So, I hiked again today...

So this morning my friend Josh and I woke up at 3 a.m. and headed up into the park to climb Long's Peak, the highest point in the park. So after getting on the trail at a little after 3:30 Josh and I were able to successfully summit at 6:50. Pretty awesome hike and I'm super psyched that I was able to make it as quickly as I did. It is definitely one of the fastest summit times out of anyone to climb it from the Y this summer. Here are some pics from the rest of the hike:

This is the part of the hike called the Keyhole. You hike up a boulder field and through the keyhole out the other side.


After hiking out through the keyhole you head into an area called the ledges. It's a little bit of rock scrambling but all in all pretty easy because you lose some elevation.


The ledges lead into an area called the trough which sucked. It's just a loose scree field and I started out not switchbacking so I tired myself out pretty quickly but got the picture towards the top.


The trough puts you out into the next area called the narrows which is about 5-8 ft. ledges that are really nice and comfortable to hike on as long as you can stand the exposure. Evidently some people lock up at this point.


Finally this is looking down from the top towards the last area aptly called the home stretch. It's a pretty cool slabby area with some fun little slab moves that made me feel like I was climbing. It was without a doubt my favorite part of the hike although at altitude it was freaking hard.


On the way down we found this really friendly chipmunk. I felt bad about feeding him though. That's not too ethical.


Here is a shot of me in front of the diamond. It is the burly face of Long's Peak. It would be pretty awesome to climb that one day.


Finally we made it back down to tree line, cooled off in this nice creek and finished out the day in time to be back at the Y at noon for dinner!

Suzuki Boulder

Today Joey, Jeremy, and I headed up into the park and went bouldering at the Suzuki Boulder. It was looking pretty rough leaving and we really thought that we might not have too much of the afternoon to boulder hard so as soon as we got there Jeremy and I started working the V4 that has put me off every attempt...until today. After the first two tries I was able to remember all of the beta and then after a few sloppy heel hooks and a few desperate throws I was finally able to put everything together and pull out of the top! Send! I'm psyched again for climbing!

After that send we all chilled and worked a few other of the problems for the rest of the evening and headed back to the Y with Jeremy nabbing a repeat send of this really dumb V3.

Not me but Marty is here pulling the crux move which is a throw to this pinch off of a crappy left crimp:

Cottontail

Well after work was rained out today I headed out to the Cottontail Crag with Wayne, Lyndsey, and Rob to hit up Arms Race 5.11b and Pay At The Pump 5.11c. After not having climbed for a full six days lets just say that I felt...refreshed.

Rob ran up Arms Race real quick and set the draws and then it was my turn to give things a go. The route starts out with a cool little .10a section pulling up over a little bulge at the bottom and the moves up through some easier moves to pull onto a ledge. The ledge is bomber so I took a second and chilled out and stretched to forearms to try and get myself fully warmed up since Arms Race is the easiest route at Cottontail. After that you pull up on some small crimps through another 5.10 section and then you're at the next bulge. From there you clip the next bolt and traverse left along a line of good crimps and then get a high right foot to reach for a decent edge to help pull the bulge the rest of the way. From above the bolt you move through a series of crappy pockets up to a sloper where I heel in with the left and move out to the iron cross crux move. The cross is made to a good crimp wide enough for both hands so you match, readjust feet and then nail a crimp and take slopers to the top. Sent! Which I was super psyched about and it's nice to know that my one 5.11b send wasn't a fluke. Also, the fact that I feel this route was a little harder is nice since it only took me 5 goes to get the send where the last one spit me off like 15+.

Next, we went over to Pay at the Pump a 5.11c crimpfest which I was able to work through with only two takes (sitting on the rope when I get stuck). I'm pretty psyched and the moves definitely seem like right at the upper levels of my ability. Maybe I'll even be able to head back and get that one for the redpoint here soon!

Well it's nice to have my psyche back and I hope that I can get this blog back on track with good climbing news. Preferably with lots of news of sends!

Things I resent the most...

1. Texans
2. Texans in Colorado
3. Pushy Texans in Colorado
4. Pushy Texans wearing hair gel in Colorado
5. Pushy Texans wearing hair gel and talking about Texas football in Colorado

Also it turns out that I won't be getting out of work on the 8th of August to go to the Red River Gorge with Drew after all. It sucks and it really messes up some of my plans for the summer. I'll just have to figure something out to make up for not being able to climb at the Red.

The Crew...

Well, I haven't honestly been climbing here very much over the last few days mainly because I'm just feeling exhausted and nearly climbed out. My body aches in odd places and my fingers feel fried so the last three days have been strictly rest time (except for a stupid workout Drew suckered me into). So, just to have something going on on the blog I figured that I might make a post with a picture of the crew that I've been fortunate enough to have all of this time to climb with this summer. So, in no particular order!

Emily:


Kevin: Came from Missouri without climbing for a few months and gets here and still kicks most peoples butts. Also, in the background of that picture is the Diamond which is the gnarly face of Longs Peak.


