Red Rocks

After the Bugaboos I took about a month off of climbing. Sometimes when you aren't motivated the best thing to do is take some time off. Eventually motivation comes back. In the mean time I started working again at Emerald Builders, the custom home builder I worked for before my trip. I commuted 40 minutes for a little over a month and then an hour and a half for a few weeks. By this point I was climbing again and a few of us started talking about a trip to Red Rocks. That was all I needed. I quit, again, and hit the road for another month.

This trip was a little more casual. At the beginning of the trip there was four of us; Jeremy, Stephen, Don and me. After a few weeks Stephen left and then it was three. After another week Don left and then it was two.

We got on a bunch of classic climbs, did some sport cragging and just generally had a great time.

Some highlights for me were.

1. Climbing Ixtlan 11c and Triassic Sands 10b in a day
   
2. Climbing Levitation 29 11c
   
3. Climbing Cloud Tower 11d (again)
4. Sending Yin and Yang 11a
5. Sending my first 5.12 sport route Tortuga 12a.
   
6. Watching Jeremy send over 10 5.12s and send his project The Gift 12d.
7. Climbing Epinephrine (again)
8. Spending thanksgiving in Indian Creek
   

Birdland 5.7. This trip was Jeremy's first time leading on gear.
Jeremy working The Gift 5.12d. He sent after a couple days of work.
Looking up Ixtlan
The offwidth on Ixtlan
The 10a pitch on Ixtlan. Big runout in a chimney. The kind that is secure while you're in it, but can't move in while you're secure. You have to let yourself out and shimmy and then dive back in. I was very scared and considered downclimbing, but I went for it.
Here's a better shot of the chimney/slot thing
Looking down the handcrack that went for days on Triassic Sands
Jeremy on his first 10a trad lead
Don on Yin and Yang. I sent this first go this trip.
Don on the Epinephrine chimneys
Looking down the last chimney
The second pitch on Levitation 29. We all had 5.11 leads and we all onsighted them. The only pitch that I fell on was the crux pitch. Jeremy onsighted of course.
Looking down levitation 29
Jeremy leading the 5.10 pitch before the 11+/12- crux pitch.
Jeremy at the start of the crux pitch. I led this pitch and was able to do all the moves, but didn't send. I think it's possible with some work. You can see the fist crack above, which he also led at 10c. Great progress for someone who just started climbing on a gear a few weeks ago. His final lead of this climb was the last 11c corner.
After lots of stuck ropes and long climbs in Red Rocks we were ready for a change and decided to head to St. George Utah to check that out. Here's a crag 5 min. from town.
A really cool feature in St. George.
I sent the 11d on this called Banana Dance and then sent an 11c on the other one called Pinching Bird Shit. After these I decided to try and lead a 12a around the corner called Tortuga and after a bunch of goes I send it as well. The best day of sport cragging I have ever had. I guess climbing with mutants does pay off.
After our sending spree in St. George we headed over to Indian Creek for Thanksgiving where many a good climb was done and I took part in the best thanksgiving party ever. Dance offs, good food and great people. Here's Incredible Handcrack.
Here's a guy we met on my project X-tra lean 12a. I was close to sending but hurt my finger. This was the end of November and as I write this in August my finger is still not at 100%, but oh well. Tape does wonders.
After Indian Creek we went to Joes Valley for a few days. After a few days of Jeremy bouldering and me watching (hurt finger) we packed up and headed home. What a great trip.

Our last week in the Creek

It has been an exciting few days. When I last left off we were taking a rest day in Moab after three days of hard climbing. After spending the day in Moab we drove back to the creek just in time for it to start snowing again. Another forced rest day was in store for Miles and I.

The next day we woke up to beautiful blue bird skies. We spent the day climbing at Cat Wall. There are so many amazing climbs there. I started out the morning by leading Trip to the Vet. Then I followed Kevin up Choke Chain, a really really hard climb. After a few goes he sent it clean. I couldn't figure out the crux, but still enjoyed it. Then Eric #2 led Dead Crow (5.11+). This beautiful 130ft. line started out with thin hands and then turned into a loose hands traverse to the chains. Amazing. I followed it clean and can't wait to go back and try to lead it.

Looking up Dead Crow. You can see the traversing crack on the roof

The following day we decided to go back to the Battle of the Bulge area. I was stoked for this since it is right by my project Dos Hermanos. I figured I could drag someone over to the climb to give me a belay. Turns out Miles was more than willing and we spent pretty much the whole day there. It took me three tries to finally get the climb. I was pretty ecstatic. It was exciting to finally send a trad line that was really hard for me. Eric #2 even filmed it. You can watch the video here. After the send we went back to the campsite and made a huge dinner. Three potatoes, an onion, a green pepper, tuna, and refried beans all mashed together with rice and put in tortillas. Delicious.

