Is that Hueco? No, it's Lander in January!
Let's just jump right in. What are the projects I'm talking about?
Well I spent a day at "The New World" with Jesse and Chris. After a day of hiking, a few years ago, I'd written the area off as too featured. But Chris showed us some worthy boulders he found. Quite a few classic lines need to be done out there.
It's the perfect spot if you're looking for solitude.
But we're also trying projects close to home. It's our third season at the Beach, and we're still working on some of the best lines up there. I used a ladder to clean up this one.
I've spent one day trying to climb it so far.
Dynamic methods haven't worked.
But to do it statically, I'll need to commit to a heel toe cam. And I won't try that without a strong spotter.
Ashley recently finished one of her projects at the Beach. She got the second ascent of "Triple S" V6.
We're also working on a traverse of the Rolling Dune. It starts high and then moves down to follow the seam feature. I'd already hiked up all our pads up for the "Ladder Project" so I thought we might as well put them all to use.
We spent a cold, but beautiful, session up at Torrey Valley.
I tried to do the full sit start to Wild Berry power. But I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it. It's probably V10 and painfully crimpy. Someone should do it though.
We've also got new things to finish at Sweetwater. I put up a nice V2 called "Vast and Still." Sierra flashed it.
Further down the wall I did a SDS V4 called "Stillness." A V6-8 traverse into it from the left is still a project.
And then there is the land of new projects, The Frontside, at Oz. I already knew Oz was really good, but I hadn't seen the south side of the mountain. And I never would have guessed that it was accessible in winter. Chris and Jeremy made it out there at the end of 2015, and that started a winter bouldering resurgence in Lander. Groups of boulderers have been getting out there a couple times a week ever since. My first trip was a day of climbing and exploration with Jesse and Chris.
I was impressed with the amazing stone, the huge junipers, and the expansive view.
Jesse and I watched Chris get the first ascent of "Wild Thing" V11.
And we looked at a lot of lines that could become classics.
I was so psyched, I bought some chains so I could get out there with my vehicle.
And I made it back with my family last weekend to join Chris, Freddy, Jesse, Tom, Devlin, and Ana at the Wild Thing boulder.
Here's Ana on her project "Heart Sing" V7.
She came very close, and I'm sure she'll get it on her next trip.
As you can see, the list of things to do is growing really quickly. And as long as we keep getting sunny weekends, and weeks without much snow, it's a great time to get things done.
