Another amazing weekend of climbing!

For the first time ever, Jess and I passed up on the opportunity to spend a three day weekend in Tensleep, instead deciding to stick around and focus on some local projects.  At the Cube, Jess has been working on Strawman (13a) and I've been getting bouted trying to climb Occam's Razor (13d).  On Thursday after work, we headed up to the Cube to continue our attempts.  Jess was able to get a one-hang and amazingly things started to come together for me and I was able to get Occam's Razor down to two hangs!  On both routes, progress comes slowly so any improvement is welcome.

Friday, we packed up and headed over to Natural Bridge to spend a couple days on some projects.  I had tried Isla de los Locos (13d) last weekend and was really impressed.  This route is as good as anything out there, so I was really psyched to get back on it.  Jess had a couple of easier 12s she wanted to get done and also wanted to work on Pageant of the Transmundane (12c). We warmed up and I hung draws on Donkey Kong (12a).  Jess had been on it the weekend before and was able to send it first go of the day!  It was a battle and was probably the most inspirational bit of climbing I've seen in a long time!  After that, it was time to get on the Locos.  When I tried it last week, I figured out most of the moves, but there was a section in the middle that I could not figure out.  On my second go of the day, my knee randomly slotted into a kneebar and the move became clear to me.  At this point I figured I could put this route together, however it started raining and I decided to wait until the next day.  Jess was able to get all the moves figured out on Lion's Den (12a) and then we called it a day.

We woke up on Saturday to blue skies and we were psyched.  We warmed up and then Jess sent Lion's Den first go of the day.  I got on the Locos and made it part way through the crux only to flame out.  My second go was a little rushed and didn't go well.  After Jess did a little more climbing, I got back on and fired it off!  This is such a beautiful route and is definately the best thing I've done in Montana.  Nice work Kyle!  There are a couple of other bolted lines to the left that look really good and a couple of other potential lines that need to get bolted.

Isla de los Locos (13d)

Jess gave some good tries on Pageant in the afternoon and I took it easy and climbed a couple of easy slabs.

On Sunday, apparently we hadn't had enough, so we headed back up to the Cube.  I think we were both feeling pretty worked being 4th day on, but what the hell.  We warmed up on Uber Ass and then I got on Occam's Razor.  Amazingly, I didn't feel too bad and two hung it.  On my second go, I fell off midway through the crux and then got back on and finished the route for my first one hang.  My third try was as close as you can get to sending.  I made it to the last clip, which I think is the hardest single move on the route, and just didn't have it in me, so I grabbed the draw.  I've got the top pretty dialed, so it wasn't too bad to get another one hang.  I did try it one more time, but it was pretty worthless.  Jess also had a great day and one-hung Strawman a couple of times.  She's really close and I think she's going to get it very soon.

Today is a rest day as we're both feeling pretty worked.  We leave on Saturday morning for a week of hanging out on the beach in Michigan, so we're both hoping to put these projects to rest before we leave!

Now that's my style!

It's been a while since I posted anything here, so I figured it was time.  Jess and I have been getting out climbing a bunch and spent the last two weekends in Tensleep.  I have to say, Tensleep has to be my favorite climbing area for sure.  The amount of rock there boggles the mind, the wildflowers are out right now and oh yeah, the rock there is absolutely amazing!  The style of climbing also suits me perfectly. 

Two weekends ago, Jess and I headed down in search of projects to work on for the summer.  I climbed Goldmember last year and wanted to step it up a notch, so I thought I'd try to tackle one of the 14as at the French Cattle Ranch.  I had originally thought I'd try Doomsday, but draws were hanging on Galactic Emperor, the extension to Sky Pilot, so I gave it a go.  The boulder problem at the beginning is pretty rough, followed by a good rest, some moderately difficult climbing and then a final thin crux at the top.  The route is incredible and amazingly, I was able to redpoint it on our second day!  Before we headed back for Bozeman, I was able to try Doomsday (14a), which is also amazing and get most everything figured out.

Last weekend, we headed back down and my goal was to try and finish Doomsday.  After one burn to remember all the moves and another falling off the second to last move, I was able to pull off another send on this beautiful wall.  With that project out of the way, I moved on to my real nemesis, Blue Light Special (13b).  Despite being almost a full grade easier than the previous projects, this thing totally kicked my ass.  I would hang all over it multiple times.  Luckily on Sunday, I managed to pull off the send.  With that one under my belt, I felt that since I had the Sky Pilot boulder problem relatively fresh in my mind, I should try Private Halfenheimer (14a).  This route pulls the SP boulder problem to a rest and then tackles the upper half of General Litzenheimer, an absolutely impossible looking 14c that begins with a V13 boulder problem.  As with Galactic Emperor and Doomsday, my first try left me discouraged thinking it was way to hard and that the pump would keep me from pulling difficult moves high on the route.  My second go, I managed to pull through the initial boulder problem to the rest.  I barely remembered any of the upper part and quickly fell off.  Our last day in Tensleep, we were graced with overcast skies, meaning the wall didn't bake in the morning sun.  After a warm up, I got on and again was able to pull through the boulder problem only to fall right after the rest.  Another try spit me off in the middle of the boulder problem, so I came down, rested about 10 minutes and on my last go of the trip, managed to send!  Holy crap, I couldn't even believe it.  I had no confidence going in that I'd be able to pull this one off on my third day on.  I'm super excited about doing all three of these difficult routes.  I feel really priveledged to be climbing well enough to be able to climb on this gorgeous wall.

Back in Bozeman, I've been focusing my attention on Kyle's heinous arete route, Occam's Razor (13d).  This is by far the hardest route I've ever been on and definately seems more sustained than some of the shorter routes of the same grade I did at American Fork back in the day.  There is not a single easy move and I'm still totally clueless about making one of the clips.  This one is about as far away from my style as you can get.  Stay tuned for a progress report, this one is a stunner!