This Sunday I climbed with Tinky Winky (Eric Winkleman). Eric's heading to Yosemite shortly to solo the Muir wall. Hopefully his departure will be delayed enough so that I can do a route with him in Yosemite when we're there. Eric and I headed out to try Kloeberdanz. This is a very famous route in Eldorado Springs Canyon. It was first climbed by Steve Wunsch, I think, via a monstrous, outrageous dynamic move to surmount the huge roof and latch the jug on the lip. David Breashears earned his nickname of the "Kloeberdanz Kid" by climbing this pitch statically with an intermediate hold that was deemed too small to use on such overhanging terrain. David tried the dynamic move once and fell, but on his second try he used the intermediate hold and cruised it!

The guidebook currently rates this pitch as "5.11a-5.11d body size dependent." Eric had done the route a long time ago. It was his first 5.11 lead and he flashed it via an even more outrageous dyno than the classic version. I asked Eric what the rating would be for us and he said, "Oh, it will be the 5.11a rating." That meant I should have a chance at. Eric suggested that I lead it because it is easier to try it again while leading because if you fall off while following you better have prusiks or you're lowering down to the ground.

I climbed up the tricky, a little runout "5.8" lower section to the roof and stretched off an undercling to make a long reach to clip the bolt in the middle of the roof. This roof is six feet wide probably, but it is in a weird configuration because the lip slants at a downward angle - sort of like climbing out the underside of a slanting house roof. Hence once you grab the roof with your hands, you're feet can swing over much lower and further right. I grabbed the jug on the roof and tried to set up for the dyno. It was immediately clear to me that doing it statically wasn't going to be possible. The footholds are terrible to non-existent. There are two choices. The traditional is to put your foot almost right next to your hand in order to launch for the lip. This puts tremendous pressure on your hands as it is completely overhung. I didn't even consider this move. The only chance was to stretch my feet way to the left where I could get them on the wall. This put me in a completely horizontal position which involved tremendous body tension and cranking like made with both hands to stay on the rock. There was no chance I could let go to attempt the reach. The move was just too powerful for me. I fell off and hung from the bolt.

After a couple more futile attempts at working out a sequence in my power range, I swung over from the bolt and grabbed the lip. I pulled over the lip with a difficult reach and up to some jugs. I was able to reach back and clip a pin right over the lip. This is essential for a follower, because the next piece of protection is ten feet up and right at the double bolt belay. Eric had previously told me it was 5.6 to the anchors. After I desperately made these moves and clipped in, I disagreed. Eric would later confirm the moves at 5.10.

Eric's turn! Unfortunately, I couldn't watch any of the action because it was below the roof. Eric quickly climbed up to the crux and unclipped the bolt. "Watch me," he says and then starts into the brutal moves. This roof is so overhanging and the holds so sever that you either do this move quick or you fall off. I not sure if Eric was trying the static method or the dynamic method, but the end result was a dynamic move for the ground. Fortunately, the rope halted the successful completion of that move and Eric was dangling from the rope. It was the first time Eric has ever fallen while climbing with me. He was close enough to be able to swing over and pull the roof. He muttered something about coming back to figure that one out and then wrestled with the tricky moves up to the belay.

The second pitch is rated 10b S and looked exciting It climbed right underneath a second roof towards very lichenous and wet ground. Eric placed a couple of RPs and quickly dispatched this short pitch. Following, I was quite desperate on the traverse as it involves two powerful underclings in a row with poor footholds. One the lichenous rock is reached the holds are bigger, but the climbing is slightly overhanging and the rock was a bit wet. Awkward climbing lead up and left to another two bolt belay.

The third pitch is 5.9+ S and to my eyes looked completely unprotectable for 50 feet of 80 degree slab climbing. Eric disagreed and pointed out one placement we could see and a couple of hopeful locations further up. I led out more than a little bit trepidations about my future. I traversed left and got in an RP and a #1 Camalot in a pocket. A little further along I got in a couple of Aliens. Now up, I placed an RP and was faced with the crux move. It took me quite awhile to get comfortable with the crappy footholds and to figure out a possible sequence. Eventually I launched into it and made a big stretch to the right to a good foothold. At this point I was about ten feet above the RP and couldn't see any more pro for twenty feet. The climbing appeared to be much easier, but I didn't like the prospects. I was just barely able to reach way back to the right and make a completely blind yellow Alien placement. I gave it a good tug and it seemed solid, but I never saw the placement. I climbed upwards twenty feet on slightly wet rock to where I could girth-hitch a horn. Five more feet and I had a cam placement. This pitch got much easier and went on for about 180 feet until I arrived at the Upper Ramp. Eric followed easily, of course.

We did three rappels back down to our packs and headed over to Hair City (5.9+ S). Eric led the first pitch and I followed. I found it harder than I remembered and struggled in a couple of sections. I led the second pitch through the big roof via the finger crack. I placed a marginal RP low and then climbed up into the overhang. This roof overhangs 15 degrees for probably ten feet. I placed one stopper up near the top and it was okay. I then tried to crank the very powerful moves over the roof. I made the big reach and the hold above didn't feel good. I didn't feel strong. I got to thinking about the stopper below and if it pulled I was in big trouble. I lowered back down and blew out my arms placing another, bomber stopper. I was cooked now having been on overhanging ground and hanging from my arms for five minutes or so. I went back up and made the big reach. I tried to match and fell off into space. This is a clean fall and six feet down I hung in mid-air. Damn. That's embarrassing. That's the first time I've fallen on 5.9 in years. I thought I was stronger than that. Eric analysis was right on: "Every time I skip a gear placement the holds always feel worse." I climbed it poorly. I had been up it before and apparently had forgotten how hard it was as I underestimated - it thinking that I could just crank my way through it. But there are many moves on overhanging terrain and I'm not strong enough to climb it so poorly.

I climbed back up and barely got it the second time. I continued up to the top of the Bastille and Eric soon followed. Annie Whitehouse (of Annapurna fame) was just topping out on the Northwest Corner and I introduced her to Bruce. I met Annie via Dr. Offwidth and she is quite nice. As I belayed, I asked Annie if she knew Eric Winkleman. She said no, but then said, "I mean, I know who he is. He's the man!" He sure is!

It was a fun half day in Eldo.