So, Book of Hate is a 13d in Tuolumne that could best be described as gnar probably. Micah and I found our own book of hate gnar today. In Leavenworth.  Here’s a picture of my ‘crimp’, if you can call it that, pulling onto Quest for Fire (V.9) at Mountain Home Boulders. Gnar.

The most painful crimp I've ever latched.

Micah perched in the frigid temps searching for sun next to Quest for Fire.

We headed out for L-town at 5:45 am this morning wanting to get an early start since we decided not to head up the night before. The reason we didn’t go Friday night was because the overnight low was supposed to be 22 F. Yeah, F that. We got to Forestland and were “warming up” at 9am. It was effing snowing on us until 11am. Yeah, F that too. Everything hurt. I couldn’t feel shit, but I knew I was on my hold if it hurt really bad. I knew I’d dry-fired and blown my hold if it hurt like hell and I’d hit myself in the face or chest, and was suddenly on the ground. There was no comfort anywhere. We worked on lines from V.4 to V.10, many I pulled onto, some I just said “Yeah, F that” to.

Micah on the huge move on Dangle (7a, though Fritz calls it a 7b)

At around 12:30 my feet were burning from the cold so bad I said “F this” (notice a theme here?) and convinced Micah that Mountain Home Boulders were where we wanted to concentrate (Quest for Fire and Star Wars), so we bailed. On the way out, the girls that had been climbing hard and drinking beer harder since 10am had found a crowd of horney groupie dudes to cling to. Ha! Later Portlander hoes! One was chatting up Joel Campbell in the lot (So, you vant to sign my book, ja? You know vat to do, ja. Sign zee book, ja!) It was a zoo.

Quest for Fire ALMOST went. My beta is to match right before the throw to the jug. Mica likes to just throw to the jug. Neither of the beta worked today. It never got above 40 F. F that.

Star Wars didn’t go much better, colder than shit. Painful as hell. So, zee boulders are fur zee climbing, ja? Not today.

Fall colors and the Icicle Valley from the Star Wars boulders at Mountain Home.

Tomorrow, Sarah and I are supposed to spend the next two days in L-town doing this same thing. I think I might try to talk her into doing some alpine up Esmerelda Peaks area on the other side of the Stuart Range. Just as cold, but less frostbite.

So there’s only one person other than myself that’ll understand the title, but you guys needed to have been with us today. It was a great day!

I slept in until 6 (a whole two hours!) when I woke up to some light rain outside my window. Dammit! I thought – no climbing today! It subsided and I called Erica for the meet-up beta. We met at Darby’s for breakfast at 8am (chicken fried steak, two over-easies on toast and some sort of hash brown substitute. Didn’t touch the potatoes). The ominous thing was we ate in the middle of an impressive thunderstorm that kinda killed our chances of climbing anything at all. Rain. Damn!

We’d wanted to get up to 38 before the rest of the crew (which was supposed to be huge today!) and get some burns in at Nevermind or We Did Rock before they showed. We were on the road at 9 with me beind the wheel and Erica playing D.J. with her fancy new I-pod thingamajigger.

Just north of Tacoma we called Dom for the rest of the crew beta. Dom called back after we were on 18 with bad news – Micah thought it was too wet, the rest of the girls thought it was too wet – and by that time WE thought it was too wet. We called Mika, still at 32, and told him that the crew had been rained out. Sorry, bro.

“But, we’re here Erica, whaddya wanna do?”

“I dunno, climb something fun?”

“How ’bout we hit L-town if I pay gas both ways.”

“Okay. Drive, boy.”

We drove to Leavenworth under gray and rainy skies with dreams of sugarplums and steep, steep granite sport pitches dancing in our heads. “Damn, but we don’t have a guide book and I’ve never climbed sport over there! We’ll just hit the ranger station and pick one up”, I said. “Okay”. I called my dad in Wenatchee for weather beta – he said it was already in the 80’s. I called Bullshit.

15 minutes east of Alpental the skies cleared, the birds came out and angels sang. The rest of the drive was a mutual discovery of Erica and Greg – getting to know new people when they’re good people is like riding a bike – it just works. We got to the closed Leavenworth ranger station just about noon. No guidebook to be had here….. “Well, there’s got to be a gear shop somewhere in town”.

