Return to Oz

 It took me too long to get back to this place, but I'm so glad that I did.  We spent a gorgeous day with Chris, Tony, and Will at the summit of the mountain.  Chris has been the most active developer at Oz, and a few others have added problems as well.

Tony and Will checking out a difficult project that Chris has been working on.

 The area offers an abundance of solid featured overhangs with views that are difficult to grasp, much less convey.

 The bouldering highlight of our day was getting the second and third ascents of Chris' V6/7 "Eye in the Sky."  It's a very interesting problem to work out, with different sequences for tall and short climbers.

 I didn't want to go home.

 Whenever the weather and my schedule allow it, this is where I'll want to be for a while.

Our original plan for the day was to visit Devil's Kitchen, but we changed plans once we became aware of possible access issues up there.  Here's a quick explanation of what I've been able to find out about Devil's Kitchen access so far.  I've contacted Wind River Fish & Game, and the BIA office in Ft. Washakie.  They report that no roads are closed in the Dickinson Park area.  But there is a new sign that implies that the road might be closed, and Allen's Ranch has turned back at least one group of climbers and told them that the road to Devil's Kitchen was closed.  Until everyone is on the same page, access remains somewhat questionable.  I'll post more information soon.

The Roaring Fork

 Lately I've been spending after school exploratory evenings hiking upstream above Roaring Fork Lake.  The best boulders don't begin to appear until two miles past the trailhead, but it's an easy trail and you don't need a high clearance vehicle or a reservation permit to go there.  Ana and Devlin have spent some time hiking up there too, and they told me about the best sector found so far.  It's the most accessible high quality Wilderness bouldering I've been to in the Lander area.  This place has a lot of potential, but it will take some work to get the problem concentration up.  Today I took the family up there, and we established four problems.  The first was a slab warm up.  The other ones were worth photographing.  I haven't settled on any names yet.  I'll update this post when I do.

A nice tall V2 crack problem.  I'm wearing a harness because the only easy way off this boulder is to rappel from a tree on top.

 A new three star V4 is just to the left of the crack.  This was the best line we finished today.

Once Ashley got to the top she used a rope to pull up her harness for the rappel off.

I also cleaned a very thin crack line to the left of this, but it's still a project.

We did the line below from a stand start.  It went at V3 once I figured out that the opening move required a heel smear above my head.  The sit start is still a project and will be much more difficult.

 All the hiking seemed like a little too much for Roo.  He couldn't keep his eyes open.

I can hardly believe that Lander has yet another vast area of boulders to overwhelm me!  The ambiance and stone quality of this area are really superb.  Once the best stones are found, and the pine needles, lichen, and moss are cleared, it just might be amazing.  Until that happens, take a short rope and some brushes, and budget some cleaning time into your day.

Unfortunately, I just got word that there might be some access issues at Devil's Kitchen.  I'm working on getting more info and will give a full update as soon as possible.  Until things are clarified it's probably best to climb elsewhere.    

Psyched on the Source Again

The first ascent of "The Aftermath" V5.

A couple exploratory fridays ago, I decided it was finally time to clean up a few of the amazing projects on the summit of the Tombstone formation.  I was somewhat surprised that they were still undone.  It felt like I was giving them away when I put a full page photo of the blocks on page 114 of the guide with a caption reading "The Tombstone formation and it's summit projects as seen from the North."  I'd considered leaving the photo out of the guide in order to give myself more time to finish what looked like some of the best undone lines I'd ever seen.  But it's been almost four months since the book came out, and no one had even tried them yet.  They remained without chalk, cracks thick with lichen, completely undisturbed.  I set up a rope, got on rappel, and spent an evening brushing.  A small storm came through, a double rainbow formed two thirds of a circle to the east, and the sun lit the clouds in the west.  A spectacular sight, and nice way to spend an evening after a hectic school day.  But I was alone, and ascents would need to wait.

