Getting ready for summer

Heading out for some afternoon bouldering at La Curva

I'm looking over my activity log for the last month and I guess I did OK in terms of total days climbing. Afterall, it was a work month. Maybe I didn't get out much more than the monthly norm, but I kept things moving along. Although I have to admit, I've been slacking off a bit when it comes to work, in order to step it up on the climbing front. My freedom to do that is one of the perks of being (the equivalent of) a tenured professor who is not so very far away from retirement.

Counting up the total for the month, I logged 16 days climbing (including 4 days in my gym) and 5 good hikes. Mixed in with that are a few days of yardwork, which tends to be fairly demanding on my body. Clearly, I don't intend my climbing and hiking activities to be anything resembling an organized training program. I'm just trying to get out as much as I can, have a good time climbing and hiking, and stay relatively fit in the process, I'm also hoping I'm in good enough shape by summer to send a couple of challenging routes, when the time comes.

One thing I verified from keeping the log is how hard it is to know which days are going to be the good ones, in terms of performance. A kind of uncertainty principal seems to reign. While it may be true I'm more likely to have a better day when I'm well rested and the weather conditions are optimal, chaos also enters into the equation. Some days conditions are completely in my favor but I climb poorly none-the-less. Other days  I should be tired and conditions are less than optimal, but I somehow manage to climb surprisingly well. I imagine this is a well recognized phenomenon for those who have scientifically observed athletic performance, but it's interesting to me, to see it displayed in the information I recorded last month.

Getting on with, let's talk about this month. Instead of keeping a complete log, I thought I'd just keep track of a few special days out.

November 4: A good day (maybe my best so far) bouldering alone at La Curva. I managed to climb this stout V2 (third time in my life) which has a challenging and intimidating top-out move. Too bad the video isn't very good:

After that I sent this stout V3 roof, a problem that had been stopping me cold since I first climbed it last year:

I even worked the beautiful, nearby V4 problem (note to self: be careful you don't crack your head open when trying this problem alone!) although I didn't have enough gas to get my second send. All and all, I climbed 9 problems.


November 6: A day climbing in the Matrix with Martín, Analía, Rafi and Gaby. Among other things, we did the two seldom-done 5.10 routes on the wall higher up the hill. These are routes I hand drilled maybe 15 years ago. It looked like we were the only people who had climbed there this year.

The last part of a seldom-done 5.10

Stem!

Martín was stoked and climbed the route on lead.

Get the clip, Martín

Starting up a sea of steepness

A crux move

Reach the top and ....

Stem!

The other route looks like this: 

Getting ready to start the difficulties

Butt shot on roof

Finishing up the crux

An exciting move to the top

November 8: A nice day bouldering in La Cabezona. The first vid is a warm up boulder, maybe one of the best V0s on La Barrosa.

The following boulder is yet another La Barrosa super classic for the grade (maybe hard V2 or easy V3).

I also did a couple of cool face problems. This first one is maybe V1 or V2 and it's only the second time I've ever climbed it.

This was the first time I'd been able to climb the next boulder. I'd tried it several times before (always when I was tired) and I thought it felt pretty hard. Now that I've finally done it, I don't think it's much harder than V2, athough a sit start looks pretty sick. A very good problem.

December 22: Once again I've let the blog slide and tomorrow we're off to Córdoba for summer break. More on that in my next post. Meanwhile, for the past six weeks I've been bouldering and hiking at a pretty good rate. I've made a sort of video catalog of some of the problems I've done, so I've decided to put some links to the youtube videos. If anything, this could give a sort of video guide to some of the easier problems on La Barrosa. Later I hope to put up a more complete video guidebook, but for now I'll just put up an assortment of videos.

A new V2 problem at Techos de Mierda. For some reason I never figured out the right way to start this problem until last year.

A stout V3 problem at Techos de Mierda

A classic V2 face in Tierra Media

A newer V3 roof traverse in La Curva

Extreme Unction (a boulder problem with a name!) in Tierra Media

One of the harder problems I did, a slopy V4 traverse, although I did step back into the chimney at the end, instead of finishing up with the full-blown mantle.

