Critters in cracks

In arapiles I arrived and was told to remember to place “snake pro” near the top of each pitch. I often slabs out and is easy, but “snake pro” is a good idea in case you encounter a common brown snake at the top out.  
No big deal, just among the world’s most venomous snakes. Luckily for me no close encounters.

On cest la vie in Eldorado cyn I was bit by a bat.  No insurance. Hospital tried to charge me 8,000$ for rabies shots.

Found this guy jamming my way up Bummer at Sunnyside Bench.  Got a nice little surprise when I felt him moving around in there about 60 ft up.  I guess it’s good luck

Our local bouldering area has an abundance of lizards, in every nook and cranny and crack. Not at all shy, they usually come out to watch! Top outs get interesting though, if they won't yield right of way to uphill traffic.

Can't find the pics at the moment, and not in cracks, but for about a week in early summer the local crag has really large spiders looking to make little spiders, I presume. Whoever is first up the approaches gets to break trail through spiderwebs.

Best, H.

Andy Bwrote:

Giant desert centipedes in cracks in Cochise Stronghold. Do not climb there during the summer.

Pretty good advice even without the centipedes 

Miles Johnsonwrote:

- Ringtail Cats: seen them roaming at Enchanted Rock but a main partner saw one taking a walk across a less traveled portion of Zoo Wall here in Oklahoma which is impressive. 

One of these cute bastards was feasting on my GORP while I was climbing Abracadaber

Trad Manwrote:

Pretty good advice even without the centipedes 

True! We can't even escape them at home. Good 8"-er there at the backdoor 

Andy Bwrote:

True! We can't even escape them at home. Good 8"-er there at the backdoor 

8 inches? Ha! That's what I tell the ladies too.

This kind goat lead us 1/4 way down the climbers trail at snow creek wall.   Not all the critters are bad.  

About 5 bolts up in the air. 

Pete Swrote:

This kind goat lead us 1/4 way down the climbers trail at snow creek wall.   Not all the critters are bad.  

This guy I'll call Cool Steve (who he was, but also because I later climbed with someone I call uncool Steve) had the worst luck. He was climbing at Leavenworth and a 'goat' (why do we call them goats, again?) dislodged a football-sized rock above him while he was walking off a dome. It took his legs out from under him and he ended up falling a ways and injuring his head badly. Adding to this, the ambulance ran over a motorcyclist on the way down the windy mountain road, who was riding up on the wrong side of the road.

I guess we can't blame the 'goat' for all of that, but be aware *forbidding gong sound*

Don’t forget offerings to the noble spirits.  A proper offering insures they won’t chew your pack at the base and a solid guide on the way down.  

I thought I was jamming up an unclimbed crack in southern AZ, then realized this snake beat me to it:

It was about 35 degrees, so not concerning and it allowed me to take this photo.

Just a few days ago, jamming up Dead Precedents on Mt Lemmon, I tickled a fuzzy warm thing, screamed, tore my hand out and was greeted with a bewildered bat. It flew around for 5 seconds before sheltering in a neighboring crack.

Brandon Gottungwrote:

I thought I was jamming up an unclimbed crack in southern AZ, then realized this snake beat me to it:

It was about 35 degrees, so not concerning and it allowed me to take this photo.

Just a few days ago, jamming up Dead Precedents on Mt Lemmon, I tickled a fuzzy warm thing, screamed, tore my hand out and was greeted with a bewildered bat. It flew around for 5 seconds before sheltering in a neighboring crack.

Crotalus molossus. One of the more uncommon species of rattler. 

Robbins Crack 5.10a in Woodson is filled with bats! Went night climbing there once and kept hearing chirps the whole way up. Got this pic

Alyssa Kwrote:

Robbins Crack 5.10a in Woodson is filled with bats! Went night climbing there once and kept hearing chirps the whole way up. Got this pic

Wow, send that one into climbers for bats!

With an oz for scale. 

A wee crag mouse hiding in Stop On Top, a new splitter we found and climbed today. He’s been there each of the 3 times I’ve put laps on the line!

I've encountered a lizard, wasps and one mouse while on the wall, but probably the coolest thing we've found was when my son found a scorpion in a spider's nest at the beginning of a climb at Madrone outside of Portland.  Not many people know that there are two species of woodland scorpions that live in Oregon.  My buddy that was born here didn't even know, and it cost him $5 when he told my son, "No way it's a scorpion.  I'll bet you $5."   

Miles Johnsonwrote:

A wee crag mouse hiding in Stop On Top, a new splitter we found and climbed today. He’s been there each of the 3 times I’ve put laps on the line!

He's got some pretty solid squeeze chimney technique