Last night we headed up after work to the Draper Red Rock to do some climbing. Angie took the Vaude pack she's planning on taking to Fuji, and I took mine as well. I wore my Keen hikers to test them out (have had them for 2 years but have only mowed the lawn in them - lol), and she took her La Sportiva trail shoes.
Dallin and Brennan wore backpacks with toys and snacks. Tan just wandered along picking leaves and smelling dusty flowers. It was pretty hot, so we had it all to ourselves for most of the evening.
Angie wasn't feeling like climbing from her various injuries, and none of the kids felt like climbing tonight, so I decided to get in some lead time.
I led the 5.6 on the far left "Baby Teeth", then the 5.7 next to it "Facial Fracture". I enjoyed both, and Angie said I looked good on my feet, much better than last year. While I rested up some I switched from my Acopa Aztecs to my La Sportiva Solutions I got a couple years ago and never quite fit into right until this past few months. My Miura VS have taught me a lot about fitting shoes, as well as some great advice from Adam at Mountainworks in Provo at the Quarry.
At that same time a family with kids about the same ages as ours showed up, so I gave them that section of wall so they could toprope their kids, and we moved over to the other section to the West.
I went up "Liken Z' Planus" which says 5.6 on the plaque, but Mountainproject.com has it at 5.7 by consensus. I have done it before, but not strict. This time I went straight up the hanger line, which gets a bit hairy at the last bolt before the huge mantle. I stemmed way out, with my toe on a really tiny edge, and my left hand on a 2-finger crimper, and my right on a slopey sidepull. I managed to stick it to get my right foot on a huge steep sloper, and then clip right at my chest. It was my scariest clip yet. Felt more like a couple 5.8 moves. I think if you go over to the left up the arete or to the right up the crack it's 5.7 or less.
I then mantled and decided that was the top - the last wandering bit of route shared with a few others is just 3rd/4th class and is really meaningless climbing. so I leaned over to the top of Shark Teeth and clipped that anchor.
Lowering sucked, since it was off-angle, but I clipped a draw on so I could follow the rope down, but had to clip to an anchor for a bit while Angie repositioned, since the other angle was pulling her downhill.
At the bottom I tinkered with the idea of doing Shark Teeth, a 5.6 next to it, but decided I was tired and another day. Later I discovered MP had it at 5.7+ and sucky, so probably for the best.
So overall, three good leads, a few scary moments, a bit of stress, and some cool moves. It's great to be on the sharp end again. There's nothing like looking down at the rope in your anchor 5' below you, and 5' below that sharp rocks, as you reach over your head for a small hold, and put your foot up by your navel on a little pocket of rock and stand up on it. Oh, yeah.
Dallin and Brennan wore backpacks with toys and snacks. Tan just wandered along picking leaves and smelling dusty flowers. It was pretty hot, so we had it all to ourselves for most of the evening.
Angie wasn't feeling like climbing from her various injuries, and none of the kids felt like climbing tonight, so I decided to get in some lead time.
I led the 5.6 on the far left "Baby Teeth", then the 5.7 next to it "Facial Fracture". I enjoyed both, and Angie said I looked good on my feet, much better than last year. While I rested up some I switched from my Acopa Aztecs to my La Sportiva Solutions I got a couple years ago and never quite fit into right until this past few months. My Miura VS have taught me a lot about fitting shoes, as well as some great advice from Adam at Mountainworks in Provo at the Quarry.
At that same time a family with kids about the same ages as ours showed up, so I gave them that section of wall so they could toprope their kids, and we moved over to the other section to the West.
I went up "Liken Z' Planus" which says 5.6 on the plaque, but Mountainproject.com has it at 5.7 by consensus. I have done it before, but not strict. This time I went straight up the hanger line, which gets a bit hairy at the last bolt before the huge mantle. I stemmed way out, with my toe on a really tiny edge, and my left hand on a 2-finger crimper, and my right on a slopey sidepull. I managed to stick it to get my right foot on a huge steep sloper, and then clip right at my chest. It was my scariest clip yet. Felt more like a couple 5.8 moves. I think if you go over to the left up the arete or to the right up the crack it's 5.7 or less.
I then mantled and decided that was the top - the last wandering bit of route shared with a few others is just 3rd/4th class and is really meaningless climbing. so I leaned over to the top of Shark Teeth and clipped that anchor.
Lowering sucked, since it was off-angle, but I clipped a draw on so I could follow the rope down, but had to clip to an anchor for a bit while Angie repositioned, since the other angle was pulling her downhill.
At the bottom I tinkered with the idea of doing Shark Teeth, a 5.6 next to it, but decided I was tired and another day. Later I discovered MP had it at 5.7+ and sucky, so probably for the best.
So overall, three good leads, a few scary moments, a bit of stress, and some cool moves. It's great to be on the sharp end again. There's nothing like looking down at the rope in your anchor 5' below you, and 5' below that sharp rocks, as you reach over your head for a small hold, and put your foot up by your navel on a little pocket of rock and stand up on it. Oh, yeah.
You did so great. I love the fact that you love leading!
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