Joe's Valley - Spray

So a little about the rock climbing here:

The sandstone at Joe's is without a doubt some of the most beautiful rock that I've climbed on. Each boulder is streaked with black, white, brown and gray. The holds are varied from tufas, pockets, limestone slicked edges, sticky slopers and technical smears. The climbing tends to be quite dynamic and thuggy. I like it.

So time for the spray. Here are some of my favorite problems that I've been able to tick so far on my trip here!

Dark Continent - V7 - An amazing overhanging arete to face climbing that looks just like Africa
Chips - V7 - Kneebar, toe-hook, pogo. You can ask for more!
Pocket Rocket - V6 - Dyno!
3-Finger Pocket - V5 - Sailing Hawks Classic
V4- Sailing Hawks - Don't know how to describe this problem except for Arkansas-esque
Self Service - V4 - Great problem that reminded me of Hueco movement
Super Sloper - V3 - Classic boulder problem with the most glorious of glory jugs
The Angler - V2 - One of the must do lines at Joe's. Highball!
Warm Me Up Scotty - V1 - Jugs to a great funky and crimpy top out. Gets the blood moving.

Can't wait to get back out tomorrow for some more climbing. Hopefully the snow we are getting today doesn't soil the top outs!!!

Joe's Valley

I'm having a writers block of some sort. Had a full rest day on Monday; spent it at the library trying to come up with the words to describe all of my travel up to Joe's, and then the little amount of time that I've spent here but nothing would come of it. We'll give it another shot here now...

Day 1 of freedom was spent hanging out with Kevin Martin down in Denver. There was the intent to climb in the Flatirons in the morning to try and finish off a project there, but intent just wasn't enough to get me there that day.

Days 2 and 3 were spent commuting to Durango, CO and climbing there. A good friend from Sanborn lives there now, so I was able to find shelter on his floor and get the good tour of the bouldering areas at the same time. Definitely was psyched on the amazing sandstone boulders there, and I managed to finish off a few of the local classics! Everything there was great quality, and I am definitely trying to figure out when I'll be able to go back and check it out for a little longer period of time.

Mesa Verde NP

Day 4 I made the drive to Moab and stopped in at Mesa Verde NP on the way. Stunning vistas! Made it into Moab around 6, and went to check the local gear shop out from some info on free camping. Ended up one of the dudes had a free spot in his driveway. Score. He also had a sick 8x12 climbing wall in his house that we bouldered around on all night. It doesn't get much better than that!

Day 5 was split between Arches NP and Canyonlands NP. The beauty of these two places left me speechless to say the least. I've never been to a place that has literally left my awe struck. Everywhere I went, every view left me with the strange unsatisfied feeling; like I was turning my back on something or missing some big part of understanding the true nature of where I was. Road side tourism doesn't do these places justice, and I know that there is something there more for me to see, to understand and I can't wait to get back to those places and discover something great.

Delicate Arch, Arches NP

Canyonlands NP

I made the rest of my commute to Joe's Valley that evening and met up with my buddy from Durango, and a few more folks from Estes.

Day 6 through now have all been spent in Joe's Valley and the boulders that make up the area. The climbing is amazing, and I finally feel like I'm getting adjusted to the area; having been able to start ticking climbs that are right in my range of do-ability.

I keep meaning to take more pictures but when you get super excited about boulder problems it is kind of hard to remember! Better updates are to come, and I'm glad that I finally have this lengthy update out of the way!

Devil's Tower Videos

3 Days at Devil's Tower

Got convinced to head up to Wyoming for a few days last week and experience some of the most amazing crack climbing that the country has to offer. I only ended up seconding pitches for the trip, but it was still super exciting to climb amazing splitter cracks in one of the most unique climbing areas in the country.


Here are a few photos from the trip!

At the top of Tolgey Wood 5.10a:


The view of Devil's Tower from the base:


Cheesin':


Pitch 2 El Matador 5.10d. 160 feet of stemming. I have never hurt worse at the top of a rock climb than this one:


Still stemming:


Trying not to hurl at the top of El Matador:


On day 2 we were hexed by a chanting Native American, and swarmed with bees. Day 3, we encountered this little rattler. Possibly the spirit of the Engine?!


Getting a little no hands rest in on Pitch 2 of One Way Sunset 5.10c. You can see the .10c finger crack below. Pitch 2 is all hands. So pumped at the top of that one.


