Top Secret Los Angeles Dry Tooling February 29 2012

Top Secret Los Angeles Dry Tooling

February 29 2012

Where can you practice mixed climbing in LA was a big question of mine.  So I sat down, did some research and had an idea.  At 8pm, at a top secret location, Hamik met up with me and Steve and we geared up for some mixed climb practice!  

Hamik won rock paper scissors and he went first.  His tool popped early on and got a little bit of a pinky gash.  This didn't phase him...

Next up was me and Steve.  SO MUCH FUN!!! 

After we each did our respective laps, we packed up.  Hamik eyed a stellar overhanging route on the west side of the formation that we will head back to next time...

June Lake and Lee Vining Ice February 25-26th

June Lake and Lee Vining Ice

February 25-26th

Day 1:

I drove up after work to Bishop to meet Mike and Laura was nice enough to let us crash at the Moose Lodge.  We woke up at a decent time in the morning and headed to June Lake for some ice.  It was fun climbing but we only top roped because everything was de-laminating.  It was fun to test out the tools on some mixed climbing and climb some sketchy ice in the sun with the safety of a top rope.  We then drove up to Mammoth and snuck into a hot tub and chilled.  Headed back to Moose Lodge and got some shut eye.

Day 2:

We got to the trailhead at 7:30am for Lee Vining and hiked up.  We were able to secure the climb third form the left as Ryan lead the one second from the left.  This was the same climb one year ago that Miguel had me lower off of because I didn’t look safe.  It was WI3.  I lead it and I felt really secure.  Such a cool feeling.  Unfortunately the rope froze when we top roped it after and we had to clear the rope.  We got on a few more top ropes, then packed out and had a nice lunch and headed home.

Leading my first WI3 

Another Great Weekend

Ouray Ice Park, Colorado February 16-20th 2012

Ouray Ice Park, Colorado
February 16-20th 2012


Day 1:
We drove out to Colorado Friday night after work.  We drove into the night in a rented Suburban and made it here at 10am.  We loaded into the condo, packed up and headed out to Ouray Ice Park for a nice half day of some ice climbing.

Sheila at her belay stance

A view of our routes from the bridge

   

Sheila Crankin

Looking up route 93

                        

                                Jared Having Fun!

          

Getting Serious

 

   Having Fun

Day 2:

We decided to get an early start to get on some classic routes at the lower bridge.  We set up three ropes on a WI3, WI4 and W5.  Amazing climbing. Very steep with lots of hooking.  We swapped ropes a bit with the guides and got a few more routes.  Once we were good and tired, we decided to get on an M5 mixed route.  My first experience with mixed climbing.  It was awesome. I want to try it more often.  We did a bit more climbing, got totally pumped out and fatigued, then packed up and got dinner and jumped in the hot tub!

                               
                                           

                                      

We had a great dinner at the Ouray Brewery to top off a fantastic day.  Good food, good drinks and good friends.  We came back home, changed into our suits and then went into the hot tub!

Day 3:
We got up at a casual pace, headed out to South Park to do some leading...grabbed some food, jumped into the car and jetted home (13 hours).

Ryan Leading

Topping out on my lead

The Crew

About to head back home in the snow!

Ouray was such a great trip with great people. We had three solid climbing days with ideal weather and ideal ice.  You can't ask for more than that!

Arizona Rock Climbing February 11-14th

Arizona Rock Climbing
February 11-14th


Lea and I drove up after work to my buddies Ryan's place in Scottsdale, arrived at 3am, brushed out teeth and crashed.  We woke up to beautiful weather and decided to climb in Phoenix for the day.

Day 1:
We hiked into the Superstition Mountains to do a climb that was highly rated in the guidebook.

Baddass and Ready to Roll                       

Squeeze and Chimney equal fun!

Not so stellar bolts atop pitch 2

Lea Squeezing Through the final slot

Day 2:
We drove into Cochise Stronghold in southeastern Arizona and arrived in night in time to set up camp.  We got up early and hike out to What's My Line 5.6 AO R.  It was sunny out by winds were 30 MPH, which meant that the runout 5.6 pitch would have a little flavor.  It was super fun, super windy and a super cool line!

Shot the next day of two climbers on route

Beta Shot.  Here is the route!  Such a nice line

Lea following run out 5.6.  30 mph winds and one piece of pro in 150 feet kept me on my toes

Smiles all the way

Me following the next pitch

                  

                            Lea was smart: weighted the sling so it wouldn't blow away

       

Bomber anchor!

Windy Summit



Summit Video

The Hike Back

Dinner Time

Dinner Time Video

Day 3:

The weather looked good, so we decided to head over to do Endgame 5.10a.  I got off route into some 5.11c territory and had to lower off to repeat the stellar first pitch.  We climbed pitch after pitch of exposed amazing and thought provoking sections.  We topped out with high winds with huge smiles!

There's End Pinnacle on the Rockafellas

Lea on pitch 1 of Endgame

Time to fuel up

Beta Photo of P3, We were having too much fun to take pic

Summit!

Rope was too short, so had to do a beaner block to rap

Dinner Time...Carne Asada

Day 4:
The weather was poor, so we headed over to Tombstone for some history and some tourism.

The Town Too Tough To Die

The site at OK Corral of the infamous gunfight

Victims of the gunfight