Archive for the ‘Rock Climbing’ Category

Rock Climbing – First Flatiron, Bakerdango (5.6)

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Lauren & Clare First Flatiron Summit
Wake Up Time: 4:45am
Meet Up Time: 5:15am
Chatauqua Parking Lot: 6:15am
Discovery of Clare’s Missing Harness/Belay Device: 6:20am
Ad Hoc Solution Via Swami Belt using Lauren’s Long Sling: 6:40am
Begin Hiking: 6:50am
Start Climbing: 7:45am
Summit First Flatiron: 1:20pm
Painful Swami Belt Lowering: 1:30pm
Chatauqua Parking Lot: 2:30pm
Lunch at Brasserie Ten-Ten: 3:00pm (Got Nicoisse Salad-YUM!!!)
Home: 6pm

Day time temps were in the mid 90s, which was scorching on the rock!

I’m glad we had a 70 meter rope, but it still wasn’t quite long enough to combine pitches 3 & 4 without simul-climbing. In future, I would do it with a 60 meter rope, and just know that I’d have to simul-climb.

Wearing the swami belt was uncomfortable and painful. It made me feel grateful for the generations before; it is their pain & suffering which has promoted the shift in design and innovation for safer, lighter, and stronger equipment!

Thank you, Lauren for the extra sling & belay device. Without your extra gear, we wouldn’t have been able to do the climb! More pictures below…
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Hiking – Cimarron Canyon State Park, NM

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Lauren & I went to Cimarron Canyon State Park under the auspices of checking out some climbing areas. In her Taos Rock Climbing guidebook, it lists a couple of crags in the park as having some moderate climbs. We hiked up to the Maverick area, and scoped it out.

I AM NOT POSTING ANY OF THE PICTURES I TOOK BECAUSE THIS WALL IS CLOSED. In fact the entire SP has been closed to climbing. From reading the following forum, posted on Mountain Project, I did not get any happy vibes that this issue would resolve anytime soon. So, saddly, we didn’t climb there. Even though, it looks like tons of fun!

Rock Climbing – El Rito, NM (Day 3)

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Clare, Lauren, and Cookie Belle at El Rito

Saturday morning I woke up to an ominous sound. A stomach rumbling followed by a bit of nausea. Not so good! I thought I had been doing a good job of staying hydrated, but after yesterday’s heat & sun exposure, maybe not. (more…)

Rock Climbing – El Rito, NM (Day 2)

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Clare Happy Post Climbing Glow
Friday morning was wet & cold. We decided to wait a little bit to let things dry out. We had a leisurely morning, and left for the crag around 10am. As we ascended the slope, my excitement was building…look at all these amazing cobbles! I was psyched. (more…)

Rock Climbing – El Rito, NM (Day 1)

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Lauren Leads the Way to the Sport Crag
On August 12, Lauren and I packed our gear and Cookie Belle into her camper van. Destination: El Rito, NM. The drive took about 6 hours, and we stopped in Moffat for some coffee (excellent!) and to buy a couple cute tank tops. (more…)