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.

A season's worth of Grigri grit. The cord just know's she's spent for the year and getting ready for retirement. They shove old ropes out on iceflows too, don't they?

Yesterday marked the end of the sport climbing season for me; my last day. Well, that’s a little bit of a lie because Micah and I still have some unfinished business at Bob’s Area. Save for that bit of hand-to-hand to come, school starts in a few days so it’s time to bid a scornful farewell to the bolts. My project didn’t go yesterday – a product of a heavy work cycle, a long backcountry trip, a closed gym and complete lack of training. She’ll be waiting for me first go next year. I stole Micah’s camera and started snapping around the World Wall ledge, trying to capture the sights and sounds of the culture we’ve made for ourselves here. It’s been a phenomenal year; everybody sending like crazy, the competition between Dom and Jimmy, tons of new friends and a really tight clique to huddle in. Life is the most beautiful thing. Enjoy some sideline views of my last trip to the ledge in 2009:

Spent on Californication. It'll go soon guys.

Micah rehearsing his crux on Californication. We call him "le acrobat suicidal". I have no idea what that means.

The product of being belay bitch for the day. Gah-ritaaaay!

What we all felt we could lead by the end of the year.

Last dance on the death ledge and my poor friend the tree had been ripped out by it's roots and broken in half.

Andrew catches Micah on Abo.

Reptiles will have to wait to see my icy-cold grip until next year. I sure am going to miss clipping the same bolts Moses clipped on the FA of this route. That was back when Moses wore a shorter loincloth under his harness.

Goodbye, Little Si. I’m not actually sure I will miss you that much. Thanks for all the great times and the brothers. Now, lets find some big azz boulders!!!

Home. Car camping was so foriegn to Sarah and I. I have no idea what Sarah is doing here. The Funky Chicken?

Micah and Dom left Sarah and I in camp this morning to finish packing our things and to head home. They were on their way to Rainbow Rocks on the Tieton River to continue climbing for an additional couple of days. Sarah and I had to return to civilization and be responsible. Mortgages, phone bills. A hungry cat.

Micah dines on a fine breakfast of fried chicken wings.

I’d never climbed at Tienton before, though I was excited to. In the end, I wasn’t super stoked on the rock. It was good, but falls were not the cleanest with lots of ledges to break legs on. To make it worse, lots of routes wandered increasing the chances of a nasty pendulum if you took a whip. Or, maybe it was just the couple of places we ended up climbing at. Respectfully, the place has serious potential; and to be fair I was really in a laid back 5.9 kind of mood this weekend. I’ve been pushing so hard all summer, I just wanted to have some short, steep fun.

Micah's 11d onsight attempt. Sexy, braw.

Sarah leads the 100-foot 10a. I got schooled!

I shouldn’t make it sound like I didn’t have any fun, because I really did. I was able to enjoy a few stellar campfires out in the middle of nowhere with great friends, laugh my ass off, drink a shit-ton of beer, watch shooting stars from my tent and, well…climb. It was a good trip, but I’m broken right now with a messed up knee that’s going to put me out of commission for at least a month, what is shaping up to be Giardiasis; and last but not least, I lost both big toenails (which is not going to help with climbing). I’m really impressed with Sarah, she lead a 30 meter 10a without even looking tired. She actually spanked me because I just wasn’t into climbing it. Meh, not inspiring. Sarah, however hiked the thing and even came down with a great flapper. Tough chick. I like that.

Hey, Sarah's between my legs. She's a great belay.

Priceless, pure Dom.

This was, for me, more of a trip to relax, play around, laugh hard and maybe send a few easy, short routes. I got to do all of that so I continue to be a success in life.

We’ve decided that we’re going to start a quote book because we always end up saying the funniest things and then we forget them. This trip’s best quotes were:

• Dom: I love nuts (in reference to cashews).
• Me: I have endless wood (firewood).
• Sarah: I wish it was 3 times longer and twice as hard (that last route).

Micah had a few great ones, like usual. But he waits until we’re all shitfaced and can’t remember anything the next morning.

On Wednesday Micah, Kyle and I headed up to Little Si to burn some lines. It was Kyles first time outside and a week since I had been up. The summer is getting busy with all the leftover work we’ve been pushing to the side to make room for climbing. But still, getting out was more important today than anything! The trip up, the time there and the drive back was full of the commensurate laughter, joy and inner discovery that every trip is full of with Micah. I swear I have a great time with that guy no matter what we’re doing.

We got to the lot and it was IMHO pretty full for noon on a Wednesday. Micah didn’t expect to see anyone on the walls, just hikers on the trails. When we got to Blackstone, where there’s a really fun and super tall 10a that we wanted to work, we noticed three groups, one of which was on our line. “Well, Micah. Wanna head up to the Woods and I can get a repeat on Streetcleaner?” I said? “Why not” was the reply.

Kyle at the chains of Streetcleaner (5.10a). Nice job bro!

We got to the Woods and I put up the draws on a 5.7 2-bolt crack so that I could warm up and Kyle could get the feel of an easy pitch on real rock. It’s a crappy climb, one star max. We both sent, me with the onsight, Kyle with the flash. Lame. Streetcleaner was next, I wasn’t psyched and aided the crux, but set the toprope for Kyle. Kyle lunged up the thing with his tendency for dynos and strength moves. It was great to see Kyle enjoying himself in the Woods. Next, though was the New World!

Micah after cracking the whip on himself. Nice welt dude! The bruises we endure trying to catch the end of a rope falling from 120 feet...

We got to World Wall and Micah was right! We had the place all to ourselves! Micah hopped on Rainy Day Woman that I decided was going to end up being my first 5.12a lead project. I hopped on it and got to the crux, pleasantly pumped out and said that was enough. I’ll save it for later. I had more climbs I wanted to send today. I was super psyched when Kyle got on Rainy Day and tried it too! Way to get on the hard stuff to see what it’s about bro! The regular lines were all burned up, Techno, Psycho, Graven Image. Pretty soon, it started to get crowded. Really crowded. Crowded with a bunch of people who didn’t know how to climb. We heard some sketchy things , saw some even more sketchy things (chatting on your cell phone while belaying with an ATC, for example, or doing the extension to Son of Jesus as a multi-pitch, or hauling a folding chair to belay your girlfriends from, or…oh, God I could go on…), but when we heard this conversation:

Climber: “Okay, I’m at the chains”
Belayer: “Okay, you’re off belay”
Climber: “No dude, don’t take me off belay yet”
Belayer: “Dude, you’re already off belay”

we decided that it was too much circus-freak action for us and we bailed for Blackstone because we didn’t want to see someone’s brains smeared all over the ledge. It was THAT bad! When we got to Blackstone there was STILL someone on our line, so we bailed and called it a day.

