Last Go, Best Go

"Together Alone" V4 Sweetwater Rocks, WY

Word has gotten out, but it hasn't been announced on this blog yet, that we'll be leaving Wyoming this summer.  Wyoming is still amazing, and I highly recommend the Lander area for any climber, but life isn't just about climbing.  Great teaching jobs opened up for both Ashley and me in the Grand Junction area.  We applied.  We were lucky enough to be offered the two jobs we wanted the most, and we decided to take them.  Since then, every bouldering trip this spring has felt like it could be my last one to each particular bouldering area.  With a teaching schedule, it's easy to envision summer bouldering trips back to the Rock Shop, or into the Winds, in my future.  It's harder to imagine a way that I'll make it back to shoulder season areas such as Sweetwater.  This season we ended up spending three sessions at the Weapons of Mass Destruction sector.  Abundant snow in Sinks canyon, and abundant mud on the two tracks to Oz made it the best option for multiple weekends this spring.  On Earth Day we decided to warm up on the balanced block seen north of the road on the way into Weapons of Mass Destruction.

I knew that Jesse, Justin, and Matt had spent a day on this boulder and I wanted to repeat "Together Alone."  It's a great line, and challenging for short climbers.  We saw other undone lines on the block, and we started trying them.  By the end of the session Ashley added two lines to the left of "Together Alone" and I added a classic line to the right.

"Earth Day" V6 sit starts with a good hold under the overhang.

Moves up the left side of the arete.

And traverses to the top of "Together Alone."

Our other two Sweetwater sessions were spent on the "Weapons of Mass Destruction" boulder proper.  "Weapons of Mass Destruction" V7 was at the top of Sierra's boulder project list.  She worked it for an entire session.

And she sent it during the next session!

While Sierra worked on her project, we enjoyed the sun.

And put up an interesting V4 to the right called "Mean Little Flower" V4.

Once the days got long enough, I was psyched to get Sinks Canyon sessions in after school.  Snow limited my options though, and I found myself back at the Kingsford boulder trying to add the full sit start to the "Seam Project" I'd put in the guidebook.  Towards the end of the session I noticed a line of vertical edges to the right, and it looked like maybe I could use them in opposition to the rail on "The Seam" and finish on nice edges just below the top, at the highest point of the boulder.  It looked beautiful, and I couldn't believe I'd never noticed the line before.  I tried it out, but was too tired to put much together.

One more session, and I thought it was possible.  At the end of my second full session on the line I put it all together.

Once I figured out the beta, it was even better than I ever hoped.  It ranks as one of the best dolomite boulder problems in Sinks, and it's the best first ascent I've put up in Sinks Canyon.

Only one weekend day was warm enough, still enough, and dry enough for my family to make it out to Oz this spring.  Sierra and Ashley worked out all their beta on "Heart Sing" V7.  I even set up a top rope so they could practice the committing top out.

And I got heartbreakingly close to finishing "Wild Thing Stand" V8.

We were all set to send next session, but we never got a next session.  Nick, Wendy, and Philip came out with us. Nick set up cameras and recorded the day.  He put together the following film from it.

Working beta, falling off problems, and talking a lot.  It's an accurate look at what it's actually like to boulder with the Lloyds.

We hiked up the Granite Buttress one weekend.

I scouted and brushed some lines for our day.  But we only finished one good line before we got stormed out.

"Hang Nail" V1

While hiking out in the rain and thunder we were passed by two cowboys on horseback followed by a pack of Corgi dogs.  They chased a marmot into it's burrow, and then caught up to the horses by running incredibly fast on their short little legs.  An interesting and unexpected sight!

Then came the highlight of my season one afternoon, after school.  I did my first V10.  The Camera at the Cabin Boulders is a short boulder, but the holds are very small, the move is big and surprisingly intricate. It has thwarted my countless attempts over multiple sessions for many years.  During my second session this spring, and my second "last go," it all came together.

I'm not sure that I'm actually stronger than I was last year.  But the thought that I might never get to try "The Camera" in good conditions again made me try harder than I ever had before.

The next weekend I gave Ken a tour of one sector at City Walls.  A cold wind from the west meant that the day wasn't as productive as I'd hoped.  We stayed on the downwind side of the formation, put up a few good warmups and then spent some time cleaning up "The Good Life" wall.

