Journeys: Catalina State Park

Last weekend I met up with grade school friend David Cubberly to spend the weekend at his home in Tucson. We spent Saturday catching up on the good old days, eating sushi, and riding the rides at the Pima County Fair. On Sunday we went hiking in Catalina State Park with baby Kenoah and the dogs, Ossa and Emerossa.

The view east from Romero Canyon Trail.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Dave and Kenoah explore a dry pool.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

One of many Montrose Pools.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Water breeds vegetation and desert flowers.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

The view north through Montrose Canyon.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Snapshots: Tombstone, AZ

Yee-Haw!
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Journeys: Carr Peak, AZ

The day before Mom and Lewis Bolte drove down to Sierra Vista from Phoenix, temperatures were in the 70's, clouds were an afterthought, and I had not thoughts of adverse weather in the near future. When I woke up Saturday morning and looked out of my bedroom window at 4800 feet up to the mountain peaks at 9200 feet, I saw a blanket of fresh snow and dark clouds moving in. I was not sure how the day would turn out, but Mom and Lewis arrived at 1100 nevertheless and we loaded up in the borrowed Hyundai to make our attempt on Carr Peak in the Huachuca Mountains of Southern Arizona.

We followed AZ 90 through Sierra Vista before turning on to Carr Canyon Road and began a dirt road ascent to the Reef Town Campsite at 7200 feet. During the climb we were dazzled with many dizzying views of Sierra Vista and Cochise County and the cliff bands standing guard below the peaks.

The Carr Falls (left side of the photograph).
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Mom on top of the Carr Falls.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Fortunately, even though the weather looked severe at the top of the mountain, at the Reef Town Campsite parking lot, things were still tame. Mom, Lewis, and I parked the Hyundai, packed up our day pack threw on our leather jackets and pearls and set off for the peak. The signs posted at the trailhead told us that we had three miles of trudging to the peak and it did not take long for the snow to set in.

"This is definitely farther than 3 miles, Charlie."
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Panorama of the Huachuca Mountains.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

As we continued our ascent the weather worsened. The dark clouds swirled over the peak and down on us bringing an unexpected April blizzard in the desert. We passed a couple that was descending and heard their story of stopping 1/3 of a mile from the peak at a trail junction because the snow seemed too heavy. We smiled, nodded, and continued on. We were not cold, tired, hungry, or afraid of what was ahead...just amazed at the natural world around us.

Last clear shot to Sierra Vista before the clouds hit.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Icy pine needles frame unexpected conditions.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

At 8500 feet we were in the cloud bank. The snow, which was more like miniature hail, drizzled around us. Trees were suddenly white and frozen with jagged ice daggers clinging to their sides. Tiny spring flora peaked through ever accumulating snow on the ground. At 8800 feet the trail left the east face of the mountain and edged around the south face just under the peak. As we came around a bend in the trail, everything changed, the trail was now disappearing in snow, the ice on the trees was thicker, and suddenly the wind was an aggressive enemy. Hand became frozen while snapping pictures.

Mom strikes a pose in the howling wind.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Desert mountain blizzard conditions.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

We were now at the 1/3 to the top mile marker and we did not hesitate to press on. The wind worsened as we hit the top of the ridge and turned east to hike out to Carr Peak and there was no longer the friendly tree to protect us. But we did have the safety of a few rocks.

Mom and Lewis enter the last 100 yards.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Ah! The top! We should get out of here!
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Heads down we three hiked towards the top. The miniature hail pellets now pelted against all exposed skin with an annoying sting. Thirty yards from cresting the peak, Mom and Lewis took up temporary shelter and I ran to the ugly roundish peak to snap a quick picture before running back down. We picked up and got off of the ridge as quickly as possible to escape the terrible wind.

On the way down.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

When we got back down below 8500 feet, things started to return to normal. The snow continued to pelt, but the wind was now a lamb. We were leaving our April winter wonderland.

Snapshots: A Run Through The City

The weekend before last weekend (which would be February 28th) I took a nice long run through downtown Baltimore, up into Mount Vernon, and back home to Riverside. Along the way I snapped a few pics of a dreary looking February city. Enjoy.

The Inner Harbor is cold and gray.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Mount Vernon alley scenery.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Looking across Guilford Avenue to Penn Station.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Looking up to Federal Hill Park.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Nonsense: 1817

I am proud to announce that Kristin and I have moved into our own house in downtown Baltimore. The house is not all that new, being that it was built circa 1900, but we are new to it and we are very excited for city living. Let the secret fixie gangs and graffiti tagging begin.

From the 1st floor front nook towards the kitchen.

Photograph by Kristin Guevarra.

From the kitchen entrance looking towards the front nook.
Photograph by Kristin Guevarra.

The master bedroom on the 2nd floor.
Photograph by Kristin Guevarra.

Journeys: Whitetail Ski Resort, PA

After bombing mad runs out West in December, I took some time to give props to the East Coast shred scene by making a day trip to Whitetail Ski Resort in PA. Unfortunately, Kristin could not make the trip on Saturday, but I caught a ride with other friends and had a great time riding my snowboard down the runs like it was a sled.

The snow here be man-made.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.

Edits: Kick A$$!

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.

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...

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...