A stout V4 project at Techos de Mierda. The rule is you can't use anything on the line of the big rail.

Training in October

In the two months since we've gotten back from the US, I've only climbed with a rope three times. However, I have been doing lots of bouldering outdoors, mostly alone. The good news is I'm as strong or stronger than ever (which isn't saying much).The bad news is I'm about six pounds heavier. 

During a training sesh at the Usual Boulders last month 

The reason I've been rope-less so much is that my main partners, Gaby and Martín haven't been getting out with me. After more than 20 years climbing together, it looks like my wife may be ready to retire from the sport. Each to her own! She just had her fiftieth birthday and our relationship together is as solid as ever. But it may not involve climbing as partners anymore. Martín, on the other hand, reappeared last Saturday with renewed enthusiasm to climb, after having disappeared for nearly six months.

Another vid from my training sesh at the Usual Boulders

The climbing-life news is I've to decided to try and step up my activity level this month. October will be for training. Mostly this means trying to climb a bit more than I have been and hike more frequently on days I don't climb. So far so good. To reinforce and evaluate my efforts, I'm going to keep a record of my daily activities in the blog. Maybe not so interesting, but that's what this post is about. So let's get started. 

Ocober 1: A good day roped climbing in the Bosque with Martín, Analía and Rafy. I did two new (first ascent) gear routes (a 5.7 and a 5.9) the 5.8 crack, the 10a face, the 10b face next to the crack, the old-school 5.9 arete and the 11b face. I also managed the left to right traverse boulder without much trouble (a problem that typically gives me a hard time unless I'm in good shape). 
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October 2: Went to climb at the Autodromo and we managed two 5.9s but then it started to rain. After that, I messed around bouldering in the gym with Martín. 

October 4: An eight mile hike followed by an attempt to boulder in the gym. Couldn't climb much due to exhaustion. 

October 5: In spite of rain and frustratingly high humidity, I managed about six problems in the gym and worked on some other ones. 

October 6: A surprisingly fruitful training sesh at the Low Boulders, in which I climbed about a dozen easy problems.

October 8: A killer day with the kids at the boulders in el Bosque. Did six boulders then the V4 traverse starting from the beginning of the crux and followed that with the V3 traverse. Finished up working out the sequence for a V5 traverse the kids showed me but didn't have enough left to complete the send. 

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October 9: Did all 10 of the (easy) routes on the little wall in the Matrix (climbing a short 5.8 crack on gear jacked the number of routes up to 10) with Martín, Analía and Rafi., 

October 10: 5 routes 5.9 to 10b in the Autodromo followed by a 10d top-rope, with Martín, Analía and Rafi. I was pretty hammered after this (which is why I top-roped the 10d). 

October 13: Went to the Boulder in the Bosque after work on Thursday and felt pretty exhausted in spite of a two day rest from climbing. Still, I managed to send six problems, including a couple of boulders which often give me a hard time. 

October 14: I decided to go out after work on Friday because the forecast predicted rain on the weekend, Had a good day at the Costa Mosquito, climbing 8 boulders before it started to drizzle.

V1 boulder at the Costa Mosquito 

In case you wonder about the strange laugh in the following video, Daniel Alberto "Piti" Fernandez and Andrés Ciro Martinez explain it in the song Bicho de Ciudad

                     Y no te asustes si me río como un loco
                     Es necesario que a veces sea así
                     Será la vida que siempre nos pega un poco
                     Nos encandila con lo que está por venir

V4 arete at the Costa Mosquito

And then there's the last boulder of the day

October 15 10 kilometer hike on La Barrosa with the dog troop.

October 17 Another frustratingly humid day in my home gym. I could only manage 6 problems and my left wrist started hurting.

October 18 Killer 12 kilometer hike including a hill climb on La Barrosa and an 8 point pull-up ladder.

October 20 A slightly better but still frustrating day in the gym, Managed 8 problems before I failed on the ninth. My left wrist was still bothering me some.

