Slow and Steady Climbs the Rock

After we were sufficiently frustrated on Bark Biter we packed up our things and walked over to Sex and Chocolate. I was particularly interested because it'd been so long since I'd been on it. For those of you that don't know, S & C climbs up a blunt arete on really bad slopers and crimps. With a height of maybe 15 feet to the big break it's still only about 4-5 moves depending how you do it. A really big dyno or a long, drawn out mantle are the only ways around the final big move.

We layed our pads down, booted up and promptly got shut down. I made it to my last high point with relative ease and soon we were working on the big move again. A couple times I was able to stack my middle finger onto my index finger and start to tenuously ease my way up but each time my ass would pull me back down.

RV, Katie and I sat there confused, wondering if there was any other way. We just couldn't see the movement. It was just how I remembered it from a couple years ago.

A few minutes later though a good friend of ours came around the corner. Chris was gonna save the day for sure! He put his shoes on and promptly got to the same spot as us. He did seem to have his foot a little better than either RV or I though. It seemed like every go he got a little closer to standing up and pretty soon he was starting to throw a little. Chris got close a couple of times but needed a break.

We all sat on the rock hoping he'd pull it together and step it up for the group. We were ALL about the group send at that point. We totally helped.....but only if he did it.

He pulled on, placed his foot and with seemingly no effort at all mantled past the balance point and just stood there for a second completely extended. Then he just sort of reached up and grabbed the finishing jug. Rather anticlimactic if you ask me. He made it look like it was V1!

He came down and I gave him some quick history on the problem and let him know that he is probably the only person in the last 5 years or so to have done it. There have been some VERY strong climbers that have gotten royally shut down on this problem and I was so happy to have seen it completed.

All in all this past Saturday was one of the better days we've had climbing this summer. The wind was blowing through really nicely and it felt like fall out there. On top of that, it was beyond cool to see three separate groups make their way up to the area to boulder! I think that might have been the best part of the day for me! As many of you know I've been trying really hard to inject some life into the bouldering at the lake because I really do think it's just so so good! I'm glad to see more people out there climbing! I love it!!!

Sunday night Katie said something about how nice it was that she was marrying the bouldering guidebook for the lake. I dunno about that but it made me laugh.

More to come tomorrow and hopefully with pictures this time!!