Epinephrine. 2,000 ft. 5.9.

5.9 trad was putting Ryan to sleep, so he inserted a dyno to spice things up.  We decided to do this route several weeks ago.  Stashed gear the day before, and did the uber early start (wake up at 2:30am).  Started the climb at 5:09am.

I think this is me before setting off on penultimate chimney pitch, which i found to be the most challenging.  My foot actually slipped while way above the last piece.  Would not have been pretty.  That was a low point of inattention.  Chimneys felt pretty safe although strenuous.  Didn't feel the need to place pro and instead relied on the one or two bolts in the middle.  Not the most manly approach, since that makes it a "sport" chimney, but burrowing back to place gear looked like a recipe for rope drag.  Surprisingly the #4 Camalot came in handy, easily placeable on practically every pitch.  Not critical or necessary.  Could have done the climb with nothing larger than #3, and single rack.  We followed the handren guide advice of single to #4 and double 1-3.

Ryan on the final chimney pitch.  The fun ended after that when we got hit with blistering sun heat on top of the Black Tower.  I guess that's the price you pay if you climb Red Rock in June.  Was nice to have Black Velvet all to ourselves though.

We topped out the climb (final "scramble") at 3:22pm. Sadly my knee acted up and I couldn't bend it by the time we reached the top and signed the register.  The 1 hour descent turned into a 4 hour slog, as I hobbled and walked backwards to avoid  bending my left knee.  We split up and I got lost, ending up on top of some white slabs.  We also ran out of water at the top, so it was getting a tad uncomfortable.  All in all, a great experience, and relatively casual climbing.  Highly recommended.

Wonderstuff 5.12d.

3 years ago, I first tried this route. Video of attempts here...

Wonderstuff finally went down last week after a concerted effort. I guess my prescience was real after all! Soft and short, but I'll take it… Send was preceded with several weeks of ARC training (endurance), less lumberjack breakfasts, a little better sleep, and the tactic of working backwards from the top of the route instead of a ground up approach (wiring the final moves and linking up). Also snacking on real food (fruits, sandwich) instead of power bars. Not sure if any of that made a difference since I skipped the final bolt on the send, thus turning it into a 3 bolt boulder problem. With the first draw stick clipped, I just realized that I only clipped two draws. I think I subconsciously turned this into a tall V6/7 boulder problem, sort of like High Plains Drifter, but with much higher percentage moves. As with most things, luck was highly involved as the conditions were perfect with the sun warming the rock so it didn't freeze my fingers, while a chilly breeze kept the crimps dry. If you can boulder v5/6 you should get on this route!

Sorry, no video or pics. I've been lazy in that department and experiencing so few successful redpoints, it hasn't been worth it. Plus sport climbing vids are sort of boring without a pro job. Heading off to Flagstaff to boulder/sport this weekend, so perhaps we may yet see some video/pics. I'm a little worried that sport climbing at red rock is poor preparation for the confusing and technical roofs of Priest Draw. Alas! it's too late to do anything training-wise.

Really Sad.

Three Sad Problems. from Hotel Sierra on Vimeo.

A short 3 min video with Strength in Numbers followed by Professional Widow v4 highball, and then Pow Pow, a guidebook v8 but consensus v7, and probably v6. Shout outs to Randy and Leslie for the camera work, spotting, encouragement, and crashpads.

I think at the 3 min mark you can see I almost slip and fall off the top of Pow Pow after sending. Seems to be a bad habit I picked up in the Gunks, where I routinely slid on pine needles and autumn leaves, falling off the top of boulder problems into talus pits filled with scree and mud.

Also, probably not audible, but on Professional Widow, my left hand started sliding off the penultimate hold; i remember hearing my fingernails scraping the volcanic ash while reaching right for the finishing jug. Randy heard it as well and got pretty worried. Fortunately the music obscures these sordid details of my shoddy rockcraft.

So Sad.

Sunset over the Sierras as we drove away from the Volcanic Tablelands.  

Rio's Crack.:  Wow that was desparate thanks to zero feet.  

Do anything you can to get to the first sinker crack for your left hand.  I used the dangerous huecos on the face as "drive-by" holds.  Won't be repeating that anytime soon.

Professional Widow, sort of a highball.

It's tall, but never got too scary because the holds and moves are relatively positive up high.  You do have to commit to a two-finger pocket lock off to a one pad crimp, but conditions favored my easily frozen hands because although the rock was cold, the sun shined bright.  Also helped that this rarely climbed boulder was not polished by a horde of greasy-pawed climbers.  It's also a very photogenic problem for the Sads, as it offers open air instead of the standard scree or boulders right behind you.  Not as scary as Jedi Mind Tricks or White Rastafarian.

Pow Pow: Wolverine guide says v8, but v7 if you're honest.  So in a rare moment of honesty, I'll have to agree.  If Midnight Lightning is v8, then this is definitely easier.  In fact, it's easier than Lawnmower Man which is rated v7.  So maybe it's a 6/7?  Maybe I just did it wrong.

Hot Pants: Why did I waste time and skin on this pebble?  A key hold is polished to a shine, and I had to employ a flesh molding ring lock on the starting horizontal crack.  Painful, slippery, and short.  Like a line of coke, I guess you do it just because it's there.  That's what people tell me, at least.

Randy on Strength in Numbers v5.  His left hand is on the crux hold.  

Strength in Numbers: Best problem in the mid-grades at the Sads imho.  If you're there, you must climb it.  It's like the Hulk at the Happies.  Just like the Hulk there's always a "psyched" crew with humongous mattress-like crash pads protecting the climb, so even though the guide gives it a heart with wings, it's quite safe.

- Rio's Crack v6
- Pop a Wheelie v4
- Professional Widow v4
- Pow Pow v7
- Strength in Numbers v5
x Lawnmower Man v7
x Hot Pants v5

Ju at Ibex.

"Ju" V6/7 at Ibex from Hoary Marmot on Vimeo.

This was a sweet problem in Ibex, Utah.  It's rated v6/7.  Definitely one of the more beautiful places to boulder.  Plus you're guaranteed to be alone, which is nice if that's what you're into.  Thanks to Ranimal and J for the hd camera work.  This boulder is ideal because you can pull a car right up to it, making the approach all of 2 feet.