A Visit from LT11, and Another Trip to Sweetwater

Trying to teach well, and climb well, is cutting into my sleep, so I'm not planning to write much tonight. Let's see what I can put together in twenty minutes.

Jon came out to do some filming for LT11 the weekend before last.  I gave him a tour of Oz on Saturday.  It was a quiet day.  Just my family, Jon, and a couple bow hunters in the area.  They were looking for elk that I'm not sure are out there.

Jon warming up on The Walrus V6 (or possibly Wicked Witch?).

 Ashley and I warmed up on this unknown V4 lower in the gully.

 I didn't get many photos that day.  Just like when I went out with Kyle, while filming "Wind and Rattlesnakes," when I boulder with film makers,  I tend to leave the documentation to the professionals.

Jon sent "A Tribe Called Lander" very quickly and I used his sticky rubber knee pad for a few attempts.  Just one move is giving me trouble.  If I get a kneepad, and put in a session or two, I think the line might be within my reach.

My favorite send of the day was this unknown V6 on the campground boulder that climbs really well.

 We also added a few easy warmups "The Wonderful Warmups of Oz" V1-3 and Jon did the first ascent of the highball just to the right.

 On Sunday, I gave Jon a tour of lines, done and undone, at the Rock Shop.  Then Ashley and I put a little bit of time into "Grave Wave."  Neither of us sent it, but I'd like to work on it some more.

 Jon stayed here for about a week with a couple other friends who came up from Boulder.  It looks like they spent most of their time putting up first ascents at the Rock Shop.  It was fun to climb with Jon, and I'm looking forward to checking out the many new lines they did at the Rock Shop, and seeing the LT11 film!  Thanks Jon!

I'm always somewhat torn in September.  Should we take advantage of sending temps at the higher areas like the Roaring Fork?  Or should we take full advantage of warm sunny weather before the inevitable winter hits.  Lately we've been doing the latter.

Last Saturday we spent a beautiful (but somewhat warm) day bouldering at Sweetwater with Ana and Devlin.

Ana warming up on the Ivory Traverse V2.

 We repeated a few lines like Hunny Pot Roof V3.

And I did the first ascent of "Sunshine" a V3 SDS that ends up a somewhat committing slab just right of "Thunderbird."

Ana climbing "Sunshine."

From there we went up to the Ocean boulder, which was still in the shade.  We all put a bit of work into "Another Toe in the Ocean", but it didn't get any ascents from its SDS.  Incredibly psyched, and in very crisp conditions, I did the first ascent quickly last year.   That day, I thought it was a solid V4.  But now I think that I was way off.  It's probably a V6.

We added a new line that traverses into slippery features to an obvious top out to the left of "Debaser."  Devlin came so close to getting the first ascent, but had trouble with the committing top out.  I tried next, got scared, but shut off my brain and just rolled over the top as quickly as I could.

Devlin on "Rock and Ice" V4.

 We ended the day in a cool cave that will have some fun drop off problems (or highballs/free solos) some day.

Ashley looking at the project we spent our time puzzling out.

I think it will go when we visit it again with fresh fingers.

Well that took thirty-five minutes, and I need to get some sleep.  I've got class, and another weekend of climbing to rest up for...