efficient with his feet, which are technical as they have to be twisted into a crack that up under the roof, but he could hang on a good long time. It's just a hard boulder problem. I think it is V4, but the ratings on this pitch range from 10d to 11b. All seem soft to me. It's way burly.

Since Derek couldn't finish the crux, where I had clipped a directional draw at the top,  I had to climb it again. I was a bit worried I couldn't pull it off a second time, but I was just able to make it happen. Nice. There have certainly been times where I couldn't do this problem. I am no where near ready to lead this thing, though, and probably never will be. I'd have to be MUCH stronger as it's a ground fall (possibly onto your back) from about twenty feet up before you can clip the pin, which would be very difficult to clip anyway.

That was it for us and we headed back to the car. Fun times.

Topping out on Bolting for Glory

Bolting for Glory to Anthill Direct

Mark and I got out to Eldo today to start our outdoor training. Mark and I have been training for an ascent of the Diamond on Longs Peak this summer. Mark even put off doing Hard Rock Hundred, after getting into this exceedingly difficult race. He's been climbing at least two days a week in the gym and we were anxious to see how much of that would transfer to real rock. The answer: not much, but it doesn't hurt to be strong.

We going to be concentrating our outdoor training on crack climbing since almost all of the Casual Route is a crack climb, but I had a hankering to do Bolting for Glory, a really thin, greasy 10a bolted route. I don't know why. Perhaps I thought it would be an easy 5.10 to do since it was bolted. More likely I had just done Touch and Go with Derek and remembered this route.

We did the first pitch of Touch and Go to approach it. The crux move on Touch and Go is quite hard if you are expecting gym 5.8. It's really just one move but it involves pressing your right foot on a very small edge. I was fresh from a mentally humbling trip to Joshua Tree where I didn't even try anything hard, but now I was back on routes I had wired. My gym power made the crux of Touch and Go feel like...5.8! :-) Mark had a bit more trouble on it and didn't use my high right foot and instead used his reach. This pitch wasn't as easy for him, but it involves some crack climbing and he admittedly needs a bit more experience here. Nevertheless, he climbed it clean.

I then started up Bolting for Glory, expecting positive edges and 10a climbing. How naive of me... There really isn't a positive hold on this entire pitch. Okay, that's not true, but it feels that way. I climbed up and left just a bit to put in a small cam to protect the belay. I'm not sure how good it was, because I wasn't sure how solid the flake I put it behind was. I then took a long time to puzzle out the moves up to the first bolt. I didn't want to make a mistake and fall on the cam. I feared it would be difficult to downclimb from a mistake because of the insecure nature, though I did step and back down a couple of times before finally committing to the moves.

Once clipped into the first bolt, I faced what I thought was the crux. Thankfully the bolt was at my chest for the start of these moves. The second bolt is about fifteen feet higher, though, so it's committing to move on. I was wearing my son's TC Pro shoes and the rubber felt thick under my feet. I wasn't used to the shoes and had not feel for the holds. I clipped the second bolt and the climbing got less scary because a fall wouldn't put me anywhere near the ledge below. There is some dicey climbing to get to the third bolt and then I mantled up on good holds. Above the climbing eases. I put in a #2 Camalot between the third and fourth bolts and made the 2-bolt anchor at the top.

Mark followed with as much difficult as I had and I guess a bit more, since he pinched a couple of bolt hangers on the way to belay. Still, it was a good effort on extremely technical climbing. There is just no simulation for that in the gym.

Looking above, I noticed climbers on the Naked Edge and on Anthill Direct - two routes normally closed until August, but frequently opened early if no raptors have nested on the walls. On the spur of the moment, we decided to continue up Anthill Direct, four more pitches, to the top of the wall. I was in short sleeves with my long-sleeved shirt and jacket safely tucked in my pack at the base of the route. I opened if I'd be uncomfortably cold, as the wind had picked up and I was getting chilled at the belay. Mark was game, though, and we could use the mileage, so up we went.

High on the wall, Mark would give me his long-sleeve shirt. I was already wearing his helmet, having left mine in the car. He's a true partner and we share the exact same attitude about climbing, about adventures. We are a team. We are not two individuals. We will succeed or fail as a team. Once we leave the car, and until we return, nothing I have is mine and nothing he has is his. Everything we have is ours. Including "our shirt", which he happened to own, though that wasn't relevant, and he happen to be wearing, which also wasn't relevant. Same with helmet. We decided, as a team, that it was best if the leader wore the helmet. Yes, it was my mistake to leave our second helmet and we might have decided to go back for it. We might have upset at the sloppiness of one of us for getting it, but we weren't. We just made the right decisions for the team. I love the camaraderie and teamwork that climbing requires. This is why partners are everything to me - much more important than the climbing itself.

I led the rest of the way up the familiar route and Mark followed it, ascending this classic for the first time. He did very well on it, as expected, and he felt a lot better about being completely solid on 5.8, then desperate on 10a. I combine the two pitches out on the main face into a 180-foot monster, but the climbing here is so cool, so engaging, even though it is only 5.6 or 5.7. This because I'm almost constantly runout, moving quickly above gear and having to space it out considerably to make the full distance.

