Maple Canyon

We went back to Maple Canyon on Saturday so that I could finish my Project. I got up early and headed out with Shannon when he got there. We warmed up in the Corridor again and went to the River Route. We were able to put all the draws up with his Stick Clip. I finished the River Route first try. I talked to a guy afterwards and he told me that it was called Captain Bullet. Captain Bullet is my hardest route to date. After that we headed back to the Pipeline Wall. I was able to do 4 new routes on the wall, including 1 flash. I'm psyched for Maple Canyon this summer. There are so many walls to do projects on. We discovered a big roof further down the Left Fork that I want to do some climbing on. I haven't even got a chance to climb on the Minimum, Pipe Dream Cave, or the Cobble Roof so it should be a good summer.

Joe's Valley

The Worm Turns

Jitterbug Perfume

We climbed in Joe's Valley on Thursday. We warmed up at the Riverside area and I did the rail again. We drove up the right fork so that Pat and I could try Jitterbug Perfume. Jitterbug Perfume is a beautiful overhanging face with small crimps. It is definitely one of the best crimp problems that I have been on or seen. I was able to do the first two moves as well as Pat. After Jitterbug we drove up canyon to the Hulk. I failed miserably on this climb and went to try The Worm Turns with no better luck. We called it a day and headed to Goblin Valley for a rest day since we were too trashed from climbing the past 5 out of 6 days.

Little Cottonwood Canyon

Fat Grips

Crystal Pinch Variation

We drove up to SLC on our rest day which was Tuesday. We got a tour of Little Cottonwood Canyon that afternoon since Shannon was out there climbing. We looked at the left side of the main canyon between the Secret Garden and the Standard Overhang. The next morning we headed out early to catch good temps. The high was 58 degrees Fahrenheit but that was still too hot for the granite of LCC. We warmed up in the Secret Garden, and I climbed on Fat Grips with Pat. I tried this climb in early June 2 years ago, and flailed in the warm temps. The climb felt better today, but I was still unable to link the moves, so I tried some new beta. I used a different sequence involving an arete and a very subtle heel hook. I ended up leaving the climb until the evening in the hope for good temps. We drove up the canyon and I climbed on this Squamish-esque lip traverse called Butt Trumpet. I tried the climb consistently for the better part of an hour, and was able to keep enough tension to send on what was supposed to be my last try. Then we headed to the Standard Overhang. I climbed on Superfly with Pat. Superfly is basically a two move boulder problem that starts on a crescent crimp rail, does a move to a right hand crimp, and then throws to a jug over the top of a bulge. I tried this climb 5 times before giving up and climbing on other boulder problems. I flashed the Crystal Pinch and did the variation from the start of Superfly shortly thereafter. The variation has a really badass move that consists of a move to a gaston and then a handfoot match. I also did the Standard Overhang which is probably one of the best boulder problems that I have done in LCC. Later that evening I went back and tried Fat Grips and ripped part of the rubber off my Sportiva Viper heel. I called it a day after that and went back to Shannon's place to recover and get ready for Joe's Valley the next day.

Maple Canyon

I was in Maple Canyon over the first weekend of spring break with Pat, Sarah, and Stephanie. Shannon drove down on the Saturday we were there. We were probably the first sport climbers out there that season. The road leading up the canyon was snowed in so we had to camp at the base and hike through the snow to get to the climbing. The rock in Maple Canyon is so unique. Maple Canyon consists of cobbles held together by some sort of sedimentary conglomerate. The cobbles are rounded rocks that range from the size of golf balls to watermelon and contains different kinds of holds, which makes onsighting difficult here and endurance a must. We warmed up in the Maple Corridor on a few easy climbs. Raindrops on Lichen was an easy climb that was 5 bolts long. The water streak to the right of it was called Your Little Sister and was the best line on the wall that I did. EIS was a fun pumpy climb to the left of Raindrops on Lichen. Shannon, Pat, and I headed up to the Pipeline Wall located in the Left Fork. The Pipeline Wall is a short steep wall that has boulder problem starts to easier climbing. I climbed on one of the steep lines at the left side of the wall, and was able to figure out the moves with a few falls. The rock temperature was really cold at this time so we had to use handwarmers in our chalk bags to keep our hands from going numb. I got to the crux on my second try but was unable to pull through to finish it. On my third try I was able to finish the climb with different crux beta. I decided to stop at this route right off the road on the way down the canyon. The climb that I dubbed the River Route, since at the time I had no clue as to the name, was a steep 7 bolt climb with a cruxy finish. It sits right above a small snow melt river. I figured out the moves and gave it one try before dark. I was able to link to the 5th bolt. Shannon headed back to SLC that night, and I returned to the River Route in the morning. On my first attempt I was able to get to the sixth bolt and nearly finished the climb. I tried the climb twice more that day, but was unable to get further than a hold below my high point. I found several beta tweaks that made the route flow much better, including a kneebar and some new foot and clipping beta. The next day I was too trashed from the previous two days climbing so I warmed up and headed over to the Pipeline Wall with Pat instead of trying the River Route. I was able to do 3 new climbs and nearly a fourth that I just didn't have the energy to finish. We headed up to SLC the next day to boulder in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

The Pit

I went to the Pit today with Chris and his friend Pat. We warmed up on Popeye Meets the Burrito Master and Mr. Slate. Today was my the first time that I did Mr. Slate, which is a long, classic, and continous climb on jugs. The temps were really cold, which would have been a good thing if it weren't for the lack of sun and wind. I finished my warm-up circuit with Tugena. I climbed on the Crucifix, and was able to figure out the moves with a lot of effort.

Draw

I went back to the Draw today. I did my project, Huffalufagus, 1st try. It felt really effortless when I did it. I think that sport climbing has improved my footwork and aerobic capacity. I also added a new one to the PBR circuit:
Cosmic Tricycle
Pufferfish
Unknown right of Pufferfish
Belly Sidepulls
Puzzlebox

The Pit

I went to the Pit with Pat today. I did Tugena 2nd try. Tugena is a steep 5 bolt route with big moves between awesome pockets. The route reminds me of some of the stuff back in centex. Pat got a new high point on the Energizer. Pictures to come as soon as we get someone else to go out there with us.

The Pit/ Priest Draw

I went to The Pit on Friday with Pat. We warmed up on Popeye Meets the Burrito Master before heading over to the Abyss. I'm starting to feel like I'm in really good route shape. I skipped a bolt on the Abyss on accident. Pat finished the Abyss. I climbed on the Pulse after that. The Pulse is a 4 bolt roof with a cruxy lip finish. I sent the Pulse on my third try, and now it is my hardest route to date. After that, Pat climbed on the Energizer and nearly sent. I did God Walks Among Us on my second try.

The next night we went to The Draw after I got off work. There is still snow on the turnoff for the forest road, so we hiked in. We climbed at the Twister roof. Steven nearly sent his project called Twister Direct. I worked on the Egyptian and was able to figure out all the moves. The Egyptian is a classic boulder problem featured in Rampage. The Egyptian powers out the roof to double gastons that require shoulder power, and finishes by toe hooking the lip. I also climbed Floor Pie again at the end of the session. Pat worked on Floor Pie some more, and started working Black Hole.