back to eldo

Its been a pretty hefty brake this summer but Eldo just isn't the place to climbing during the hot summer months. My partner in crime Scott has returned from a very successful summer in the Valley and so we headed out to eldo on Saturday for good day of climbing. I found myself feeling quite out of the game though, climbing slowly and fumbling with gear like a gumby. Still we were able to climb some very cool pitches. We climbed Interceptor to XM to Outer space to Saturnalia and then Neon lights for the complete Bastille Day. I forgot my camera so no pic's today but i will go back and get some shots soon.

Interceptor 5.11b R - this route is amazing and quite hard with a difficult slab crux on some smaller gear. I'm not sure it deserves the "R" as your feet are at some gear while you pull the crux but it's still enough to get the heart beat up. If you yank that piece your taking a 30 footer, which in some sick way i hoped would happen.

XM 5.10c R - ok so this one deserves the "R" if you fall at the crux your only gear is two terrible looking pins. I have climbed the right variation before but stayed clear of this due to it's relatively daunting fall potential. This climb is short and scary but a full value eldo classic. If your feeling tough at the grade i totally recommend this route... just remember this beta.... smear, crimp , huck....aaahhhh we finished XM to Outer space which i have climbed about a million times and always gets me thinking.

Saturnalia 5.11b (pg13) - how did i miss this route? i always thought that Outer space was exposed...hah this thing is sweet and exciting and everything i want out of a 5.11 on the Bastille. cruxy, exciting but not dangerous, and ooh so exposed.

Neon lights 5.11a R - just to the right of "your mother 5.12d" sits this roof crack. it's hard for the grade but actually very safe.... does not deserve the "R" short and sweet. After climbing this i realised that it was probably my first time on the true top of the Bastille.

Wishbone 5.11 b/c (pg13) - first off no bolted route can be "pg 13" yeah it's run out and scary but every fall is totally safe. This route was cryptic and technical and hard. felt like a 5.12a onsight to me. and i didn't onsight. this route is hard to find sitting at the base of the west ridge.

back in the USA and back in Eldo

I just got back... here is a picture from my recent solo of Sunset strip 5.11 in eldorado. I have climbed the route a handful of times this summer and thought it would be a fun solo due to it's length and angle. I have written about this route before and as i said then, it is great route.

it's been a few days...

today routes were...

#12 The bulge 5.7R

Not really cutting edge but it makes a great solo. It's long and has no major ledges on it like the bastille. Below is a picture of my friend Matus soloing the route, i soloed up calypso to get the pictures. This is a great cruiser route to do when you feel like climbing something easy that is still engaging.

The next route i thought of reviewing is #13 Terminal Velocity 5.11R its a so so route but i have some cool photos from a few years ago i wanted to share.

rain rain rain

So when did we wake up in the Pacific northwest? i managed to hike out to the Maiden with plans of soloing it but it started raining, rather than slipping and dying i decided to hike down. Here is a weird panorama shot.

the man

Derek Hersey

100 degrees from eldo

Look closely in the middle.... the route is Physical Graffiti in Calico Basin 

I haven't climbed in Eldo for a couple of days since ive been in vegas. Before i left i found a new line that im psyched about in eldo that i think will fall into the 13a/b r/x category ... look back for more on that in the future. Until then here are some shots from Vegas this week. 

                                                       ( above) In and Out burger... nothing says satisfaction like a double double animal style with whole grilled onions and a strawberry shake....

                                                       (below)  climbing on the monkey bars boulder the Kraft boulder's

 

someone did it better

i was going to write a bit about climbing yesterday but my buddy Scott beat me to it and probably did it with better grammar. So check it out here....

#11 Real men eat eggs 5.11+ R/X