It’s been an incredible summer. Stellar climbing on more rock than the coasties can ever dream of, memorable nights at the Downer, and above all the most outstanding crew a boy/girl/wookie could ask for conspired to deliver the most memorable season yet (oh, and not having a job probably helped, too).
It had its ups and downs, but definitely ended on a soaring updraft. I could go on, but instead I’ll share some favorite photos from the last three months and let them do the talking.
Not long ago the fellas of mancamp were sitting around talking endless about some inane subject, probably related to climbing (per the usual) when our boy Bronco struck upon an idea for a little game. He began making a list of the best 5.12 sport routes in Clear Creek Canyon. The list ended up being a perfect 12, “The Twelve 12s of Clear Creek,” if you will. They are (in the rough order we attacked them):
Trying hard on Ten Digit Dialing (5.12c)
Wet Dream 5.12a
Ten Digit Dialing 5.12c
Anarchitect 5.12d
Presto 5.12c
Anarchy Rules 5.12b
Power Trip 5.12a
Slammer 5.12b
Great Escape 5.12c
Ken’Tanks 5.12c
Quartz Sports 5.12b
Sucking My Will to Live 5.12c
Moving Out 5.12b
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Les sending.
Anarchitect is an uber-classic 5.12d sport line in Clear Creek Canyon at the aptly named Anarchy Wall. I got on it once last October, and was planning to go back the next day, but our day got sidetracked when a chick blew her basejump and pounded into the wall…read about that crazy day here.
Anywho, I finally made it back to that beautiful wall yesterday. Our boy Les had been working it and fallen a few times painfully close to the top. We warmed up. We traded burns. Les fell on his first two, but like a true champ sacked up and sent on his third go of the day. In case you’re wondering, three burns on a 5.12d within a few hours is pretty exhausting so mad props to our boy.
As for myself: I felt solid, made it through the crux moves on my second go, so if I can make it back up there (shouldn’t be a problem since its a 10 minute drive from our place and a 5 minute approach) the send should go down soon.
Anarchitect has a pretty interesting little side story. A few years ago Read more…
Cass high up on Tarzan (5.11), "one of the best 5.11s anywhere."
Jetted out to the land of the rich and leisurely for a long weekend climbing at Indpendence Pass with Les and Cass. We’d heard good things (and Cass had climbed here briefly) so we were psyched to check out the granite behind the buzz. Apparently, before the Rifle revolution (read: bolted, glued together choss pile) Independence was the place to head for Colorado hardmen looking for stout sport and trad. This place does not dissapoint, the climbing is STELLAR!
We’ve mostly been Read more…
I hadn’t been back up to The Wasp since sending it last summer. After such a long separation, my knees and calves were getting nostalgic for the uphill boulderfield/talus slope approach and subsequent descent. So when my buddy Bronco told me was psyched to give it a run I told him I’d be his belay bunny for the day. Let’s be honest, even if all you do is the approach, there are a lot worse ways to spend a day than at 9,000 vert in Rocky Mountain National Park. (Although I did give it a lap on toprope, and felt surprisingly good, exciting since I have a janked finger and 4 week post-op ankle.)
Bronco is a strong son of a gun, so we both thought he had a chance at the flash. I gave him the gear, some beta for where it counts – ex. “Don’t drop the #1 or your effed” – and off he went.
Bronco Attempts the Wasp from Maury Birdwell on Vimeo.
I finally ponied up and threw done for a new 17″ Macbook Pro, which along with a copy of FinalCut Studio 2 has given me the ability at long last to edit some of the video I’ve been shooting this year. Of course, this purchase also comes mix-exam season; further ensuring my imminent failure in law school.
Enough of my whining. Here’s a little diddy I threw together from our Spring Break trip to Indian Creek last month. It’s a little rough, but I really ought to stop tweaking and study. Enjoy.
Indian Creek – Spring Break 2009 from Maury Birdwell on Vimeo.
Life has its lessons, and this trip’s lesson was the importance of rest days. Being the unthinking brute that I am, I managed to muscle my way through ten straight days of climbing without a single rest day all trip. The result: some really average days where I didn’t climb much anyways and a lot of almost sending.
Nevertheless, The Creek did not disappoint. And you don’t go there to send anyways (unless you’re this guy), you go there to get your ass handed to you on a dusty sandstone platter. If you’ve never woken up to a desert sunrise Read more…
It has been far too long since I’ve made a pilgrimage to the land of “eh” and mutlicolored currency. My last visit was back in 2007, and as part of my New Year’s resolution to do more stuff with things that are/look like weapons I am hopping on a plane in a few hours. Because more important than its diction or money, Canada has ice! Lots and lots of ice!
I am psyched. The weather report looks perfect: Read more…
We were still a little beat when Sick and I awoke for our last day in Zion. Our sights were set on the 2nd pitch of Organasm. Organasm is originally a four pitch aid line at 5.8 C2, but the 2nd pitch features a large roof which goes free at 5.11. Since both of us wanted the lead, and neither of us is generous enough to give up on such a sweet line, we farkled for it. My superior rock-paper-scissor skills were vindicated, so Sick led the 1st pitch of awkward wideness, and I set off on the stellar 2nd pitch. Here’s a little video of yours truly on the onsight (the video is admittedly crappy, but until I get a proper editing platform that’s just the way it is):
Organasm Roof 5.11 from Maury Birdwell on Vimeo.
We then rapped off, shed our harnesses, had a quick snack, and hit the road for Oklahoma; driving straight through the night for 18 hours. A perfect ending to a fantastic trip! Thanks to the Sicklers for putting up with me and giving me the chance to crank on some splitter desert sandstone!
After a rest day to rack up which included a run into Vegas for dinner, we roused ourselves early to get a jump on the day – which happened to be Sickler’s birthday. A quick breakfast, romp across the chilly Virgin River, short hike and we were at the base of Prodigal Sun (5.8 C2, 9 pitches, 900 feet). After a bit of debate and self doubt, we decided to gun for it in a day rather than slavishly haul a bunch of crap up the wall for a couple of days (like the party above us who had started a day earlier).
