A Windy Weekend in Cody, WY

Ryan Niehus and I headed down to Cody, WY to do some bouldering over the long Veteran's Day weekend.  We hit the road early on Friday and made it down to the Sphinx Boulders by about 11:00.  After a few warm-ups on the Toadstool Boulder, we set our sites on Mini Cave Center (V6).  For a problem that is only about 10 feet tall, this thing packs a punch.  Several really slopy, slick holds lead to a deadpoint to a good hold.  I was able to put it together after a little while, but the slick sloper move was giving Ryan some trouble.  He decided to take a break from it and went down to try a problem I had my eyes on called One Inch Punch (V8).

Ryan on Mini Cave Center

One Inch Punch is a tall prow with a somewhat funky landing in a rocky gully.  Starting on the arete, you throw up right to a jug pocket and then pull up and commit to the arete.  The first move gave me more trouble than it should have and it took me a while to figure out the thin upper moves on the arete, but soon enough I figured everything out and got the send.  It's a really cool problem, but I would suggest at least three pads and a good spotter.

Next, Ryan gave a few more tries on Mini Cave Center and then we headed over to the Plague Boulder.  I tried The Plague (V10) and Ryan tried Hooked on Bubonics (V8) for a little while, but I cut a hole in my finger on one of the razor sharp holds, so had to give up on that one.  Darkness set in and we headed up Cedar Mountain to camp.




The tape holding my cut finger together, stuck in one of the
last holds on The Plague
















We woke up on Saturday morning to cold, windy conditions.  After a cold breakfast, we headed back to the Sphinx Boulders where we found calmer conditions.  We warmed up on the Sphinxter Boulder, which has some fun, juggy problems out a steep roof to somewhat commiting, sandy top-outs.  After that, we headed back to the Toadstool and Ryan was able to get the send on Mini Cave Center.

Topping out on The Sphinxter (V0)

 

Ryan on Mini Cave Center

Next up was a problem called Park County Sushi (V7/8).  Two moderate moves to the lip lead to a slopey top-out.  I was able to figure out a tall person sequence for the top and was able to send it fairly quickly.  After wandering around for a while, we came across a cool, blank boulder with two finger pockets drilled all the way up it.  This is somewhat common at the Sphinx Boulders and I usually don't try these problems, but this one looked pretty fun, so we gave it a try.  After a few tries, I made it to the lip and while struggling on the slopey top-out realized the route's creator even drilled a pocket in the top of the flat boulder.  Really?  Whatever.

After a spree of V0 tennis shoe ascents, we heaed over to the I.P.S. Boulder.  Both Ryan and I were able to do Four Inches (V4), a fun campus problem off slopers and then we started trying the sit down start, Six Inches (V6).  After many tries of thinking it was impossible, I finally figured out a heel-toe sequence and was able to send shortly after. Ryan donated some blood to this problem and finally had to throw in the towel due to pain.  After a few easier problems, we returned to the car, which amazingly hadn't blown away yet. 

Campusing on 4 Inches

Ryan on 6 Inches

After a check of Sunday's weather (looking grim) and the prospect of another cold, windy night around the camp fire, we decided to bail back to Bozeman.  It was a fun trip and I wish we could have had another day of climbing, but the wind was really taking it out of us and it looked like it might snow the next day anyway.  I look forward to getting back down there and checking out some different areas, hopefully in calmer conditions!