Ken helped brush from a six pad stack.

He gave me a great spot on the committing first ascent of "Wetland" V4.

And sampled a bit of the upwind patina covered stone before driving back home.

I've always been motivated by the knowledge that it might be a long time before I will get back to a project again.  But the knowledge that I might never find a chance to get back to something again was extra motivating.  It lead to a new level of productivity for me this spring season.  I thought I was already trying as hard as I could, but this season taught me that I can dig even deeper.  I'll try to remember that, even when there isn't a deadline looming.

I fall in love with wild landscapes, and I'm going to miss so many places that I've grown attached to over our last eight years in Lander.  Magical areas full of fond memories.  I've enjoyed small town life, teaching at the Lander Middle School, and the Lander community.  Moving here from Ft. Collins was a great decision, one that I'd never take back.  But the west is big, and life is short.  Good books have many chapters, and we're turning the page to the next one.

Boundless Riches Beyond Compare

It's no secret that I think public lands are one of the best ideas Americans have ever had.   I wrote up my thoughts, perspective, and history with the topic for
Thunder Cling with help from Dave McAllister.  Check it out, and I hope that you like it!

First Ascents

First ascents stand out.  The ones I've seen, and the ones I've done.  I've compiled a slideshow of Wyoming first ascents that I've been lucky enough to be a part of, mostly for my own benefit.  Keeping the days fresh in my memory, making sure that problems don't disappear, that they are documented, and shared.  The time seems right to share this video for those who are interested.  Note that the person photographed isn't necessarily the climber that got the first ascent.  Sometimes it's the repeats that get photographed.  If a problem in this video isn't in the Bouldering in the Wind River Range guidebook, it will most likely appear in a google map that I'm compiling or in the upcoming guidebook to The Rock Shop and City Walls.  Thanks go out to all the first ascentionists, and all the boulderers who shared information with me over the years.  Special thanks goes to Davin Bagdonas, Chris Marley, Jesse Brown, Vance White, Steve Bechtel, Greg Collins, Justin Iskra, and Justin Loyka.  Without them the vast majority of these problems never would have been done.  I'd also like to thank Ashley, and my family for climbing with me every weekend!

Enjoy!

Winter Days on Sunny Stone

The good winter days are often the best days!  The air is still, the rock is cool, you can spend all day in the sun without getting burned, and because they are rare you appreciate the nice days more. Our winter began with warm weather, and a great day at Roy, New Mexico.

 "Buttercup" is pretty tricky for V5, but I figured it out, and climbed it, before the end of the session.

I highly recommend this problem!

 We were there on a weekend during Christmas Break, and we still had the Jumbles all to ourselves for the day.

We managed to hit Sweetwater during a good day in February.  We added a few new lines to the warm up wall in the Norwegian Sector.  

When the stone is good at Sweetwater, it's amazingly good!

 Ashley and Sierra used the day to train for a trip to Hueco.

 A Sweetwater view, photos don't to the distance justice.  Those are the Wind River Mountains in the background, over 70 miles away.

Ashley and Sierra spent a whole week at Hueco, had a great time, but didn't get any great photos.

When the weather was poor this winter I looked at a lot of boulders.  Sierra hiked the granite with me.

 And I looked at sandstone high on the hills of Sinks Canyon.

 And sometimes we bouldered despite less than perfect weather.

Sierra's been interested in seeing what she can do on a rope.  She redpointed "Hardware" 5.12 on her second attempt.

 Did "The Wilds" 5.12a in conditions too cold for my fingers.

 And she redpointed "Moe" 5.12b in a session.  Here's Dave giving it a valiant effort.

Before Science Fair in Laramie we got in a couple sessions in northern Colorado.  Sierra flashed "Punk Rock Traverse" V5 at Horsetooth Reservoir.

 She did "Corner Lock" V4 on her third attempt.

 And unlocked the reachy (for her) crimp line on the left side of Pitch Penny.

We were only able to pack one pad for this trip, so I worked on the only difficult line I was comfortable trying with one pad, "Beast House" V9 at Arthur's Rock.