“Yeah, lets park somewhere and blend in as tourists to find one.” I replied.

It didn’t take long before Erica found an outdoor shop on the “strip”. No help from the highly stoned lackey, but he did give us directions to the real gear shop that would rent us an out-of-date, uber-cryptic copy of the worst friggin guide book ever written for any crag. I mean Einstein couldn’t have found his own ass with the beta in this book. Absolutely stupid. DO NOT BUY this guidebook!

We headed up Icicle canyon, still with granite pitches dancing, but dancing a little less feverishly – it just happened to be that dad wasn’t full of bullshit – it was an oppressive 90-some degrees. Blah…I mean, VENGA!!!

We stopped at Bridge Creek, noting that Bridge Creek Wall offered some 5.9 and 5.10 sport routes. We found some nice rocks by the river and ate, drank, relaxed and tried to use our handy rosettastone to decipher the stupid guidebook glyphs.  We decided that the best route to Bridge Creek Wall was from Egg Rock, which I knew well.

The approach wasn’t from Egg Rock. But, since we were there, we thought we’d get in some bouldering. Erica is wicked. She nearly walked up China Cat (V.2) and gave a good look at the damned problem behind I heart Jerry Garcia that I can’t keep my feet on. She did hike a nice V.1 to the Right of China Cat and an unnamed V.0 with ease, grace and absolute control. Still, we wanted finger shredding granite pitches!

We stopped at Machine Gun Rock, where she sailed up and over Band of Gypsies (V.0) and Dirty Harry (V.1) and almost got Machine Gun Funk on the flash, but didn’t go down due to the long reach on the throw to the crimpy jug up high. I got to repeat though, on my first V.2 ever, like four times in a row today. It’s got seriously clean, fluid movement for such a tall guy. I really love that rock. Thanks, Micah – you’re the man!

We spent the rest of the next few hours looking for something that wasn’t mixed sport/trad or a .14d. We decided to hike up behind some other climbers at Icicle Buttress, but it ended up to be a multipitch trad route. Damn! Ultimately, we landed at some other place with one sport route and what looked like a few topropes. We searched and searched for anchors but within 30 minutes of death-defying searching decided that it was all plug-and-chug territory. What a great time to not have a trad rack!  Just then the thunderstorms burst onto the scene and we called it a day of fun, travel, adventure, spontaneity, and building a great new friendship – and time for home.

We stopped for the traditional Heidleburger on the way out, relaxed in the heat and truly enjoyed each others company. Good times for sure, but also time to get on the road despite not getting a good burn in for the day. Ugh!

But wait. this is where the story gets really interesting. We had to go back by Exit 38 to get back home…

At Alpental I said “If it looks dry, Im stopping. How do you feel about that girl?”

“Do it, boss”.

It looked dry at Exit 38, so we stopped. The hike to Nevermind Wall was wet, but when we got to Substation I screamed “yeah! Substation’s dry!”, but we kept going to rule out Nevermind. I wanted back on Steep Street.

In the end, I got a repeat lead on Steep Street and Erica made it to the chains on TR. She’ so totally gonna send that route next time! I was excited to have been able to introduce them to each other.

My newest climbing partner, E-dub, taping her poor, abused hands for Steep Street. Such a strong climber!

In the end, today could have turned out to be a boring disaster of a gray and rainy mess of a day. My spontaneity fit well with the desires for adventure of another climber – and luckily we happened to be in the same car. We got to do some great climbing, driving, adventuring and serious bonding in spite of Mother Nature. I believe that Mother set today up for us. Not only do I have a new climbing partner – someone whose hands I’ll freely put my life in – but also a good, honest friend that I hope to get to know better and better as time goes on.

In all honesty, Erica is a stronger climber than me in a lot of ways, and I kind of like that. I’m not intimidated by the fact that she’s younger, has stronger tendons and better endurance. I really like the fact that she likes my method and my madness, and that she can forgive my weakness.

I’ll climb with that girl any day.

Completely.Stellar.Day.

[edit: I was going to edit out some of the - eh hem, language - from this post. I decided against it because it sums up the feeling of desperation and frustration - and ultimately success - of the day. Deal with it, you're a big boy/girl aren't you?]