Today reminds me that climbing is 10% strength, 10% technique and 80% headgame. I balked on Streetcleaner because I didnt feel like I had the energy to make the crux clip from the crimp. On toprope however, Kyle (A guy who’d never climbed outside before) lunged and jerked his way up it – a route I had danced up seven days before. My congratulations to Kyle for that success, and my regards to him when he entered into the world of “rock climber” after is first fall during his epic attempt at a 5.12a when he admitted to being sketched out about it. This is when it all starts – the headgame. The question “When am I going to fall?” becomes the the answer climbers are always fighting, which is “going” to fall. This is the headgame.

Be like Nic. Just don’t let go. My new mantra.

Once home we hit up Erica and Sara at the Fishtale brewpub for beers and dinner. I had to work early in the am so I bailed at around 11pm – but I still had a great day finished-up with a great evening. You all wish you lived my life. It is so good!

Oh, what a great day at Little Si. I had a ton of errands to run this morning so I was busy busy busy trying to make the 11am meet-up with Micah and zip on up to North Bend. I barely made it with 5 minutes to spare, the weather was calling for mid-afternoon rain showers and we had our sights set on some cool projects (read this post for a prelude). I had been in such a hurry this morning that I totally forgot to call Dom and grab the trad rack I needed to climb Nameless Tower! DAMMIT!!!! Oh well, it’ll still be there.

The Dominator pluggin' gear into the lower crack on Nameless Tower. (Micah Humphrey photo)

We pulled into the parking lot after a really oddly harrowing drive through nasty traffic choked with crazy angry drivers. What was up with you guys today, anyway? Let that shit go folks, it’s not good for your blood pressure! The skies were cloudy but not imposing, 65 degrees, the perfect day for climbing at Little Si. Shirts came off, packs and rope bags went on and we were moving up that trail like we’d been training at Bob’s Area for a month (Oh, I guess we have been). We made it to the ledge in record time to find the place… wait … it’s coming…

Fucking crowded.

(Pssst. People, its MONDAY! Go to your desk and get to work! I wanna climb!)

First up was a girl chugging up Rainy Day Woman (5.12a). Pretty impressive, but we’ve seen it done before. “No”, her belayer told me, “she’s going for hydrophobia (5.12d)”. Cool, I’m gonna have to watch this. Turns out it was Mad Rock’s 17 year old Victoria Cartwright, who also went on to climb Chronic on a single hang. Twice.

On the other end of the ledge was Ben, effortlessly climbing Flatliner (5.13c) only because he was injured (Flatliner three times…)

So the rockstars are out again. Now I know why you’re not at work working. This is your job. Shit! I got to finally meet and chat it up with Ben and hang out with some other pros, which was actually a lot of fun and refreshing to see more real people behind all the movie-star hype.

Then there’s superhuman Micah, who after warming up on Girls in the Gym got on and without breaking a sweat – but modestly uttering the requisite growl at the lunge, got Graven Image (5.12c) first go. He was totally the hero of the two older climbers working Son of Jesus that had completely stopped to watch him. They were completely impressed, as they should be – it was an impressive send! Way to go Micah!

After a while we left and ran down to the Woods where there was a 5.12a that Micah wanted on, and I would hop on Streetcleaner for the redpoint (dammit stupid onsight attempt!). My real goal was to climb Nameless Tower for a clean redpoint, but that would wait – because I didn’t have the gear (but I could run that part out……….nah, better not). Suddenly, there’s a couple working just to climber’s left on Sweet and Sticky (Sticky and Sweet?) and I just happened to ask them if they’d brought any nuts. “Yeah, we did” he said. “Pieces to 2 inches?” I asked. “Yup!”.

YAY! Nameless is gonna go! I thought. Cool! They were just on their way to Blackstone and we’d have to go borrow the gear when we were ready, which was gonna be soon.

I hopped on Streetcleaner and danced my way up it pretty smooth, ballerina-style. I felt bombproof and Micah said that it was a ton better than when I went for the onsight. Yeah, probably because it wasn’t an onsight anymore. I got the redpoint in no time and kind of wanted to go for another lap. Nah, lets get Micah on that 12a.

The Little Si Epic Award goes to Micah after hangdogging the links up the 12a decided he wanted the redpoint. The absolute instant he was on the ground  it began to rain. And then rain a little harder. And then a little…well, you get the picture.

“Um, Micah. How ‘ryou gonna get them draws down?” I asked.

“Shit, I better get back up there. I just wanted a few minutes to rest…”

Belaying Micah is really fun. We really read each other well. We’re good partners. Throw in some rain, mossy slab, really, really sequency crimpy moves over a bulge onto a mossy slab in the rain and you’ve got the makin’s for a Little Si Epic! In the end, we were all giggles as all the draws were slung and we were hopping down the trail talking to Dom and Nic on the phone about dinner at the Q.B. We giggled a lot today, laughed out loud even more; and a few times absolutely howled at each others totally off-color jokes about…nah, this really isn’t the place to discuss it. It was a really, really good day.

But The Nameless Tower still waits for the cold steel grip of my fingers… I’m coming, girl. I’m coming.

Man, what a great weekend! Last night Sarah, Ted, Gene and I hung out at my place. We had a great fire, drank really good beer, ate coal-roasted corn-on-the-cob and some finer meat products and we didn’t mind as it lightly rained on us at 1:00am through the soft, ethereal offerings of NPR swing music emanating from the crappy speakers of my pickup. It was a really relaxing and enjoyable end to a relaxing and enjoyable day of laundry and lawn mowing. Ah, a little relaxin’! ‘Swat I been needin’! Except for the times when Sarah would get us all tense from her stories of being chased by mad-crazy 2-ton wild animals in the wilderness. *shudder* That girl has lived the outdoor dream – what a great life!

Today, Micah, Dom, Laura, Nic and Jimmy ran up to Little Si fo’ some fun-sheezy pitches. Nic’s projecting Chronic (5.13b), and we all wanted to be there to bawl that chiseled hunk of a man up the thing. I tried to hop on Goddess but bailed again; maybe it’s a sign? I was telling Micah that I just wasn’t psyched today; that after a day like yesterday all my head really wanted to do was to sit on the couch and watch B-rate sci-fi flicks. That guys is a real friend in the way he supported my decision to not send Goddess, and we went down to hang with Dom and Laura who were plugging gear into a long, steep pitch called The Nameless Tower (5.11a).

