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.