Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Journeys: The Red - Day 3
It rained on Wednesday night. It rained so much, in fact, that Steve was worried that we were about to be rained out of climbing for the rest of the trip. Fortunately for us, the rain let up on Wednesday night, and although the ground was soaking on Thursday morning, the rock was dry enough to climb.
Dry rock was a good thing. Thursday was trad day.
We packed up camp and drove into The Gorge to find Fortress Wall. Fortress wall was nothing but classic trad routes and Steve was eager to break out his rad trad rack.
Trad gear, Brah.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
The first route that we tackled was (possibly) Calypso III (5.5, trad, 60 feet). Steve lead the route, placing all of the gear, and I took seconds, cleaning all of the trad gear off of the face. The route was fun, a forearm sized crack that opened up at the top for an easy finish.
A blurry Chuck Bolte on Calypso III (5.5, trad, 60 feet).
Photograph by Steve Garrett.
Next we moved over to the classic American Crack (5.4, trad, 60 feet) where Steve led once again and I took seconds. The route turned out to be really enjoyable with a bunch of crack and some face holds to pave the way to an exciting finishing move that left your feet flapping in the breeze. We rappelled down and moved down the road to the next face.
Steve makes exciting moves on American Crack (5.4, trad, 60 feet).
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
On our way to Phantasia Wall, the rain picked up again. At first, Steve thought the day was done, but I managed to talk him into hiking up to the wall to check the condition of the wall. Our destination was Lord Of The Flies (5.8, 40 feet). The intensity of the rain increased and Steve recommended that we leave, but I begged to stay and he finally let me get on the rock. I squeezed out a sloppy lead of the route, falling frequently, but somehow scrambling to the top.
Overall, the trip was great. This one will go down in my history book as the trip that got me officially "hooked" on climbing.
Man's best Poonaner.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
Dry rock was a good thing. Thursday was trad day.
We packed up camp and drove into The Gorge to find Fortress Wall. Fortress wall was nothing but classic trad routes and Steve was eager to break out his rad trad rack.
Trad gear, Brah. Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
The first route that we tackled was (possibly) Calypso III (5.5, trad, 60 feet). Steve lead the route, placing all of the gear, and I took seconds, cleaning all of the trad gear off of the face. The route was fun, a forearm sized crack that opened up at the top for an easy finish.
A blurry Chuck Bolte on Calypso III (5.5, trad, 60 feet). Photograph by Steve Garrett.
Next we moved over to the classic American Crack (5.4, trad, 60 feet) where Steve led once again and I took seconds. The route turned out to be really enjoyable with a bunch of crack and some face holds to pave the way to an exciting finishing move that left your feet flapping in the breeze. We rappelled down and moved down the road to the next face.
Steve makes exciting moves on American Crack (5.4, trad, 60 feet).Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
On our way to Phantasia Wall, the rain picked up again. At first, Steve thought the day was done, but I managed to talk him into hiking up to the wall to check the condition of the wall. Our destination was Lord Of The Flies (5.8, 40 feet). The intensity of the rain increased and Steve recommended that we leave, but I begged to stay and he finally let me get on the rock. I squeezed out a sloppy lead of the route, falling frequently, but somehow scrambling to the top.
Overall, the trip was great. This one will go down in my history book as the trip that got me officially "hooked" on climbing.
Man's best Poonaner.Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Journeys: The Red - Day 2
Miguel's Pizza. Here I am again. If I was tired yesterday...I am even more tired today. After four slices of pizza my state is becoming vegatative. I will quickly recap the events from Day 2 in The Red.
Steve and I started the morning off at the Roadside Crag. Specifically, we got busy on routes C Sharp or B Flat (5.7, 60 feet) and Ledger Line (5.7, 80 feet). Steve led the first route and I led the second. The morning felt good and both Steve and I climbed well. When we packed up and hiked out, we got in the truck and drove a mile down the road to Global Village.
Chuck B works the lead on Ledger Line (5.7).
Photograph by Steve Garrett.
We traveled to Global Village to get on one really fun and really tall route, Eureka (5.6, 85 feet). Steve let me lead the route since he had already led it once this week. Like Steve says, the route was like climbing monkey bars, but it was loads of fun. Good stuff, brah.
Steve tops out on Eureka (5.6, 85 feet).
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
After Global Village, Steve and I drove into the Red River Gorge to run up some evening routes at the Left Flank. Rain clouds threatened, but did not attack as we climbed the evening away. Steve and I both led Mr Bungle (5.8+, 60 feet) and I executed a sloppy lead on Face Up to That Crack (5.8-, 70 feet) while Steve crushed the follow up climb.