11a is my lead-head limit currently, so I was happy to let this one go. I belayed Micah up it and was inspired when I saw the movement. Wow, I wanna hop on this line! I reluctantly pulled on and started to climb it; man, oh man, does it look steeper and less featured when you’re on it. Where’d all those nice feet I thought I saw go all of a sudden? In the end, I got the chains, but I took a few hangs. Throughout the day, the more I thought about the line, the more I fell in love with it. Especially pulling over the roof – I was so surprised at the perfectly beautiful movement of the sequence that I can’t stop thinking about it! It’s perfect for my size, frame and style – there’s some potentially big moves! Nic got on Chronic three times, made the chains twice and the whole time I wish I could have been there to cheer my bro on! Phenomenal effort brother, you’re such an inspiration to me. I really hope we can make it to Bishop for New Years! I’ll do whatever I have to do to get ‘er done!

Micah and I are going back up tomorrow and I’ve decided that I want the redpoint on Nameless Tower. The problem is that it’s a mixed trad pitch and, well, I haven’t plugged nuts in a while, especially never 11a. I think I can do it, though a fall on a bad palcement almost certainly results in a groundfall, so we’ll see how I feel about it when I get there. Even though, I pretty savvy when it comes to setting a solid chock, and it’s a bomber crack that I know I can set. The only hangs I took today were in the bolted section, so maybe I’ll whip my testicles out tomorrow and get some shouts goin’ at the send. Either that or a pleasant ride in a Harborview medivac chopper.

Jimmy at the end of False Idol just setting up for the huge throw on Graven Image.

The rest of the day was a sausagefest of Nic, Jimmy, Dom and Micah punching out laps on a really cool 12c jughaul pumpfest called False Idol (5.11d) to the 5.12c boulder-problem-from-hell, Graven Image. Micah has his sights set on it tomorrow first thing.It’s gonna go first thing.

The big plans for tomorrow are hopefully me getting started on my newest project, Culture Shock (5.12a) – (I’m tellin’ ya Nic, 5-nothin to 5.12a in a single season, buddy. I can do it!).

First, I need a shower! AND SLEEP!!! AND FOOD!!!!

Just found this set of clips and I thought I’d share with those who weren’t there. goes down in typical Nic fashion.

Yesterday in the gym I didn’t climb. I just went over tired as hell and complained to Micah that I was done climbing at the Exits. I’ve lost my psych. We need to find someplace else to go. God I hate the Exits! He humored me and kind of agreed, “yeah, a new place sure would be good, and I’m done with Bob’s area for sure” he said.

Last night at 7:30 he calls me up and says, “hey Greg, you wanna hit 32 tomorrow”.

“Shit yeah, bro!” I replied.

I’m nothing if not inconsistent sometimes.

I bailed from work today at 11 and crawled into Micah’s waiting car at the busloop. What does it say about me that I carry my climbing gear with me wherever I go? It was a weird start to a weird day, but a good weird. It was just…weird.

Micah contemplates superstring existance and the role of non-Newtonian physics in the art of rock climbing under Godess.

On the way I mentioned that I wanted to get some onsights worked at Blackstone, Repo and Greenland. We stopped and hopped on Godess that I bailed on due to lack of calories and a hurtin’ liver from a bad night last night. Now that I think about it, I’m a serious fool for not going for the flash. We got schooled by a bunch of 9 year olds working a 5.9 with some super cute lady that I think I creeped out a little. I seem to have a knack for creeping cute girls out. Maybe it’s the drool and the stuttering.

I fell at the crux on my onsight attempt of Street Cleaner, which pisses me off that it’s now just a fucking redpoint. I so shoulda had that clean! dammit. frickin’ whiskey.

We headed on up to World Wall which we had all to ourselves for an unpleasantly short amount of time. Micah got to burn all the regular lines and I was considering leading Girls in the Gym. That’s when all hell broke loose and about nine of the states hardest climbers just happened to show up with their own “support troupe”. Crag got crowded real quick. Rather than sit in line waiting to get on a line and look like a fool in front of the gods (and godesses too) of the Northwest climbing scene, we bailed for the less crowded sanctuary of the Bouldergarden.

I almost couldnt believe we were doing it, but we ran all the way back to the car, dropped off the rope and harnesses and lugged the crashpad up to ’shwack our way up into the woods. Micah had a problem he wanted a send on and I wanted to devleop my own projects.  In true Micah style, his little project went down in less time that it took to garden it out from all the skanky sphagnum – 3rd go. I think he’s gonna call it Tendonbender and give it a grade of v.6. Really steep, really crimpy, long throws, and one tedious ans hell top-out. Nice work Micah, what an inspiration!

Micah winces in pain as he realizes that we've accidentally expoxied his hand onto the problem. Wait, we dont epoxy holds...but we know who does!

Noting the time and the abundance of moss, we abandoned hopes of doing much more bouldering and only stopped to gawk and the supermassive superhighball rocks just waiting for us to toprope and clean on rappel. Such potential!

Dinner at Dairy Freeze was awesome (thanks again, Micah!) and of course we didn’t stop laughing all day long. I still have insects in my hair and moss in my pants. great.

Why wasn’t my life ever this good before? Oh, yeah I remember why.

At Peanacle: Goyo (behind tree), Debrah and Sarah under Awannaduya.

Last week some folks from the Nature Conservancy stopped by and arranged to use the college’s autoclave to sterilize some soil for restoration work. At Evergreen, we support the efforts of the N.C. and their desire to reveg prairie with native plants. Last Tuesday I was filling up with water at the fountain, such is my ritual, when I noticed one of the Nature Conservancy’s big-guns looking at me a little askance; wondering why I was filling three gallons of bottles up with skanky drinking fountain water.

“This is just a little thing I do before I go climbing” I said.

“It’s creepy” from the barrel of the shotgun pointed at me.

We started talking and realized that we were both climbers, and Sarah happened to be relatively new to the area. Wanting to break in on the local climbing scene, I think she was hopeful that this might be a way in. I dunno if it was, but we exchanghed info and Friday I invited her and her friends Debrah and Goyo to Bob’s Area.

I picked Sarah up on Sunday at whatever time and we made it to Micah’s 15 minutes early. I think he’s getting sick of my compulsive promptness. Sorry, Micah. We would meet Debrah and Goyo at the trailhead.

