Rally mode: rock climbing with two artificial hips: August 2016

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.

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.