I didn't do it, but I did a move I'd never stuck before.

Torrey Valley delivered great conditions on a couple weekends.

 We climbed every line and variation we could come up with on the Bunk House Boulder.

 And one fun line on the "Chances" boulder.

The ice was very clear on the creek.

 I had Sierra pose on a finger crack in the ice.  Then I posted it to Instagram.  I thought the reflection and the snow boots made it pretty obvious what was going on, but it appears that some people were fooled by it.

The wildlife in Torrey Valley adds to the experience.  Sheep watched while I worked on a new compression line.

My highlight for the season was finishing the first ascent of "Just Being" V7/8 at Sweetwater.  My fifth session on the line, I worked out a sequence and had good enough conditions to keep the right hand crimp.

Here's video.


I've also been working on writing projects, and spring has gotten off to a good start.  I should have more news to post soon.

Over Two Hundred Problems at the Rock Shop Compiled!

The season is here for guidebook work, and work is beginning on a comprehensive guide to the Rock Shop.  I'm excited to be working with Justin Iskra, Kian Stewart, Ben Sears, and Kyle Duba this time around.  It's a true community project!  We want to get the word out, and collect input from as many Rock Shop developers/boulderers as possible.  So here is my current Rock Shop list based on personal experience, and what I could find online.  Dashes mean that I'm not aware of the problem and couldn't find star ratings online.  I'll update this list as I get more information.  If you see something that is incorrect or incomplete, please leave a comment here or e-mail me at davlloyd3@yahoo.com  Thanks!