I kind of feel bad in the sense that after we had all arrived I noticed a wee bit of unpreparedness. Had I not communicated effectively that this was an hour trudge up a consistent 8% grade for an hour? I felt like I’d maybe let some of them down. Meh, we’re here to have fun – and we all had fun I think. The three of them really seemed to have a good vibe about them and we all got along really well.

First stop was Peanacle Wall where we all sent Awannaduya (5.9), which is a really fun route. Micah got the send on A Magician Longs to See (5.11d) and we all sent a few more fun lines in the area. At Peanacle, I realized that the new members of our group (wait, were Micah and I the new members or were they??) were real troopers. Each of them had hauled goodies up, Dasso style; a pound of blueberries, gallon of iced tea, sushi… These guys knew how to relax a little with some finer luxuries.

Debrah on Awannaduya (5.9). A really fun route.

We spent the rest of the day climbing at Lost Resort, Presto Palace and Slumbersome Ridge. The girls were relegated to playing with a “bouncy ball” at some point, but I think they didn’t really need it.

We ended up hiking out late by headlamp and got to North Bend too late to stop at the Dairy Freeze for burgers. Micah, of course was hungry (as is tradition) and I could tell he was dreaming of chicken burgers all the way home.

It was a good day with new faces and I hope I get to climb a few more lines with those guys again.

The four-by plunge! from George Hayduke on Vimeo.
A photodump of an epic day out with a second family. If only gangs new that people like my friends existed, there would be no violence in the world. We can only hope. A second family for sure! You can click on all images to enlarge and alternately visit Micah’s site for more images! This is just a photoupdate from the most recent post.

At the base of Bridal Veil Falls. I really am going gray aren't I? Maybe it's because I keep hauling so much shit up on long, steep approaches?

That’s a nice crashpad on my back, and a bottle of wine, a bunch of good food and a half-case of Oly on my front. It was a killer hike up! Ugh…

Nic bails from the temps into the 45 degree water of the most beautiful lake in the world. Later, Nic!

The weather was so damned hot that glacier melt water actually felt good to me. I absolutely hate cold water because my BMI is so small. I’m not well insulated and I’m like a cat when it comes to water if it’s cold. Fortunately, today was a different story…well, after jumping off a two-story boulder, there really isn’t much going back…

Nic, Erica and I swim like mad for the warmth of the sun after the big plunge!

We just sat on the rock, getting hot and randomly but frequently flinging ourselves into nothingness and the relief of ice-cold goodness for hours on end! What a magical place this is!!! Thank you Micah for suggesting it!

The first climb of the day*. Here I am sinking ring locks while soloing into the splitter thin hands crack on the 5.12c dive platform. *okay, I'm actually on my stomach and a little drunk...sue me.

The day was tytpified by hyjinx and mischief all over the place. Climbing? Who here climbs?? We’re just havin’ some FUN!

That is not a wine bottle in my hand and I am not having the time of my life and it is not hot as hell and this is actually a picture of us on the surface of Pluto. Psych!!!!

Frivolity was the name of the game and the theme for the day. We didn’t care about anything other than just living honestly and playing as hard as we could. We are such successful people!

First send of the day!!! After my second to last plunge (I had to plunge to get off this boulder) I sent the Lake Boulder (V.wet). A pretty sick line, goes up two grades: one for tennis shoes, one for dampness. My first V.12!!!!

We just kept diving and jumping and eating and drinking and farting…and climbing! Nic tried to send this Lake Boulder in bare feet but wasnt committed. I had the forethought to wear shoes and sent! VENGA!!!!! *chuckles*

After the sun went behind Index it was time to boulder hard. We trompsed around a little and found a plethora of problems. Erica sends hardcore here; lookin' fine on the sick line! So much fun!

After our beloved star had crossed behind the towering mass of granite we call Index, it was cool enough to boulder a little. We didn’t give a shit about grades, only fun. Erica really crushed when it came to the V.fun shit!

Nic gives everything he's got to the V.1/V.2 problem! Nice effort bro! (he he he)

Nic wowed us with his Sharma Scream as he struggled up the first problem. The scenery, the backdrop and the ambiance of the setting totally gave us the energy to be able to send such hard problems as this!!!

Me on the V.0 arete, What a magical place to be able to chill with a crew suffering from a killer vibe and climb under one of the most magnificent peaks in the northwest!

Lake Serene is a place with endless bouldering opportunities and I really feel like we were the second group up there. After Kelley, it felt right. We wanted to climb the place out!

Sara looks like she's ready to dyno all the way to the top; compressed spring-style. What great climbing!!!

We just sat and chilled and climbed and relaxed and drank beer and climbed some more and bonded. There isn’t a greater place on earth than this place in the company of these people! Family!

Speaking of more beer, Sara runs down to the lake to grab a couple fresh ones for us. Climb on!!!

Erica gets ready to send Greg’s Arete while Sara restocks the beer trough.

I smear really well after a few cold ones, perhaps I should bring a pint along on my next multipitch....Nah, maybe not. Erica is spotting me really well, too! *rib*

Without any pressure, or actually any desire to pay attention to grades or names or ticks, climbing became fun again. “Let’s just go up this thing” was the name of the game. A family sort of game…

Micah on the V.12 super-dyno pinscar crack to open hand crimp from a one hand mono on no feet. That guy is amazing!!!!!

There were some harder problems we all tried…and, um..failed on. It’s going next time!!! It’s a PROJECT now!

Nic throws a nice dyno on the V.0 arete. Way to get up it man!!! Wait, it was monkey bars.....

Ha ha! so much fun!

Nic going for the crimp over the lip on The High Life. Not sure what it would go at the way we did it, but Kelley started lower.

We wanted to keep climbing all night, but about 5:30, the thunder jumped over the lip of Mt. Index and pretty much made us all it’s bitch. Time to run home from the neighborhood bully: high voltage electricity!

four-fifths of the Serene crew. Me, Nic, Erica and Sara, all soaking wet from the storm. Wait, where's the good looking guy with all those muscles?

We pretty much ran down the 4 miles of trail to the trailhead away from the threat of being deep-fried by lightning. When we got to the car the rain had stopped, but the hunger had totally set in!

There's the fifth man, the big dog, the man with the plan! Micah wows us all with his jazz hands before going to get bad mexican food.

What a great trip. totally free of any expectation, all pressure and any need to perform in any way. It was pure fun, relaxation and beauty wrapped up in a nice package! thanks Micah for suggesting it! You’re the MAN, bro!

