Saturday Syke Video

It is time to double down on climbing volume and triple down on pull-ups.

Uncanny Valley

Training : 1) Campus, Doubles, Medium Rungs
1-3
1-4(f)

2) Campus, Ladder
Small Rungs, 1-3-5
Large Rungs, 1-4

3) Pull-ups
2 finger pockets, biggest, 3x1
1/2 crimp, medium, 5x5

There went Fall

Notes: First snowstorm of the Winter. Where did Fall go? I did this session after setting and forerunning problems for a local indoor competition. It wasn't too hard but destroyed my skin (new holds). I rarely train campus doubles (#1), there is a razor edge between effective and injury. #2 was stopped short on the account of poor skin. I rarely train pull-ups. Why not? #3 is building a base.

Fable Boulders, A Couple of Classics & Lots of Hard Projects

Even though it getting cooler, I still hate climbing in the sun. While I waited for the sun to drop below the ridge, I explored for more rock in The Fable Boulders. I found a couple of VOs which I did my approach shoes. They are okay and located about 1/4 mile upstream along the ridge from the main area.

Unnamed, V0, Black (follow crack)
Unnamed, V0, Red (follow arete)

I found more trash than climbable rock

I got down to business and put up a couple of classics. While not hard, these problems have quality rock and movement.

Follow Your Bliss, V1/2, Blue (Stand start on jug, follow the left arete via slopers)
Joy Will Burn Out The Pain, V3/4, Green (Stand start, lieback the right arete, exit via crimps)

I spent the remainder of the abbreviated session cleaning and sussing out problems on the Hero Boulder

1,000 Faces, Project(V5R), Pink (SDS crack, move left on directional holds)

If You Fear Dying Then You're Already Dead, Project (V8R), Black (SDS on L.H. sidepull & R.H. Crimp, powerful moves to jug, big moves to the top)
Monomyth, Project(Really Hard), Blue (Small holds and big moves)
Call To Adventure, Project(V4PG-13), Red (SDS, big moves between okay holds, awkward landing)

Telearchic Cross

Warm-up: 1) Repeat Problems, 30 minutes

Training: 1) 1/2 crimp, lowest edge, +5lbs, 5s X3

2) Open hand, big sloper, 1 hand with assistance, 5s X3

New Hangboard Set-up

Notes: I'm in a performance cycle, focusing on outdoor projects and an Olympic Weightlifting competition, but I couldn't resist trying out the new hangboard set-up at the gym. It is hung at the same angle as the system board. I have always thought the Metolius Simulator is too easy, hanging it at 30/35 degrees fixes that problem.

The Palace, Dry Fire on Rapid Fire

Routes Sent: Unknown, 10(?), Onsight (first route in The Palace, pile down low to okay warm-up)
Strictly Business, 10c, Onsight (cryptic and blocky)
Death & Disfigured, 11c, Redpoint (1st try today, 2 tries last winter, skipped bolt to send)

Routes Tried: Rapid Fire, 12c/d, 2 tries (BTB, 2 hang)

The rock of The Palace

Alex matches the rock nicely

Rapid Fire
My path is in black.

My clipping stances are noted with a "P"

X marks a no-hand's rest I take

Notes: @ and I rolled up for a quick afternoon session at The Palace. I like the Palace. It is not the best or most interesting rock, but it is close to my house. I surprised myself with sending Death & Disfigured on the first burn of the day. I'm glad I sacked up and skipped a hard clip to send. I still have residual fear of missing a clip (but not skipping clips).

I got on Rapid Fire only because it was close. It is very much my style, crimpy boulder problems separated by rests. You can tell by the photos I clip every bolt (expect the first one) but climb a lot of the nearby Monstrosity. I use a different sequence from most people during the first crux. My left hand is on the "right hand" holds and my right hand is on crimps/microjugs out right. I should be able to send it the next session. I'm withholding a comment about the grade until I send.

Scheduled Time Off

I'm "enjoying" my programmed 5 COMPLETE rest days, right in the middle of the prime season. My goal is to stay injury free. I'm making the appropriate sacrifices.

Meanwhile enjoy some training nuggets - link.