The last pitch is a 5.9- lieback that in the past has felt challenging. Today, it felt like 5.6. I marvelled at how weak I must of been to be desperate on that section, but a lot has to do with confidence. If you know it will be easy for you, you don't hesitate and just climb it. I placed a #2 cam before starting it and then just went all the way to the belay fifty feet up, as the climbing rapidly becomes trivial, but in the past, I've hung out seven or eight feet higher to place another piece. Doing this makes the pitch much harder. Ironically, you only do that when you are weaker.

We descended the familiar East Ledges in our painful climbing shoes. We didn't plan on doing this route, but getting it done felt good. It's just the first route of many to get us ready for the Diamond. We won't be running out of great routes in Eldo...

Joshua Tree w/Derek - Day 4

At the top of Bamib Meets Godzilla

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Our last day and it was going to be just Derek and I again, as Dave and his Chuckwalla Rope Caddy headed for the hills. I had hoped to get on a some 5.10 routes today, but I had also hoped to be more motivated, to be stronger, to be tougher, to be braver. None of that happened. Instead the heat and fatigue sapped the energy out of us. It didn't help that we forgot all our water, chilling nicely inside Opie's frig. We had a single 12-oz can of lemonade with us. Bummer. Initially we planned to just go retrieve the water at lunch time, but we lolly gagged enough to rule that out. We decided to go to the Echo Rock area and warm-up on some more routes from our Trad Guidebook. We started with Fun Stuff and it's 30-second approach. This route is rated 5.8 and starts with some very hard slab moves protected by a bolt. This move seemed 5.10 to Derek and I. The rest of the route was some more slab and then up a fun crack to brief slab finish.

Next up was Bambi Meets Godzilla - a 5.8 crack route that we also thought was a bit of a sandbag. The crux felt solid 5.9 to me, certainly harder than the 5.9 of the day before. This was a super good route, though. It starts with some low-angle chimney/offwidth climbing. Derek did well on this very unintuitive climbing. The crux was near the top of this long pitch where the climbing was hand jams, but at a steep angle and in a leaning crack that made it tough to use your feet for a few moves. Derek powered out this section to get the route clean. He's really taking to jamming and I think he learned a lot on this trip.

With the heat draining our enthusiasm, we downed our only liquid and hiked over to a shaded route called Funny Bone. We had fun climbing this very moderate 5.8 and then I TRed Humorous (10b), which felt hard and painful to me. I figured Figures on a Landscape would have similar painful holds like this route. Climbing at JTree takes tough skin. I'm not there yet. 

On the way back to the car we climbed Eff Eight a very short 5.8 crack that leans at an awkward angle. It was harder than it looked and I'm glad I didn't try soloing it. Derek  did better than I did, climbing it in his approach shoes as his feet were really killing him and he didn't want to crush them back into his climbing shoes. We packed up and headed out, but stopped at Intersection Rock so that we could do Upper Right Ski Track, which is rated 5.2, but looks much harder at a distance. We enjoyed it, but thought it was more like 5.4. I looked at Lower Right Ski Track (10c) and wussed out. I was too tired, hot, and dehydrated. Next time, I told myself. Next time I'll be bolder… We'll see about that.

Fun Stuff  5.8++ 

Bambi Meets Godzilla Echo Rock  5.8/9+ 

Funny Bone Snickers  5.8 

Humorous  5.10b 

Eff Eight Mounds  5.8 

Upper Right Ski Track Intersection Rock 5.4 

Day 4 Totals: 6 routes, 6 pitches

We headed back to Opie's pad, cleaned up and packed up. We drove until 11:30 p.m. and threw down the bags at a rest stop for 5.5 hours of sleep. As we snuggled into our bags, Derek says, "This is so fun!" What a partner. When he can be so enthusiastic about sleeping on the grass at highway rest stop, with the growl of the semi's and the wash of the lights. I could do a lot worse in the partner department. I couldn't do any better.

Joshua Tree w/Derek - Day 3

On the crux pitch of Bird on a Wire (10a R)

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Monday Derek and I went climbing with Opediah while Dave and Callie went birding. We left the house around 9.m. headed for the Lost Horse area. Our first route had an approach that was less than one minute and had the intimidating name of Granny Goose. This 5.7 route ascended a short crack up to an undercling traverse over to a wide crack. The wide crack wasn't too bad because of extraneous face holds. I scampered up to the top and Derek followed nicely. Opie climbed the route in his approach shoes sans helmet. He's too cool for helmets and too good for climbing shoes. We scrambled down and moved the car down a couple of turnouts to hike up a gully filled with a jumble of huge boulders. The hike/scramble to the base of the Shorter Wall was strenuous and took us 20-30 minutes. 

