Little Si: Gerbil Killer

So this was my fourth day on and I wasn't expecting much after beating myself up at gold bar. Well Nicholas, recent town arrival, and Micah, and I headed out to the normal twice a week destination, WW1. After a rather pumpy warm up on Pyscho-wussy I Decided to give Gerbil Killer a go and see what happens since my draws are on it for the summer(or 'till the Oly crew sends it). This time i listened to the ample recommendations to do the first 3 clips of Psycho-wussy instead of gerbil due to the better 5.11 climbing. I said why not and stripped the first three draws. Then I headed on up psycho with the long draws and began the gerbil experience. I did the underclings fine then blanked out on the last moves of the slab forgetting a key hand hold. After this I did a quick shake on the 'jug' and did the uber lock off and the nthe crimp to the pyschosamtic jug. Now came the hard part. I did all the moves here clean but my forearms were pushed to their limits! I just kept my hands in the crimp position and threw the shoulders to the left and hit the jug! YES! Another climb form the list down! Nicholas had another good day re-sussiing the Chronic 5.13b beta and looking strong. Once he joins the ranks of oly/little si regular he'll be unstoppable and will most certainly finish off some Little Si Classics. Micah had an off day but will send his stuff soon, i think he just needs a mental boost. So, now the list looks like Chronic(3 hanged) 13b, Flatliner 13c and maybe Oval Orffice 13a. Back on Monday...

Gold Bar: Mo' Progress

On Thur, Meg, Kevin and I went to the Upper Gold Bar boulders. After some trail finding difficulties(which involved an improntu trail run) we made the not so bad hike to the top. Our trail beta is to park in the first pull out past the 5 star boulder and the sign 'trail crossing' Then take the first trail on the left to the amazing ORV road bad the 5 star. Continue up this road until a stream/road appear on the left and take this to the switchback and continue up the logging road. Once at the top I did some new warm ups. The rock was feeling a little warm so we headed up the fto the forest and i sessioned out Lighten Up V9. I stuck the dyno in a few goes and then completed the start to the dyno. On my best go I came within inches of the victory crimp on the dyno but my right hand greased off! Next time. I plan on coming back when the temps are lower...

Little Si: Breakthrough...

O.k. Don't fall here, trust the sloping foot, o.k., now left up to hand hold crimp. Right hand gaston, left to jug CHAINS! YES, I just sent the extension to Californicator, Californication 5.13a! Now my year is complete with a 7c+ bouldering and sport climbing! Lisa and I headed out to little si to meet up with some good Friends from the comp scene, Alex Fritz and Sam Wolf. Alex is an amazing sport climber and Sam is a, ah, boulderer. Needless to say, he sent techno with his own(wrong) beta and with messing up every other crux with out resting still crushed. Then Alex wanted to 'train' on Chronic, got to chains And then kept on going. Not to long after he clipped the chains of Lizzard prince 5.13b! First go! I then scooted on over to Gerbil Killer 13a and sussed out the beta taking at each clip to find the dang holds. Armed with some very helpful beat from Tyson I pulled the rope and gave it a good Red point burn. I managed all of the Gerbil parts clean but just couldn't recover on Psycho and fell off the dang crimp feet from the chains! So close to two 13s in a day! Next time. Lisa made good progress basically one hanging Prop. and Cali. I'm really proud and excited at have doing both 7c+ on ropes and boulderingin a year. I'm really really liking my fitness level right now and i'm now in love with little si. A new door into the13s has been open and there are tons of new problems to do and project! Next up is a day at gold bar working some tens and (hopefully) a nine to finish off the scorecard. Then fri. is crawling 13a and little si to follow. So the line up at little si is Gerbil Killer 13a, Chronic 13b, Flat Liner 13c and lizard Prince 13b. We'll see how many get done...

Gold Bar: Progres...

On Sunday Kevin and I decided to go to the 5 Star boulder out at gold bar after a brutal trek in with 5 pads we made to the boulder. after a quick warm up Kevin began projecting the 5 Star Arete V6. With Josh's beta he then sent for his first V6! I then gave Ross Bongo V9 some burns and with more good beta from Josh managed to get past the first move and got to the last hard move! I have some crazy beta for the middle and I sure this line will go in the fall with sub 80 temps. With all the breakages the line is probably easier for those with reach but I feel it's still V9. Next we headed around the corner to Sobriosity V6 and Kevin began working it. I tried a few times before the beta came back to me and then I can say it is a V6(way harder to onsight though). After watching Josh send Ebriosity V11 I got pyshced. Armed with the beta I managed to get half way through the problem! Then after the crux Iron Cross I hopped on here and did all the finish moves! Then I tried to suss out the crux but with the temps increasing my heel wouldn't stay but I managed to do one more move, leaving only one left! I'm really pysched on trying hard stuff now because they appear doable. One more day of bouldering is on the schedule for thur. at the upper area and then it's back to ropes to get Californication 5.13a sent(it feels like a cloud over my head that i need to send quickly before i forget the moves) Then once this is accomplished I think It'll be Chronic, Gerbil Killer, Flat Liner. We'll see...