It’s unanimous. This was a great day – far exceeding any other trip and our wildest expectations. Last week, as Micah and I were hiking up to Bob’s Area we came up with the idea that we’d go spend a week relaxing, maybe go for a nice hike – maybe somewhere Micah had always dreamed of. Like, say…Maybe Lake Serene under phenomenal Mt. Index. Yeah! Just the two of us with the lake, a good hike, some beers and of course the great bouldering.

The imposing 2,500 ft of Index massif as the sun set behind it at 2:30 pm as seen from our appartment-complex-sized diving platform. I think I see a good trad pitch or two up there...

But we couldn’t do it without Nic. And then we couldn’t also do it without Erica. Eventually it became a free for all and the entire group was expected to come. Plus, it was supposed to be 101 today, and what better way to escape the heat? In the end, with people working and everything, the Serene crew consisted of Sara, Erica, Nic, Micah and myself.

We got to the trailhead at 10-ish after the 2 hour drive to Index and got to work crawling the four miles and 2100 vertical feet up to Lake Serene. I had told Micah that I wanted to climb, even though it was an R&R trip, and that I’d haul the crashpad all the way up. I also smuggled 35 pounds of beer and wine, and 6 extra pounds of food along with water. I was loaded down, but made it none the less – well, a little less hydrated maybe.

Sara and Erica just getting to the lake. The sigh of relief as you realize that "this up shit" is over.

Once at the lake, we hooped and hollered so loud we scared all the other people out of the swayle and had the place to ourselves. We’d seen the video of Kelly Sheridan and crew bouldering and doing backflips off a massive boulder roughly the size of a small cargo ship, which we found and high-tailed it to straight away. This was a good spot.

Once there, Nic didn’t waste a second before getting some Greg Luganis style half gainers in which resulted in a rather chest-popping, heart-stopping and otherwise monumental belly flop. From 20 feet into glacier water, that had to hurt.

Nothing a beer wont cure!

The 'family' chills, some of us wet, some even wetter, in the 100 degree heat on our magnificently massive rock perch.

We spent a few hours diving, jumping, swimming, eating, drinking beer, drinking wine, telling funny stories, getting naked (you know who you are…), I even got in the first climb of the day – and I bet Kelly never sent it (you have to jump off a 20 foot boulder and swim to climb the 18 foot boulder out in the lake). The sun receded behind the majestic-as-all-get-out Mt. Index at 2:30 so it was now getting cooler and time to climb.

We grabbed the pad I’d hauled up and our shoes and found some cool problems straight away (I’m stealing pics I took from other people’s cameras for this post…) We all worked to warm up on a cool V.1/2 and Sara got a great redpoint on her first-in-a-long-time outdoor boulder. Next I found a really fun V.0 arete that had some variations to it that we all worked and Nic was excited about a V.3 roof-ish problem that he and Micah sent but was too much for my injured elbow (yeah, on the D.L. again…) right about then we got jumped.

We got jumped by one of the most massive and active thunderstorms I have ever experienced – and I’ve been through a few (including the 1980 eruption of St. Helens). All I remember saying was “Guys, we need to go, RIGHT NOW!” to which I heard the reply “No effing shit man!”. What had taken us a good 30 minutes to get to we reduced to ten minutes in retreat in the face of catastrophic electrocution. The four mile hike out became a slow jog down some very, very steep terrain in a torrential downpour. This was certainly not an unwelcomed phenomenon on a day like this – giant ice-cold raindrops soaking my bare body in the oppressively humid heat and making the downclimb more like the tropical Mexican rainforest I’ve spent so much time in. It really reminded me of my years in Mexico! The entire time there wasn’t a moment – a single instant – where there was not thunder rolling in the cloud above us. Quite impressive and reminiscent of my childhood.

The soaking wet Serene crew at the base of Bridal Veil Falls. What are you guys looking and pointing at? Naked people? Micah??

Once at the car the rain finally tapered off and we headed to find some place to eat. A word of caution to hungry eaters on SR2, avoid La Hacienda in Sultan, WA. Don’t waste your time, money or gastrointestinal integrity. We laughed and sang and ate and fiercely loved one another like close family from 7:00am this morning until 11:30 tonight. Life is about this shit people. Get out of your cubicles!

And you know it’s been a good day when you get home and pull empty crushed beer cans out of your pocket that you didnt realize had been there all day. It was a good day!

Micah is right: everything you say is an affirmation.

Micah smiles for the camera after my redpoint of Salterello Presto, which starts to the right.

On the way down from Tuesday’s defeat at Bob’s Area, we decided that today we would come back with different goals for climbing: back to our roots. Climbing would once more be fun again, a sick line is not only a place to sweat and scream and bleed, but also to relax and laugh and make up funny shit about your friends who were too wimpy to show up. Climbing is for fun and for yourself.

We decided to lose the competitive drive that had invaded our zen little space last week, and try to put some more ballet back into our movement.

We left Oly at 11, and before we hit the 5 I could tell today was going to be different. We were laughing again, we were quoting funny movies and cracking seriously crude jokes about purely stupid stuff. Back to the old zen! By the time we got to Mt. Washington, we were primed; today was fun already and we were only in competition with ourselves – and as always we supported each other. This is the way it should be.

It was already a good day even if we didn’t send anything.

We took the trail from hell pretty slow, stopping to try to identify birds, eat blueberries and pee off random cliffs. When we got to Crawling from the Wreckage we didn’t even worry about climbing, we weren’t in a hurry. We ate, laughed and then finally climbed. Micah warmed up on Firing up Bob and then it was time for business. He gave a few goes on Crawling, realizing the crux for him isn’t physical – he’s got the moves – its mental. We worked on him getting past his psych problem, rehearsing the movement to condition himself that the scene was doable and safe. Time for a rest though – and time for Greg’s nemesis, Salterello Presto (5.11a).

We hiked up to Slumbersome Ridge to warm up. I got on Ultra-Mega Slab (5.mossy) which needs a good gardener. Micah got the onsight of an .11c that he was happy with. It was a good effort even on hidden surprise jugs. Now it was time to get to Presto Palace and my prize!

On Tuesday while I was working this project I fell and blew the toe out of my favorite shoes, so I went down and bought another pair yesterday. New shoes suck. I had climbed Ultra-Mega in them and it was sketch, they just didn’t move right with my feet, and when I got on Salterello in them it was really bad! I got high enough to place the second draw and came down voluntarily. No way was it gonna go in stiff new shoes. Luckily I’d had the forethought to haul my old shoes up with me just in case, so on they went. Trusted old friends, albeit mildly smelly.