At the base of the wall was a couple from Washington D.C. The guy was quite vocal about his mate's shortcomings with leading, belays, etc. Another couple from Denver soon arrived. The D.C. team went at Double Dogleg (5.7) while I started up Smithereens (5.9). This route follows a crack up a steep wall, but the profusion of face holds keeps the difficulty reasonable. I found a two-bolt rappel anchor on a great ledge at the top and Derek and Opie joined me. We rapped and repeated the drill on Young Lust (5.9), which seemed a bit harder. Then we moved to the far right, past the D.C. couple that were toproping a run-out face route called Rock Candy that had four bolts in 100 feet, but allowed for a couple of natural gear placements as well. We climbed Beck's Bet, a 5.8 crack, up to another bolt anchor. We then did Double Dogleg (5.7) and on rappel I thought Rock Candy looked really fun. We pulled the rope and I led the face. It was engaging because of the runouts, but no harder than 5.9. We all agreed that it was an excellent route.

Opediah Chuckwalla, the wizened desert sage and legendary hoary Joshua Tree rope caddy, handled the flaking of our route at the base of each route. Being a full-service rope caddy (legendary no less), he also pulled and coiled the rope after each rappel. He continued performing this service as we packed up and moved down the canyon to a route called Mr. Michael Goes to Washington. This was a fun route that went up a tricky crack and then traversed across a thin face and Derek got to use his recently-measured +2.5-inch ape index to span the gap.

We headed down to the car for a late lunch and then moved the car down a bit further. We hiked up to the Lost Horse Wall - one of the bigger faces in Joshua Tree - and Mr. Chuckwalla guided us to the base. Here we had planned on doing a 5.8 from our trad book, but Opediah sung the praises of Bird on a Wire (10a) and I took the bait. Derek was game and we started up while the OC hiked down to the shade to shoot photos of our daring exploits. I scampered up the first, low-angle pitch and set up a gear belay below the business. Derek followed and soon I was starting up the crux pitch. The first section has positive holds along the edge of a crack and it went nicely and protected well. I arrived at the base of an incipient crack and found two bolts. There was a 3-inch rounded shelf here and I elected to belay, though I had used less than half the rope. Derek followed, pausing at one tricky section but working it out and joined me at the belay. 

This belay was basically a hanging belay, as we leaned out against the anchor. I had the rope flaked across my tie-in line and transferred it over to Derek. He'd never belayed in such a spot before, but it didn't faze him at all and he expertly fed me rope on the next pitch. The climbing above was tenuous, using marginal crack holds and friction footholds, marginally protected by flaring cam placements. I was acutely aware that if I came off, I'd land on Derek. I tried to get him to lean right, out of the fall line, but at a hanging belay there wasn't much he could do. I moved up cautiously and twenty feet above the belay I finally sunk a locker stopper. The rest of the pitch followed a solid crack with good protection and the difficulties eased to about 5.7. 

I found a good stance at the top of the crack and rigged a bomber belay. I wanted to stay in sight of Derek because I figured he'd have some trouble with this bizarre climbing and didn't want him to lose much altitude due to rope stretch in the event of a fall. Derek cleaned the belay and started up. And he kept coming, with nary a pause. It was like he was climbing a ladder instead of the insecure 10a crux. He literally walked it, all the way up to the belay. I said "Great job, Derek," and he responded, "I'm doing the work. I'm not a slacker. I'm baby stepping." Movie/TV lines are his forte.

The last pitch was fun and easy except for one short section near the top. Coiling the rope my sore hands missed our legendary, though less than faithful, rope caddy. We found the scramble descent back to the base and when we arrived Opediah's voiced boomed from across the canyon: "Let's blow this popsicle stand!" We packed up and headed for base camp. 

Granny Goose  5.7 

Smithereens Shorter Wall  5.9 

Young Lust  5.9 

Beck's Bet  5.8 

Double Dogleg  5.7 

Rock Candy  5.9 

Mr. Michael Goes to Washington  5.8 

Bird on a Wire Lost Horse Wall  5.10a

Day 3 Totals: 8 routes, 11 pitches 

Joshua Tree w/Derek - Day 2

All Photos

We just got back from another great day in Joshua Tree. Rick Accomazzo showed up just as Derek and I were heading out (10 a.m.). The others were supposedly right behind us and we expected to see them soon, but we didn't see them all day and they are not back yet. Strange. But we had a great time together.

Today we did two more chapters of our Trad Climbers in Joshua Tree book. We started on a 2-pitch 5.6 in the Real Hidden Valley area. This was cool as the crux was a slight overhang into a nearly vertical face. Derek went a "better" way and had to hang on the rope when he got himself into a bad situation. It is not a good route for the 5.6 leader. You should be solid on 5.8 for this route. I thought it was move like 5.7, but runout at the crux. The second pitch was fun and easy. 

The descents here can be long and tricky. One we did yesterday involved some 5th class downclimbing. In Eldo or the Flatirons these downclimbs would be routes. The one of this rock (the Sentinel) wasn't too bad, but it was exposed at one point and pretty involved.

We then went the nearby Thin Wall, which held four routes form our book from 5.6 to 5.9. We were going to start on the 5.6 route, but two old guys (by that I mean slightly older than me) were just in front of us. We decided to do the 5.7 just to the left while we waited for it to open up.

The 5.7 was really fun and not very hard. Good jams and good face holds. We scrambled back down around to the base and people were arriving in huge groups. The old guy were hanging on gear on the 5.6 route, so we did the 5.8 route a bit further left. This had one hardish move on it and then seemed easier than the 5.7. Super fun, though. Derek cruised up after me and we descended again.

