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Location: CO : Durango : Lemon Reservoir : West Side : Hymanizer (5.10d)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 31, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Eds. moved from a duplicate route entry.
This has crux moves through bolts off the ground. The rest of the route is enjoyable climbing on fairly good holds. Bring some hand-sized pieces maybe down to a #0.4 Camalot. Gear placements range from good to marginal. The bolt at roof bulge is tweaked, because it looks like people use it to access the obscure route to the right which doesn't look like it actually has a reasonably protected roof move (project?). So place a hand-sized ... more >>
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Location: CO : Durango : Lemon Reservoir : West Side : Via Manolo (5.11b)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 28, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: The upper crux in particular has a ledge you could fly into. Perhaps I did the crux more right from where intended and the rail I grabbed had lots of lichen or loose grit on it. By this time, I'm a full body length or even more above last bolt and looking at an 8" protruding ledge feature below that. I'm not suggesting adding bolts, but just be careful on this one. I didn't want to take that fall, I'm too old to heal from broken ankles. The climbing is probably great on this route, but mayb... more >>
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Location: CO : Durango : East Animas : Watch Crystal : Watch Crystal Crack (5.10d)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 28, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: If you do this in two pitches (I'd recommend 1 long 110' pitch), step left at the first belay option, it's a much more comfortable ledge and then you aren't just doing a 35' crux pitch to the upper anchors. It was a little disappointing the way I did it, and I think it would climb nicer in two 55' pitches. Also, watch out for lots of little birds in the back of the crack.
Good, fun climbing.
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Location: CO : Durango : East Animas : Watch Crystal : Durangutan (5.10c)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 28, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: The direct start pitch is a little dangerous, but it can be protected, somewhat. There is an obvious but questionable yellow Camalot in the 2" flare, right below a loose, rattly block, and above that a #4 or 5 nut placement in a flared seam that you have to really want. One of these should catch you if you fall getting to the fixed pin. Calling this a 10a pitch is misleading and will definitely get a new leader with low gear-placement skills hurt. The red Camalot mentioned in earlier po... more >>
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Location: CO : Durango : Lemon Reservoir : West Side : Via Manolo (5.11b)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 27, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: This would be a four star route except I couldn't enjoy the climbing when I was just concerned about not blowing the crux moves and flying into a ledge. Was this route bolted on lead? If not, why the spicy bolt job? Nobody will die from a fall here and the climbing is not that hard, but...jus' sayin'.
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Location: NM : Taos Area : Wild and Scenic : Photo
By: Aaron Miller When: May 16, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: If it were, there would be no rope. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see him wearing Boreal Ace's.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Sun Devil Wall : Astro Devil (5.11+)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 15, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: On a hot sunny day, be off the wall before noon, maybe 11:30.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Sun Devil Wall : Icarus (5.12a)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 15, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: A single 60m reaches. Make sure there is a knot in your rope! The pitch wanders and has a steep bulge so is longer than 100', but lowering must be only 90' direct to anchor.
I guess the crux sequence also climbs out left, to a loose hold? Not sure how long that sequence will last. Then we will see!!!!
I thought the direct crux sequence was aesthetic anyhow. Hard for me to get the high-step over the bulge.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Early Wall : Early Wall - Right End : Space Shuttle (5.10b)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 15, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Thanks for doing that. Cant rememeber why I hadn't equipped this route with chain, but I guess I didn't. Again, thanks.
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : TWA Canyon : Trundle Wall : Top Flite (5.12)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 15, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Third pitch is really good. Got a little confused at the above-mentioned flake, but no real love lost. Ended up placing a good cam from the left side then, backing down, traversing right, climbing into the flake from the less-sketchy right side.
No evidence of this route being climbed recently. We replaced all the anchor tat for the pins. A single bolt at each station would be sublime. Belaying the second pitch from the rattly pin and fixed nut, 20 feet out the ledge from your lead clim... more >>
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Location: NM : Albuquerque Area Climbing : Sandia Mountains : TWA Canyon : Trundle Wall : Splinted and Screwed (5.12a)
By: Aaron Miller When: May 15, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Fun route. Enjoyed second pitch. Crux bolt is a little reachy for me, would be quite harder for shorter people.
Rapping down S&S requires one to leave gear at the top of first belay. Only one bolt here. Plenty of gear options though. Leave something big, you wont need much for the first pitch. In fact, leave all your big gear here.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : The Grotto (AKA: The Notch) : Right Side of Grotto Entran... : In the Court of the Crimson... (5.12a)
By: Aaron Miller When: Apr 3, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Um, who is a King Crimson fan? I guess I have to assume Fred came up with this name. The linkup was his vision. Did he send it finally? I sent it last year right after the bolts went in and wanted to call it Bermanator Strikes Back, I guess that didn't stick. so be it.
