Sunday, November 22, 2009

Frustrations and the Steep (Solarium, Midnight Surf, Military Wall and Left Flank)

As a change of pace we headed to the Muir Valley to check out the Solarium and Midnight surf. The day was looking a little colder so the morning in the Solarium enjoying the sun would be a great place to warm up.

The hike in was wonderful. A thanks is in order to Liz and Rick Weber who own the property on which Muir Valley sites. They generously provide access to this valley as a climbing spot and hiking area. I want to thank them for access and the facilities they put in place for the public. They have provided washrooms and a parking lot on the property for everyone to access.

The valley itself if beautiful you start by hiking down a gravel road for about 15-20 minutes at which point you arrive at the valley floor and cross a small river. The valley floor is grassy and we walk across it for a few minutes then start up a earthen path that tracks the valley floor for another 5 minutes before turning left up a path that wound its way up to a steeply overhanging cliff: The Solarium.

James and I warmed up on the five star 5.11a, I went first hoping to onsight. The first moves were nearly vertical. As I climbed higher the route progressively got steeper as you move up a series of horizontal breaks to a final roof that pulls out to a small ledge on a head wall above the roof. It was just below this edge that I finally pumped out trying to get over the final and fell off.

I finished the route then lowered and went up again to get the tick. Even the second time up I still pumped out at the last ramp and I had wrap both my arms over the final ledge to catch some rest so that I could de-pump. It work but I was till pretty gunned. I wait for my heart rate to drop before moving up to clip the anchor and clean it.

After I getting down I felt heavy and that I might have gotten a bit of flash pump so after James onsighted Banshee, an awesome five star overhanging 5.11c at the end of the crag. The belay position was a bit tricky as it was at the top of a ledge maybe 4 meters up. The belay was excellent as you had a pair of belay bolts and and directional bolt for belaying.

The route starts up a right trending diagonal arete to a break then up and right on jugs to a hueco in which you can climb into for a no hands rest. The next series moves out onto the face for about 4-5 meters of jug to a pair of huecos the first of which is small but the second is large enough to comfortably get into and sit down. I think someone put up a chalk drawing waiting around inside before moving through the final face climb moves to at he anchor. The journey takes you a full 35 meters of climbing.

On my attempt I fell of moving to the second big hueco because I misread the route going up instead of traversing across. I was frustrated because it was the second time that day that I felt I should have on-sighted but ended up coming off. I went down rested up for a while clearing my pump and tried to find a way to deal with my frustration. Luke suggested I throw a wobbler and just let it out. I didn't feel involving others in my frustrations that I have inside me with the world so I opted for trying to break down my expectations and detach from the out come. The change was significant though I would start experiencing it till a day later.

I got back on Banshee, climbing through the first crux, resting in the small hueco before setting out to the next hueco and the red point crux to pulling through the lower hueco which doesn't have the best holds up into the big hueco you can climb inside by pulling on a nice finger lock. I felt calm and collected and just enjoying the climbing instead of worrying about the out come. After resting I climbed on the most amazing hand jugs in breaks in the rock that would appear every 6 feet till you reach the anchors. I was happy with the it on the second go. Feling a bit physically drained I decide to not climb the rest of the day and save my energy for climbing at Military Wall and Left Flank. I would want to make a few good attempts at Wild Yet Tasty, the 12a I decided to project at the previous visit to this crag.

James, Luke and Pete continued climbing at Midnight surf. This crag was amazing and different, the wall starts vertical for the first 6-9 meters at which point it kicks back sharply getting progressively steeper as you move higher on the wall. The wall reaches an angle somewhere around 30-40 degrees till if backs off to near vertical at around 28-30 meters off the ground.

Pete dispatched Shiva, 13b. While Luke nailed Tapeworm, 12d. Both James and Luke started working the outrageously steep Cell Block Six, a five star 12c denied by the long, powerful reaches between jugs.

The day completed with everyone's fun card punched we make the hike up the steep gravel road to return to the car and home.

The sun was shining for our day at Military Wall and Left Flank. We started at Military to enjoy the morning sun as it was colder than previous days. James and I warmed up on the openning 10's. The only one of note was the so rated 5 star 10c called In The Light. The climb was short and stout with fairly hard moves off the ground and continuing on right ot the end. There is a ledge part way up that provides a bit of reprieve from the pump but only for a few moments. The real sting comes at the top where the clipping position is quite challenging and pumpy, the style seems to be come here. In either event, I missed the clip on the anchors first time then pumped out and grabbed the chains and clipped.

Thankfully, I was focused on trying to enjoy the climbing so mach as collect another climb and having to get the ascent. As a result, I didn't beat myself up for the rest of the day and as my next climb flashed the classic 11b (11d?), Fuzzy Undercling. The crux is right on you off the ground (read stick clip suggested) and through the move following the first bolt. They route the steers up and right up underclings and jug on a good position at the arete. I caught a knee bar (thank you James for the beta) and then finished up on the good jugs to pull over the last bulge to clip the anchors. Thanks to the beta and encouragement of Pete, Luke and James while on route I'm sure I wouldn't have made the onsight.

In short order we headed over to Left Flank, shortly after arriving we were joined by my friend Bryant. Bryant and I met in South Africa on my previous trip climbing trip but now lives in Cincinnati doing graduate studies in Environmental Engineering.

I spent the rest of the day throwing myself at Wild, Yet Tasty. Figuring out what techniques I could use on a cruxy long move after the last bolt on the route. I also found a few suggestions for how to clip the crux bolt and change how I would do the crux throw to a three finger pocket. I was enjoying he process and by end of day I had the climb down to a single hang and was able to climb from the crux move to the chains. I have my fingers crossed that I will get another chance but I'm okay with leaving this as an open project for the next time I get to come to the Red.

James and Luke both onsited the five star 12b, Sex Farm. Pete managed to pick up a project in Stunning the Hog, 12d. Bryant got on Wild, Yet Tasty and on possibly the best 12b in the Red, Mercy, the Huff.

Everyone seemed to be happy with the day and we retired while it was still light.

I'm going to publish this now but check back in a few days and I will have some pictures embedded as well.

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