Today, while surfing the web, I came across Colin Haley’s blog.  For a pro climber blog the writing isn’t bad, but what I thought amazing about it was Haley’s ability to capture the essence of climbing within his pictures.  The photos illustrate the interaction between climber and environment, they incite excitement, they push the viewer to ask why and to also think I got to get there. The mountains lure us and it’s not just with their beauty.   Sometimes it’s the pain and struggle they bring that draws us farther up them, into the unknown.  Haley reveals this, even if unknowingly.  His camera doesn’t lie, but then again when you’re in the mountains as much as he is these characteristics surround you and attach themselves to the lens.  You just have to take the picture.

http://www.colinhaley.blogspot.com/

MJ Sneaks, Zoo Zoo, and I made our trip to Red Rocks, celebrating the new year by sitting on a frozen metal bench and drinking Tokaji wine.  Vegas, 15 miles away, illuminated the desert sky a soft fluorescent blue; the desert’s reds and browns seeped in and the color transformed into something unnameable. For three days we climbed and for three more we were stormed out, but we accepted these storms; they pushed us to the peripheral of climbing – beyond the obsessions with appearance and talk and towards that naked edge where climbing has importance, meaning.  We hiked through canyons and saw the world beyond the bolts and cragpacks.  We watched gushing falls sweep down and through the gullies, the tumbling rocks mixing with the desert gravel, grating away at the earth.  We listened to the wind howl and hollow out our huge huecos and form our smooth sandstone.  It’s ours because we can separate ourselves from it and look at it from afar, from up close, and see it for what it is.  Rock.  Sand.  Dust.  Nothing and everything.

Zoo Zoo shivered as she ran through the growing puddles; her red jacket became stained vermilion from the desert, it dripped off of her.  MJ’s hood caught the wind and it parachuted outward and pulled her back, slowing her down.  Her hair was a mess.  I stumbled.  I was delirious with a low blood sugar and with the thought of time.  May be it was just time.  Petroglyphs rose 15, 30 feet up the canyon walls.  4,000 years ago some one climbed up and left their mark.  Tomorrow I will reach into my chalk bag and leave my own.  The weather made us slow down and take in the continual change of our world – nothing permanent, nothing stagnant.  A rainbow arced across the sky and its colors dripped into a puddle below.

Some Trip Stats:

2,600 miles driven

100 cookies eaten

1 buffet attended, 1 jar of Nutella eaten, 1 bottle of wine drank

21 different pitches climbed

 

MJ fell on only two routes the entire trip, Yak Crack 11d, which she sent next go, and Fear and Loathing 12a, which she will get next time down.  She flashed numerous 11b’s and onsighted several 10+’s.

I climbed Beyond Reason 13b, SOS 13a, and Nothing Shocking 13a all second try.  I also did the Gift 12d, Where the Boys go Down 12d, and several other 12′s, including No Dogs Allowed 12b, which was a seriously difficult onsight; I couldn’t feel my fingers or toes for the second half of the route.

 

I’m finally back.  For a long while I didn’t write because I lost interest, but now, if you’re interested, there will be new posts; I like pictures too, so new pictures are coming.  Also, I am going to restructure what sort of content I put into my blog and I am doing this for you – well, that’s what I like to tell you, but it’s really for me.  Anyway, please visit often, comment, read, and enjoy!

Mr. Ryan & Mr. Scruggs got me out to Smith Rock for climbing on Friday and Saturday.  It was a very productive trip; Ryan led his hardest route ever, Overboard, 5.11c; Scruggs sent Wedding Day, 5.10c, and got a plethora of leads in; and I worked out the moves on White Wedding, 5.13d.  I gave it two attempts, found out what works where, and left feeling optimistic about the route succumbing to my fingertips in the future…hopefuly the relatively near future.  Besides this, we got in some night climbing on the Morning Glory Wall via headlamps (Zebra Direct & Zebra Seam), had great weather, and met some nice people.  [I am always pleased with a trip where I meet nice climbers.  It seems that all too often the crag is overrun with number possessed, cocky, bad-belaying wankers.  But not this trip! (well, let's just say not everyone was a pcbbw.)]  Three cheers to Mr. Ryan & Mr. Scruggs for pulling hard and having fun…cheer…cheer…cheer.

ROUTES CLIMBED: Revelations, Wartley’s Revenge, Dreamin’, Magic Light (+extension), ?the route left of Magic Light?, White Wedding, Moonshine Dihedral, Full Henious, Darkness at Noon, Wedding Day, Karate Crack, Crossfire, Karate Wall, Lichen It, Ginger Snap, Overboard, Zebra Direct, Zebra Seam.  Yeah!