Alex leading Cave Route right before we went to Dos Hermanos

Dinner after the sendAfter sending Dos Hermanos I was ready for a change of pace for a couple days. One of the girls that we've been climbing with, Roxy, suggested that we go to Moab and do some sport climbing and take her dog to the vet. Miles and I quickly jumped on the idea and volunteered our RV for a few days. The next morning we got up early to try and make it to the vet on time. Turns out we could have slept in because 20 miles into our 60 mile journey we heard the familiar noise of rubber smacking our floor. We blew another tire. Great. The next hour was spent trying to unwrap the tread from around our axle. After failing miserably we decided to just drive the remaining 40 miles on the shoulder with the tread hanging out from under the car. Needless to say we didn't make the vet appointment. It was a bummer, but nothing that a little money couldn't fix. Once it was taken care of we didn't have time to go sport climbing so we went bouldering at the Big Bend boulders for a little bit. Once we were totally beat we headed back to Moab for all you can eat pizza.

Miles bouldering at the Big Bend boulders

The next day we decided to climb Ancient Art in Fischer Towers. I was told by a guy from Bellingham named Steve that this was a must do. Turns out he was absolutely right. Standing on top of that tower with insane winds was one of the biggest rushes I have ever had. I think that I'll just let the pictures tell the story on this one.

Ancient Art goes to the top of the corkscrew looking rock

Miles crawling across the sidewalk

Miles doing the belly flop

Miles on top

Looking back up the route

After climbing Ancient Art we went back to the creek for two more days of climbing. The first day we went to the Scarface wall and got on a couple classic climbs. The first one was Wavy Gravy (5.10-). Both Miles and I led this one. After that I led an unnamed offwidth around the corner. I had to take a few rests, but at least I got to scratch up my new #5 and #6 camalots. Then we went all the way to the other end of the wall and got on the mega classic Scarface (5.11-). I have wanted to get on this for a while especially after seeing it on the cover of my climbing Utah guidebook. It starts out with ring locks, then goes to thin hands and finishes with perfect hnads as it arches right. Incredible.

Roxy on Wavy Gravy

Miles on Scarface

Some guy leading Scarface after we finished

On our last day in the creek we went to the second meat wall and I got on as many hard climbs as we had time for. I started out the day by onsighting Tube Steaks Tomorrow (5.10+). After I climbed this I watched Kevin put up Humble Pie (5.12+), pretty amazing. Then I followed T-Bones Tonight (5.12-), this beautiful left facing corner that goes from ring locks to wide hands over a roof. From here Renee wanted to lead Top Sirloin (5.11) and while she was scoping it out she found the perfect climb for me. I should let her choose all my routes from now on. It’s called X-tra Lean (5.12-). It is a super powerful climb with several cruxes. It starts out with perfect fingers to gain a ledge. From here you climb tight fingers to a precarious mantle. At this point you layback a tips crack and throw for a jug and then throw for a sloper that you yard off of to gain a small ledge. Then you finish with easy face climbing to the anchors. I gave this two goes on lead and took a bunch of falls the first time and only one fall the second time. I was really excited to get up a climb that hard and beautiful with only one fall on lead. I can’t wait to go back some day and lead that thing.

Tube Steak Tomorrow

Kevin enjoying a slice of Humble Pie

Renee on Top Sirloin

Further up on Top Sirloin

Me on X-tra Lean

After my battle with X-tra Lean I lead Low Cholesterol (5.10). This would be my first legit offwidth. It is perfect number 5’s and 6’s all the way to the top. I groveled up this thing for what seemed like forever before I made it to the top. I don’t really know why I liked climbing it, but I kinda did. It doesn’t make much sense, but I don’t think that most people can explain why they like offwidths. Or I just haven’t met very many people that like them.

Renee on Low Cholesterol

The next morning we said our goodbyes and took a few cheesy group photos. It was sad leaving, but I think that we'll see most of them again. Either in Red Rocks or Yosemite. They are all climbing bums, just like us.

Me, Tim, Roxy, Eric & Alex

Now we are in Page, Arizona right by Lake Powell. Our plan is to leave here today and head for Zion to climb Moonlight Buttress. Both Miles and I haven’t done any aid climbing, so we might do a warm up before we get on the big guy. Either way it should be an interesting experience. Stay tuned, more to come soon. As always check out Miles' website

The Creek

I am falling in love with Indian Creek. This place is amazing. The people are amazing. The climbing is amazing. Our little posse has grown from four people to almost ten. We climb together everyday and then come back to camp and make dinner, sit around a fire and drink together. It is pretty much perfect. I don't have a ton of pictures from the last three days and the ones I do have don't do this place justice. Here's the few that I do have.

Eric about to tackle an overhanging fist crack

Me struggling up an offwidth

Eric leading Warmup Handcrack (5.10+) with Eric #2 filming. I led this earlier in the day and it was really really good.

Miles following Dos Hermonos (5.11+). I led this one and it is my new favorite climb. It goes from fingers to loose fingers to perfect hands to wide hands over the roof. I have the crux figured out and have done the roof clean twice now. Next time we go to this area I think that I'll be able to lead it without falling.

Alex going for it on Drain Pipe (5.10)

Eric leading Chocolate Corner

Petroglyphs near Indian Creek

The view from the Reservoir Wall

That's it for now. More to come in a few days. If you want to see some more pictures, all of which are better than mine, check out Miles' Website http://milesmckeephotography.smugmug.com/