Potosi

My first time climbing at Mt Potosi was in 2011. I drove down to Las Vegas in January with my good friend Chris Weidner - my first time to Sin City - and we gratefully crashed on the couch of Heather Robinson. As it seems almost every crag (save the Red) has its moments of popularity and subsequently its moments of obscurity - during this time Potosi was definitely en vogue. Professor Bill Ramsey was battling wet holds, Heather was prime to make her first 13d redpoint, and a grip of other Vegas locals happily enjoyed 'The Beach' (with the winter sun low in the sky, the cave remained in the shadow while the belays were cooking in the sun). I climbed 'Mon Pote Assis', 'Hold Your Fire' and 'Power Windows' among a few others. I enjoyed the scene and the community. While this specific cave did not speak to me in particular, the long days with the crew at this zone helped convince me to radically extend my trip to Vegas that year and eventually call this place a second home.





When I returned to the wall the next winter, I had a different experience. I tried a few different harder routes over a couple days and was utterly shut down. So damn steep, so many drilled pockets. It was not encouraging or motivating. In general, two of my least favorite forms of climbing are roofs, and heavily manufactured routes. While it would be unfair to claim the Clear Light Cave at Mt Potosi is nothing but said forms of climbing, at the very least it exhibits a lot of this. With a bruised ego and trembling biceps I swore off Potosi in search of greener grasses.

Engulfed with a myriad of other surrounding radical limestone areas, I would stay busy and overly stoked for the next five winters. Why I was eventually called back to Mt Potosi, I am not entirely sure, but reflecting on the last month there I am so freakin grateful.

So, why? Why go back to a zone that in many ways I detested? I shit talked Potosi over beers too many times to count. It felt so gratifying to hate this drilled up place that had kicked my ass. It's undeniable that Potosi is heavily manufactured, a detail that made the area famous at the turn of the century and was a central point of argument surrounding the topic. So why did I venture back and furthermore what about this place did I enjoy?




For the last several years, I've either been training my ass off or trying climbs at my limit. While that did produce, unquestionably, the best performances of my life, it also eventually lead to a string of failure - which is inevitable. A difficult year turned into a cold and foggy winter in Spain. I happily returned to my home of Vegas in February, a crew was stoked on Potosi.. sure, why not? Bathed in Nevada sun, I got my ass kicked - trying a style that is classically so hard and foreign to me. After some beat down sessions I gradually came around with a couple harder routes and was encourage to forge on. Then some weeks later I did the first repeat of Francois LeGrand's 'Bachelor Party' 14d and third ascent of 'Annihilator' 14c and 'Atlantis' 14b among many others. These routes may be egregiously drilled but are also an interesting piece of American climbing history and sandbagged like most everything from the 90's. Hard or easy, I climbed a new route almost every day - and it was so refreshing. It felt so damn good to just play, to learn a new style, to enjoy the company of good people, joke around, and to get my ass kicked but also have some success. So much fun. Something like an outdoor gym, but nestled in the quiet of the desert, without a highway or subdivision in sight. I never imagined that Potosi would help me remember why I love climbing so much but I guess it's impossible to predict from where the lessons will come.

Yesterday was my last day at Potosi for this year (dare I say, ever?), as I turn my attention towards my return to Catalunya in just under ten days. It would be a far stretch to call Potosi one of my favorite areas but I'm not gonna lie I will definitely miss my time up there. Best of luck to Vian and Alex and Andy to finish up their projects this season! Just say no to knee-bars!

Lastly - Joe Segretti is putting together a little edit of some of these classics and epic punting from the chains and Zeke dog, so keep your eyes peeled for a vid !

 

LV

Living in Las Vegas is something I look forward to every single winter. It's a moment during the year that would be really hard for me to skip over, even despite my shortening list of projects in the area. I've built a community here, I know this place, I know the crags and the opportunities quite well. It makes me happy. It feels like home. 

Coming off of a difficult loss in Catalunya I was by all means ready for some kind of happy place. As the days and weeks passed by I found a meaningful perspective regarding my time in Oliana and I felt suddenly refreshed. Spending some nights with my family in Colorado and eventually hitting the road westbound was such an awesome change of space. It was immensely hard to let go in Spain but my life has been driving forward in a beautiful way since I've been back stateside. 

The squad and the vibes here in Vegas are all time. The crew has been so fun, climbing days long and tiring. Desert sky wide open and piercingly blue. Stone is calling as always. Egos both crushed and filled. Quiet thoughtful approaches with Zeke dog rambling in the hills above. Just the way I love it. 

I've been clipping some chains which is an incredible pleasure. Some highlights include 'Reverse Polarity' 14b, 'Try Your Best' 13+, 'Hell Comes to Frogtown' 13d from the incredible Fred Nicole, 'Mixed Emotions' 14a, and recently 'Bachelor Party' 14d for its second ascent since 2002. I'm particularly proud of that one. I'm a history geek as you all must know by now, and this route has been in need of a repeat since it first came on the scene, just a couple years after Tommy Caldwell brought the 9th grade to American soil with Kryptonite. Francois LeGrand visited the states a bunch during this time and made this FA as his crowning contribution. Nothing like a savage double mono roof encounter at the bitter end... I thought for sure I hated Potosi after my few sessions there in 2011 but apparently, for now, it is just what I needed in some ways. Here's some iPhone send footage below thanks to Vian! The video starts as I leave the anchor rest on 'Ray of Light' 13a. 

And one more little thing for killing time if you're in need... I sat down and spoke with Power Company Climbing last summer, Kris Hampton is such a rad guy and he is doing very cool things with his training platform and inspiring many with the podcast. I've always enjoyed his calming presence and inquisitive attitude. Thanks for hosting me Kris! Have a listen to the podcast below: