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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : Sundance Buttress
By: flynn When: Nov 18, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: The trail to Sundance, and the climbers' descent route (can't call it a trail) in that godawful gully, were the projects for the Access Fund's Adopt-A-Crag Day this October. Fifty-some logs and eighty-some rock steps went in, along with some long-needed "barbering" of the brush in the gully. Should be a lot better.
If you're a first-time visitor to Sundance, be advised that there's now a sign to direct you in lieu of the old cairn. It's actually been there for several years now.
Have fun!
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Location: MN : Grand Marais Area Ice Climb... : Nightfall (WI4)
By: flynn When: Oct 23, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: My husband, Erik and his buddy, Tony, did this climb. That particular season featured a heckuva lot of snow. They drove up from Red Wing, then snowshoed up the river. Tony started his lead and blew off it. Not having any pro in, he pitched off backwards and plummeted into the five-foot-deep 'bowl' below. Erik was laughing too hard to help him; Tony was doing his best imitation of a snowblower, trying to dig himself out. When he finally emerged, unhurt, Erik was still giggling. "I guess... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : The Pear : Magical Chrome Plated Semi-... (5.7)
By: flynn When: Sep 19, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: An obvious and enjoyable variation steps left around the wild-but-easy corner at the first belay. Pick your way delicately up and left into the Le Chaim crack, and romp up that to that luxurious belay/walkoff ledge.
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Location: CO : An Evening With Layton Kor
By: flynn When: Aug 30, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Doesn't matter what you thought you were doing this night. If you climb, you must hear one of The Masters. Period. This event **will** sell out immediately.
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Location: ID : City of Rocks : Stripe Rock : Dykes of Gastonia (5.7)
By: flynn When: Aug 4, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: To start, proceed up and right on a ramp of sorts until you peek around a corner and see a creaky old bolt. Back down a few feet and establish an anchor with small-hand size springy things. My partner, a whiz at runouts, led the grainy first pitch, traversing up and right from the second well-aged bolt. About 170 feet and two or three placements higher, he belayed in the dike itself, backing up a horn with some gear. The second pitch follows the dike for some borderline-silly fun after the hair ... more >>
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Location: WY : Devil's Tower : East and Northeast Buttress... : Mystic and the Mulchers (5.8-)
By: flynn When: Dec 7, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: Amen to the caution about the vegetation: this climb can look like a high-angle garden, but the climbing is actually much nicer than you expect.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Boulder Canyon - Ice
By: flynn When: Nov 30, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: We drove up Boulder Canyon 11/28. Lots of ice in the creek, but absolutely none in the climbing areas, not even dribbles on the rock. Does anybody know if the aqueducts got patched? Again?
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : Supremacy Rock : Supremacy Crack (5.11b)
By: flynn When: Aug 2, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: I was pleased to TR this thing, more years ago than I'll admit, with only one fall down low. The swing was memorable and fun! My one-legged partner, on the other hand, did it free and clean. I still don't have an excuse!
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Location: CO : Eldorado State Park Accide...
By: flynn When: May 15, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: Best wishes to the fallen climber and his partner for quick and complete recoveries from their different injuries.
Thanks for the clarification, Steve.
And now, from Captain Obvious: Same song, 93rd verse. Mark the middle of your rope; know how to use your belay device; and pay attention. The only piece of "safety equipment" we have is the one between our ears. It only works when it's turned on and tuned by experience.
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Location: WA : Leavenworth : Icicle Creek : Snow Creek Wall : Outer Space (5.9)
By: flynn When: Apr 19, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: We didn't think the descent was particularly horrible. No fun, but not too long and not life threatening. My partner led the last pitch, and we simul-climbed for a while to get him to the top. He was stuffed butt-first into a bathtub, giving me a hip belay (it's okay, we do that all the time). Behind him was a mountain goat billy! He hung around watching us for half an hour or so, but never approached us to mooch or threaten. Very cool.
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Location: CA : Yosemite National Park : Yosemite Valley : North Dome : Crest Jewel (and Crest Jewe... (5.10d R)
By: flynn When: Apr 5, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: We hiked in from Porcupine Creek trailhead on Tioga Pass Road, five fast, easy miles. Left some water under a tree and thrashed down the manzanita gully on the right (as you look down) side of the Dome. An hour and a half later, we found the start. I don't recommend doing it this way; the climb may be set up for double-rope rappels to avoid the epic bushwhacking.