The next Friday, Calen and Meghan met me at the Tombstone.  Not only were they interested in spending an evening cleaning problems with me, but Calen had spent the day finding and cleaning new lines at the Source.  We brushed a lot of lines, climbed a few, and then I needed to make a decision about what would become "The Aftermath."  It might be possible for me to work the highball line ground up.  Falling or down climbing from progressively higher points until I committed to going for the top.  That's what John Sherman would have done.  But it was also very possible that I'd hurt myself badly if I fell from the top half of the line.  I remembered that John Sherman's style of highball first ascents, though courageous, had caused him to have a lot of injuries including aggravated arthritis in both of his hips.  The newly brushed line looked somewhat insecure, falling off it would be scary, but it was the possible aftermath of falling that really influenced my decision.  In my head I questioned "What if I fell, got hurt, and couldn't boulder for a while, or ever again?  What if I end up with as many injuries as John Sherman?"  My inner voice shouted in response to the thought "I'M NOT READY TO TAKE UP WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY!"  A clear sign that I'd better rope up.  Calen belayed me and I fell a couple times.  I tried it a second time, and got to the top without falling on the rope.  The next day I brought the family, and we met Calen and Meghan at the Tombstone again.  Ashley toproped the line, and I decided to toprope it a couple more times.  My beta improved with practice, and I felt ready to give it a try without a rope.  Calen spotted, Ashley took photos, I turned off the worried part of my brain, and just climbed it.  It felt wonderful.      

It's a difficult problem to rate.  Working it from the ground would probably feel V5.  With toprope rehearsal I refined my beta until the moves felt V4.  But it's a problem that probably isn't appropriate for anyone that can't boulder V6.  As far as quality goes, I think it's on par with Nexus.  One of the best first ascents of my life.

This wasn't our first session with Calen and Meghan.  They drove up two weekends ago from the Las Vegas area to visit Lander, do some sport climbing, and check out the bouldering.  We took them to the Rock Shop on their first weekend.  But they didn't ask for a tour of the classics.  Calen said he wanted to climb wherever we were going, and maybe put up some lines himself.

Calen climbing "Pork Chop."  A classic put up by Bryan V.  

As we climbed and brushed, Calen kept asking "Has that been climbed? Has anyone checked out that formation? Why hasn't this been climbed?  Is this for real?" His enthusiasm was contagious, and I realized I'd been taking some amazing things for granted.  Doing first ascents at the Rock Shop had just become an expected part of my normal weekend routine.  Listening to Calen's enthusiasm made the area feel new again.  We made our way to the summit above "Pork Chop" and did the first ascents of three new problems including a V4 roof called "Pit Viper."  Calen had a good session, and decided to buy a full set of brushes.

On Labor Day Calen gave us a tour of new lines he'd established at the Source the previous Friday.  Just south of the problem "South" at Source South is this boulder.  I hadn't gotten around to cleaning it because it looked a little short, but it climbs so well!  Calen has a great eye for lines.  He got the first ascent of "Anti venom" V6*** which starts on the lowest right rail and climbs left to an interesting undercling to sloper top out.  The moves and rock quality feel just like the good stuff at Squamish.  "Snake Wrangler" V4** climbs the arete and moves right along the lip to two possible top outs.

Uphill to the north are a couple more lines added by Calen.  They both start sitting at the horizontal.  "Longmire" climbs the left arete, and "Long Arm of the Law" climbs the right.  Both are in the V4 or 5 range.

Calen also noticed this slopey feature on the boulder just right of "The Aftermath."  He spent an hour or two on Saturday morning brushing it on rappel.

Calen did the line from a stand start on Saturday evening, but didn't finish it from the sit start.  After our tour of Calen's new lines at the Source on Monday, we headed over to the Tombstone for another try.  Calen let us work the line with him.  Ashley made quick progress, using some of my beta, and ended up nabbing the first ascent.  I got the second ascent a few tries later.  The problem's called "The Arrowhead" and we think it's a V6.  

Ashley climbing "The Arrowhead."

Another instant classic, but I hadn't noticed it.  It wasn't steep enough to catch my eye, but Calen saw that it was a beautiful feature that could climb really well.  He was right!

In the chimney just behind "Arrowhead" is a new easy, committing, and somewhat scary problem. A granite version of the "Plumber's Crack" at Red Rocks, Nevada.  Try it if you're confident.

"Do or Die" V0

A new warm up wall with many variations, and a couple other problems were cleaned and climbed on the west side of the summit.  I'll post more info when I have photos.

In just a two week trip Calen established at least fifteen new boulder problems, with days spent sport climbing at Wild Iris and Tensleep as well.  Thanks Calen and Meghan for making plans with us, cleaning and climbing so many great new lines, and helping me see these areas with fresh eyes again.  Have a good trip back to Vegas, and we hope to see you in Lander again soon!    

A Devil's Kitchen Camping Trip

Conditions generally determine where I go bouldering.  I'm very aware of shade, sun, elevation, hourly temperature, cloud cover, and wind forecasts.  I'd rather do a circuit of boulders I've already climbed, or go sport climbing, than try new boulder problems in excessive heat or cold.  I know that not every climber shares my priorities.  

