A Rock Shop Report

The Rock Shop continues to impress me.  The area isn't as epic as Devil's Kitchen or the Falcon's Lair in either sense of the word.  But I really like the area's ambiance, high quality stone, and reasonable summer temps.  We've been saving our most difficult project for cooler fall conditions, but quite a few lines were finished over the summer.  Here's photos and descriptions of many of them.   I'll put together better directions for my Bouldering in the Wind River Range blog site soon.

Jesse F., a strong bouldering developer who visited from Portland, flashed a lot of problems during two sessions at the Rock Shop.  He also went on a trip with Kerrek and me to Devil's Kitchen, but I'll report on that in the next post.  Jesse's done a well written trip report of our sessions at the Rock Shop on his blog Choss Odyssey.

Jesse got the first ascent of "Weirdos From Another Planet" V5 on the south side of the UFO boulder.  He also climbed "The Giving Tree" quickly, and in less than stellar conditions.

"Weirdos From Another Planet."

                           

Many new problems have been done near the UFO boulder, and I don't know all the details of who did what or what's been named.  A quality V1 SDS can now be found just west of the UFO boulder.

 Ashley added a right SDS that traverses into the warm up on slopers that's V3.

 Just uphill is the "Escape From Reality" boulder.  Ashley got the first ascent of a line Alex cleaned up. It's a short SDS line with two difficult, powerful moves. "Snake Salad" V6.

The starting holds of "Snake Salad."

 Left past the crimpy V5/6 "Escape from Reality" is a nice V2 SDS problem that climbs straight up.

 Just uphill to the west is another good V1.

And just south of that is a very fun V2 SDS that ascends a cracked, but otherwise almost completely featureless slab.

Higher on the formation to the west is a new V6/7 called "If, Then, Because" that Jesse F. climbed first.  It's a short aesthetic SDS crimp line up a small wall.  I'll get photos of it soon.

 In another sector, hidden on the northwest side of a formation just west of the main parking is a great SDS V6 called "Pork Chop" which was put up by Bryan V.

Here's a shot of Jesse F. making a quick ascent.

 Just above the top out of "Pork Chop," Jesse climbed "Captain Obvious."

 Just above that is "Little Roof" V5.  Ashley did the FA, but then a hold broke, making it harder.  Jesse F. did the first post break send.  Ashley and I still need to return for post break dab free sends.

"Little Roof"

To get to the next three problems you'll need to hike a bit, and probably search for a while.

Roo with a rucksack of rations, ready for reconnaissance.

 Alex went out with me for an evening of brushing, and did the first ascent of a very pretty problem called "Seamingly Suspect" V3.  It's found in a gully that runs southeast from the "Super Nova" area.

 Climb a ridge just south of "Seemingly Suspect" and you'll hit these two problems.

"Silence" V3

"Fear of Commitment" V4 offers twenty feet of climbing, with just one crux moment where it feels like you will fall down the chasm if you pop off.

It starts matched on the right hand hold.

 I'm planning to return to brush the top till it's clean.  It still has a lot of lichen on the final holds.

 I'm feeling lucky that I had so many good sessions up there over the summer.

 And I'm sure this won't be the last report from the Rock Shop.