Pulling through the last jugs to the super exposed, bird crap encrusted belay on Pitch 3 of One Way Sunset. This belay literally sits about 20ft. further out from the wall than where we started climbing:


On the top with Justin after topping out One Way Sunset:


Just a few random shots of the amazing feature that is the Devil's Tower:


From afar:



Two weeks of work left then I'm officially out of Estes Park! Psyched to finish off strong with tons of work and hopefully a fair amount of extra cash in the pockets!

Home Soon

Flying into Louisville on Friday to hang with the family and get some rock climbing done. Should be rolling back into the Falls on Sunday afternoon and getting things started. Can't wait to hop back on some of my old projects and see if I can't polish off a few new ones! Psyched beyond measure!

Plans...

After mulling over everyone else's plans for the winter, I've finally decided to sack up and make my own; do the things that I've always wanted, and the things that will make me happy.

Vague itenerary:

End Oct./Early Nov. - Get the hell out of Estes. Head EAST!

November - Kentucky, Family, Friends

December - W.V., Georgia, Alabama, Home for Christmas

January - Arkansas, to Dallas, TX on the 30th.

January 31st - Catch flight to Madrid, Spain

February/March/April 28 - Wherever the wind blows.

Just booked the tickets too!

Psyched about life!

Finished...

Laid to rest a 3 or 4 day project for myself today. Fired the thing second go, and I can confidently say that this new line is the hardest thing that I've been able to finish so far in my bouldering career; 17 moves of endurance climbing that stays with you the entire way, and ends with a committing stab to a good sidepull! Hopefully this momentum will pick up and there will be more good news/hard personal sends to report!

Drew Arrives, Sends

As Wayne made his exodus, another few friends, Drew and his girlfriend Rachelle, rolled right into town. Perfect timing. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't really going to be too cooperative for them during their stay. We were able to salvage a few days though, which were the last two, and spent them in the park bouldering at Lower Chaos.

Drew is still the man. He managed to quickly take down the ultra-classic Autobot the first day, and barely missed and ascent of Mikala. We returned today, warmed-up, and then Drew took down another Lower classic, Potato Chip. He is definitely still crushing, and it is always great to get to spend some quality time outside with some great people. Psyched.

I'm getting close on a few projects of my own, and was able to put a long standing one to rest yesterday with an ascent of Mikala. I'm hoping for a breakthrough sometime here in the very near future...

A few days in the park with Wayne

Wayne, a close friend, who I met at the Y 2 summers ago came into town for a few days, and we were fortunate enough to spend a few days bouldering up in Chaos Canyon together. Here are some photos that he snapped.

Wayne cruising Mikala:

Post-send chit-chat:

Projects...

Possibilities...

A first draft of destinations for this fall/winter.

Yes, I am already getting this ready to leave Estes.

Pt. 1

View Winter Road Trip - Pt. 1 in a larger map

Pt. 2

View Winter Road Trip - Pt. 2 in a larger map

Pt. 3

View Winter Road Trip - Pt. 3 in a larger map

Pt. 4

View Winter Road Trip - Pt. 4 in a larger map

Pt. 5

View Winter Road Trip - Pt. 5 in a larger map

I'm thinking November - December will take care of the North East, and much of the South East. Then it will be back home for Christmas time. After Christmas it is off towards Arkansas, then further west to finish up the loop that I was too broke to finish up last summer.

Guess Who is Almost Officially Health Insured...

Me!

Two days in the park on the agenda. Hopefully some sending will be in order.

Good & Not as Good

On the good side, a cool problem in the park that had thwarted me the last two seasons finally melted out during this last week. I gave it a hand full of tries at the end of the day on Tuesday, and then yesterday I went back up and was able to fire it 3rd go. It was great to top another park problem out, and hopefully that sensation will be relived a few more times before the season is through.

On the not as good side, Thursday, I managed to pitch backwards off the top out of another climb. I say not as good because things could have ended up pretty badly, but I managed to walk away with only a bruised heel, sore bum, stiff neck and a small knot on the back of my brains. I think I'm done doing the solo-boulder in the park for now though. More pads are very necessary now that the snow is nearly all gone!

Back to positives!

Went to a rodeo last night. Sweet.

Ownage

Rock > Me

Did manage to do a cruddy line that busts out right before all of the good climbing on Tommy's Arete. Whoopie!

