Monday, March 12, 2012

Weekend Recap


So that was a nice little weekend. It's pretty rare that I get out three times in a weekend but the past few days just kinda worked out perfectly that way.

On Friday I went up to the big slanting talus field that I'd explored a few weeks back and messed around on a couple of things. Definitely would like a few more pads for some of the dicier landings but it seems like it has a bit of potential. The rock quality on the Twin boulders is astoundingly good and there should be a handful of potential new problems in the area. I did a cool slab that climbs up the left twin.

It was great being able to get out of town around 3:30 or so and still have enough light to have some fun and climb some rocks. I timed it perfectly and got to the railroad tracks just in time to hike out in the dark.

On Saturday I met up with Brian and we had a great, tiring day. We'll just ignore our ill fated warm up attempt at Rail Gun and start with Brian trying Fat Pants. Despite what you see in the video below, he did come extremely close to doing the problem and has said he wants to come back.

While we were over there I played around on Ivory Face for a bit and while it's very cool I don't think it's anything that I'd ever put an enormous amount of time into. That's not saying anything at all about it's quality, by the way. The holds are cool, the landing is good, it has an obvious start. It's just tough to excited about a 2-3 move dead vert crimping problem. I will say that the two left hand crimps were much better than I thought they'd be.

Brian did take some apparently cool pictures of me on it. Excited to see those at some point.

After Fat Pants we hiked over to Bulbous to give that one a whirl. Our first tries were ill fated and resulted in very little progress. Then Brian stepped up and figured out the toe hook beta that I think Ian also used when he did the line last summer. All of a sudden each of us had stuck the moves and the energy was totally different. I tried the topout once to make sure the mantle felt alright, which it did, and Brian made fun of me for trying to not be a punt.

Brian gave it one try from the start, made it to the end and fell off the mantle. After trying the mantle once he very quickly sent the problem next try. Unfortunately I could not follow suit and even though I had the bottom on lockdown I fell on the last move twice (anyone want to go up on Thursday afternoon?!? Around 3:30 or 4???). The last time left me completely gutted so we moved on to Sex and Chocolate where we finished up the day, failing once again.

On Sunday despite being as Brian put it "Wrecked" I made the quick trip back up and threw a rope on Greatest Show. In short, I was able to do the upper crux about 10 tries in. I used a smaller dimple for my right foot and it feels about the same difficulty.

And let's be honest, if the chubby kid with no core, wretched skin, a bum finger, a bum hamstring and a seeping right hueco can do it, so can you.

It was nice on Sunday to know that there were people at Anchorpoint and North Shore and it seems that there were more people spread around the park as well. I saw Nick's car as I drove in and Aaron, Andrea and Dobbe went up to Fat Pants. It's nice to see people getting out once again.

Brian and I spent a good portion of the day talking about just how drastically things have changed for Devil's Lake in just three years time. In 2009 at this time it would have been absolutely deserted as far as bouldering goes and the fact that it's changed so much, in part because of Mountain Project and this site is what I'm most proud of.

With temps getting up into the 70's this week it seems the spring season is now over and I'll do a spring recap later this week. It could very well look much like this post. HAH!

Here's a video I put together.



And here's one Runnells put together.

21 comments:

  1. Nice!!! Alas I had to work this weekend. Thursday no, but Wednesday evening almost certainly. C$

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  2. What time are you going on Wednesday?? If you're interested in trying Bulbous I'd be down.

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  3. A. What is with that foot faggotry that Narc was doing on Fat Pants?

    B. Fat Pants is amazing and I can't wait to go and finish that thing.

    C. Gnar you punted. Then you gave up. That was really sad.

    D. I like the possibility of climbing with you guys on Wednesday, maybe...

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  4. SO MUCH FAILING!!! I can't heel hook without blowing out my knee so I have to explore other options...

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  5. A. He was trying many, many things. Though I have to defend the drop knee cause that's how I do it.

    B. Fat Pants is incredible.

    C. The first time I punted I fell back to the lip and tried again. Really that should count as a third punt.

    D. Are you coming to Madison?!? I would enjoy rock climbing with you fools. I'd even show you the beta for Bulbous.

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  6. A. That is the definition of foot faggotry. that was like an upside down toe hook. Weird shit.

    B. Fat Pants is fantastic

    C. I am really tempted to make a 'work trip' on Wed. As the weather looks incredible.

    D. If I come, I will do Fat Pants first try, off the couch, to make Narc and his poor footwork look silly.

    E. Why does Mrs. Narc let Mr. Narc out of his life quarantine bubble? We all know he injures easily and can't be left to his own devices.

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  7. Also, nice job on Bulbous Narc! Well done!

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  8. A. Upside down foot faggotry is amazing. Shut it.

    C. You should definitely make a work trip on Wednesday. Chri$ hasn't responded yet to my inquiry on rock climbing. Doesn't he know he needs to be on top of this shit?

    E. Narcy has to do at least one boulder problem a year. His quota is now done.

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  9. I will defintely be going on Weds evening. I probably could be at the parking lot by 5pm. 2 good hours of sunlight. And another 2 hours of headlamp flailing. Yup. C$

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  10. Oh, and anything is good with me. Fatty Pants, Bulbous, etc. Just not Perfect medium. I don't think I can take anbother year of punting on that. I think I'll let that one slide for 2012. C$

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  11. I would like Fatty Pants, and Bulbous. and anything else. but mainly fatty pants and anything else that is short. like under 4 moves is what is needed at this point.

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  12. Seems that Bulbous is the problem of the week. Nice work Remo!

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  13. Thanks Steve! You will do it soon. For me that thing is hard. It's hard to call it an 8, but feels harder than other 7's in the park. I could also see having a longer reach would make it a tad easier. Todd and the old gang were just strong as hell I guess! Classic either way. Spring 2012 is here-Psyched!

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  14. Oh, B. Fat Pants is amazing!
    Remo

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  15. ok im in for tomorrow!!! Who's coming with me?

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  16. Heading up to The Reserve tomorrow with John if anyone's down, driving up from Waukesha so we should be in the parking lot at 11am. Maybe roped climbing on Thursday *gasp*.

    This is the best climbing year ever btw! It almost got hot too fast?

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  17. Also shouldn't Bulbous Left Center just be Bulbous now? I thought the other problem didn't really exist :)

    Anyways why is it called Bulbous Left, and Bulbous Left Center... where is Bulbous Right!

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  18. If you tried really hard there might even be 3 lines on the boulder: Left, Left Center and Left Center Left :)

    I would tend to agree with Remo about the grade. Bulbous felt much much easier than Fat pants though so...

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  19. To those going up today and tonight-have a good time! Is anyone down to meet me early tommorow morning, say 7ish. I work at noon, so gotta go early.
    Cheers,
    Remo

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  20. I thought bulbous was harder than fat pants but both really good. Me and Keith were playing with something that could start just to the right of Bulbous kind of straddling the corner that would most likely be pretty hard but in no way an amazing problem. just an fyi.

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  21. Sweaty, I've also eyed that one up. Looks real hard. Public Enemy is amazing if you haven't tried it yet. One of Ian's best, imo.
    Remo

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