Naturally, we headed to Miguel's for dinner.
Day is done...gone the sun...
Steve and I started the morning off at the Roadside Crag. Specifically, we got busy on routes C Sharp or B Flat (5.7, 60 feet) and Ledger Line (5.7, 80 feet). Steve led the first route and I led the second. The morning felt good and both Steve and I climbed well. When we packed up and hiked out, we got in the truck and drove a mile down the road to Global Village.
Chuck B works the lead on Ledger Line (5.7).Photograph by Steve Garrett.
We traveled to Global Village to get on one really fun and really tall route, Eureka (5.6, 85 feet). Steve let me lead the route since he had already led it once this week. Like Steve says, the route was like climbing monkey bars, but it was loads of fun. Good stuff, brah.
Steve tops out on Eureka (5.6, 85 feet).Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
After Global Village, Steve and I drove into the Red River Gorge to run up some evening routes at the Left Flank. Rain clouds threatened, but did not attack as we climbed the evening away. Steve and I both led Mr Bungle (5.8+, 60 feet) and I executed a sloppy lead on Face Up to That Crack (5.8-, 70 feet) while Steve crushed the follow up climb.
Naturally, we headed to Miguel's for dinner.
Day is done...gone the sun...
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Journeys: The Red - Day 1
I am sitting in Miguels Pizza of Slade, Kentucky. My forearms hurt, my elbows hurt, and my shoulders hurt. But most of all my legs hurt. Not from climbing though, but from driving in my truck for eight and a half nonstop hours from home base in Baltimore. I rolled into camp at 2130 last night and hung out with Steve and Marianna before racking out with my favorite pooch Poonaner.
Chuck B and a cuddly Poonaner.
Photograph by Steve Garrett.
Day one in the Red River Gorge area was awesome. Steve and I spent the day in the Muir Valley on two different walls. The first wall was Practice Wall where we put up five routes in the morning and Steve learned me on lead climbing and lead belaying. The routes that we hit were Acrophobiacs Anonymous (5.4), Yu Stin Ki Pu (5.6), Ai Ban Mai Fa Kin Ni (5.7), Slabalito (5.7), and TBD (5.8). Specifically, Yu Stin Ki Pu was my first lead climb and, even though it was only a 20 foot route, it was nerve racking.
Moving on down the trail in the afternoon, we blasted through two more routes on Bruise Brothers Wall; CH4 (5.7) and A-Beano (5.8-). Both routes were about 15 feet taller than the 20 footers at Practice Wall and were much more fun for some reason.
Chuck B clips a quick draw on A-Beano (5.8-).
Photograph by Steve Garrett.
Unfortunately, the day ended in despair when I fell apart leading The Offering (5.7). The route was described as "Begin near right of ledge. Follow easy crack system and ledges up and right to an exciting finish." The last two moves, the exciting finish, pummeled me into a mental terror dome from which I could not escape. I made a few miserable attempts at the anchors, but never made the last few feet of the 65 foot route. So, I began my down climb of despair and Steve and I packed it out for the day.
Until tomorrow...
Chuck B and a cuddly Poonaner. Photograph by Steve Garrett.
Day one in the Red River Gorge area was awesome. Steve and I spent the day in the Muir Valley on two different walls. The first wall was Practice Wall where we put up five routes in the morning and Steve learned me on lead climbing and lead belaying. The routes that we hit were Acrophobiacs Anonymous (5.4), Yu Stin Ki Pu (5.6), Ai Ban Mai Fa Kin Ni (5.7), Slabalito (5.7), and TBD (5.8). Specifically, Yu Stin Ki Pu was my first lead climb and, even though it was only a 20 foot route, it was nerve racking.
Moving on down the trail in the afternoon, we blasted through two more routes on Bruise Brothers Wall; CH4 (5.7) and A-Beano (5.8-). Both routes were about 15 feet taller than the 20 footers at Practice Wall and were much more fun for some reason.
Chuck B clips a quick draw on A-Beano (5.8-).Photograph by Steve Garrett.
Unfortunately, the day ended in despair when I fell apart leading The Offering (5.7). The route was described as "Begin near right of ledge. Follow easy crack system and ledges up and right to an exciting finish." The last two moves, the exciting finish, pummeled me into a mental terror dome from which I could not escape. I made a few miserable attempts at the anchors, but never made the last few feet of the 65 foot route. So, I began my down climb of despair and Steve and I packed it out for the day.
Until tomorrow...
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