The old guys were still busy on their 5.6, so I led the 5.9 route, which turned out to be super fun and didn't seem too hard. Fun finger crack but with tons of face holds. Steep, but juggy. Derek cruised it for his first JT 5.9. 

We descended again the finally the 5.6 was sort of open. The old guys had strung a toprope on it, but were scrambling down. I zipped up the route in just a couple of minutes and Derek followed. We got back to the ground about the same time the old guys did. :-)

It was now a zoo at this rock so, done with our four routes, we packed up and moved on to Hidden Tower to climb a classic 5.8 called Sail Away. I did the direct start to this route and it felt like a 5.10 move. Certainly harder than anything on the 5.9 route. The rest of the route is great crack climbing - remember this is a trad guide, so all are gear routes.

Derek decided to try the direct start as well. This wasn't required since I didn't place any gear on it, so that he'd have the option. He cruised it, though admitted it was a burly move. He did really well on the upper tricky-sized section as well. We had to rappel to get off this rock and Derek did this really solidly. I have him set up the rappel while I'm still up there. Then I tie a knot in the rope below where he's setup the rappel, clip that to the anchor, and then I rappel to the ground first. Then Derek unties that knot and he's ready to rappel. I give him a fireman's belay from the ground.

We headed back to the car for lunch and a rest. After that we drove over to the Hall of Horrors area and hiked into to do a really cool, steep 5.7 crack. At the top of this route was a bolted anchor off to the side. It wasn't mentioned in our guide,. but we traversed over to it and rappelled to the ground using our same technique. 

The rope was now over three different routes, all with the same runout slabby finish: a 5.9 traversing hand crack, a burly 5.11b crack/face route, and a super hard looking 5.12a route. I decided to check them out on TR. The 11b was way, way hard and I couldn't touch the crux move. I swung out into space and Derek lowered me to the ground. I then zipped up the 5.9 route, which wasn't too hard and Derek lowered me down to where the 11b and 12a merged. I climbed from there up to the 5.9 route after failing on a right option and then trying a left option, but this was above the crux of both routes. I messed around a bit more before coming down.

We then headed to the Planet X boulders and did the route called Planet X, which is 5.8+. I thought the crack part of this was pretty easy, but then the crack petered out and it went to some crimpy slab moves and my tips were a bit sensitive. Derek seemed to follow easier than I led. We rapped off over a 10a route that looked cool, so I led that. It was a burly move to get to an easy crack and then tiny crack climbing at the very top. Derek went up it as well and nearly got it first try. He came off and then finished nicely.

That was it for us today. We got in a bunch of good climbing and were quitting at the more reasonable time of 5:30 p.m. We came back home, showered, how chips and conversation with the gang, played some shuffleboard (I won!) and now we are headed out to pick up a pizza and come home and watch a movie. Fun times out here.

Fote Hog  5.6 

Almost Vertical  5.7 

Butterfingers Makes Me Horney  5.8 

Count on Your Fingers  5.9 

Ain't Nothing But a J-Tree Thing  5.6 

Sail Away Hidden Tower  5.8 

Lazy Day South Horrors R Sheep Pass Area 5.7 

Perhaps  5.9 

Cactus Flower  5.11b 

This is Just a Test  5.12 

Planet X  5.8+ 

Planet Y  5.8+

Day 2 Totals: 12 routes, 13 pitches

Joshua Tree w/Derek - Day 1

On top of Intersection Rock

All Photos

Derek and I got here at 11 a.m. yesterday. We dropped gear at Opie's house, grabbed the guidebooks Opie left out for us (they were already in the park climbing) and headed into the park, buying a Golden Eagle Access Pass.

We have this book of 69 trad climbs of JT from 5.5 to 5.9 and started to knock them off. We started on a 5.5 crack called The Bong, which went easily and quickly. I left a trad anchor on top, lowered Derek down and then rappelled and pulled the rope. I then tried the crack/slab to the left and it wasn't nicely up to the runout slab section and I didn't like it and didn't feel confident. In fact, I was a bit scared. I tried a couple of options and didn't feel solid. I eventually committed to one option and moved up but then had second thoughts. I was way above gear and the fall would be  awful. It was just our second route of the trip. This was a mistake. I tried to downclimb and couldn't see my feet. I was stuck. I don't know how long I stayed up there. I wasn't panic-ing, but I was very concerned, wondering if the piece below me was solid. If it pulled I could hit the ground and probably perish. While that would suck for me, it would be traumatic for Derek. Seriously, that was my biggest concern.

It took me a long time, but I finally got the guts to blindly step down and hope the friction would hold me.I reversed back to my gear and then headed left on easier ground, clipped a bolt on another route and headed up a much easier slab. Derek followed and observed, "So, I guess you can't use your hands at all..."

We then did a tricky crack through a roof. It was rated 5.7 but it involved full-on jamming. I got out the Spyder Mitts for Derek and reviewed his jamming technique. I walked him through everything I was doing as I climbed it. He got up to the tricky part and paused for awhile. I asked how he was doing and he said, "I just am bad at this..." But he didn't get frustrated and he eventually got a good jam. His face lit up and he was psyched! He got another solid jam and he cruised the rest.