Second go was good, but I was in bad position to make the third clip and came off pumped. This time it was going to go for sure. Somehow today, my feet were suddenly back in the game, I knew where they were and where they should go – flawlessly.

“Climbing”. “Climb” Micah said. Pull-on and lunge for the first sloper. Latch! Feet high and throw hard for the second sidepull. Latch! Heel hook and clip. Clip! Stand and throw to the two-finger incut. Latch and clip! Get your feet high and throw to the greasy crimp. Latch! Feet high again and lunge to the crappy sidepull. Latch (but do not clip!!). Throw to the jug, then clip! Latch and clip! Feet high again and rock over the the victory jug on top. LATCH! Clip those chains! Clip! Howl like you mean it! The postal service is busy tonight, ’cause I just sent some shit!!!

The battle was over. My second 5.11a of the year went down after two weeks of intense hand-to-hand combat. After all of that, I actually wished that had been at least 20 meters taller. It’s not the longest route in the world, it’s more like at 40-foot boulder problem on a rope. The movement and the technique are totally my style though and I love this route. So far it is my absolute favorite thing I have ever climbed.

We paraded around like imbeciles for a few minutes and then got on our way back to Crawling for Micah. He did some phenomenal mental work there. We worked over the problem for another 90 minutes or so until we were comfortable that the links were set and doable. When it was time to send, it was clear that Micah was out of gas. He has this route in the bag, today it was a matter of the head game and after solving that, still having the strength to pull out a 5.13a that’s had to have had all the holds glued back on the route was probably not doable. It’s not an easy route and in my vocabulary anything harder than a 5.12a is worthy of a lifetime of praise. Micah is a true champ who climbs not only for the fun and purity of the sport, but for the inner rewards and success of conquering his own headgame when he steps up to a huge problem. It’s no wonder that guy is one of my best friends; he’s quality through-and-through. The epitome of moral fiber. For a great description of this route, check Dom’s blog, the only one of us to have sent it yet.

On the way out we stopped by Amazonia so I could try another .11a (wouldn’t it be cool if I bagged two .11a’s in one day??), but I opted out because it was getting late and we wanted double bacon cheese burgers from the Dairy Freeze!

Dinner was awesome under a crimson sunset sky with alpenglow shining off Mt. Si. The drive home has never been so full of honest laughter and pure fun as tonight.

It’s nice to find time to remember your original purpose behind something; to peek from behind all the distractions.

It’s life, folks. As much as your distractions remove you from it, you cannot escape it. Embrace it! Sonnie has the right idea.

Time for a new problem and a new meditation. I’m done climbing for a week. This weekend finds me sailing the San Juans with my great friend Charley Waters, Wendesday the crew will be partying in our shorts and beer-helmets at Lake Serene. A little R&R is in order before Squamish.

Gettin' the sides straight. It didn't matter though, because I dabbed the pimp side lunging for the crimp. Damn. I also cannot spell while climbing.

Tuesday found Micah, Erica and I back up at Bob’s area for project work again. This wasn’t a trip for fun or frivolity, this was for the suffering, pain, struggle and ultimately for the agony of defeat. Leaving earlier than normal, we struggled under the burdon of excessive heat and humidity up “the trail the devil made” towards our goals. Making it less pleasant was letting a girl who likes riding her bike a thousand miles at a time set the pace. The two old guys struggled a bit and when we got to Crawling from the Wreckage a break was in order.

The place was deserted though, we only ran into one old guy who seemed to have been lost or thought he was somewhere in the North Cascades. I dont know why, but this place never surprises me with its ability to produce the most random and sometimes disturbing trail encounters.

Micah just past the first crux on Crawling from the Wreckage.

Micah got on Wreckage and linked it up really slick up until the really hard clip, then down. Rinse and repeat. And repeat again. Just remember, “Micah, you cannot aid this route, man!”. After wearing out on Wreckage, Erica got her first super clean 10c lead under her belt on Firing up Bob, which was nice to see because she had been a little sketched out about the route a few days ago. It just shows that she’s able to get into a good headspace about hard problems and overcome her own doubts. That talent, one I wish I had, will serve her well.

Erica leads her first 5.10c and still has the presence to look good doing it.

Time to take a breather from the 13a and head up to Presto Palace, where I was about to be spanked like a little girl. I hadn’t eaten much of anything for 36 hours and the expedited hike had worn me out, but I was going to give her as many goes as I had. Micah climbed up for video and I tied in with Erica on the catching end. I pulled on, made the first few lunges with good movement, but the damned rock felt greasy. I came off. Rinse and repeat again. In the end, I made the chains twice, but it weren’t purdy.

At the last clip, a really desperate one given that a fall from that crappy sidepull crimp means you'll be decking-out. Next time I'm just running it out.

Next up was Erica’s attempt to redpoint her first 5.11b, Stemming out Beyond the Gray, a worthy goal! We wandered down and loaded up for her attempt, she looked great – smooth and powerful – right up until the 11b part when the sequence just evaded her eyes. It’s a hard climb, but a pretty line. The third person of the day to face defeat, Erica was spat off just like the boys, but because neither Micah or I had the strength right then to clean the pitch, she was committed to get to the chains – which she did. A terrific effort!

We lounged for a minute, and then we all went and worked on our projects some more. And then some more, and a little bit more after that. And we all got shut down some more too. We hiked out realizing that we’d come up not for fun, but for work. It was a day of pain, fear, desperation and ultimately defeat. We realized that we’d approached the day with expectations of success, which is something we’d always promised we’d never do – and we were humbled by the rock gods for our hubris. We needed an attitude adjustment – and we got it.

In North Bend we scarfed double bacon cheeseburgers, fries and shakes at the Dairy Freeze with our tails still between our legs. Reconnection with one another was the theme for the drive home, a lot of relationships were clarified and redefined that day, not only within ourselves, but between us and the rock and each other too. I didn’t come away from this trip defeated as much as adjusted and primed for my penance to be paid.

Curry y vino at the Crag: L to R Micah, Nic, Dom and Erica. Just about too late to downclimb the 4000 ft to the car, but not too late after a bottle of wine!

The convoluted nature of my monetary gains and it’s competition with my desire to be outside doing fingertip pullups is one you might not be familiar with, but you should get used to it. Last weekend, if you read me often, you’ll realize that the crew and I got out Saturday at Little Si, and if you remember my girl, Eirca, and I got out Sunday too…to Leavenworth (and Exit 38 in the same day). That meant I needed to work a full weekend this pay period to be able to live (I mean…climb!).

