Easy with RMR, everyone seemed to be tired (even Smith and Sage) so it was a casual chatty run/hike to the top. Knee and hip were still pretty sore on the downhill.
7/26, Tuesday - Buff Course - 5 miles, 0:37
Easy around the CU XC course that I now live right next too, heavy legs.
7/27, Wednesday - Climbing: Bastille Crack & Ruper - 3:15
Met Anton dark and early (5:15) before work for an intro to Eldo. First we did the Bastille Crack, an ultra-classic line right off of the road, I was nervous going in (Eldorado Canyon grades are way harder than Boulder Canyon) but it felt super secure and the first pitch was fantastic. I had heard horror stories about sprinting up talus fields on the approach from Kyle; we went at a good clip but never uncomfortably fast, over to Ruper. Ruper is a 6 pitch, 5.8 line that felt like a Boulder Canyon 5.9. Tony shot up the route barely placing any protection for himself. I found the wide crack on the 2nd pitch to be the crux for me, just need to stick your entire arm into it to find a hold. By simul-climbing we were able to do the whole route in just 2 pitches, the second being very long. Awesome first day in Eldo!
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| Finishing off the last moves. Photo: Anton |
First with Jack, I lead Smallville (5.10b), with several hangs at the tough roof where I had to use almost a shoulder deep jam. We then moved the anchor and did two laps on Thunderhead (5.10a) to get it dialed. I then dropped off Jack and picked up Abby and went back to Cascade. I lead up Erika, she followed then we both top roped Thunderhead.
7/29, Friday - Bike: NCAR, Flagstaff, Boulder Creek, Finkel & Garf - 52 miles, 3700', 4:00
Warm-up climb on NCAR before biking up Flagstaff Road to the amphitheater turn-off. On the descent I stashed the bike and did a few pumpy climbs up the Beer Barrel boulder which is an easy V0 50ft from the road. Then I descended the rest of Flagstaff and up a bit of Boulder Canyon to the dome for 3 quick laps. In the evening I then biked to meet Abby, then to Finkel & Garf Brewery with her, and back, and back to my place. Bike commuting is fun!
7/30, Saturday - Off
7/31, Sunday - Climbing: Eldorado Canyon - 2:15
Kyle led Long John Wall which we stretched to 2 pitches then we ditched rope and romped up Boulder Direct, an easy scramble. We then went ropeless for Wind Ridge, the start I guess is a 5.8 but its 4ft off the ground and very secure, the second crux would be really tricky if you didn't know to use your bum and sit against this flake, but with Kyle feeding me the beta it went fine. Can't wait to link these into my Boulder bike/climb circuit!
8/1, Monday - Bike/Climb: Eldorado/Flatirons/Flagstaff/Boulder Canyon - 48 miles, 6100', 6:40
Met Kyle at 5:30 on the bik for the ride to Eldo. We went through Boulder Direct and Wind Ridge then made the long hike over to Icarus. Icarus is a 6 pitch route with sustained moderate climbing and finished with an outrageous arete. Absolutely phenomenal. We then biked to NCAR and jogged over to the Backporch for a scramble in rock shoes and we were happy to have them, it was a tough route that you also have to downclimb (gross). Kyle then had to split for his own obligations, so I ventured up Flagstaff Mountain by myself (with a stop at Chautauqua to chug some water). I turned around at the amphitheater itself and did 3 reps on the Beer Barrel before descending to Eben G. Fine park for more water. I then biked up the canyon a bit further, climbed the Dome 3 times by East Slab then took a slightly circuitous route back home.
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| Kyle downclimbing near the top of Tower One |
Jack lead the first two pitches and I the second of Bastille, it was my first ever trad lead and I definitely did not extend the pro enough. You needed an amount of force to alter the earth's orbit to overcome the rope drag, but with the help of Jason who simuled over us the pieces in question were removed and the slack was pulled through. Great strength workout! Hiked back down and saw Tony's shoes at the base with him soloing up, that's bold. Put away the rope and went up Boulder Direct with Jack then he elected to not scramble Wind Ridge, but I did and we hiked down together once I was done.
8/3, Wednesday - AM: Sharkstooth - 9 miles, 3200', 3:34 || PM: South La Plata Scout - 5 miles, 900', 0:48
Kyle and I got a relatively late start so we ended up having to park in the Bear Lake parking area rather than the Glacier Gorge, it only added a half mile though. The approach is pretty straightforward and after some boulder crawling we were changing into climbing shoes at the base of the Northeast Ridge. The route up was sustained with great exposure; the crux is about halfway up getting through a stemming to handcrack move, easy once the holds and sequence was found. The summit was Longs-esque, beautiful route to a relatively boring summit. The best views of the Sharkstooth are from Andrew's Tarn. The downclimb was a bit grungy but its well worth it for the route up.
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| Kyle working up the boulderfield on the approach |
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| Kyle enjoying the spectacular position two-thirds up the tooth. |
Slept in the car at Winfield then rode my bike down the road to the Missouri Gulch TH. Already on Belford I was wearing everything I brought for warmth minus the poles I forgot with the bike start. Missouri's East Ridge was once a grim prospect, but is now my favorite line in the Sawatch with the line totally memorized. I descended to a saddle with Iowa Pk and surfed down prime scree to a grassy basin, but it felt a bit slow, I think the standard trail would be faster/easier (especially at night). I found a great trail on the west side of Clohesy Lake that took me to treeline but then I made the mistake of taking ridge listed as "class 2+", the plus in this case meaning 2-3 more classes. So, that wasted a ton of time and got me pretty cold. I descended the standard trail to Winfield and bailed on La Plata with the weather and my available gear.
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| The rotten rock band on Missouri's East Ridge |
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| Looking back towards the Clohesy Lake drainage ascending Huron. Moody. |
Biked to Eldo and tried to buy an annual pass but they wouldn't let me because I didn't have my car to put the sticker on and they thought I would just pass around the sticker to my friends. Come on, lame! So since I was already talking with the ranger I couldn't even sneak in, so I had to pay the three dollars for a day pass. So dumb! Warmed up with Boulder Direct then went through the motions on Wind Ridge. I can almost do the enitre route in one flow aside from the mega-flake you sit on I have to briefly pause for. After some surveilance I found the West Chimney and scrambled that to the Red Ledge and finished to the top of Tower One with Icarus. wove my way down the East Slabs and biked home.
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| Icarus. |
Early in Eldo with Kyle before work. We pitched out Bastille awkwardly in 3 pitches, I lead the second and felt solid. We then took turns on Calypso getting the moves dialed.
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| Kyle leading Calypso. |
Felt like death last night and despite waking up feeling miles better I took the safe route with an off day.
With widespread activities I can't even judge weeks on numbers anymore. I was pretty tired by the end of the week though, so success.
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