Projects!...Kinda.

We had an awesome crew out in Boulder Canyon yesterday. We spent the day at Castle Rock on some cool boulders. Most of the time was spent falling off of the dyno problem Cage Free (V11). If you know me, you know one of my biggest weaknesses is dynos. That makes me want to do it even more. It's been 2 sessions now and I can get my hand on the lip, but haven't been able to stick it yet. Nemesis project! SOOOOON!

Close isn't good enough on Cage Free [Photo P. Danko]

Then Kerrek and I checked out this line called Things Done Changed (V12). While it isn't much to look at, the movement and holds are amazing and I am super psyched on it. I did all the moves quickly, but the crimps are really sharp so I'll have to grow some skin back and try it again on Thursday if the weather holds out. New project!

Bearing down on Things Done Changed [Photo P. Danko]

Lastly, we checked out Koyananisquatsi and the low start Powaqquatsi. I sent Koy 3rd try with some great beta from Phillip London, then chilled for about 2 minutes and sent Pow first try. The given grades on these starts are V11 and V12 respectively, though Phil and I thought the high start was more like V10. The low start adds a short V5 boulder into the high start, which is certainly not V12, but could maybe be V11. The rock was good though and the moves were fun, so it is definitely a worthy boulder regardless of the grade.

Anyway, I am excited to get out and boulder more. I love having so many rocks close by.

Weekend Update 1/19/14

I went bouldering this weekend! Hooray!

I love bouldering.

On Saturday Keith and I went to the Poudre Canyon to climb on the Against Humanity boulder. Poudre is AMAZING. The rock is very high quality and climbs very well. We both flashed the classic V7, Against Humanity. I was able to also send Crime (V9) and Dump Truck (V10). Both Crime and Dump Truck end with a brutal undercling match and subsequent huck around a corner to an okay hold. I struggled super hard on this section for both climbs. I don't know if it is my biceps or body positioning (I'm pretty sure it is the latter), but dang, powerful underclings are not my jam. Definitely something I am going to be working on now.

Keith Dickey working through the undercling crux on Crime (V9)

Today I went over to The Darkside in Morrison for the first time with Kyle, his new wife Sierra, and my buddy Mike. We started off at Rupture, an awesome V6/7 with a scary landing. I flashed it and both Kyle and Mike made ascents. Then Mike and I wasted some time climbing a terrible, lame, and awkward 1-move V6 problem that is certainly a "first ascent" because no one in their right mind would ever think to climb something so lowball and nonsensical. We then headed over to the main objective. The sit start to the Arrowhead Arete (V10). The Arrowhead Arete is probably the best line in Morrison. It is tall and aesthetic, the rock is high quality, the top-out is technical and committing, every move is consistently hard on cool holds, and the landing is nice. I was able to send fairly quickly, though I had to do a lot of beta tweaking in order to have enough gas at the end to handle the lip encounter. Mike got some great footage of the send, which you can see HERE.

1/4in

Yesterday I went to Horsetooth Reservoir with my girlfriend and some of our friends from work. We warmed up with some of the classics on the Mental Block. I did Pinch Overhang for the first time and it was sweet! Such a cool mantle. Anyway… I was psyched to do the sit start to the Moon Arete. The stand start is a classic V10 and the sit was done a few years ago at V12. The first thing I did was repeat the stand to make sure I had the beta right so I wouldn't fall there from the sit. Then I got to work re-familiarizing myself with the sit-start moves. The first 3 moves revolve around tensioning a sharp right toe-hook while pressing into a smear-foot and powering through some cool edges. The 5th move is the crux which requires me to cut my feet for a split second while compressing two poor holds that are narrower than shoulder width, resetting the left foot and powering to the arete and bumping into the start holds of the V10 stand start. I spent HOURS falling on the crux 5th move. Even in isolation. I just couldn't do it. I'd either explode off the left hand (punching myself quite hard), hit the arete and buckle under the force, or I'd lose the foothold mid move and end up on my back. First I blamed my weakness on narrow compression, then I blamed my finger strength, then I blamed my height, then I blamed my skin. Then I took a break, came back, shifted my right hand 1/4in to the left, and did the move EASILY.

Last move on the Moon Arete (stand) V10

I sat down and climbed all the way into the last hard move of the stand. By then I was definitely too tired to actually send. If I hadn't spent all that time and energy making excuses and blindly throwing myself at the boulder for hours, I would have sent it.

Moral of the story:

- Don't waste your time making excuses. It doesn't help you and no one wants to hear you whine.
- Take a break and come back to your project with a fresh mind.
- Sometimes a fraction of an inch makes the impossible, possible.

I'll go back next weekend and send :)

When is a Weekend a Day?

… When that weekend is super freakin' cold.

Propane heater, Honey Wafers, and my Outdoor Research down jacket.
A rough day for bouldering

Caleb and I left for Joe's Valley on Thursday psyched for a long weekend of bouldering. We knew it was supposed to be cold, but bouldering with a high in the upper 30's wasn't too daunting. We generally pride ourselves in being able to climb in the cold.  We arrived on Thursday with just enough light to get a 45min. session in. We both sent a few warm-ups and I sent a crimpy V9 called "Hooters".

