Climbing Trips

Well it has been a long time since I last published on my blog. But that does not mean I have not been getting out and having fun. I have been visiting the local gym Hanger 18 (with the time change it is about all I can do since it gets dark way before I get off) but I have managed a few trips to Joshua Tree & the Bishop area. This was my latest camping trip to Joshua tree this season, it was a beautiful day as you can see.

While I was climbing on the Old Woman I spied a young gentlemen (who we later found out was Joe De Luca) soloing on Intersection Rock. If you look close you can see him, just to the right of Left Ski Track 5.11a***

Rhondie snapped this picture of Kevin (5.10's new Assistant Global Sales Manager) and I climbing the SW Corner of the Headstone in Ryans Campground.

Those were just a few of the highlights of my trip to Joshua Tree. Even more recently I was able to get out to the East side of the Sierras for 6 days! It was amazing, climbed in Owens River Gorge where I onsighted quite a few 5.10's and had a blast on a few 11's. I had spent a lot of time training for power and not endurance so I got thoroughly spanked. I met Jim Thornburg, Lonnie Kauk, and Nicky Dayl in ORG as well. Here is a photo of Lonnie clipping the anchors on Darshan 5.12b for his warm up

We got an amazing campsite at Pleasant Valley on the road to the Happy Boulders. This trip was the first time I had been to the Happy Boulders, my buddy Tyler and I walked up the trail by moonlight one night and bouldered there for a few hours flashing V1 & V2 in our approach shoes. I was totally blown away by the Happy Boulders, we had the whole place to ourselves. It was amazing, there is nothing like onsighting a highball in your approach shoes under a nearly full moon. Absolutely breathtaking. Here is the view from our campsite.

These trips were so much fun but there is still more to come, I am still hoping to make it to Yosemite next spring and visit Red Rocks and climb Epinephrine. Both of these places I have never climbed at before, so it is sure to be a life changing experience. Until next time....

Adventures in our backyard

It was 4pm and the thermometer hovered at 105 F. It was time to get out of the valley and into the mountains. Rhondie and I stuffed are climbing & camping gear in the back of my trusty Bus, and headed into the mountains. As we entered the canyon to begin our ascent into the hills we noticed ominous storm clouds billowing on the horizon. As we came around a bend we were met by a strong head wind that slowed our forward progression to 35 mph, much to the shagrin of everyone behind us. As we gained altitude the clouds grew darker and darker and within seconds we were enveloped in a torrential down pour. Boulders were rolling down the hill and into the road in front of us and we were fording through streams flowing across the highway! As suddenly as the rain had started it stopped and we emerged into a scene straight from a fairy tale; rainbows crisscrossing, rain dripping from trees, and that oh so heavenly scent of a forest after a heavy rain. We stopped at a lake to take a walk. It was a beautiful day and after we had stopped to watch the ducks play we got back in our Bus and headed off to find a nice spot to camp. It was nestled in the trees not to far from the lake. We boiled our Tortilini and sipped Hot Chocolate while we played Scrabble by latern. It was nice to fall asleep listening to the sounds of the forest instead of sirens, cars, and various other noises of civilization.
We awoke and leisuraely ate breakfast & packed up before continuing up the highway. We were headed to Onyx Summit, at 8,443 feet it is the highest highway pass in Southern California. Donna (my Bus) putted up there in grand style. The forest, meadows, and vistas rolled by and as we crested the pass Mt. San Gorgonio came in to view. At 11, 499 feet it is the highest mountain in Southern California. We spent the morning climbing. The rock was beautiful, the vistas stunning, and the company pleasant. And a lazy half day of climbing passed by while we enjoyed the cool breezes and watched clouds build up. When it was time for lunch we drove to a meadow and munched on canned tuna and gold fish and dozed off while watching little birds vying for bug spotting perches and deer bounding through the grass and wild flowers. 

When we awoke the clouds were getting darker, and so we decided to follow the river down back to civilization and chicken strips and fish and chips. As we cruised down the highway at 75 mph (an exciting thing in a VW Bus) the air got hotter but our spirits weren't dampened. The adventures the 3 of us had experienced together were still fresh on our minds. 

Until next time....

Moonlight Ascents

It was a beautiful night. The full moon was glinting off the spinning blades of the wind turbines that coat the desert like an odd martian flower-scape. The windows were rolled down all the way and the warm night air was blowing through my hair. I bubbled with the anticipation of climbing in one of the most awe inspiring National Parks, Joshua Tree. I got to the parking lot at 10:30 pm and having sipped on various cornucopia's of energy syrups I was running down the trail to the base of the first climb. The granite felt warm beneath my finger tips and the chalk felt strangely refreshing, it was like visiting an old friend that you had not seen in a long time. The full moon provided enough illumination to climb without headlamp, while the bolts shimmered like welcoming beacons, beckoning you to keep climbing. Jackrabbits scurried from bush to bush looking for a rare tasty morsels in this harsh landscape as route after route fell beneath our frenzy to taste that, oh so addictive, coagulation of fear, adrenaline, joy, and ecstasy. As the time kept ticking onward our frenzy started to simmer, due to the disruption of our normal sleeping patterns and our crashing sugar highs. The last route was a slightly overhanging flared crack. The last move was pulling an overhanging roof via a laid back finger crack, delicate footwork, and a very awkward mantle to the table top summit. After a few false starts I pulled through to the top and took in a few deep breaths of victory. I had fulfilled my fixation and was ready to head home to a warm soft bed and the loving arms of my wife. I coined the phrase endowed by so many REI shoppers as I started down climbing, Life is good...

Until next time

Change is on the horizon

I am turning 24 in 2 days! I don't know how to feel about it though. I used to be excited about my birthdays, but not so much anymore. We just went out and got mywife her first mountain bike today. She loves it and begs for us to take the bikes instead of the car almost everywhere we go. We were supposed to go camping this weekend but financial "stuff" came up, and we decided it would be more prudent to stay at home. I remember when I was younger I would pack up and go anywhere as long as I had enough money for gas and some top ramen. Although last weekend my lovely wife and I headed up to the Tram way. Up in the San Jacinto Mountains. It was amazing, there is rock everywhere and we had so much fun exploring. Not to mention my ticket was free because I am in the Marines, so it was cheap as well. I am getting out of the Corps in 2 months! After spending 6 years faithfully serving my country, I am getting ready to close that chapter in my life and begin a new one. It is a very odd feeling. This fall is going to be a fun one I can tell. I am planning on heading up to Yosemite for a week or two, try my hand at some bigger walls. And then in February I am pondering heading to Thailand for 8-10 days. Airfare is not to expensive, not to mention the beaches look amazing and the rock looks phenomenal.

Until next time.....