Robert: Most psyched climber I think that I've met this summer. I think the last count was like 9 consecutive days without a rest.


Jeremy: Climbs hard and makes the most ridiculous faces that I've ever seen from anyone climbing. Look how crazy he can look while even just belaying!


Drew: The one and only Dude Bro, and probably the person that I've climbed the most with this summer. Dude's strong.


Wayne: A super psyched boulderer from Arkansas. Climbs hard to boot.


Gabe: Should I have to say anything more?


Justin: Also known as Mardy for some apparent reason. He used to be a boulderer but thankfully we've converted him to a sport climber and now the dude has blown up. Real strong. I don't know what the eff he is doing in this picture though. haha


Joey: Not a climber so much as our photographer. A crap ton of my pictures come from this super cool Malaysian and she's without a doubt one of my favorite people from the summer!


Tim: Another strong climber from Arkansas. A usual quote from Tim is, "just dyno it."


Lastly, I got suckered in to taking some stupid pictures on the slackline with a monkey from some group.


I think that it was a pretty good feat of balance if I do say so myself!

Anyways, I hope that everyone is doing fine back in KY, and I'm glad to say that mom is back safe and sound so watch her blog for when she starts throwing up some of her like 2000+ pictures she took while in Europe!

The Ironclads

Today, my buddy Kevin Martin and I headed out to the Ironclads which is south of Estes near Allenspark. All in all I'd have to say that the day went pretty well. We were able to warm up today actually, which was great! I started out and onsighted a 5.8 called Thieving Bitch. I was pretty psyched on that! Next, I moved on down and then made another onsight, this time it was of a pretty interesting 5.10c called Short Take. It was a pretty cool route with a neat undercling crux section. Next, we went over and I came extremely close to onsighting a really cool 5.10d roof. I fell right in the crux though and missed a huge effing jug that would have made the whole process a lot easier. Finally, we moved down a few more routes where I was able to make another onsight. This time of a really scary 5.10b. It really tested my head game and I can't say that it was one of my more favorite routes that I've ever been on. haha.

I didn't take any pictures though so my word will just have to do.

Boulder and Big Elk Meadows

Well yesterday was my friend Drew's birthday so since we were both off of work early we decided to head in to Boulder and bum around for a bit. While there we were lucky enough to stop at REI - read sarcasm into that - I was able to make it away spending only $120. I did get some good finds though; I found a new harness and a really nice Mountain Hardware vest, that isn't really necessary for anything except to appease my vanity. I suck.

After boulder we headed up to Oskar Blues in Lyons to eat dinner and have a few beers with a few friends and listen to a really cool band, which coincidentally enough is playing tonight at the Rock Inn where I am about to head out to. After Oskar's we went and camped at Big Elk Meadows to do some bouldering in the morning and afternoon.

Bouldering sucked. I sent a V1. Kind of depressing for me. However, I did come close on a number of other problems one of which was a V4 and the other a V5 but I just couldn't work out the beta. I just can't get to feeling too strong here lately. It kind of sucks.

Sunday, I'm supposed to head to a crag called the Ironclads with my buddy Kevin to do some sport climbing. I'm pretty excited and there is a huge selection of routes so it will be great to warm up on something that isn't a 5.11. haha. I'd really like to get some 10's onsight tomorrow if possible too so we'll have to see what happens!

I hope things are going well Mom and I'm checking your blog as often as possible. Scott, you're a bum and get your ass out here! I hope everyone else is doing well!

Monastery and a Pitch

Wow. The Monastery has to be right there on my list of least favorite crags that I've ever been to. The majority of the climbing there consists of a real loosely metamorphosed granite. Meaning that the rock is easy to pull out and that the majority of the climbing is on small pebbles and chunks of mica. In other words that majority of the climbing is choss (crappy rock/crappy climbing). The other portion of the rock I've been on is less than vertical and tends to be tiny holds on super sandbagged routes. We got on a supposed super classic .10c while we were at the Monastery oan Sunday and Drew and I were shut down cold on it. IT SUCKED! Other than that route I got in one pitch of 5.8 climbing. I hate it. I feel like my physical ability is deteriorating.

This after noon after eating my face full of food and then eating ice cream Drew and I headed out to the Marble and Downhill Boulders to do a real quick session and the reality of the summer is finally setting in. I'm in worse shape now that I was when I came out here...

I guess I just need to suck it up and climb my butt off here over the next three weeks and get ready for the fall. Anyways, here are a few pictures of the .11b I'm working up at Cottontail. I really think that I should be able to get it in the next few goes. I've only thrown on it four times too, so it would be a considerable improvement in time/tries over the other .11b I got earlier this summer.



Clipping the bolt after the second of the .10c cruxes on the route. From the bolt below the little bulge you have to traverse left along a line of crimps (that reminds me a lot of the crimp section on Hidden Treasure at Jackson Falls) and then bump up to a left hand crimp then get a high right foot and go for a good hold with the right. You can see those two holds that are chalked right by my left knee.


