Friday, February 25, 2011

Rockfall


So. Exciting day yesterday.

We hear about rockfall all the time in the trad and alpine worlds. New sport routes and boulder problems need cleaning but other than that, we don't hear about it a whole lot at the boulders. Especially not on established classics that have had hundreds of climbers do them.

This came off the top of Cleopatra yesterday. It was right around 30 pounds and came from the upper most part of the picture up top.


It landed almost directly where RV had been standing. Luckily he darted out of the way when the climber from Vermont accidentally knocked it loose.

This is what happens when a rock hits your jacket. FYI.





Thankfully everyone was ok and all that got hurt were a couple fleeces and a jacket. It was, however, a sobering reminder of the game we all play. What we do, what many of us live for, can have very serious consequences. Even for us lowly boulderers.

Shit can happen. Shit does happen. I don't mean to get too weepy-eyed and huggy huggy, but thank the people you love often. Count your blessings when you have an injury free day and can go home to a warm house and a cold drink.

If that had hit any one of us there's a very good chance we wouldn't be around to talk about it.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Update

So we're 5 days into the trip with 4 days left. Not much has changed really. Katie is climbing strong and has a couple projects that are a move away from being completed and I'm fairly close on the orb. I'd be psyched to do that one. That and Honeycomb at Dayton. Ian gave me the money beta for the last hard move and we're heading back tomorrow. Curious how it'll go. I feel close on it but it feels really hard for me.

RV is hurt. Again. Surprised? Nah. He hurt his wrist on Pythagorean Theorum and hasn't really been able to climb for the past three days. Really sad for him. He's in good shape right now and hopefully the smoting down will stop soon enough.

Sofie has been climbing well too and we're excited to show her Dayton and LRC.

As for sends, RV and I both flashed Nose Candy and Hueco Simulator. Both awesome. Katie and I did Pythagorean which was cool as we used totally different methods. More on that later though.

Enjoy some of the better pics so far.

*UPDATE
*Katie got mad at me cause i didn't mention she sent helicopter. She sent it. Fast. Like real fast. Then as she was going up the remaining jugs she started downgrading it. Mid problem. Then she repeated it for the camera.

So there. Katie's real rad.

Ian and Les on Crazy Craver







Final jug on Nose Candy


Ian flashing Sherman Photo Roof



RV on Brown Hole....


And RV dry firing off of Brown Hole


Nose Candy



Some stuff on Croc Bloc






Something I don't remember the name of. This one pissed off most everyone.



RV being a good little spotter and cowering in sheer horror at the idea of having to touch someone.


Katie, enjoying RV's cowering.






Ian doing Big Bad



Enjoying ourselves all alone on Monday.


Hueco Simulator



Some V3 by Pythagorean. Had to try harder on that than Nose Candy.


Katie doing Helicopter VERY quickly.


Golden Harvest


More Nose Candy



Ian on something else I don't know.



RV, Training on Sherman Photo


Nose Candy




Helicopter Sit





HAH!


The Orb



Dead. Sexy.


Nip.