We then headed over to a leaning 5.7 route that I thought was 5.8+. The guidebooks call it awkward, as it leans hard left across a smooth wall and it is very awkward to keep hands and feet in the crack. It was greasy too. I thought it was challenging and told Derek to just move fast on the hard part and don't worry about the rating. Meaning I didn't want him to get frustrated that a 5.7 could be so hard. He cruised it easier than I did! He said the jams left solid to him. I thought the crack was too thin to be solid.

Next we did ToeJam, a 5.7, and we both thought it was pretty easy crack climbing, but super fun. We then went and did Double Cross a steep, wide 5.8 crack. I loved it and cruised right up. Derek paused at one wide section where he couldn't get a jam, but he worked it out and loved it as well.

We took a short break to eat/drink and rest and then headed over to another 5.8 called Hard Up. This was a very cool, tricky climb up a steep crack of all different widths, but with some face holds and stemming to ease matters at the worst widths. I really enjoyed it. Derek worked out all the crux sections until the very top where you have to get a high thumbs-up left-hand jam and pull it clear down to your waist. This was a new technique for him and it fell off briefly before getting it, but once he got it, he executed it perfectly. His attitude continued to be very upbeat and positive. We were having a great time.

It was pretty late now and the sun was fast going down, but we had one more route in our trad guidebook for this area. I wondered if Derek would be up for another or want to pack it in. He was all for getting it done! He had maybe more appetite for the climbing than me!

We raced over the base of the route, Overhang Bypass (5.7 R) and headed up. It is a two-pitch route and we scrambled up to the start, racing the light. I zoomed up the first pitch, which has a very inobvious section at the crux. As I completed this dicey lieback, I asked Derek, "Did you see how I did this?" He did. I set up a belay and Derek came up. He paused at the tricky section and I wondered if he'd figure it out. Moments later he was at the belay. I said, "That's pretty hard there, huh?" He said, "Once I figured it out, it seem pretty easy." Kids.

The next pitch has a burly hand traverse below the roof. It is very intimidating, despite the grade, and quite powerful. I put in two pieces and then cranked the traverse. Above is a slab move protected by a bolt, but it was easy and safe compared to the slab I backed off earlier. Derek followed nicely on the burly section and hardly noticed the slab move.

I lowered him from the top, only to save time, as Derek had been rappelled off Toe Jam and Double Cross without any trouble. He's getting solid on rappelling. There were three other climbers queued for the rappel anchor, so I could get Derek on the ground without waiting for them. The lead guy of the other group was super nice and let me rap their line, so I coiled my rope, put it on my back and zipped down line back to Derek.

We got to the car just before dark and headed to Opie's house. There we met Opie, his local friend Susan, and Dave and Callie from Boulder. Dave and Callie are from Boulder and are out here until Thursday. We ate some dinner, chatted and then watched "The Armstrong Lie," where I fell asleep for part of it and, amazingly, so did Derek! We didn't go to bed until 11:30 p.m. It's now 8 a.m. as I finish this and I've rousted Derek, but he is still prone. Day two starts now!

The Bong 5.5 

Ballbury  5.7 

The Hoblett  5.7

Buissonier  5.7

Toe Jam  5.7

Double Cross  5.8

Hands Off   5.8

Overhang Bypass   5.7

Day 1 Totals: 8 routes, 9 pitches

Brainard Lake Ski Tour w/Derek

Photos

Strava

Derek has decided he likes adventures and wants to have more of them and is committed to learning the necessary skills. Since it is winter we're working on backcountry skiing. Our first two outings were okay, but it was frustrating for him. At the end of our second trip, an aborted version of this trip, he really started to get the hang of it. Hence, we went back to complete this loop.

He was driving this and when I suggested a later starting time he asked, "Why so late?" So we drove away from the house at 6:20 a.m. and got to the Brainard Lake parking by 7:30. It was super windy in the parking lot, but we were undeterred, knowing we'd be sheltered in the trees. We geared up and took off.

On our last trip it would literally take me just a few seconds to be out of sight of Derek, without even trying. He wasn't motivated then. Today whenever I looked back, Derek was practically on top of me. He was matching my cadence and so in sync that it was as if we were competing at the Olympics...in super slow motion. In fact, watching the Nordic races in Sochi inspired Derek to give it another try and he was really smooth all day, easily keeping up with me. So much so, that I put him in front!

We made fresh tracks all the way up to and around Brainard Lake. We rotated the lead every half mile. Once headed back east we followed the tracks of snowshoers, XC skiers, and a fat-tire bike! It was really windy on the west side of the lake, but it wasn't long before we were back in the trees and descending. Derek is getting more comfortable heading downhill and we did a few kick-turns in the woods to flatten out one steep section.

We stopped a couple of times to eat and drink, but we never sat down. Derek led the mile-long climb back to the car and we finished up around 11 a.m. We did 8 miles and about 1000 vertical feet of climbing in 3.5 hours. We took if very casually, obviously, but it didn't seem like we were out that long. Derek wasn't fazed at all by the distance and time, so he clearly improving. It was a fun way to spend the morning.

