Monday the twelfth of November was Columbus day or Veterans day or some holiday like that, so I had the day off. Luckily, it was finally a nice day outside so we were able to make it back up to Frustration Creek so that I could continue to work on my two projects.
We arrived and I started out on the easier of the two routes (the one I'm calling "The Expedition"). Up to this point I hadn't been able to figure out the crux moves. I had only tried it on lead one other time, and because it was getting dark I ended up just giving up before getting it, but I knew that I had to figure it out this time. I got up to the crux without any problems, but once again, I was having a really hard time figuring out how to do the move. I was initially trying to go up to the side pull that I had planned on clipping from with my left hand, but soon figured out that I could get it with my right hand pretty easily, so I started trying to figure out a sequence to do it that way when I finally came to the realization that if I could reach the clipping hold with my right hand, that also meant that I could reach the bold with my right hand, so I ended up clipping from lower than I had planned, going to what I thought would be the clipping hold with my right hand, then moving up from there. It was a little bit different than I had thought it would go, but it worked and I made it through the crux. From there the route stays pumpy and steep all the way to the anchors, but the holds are all pretty good until the section between the last bolt and the anchors. Once again, I had to hang a few times on the last bolt while I tried to figure out the very last couple of moves to get to the clipping hold, of course it didn't help that one of the last holds was completely covered in dirt, but I was able to get to the anchors eventually, then I cleaned the hold well on my way down. Now that I've done all of the moves I'm pretty confident that it'll go at about 5.11b.
Just starting the route
Through the delicate slab moves
Easy, juggy section
Starting the crux
Midway through the crux
Just past the crux
Starting the final boulder problem before the anchors
Once I finished up, Amy ran up the route on TR and had a fun time trying out all of the moves, she needed a power belay through the crux, but did very well besides that and seemed to enjoy the route.
Next it was Danny's turn to climb, so we headed over to his route and set up a TR for him, as always, he had a blast climbing, and we were able to get him to come down on his own instead of me having to go up after him, so that was an improvement.
For the last route of the day I knew that I had to give my other project (Primal Quest) a go to see if I could finally figure out the crux moves on that thing. Amazingly enough, I figured out that if I put my left leg a bit lower than were I had been putting it, I could get a little bit of a crappy knee-bar that helped to keep my body into the wall as I made the move, and I actually was able to pull it off. Of course it took so many tries to figure it out that I was pretty beat and wasn't able to do the next easier move, but hey it's progress. I hang-dogged my way up the rest of the route, and was able to find a new hold near the anchors that made clipping them quite a bit easier so that was nice. After finally sticking the crux move, I think the route will be a solid 5.12a if not 5.12b and I just hope that I can have the endurance to link it all together.
Just starting the crux
Still in the crux section
Past the first crux
Pulling the second crux
One move away from the easy climbing above
Amy didn't even want to try Primal Quest and the kids needed to get home to take their naps, so we packed up and headed home.
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