Power Hoisting

Training: 1) Ladder, Medium Rungs, 1-4-6
1-4-7(f)
1-3-6

(2) Ladder, Small Rungs, 1-4-5

(3) Doubles, Large Rungs, 1-4-7

rest 10 minutes

(4) Flash, problems, 20 minutes

(6) Press, 130, 3X5
rest 3 minutes between sets

2) 3 rounds
Corkscrew, 45, 10 reps
Hang open hand, lowest edge on Metolius Simulator*, 7-10s

* Metolius Simulator is hung on 35 degree wall. I'll explain in a future post.

Notes: Putting up FAs was the warm up for real climbing, i.e. campusing. Finally, the Babylonian Exile is over. The hangboard was moved, meaning I can campus without hitting my nuts. Time to get STRONG!! I still suck on pulling through, but my fingers feel strong.

Flashing was a mental challenge after the campusing took the most of the power juice. The rehab for my shoulder is almost done, #6. I finished the day with some abs and deadhangs.

The Fable Boulders, The Saga Begins

The "Boulder With No Name" turns out to have neighbors. I have choosen to name this area The Fable Boulders. It is a reference to Joseph Campbell, and his thoughts about the power of myth. I have a long list of possible individual problems names but sometimes get stumped when naming a entire new area. I feel pressure because I want the area name to be good, clever, and representative. At least this name is a deep of well of ideas.

Left to Right
Is, V1, Black (sds, lieback jugs, contrived but interesting)
Mask of Eternity, V2, Red (stand start on good left vertical edge, sds - undone)
Isn't, V2, Blue (sds matched on good edge, climb good edges)

Petty God, V3, Blue (left side, sds with R.H. on swirly granite sloper, larger moves between positive holds)
Jealous God, V2, Red (right side, sds edges to more edges)

Amazing Swirly Granite Sloper

Tahoe Granite & Pequop Limestone, Nails in the Coffin

Location: Split Rock
Lake Tahoe, CA

Problems Sent: All the easy ones, none of the hard ones

Setting up for jump

My favorite photo of the trip.
However, I didn't send. I have a mental block concerning large dynamic moves.

Dan with tongue out.

Dan always climbs with his tongue out

On the way back to CO, I stopped by Pequop and enjoyed the virgin limestone.

Notes: I was in rough shape from too much driving. Tahoe is one of my favorite places to climb and couldn't turn it down. I finished the trip with short session climbing limestone on the border of Nevada and Utah. 4 types of rock in 4 days!!! I didn't send as much as wanted. I did get out and play on some great American rock.

Buttermilks & Sad Boulders, 2nd day highballs

Location: Buttermilks

Problems Sent:
Flash
The Hunk Boulder Unnamed, VB
Hero Roof, V0
Hero Boulder Unnamed Slab, V0
Green Wall, Unnamed #23, V0
Green Wall unnamed #24, V0
Boy and Girl, Unnamed #13, V1
Green Wall Arete, V1
The Hunk, V2 (super rad, techy start to "keep it together top")

Problems Tried:
Green Wall Center, V6 (I don't understand the movement on this problem, haven't tried it under good conditions)

Location: Sad Boulders

Problems Sent: A bunch, but I forgot (They couldn't have been that great)

Kyle waking up in Paradise

Getting It Done

Poodle Crash Pad

Jondo Highballing in Style

Spenser enjoying a unique feature climb in the Sad Boulders

Evan enjoying a lowball

Evan not enjoying a highball

The Body Follows The Mind

Notes: Second day on in Bishop is never productive. Tips were shredded, in addition most of the crew partied hard the night before. We started at the Buttermilks, which got hot quickly. I spent the day flashing easy highballs.

Right as our evening session at the Sads was starting, a couple of rangers rolled up. They immediately took an interest in me, and I complied with their requests. It turns that I matched the description of a suspect. The description was eerily similar to me, "5'11'', 175, blond hair with a mustache." He wasn't "dangerous" but they still wanted to talk to him. I was the first person into the canyon and was a little spooked. After that feeling faded, the session was pleasant romp among the choss.