Here I'm clipping the last bolt and about the move up into the little alcove to the right where you pull off a slopey hold and then heel in with the left foot and get into an iron cross (a full arm span extension move) and move up on a pinch to a crimp and out slopers to the anchors.

Low Motivation...Less Climbing

Well, for some reason here of late my motivation has been waining. It's pretty frustrating to not be really motivated to climb, but for some reason all that really gets my excited about climbing is bouldering and thinking about climbing back at Jackson. I think that I might even be a little bit psyched to get back to Kings Bluff too. Weird, because I really don't like that choss pile.

The last few days I've still be climbing but just not nearly with the same frequency as I did at the start of the summer. I think on Tuesday I went to Cottontail with some people and worked on the .11b there that I'm projecting. I've really got the beta down to that too now and it should go the next time that I'm there. It just really sucks to not have anything else to climb on except .11b and .11c. I'd really like to warm up, especially since my body is really hurting me a lot here lately. I don't want to get hurt and screw up the rest of the fall, especially when it feels like I'm getting so much stronger. Hell, I've even been able to pick up quite a bit of really good technique from some of the guys I climb a lot with here.

Thursday, I then went to the Marble Boulder and the Downhill Boulder and worked a few of the new problems on the latter. The problems that we have on the Downhill Boulder are all pretty hard for me and it makes it so much worse that the boulder is really hard to clean. Sometimes I'll throw for a hold, or what looks like one on the really slopey top out and get nothing but moss and lichen. It sucks. haha. I've came pretty close to sending one of the problems though and I really hope it will go soon because I don't like the thing one bit. I guess I'm a little bit first ascent greedy.

Other than that, I have to work here in like 45 minutes and when I get off at 4:30 some of us are going to head out to the Monastery and spend Sunday there climbing. I really hope that the weather holds up for us and we're able to have a great time. I also have off three days next weekend so I'm going to also try and get a car so I can head down to Sanborn to be there for the opening and first days of the second session. I'd really enjoy that!

I hope everyone is doing well, and I hope that Austria is going great mom! Mike, you better start climbing too you bum or otherwise I will be kicking your ass all over Jackson this fall. I can't imagine that.

Slacklining and Bouldering

Yesterday was a pretty mellow day off for me. The weather hasn't been too spectacular the last few days so things have really been limited climbing wise. Not to mention I'm still trying to take it moderately easy on my finger because I don't want to have it still bothering me for the week that I'm going to have in The Red. Lyndsey and Jamie are trying to figure out if it is going to be possible to work something so that when Drew and I swing through Lawrence we might be able to grab them up for the week too! I think that would be pretty awesome and hopefully we can get something worked out on that front.

So, after that tangent, yesterday was spent slacklining for a while and then in the evening Gabe, Wayne, Emily, Joey, Matt, and I all headed over to the Marble Boulder to chill and work on some problems. I just messed around on things for the most part working my finger under a light load and making sure to not crimp down on it too hard so I'm not messing with that pulley. Wayne came really close to sending the direct line to the Tobasco problems I put up the other day and I'm really psyched for him because I think he'll get it the next time we head out. We also started working on some problems on a boulder down the hill from Marble and they all seem like really cool but strange in their own unique way. I can't wait to get a little more time in on them when I'm really feeling good with my finger. Maybe a new FA will be in order!

Anyways, here are some pics of slacklining from a few days ago!



Surfing on the line. I fell not much after the photo was taken:


Doing a lunge or what Joey called some Yoga pose. Who knows?


Striking the Tree Pose.


Taking a real quick sit down on the line. I was actually trying to catch an orange then too, but it didn't quite work out.


P.S. To my mom, I hope you have a great time in Austria! I can't wait to see all of the awesome pictures you're going to be posting in your own blog!

Happy 4th

Happy 4th to everyone and I hope that you all made the most of the night!



Possibly going to be heading back to Big Elk Meadows today with Wayne after he gets off of work. We'll see what happens. I'm going to have to take it easy because after two days of hard climbing my finger that has been bothering me isn't feeling as good as it used to. Lets hope it gets better so I can go hard when I get to The Red River Gorge after work is done here.

Tradding at Lumpy RIdge

Well I was finally able to meet another one of my goals for the summer and today I went up with Rob to Lumpy Ridge and climbed a real moderate trad route called Hiatus. It was actually alot of fun and I really hope that I'm able to get back to Lumpy at least once more to maybe do a trad lead of some sort! Here is a rough picutre of Hiatus which was a four pitch 600 ft. route. And yes mom, I was wearing my helmet.

Hiatus: You can kind of see the yellow dots that mark the route up.


After Lumpy Rob and I went over to a Glen Haven, a town right down the road from Lumpy Ridge to check out some of the bolted climbs that way and we found a load of crap rock. The climbs weren't fun either and now I'm pretty tired. Thankfully the long day is over and it fells like my pulley in my right pointer finger is back to normal! Time to start climbing hard again! I hope everyone is doing well.