Sea of Pearls            V13*** Chris Marley

The Iron Spider   V13*** Chris Marley

Land of the Free (sit)   V12** Chris Marley

Land of the Free   V11*** Chris Marley

Smoking the Tree    V12** Chris Marley

Smoking the Tree (Stand)   V10** Chris Marley

Gem Thief                                   V11**         Chris Marley

The Giving Tree (Sit)   V11** Chris Marley

Unforgiving Tree (low start) V11** Chris Marley

"Philanderer Wall Traverse"         V10? **     Chris Marley

Spidey Sense                               V11**        Chris Marley

Pain and Perfection (low)   V11** Chris Marley

Shooting Stars   V11* Chris Marley

Astro Boy   V10** Chris Marley

Landiego          V10** Chris Marley

Get High and Fly                        V9 ***        Chris Marley

Back Alley Hooker                      V9***          Chris Marley

Landslide           V9* Chris Marley

Butch Cassidy           V9** Chris Marley

"Arete by Money Train"                V? —          Chris Marley

Starry Night                                  V7***         Chris Marley

Get High and Fly Stand                V7 **          Chris Marley

The Vault     V10 Chris Marley

Spider Sense (stand)     V10*   Chris Marley

Iron Spider (stand)             V10***     Chris Marley

Smokin’ the Tree (stand)     V10 **   Chris Marley

Mary Jane     V10**   Chris Marley

Electric Storm            V9 **   Chris Marley

How High     V9** Chris Marley

Mr. Green     V10** Chris Marley

Search Party             V10** Chris Marley

Corn on the Cob     V9* Chris Marley

Electric Shit   V8** Chris Marley

Shamrock    V8* Chris Marley

Pimp Hand     V7** Chris Marley

Sundance Kid            V6 ***   Chris Marley

"Swan Boulder Three Problems" V3- ~V6 *     Chris Marley

"Unnamed Traverse and Up Problem”* V5 and V6 Chris Marley

Sharma Style             V5*         Chris Marley

Mr. Nice Guy             V7**        Chris Marley

Piggy   V1**        Chris Marley

Lord of the Flies                         V5***       Chris Marley

Zef                                              V6**        Chris Marley

Traverse Into Zef                        V3*          Chris Marley

Piggy   V1** Chris Marley

Luke Skywalker   V8**              Chris Marley

Sleepy Hollow                             V6**             Chris Marley

Wonder Warmup                         V2**             Chris Marley

Wonder Dyno                              V8**             Chris Marley

Unnamed near Wonder               V7*              Chris Marley

Snake Eyes Traverse                                   V7**        BJ Tilden

Bust a Lung (Is this Smoking the Tree sit?) V12***    BJ Tilden

Bandito                          V11**         Carlo Traversi

Lost in Space                                 V11**       Mike Bockino

The Giving Tree     V10***        Jamie Emerson

Philanderer      V9 ***      Jon Glassberg

Lander Calphilanderer      V9 **   Jon Glassberg

Philander Calrissian      V9 **         Jon Glassberg

Trick Ass Mark      V10***        Jon Glassberg

Name of the Wind SDS      V9 ***   Jon Glassberg 

Lander Before Time      V7 *   Connor Griffith 

Name of the Wind      V8 ***   Connor Griffith

Lander Calrissian      V7/8 **     Connor Griffith

Holy Canoli                   V9/10**              Skyler Bol
V4 to the right of H.C.    V4*                   Skyler Bol

Grave Wave               V5***  Justin Iskra

Lords of Dogtown                          V6** Justin Iskra

Chocolate Thunder                       V2***       Justin Iskra

Escape From Reality                      V6**        Justin Iskra

Boats and Hoes                             V4**           Justin Iskra

Long Far Gone                               V4***          Justin Iskra

Come Sail Away                            V1***          Justin Iskra

World Gone Sour                            V7*         Justin Iskra

Cock Salad V6* Justin Iskra

The Morse Rides Again Direct        V5***        Justin Iskra

Welcome Back Slab                         V1**           Justin Iskra

Welcome Back Arete                        V2* Justin Iskra

Shit Storm V5**            Justin Iskra

Liquid Nails                                          V1***          Mark Avery

Inglorious Bastard                                V6**         Zach Rudy

Psychedelic Relic                                 V8***       Zach Rudy

The Unforgiving Tree                            V9**       Zach Rudy

Pain and Perfection                         V10**         Ashley Lloyd 

La Traverse’e de L’anniversaire V7***               Ashley Lloyd

Burly                                                 V6**               Ashley Lloyd

Powerball                                         V6*          Ashley Lloyd 

On the Move                                    V4**         Ashley Lloyd 

Jet Stream                                       V3**          Ashley Lloyd

Bikini Bottom                                    V3           Ashley Lloyd

Hold Your Horses        V5/6*     Ashley Lloyd

Copperhead                   V5**        Ashley Lloyd 

Ready to Go                  V4*           Ashley Lloyd

Snake Salad                                     V6*         Ashley Lloyd

Two Snakes Traverse                       V6**        Ashley Lloyd

To the Pain                                        V6*          Ashley Lloyd

Little Roof                                          V5           Ashley Lloyd/Jesse Firestone

Rattlesnake Traverse                        V5*         Ashley Lloyd

Slopers to Quality                              V4**        Ashley Lloyd

Too Fun                                              V4*        Ashley Lloyd

Young Blood                  V5***       Jesse Brown

Super Nova                                       V3***       Jesse Brown

Headless Horseman                         V3***             Jesse Brown

Black Swan                                        V5**         Jesse Brown

Font Simulator                                   V4**              Jesse Brown

C-3PO                                                V7*         Jesse Brown

R2D2                                                  V7*         Jesse Brown

Punctuality Award                               V2*         Jesse Brown

Roasted                                              V2           Jesse Brown

Shots Fired                                         V2**             Jesse Brown

Square Planet                                     V3*              Jesse Brown

Solar Flare                                          V1**             Jesse Brown

El Moreno Right                                  V2**             Jesse Brown

The Engagement     V5*              Jesse Brown

The Lobster                                         V3?**          Jesse Brown

(Left of Silence)                                   V4?**          Jesse Brown

Drop it Like It's Hot                              V6***       Charlie Manganiello

Always on Time                                   V5**         Charlie Manganiello 

Against All Odds                                  V4*         Charlie Manganiello 

True Blood            V6*         Matt Saunders

Mustache Ride                                     V2**           Brian Horlick

Snakes on a Train                              V6**          Kian Stewart

Motherfucking Snakes                        V7***        Kian Stewart

Joy of Life                                           V5**           Kian Stewart