We started Friday back at Hooters, where I tried to do the sit-start, Mass Hysteria (V11). I got close, but figured I had two more days, so I would just come back later…WRONG! But I didn't know that yet. Despite starting off by not-sending, the rest of the day turned out to be one of the better bouldering days I've ever had. In an afternoon I was able to send: Frosted Flakes (V5), Pilot Light (V6), Tubesnake Boogy (V9), The Incredible Hulk (V9), Fiery Furnace (V10), Jitterbug Perfume (V10 2nd try), and Skidmark (V11).

Caleb got some footage of most of the ascents. You can see that HERE because I can't figure out how to embed a Vimeo video on the blog.

The next day it got REALLY cold and it had snowed overnight. I didn't have a thermometer, but the windchill made it feel like 20's. It was impossible to get the fingers warmed up and the wind kept blowing out the propane heater. No bueno. With the next day looking even colder, we decided to bail. Now I am typing this and we are watching kung-fu movies. NICE!

Caleb working "Fiddle" V9

Strength Comes at a Cost...

I am 3+ weeks into an 8 week strength/power program. I am getting stronger every week. It feels great. Sorta. My fingers feel like they are finally getting back to their pre-pulley tear state. Unfortunately, all the focus on the hangboard and the gym has made me worse at rock climbing. This is familiar territory. Last year Andrew and I did a training program and felt the same effects. We got stronger, but our movement skills and endurance suffered. The good news is, everything returned quickly once we started climbing a lot again. Then we went to Stone Fort and laid the smack down on some boulders. So I am trying to stay motivated and focused through this last half of my training. My performance on the rock is suffering, but i know that if I am patient, stay committed, and listen to my body, the monotony and frustration will be worth it.

I went out today with Terry and Larissa to the Darkwaters cave in Clear Creek Canyon. I really wanted to do Formula 50 (V10 or V11 depending on who you ask), but my beta was wack and I fell on my back a lot. So much so, that I left a crater in the ice, through the crash pad. After getting the wind knocked out of me for an hour I decided to give Formula 50 a break and try Fluid Mechanic (V10). I did Fluid Mechanic in a few tries. Not the coolest boulder, but it felt good to do something. Then I tried the moves on Darkwaters (V12/13). Darkwaters is definitely a cool line and is pretty much my anti-style, horizontal roof thuggery. I am psyched anyway! I'll be spending the next couple weeks on this boulder and I'm ready to lay siege and struggle!

I'm tired. Time to sleep.

I Got A Day Off!

I got the day off on Saturday so Larissa (a newly hired ET Golden coach) and I drove to Fort Collins to meet my good friend Caleb and do some bouldering at Horsetooth Reservoir. Arrived around 2pm so we went to the Scoop Area and got straight to work on Doxology (V12). I sent it, which was nice. Caleb got all the moves, and Larissa came up with some awesome short person beta. We all three sent the classic Scoop (V5) and I also did a finicky arete called Retard Sandwich (V8). It was starting to get dark so we went to Rotary real quick to see if we couldn't scoop up a few more classics before the day was over. After re-warming up on a sweet V3, I knocked out the Moon Arete (V10) real quick, and then almost sent the sit (V12), but by then it was fully dark.

Retard Sandwich

Larissa with the short beta on Doxology

I climbed up this boulder. 

Caleb winding up for the throw on Doxology

Now I'm back to setting my brains out, unloading trucks, and other such gym construction nonsense. It is exhausting, but I am psyched for my next day off! Whenever that is.

Work, Work, Work, Climb, Work...

I haven't written in a while. Here are 3 reasons why:

1. I don't have internet except at this coffee shop (Bean Fosters, the best coffee in Golden, for real).

2. I have been working a lot

3. I can only use a third of my screen because my computer was run over by a scissor lift.

I have been able to get out and climb a few days though and there is so much rock just a short distance away. I have been training as much as I can in my friend Terry's basement, but mainly just hangboarding with some bouldering thrown in when I can make it out. So far the tick list includes a handful of V9s, some classic moderates, and then these harder problems:

Purity Control (V10)
Stanley Kubrick (V10-)
Stanley Kubrick SDS (V11)
Bambi (V11)

Bambi (V11)

I've also managed to have a suprising amount of success on Fantasia (V13) and I think I will be able to take it down in the next couple months.

Fantasia (V13)

Next problems to check out include:

Dark Waters (V12/13)
Formula 50 (V10/11)
Doxology (V11-)
Circadian Rhythm (V13)

We'll see what happens.

The gym construction is coming along nicely. Larissa (one of the coaches here in Golden) and I set up the first system board and it is AMAZING. The thing is huge and I am so psyched to train on it.

SYSTEM BOARD!

P.S.

I have moved out of Bigsby (my van), now I have an apartment with my lovely lady and it's great.