Today was a great start to a roadtrip. In my last post I mentioned how I was curious to see how in shape I was compared to last year. I figured that attempts on Diaphanous Sea would be a good measure. So this morning, after warming up, I got on it. What a difference a year of bouldering makes! I made quick progress working out the first three moves then on my first attempt at linking them up I stuck the cruxy throw move! The last few moves were unknown territory for me and unfortunately I fell after my heel blew. Two tries later I got to the same spot, but this time I stayed real tight. Tight enough to topout! Diaphanous was seriously the only problem I really really wanted to redpoint this trip and I got it over with on my first day…so PSYCHED!
We then walked up the hill to Power of Silence, a stout V10 that Simon wanted to get on. He pieced together the problem quite well and half an hour later he got his hand into the slot, one move from the top. Setting up on this hold correctly is a crux on it’s own and Simon didn’t get the finger lock quite right – you need to do some more crack climbing, Simon. Frustrated, he threw himself at it for another 30 minutes, but in the end he decided to move on and leave it for another day. He’ll do it for sure.
Feeling tired from the travelling yesterday and the hard pulling today we decided to go to the other side of North Mountain and try some of the easy classics. We did Nobody Here Gets Out Alive and Ghetto Simulator. Then a guy we met earlier, Jim, came by and conviced us to go look at a new Jason Kehl highball V5. We didn’t have any pads and neither did he. Right away I said there was no way I was going to get on it and Simon didn’t blame me. The thing is high. I told Jim that I’d give him a spot but really, with no pads there wasn’t much I could do if he pitched. The guy crushed it. He made it look so easy and that encouraged me to try it. He spewed some beta and before I could think too clearly I jumped on it. The first few moves were fine and I quickly got about 15 feet off the deck… to the crux. I committed myself on a right hand sloper with a high left foot. I need to rock over my foot and secure a good slot-edge. Jim, who’s over six feet tall, didn’t have any troubles. I could barely reach it. Without waiting for the fear to take over I powered myself to the next hold off the shitty sloper. I was just shy of it and somehow managed to intermediate off nothing and bump an inch further to the hold. I crimped it so hard! I matched, went to the lip, and quickly got my body over the 20 foot topout. Holy Shit! I spooked myself big time. Whenever I think about it I shake my head. It was dumb to get on something unknown that was really high and without a single pad or spotter below me. You know those near-misses that make you think about what could have happened? That’s what it’s like for me. All I can say is that I’m glad I didn’t begin my trip with two broken legs and a fractured skull.
We had a very good introduction to our December Hueco session. Tomorrow we’re going to spend some time on Free Willy, Right Martini and Loaded With Power. As for the rest of tonight…it’s time for bed.
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Hey Jamie,
Great post man, good job on DS, so proud and play safe man, what were you thinking cruising around Hueco with no pads? Dude, you got me all psyched to be down there and soak up some sun. Two more days. Have a blast.
S.