The Eldo Season Has Officially Started!

Photos

We finally had some warm temperatures here in Boulder, but the tremendous winds on the drive over to Eldorado Canyon had me thinking that Derek and I would just be doing an afternoon hike instead of our first outdoor climb of the year. Alas, the weather was very climbable, though we both wore our wind shells.

I asked Derek if he'd like to do Wind Ridge (5.6) or Touch and Go (5.8+/5.9-). He'd had more than a little trouble with the burly, technical start of the latter route and I figured he want to start out easy. I was wrong. He immediately chose Touch and Go. We hiked over there and found a couple on it. The guy had just finished the first pitch and I asked the girl if they were doing the second pitch or not. She wasn't sure, but then the guy asked to be lowered to the ground. When he got there he told us, "We're going to be here for awhile." I asked, "So, you're just going to do the first pitch over and over?" He said, "Yes, while we have the rope up there." Dang...

From my 100-pitch Eldo training, I knew the 5.9 variation to the first pitch on the right and I led up that. The climbing here is a bit tricky, a bit runout in spots, and pretty slick. I moved slowly and methodically, placing good gear and making sure I was solid. I was just getting used to Eldo climbing again. Derek followed remarkably well, cranking the crux 5.9 without much hesitation.

I led the second pitch along the ramp to the second pitch of Touch and Go and then up the steep, thin dihedral above. Once again, I placed solid gear at frequent intervals, nothing like the last time I did this route with Hans simul-climbing below me. Derek followed very nicely. I was impressed. Onsighting this route shows that his gym training has made him a stronger outside climber as well.

Derek then "led" us over to the rappel anchors. This was technically his first lead, though he didn't place any gear. We then did two rappels to the ground. The significant fact was that Derek rappelled by himself for the first time. I'd been overly protective in the past and just lowered him down. We never took the time to teach him how to rappel before, but early this year I taught him in the gym. It was easy for him to learn since he was belaying and lowering climbers and it's basically the same thing, but with yourself. He did great and was pretty smooth by the second rappel.

We pulled the rope, packed up and hiked back to the car. The round trip from the house was about three hours. It was great to finally get outside on real rock.

Climbing and Skiing w/Derek

Strava

Derek has recently decided that he wants to get into adventuring with me. What more could a father ask for from his 16-year-old son. Now we're concentrating on building up his skills a bit. We started first in the climbing gym at Movement in Boulder. He's now been climbing for a couple of months, two days a week. He's gone from TRing 5.7's to now leading 5.11c. He's led a number of 5.11a's, one 5.11b, and is now working a 5.11c. He's done it clean on TR and now has four lead attempts on it, three of which he only fell once. He seems to have no fear of falling and is fast improving. He's clips are polished and he's deciphering sequences better and faster.

Yesterday in the gym, I sent my 12a project on my 20th try. I'd love to say that I'm setting an example for tenacity for Derek, but in actuality I'm just showing off my weakness. This is the hardest grade I'll ever climb. I suspect Derek will be climbing harder before the end of his first gym season. With my project dispatched, I moved on to another 12a. I tied into a top-rope and proceeded to fail on the first hard move to tiny, small edge. I fell off 5 or 6 times before giving up and moving on to another route. As I untied from the rope Derek calmly walked up to the route and easily bouldered out the first few moves... Punk.

Today we went out for our second day of backcountry skiing. On our first day a couple of weeks ago, we did six miles in Wild Basin. Our goal today was an 8-mile loop around Brainard Lake. Derek was all for it when I woke him up at 5:45 a.m. At the parking lot, he was still keen, even though it was very windy and cold (5 degrees?) outside. We started up the trail, well dressed and warm, and it wasn't long before Derek was lagging far behind. He didn't seem to be putting any effort or enthusiasm into the skiing. I was moving along at a very slow pace (2 mph) and he was falling behind. I didn't know why and kept checking with him but he said he was fine. He was not.

After two miles I skied back along the trail to find Derek stopped and calling for me. He said he wasn't having any fun and wanted to go back. I asked why. He said he just wasn't getting it. He didn't have the hang of skiing. He was picking up his feet with every stride, like he was hiking. I tried to gently coach him to slide his skis forward instead. If he was trying, it wasn't showing. I told him that I'd been skiing for 40 years and he couldn't expect to master skiing in just two days. 

But he didn't have to like skiing. We didn't have to do it together. I love him so much and doing anything with him is a thrill for me. Heck, I love just watching football with him. If we get to adventure together, great, but if isn't backcountry skiing that's fine. We were only doing this because it was the season for it and backcountry skiing is the best way to approach winter peaks and have an adventure. I told him that most people don't like going uphill in winter. That's why downhill skiing is so much more popular than backcountry. Adventuring in winter is tough. It's cold, windy, and a lot of hard work. It's okay if he isn't interested in that. Most people aren't. 