Two Days of Lower

Gonna be heading up to Lower Chaos tomorrow for a session, and then again on Saturday morning before I go into work at 6.

The projects have started to accumulate, and I'm really hoping for some break-throughs! Just have to stay healthy!

Hopefully there will be some good news here in the next few days!

SoiLL Psych

I've been looking at pictures of the climbing from back home a lot lately, and it is really getting my pumped to get back to Jackson and finish off some of the long standing projects that I have there. I'm definitely psyched to hang out some more with that solid crew that was all around in the fall. Good times will be had in the very near future.

Things to finish/start and finish!

Amoeba Brains

Some silly little .11b on Royal Arch Wall

Who Needs Friends?

Feathered Serpent

Voice

Lost Innocence

Don't Mess With the Bull

Cro-Magnon Warrior

Jared's .12c right of Lost Innocence

So many more things that I'd love to finish too if time permits, but this is the list of must do items! Gonna head up to Lower Chaos tomorrow and try and polish off a few projects and maybe find a new one or two before having to head into work in the evening. So much climbing to do and so little time to do it in!

Park Season Has Arrived

The weather has finally shaped up here in Estes, and things are only going to be getting better for the climbing here during the next few months. Definitely psyched to spend as many days of my season this year up in Chaos Canyon trying to finish off old projects from the years past, and hopefully put to rest a few new, and harder things.

Climbing here during the past few months has been quite exciting to say the least. I've been out on several 'exciting' multi-pitch adventures on Lumpy Ridge, with many bouldering sessions intermingled. I've hit a several of the familiar blocs in the park, and have again been working to put old projects from the years past to rest.

Things should definitely be spicing up here in the near future, so hopefully I'll have some great new photos or stories to share!

Until then, here are some oldies, courtesy of the Most Gracious Brian Martin:

Sweet Lumpy Bouldering Action at "The World's Greatest Boulder." I know of at least 7 other boulders that claim this same feat.

Angry Man. A long term project.

An epic of epics shortly followed this photo on the Lumpy Ridge climb Pear Buttress.

Asia?

Need I say more?

Moving on

Heading out to Estes today with Brian. Looks like I'm gonna crash his couch for a while. I'm actually gonna try and see if I can't start into work at the Y a little earlier too. Money is getting tight, and if I could it would be great to start having the benefits of the Y, like free food.

Pretty psyched to try and get some projects in the Estes Area too. Definitely want to get back on Angry Man, which might be the hardest "V7" that I've ever tried. Would also like to check out some of the lesser known areas and problems around Lumpy. Psyched beyond belief after all of this rest!

Done

Well I've sucessfully made it up to Colorado now. Currently I'm in Winter Park hanging out with my little brother. Not skiing. Sucks. Probably will spend just a little more time here and then be off to Estes.

Once I get to Estes, I'm pretty psyched to get out to Lumpy Ridge and try some of the problems out there. I'd also like to maybe jump on some multi-pitch stuff, if the stars are aligned. It would also be really cool to make it down to the Boulder area and do a little bit of climbing around there before work starts.

The time until work starts is drawing near. Things are gonna change!

Zuluflex V6

Uncut Yogi

Didn't send but here are a few shots from Max of me on the super classic V6 Uncut Yogi.

Had a pretty good day yesterday. Was able to send 3 V5s in one day. Definitely the best day of climbing I've had down here. I was also able to tick off several super classic easier lines. These are the days of climbing that I live for!

New Pictures: Hueco the Post-Haircut Era

Looking off to the north from the summit boulders atop North Mountain.

Groupie Alert, the coolest V2 that I've ever done. Even better than Ghetto Simulator.

Sticking the move, catching the swing, and sending Daily Dick Dose. It was 70 that day.

More waiting outside of the gate. The rock is right there just teasing us.

Another one of the must do problems: Mexican Chicken. So hard and pumpy.

The super classic Nobody Here Gets out Alive. Evidently when this problem was first done there was a bed of Prickly Pear Cactus covering all of the ground beneath. Needless to say, falling was not an option.

New Pictures: Hueco the Pre-Haircut Era

Here are some pictures from the pre-haircut era of Hueco Tanks.

Dilated Pupils: Classic problem and one of the few times

I've actually been able to mantle out a problem down here.

Sorting out the moves on Daily Dick Dose.

Sending the super classic King Kobra. One of my all time favorite boulders.