Mesmerize                                          V4**           Kian Stewart

The Wedge                                         V4—            Kian Stewart

The Wind Blows High                         V4—            Kian Stewart

Coral Reefer                                       V4         Kian Stewart

Satisfy My Soul                                   V3/4—         Kian Stewart

Moon Rocks                                        V3**           Kian Stewart

Havana Daydream                              V2**         Kian Stewart

Limb by Limb                                       V1—           Kian Stewart

The Line                                               V1—           Kian Stewart

My Side Piece                                     V1/2—         Kian Stewart

High Stakes                                         V? —          Kian Stewart

In Tents                                                V?—            Kian Stewart

Heartless Bastard                                V3**        Kian Stewart

The Sun is Shining                            V0/1 —        Kian Stewart

Party Time                                           V0 —          Kian Stewart

Nexus                                                 V6***            David Lloyd

Giddyup                   V4**     David Lloyd

Caroline Test                   V5**         David Lloyd

Boulder of Montana                   V5**              David Lloyd

Preemptive Strike             V3**         David Lloyd

Fear of Commitment          V4**         David Lloyd

Silence                  V3**         David Lloyd

Raise the Roof                                   V1*           David Lloyd

Awakenings                                        V1*          David Lloyd

Millenium Falcon          V5**         David Lloyd

Stone Country                                    V3/4*       David Lloyd

Touch of Grey                                    V6**         David Lloyd

Stone Country SDS           V7**        David Lloyd

Gaston Gaston           V5*      David Lloyd

Perfect Storm                   V6**        David Lloyd

The Great Escape                               V5**         David Lloyd

Pit Viper                                               V4*         David Lloyd

2nd Hand Smoke                                V5**         David Lloyd

Doom Doom             V2**             David Lloyd

Mars Attacks                                        V6*              David Lloyd

Scrunchity Crunch                               V4*              David Lloyd

Sliced Bread                                        V3**             David Lloyd

Total Paralysis                                     V3**             David Lloyd

Fighting Paralysis                                V2***           David Lloyd

Armchair Martian                                 V2**             David Lloyd

Jammin’ is a Thing of the Past            V1**             David Lloyd

Get to the Point                                   V1*              David Lloyd

Moss Man Prophecy                             V4**       Calen Campbell

Big Fudge                                              V2**      Calen Campbell

Skid Marks                                            V2**       Calen Campbell

Calen's Face                                         V2/3*     Calen Campbell

Short Stack and Variations                    ~V2*       Calen Campbell

"Two V2s near Lord of the Flies"            V2* Chris Marley and Tony Stark?

Foul Mouth                                              V4**        Tony Stark

Shit Storm         V5**        Tony Stark

Full Sail                                                   V7***       Tony Stark

The Morse Rides Again                          V4***        Tony Stark

La Boulangerie                                        V3**         Alan Pirie

In the Akasha                                            V9**      Kerrek Stinson

Darth                                                          V3*         Bryan VanSickle

Pork Chop                                                  V6***      Bryan Vansickle

First Contact                     V5**       Bryan Vansickle

Tongue'er Muffin                                        V5?**     Bryan Vansickle

Just Getting Started                                    V5*          Alex Johnston

My Mind's Eye Traverse                             V6**         Alex Johnston

Hard Rock Syndrome                                 V2*          Alex Johnston

Seemingly Suspect                                     V3*          Alex Johnston

My Mind's Eye                                             V1**        Alex Johnston

Termites                                                      V5**        Matt Pincus

Land is Not Free              V7*         Matt Pincus

Weirdos From Another Planet                     V5**     Jesse Firestone 

Captain Obvious                                          V2*       Jesse Firestone

If, Then, Because                                        V7*         Jesse Firestone

Slippery Truth                                               V1*          Sierra Lloyd

Bobcat’s                                                       V1**         Sierra Lloyd

The Hills Have Eyes                                     V3***       Ben Williams

Money Train                                                   V2***    Stephen Snell

Unnamed                                                       V4**           Spenser Tang-Smith

Unnamed                                                       V3---       Spenser Tang-Smith

Purple is a Color                                            V2           Spenser Tang-Smith

Zef Warm ups                                                V0-2*        ?

Piggy to Lord of the Flies V.                           V5*           ?

Quality Warmup                                             V1***        ?

The Other                                                       V2 **        ?