I told him all this and we turned around. Derek immediately perked up. He kept right on my tail on the way out. He slid his skis along the snow instead of lifting up his feet with a hiking motion. When he fell on a couple of times on the downhills, he smiled, shook it off, stood back up, and was ready for more. By the time he got back to the car, he was really enjoying himself. He changed his mind on skiing and decided to at least try it one more time. I have no doubt he'd be a great skier and a great adventurer, if he truly wants to be. And if he doesn't want to be, that's fine too. At least he's on track to be my summer climbing guide...

Full Circle

Strava link

Photos

When I got a response for partners to climb Longs Peak, my wife asked, "Is that a good thing?" Indeed, it isn't so simple for me these days. Yes, it is a very good thing if you really want to climb Longs Peak in January. No, if you really don't want to climb it and just like the idea of being competent enough, tough enough, fit enough. With partners I was now committed to going up Longs. The weather report wasn't ideal (16 degrees with 25+ mph winds), but not extreme enough for me to wimp out, though not far from it.

Jason Antin agreed to be my partner and he recruited 20-something, ultra-running Brandon. I was now the odd man out in my own adventure. Or I would have been with lesser companions. These guys are super strong, impervious to weather, and apparently tireless. I'm none of the above and it is a testament ot their character that they shepherded me to the summit and back. 

We met at 5:15 at the usual north Boulder location: the gentleman's club of The Bus Stop. We were hiking at 6:20 in surprisingly warm temperatures. We walked pleasantly to tree line, where all pleasantries abruptly ended in very strong headwinds. Jason tool the lead to try and give me a draft, but I couldn't keep up and fell behind the other two. My position as the weakest link in an adventure has become quite common, though I'm still adjusting to it. I do feel lucky that partners much stronger than me will still accompany me, though.

I had to switch to my mittens, as my hands were freezing and I wore two hats and the hood of my shell to try and keep my head warm. On my feet were...La Sportiva running shoes! Covered in the discontinued neoprene Kahtoola Flight Boots, which did a good job of keeping my feet warm, along with the toe warmers I had in there. Jason and Brandon were in mountaineering boots and carried crampons. We all had ice axes and Jason carried a 60-meter 7.8mm rope and I had our rack of three cams and three slings.

My companions would occasionally wait up for me and that helped me arrive at the base of the crux pitch not long after them. Jason let me salvage some pride and I led the technical pitch on the North Face. There was some water ice here, which isn't really an option in my cleated boots. I stemmed around it and concentrated on the bare rock sections. A lot of this pitch is covered in easy snow and there are good stances to place the gear. Soon I was at the top and belayed both Jason and Brandon at the same time, as they were both tied into the end of the rope with Brandon just twenty feet above Jason.

Above the crux we moved slowly to summit. Slowly because they insisted I stay in front, probably so I either didn't lose my way to the top or so they wouldn't freeze on the summit, in the brutal wind, while waiting for me. On top, we didn't stay long, due to the miserable wind. My feet were starting to freeze and I needed to move. My feet always warm on descents as I can move my legs quite a bit faster, forcing blood down to my extremities. 

I was surprised to see that my 60-meter rope did not get us all the way down to the snow. There was a tricky downclimbing section with some nasty ice. My companions managed it unroped, but I balked and pulled the rope and set up another mini-rappel. 

As we descended to and crossed the boulder field, the wind progressively increased. By the time we hit the shoulder of Mt. Lady Washington, where the terrain heads steeply down after a long horizontal section, the wind became unreal. If you were standing up, you were in danger of being slammed into a rock. The wind was at our back and to prevent being blown straight into a rock, you had to lean back at an exaggerated angle. If the wind was in our face, we'd still be up there, as the only progress you could make into that wind would be crawling on your belly like Mawson's men of the AAE. I really can't estimate the speed accurately, but it was by far the strongest wind I've in. I wouldn't be surprised if it was 100mph. The crazy thing was, though, that it wasn't a gust. It was constant. Brandon would say later that he was just going to sit and wait it out, when he realized it wasn't stopping. We had to move off the shoulder and down the slope. This was dangerous and it took so much energy that I'd be wasted for the rest of the hike out. A hundred yards down, the wind returned to its usual 30-40 mph and we continued.

Finally down below tree line, I was struggling to keep up again. I felt like a little kid trying to keep up with his parents. I'd have to run every few minutes to close the gap, only to fall off the pace once again. Perhaps if I fell far enough behind Jason just just scoop me up, throw me over his shoulder and I'd be asleep by the time we got to the car...

Tour de Flatirons: Stage 3 - Alpine Climbing on the Slab

I met Dave Mackey at the Cragmoor Trailhead at 5 p.m. and we headed up the very muddy trail towards the Slab. The stage was officially cancelled but we hoped to scramble the Slab if conditions allowed. To this end I wore my sticky rubber scrambling shoes. Dave did not. We both wore long sleeves, a hat, and gloves. The temperature was probably in the 40's and the Slab above was shrouded in the clouds.

Dave was going at a "social conversational" pace and I was pegged trying to keep up with both the running and the conversation. When we got to the Slab I went to my usual start and Dave to his, which is fifty feet right of where I start. Our shoes were wet and muddy and we did a perfunctory scraping of the soles on the rock before starting up.