[second edit: I couldnt stand it, I edited the language]

I’m back from my latest adventure in the vertical world, well – mostly vertical, some almost vertical, much more overhanging. I have to say that this has shaped up to be my best birthday ever, and best trip ever! Micah and I departed just before noon and reached L-town in record time and having used record little gas. We trucked right on up to Bridge Creek and made camp, stashed our non-essential gear in our tents and immediately hit Mad Meadows with my dad in tow. We met up with a group working Drugstore Cowboy (V3) and I hit the Hueco Route (V1) to warm up. It was around 3 and in the mid-80’s (yikes!). After a few circuits on Hueco, and Micah on Drugstore Cowboy, We decided that it was time for Micah to send his personal project The Sail (V9). After a few goes, Micah decided that The Sail would remain his nemesis for now and we plowed through the cave to The Jib (V8) which he sent after a few attempts. It was good for his confidence on a really hard, technical boulder problem. In the meantime, I flashed The Rudder simply for the card. After all that pump, we crawled out to make our way to Hanta Man (V9), where we decided that is was just too hot to climb (in the 90s). On the way to Hanta Man, I flashed Drugstore Cowboy (yesssss!) Since it was too hot to climb, we headed to Egg Rock to climb some more in the 90s. Great idea, right??

second link on Tentacles (V3)

At Egg Rock, Micah wanted to repeat the wicked Musashi (V9), but no go from the shakey jug rail that was full of chipmunk shit and worse feet. We packed it in for for another spot since it was cooling down, but not before I ticked Tenticles and China Cat. It was getting dark, about 8 – and we still had to go into town for carbohydrates, both solid and liquid, and gather firewood for the yet-to-be-built fire. We called it a day in the climbing world.

Getting ready for the sloper on Spongebob V3

Camp was magical. We scrounged ten times more firewood than we needed, so we had an excuse to stay up late, enjoy the stars, the raging Icicle River and the warm fire (and a few more beers). Micah undressed the gear while I worked on the fire. We drank well and roasted gourmet hotdogs on gourmet willow sticks I’d prepared from gourmet trees just uphill from camp. The rest of the night was terrific – we just sat on our crashpads in front of a raging warm fire under a sea of brilliant stars. Conversation was good and we discussed life, women and most importantly, our goals for the next day.

Gourmet dinner around the fire.

This morning I woke up around 4 as always, unzipped my tent door and snoozed as I watched the sun come up over a gendarm of snowy Colchuck Peak. I’d had really odd dreams of my most recent significant female partner, indicating that I’m at an important transition point in my process. About 6, I got out of the tent and ate the last hotdog cold and went for a walk around the river. Just as I was getting back, one of the climber chicks (a tall, lean and very naturally blond climber chick) was depositing the remnants of her evening in the form of an empty half-case into the dumpster when she dropped the lid with a clank! I felt obligated at that point to wake up Micah (since it wasn’t going to be my fault he was now awake) and get on the road for Forestland. With Micah up, we stoked the fire and started roasting some english muffins on the gourmet sticks to receive copious quantities of ham and turkey. Not exactly gourmet, but breakfast non the less.

My view upon waking. The flash made it look like it's really bright out.

In Forestland we realized that we were in worse shape than we’d thought. We’d done a whole day’s worth of climbing in just a few hours the day before and only this morning did we realize that neither of us had much skin left on their fingers or strength in our arms. We warmed up on Breadline a few times and sat down shaking our heads. “WTF” was most commonly uttered. I stood up to Arrested Development (V4) with it’s wicked pinch start and nasty crimprail. It was here that I learned that the louder you scream the easier it is to climb through the pain. After about a dozen attempts I realized it just wasn’t going to happen today and I’d hit it fresh next time. Micah and I set out to JY boulders next, with my dad who’d found us in Forestland.

At JY boulders, things didn’t go much better, but I did redpoint  Gratisfaction (I call it a flash because my foot slipped before I’d even pulled on…) and Micah played on a few V-fuckmethisishard stuff. Nothing else was sent at JY.