So, what does a guy do? He takes Friday off his day job to climb! This finds me at Bob’s Area at Mt. Washington, off of Exit 38. Not difficult, but a good plan. I have a project up there, Saltallero Presto (5.11a) and the other guys wanted to hit Crawling From the Wreckage (5.13a). That way I can climb a little more rock and make a little more money. Well worth it!

Nic, Micah and Dom projected Wreckage for a few hours and got all the good beta they needed. Micah and I are going back Tuesday, but Dom went up today, so we’ll see who gets the first redpoint. (building anticipation…..!!!!sDFJKHASKDFJHASKHASKDF)

I picked Nic up early so we could run some errands for him and then we booked it to Micah’s to head to 38. Five-man crew today. good vibes and, well, surprises lay ahead…. *grin*

Nic and Erica stopped at Amazonia down low to warm up on some fun stuff, but Micah and Dom had a 13a on their minds and I could only think about my project, so I headed up with the big boys. Micah and Dom worked and few 5.10+’s that I wasn’t going to touch for to save my strength for Presto, but they looked good.

Eventually, Nic and Erica showed up to see the guys working their asses off on Crawling. Major progress was made and  if the redpoint hasn’t gone down by this writing (I haven’t talked to Dom) then it will by Tuesday.

After dickering at Crawling from the Wreckage, we hit Alpinia. A few surprises awaited all of us! We all sent a few easy leads to warm up, I wanted to get on my project and…well, we were hungry. Erica, the crag goddess fir the day, had brought her camp gear and asked everyone to bring veggies. As a surprise, Nic and I smuggled a bottle of vino up the hour-long slog (along with my 7 liters of water (UGH!).

In the end, Erica is a killer cook in the backcountry (yum….) and I think I satisfied everyone’s disdain for downclimbing at night with a little wine.

We all climbed really hard (I almost sent my proj, ground-up! Thanks, Erica, for the most awesome belay in the world, even on that last “TAAAAAAKE”!!)

In the end, This climb was magic! we hiked hard, hauled a ton of gear and supplies, we stayed late and loved one another deeply. This is what makes climbers different than everyone else: a total sense of community. Erica had the genius idea to become crag mother for the night and cook us all a friggin awesome coconut curry dinner, and I had the sense, with Nic’s wisdom, to smuggle a bottle of Merlot up high (sorry, legs….). The rest of the guys simply wowed us all day with their muscles.

At 1:30 am I dropped Erica at her house and drove myself home with a  glowing feeling of success. The guys had made serious progress on the new “dude-proj”, Crawling from the Wreckage, and I had almost sent my project too. Last time I could only get to the first bolt. This time I got to the last bolt. Next time, its goin’ DOWN!!

Beautiful times for beautiful people. I love these folks. More pictures to come, More pictures already in the Imagery link.

A few posts ago, I promised y’all that I’d post video of Micah sending his 5.12d project, Judgment Day Direct at World Wall One.

Well here it is! (on Micah’s blog.)

Watch the whole thing folks! It’s worth it! I get weepy every time I watch it, what a trial and success! Every time I watch this and see one of my best friends sticking the hardest thing he’s ever stuck, I smile and nod. Good job, brother. You deserve this! I spent days and days with Micah working this line, and to see it on video, shot by the man who set the route, is one of the coolest things on Earth.

You have no idea what a treat this is for you to see…

The crew: Mika, Nic, Micah, Erica and me (out of frame)

The story of the day is of Micah’s completion of his project Judgment Day Direct (5.12d). Props go out to the man in the glasses! I’d been catching for him a few tries earlier in the day today, but he felt off and wasn’t committing to the final throw. He decided, wisely, to rest a bit so Erica and I went around the ledge to work some leads on Reptiles and Amphetamines. I led ground-up and she followed and just as she topped out and got back down I heard Micah give a good scream from up high. We knew he was working the line but I couldn’t get around the corner because Erica was still tied-in! I stripped out slack so I could get around and not tug on her just in time to see Micah latch the final move (the one he kept falling on) and nail it solid! From then it became a total scream fest for the next five minutes of cheer, hoots, venga’s and fuck-yeah’s.

Even sicker than that was the fact that Mike Massey, the guy who authored Judgment Day Direct in ‘96 had actually climbed up Girls in the Gym (adjacent to JDD) and was taking video! I’ll post the video as soon as I get a copy, maybe Monday at game night.

and even better…today was sending day for EVERYONE!

An example of questionable belay technique. Like, actually being there. Micah's thoughts right about now: "Where the fuck is Nic?"

Nic got JDD clean, Bust a Move and his high point on Californicator.

Mika worked to the chains on Bust a Move.

The most wicked list though, I think, was Erica’s who owned the place physically and mentally today. She stood up to some pretty stiff lines, leading Devil’s Advocate, Reptiles and Amphetamines, and nearly flashing BLM5! She also got to the chains on Psycho (I cant even to that!) and nearly flashed Bust a Move!

The days just get better and better! The people just get better and better. The scenery is amazing. Life is a beatiful thing!

So, I dont have any images yet, so I’ll post one that I yanked from Micah’s site.

Melody and I watch as Laura belays Dom up Architect Rally.

Today was the first day of my Wilderness Medicine class. I have so mutch pitch in my hair and I never want to have that many hands all over my body again in my life…well, maybe someday.

Here’s the motto for the day…

Nic begging Dom for beta. Thank goodness he's got T-mobile, better network and all.

“Dom, I know you’re on holiday with your family, but were at Alpinia Wall and we left the guidebook somewhere. Can you tell us which one of these lines is the 11b and the 11d?”

No post tonight because I decked it a bit and just now realized that I’m a little lot worse for wear. Gonna be limping for a while. That, and I’m tired.

A climber died today. Take a moment and reflect on how precious life is and the value you place on it.

Micah’s back from his trip to Boulder (CO that is). I just read the TR on his blog and thought I’d share some of his amazing adventure.

Big lunge

Nice problem

I really dig the colors of the stone. Glad you had an awesome trip Micah! Now that you’re back we can go climbing!

Yesterday morning saw me waking up on my mom’s couch having gotten little meaningful sleep. I’d been hydrating like mad the day before and doing lots of farm work for mom so she could punch a new driveway into her property. I knew I was going to have to take good care of my abused hands, so I tried to take it easy. Instead I gave myself two terribly painful and very deep blisters in the meat of the distal ends of my right middle and ring fingers. My power fingers. Damn.