With little shoe friction I had to crimp hard on a couple of tiny edges before gaining the much more featured lighter-colored rock. Dave painstakingly inched his way up tiny holds with no help from his shoes. He lamented not wearing his scrambling shoes....for the scramble. He had them in his car but thought...I don't know what. Maybe that the Slab was too easy to require speciality scrambling shoes? That is probably true for Dave under warm, dry conditions. In these conditions, with the rock a bit damp on the lower section, scramblers would have made things a lot easier for me.

I waited fifty feet up as Dave backed down from his start and then tried my start. He rejected that and moved back to his start and failed again. Finally, I downclimbed nearly to the ground to show him exactly where I go and then he followed me up.

We moved easily for a bit but could see ice above and even some ice tumbled down the face to us. We continued since it looked like we could climb by all the ice. We got to the first tree near a bulge and had to be extremely careful not to steep on any ice. On the ledge above, all the rocks were covered in verglas and from here on up about half the rock was verglased. It was slow, stressful going, but we made the ridge. Here we could walk, but this was even more dangerous since then you couldn't tell if the rock was verglased by looking at it. While scrambling we'd touch each hold with our hands first. After slipping a couple of times, I reverted to squatting so that I constantly had my hands on the rock.

I flashed back to the storm that trapped Tony on the First Flatiron. It was going to be dark soon and there was no way I could downclimb the face safely before it got dark. We had nothing with us besides our shoes and clothes. No rope, no phone.

We picked our way along the ridge very carefully and eventually got very near the backside downclimb. Unfortunately the ridge I usually hand traverse was encased in ice. I backed up, knowing I could not make the traverse. I contemplated downclimbing the tree and went down one branch. The last branch was probably fifteen feet off the ground and I was then hoping to bear hug the trunk and slide down to the ground. I didn't though.

Dave does the traverse to the downclimb ten feet below the ridge and we barely found a passage here, stepping onto the only footholds without ice and searching out any tiny holds that were ice free. Dave was in the lead now and paused long to consider the lower-off down to the flag. The top edge was nearly completely covered in ice and the spike below, where our feet would land, appeared to be verglased. After much deliberation, he found some ice-free holds and we both were safely on the ground.

The hike down the backside to the Fern Canyon trail was treacherous. Every single rock back there was completely coated in verglas. If you stepped on a rock and didn't have both hands braced on something, you were going down. We carefully stepped over every rock that we could and squatted and bear walked when we were forced to step on the rocks.

We hit the Fern Canyon Trail with very little light left but got back to our cars without the single headlamp that Dave carried. I was very glad to be back at the car safely. I felt very good about my decision to call off the stage... If we had raced tonight, I think the chances of a horrible accident were...unacceptably high. If had known the full extent of the conditions before I left the ground, there is no way I would have done that climb.

Canyonlands Adventure

Adventure

Strava

Photos

Video

“Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!”

-- Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkein

Adventures involve the unknown. There must be the element of uncertain. You must wonder, “Can I do this? Is this possible? Will I get lost? Will I suffer beyond what I expect?”

Many of the big adventures I’ve done have been motivated by my friends. Don’t get me wrong, I do my share of dreaming up crazy goals, but this one was conceived of by my good friend Mark Oveson. His vision was to hike through all three areas (Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze) in one unsupported 75-mile jaunt. That’s a sizeable backpacking trip, maybe taking a week or so, right? Two days, for Mark. To cover this much ground in such a short time period, you need to go light and doing so in the desert requires some creativity and some suffering. Oh, and this involves crossing the Green and Colorado rivers sans bridges.

The schedule of the adventure centered around the river crossings. People have died trying to cross these rivers, cramping up or becoming numb and then drowning. This was the key factor in choosing to go in September. We wanted the river flow to be as low as possible and the river temperature to be as high as possible. We didn’t hit things ideally in either respect. We couldn’t go in the summer as it would be too hot. We couldn’t go too late in the year as we feared freezing at night.

Our plan was use bring very light sleeping pads and put them to double duty as a river-crossing raft. We tested this theory in a local pond and it worked great. We hoped that would carry over to the big, cold, fast moving rivers in Canyonlands...

After the river crossings, the next biggest factor to surviving was water. This is desert and water sources are few, far between, and even then just a trickle. Mark scouted out the tiny springs that would sustain us. Our one and only campsite was located at one of these springs. Speaking of camping, one might wonder why we just didn’t hike continuously until we were done. Two reasons. First, we had to be at the river crossings at the hottest point in each day so that we wouldn’t freeze. Second, hiking 72 miles in one go is hard. I need my beauty sleep.

In the end, we made it. Some navigation issues and overall fatigue had us cut the trip short by twenty miles. We did 32 miles the first day over 12 hours, crossing the Green River. I was whipped, my knees were complaining, loudly, and had to stop. The next day we did 20 miles, crossing the Colorado River. Both crossings went just as planned. The night passed comfortably with our Mylex emergency bivy bags and our down jackets. We found water in springs and even potholes. We had a great time pushing the limits of what we thought we could do and it was adventure because we didn’t know if we could...