Climbing - Back to The Wood

Kellan and I met up with my climbing partner, Tim, weekend before last to try out a couple more routes on the Grocery Store Walls. It was a warm Sunday, and we had the whole crag to ourselves, only seeing a couple hikers all day. We were there at about 10:30 and stayed until dusk.

This was Kellan's first time climbing here, so we started out on Peaches and Scream for a little warm up. Tim was nice enough to give Kellan some tips to get him comfortable with top rope belaying me. I have to admit, I was nervous, but the kid did a great job and was very attentive all day, no matter who was climbing. He really seems to enjoy the sport and it's great we can share the experience together,

Kellan finishing out Peaches and Scream

Tim approaching the layback on Peaches

Satisfied with our warm-up and Kellan belaying we moved left to a cool overhang called Hot Fudge. This is a pretty challenging, sustained 5.8 climb and it took us each a couple tries to nail it. I even managed to get my self turned upside-down on the pendulum swing after a fall under the roof.

I was the first to send it, so Tim and Kellan's pride came calling and they both hit it on their next go.

Kellan turning the corner on Hot Fudge.
The route traverses the whole undercling crack at the far left.

After the turn, there's still some tough spots to deal with.

Tim and I gave a half hearted attempt on the variation, with is a short face climb in the 5.10b range. But it proved too tough for us, so we set our sights slightly lower on Carmel Corner and then hit Blood Pudding, down the crag a bit.

Blood Pudding is a tricky 5.9+ with an interesting crux. Mountain Project has it straight up the middle, or to an overhanging right variation. Tim and Kellan both got shut out on those, but I found a couple crimpers on the left side, that made for an interesting side step to get back on the middle line. Kellan assaulted it again and made it, after a long time trying. Tim decided to pass on another attempt.

Kellan on the left side crux.

We moved down a little more to some routes on the Banana Spire. Tim sent one, not sure which. Kellan and I gave a couple attempts, but our finger tips were too wasted after fighting Blood Pudding. Kellan put in a much harder effort than me, but we were spent.

Tim anchoring into the chains on the Banana Spire

The following Saturday, Kellan and I, decided to head back and check out some of the boulder problems. I found this helpful little blog on the area and printed out some stuff to check out.

We hit the ones near the Grocery Store Walls, as that's the area we were familiar with. We messed around on the south block, but it proved too tough for us, so we wandered down to the south and checked out some out some of the other walls. Finding easier problems and make up a few of our own.

Kellan on a little problem near  Cave Wall

Then we scrambled up to the top of the canyon and thought we'd maybe hit the Grocery Store boulders again, but some guys we saw briefly when we were leaving there earlier were set up and were not too friendly when I tried to chat with them, which is unfortunate, because I thought we might be able to pick up some tips from them.

So we wandered across the road to the other side and found a few other not too established looking problems to goof around on, until our fingers were sufficiently shredded. The rock at The Wood is very hard on the hands and fingers. It's a conglomerate type of rock down there, that's almost like concrete with other rocks embedded in it, so it feels like 40 grit sandpaper with glass glued to it after a while.

With me pooping out on at least 3 problems that Kellan was able to do, I've come to realize he's a much better boulderer than me and will probably be climbing much harder than me in no time.

Pentathlon - November 2012

Kellan and I retested our Pentathlon numbers this weekend, per our 60 day schedule. Here are the results. Numbers in () are changes from last test and numbers in [] are overall differences from first test. First test was July 12th for me, and September 16th for Kellan.

Kellan

Vitals: 13, 5' 2", 90 lb.

Pushups  37 (-18)

Sit-ups  67 (+15)

Broad jump  4' 8" (1-3/4")

One mile  7:53 (-1:39)

Sit and reach  +1-7/8" (+3/8")

Wade

Vitals: 39, 6' 2", 184 lb.

Pushups 57 (+4) [+8]

Sit-ups 63 (+11) [+23]

Broad jump 7' (+7") [+3"]

One mile 8:00 (+:10) [-:30]

Sit and reach +1-1/2" (+1-1/2") [+7/8"]

Couple notes on this round:

Kellan's pushups are way down, but his form is much better. He was hovering off the deck a few inches before and is now getting all the way down.

We modified the sit-ups a bit. We now do them with legs out and apart in front of us and one rep is up and touch the ground between your legs. I don't think they are any easier or harder, just more convenient since where we test has no good options to hook our toes.

The first lap on the mile my shoe came untied. Instead of running with it flopping around I tied it real quick, but couldn't seem to make up the time.

We didn't do the fast lap this time either. We were both pretty smoked and I forgot to bring water.

Tough Mudder's Will Dean - Hero or hack?

I just finished reading a great article in Outside Magazine on the origins of obstacle racing and the estimated half a billion dollar industry it's become. The article delves into the raging legal battles going on between owners, all of which seem to center around Tough Mudder founder and owner Will Dean.

I have to say, Tough Mudder has long been on my list of "must do" events. But it's severe length (I'm no marathon runner) and prohibitive cost (the most expensive entry fees by far) and the fact that it's not even timed or ranked (to avoid awarding prizes perhaps?) have kept it on the back burner for me.

Now, after reading Scott Keneally's article in the Nov. 2012 issue of Outside, I'm not sure I ever want to run it, just on general principal.
Instead, I kind of want to go to England and run the Tough Guy now. :)

Read the whole article here: Playing Dirty by Scott Keneally. It's worth the time if you're an obstacle race fan and gives an amazing behind the scenes look at what's been called "the country's fastest growing sport".

Climbing - Castlewood Canyon

Hooked up with a new climbing partner this weekend. Tim found my plea on rockclimbing.com for someone to show me around Castlewood Canyon, common referred to as "The Wood".

Tim was coming off a long break after a busted femur injury, and me being a noob we were at about the same level of climbing. It was great to have someone show me the area and how to setup a top rope anchor.

When we got there we headed over to the Grocery Store Wall, where the highest concentration of top rope routes are. The problem is, most of the routes are pretty tough and there were a couple groups of people working the easier routes. We finally decided to cut our teeth on Rat's Nest, a tough 5.8 that was a lot harder for me than the 5.9 I did down in GOTG last September.

Not sure if it's just one of those things, or if I just found the worst way up the route. Tim had a tough time with it too, and it took us each 3 tries to get it. Tim was able to red point it, but I had a fall at the crux on my ascent.

We were pretty smoked after struggling with what we thought would be a moderate to easy climb. So when the people to our left were packing up at Peaches and Scream, a nice little 5.6 route with and interesting layback, we moved our rope over. This one was fun, if a little on the easy side. There is a couple reaches after the layback that can be a bit hard if you're on the short side.

Top of the lay back flake.

Bit of a reach.

Just about there.

We both flashed it without too much trouble. Would have been nice to start on this one and I would recommend it for beginners.

We left vowing to return soon and try some more routes and check out some other walls in The Wood. A great way to spend a beautiful November afternoon for sure.