Druid Stones, Glorious CA Granite

Location: Druid Stones
Bishop, CA

Problems Sent:
Flash
Thunder, V3 (good one)
V3 (Had to fight for it, felt like a route)
V5 (left side, crimpy)

2nd go
Kredulf V4 (couldn't figure the "easy" top out)
Arch Drude, V5 (bad beta from Ben & Dan on the flash attempt, NEGATIVE)
Days of Blunder, V5 (from the stand)

3rd go
V4 (went dubs)
V5 (feel on last hard move twice, ran out of crimp juice)

Problems Tried:
V7 (I got the group high point, but the last move was a mystery)
Skye Dance , V6 (super rad but legs were too tired from the hike)

The Posse

Spenser with a strong poodle spot

Kyle contemplating a cryptic Druid stone

Ben & Scott taking action

Evan about to go dubs!

Dan doing what Dan does,
Locked off with tongue out

Notes: Went to Bishop for a friend's bachelor party. It is still early in the season so we headed up to the Druids Stones. I haven't been there for 3 years and forgot how great it is. We rolled deep with a posse of 9+ people and a couple of poodles.

The other strong climbers present have a vary different style from me. I tend to use momentum when I climb and don't like to project (especially when an area is 3 states away and 30+ minute hike). It was interesting (and a little frustrating) climbing with people that are static/lock-off monsters and immediately go into project mode on every climb. I still managed an okay day of climbing. The ticklist is selected highlights because I don't have the guidebook in-front of me.

Rough Service Bulbs

Training: 1) Onsight, routes, 2 hours
9, 9+, 10, 10, 10+, 10+, 10+, 11, 11, 11, 11+, 11+, 11+,

2) Treadwall, 1:1, 15 minutes

Notes: A taper session for a short road trip, i.e. medium intensity, high volume day. I took one fall at the end of the last 11+.

This is my first experience with a treadwall. It is an interesting concept but I have yet to see the practical application. It is difficult/impossible to set the wall speed at a moderate pace, either it is very fast or very slow. It seems to require its own climbing technique. I didn't like the choice of climbing holds on this particular wall. There were no feet, I had a choice between the top of climbing hold bolts or sporadic large jugs. Whenever I try something new I train intuitively, the next time I'll do some long intervals.

Domesticated its domesticator

Objective: Climbing Strength, Climbing Power Endurance, Medium Intervals

Training: 1) Flash new problems 20 minutes

2) System board, 4-6 moves
Two finger, Lower Right
1/2 crimp, #2

3) 7 rounds
Adv (up), Rec (down), Adv (up)
rest 2:30 between rounds

Notes: I spent the morning working a hard project so I focused on slightly longer time duration during strength. #3 was a good combination of technical, mental, and physical training. I climbed the same Adv. twice for each round which meant I had to conserve engergy during the first lap. Conditioning always sucks.

The Boulder With No Name, Crane Fist Project

I started developing ANOTHER area. The main feature is freestanding boulder right off Highway 14, literally hundreds of climbers have driven past it. From what I have gathered, people have climbed the lower portions. There is no evidence of people finishing the lines. I busted out a rope and got to work.

The rope follows the Crane Fist Project.
The sds is v8/9 to a jug then v3/4 to the top.


Working the lower part

Working the upper part

I haven't decided the style I want to do the ascent in.

"Within the same school. The idea was that we'd later combine both styles, unify the techniques. But still, we were too young. Too full of ignorant pride in our own succulent sorrow."

Rancid
Crane Fist

Saturday Syke Video

Lumpy Ridge, It Ain't CA Granite

Routes Sent: Bat Crack, 5.9, onsight ("classic" two pitches, one 5.9 move)
Hand Over Hand, 5.7, onsight (fun romp, one 5.7 move)

Routes Tried: Backbone Arete, 11c, 3/4 tries (chossy “friction test piece”)

Brett enjoying one of the many 30ft runout starts

Notes: Headed up to Lumpy Ridge with a friend from CA. It is was interesting. There is a longish approach to the rock (which added to my mild grumpiness driving from Fort Collins behind tourons). The granite on Batman Rock is not great. It is permanently flaky which makes smearing difficult. The grades are cheese, i.e. super soft, compared to Yos or J-tree.

I got on the hardest route on the rock, 11c. It happened to be friction, my arch nemesis. I did surprisingly well. I fell on the onsight but figured out the moves quickly. I fell on a handful of redpoint attempts. It was hard to get syked because of the choss factor. However, it is a big mental step. In the recent past, I would only TR similar climbs.

I'm happier sticking around FC, short drive, short walk, and better rock.