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

Moab & Indian Creek

When I left off we were in Provo, Utah and we were heading to Pleasant Grove to visit Dianne, a family friend of Miles. Our time there was great. She let us take showers, do laundry, bought us lunch, made us a steak dinner and let us sit in her hot tub. She was a wonderful host and we all really appreciated her hospitality.

Trevor, Dianne, Miles & Dave

The next day we dropped Dave off at the airport in Salt Lake City and drove straight to the Moab area. Our plan was to climb Castleton tower so we stayed the night at the base.

Castleton Tower

We did the Kor-Ingalls Route (5.9). It was a great climb and my first on desert sandstone. The climbing itself was pretty straightforward except for a few slippery chimneys and frozen hands. We did all four pitches in a few hours and once on top our plan was to rappel off the N. Face. The book said that it took four 100' rappels to get to the ground. Well, turns out that the book lied and our first rappel put us about 25 ft. short of the anchors. Not exactly what I wanted to see after I went over the edge. Luckily there was a bolt at the end of our rope and we just clipped into it and down lead to the next anchor. It wasn't that big of deal except that it was blowing at least 40 or 50mph and we were frozen and wanted off the rock. After a few more rappels we made it to the ground and bolted to Moab for pizza and beer. We ended up finding an all you can eat pizza joint and we took them for all they were worth for about three hours.

Looking up from the top of pitch 1

Miles enjoying the last chimney

Miles rappelling down the N. Face

After this little adventure we were ready to be warm and enjoy the sun so we decided to call it quits with the towers and head for Indian Creek where we figured we could enjoy some warmer weather.

We have now spent three days in the Creek and have got on a bunch of classic climbs and have met some amazing people. The first day we met up with Josh and Krista and did a few climbs. The highlight of my day was leading Fingers in a Light Socket (5.11d). I definitely took a bunch of whippers, but it was still fun. After this climb we got on a (5.9) for Krista and it started to snow. We thought we were going to enjoy some warmer weather, but we were wrong. It really just gave us an excuse to make dinner with Josh and Krista and enjoy the evening with them.

Me on Fingers in a Light Socket

Taking a whipper & having a piece of gear pop

A little further down

Krista climbing in a snow storm

The next day we met a guy named Greg and did a bunch of classic climbs with him. He even helped us with some problems that we’ve been having with our RV, great guy. After that we went to a hot dog feed put on by Trango. We enjoyed lots of free hot dogs and met some great people.

Two of them were Eric and Alex. We climbed with them the next day and had one the best days that I’ve had in a long time. We started out the day with Supercrack (5.10+), which I onsighted. Then Eric led Incredible Handcrack (5.10c) and Alex followed it clean. She was so excited that she giggled for half an hour afterward. After that we climbed Fingers in a light socket again and worked Coyne Crack (5.12a) on top rope. We all felt completely worked afterwards and retreated to the campground to make dinner and sit around a fire.

Miles following Super Crack

Super Crack

Eric leading Incredible Handcrack

Coyne Crack

Now we are sitting here in a coffee shop in Montecello, Utah. We needed to come into town for food and gas. The sad thing is that it’s Sunday and the grocery store isn’t open on Sunday. We keep forgetting that we’re in Utah. Oh well, we were at least able to get some bread from a gas station. As of right now the plan is to stay in the Creek for about a week and then head to Zion for more climbing. Stay tuned.