October 22 Bouldering at La Curva. A tough, high gravity day where nothing seemed to work out well. I only managed 5 boulder problems.

October 23 Climbing in el Bosque in La Vigilancia with Martín, Analía, Rafi and Gaby. An OK day where I managed 8 short routes (four 5.9s, two 10as and two 10bs) although I was way pumped at the end of the day.

Climbing in el Bosque in La Vigilancia on October 23rd

October 24 10 kilometer hike including a hill climb on  La Barrosa and a 6 point pull-up ladder.

October 25 Finally I had a reasonably good (and enjoyable) session in my home climbing gym. I
completed 10 boulder problems and my wrist didn't hurt.

October 27 A five-mile hike with the dogs after work.

October 28 A good day doing 10 boulders at the Usual Boulders. Among other things, I managed to send a long-standing retro project, It's a boulder that I used to do, but haven't been able to climb since before my hip problems. Not too hard, maybe only V3 but it had stopped me cold on several previous efforts.

Getting on with the video log, my sixth boulder of the day was this V3 traverse

I didn't film the seventh boulder, which was the retro project I finally climbed. The eighth and ninth boulders were these two variations on a boulder I call the Cell Block.

October 30 Roped climbing in the Matrix with Martín, Analía, Rafi y Gaby. I had a pretty good day doing 9 routes of which six were 5.10, including the five easiest routes (which aren't so easy) in the steep part of the Matrix.

A 5.10 route in the steep part of the Matrix

Rafi climbs a 6b in the steep part of the Matrix

Getting the clip on a tricky 10d route

Martín climbs a roof in the steep part of the Matrix

Eight days in the City of Rocks

Ceci getting some reading in at our campsite

When I was doing my Ph.D, at University of Utah, about 25 years ago, we used to make regular weekend climbing trips to the City of Rocks. If I had to choose a favorite crag, I suppose this would be the place. In terms of my abilities, the City has some the most varied and interesting climbs I've ever seen. And the camping is great. Since those graduate school days, I'd only been back one time, in the late nineties, on a road trip (with Gaby), from Spokane to Salt Lake City.  So I was more than happy ton get the chance, on our recent trip to the US, to drive down from Spokane with Gaby and Ceci, and meet Joe Cupps for eight days of climbing at City of Rocks.


The first morning, we started with a couple of routes in the shade, on the back side of Bath Rock. Our first route was a 5.8/5.9 bolted face. Joe put the draws in.

Cupps starts up a 5.8/5.9 bolted face. 

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Higher up the same route

Joe on the back side of Bath Rock

After that, I did a steep, spicey 10a.  (Beta to remember: a Number 2 Camalot can help make the first clip a bit more relaxed). 

The hip guy climbs a 10a in the City. 

My daughter, who used to be a bit of a hotshot climber at the age of twelve, has since decided climbing is not her thing. But she did read a lot of books during our stay at the City. 

Ceci doing a bit of reading on the back side of Bath Rock

During our time at the City, it felt too hot to climb in the sun. However, it was easy to find shade in the morning and in the afternoon. In general, we'd do a few climbs in the morning, take a noon-time break and then resume climbing in the afternoon.

In the afternoon of the first day we started  out climbing an elegant 5.7 crack in the Bloody Fingers Corridor.

Joe starts up a 5.7 crack

Cupps climbs a 5.7 crack

For the last climb of the day, we did the shortest of the three 5.9s  on King of the Throne (I believe it's called "Jug World") right beside our camp. This was a fun, steep little problem with a pumpy start.

The second day we forgot to take photos, but in the morning we did a long 5.8 slab roiute called "Delay of Game" on Parking Lot Rock and in the afternoon we did "Finer Niner" and "Tennish Anyone" on the Provo Wall,

The third morning we climbed a nice 5.8 on the Asian Wall.