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Location: NM : Las Cruces Area Climbing : Organ Mountains : Southern Comfort Wall : Black Velvet (5.9)
By: Aaron Miller When: Jan 21, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Start the first pitch right of the oak, face climbing up the bulge/arete. There is surprisingly good gear(including a magic purple camalot pocket!) and the 5.8 moves are fun. The corner looked loose and dirty. A new bolt provides a good anchor at 2nd belay.
Overall, a much better climb than it looked from the ground. The crux corner is brilliant and the finishing traverse under the roof is actually spectacular. Bring a camera.
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Location: NM : Las Cruces Area Climbing : Organ Mountains : The Tooth : Tooth Extraction (5.10)
By: Aaron Miller When: Jan 21, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Great Climb! The 3rd pitch Yucca bypass is not a huge deal, though it looks funky coming up to it. Double ropes not needed.
In my opinion, avoid the hanging belay with crusty old bolts between the last two pitches by climbing the entire dihedral in one pitch. When you reach the traverse ledge, you can make a good anchor and it is a very comfortable spot. This means you will climb the entire crux section in one long, amazing pitch, about 150' or so. Then the last pitch you will have the muc... more >>
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Sun Devil Wall
By: Aaron Miller When: Jan 4, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Does anyone know how to contact the FA party for Sun Devil Crack? I would like to clean the crap (read: loose rock) out of it so it is climbable AND fun. Its a beautiful line and deserves repeat ascents. As far as I know, there is no beta for this route, probably because the parties thought it was not worth repeating due to bad gear and loose rock in the chimney system. Perhaps I will add a rap anchor to it as well.
Keep in mind, the FA party probably did not have all the bolted approach ... more >>
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : The Grotto (AKA: The Notch) : Lower Grotto : Evil (5.10d)
By: Aaron Miller When: Jan 4, 2013 | view comment >> |
Comments: Um, you're kidding right?
I didn't change a thing to this route. There is now an optional last bolt to an individual anchor, separate from Good, so two parties can climb without battling for the anchor. You are still free to climb this in its original form, nothing changed, and traverse to the shared anchor with Good. All bolts (for better or worse) from the original line are intact, you should be happy to hear.
Rather than guessing at what it "sounds like", go check it out. Personally, I w... more >>
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Solar Cave
By: Aaron Miller When: Dec 10, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: The route names for "Native Rituals" and "Tribal Moves" were offered by Lance and or the FA party. I had no part in that.
As far as a connector from ILL to Icarus, I would look at a unique start to the right of ILL, maybe adjacent to the big roof block. Id hate to see ILL get cluttered with ambiguous bolts if we can help it. ILL is a time-tested high quality route as it is. Could also just be a direct start to Suicidal Society.
If you are looking for a new project, the rest of the Cave... more >>
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Solar Cave : Neanderthal (5.12b)
By: Aaron Miller When: Oct 13, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: This route now has three fixed-chain draws at the steep start. Now I don't feel so obligated to climb this route every time I see some leaver-booty, and I can climb other routes in the Cave. Sheesh. Must be lots of sport climbers climbing out of their element here.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Winter Wall : Pale Face (5.11+)
By: Aaron Miller When: Oct 13, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Yeah, somebody stole the plaque??? But it is easy to find, the name gives it away too.
It did clean up superbly.
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Location: NM : Las Cruces Area Climbing : Organ Mountains : Sugarloaf : Science Friction (to Left E... (5.11) : Photo
By: Aaron Miller When: Oct 12, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: looks like a bolt hanger to me, maybe not the best bolt.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : The Grotto (AKA: The Notch)
By: Aaron Miller When: Sep 26, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Follow the new trail to the Runway Wall. Then hike easy terrain around to the Grotto. Starts in the arroyo just across from the trail to the Winter Wall/Cave areas.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Early Wall
By: Aaron Miller When: Sep 26, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Appears to be a new trail leading to this crag and the Grotto area. Starts in the arroyo, just across from where the trail heads up to the Cave or Winter Wall. Great Trail!!!!
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Location: OR : Smith Rock : The Dihedrals : Karate Crack (5.10a) : Photo
By: Aaron Miller When: Sep 24, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Last time I climbed this route, there were fixed draws all over the wall. the leader can top out on the crack, climb up a bit, clip the fixed draw, traverse out left to another fixed draw, and lower. This avoids the heinous to reach anchor around the corner to the right.
Really too bad this route doesn't have a decent anchor of its own.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : The Grotto (AKA: The Notch) : Venarete Area : Venarete (5.12b)
By: Aaron Miller When: Sep 11, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: Unfortunately, the start may need to be moved. A rail between the first and second bolt is coming apart. A beautiful alternate start could be 10 feet to the climbers left in the nice hand-crack corner.
also, bats have occupied the lower parts of the upper crack. Needs some love.
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Location: NM : Santa Fe Area : Diablo Canyon : Early Wall : Early Wall - Left End : Aileron Roll (5.11a)
By: Aaron Miller When: Jul 2, 2012 | view comment >> |
Comments: OK, all bolts in. This route is fun!!!!
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