BOOM! Colorado is going off right now.. Mt. Evans is hot like fire (or so the Bouldering types proclaim), ladies are crushing boulders, apparently everyone is boulder climbing everything up in RMNP, Jimmy Redo just cranked one of the first repeats on my alpine test-piece 13c, 'Cloak and Dagger', Ben Randolph finally put the 'Quickening' 13c to rest and Rifle just saw the most sending-est weekend ever (highlighted by Neely Quinn taking down 'The Path' 13c) thanks to some unseasonably low temps. Not to mention I've been terrorizing the canyons in my new Subaru WRX... SNAP! I'm taking this whirlwind Colorado flavor up to the International Climbers Festival in Lander, Wy... but before I head out, I'll give a wrap up of my happenings over the past week or so.
Wild Iris. Killer.
Paige and I went out to Rifle last week for my second ever visit. It was a bit buggy and warm, but we made due and got some stuff done. Although I do feel like I'm warming up to Rifle - the style, the burl, the crowds - I'm still remaining conservative, and allowing myself some time to acquire the skill-set that is uniquely Rifle before I get too ambitious. I opened up our 2.5 day stay there with some 5.14 effort on a 13b, due to some terribly wrong, self discovered beta on 'Euro Trash'- you can't help but feel like an idiot when someone burps from down below, 'hey dude, what about that JUG out right there?' Anyways, I put it to rest and started off day 2 on a better note with a route I'd been excited about long before I arrived.. the mighty 'Eighth Day' 13a. I'm very pleased to have managed an onsight on this 50 meter mega-route- it's brilliant! I also chucked a flash on the excellent and so-very-rifle 'Beer Run' 13a and finished the day on some killer Anti-Phil 5.12s while Paige fired the awesome, 'AntiPhil' 13b sans the chipped hold. The following morning I managed to onsight 'Cantina Boy' 13b, 'Blocky Horror' 12d/13a and 'Hand Me the Cantina Boy' 12d, before we bailed for home. I'm earning my way to 5.14 in Rifle, and stoked to feel more comfortable on easier terrain.. only downside to this trip was 'Pinch Fest' 12b- sorry people.. this route sucks!
static rope danglin at the Lighthouse.. new routes!!!
the view..
Estes Park has been my summer time hang for the past couple years ever since my family bought a little 100 year old cabin there- I love the place, and it offers the perfect escape from the heat of the summer. I've been bolting some new lines around an area I established last year, and hopefully within the next couple weeks 6 new additions, some of which hard, will be available for sendage. I also wandered out to the Monastery this past weekend to encourage Paige to try the incredible 'Grand Ol Opry' 14b/c a striking, very difficult line, which remains as one of my favorites. I shocked myself by managing a top-rope repeat, and Paige impressively made some truly awesome links and promising success on her first day of effort... sick. I cranked a lap on the 'Quickening' 13c as well before temps drove us away.
Now I'm heading to Wyoming to enjoy the company of friends and some bullet limestone pockets at the ICF. Come out and have a ball!!