Gaby on Steppes of Central Asia

Joe doing the Steppes

The last part of the Steppes

When we were done with the morning climb, Gaby, Ceci and I drove down to a nearby town, called Burley, to spend a night in a hotel, This was something we had promised to do for Ceci. After three days without internet, Ceci really wanted to hook up with her friends back in Balcarce. Two days later Gaby would discover that the Reserve ranger station had free internet access, so after that Ceci could get her internet fix during the noon break.

The next morning, on the way back to the City, we decided to drive up the road to Mount Harrison, just to have a look around.

Ceci and Gaby below Mt. Harrison. 

Gaby and Ceci in front of Lake Cleveland

Gaby on top of Mount Harrison

In the afternoon we did two more 5.9 routes on King on the Throne.

This beautiful 5.9 route on King on the Throne was one of my favorites

Higher up the same route

Gsaby working the elegant crack

Finding a hand jam 

The top of the route is a juggy, fun face with good gear placements

The other 5.9 was a nice, muscular crack.

Joe's got my back

Climbing crack

This pod was actually pretty easy

Get some gear

I had to fight a little bit to get the last move

The  next day (our fifth) was the only one where the weather didn't cooperate. In the morning, storm clouds threatened and it began to sprinkle a few times, but we still managed to climb Scream Cheese and Swiss Cheese.

The old, fat guy climbs Scream Cheese

Hero pose on Scream Cheese

Cupps takes the sharp end on Scream Cheese

Gaby gives Scream Cheese a go

In the afternoon we went to the Lost World, on the back side of the Drilling Fields, to try some slabby stuff, but we had to bail when a pretty good thunderstorm came in. After headfing back to camp, Joe and I decided to go for a little hike around the Inner City.

The next morning we started out with Tribal Boundaries. 

Everybody's favorite 10b face climb in the City

Gaby climbs Tribal Boundaries

Our next route was New York Is Not The City on Bumblie Rock.

Climbing up jugs on New York Is Not The City

Cupps takes the sharp end on Newe York Is Not The City

Joe implements old guy climbing skills

That afternoon we went back to the Lost World to experience some slab climbing. We did a 5.9, a 10a and a 10b slab.

Cupps sends 5.9 friction 

The crux comes early on this 10b slab

I'm already through the crux

Higher up the 10b slab

On our seventh day at the City, we once again forgot to bring the camara. In the morning we went to the Decadent Wall and climbed the beautiful and popular 5.7 crack called Adoloscent Homosapiens (in the new guide) and, after that, a nearby 10a face called Jay Goodwin Route. We also checked out the 11a route right next to Jay Goodwin Route, giving it a go on top rope. After almost doing the route on my first try, I voted to come back the following morning and try it on the lead.

In the afternoon we climbed Funky Bolt, on the backside of Parkinglot Rock. For the grade, Funky Bolt is a challenging and exciting lead and, in my opinion, was the best 5.9 we did at the City

On our last day, we started out with a 5.8 and a 5.9 on the backside of Owl Rock. 

Gaby climbs a steep 5.8 on Owl Rock

Getting ready to do the crux bulge

Gaby finishing off the crux

Higher up on the 5.8

Climbing a 5.9 on Owl Rock

Higher up the 5.9

After the two routes on Owl Rock, we went over to try the 11a on Decadent Wall from the morning before (the route is called Kibbles and Bits in the guide). I was feeling pretty psyched and was able to send the climb pretty solidly. Sure, I'd top roped it the day before, so it was far from being an onsight. But, still, it was my first 11a send in the US in almost 20 years, so I was happy about that.

The old, fat guy is looking pasty when he sends 11a

Get the first clip

The technical crux

If I can just power through a couple I'll reach the third bolt

By the time you get the third clip the difficulties are over

The rest is easy peasy

After the 11a we decided to repeat the 10a nextdoor, just because it was fun and close. 

In the afternoon we did our last climb of the trip, an exciting and challenging 10a on the back of
Parkinglot Rock called Tow Away Zone.

A strange crux after the first gear

Gaby with a little stem action

The climb moves left to a strange and interesting handcrack

Gaby starts up the hand crack

Joe Cupps climbed too!