The climb itself was fun, a Topo on steroids if you will (you Splatte rats know what I'm talking about). The friction chara... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : Batman Rock : Hand Over Hand (5.7)
By: flynn When: Mar 2, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: You could do this route in one pitch, but why miss that deliciously exposed belay at the start of the traverse? Also, try the wa-a-y steep handcrack that's almost directly above your head on this belay. A couple of joyous, "air-out-your-knickers" stems and jams get you to some welcome jugs, then you can ramble to the top on easy stuff.
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Location: WY : Devil's Tower : West Face : Tulgey Wood (5.10a)
By: flynn When: Feb 12, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: I thought the third pitch was the crux of the climb: lots and lots of moves, few rests and deep, elusive, difficult jams for small hands. Keep your psych up even though it's "only" 5.9.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Silverplume & vicinity
By: flynn When: Jan 25, 2007 | view comment >> |
Comments: As of 1/20, the whole creek was bulletproof snow and needed only boots. The ice was in great shape.
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Location: ID : City of Rocks : Bumblie Rock : Too Much Fun (5.8)
By: flynn When: Apr 17, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Amen to the height-dependent difficulty comment. I'm 5' 5" on a tall day, and the sequence between the first and second bolts sure felt like 5.9 to me! But that's nothing new, and besides, Lynn Hill, Joe Brown and Don Whillans wouldn't give any of us shorties any sympathy. This is still a fantastic climb that lives up to its name.
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Location: AZ : Cochise Stronghold : Isle of You (Ewe) : Trad Rock : Baby Jr. (5.8+)
By: flynn When: Apr 13, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Sustained, devious, technically and mentally challenging. Fun moves after you figure them out.
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Location: AZ : Cochise Stronghold : Isle of You (Ewe) : Trad Rock : OK Corral (5.7)
By: flynn When: Apr 13, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: I wouldn't argue with 5.8. And I wasn't tempted to skip any of the bolts, either! Really cool moves, fun and aesthetic.
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Location: AZ : Cochise Stronghold
By: flynn When: Apr 13, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: Treat yourself to a really good cuppa joe in Willcox at Espresso. It's right across the street from the old train depot. Fresh sludge made by a fellow who moved to the desert six years ago after tiring of rainy Seattle. Also killer cinnamon rolls and other fresh-baked goodies, all with a friendly small-town ambiance that welcomed us after the de rigueur all-night drive from Denver.
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Location: CO : Boulder Mountaineering stor...
By: flynn When: Feb 28, 2006 | view comment >> |
Comments: New? Well, reincarnated maybe. Welcome back, Bob, we missed you!
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Location: CO : South Platte : Cathedral Spires Area : Sunshine Wall : Gonzo's Lament (5.9)
By: flynn When: Feb 23, 2005 | view comment >> |
Comments: Darren, thanks for the FA credit. Supposedly, the name comes from Pete's dog, Gonzo, a black lab. Apparently Gonzo was very upset that his master ran off and left him - or so he thought - and he howled his disappointment to anyone who'd listen.
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Location: CO : South Platte : Cathedral Spires Area : Cynical Pinnacle : Center Route (5.9+)
By: flynn When: Feb 11, 2005 | view comment >> |
Comments: Jefferson County says there's "no legal public access" to this area and the Dome. Their posting about the proposed climbing management plan (or some such verbage) says this used to be BLM land, but is now privately owned, or property of the Denver Water Board. That was news to me after 23 years of puffing and panting up that approach. And I hope it's a false alarm. Anyway, there's also the usual talk of limiting fixed anchors and access, blah blah blah you know the drill. So check out the link o... more >>
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Location: CO : Estes Park Valley : Lumpy Ridge : The Book : The Pages Wall Area : The Cave Exit (5.7+)
By: flynn When: Jan 26, 2005 | view comment >> |
Comments: Figuring out the Cave exit is a Lumpy rite of passage. Be sure to bring along your sense of humor, scramble up into the thing, and do your twirls. Then make a mental note to do the Hurley Traverse next time!
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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon
By: flynn When: Jan 21, 2005 | view comment >> |
Comments: I *tried* to climb here on 1/17. There was more ice in the creek than in the climbing area. I suspect we're done for this year.
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