Little Si: Hot!

So on Friday the Oly crew decided to climb at WW1 on the hottest day of the year so far. Needless to say we had the crag to ourselves and the rock was greasy. Besides that, I tried flat liner, 13c, and managed to work half way up it. I'm looking forward to giving this line some serious effort in the near future.
Also on Wed, two new/retro routes were established on TR, Pete and Ted's True Stories 11d/12a, and Never Give a Shit 12d/13a. I'll have to get Dom to help hound out the final grades of theses new lines that are set to be bolted shortly. The future looks like, gold bar Sun, Crawling on mon, quarry wed, gold thur/fri, Little Si Sun... I (heart) my driving license! I'm looking forward to sending the projects at Little Si now so I'm predicting a fun and pumpy end to summer...

Tieton: No hangs, no snakes

Dom Taking pictures of Micah on Trigger Finger
Micah approaching the chains on Trigger Finger
Micah on Trigger Finger
After the warm up....
Early Picasso...

This was, by far, one of the funnest climbing trips I've been on in a long while. For the Saturday and sunday of the 4th of July weekend, Micah, Dom, Laura, and I all South to try some of the more moderate routes available at Tieton. For Micah and myself, the weekend began a day earlier with some Mo' Little Si Action on Friday. I sussed out the beta for Chronic, 13b, and now have decided and 3 projects in this order, Californication 13a, Gerbil Killer 13a, Chronic 13b, and maybe Flat Liner 13c if enough time. I also lead 12a/b/c/d and Friday for the first time ever too! So after sleeping in on Saturday and scrambling to pack all my things we headed out around 11:00 and set up camp next to a meadow. The first crag encountered was The Oasis and Dom, Micah, and Myself all wanted this 12a onsight. Dom went first and fell at the last hard move, Micah went next and found some better beta but took a hang or two, then it was my turn armed with both Dom and Micah's beta I gave it a flash attempt and sent! It was a cool climb but no stand out. Our next stop was the Dream Wall located next to Lava Point. the sun was starting to set behind the trees so we only squeezed in two pitches apiece on some rather neat 10's.

Sunday's plan was to go to The cave wall. This was a nice crag with shade options all day long. We started off at the Oak Wall, and I did a cool overhanging 10d as well as a 12a onsight. Then began the adventure of ticking and putting the draws up on the 5.12c, trigger finger. To do this I headed up a slightly run out 10c slab and almost barndoored off a hold but kept it together. Then I lower off on the overhanging side and placed the draws checking out the amazing crimps and holds on the arete. After the inspection I got ready and headed up. I managed to do most of the moves how I intended but found some easier beta up high. Then at the last bolt I was on a sloper and an ok jug my right and only foot popped and sent a square 50 cent sized chunk hurtling towards Dom. He took immediately and dodged the bullet while pulling me off. I then began yelling 'I'm still on' and he then gave me some slack and I successfully clipped the chains for the flash. Next up was Dom whom with the running beta and some improvisation flashed as well! Next were some cool 5.11s and out of nowhere Micah pulls off a 5.11d onsight! Way to go! We then piled into the Subaru and headed back to Olympia through the rain and clouds.

One Down...

After Fridays reopener of the Sport Climbing season at Little Si, Micah and I decided to head on out for a return trip. I got dropped off at the base due to lisa's Vollyball match, and headed on up the trail an hour early until Micah arrived. After a quick burn on Psycho for a warm up I hopped on Californicator 5.12d and managed a clean one hang. I then gave it a second burn and one hanged a bolt further. I was decently tired by now and after a 1/2 hour or so of rest I gave it another burn just cause and before I knew it I was at the 'typewriter hold'!! This is the high point from last year. Then I got mentally prepared and busted out left on the smiley face crimp, moved the feet up, hit the sidepull, and then moved my left hand to a gaston just below the actual one, and then hit the hold and crossed the other up and then one last cross to the mid-jug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was my all time high point! I then mentally relaxed and began the 7 minute shake out. After I collected myself I then headed through the upper part that felt easier this year and I managed to stick every hold and honed in the feet and sent!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was happy and surprised but Micah was more surprised.