MJ Sneaks and I, and our new addition Zoo Zoo, made it out to Smith Rock.  Four days of fun in the sun: sleeping in, drinking mate, swimming, and climbing late.  The trip started off okay for me (well, the climbing that is).  I recently had a rope split through the sheath and some of the core and my head needed a little coaxing; I know it’s safe, I know it’s safe, I know it’s safe. But MJ Sneaks started off great – Henious Cling 5.12a, check.  My turn…shaky, scared, taking.  Next day: much better, much more relaxed.  I onsite the Tsunami Route, 5.12c, in Shipwreck Gully and try Darkness at Noon, 5.13a.  Darkness settles in and I’ve given two goes…it’s not my style, but I’m psyched for it.  What a way to train; a 105 foot route, crimps all the way, a crux at the top, and…yes…tiny, tiny crimps.  I give it my all and send it on my 5th try total.  MJ Sneaks does Henious again. My dad, step-mom, and niece come out to visit.  Zoo Zoo gets her first camping excursion.  The sun sets and Venus glows just above Asteriks Pass and I have just under a month to get into shape to send something hard before my birthday.

J.Rodriguez has put out a film of my most recent ascent of Dracula on trad, 5.12RX.  Check it out and stay tuned for more of his great Rodeo 8 Productions films.

Yesterday I made it out to Beacon Rock.  MJ Sneaks had to work, I was alone.  I wanted to get on something I had never climbed before; I couldn’t track down a partner so I had to set up a fixed line.  I soloed up the SE Corner (5.7) to gain access to the Grassy Ledges and I ended up picking the Route Ground Zero, 11+.  It felt harder, but really fun.  As I belayed myself up the 210 foot pitch the Columbia River swam behind me and the Gorges breath blew a line of chalk from my bag that paralleled the ground far below.  A beautiful day, but down below it had gotten crowded and noisy.  I decided to finish early, leave the annoyances behind, but I needed something else.  The entire 600 feet of the SE Corner loomed above me as I hiked out.  I dropped my pack and went.  The rock stretched above me and swept below me, receding trees with every move.  It’s like floating, well maybe.  There’s nothing to understand about it.  It’s like anything else in life.  As long as you’re alive, living and moving, that’s what matters.  I was alive.  25 minutes later I was back at my pack.

I’m back to training and being psyched.  On Monday I went out and repeated Dracula on trad (stay tuned for some great footage by J.Rodriguez).  My head wasn’t in it – at the start my first piece popped out three times before I could get it in – and it was hot.  I stuck with it though and despite being shaky I managed my way to the top.  I’m also leaning out, well at least that’s the plan; I’m following a carb cycling diet that goes three days protein and one day carbs.  I’m doing my sit-ups too, so watch out…

It’s been awhile…almost a month, but all’s well.  MJ Sneaks and I got Zoo Zoo, a baby chichi, and she has been a good hand-full.  She’s an ultimate crag dog too and a quick learner of climbing dog etiquette.  Anyway, a quick update for the curious.  My hand is slowly coming around and feels better (almost) every day.  Today I did the first ever trad ascent of Pinhead, 11D, a local route at Broughtons Bluff.  The placements are sparse and not ideal, but still okay (I never did test them though).  Up high, the mental crux came as I had to match on a half-pad crimp and traverse left and off route in order to place a #2 metolious.  From here it’s about 20 feet to the anchors and through the “crux,” although not so bad when compared to the little traverse below.  I’ve been getting out some and feeling pretty good, but the East Face may be postponed for a few months.  I intend on trying it soon, but my endurance feels ify and certain holds make my right hand feel super weak.  We’ll see what happens.

I’ve thought long and hard since being injured…about a lot of things climbing related.  But everything’s climbing related?  I look to my goals, still in sight, and yet I haven’t climbed much, I’ve eaten too much, and I’ve done very little to stimulate my muscles.  I hope they (my goals) still hold weight, are still attainable.  I just got back on the rock a week and a half ago.  I felt okay.  My hand is at some percent below 100 and my endurance lacks longevity.  I’m to blame for anything I don’t achieve.  But I’ll give myself until the end of September.  13d/14a/dreams can go by so and life can too.  I’ll have to wait and see.  Although I can’t wait too long. If you dream for me will it make it easier?  I did climb something though, a week and a half ago, and a week ago, and a day ago.  It’s not enough yet…not enough to be proud of that is.  May be in a week and a half.