Edgeworks: Blacklight Bouldering

This past Saturday, the WRG climbing team, Me, and Lisa competed in Edgeworks' annual blacklight bouldering challenge. This year there were cash prizes for open. So I ended up competeing and then realized the likes of Sean McColl and Johnny G ventured on down. Well when the chalk settled I came in third and $10 richer($40 dollar entry fee), I also caught a t-shirt, revolution chalk bag, and a cool frisbee. Thanks to Art for his beta, I completed 750 pointer on burn #5! The problems were really well set and there weren't to many crimps! The climbing team did pretty well too. I'm psyched to try the rest of the problems next Wed after a couple Leavenworth trips.

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Here are some pics from Gold Bar, Lisa on 5 Star Arete V6

Gold Bar: Return to the River

It's been awhile since we went due to our comp so here's an overview with pictures coming soon!
On Sunday, Lisa David Allwine, and My Mom all headed out to the Gold Bar. Our first stop was the Index River Boulders. After doing some cool warm ups Lisa and David began sessioning Lego My Ego V7. The plan was to stay only an hour so I could finish off Chutzpah V11 and then head over to the east side for David's and Lisa's projects. Well when the hour was up Lisa and David were still on Lego! So we eventually meandered on down to the river and I sent Chutzpah, which seemed rather easy, first go of the day. Up next was the V8 and after some good attempts sent as well! Next up was Flower V8 and it kicked me but Lisa fell off the finish!
Lisa and Mom hiked back up to the car for Lunch and meanwhile David returned to Lego and sent! Good day, I then followed suit and joined him atop the boulder. We then decided to go to the 5 star since Lisa never been. It was a good descion. Lisa sent the 5 star arete V6 in a couple burns. I then sent Kambucha V7 and Ground Zero V8. Both David and Lisa seshed Ross Bongo V8 and will definitely send next trip. All in all it was another good trip to one of the most scenic bouldering areas of Washington. We also stopped off at Zeke's burger joint, a little pricy, a little greasy, very good!

Now I plan on watching the Leavenworth weather and begin some finger training for BISHOP!

Gold Bar: Weekday Win

Class was cancelled due to the professor being out of town so what better thing to do than go bouldering, right? I was able to find Kevin with an open day in his work Schedule and it was a go. Also, Miles and some of his friends were going to meet us up at the 5-star. After a quick interaction with State Patrol, we made our way to the 5 star boulders which still has an erie silence around due to the lack of ORV/tricked out Jeeps going by. We warmed up on the V2 arete once again taking the whimp low exit due to the ever-present moss encroaching on the full version.
Now it was time for buisness. Kevin and I had previously vistited the boulder over summer, and left two projects unfinished. After a couple warm up burns Kevin dispatched Sobriosity V6 and then I got to work on Ebriosity V11. After falling off the finish move twice, I re-sussed my beta a handful of times and sent next burn! SWEET! Both of our porjects went! Next Miles arivved with Jared and Louis. Miles got to work on Ebriosity and Jared did and did. He sent in a couple burns as well. Meanwhile after a warm up burn on the first move of Ross Bongo V8-, I sent it and it felt extremely easy?!? Kevin said so at least (I guess I was in sport mode last time or the 80 degree heat).

It started to heat up a little and so Miles Suggested the river boulders and so we headed on down. Last time, Meg Kevin and I checked the boulders out and they looked awesome. First up was Hagakure V8 and it is a two mover that is definitely friction dependent, winter? So next we migrated on down to Chutzpa V11. This is a classic water pollished line that requires some serious core. After getting som beta from Miles we managed to get to the top out(crux) quickly and then began sessioning. After a couple good goes I found my sequence and came within 1 wrap of the victory crimp! Now I have tow climbs that I'm one away from doing! And Back at the 5 star, Kevin almost flashed Green Padded Ass V6 but skipped the crucial crimp and sent a few goes later! Here is the UNEDITTED footage of the almost flash and the send of Ebriosity.

(Videos coming, Library too slow)

Leavenworth: Still not Fall...

With sweat starting to form on my back from hiking around in full sun up granite pillows, I realized that Fall has yet to return to Leavenworth. The drive to the end of Icicle Road was surround by the changing leaves though. Friday I made my first solo trip to Leavenworth to get a campsite for the family for the weekend. After setting up camp it was high noon and a good 80 degrees. Not motivated I drove to the end of Icicle and looked for some new rock. Didn't find much besides a handful of V0's but I look forward to the road opening back up in 2011 and for all the underbrush/rattlesnakes to disappear which will make searching easier.

Well I decided I shoudn't waste all day and decided to tie up some more loose ends on the Millennium Boulder. After warming up on the easy climbs I gave 2001, a crimpy V4, a go and managed a quick send. Up next was the Milennium Traverse V8 and after a couple burns sent as well. And since I was parked by the Lonely Fish boulder I meandered on over to Dirty Dude and after many a burn remembered my beta and got so close to the crimp once again yet fell short. So I then decided to trek up the hill to Droppin' the Kirshbaum V10. After trying the start I did the first move! Progress! Then I sussed it out some more and found my super toe hook and worked my way to the cool pinch in the guide book picture. Next I climbed the tree and worked on the final sloper traverse, making it half way. A few tries later I linked everything together falling two moves short of the top out section! I called it good and packed up and headed back to the camp site to make a fire in only two tries(with lots of pine needles)!
Saturday and Sunday were spent mostly messing around on easier stuff. My skin was dead and my muscles were achy so I decided I'll just come back next weekend. Lisa and David Allwine met us up there and David came amazingly close on Back Door Ass Attack Low V8 but couldn't pull the mantel. Lisa and Jack also came close on Pimpsqueak V9 but just needed some better friction. I'm excited for this weekend which has better temps in the forcast but rain for Sunday, we'll see...