Computers can greatly improve the climbing experience when used correctly. Yesterday, I checked forecast graphics on NOAA weather, so I knew the wind was supposed to get stronger in Sinks Canyon as the day went on. We hiked up anyway, and in a very short time the wind went from tolerable to uncomfortable. We almost got on the rock, but I knew the wind was only going to get stronger. So we hiked down and got a good gym workout instead of fighting the weather. It ended up being the right choice for us.
Last night, I was reading climbing blogs, when I found out that a United Bouldering Championship Competition was happening in Boulder, Colorado and was being streamed live over the internet at that very moment. I ended up watching for an hour and a half, until the finals were finished. I enjoyed it. Which is unusual for me, because I've never enjoyed spectator sports before. Sure I've watched the Olympics, and Ashley once coached a youth soccer team that was fun to watch, but other than that, I've never wanted to continue watching a sporting event, until last night. It was fun to see climbers competing, and in the audience, that I haven't seen since we moved to Wyoming.
Ian Dory stood out as doing very well. Alex Puccio and Sean McColl floated their final problems first try. Problems no other competitors managed to climb. They definitely deserved to win, but for the other competitors the scoring seemed a little strange. Two points were possible per problem, one for reaching a "bonus hold" in the middle of the route, and one for reaching the top. But each attempt counted against the climber. In the end, some climbers who appeared to deserve second or third place, based on how high they got on problems, didn't place as well as I expected.
The live streaming made it much more exciting to watch than other comp footage I've seen. A new way that computers are making climbing better.
Today, I used NOAA weather again, and discovered that the high winds in Lander and Sinks Canyon were supposed to die down at around 2:00 in the afternoon. I did all my errands in the morning, and we headed out after lunch. It was windy when we arrived, but Killer Cave was somewhat sheltered. We spent the afternoon toproping "Blue Moon." As we climbed, the wind stopped, and it ended up being a beautiful time to be up there. We both got the route without falls on toprope, and then called it a session. Today was supposed to be a rest day after all, so we didn't need to overdo it. Ashley and the girls did rest, for a little while, in the sun.
While they lounged, I took some photos of Griffin on "Mr. Majestyk."
It's an impressive line.
Weather websites are incredibly useful this time of year. Without them, we probably would have stayed out battling the elements yesterday, and wouldn't have even tried going out today. Best of luck to you, in the sometimes difficult quest to find good conditions this time of year.
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