After rising Sunday, I drank a bunch of coffee and lazily, or should I say groggily (add that to Webster’s why doncha) wandered around with mom observing the fabulous progress of her gardens. Mom and her friend could tell, I think, that I was lacking enthusiasm for what was coming, I was moping – I was a ton of bricks. What they didn’t know is that I was focusing and I was intimidated, apprehensive and frightened. I continued to focus on three things: have fun, be humble, try my hardest.

I’d talked to Micah the day before and he mentioned that he was bringing a friend of his, Nick, climbing with us. Now I wasn’t just mentally flailing from the imposition of steeper-than-Lay-Z-Boy pitches, but I was going to have to go [have fun, be humble and try my hardest] with some stranger who had the potential to end up being a world-class dick. Knowing Micah, the chances of Nick being an elitist sprayer were almost certainly zero, but my tendency towards moderate social anxiety sometimes gets the best of me.

[have fun, be humble, try your hardest]

Micah and Nick showed up to get me, Nick immediately jumped out of the front seat, opened the back door, introduced himself and shook my hand. Obviously this was not only a world-class climber, but a world-class human being as well. The drive to Little Si went great as Nick and I got to know each other. I was impressed at the level of constant conversation and the effort Nick took to include me in it. Still, my mind was still caught on the fear of the upcoming task. The tinge of excitement that I missed so much was there, but it had been so long since I’d been on a rope – this time with untested gear, an unfamiliar crag with unfamiliar people – the anxiety was killing me.

[have fun, be humble, try your hardest]

I felt a little better at the trailhead, mainly because of Nick and Micah’s supportive and spiritual nature – and that we were finally here. No going back now. No balking once the rope is tied. No failing. Being able to relax helped me focus more on my climbing: the fluid movement, straight arms, trusting my gear, trusting my belayer and shit – just breathing! The hike was fun and when we got to World Wall One I could hear it. It was like a time warp! I could hear the constant broken conversations coming from about 50 feet above me at the ledge, and then reports from hundreds of feet above me on the wall. That coupled with the constant, metallic “tink-tink-tink” of dozens of ‘biner gates took me back to when I used to do this crazy, insane and incredibly addictive sport. More anxiety!

[have fun, be humble, try your hardest]

We got to the ledge and the place was packed with every species of climber from Microsoft execs from Austria to 15 year old dirtbags projecting a new 13a. They were everywhere. More [social] anxiety!

[have fun, be... time to climb. Step up Dasso, you wimp]

Micah and Nic immediately began to giggle like girls, unloaded gear, unwrapped rope, counted out enough draws for Rainy Day Woman and I drank some water. I wanted beta. I hadn’t done this since before the Grigri was invented, and I wanted to see how it was used (cue old man voice yelling at the children). Within minutes they’d both burned Rainy Day Woman and it was suddenly my turn. Most people had left this area, so I felt comfortable getting up on a 5.9 for my first pitch in 12 years. I dug my clippers out of my pack, clipped the blisters on my fingers and taped the little proto-flappers down. Focused, I concentrated on my movement, resting and purpose. Micah gave me the beta, showed me the chains, but I was balking. “Meh, show me again Micah. Where does the route go”? I was tied in already – commitment.

Nick on Psychopsomatic 5.12d

Micah simply crushing the hell out of the rock...

[have fun, be humble, shit your pants]

It was decision time. I stepped up, pulled on to the first jug and a wave of familiarity came over me. A feeling unlike anything you’ll ever feel, it was simultaneously a feeling of calm comfort, stress, excitement, terror, glee and love. I totally love this feeling of problem solving, route finding and ultimately beating the ever-living-shit out of that dirty little bitch in the back of your head that keeps telling you that a television is what you should be in front of rather than hundreds of feet of eocene-epoch Andesite. “Yeah, Greg. Come on”! from below. Friends…

Me cruising past the crux on BLM5 (5.10c)

[have fun]. Check! One down.

Micah and Nic did a great job of motivating me to the chains as I got pumped quick and probably would have bailed if not for them. I summarily repeated my mental promise to myself on another 9 called Reptiles and Amphetamines, which was a super cool juggy crack with a smeary slab top-out. I was getting psyched to do more, my confidence super-high (pulse even higher!) and really excited to be there with two of the best people on the planet. I also wanted them to get in some of their own projects so I laid low for a couple of hours and motivated while they worked on Psycho, Californicator, Chronic and the like, all 12’s.

Getting to the Chains. Yessss!

[be humble]. Check. Two down.

Next it was time for Greg to get some more pitches in, said Micah and Nick, and I was excited for it. Micah suggested another 9, but I was feeling a little bit like something harder was in order. We walked teetered up the super-exposed belay ledge and it’s consequential death-fall upon slippage to the Micro World wall where we decided to try BLM5, 5.10c. Micah lead the pitch. I stepped up, pulled on and – according to Micah – smoked the crux, which I thought was the easy part. It must be all the bouldering I’ve been doing. I really like big, powerful, dynamic movement. This pitch was a grade and a half harder than the last two and twice as tall. I pumped out near the top, but they wouldn’t let me down. Thanks, guys!It really was a super classic climb; steep and powerful low with some crimps on a slab, underclings, sidepulls and difficult routefinding.

[try your hardest]. Check. Trifecta!

We climbed until after 9pm, Summer is beautiful! Hiking out in twilight with a warm-ish breeze through the forest with terrific friends was payment enough, but to have accomplished so much that day tops the cake. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better day!

One of the observations I made about my own progress is that I only had anxiety on the ground. On the rock I was just as solid mentally as the rock, I know my technique is good enough to not get spanked by a 10c, and that I can pull moves much, much harder that those. As a boulderer, though, I do need to work on my endurance a lot. I never balked once I was up – I’m really, really comfortable with the heights, it was my physical strength that I need to work on.

On the drive home conversation was lively, full of laughter and at the same time replete with depth commensurate with the depth of the people I was talking to. Somewhere in the conversation, I could read tacit questions about the meaning of life, which is the root of what we all do. I am humbled and at the same time exhaulted to be in the presence of people like this. Life is priceless some days.

I think the meaning of life is that it should be lived – and lived purely and simply – with exactly those intentions. That ego, pretension and insecurity are distractions from living life fully. I have my struggles and my problems with those things, not because I ate a McCrap burger because I saw Ronald on TV tell me I wanted to, but because I am insecure about a few things. I think life is worth living – and living to the end – is because I’ll always have those insecurities.

Vini Vidi Vici myself.

By the way, the title has to do with Nick’s diet and the resultant gastrointestinal turbulance:

All Hail the Fiber One Bar!!!

Read Micah’s report here and Nicks here eventually…