Dad left and Micah and I packed up our camp, loaded up and decided to call it a trip. Our skin gone, arms raw, fingers on FIRE, strength zapped and confidence depleted (and blood everywhere), it was time to go home. On the way, we decided that since it was 11am and already in the 90s, we’d head over to my dad’s and swim in his pool. Dad was happy to see us and we spent a couple of hours getting wet and recovering. At around 2 we dried off and decided to go… wait for it…wait…  …. … …  ..  ..  . . .

….

….go do some more climbing. Gee, what a great idea!

Mountain Home Boulders were the last place we really wanted to stop and get some time at. We drove up Mountain Home Road past Mountain Home Lodge (which, now that I think if it, was one of the possible wedding sites four months from now, but I didn’t even think about it again until this writing) into some of the most magical forest full of massive, gray-and-white sleeping giant boulders – my new bullet-hard friends!

Nice Men (V2)

Stopping by Star Wars Rock and feeling rejuvenated from the swim, I tried what is supposed to be a V3 but it is not. We’d heard that Mountain Home crags are graded a little differently than the rest because of the lack in traffic, and were they right! All I have to say is holy shit! Micah tried Darth Maul (V4) that was scary as hell, a crimpy traverse on no feet with an inverted dyno to a blind flake about 4 feet behind you and 4 feet up. I’d call it Darth Maul (V4^2). We trekked down to The Pasture and played on The Cattleguard and The Cow, where I flashed Cud Crack and redpointed Cattle Terrace and Micah worked on The Cattleguard Arete. Unfortunately, no luck on the arete, we were decimated and destroyed from all the hard climbing we’d done the last two days. It was time to go home.

Micah topping out BSE (V3)

On the way down, we kept spotting huge house-sized blocks that looked interesting with great features and potential problems. We spotted the Canal Boulder, a massive monolith jutting out of the ground to about 25 feet – it’s got a classic line up one arete called Quest for Fire that hopefully Im strong enough to work on if we get back up this fall.

Before heading off, we stopped in L-town for the requisite Heidleburger (like grease?) and then adios Leavenworth! On the way back we decided that we weren’t coming back to Icicle until fall and until then Micah was going to focus on sport climbing. Next weekend I have the opportunity to do some sport at Little Si. I hope there is room for me because I really want to get back up on a rope.

So, the ticklist for this trip:

20090517

1. Hueco Route (V2)
2. The Rudder (V1)
3. Drugstore Cowboy (V3)
4. Tentacles (V3)
5. China Cat (V2)

20090518

1. Gratisfaction (V1)
2. Cud Crack (V1)
3. Cattle Terrace (V3)

A great trip and a fun tick count! And it seems that somewhere I lost a send. I remember ticking something that I’ve forgotten…oh well.

I think, in reflection, that this trip signals the most significant transitional step in my current life. It really doesn’t have anything to do with climbing as a whole, though climbing has been and is again a large part of what defines me. The transition really is about me being comfortable in my own skin again. In addition is the idea that I can compete with some of the best climbers in the state, some of whom are my closest friends, or soon to become so. I shouldn’t say compete in the sense that there’s competition between climbers, but rather the inner competition with your physical and mental abilities and limitations . Climbers don’t compete against each other, they compete with themselves and their self-imposed limitations with respect to their physical and mental perceptions of their abilities. In this sense, I’ve found that I can face my fears, weakness and limits with the best of them – and I guess that’s what it’s going to take for me to get stronger and develop better technique, along with simply watching and learning from the guys who blow me away problem after problem. Humble is good in this sport and something everyone, especially myself, should practice.  One thing I did notice is how I can be a part of another climber’s development, even someone like Micah who is so much stronger than me. So, I walk away from this trip with expanded confidence, comfort, solace and peace; even on top of bleeding hands, skinless forearms and cramping hamstrings. Life is good – I am the master of my own world.

Climbing has always given, and certainly is giving me now, the ability to redevelop the identity that was stripped from me over the last 11 years or so. It is becoming the most important facet of my personal recovery, growth and current lifestyle - life is again something to look forward to.

Icicle Valley and Drangontail Peak from Mad Meadows.

Now, Im going home to pass out from exhaustion and to bandage my poor little abused fingers. Read more about this trip on Micah’s blog, No Skin Left. Thanks, Micah, for the pictures.