After a session in Devil's Kitchen with Brian earlier in the summer that was on the verge of too warm, I'd decided to avoid the Kitchen until fall conditions settled in.  So when Kerrek and Jesse F. both contacted me, and both were interested in a tour of Devil's Kitchen, I was somewhat conflicted.  I could only fit a couple bouldering days into my schedule before school started, and both available days looked too hot for a pleasant bouldering session in the canyon.  But I'd recently returned from a camping trip to Bear Valley, and realized that camping at the Kitchen would allow us to climb in cool evening and early morning temps.  Jesse, Kerrek, and Ina were camping in the park anyway, so I figured it would probably work for them.  Plans were made, and I picked everyone up at the park in the mid-afternoon.

  

A morning view, just before sunrise.     

 We made our way up the Seussian road, and I hoped the $1300 dollars I'd spent on the largest all terrain tires allowable on our Honda Ridgeline would pay off on the steep rocky two track we'd eventually turn on to.

Some of the road as seen from above.

I was pleased at how much better the drive felt than the last time I'd driven in.  We made it there just fine, and set up our tents.  A storm on the higher mountains cooled everything down dramatically, and I was excited that we'd be able to climb in perfect conditions.

 We warmed up on the Resurrection boulder.  Jesse F. did a new slab warmup, and Kerrek got the first ascent of the arete project.  It turned out to be a very high quality V5.  An instant classic that Kerrek hasn't named yet.  Jesse F. fired the second ascent, and after a few tries I got the third.

Kerrek's post send pose in his skater shoes and puffy.

Jesse and Kerrek both repeated "The Resurrection," discovered new beta, and think it's a V6.

Kerrek's main goal was to send "One Shot Antelope."  While he worked on that, I climbed this unnamed V3/4 problem put up by Tim L. It's a fun line in a very photogenic spot. 

 Jesse F. made a few attempts on "One Shot," explored a bit, and flashed "Live Streaming."

The next morning Kerrek came heartbreakingly close to sending "One Shot Antelope."  Afterwards he was worked. But he still sent my project "French Montana."

 Jesse spent most of the morning cleaning a proud arete below the Larry Bird boulder.  It's a long problem with a sit start between a couple boulders.

 Difficult moves lead to the arete which would be really high if it didn't have a boulder beneath it.

 The top was in the sun, temps were getting warm, and Jesse wasn't able to finish the line.  It's such a beautiful, difficult, and obvious line, I was surprised that no one had tried it yet.  Now it's cleaned up and ready for an ascent.  I'm not an expert on double digit ratings, but based on Jesse's ability and effort on the line, I'd estimate that it could be a V12.

On the drive out Jesse mentioned "Devil's Kitchen is not an inexpensive bouldering area.  People need to buy special vehicles just to be able to get in there."  He's right about that, but I'm starting to think that many of the "difficulties" that Wyoming bouldering areas present are actually attributes in disguise.  It's good to have high quality tires, and a vehicle that's stocked in case of emergency.  It's fun to carpool and take long hikes with other climbers.  An incredible opportunity to get to know people better.  It's amazing to have such spectacular, vast, and scenic areas all to ourselves.  We wouldn't if they were easy to get to.  And camping in these areas is much more memorable than heading out for a day trip.  I woke up in the night and was amazed at the brightness of the Milky Way.  I watched three shooting stars streak across the sky.  In the morning, the high peaks lit up beautifully as the sun came over the horizon.  The area feels even more vast in early morning light.  I'm glad that Kerrek, Ina, and Jesse gave me a reason to go camping up there.  It was a really good time, and a perfect way to wrap up my summer break.

Now school has started.  But with the guidebook finished I have a little more spare time this year.  Instead of typing into the night, I'm getting a lot of housework done, with the weekly goal of freeing up every friday evening for bouldering exploration and brushing.  I'm hoping to keep up this schedule until snow storms or short days shut it down.  Sierra went with me on a recent trip, and we found this nice block which will require some attention soon.

Yesterday, I cleaned a couple lines that I'm excited about in a different area.  Finding the time for everything requires as much focus as climbing does.  Another exercise in problem solving.

The best bouldering months of the year will soon be upon us!  And if you'd like to check out all the new bouldering near Lander, it's time to start making plans.  The guidebook is sold online at ClimbingWyoming.com, Wild Iris Mountain Sports, Fixed Pin Publishing, and Wind River Gear.  Or you can pick up a copy from the Wild Iris shop when you get here.  Giddy Up

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.