Things Are Different Now

A line of 5.10 ads says "Quit Your Job." Ashley took that advice last May, and it's been great for her climbing.  I'd estimate that she's jumped a couple grades since last year, and she appears to be as strong as she's ever been.  We both climbed Chris Marley's line "Mr. Smiley" V7 at the Rock Shop. But Ashley's beta looked more difficult.

Ashley seems pretty happy about the time off.

I went back to school with Autumn.  And Ashley's been traveling with Sierra, seeing the places we've always wanted to be able to see in the fall.  When you're teaching, fall is the one time of year that you never get to travel far.

Ash and Sierra enjoying Glacier National Park.

While they were away, Autumn came out to the Rock Shop with me and sent "Bobcat's" V1.  A line that I cleaned a couple hundred feet to the west of "Mr. Smiley."

Labor day weekend arrived, and we took advantage of it by getting back to Devil's Kitchen.

Ashley and Sierra demonstrated the efficient breakfast routine they'd perfected on their Glacier trip.

Sierra climbed very well on the trip, but I was just as proud of her for carrying her own pad in and out of the lower kitchen without complaint.

We re-brushed and climbed a few warm ups that had already been cleaned at some point in the past.

And then we went over to "Bumblespeak" V8.  On my first trip to the lower Kitchen I saw this line, and I knew that Ashley would like it.  I brushed up most of the line, and Jamie Emerson sent it later that fall.  It ended up taking until this year before I got Ashley down to it for an attempt, but it did suit her perfectly, and she sent it quickly.

Here's video of the ascent with just a couple long chalking rests, from jugs, edited out.



Then Sierra figured it out too!

I wasn't willing to put a full effort into "Bumblespeak."  I feared that I probably wouldn't be able to do it, and in the attempt use up the strength I needed to finally send my project.  It's a beautiful dynamic problem that doesn't suite my height.  It's called "Flying Machete Monster" V5.  

I only managed a stand start version, and just that felt at least V6 for me.

Happy with my send, I also appreciated the amazing landscape on the hike out.

Now true fall weather has arrived and I've been taking advantage of it by getting in after school bouldering sessions.  Soon the days will be to short for them.  My main objective has been the direct sit start project into "Delicate Diagonal" at the Source.

I'd been making progress, but I thought that it would be too reachy for Ashley and Sierra.  We spent a Saturday up there anyway, and Sierra sent the project!  Ashley sent it a few tries later.  Sierra thought that it was easier than "Bumblespeak," and Ashley thought that it was just as difficult.  Sierra named it "Mastery Challenge" after the final tests in Khan Academy units.

I use holds that Sierra can't reach, and the line feels like it could be V10 to me.  Take a look at Sierra's sequence below, and try to imagine a larger climber making it work.  It doesn't even feel possible.

As I write this, Ashley and Sierra are on the road again.

Sierra sent "Big Boy" V7 at Joes Valley, UT

And they've also visited Priest Draw, AZ

While they've been away, Autumn and I returned to one of my high priority projects at Deer Park.

We had perfect weather for it last Saturday.

My original sessions on this line started with a very difficult, awkward, and crimpy traverse into the feature from the left.  That start adds significant difficulty, but also takes away stars from the line and began to seem contrived.  I decided to start the line from a different sit start, right below the boulder's main feature.  The right hand starts on the crimp shown below, and the left hand starts ~18 inches lower than pictured from a nice sloper.  From the start that I did it's a classic V6/7 called "Autumnal."  A right leg knee pad allowed me to get a good knee bar on the first ascent.

The move from a perfect pinch to the lip is especially fun.

I'm very happy with this line!

I also put up a new V3 on the right side of the Focus and Flow Wall called "Crimpy Temps."

And another V3 nearby called "Perfect Fit."

Temps are dropping, Ashley's traveling, Sierra's sending, all of us are hiking, projects are falling. The times are changing.

The Importance of Traveling and Coming Home Again

We've been climbing on the road, and climbing close to home.  To construct the narrative I've diverged from chronological order.  But our summer break began with a road trip to see family in Oregon.  We camped and climbed along the way. 

 We bouldered at City of Rocks, a spot I've wanted to check out for a while now.  It's a very beautiful area.

 The rock is both pretty and pretty strange.  Some of the most solid patina I've grabbed covering some of the softest granite.  We had a good time there.

We spent most of our day climbing and trying a variety of lines on the Green Wall.  Sierra climbed her first V7.  I'll need to return to put all the moves on this line together.

 We camped above Boise.  I began the night wondering how it was that so many people were in the city below us, and none of them were camping near us this beautiful Friday night.  Later we were joined by three stoners who parked nearby, and proceeded to keep me up with their laughing from 2:30 am until sunrise.

 We also took a trip to see family in Vail.  I was excited to gauge my bouldering strength by getting back on "Return of the Jedi" V8 at Red Cliff.  I'd almost sent this the year before we moved to Wyoming, and had never gotten the chance to return.  I did the problem, and Ashley repeated it too! It's wonderful to find that I'm a little bit stronger than I was eight years ago.

 We also repeated many classics, like "Star Crossed Lovers" V5/6 at the Aircraft Carrier.

 And Sierra was introduced to and climbed a lot of the great lines too.

We've also been climbing closer to home.  We spent one day in the northern Winds on our trip back from Oregon.

 Where we cleaned and climbed a few new moderates.

 I thought the line below would give us a good workout, but the friction was too good, and it ended up going at V2.  Sierra got the first ascent, and she hasn't told me a name for it yet.

 We've also been climbing closer to home.  Repeating lines at the Rock Shop, and getting a few we hadn't done before.

Here's Cole demonstrating the stretch and then scrunch beta of "2nd Hand Smoke" V5.

 When we went to Deer Park I was the only one prepared for a river crossing, so I carried my family, and all of our stuff across.

 I put up a V3 called "Tell Me Now" and then an extended traverse into the line called "Tell Me Later" V4.

 That was how I warmed up for the project.  But I we haven't been able to finish it yet.

 Even closer to home, I did the "Caterpillar Arete Traverse" V8 at the Source for the first time.  A little more evidence that I'm a bit stronger than I've ever been.

 And Sierra climbed it too.  Demonstrating that she is getting stronger much more quickly than I ever have.

A rare Chocolate Lily up at the Source.

 And I explored some new stone in the Winds with Davin.  We found lines I'd like to return to.

 A lot of rock with great features.

 We put up a few lines there already.  The best one of the day was cleaned up with the help of Davin's alpine rappel kit.  Behind it, I put up a V3 traverse that exits the cave along a thin seam called "Out of the Den."

 Davin climbing his line.

 It's a tall line with an interesting crux.

I'm impressed with the area, and will go back as soon as someone commits to going there with me. We'll also come up with a good name for the sector eventually.

Travel is essential. It's been good to see new things, and it's been great to climb some established lines that I haven't been able to climb before!  But having a home is essential too. I feel more relaxed here, and enjoy being able to contribute to climbing, by exploring and putting up new lines.  Like most things it seems, a balance must be struck.