Indian Creek

We arrived in Moab Tuesday afternoon. There was fresh snow on the La Sals, and the forecast called for thunderstorms, so we delayed going down to the Creek. Wednesday we repeated a couple of climbs along Potash road, bouldered at Big Bend, and then bought groceries for camping at the Creek.

We arrived in the Creek after dark, and we discovered that camping is no longer permitted at Newspaper Rock. Always a bad idea because the canyon is narrow and there is a danger of flash floods. The sandy, vegetation-free soil of the campground should have been a clue, but it was nice camping under the cottonwoods.

We camped at the Needles Outpost $25 a night. Showers are available. We met Tracy Napolitano. Thursday and Friday we climbed on Scarface Buttress. Here is a list of climbs I did. Of the climbs we did Thurs and Fri, I like these the most (2nd ed. numbering): #9 thin hands, face holds, and lieback, #34 wide hands and chimney, #12 Scarface. The guidebook is great. It amazes me that when the Wiggins party climbed Supercrack in 1976, the road into Moab was dirt and a wooden bridge crossed the Colorado. When were highways 191 and 211 paved?

Friday night we returned to Moab. Thousands were in town for a bike race, so we couldn’t get a hotel. We got a campsite in the Moab RV park near City Market $20 a night. The first night was marred by the drunken hillbillies next to us. The man kept calling the woman a stupid cunt. Apparently she turned his dog against him.

Saturday we climbed at Potash Road again. I did “Nervous in Suburbia” 10a, “Lucy in Sky over Potash” 10a, and “30 Seconds Over Potash” 5.8. A couple of locals climbed next to us, and they referred to the woman making the odd calls from the other side of the Colorado “goose lady”.

After climbing we drove the bike race route in reverse, going down river road and then up Castle Valley into the La Sals. We discovered Mill Creek, and saw where people park and hike down to the climbing. It is obvious the climbing is on Entrada sandstone. I asked someone at Pagan about it, and there are about 100 routes there. No guidebook, so just choose something you think you might be able to climb. It isn’t all high-end climbing: there is stuff in the 5.10 and 5.11 range.

I studied the map and consulted a hiking guide in the bookstore. If you were interested in making an ascent of Mt Peale (12721 ft elevation, 6200 ft of prominence, 23rd most prominent peak in the lower 48), you would take highway 46 east from La Sal Junction, and then get on Upper Two Mile Rd to La Sal Pass Rd. The latter two roads are dirt, but passable with 2WD. Drive up to the vicinity of La Sal Pass, a col which separates the south La Sals from the central La Sals. Mt Peale is an off trail route straight up to the north.

Sunday we went skydiving. When we walked back to the hangar, Steph Davis was sitting on her tailgate in her wingsuit.

We returned to the Creek and camped on the Bridger Jack Shelf Sunday evening. A thunderstorm came through and doused everything. We cooked pork chops, rotini pasta, and broccoli. A large praying mantis visited our campsite and I can’t recall ever watching one of these insects up close.

Monday we climbed again on Scarface Buttress. Climb #10 to the left of “Where’s Carruthers” is superb. It is 100′ long, and it starts out with thin hands and stemming in a pair of cracks. The upper section has cruxy liebacks between good rests. I protected in both cracks without using runners, which caused the 0.75 Camalot to walk deep into the crack. I spent over 15 minutes retrieving it by using nut tools and a sling to reach the release bar.

My brother’s account of the trip

Thought Systems Bundled as Seven Imperatives

A common example of this is Covey’s set:

• be proactive
• begin with the end in mind
• first things first
• think win-win
• first understand, then be understood
• synergize
• sharpen the saw

Lean software development is also septofascicular:

• deliver fast
• decide late
• eliminate waste
• empower the employee
• amplify learning
• build in integrity
• see the whole

The Rock Warrior’s Way organizes itself into seven principles, but Ilgner doesn’t distill them out as mnemonic imperatives. So I attempt my own formulations:

• become self-aware
• see subtlety
• accept responsibility
• ask what you can give
• commit with unbending intent
• don’t expect, listen
• value the journey, not the destination

Agony Arch

Attempted Agony Arch 11c.

Used camalots: .4,.5,1,2,3,3,3.5,4 and 3 medium to large stoppers. The placements are good: I tested most with a fall.

Riverside Quarry II

Onsight ascents of Flesh and Blood 11b and Peepshow 11a.

For Flesh and Blood I used for the first time a 70m rope I bought in Moab back in 2006. The route has 16 bolts, and it took me about 30 minutes to climb it. I am still using the draws I bought when I started climbing in 2000, but their number has dwindled from more than 20 to 8. So we went to REI and I bought 8 new lightweight draws.

Riverside Quarry

Onsighted Tangerine Dream 11a and Trundle Trophy 10d.

To try if I make it out there again:

Flesh and Blood 11b (70m rope)
Flexercise 10b
Metro 11b
Peep Show 11a (bird poop)
Power Play 10d

Las Vegas Climbing Weekend

Last weekend we were in Las Vegas. Saturday we did Cat in the Hat 5.6. We bouldered a bit in the afternoon.

Sunday we did Tunnel Vision 5.7 R.

Riverside Quarry

I was at the Riverside Quarry Sunday with Grant. I pulled off onsights of Wonderstuff 10d and Whammy 10b.

Two weekends previously we were at the Tram Boulders.

The weekend before that we were at JTree. I led Solo 5.9 and Warthog 5.9 on Sentinel Rock. We also did Picture Perfect V1.

Tahquitz Rock – Whodunit

Yesterday we returned to “Whodunit”, which we last climbed in July of 2006. Fresh snow covered the shadier places, and the weather alternated between dark clouds, sun breaks, and fog.

I took an infinite amount of time climbing the first pitch. I was off-route, and climbing a slightly harder pitch to the left. Eventually I lowered off and fashioned a stick-clip from a branch and athletic tape so I could clip and pull on a piton.

It was chilly, and we shivered a lot when belaying. The 2nd pitch was moist, and the chimney on the 3rd pitch was dripping wet.

We got a late start. I left my apartment at 9:00 am, and we weren’t at the base of the climb earlier than 1:00 pm. I didn’t even check the time until we got to the top of pitch 4, when I was startled to see that it was 6:00 pm. Topping out wasn’t realistic, because we had another 4 pitches, an hour long hike out, and no headlamps. So we rapped out.

Red Rocks

Saturday:

Climbed a 3 pitch route on Windy Peak called Diet Delight 5.9. In the afternoon we sent boulder problems at Willow Springs: Peck V3 and Bavmorda V2.

Sunday:

Intended to climb in Black Velvet Canyon but hit a rock and broke my oil filter. After taking a ride in the tow truck and renting a car we climbed Fools Gold 10b at the Black Corridor. I attempted Meister’s Edge 11a but only clipped two bolts.

Bouldering at the Buttermilks

King Tut:

Green Wall Essential:

Trying to climb all the easy classics at the Buttermilks. “Good Morning Sunshine” I’ve done twice previously. “King Tut” and “Green Wall Essential” I did this trip.