Binging

January 27, 2003

Ever since Hans came to down ten days ago, I’ve been binging on climbing. The Friday he arrived, I entered the bouldering competition at the BRC and bouldered for three hours. The next day I did the same thing at the Spot. Sunday, I climbed the East Ridge of the Matron with Homie. Monday, Bill Briggs, Buzz, Hans, and I did the Third Flatiron. That same day I climbed at the gym and then again on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Saturday was going to be a day of rest, but Bill called. I don’t turn down an opportunity to climb with Bill Briggs and we met in Eldo at 1:30 p.m. Bill had just been on a four-hour run, but the man is tireless. We elected to go climb Suparete to Superslab because they were in the sun. I had followed Suparete (11a/b) twice before, but never without falling off. Today I’d try leading it.

This would be my first pitch on real rock harder than about 5.7 in three or four months. What a way to start out. I had recently done a couple of 5.11’s clean in the gym, but this was different. Suparete is a very cool climb that ascends an arête and face past three bolts. The upper section requires a bit of trad gear, but almost all the moves are face-climbing moves.

I climbed up the second bolt and started waffling and then pumping out. I made a no-hearted try at the crux above there and then slumped onto the rope. The bolt is very well placed here and I wasn’t really above the bolt when I came off. I fell a couple more times trying this move, before I finally did it and got the third bolt. At this point I was past the crux, but there is a very balancy move next and it is very difficult to find the right holds to use - mostly because these holds are nearly invisible divots in the rock.

The holds are so bad here and my balance so poor that I grabbed the bolt and then the draw in order to clip. I was pumped and didn’t want to take the plunge. I fell off this next move and then rested while hanging on the rope. I finally found the sequence and moved across to the left. Once past this move, you can get a pretty good rest. The key is to move quickly past this bolt, which is not the normal instinct.

The rest of the climb is steep and probably 5.9+ or so. In my pumped state this was a bit exciting, but I managed to place a good green Alien and was soon past the difficulties and up at the belay. Bill followed quickly and easily. He has nearly ever route in Eldo wired.

Photo 1: Bill completing the traverse at the end of first pitch of Superslab

I then led the first pitch of Superslab. This is my nemesis pitch. I’d led it four times previously and only once without hanging on it. I hung on it again this time, but not before completing the crux and, too pumped to clip, took about ten-foot fall onto the ancient fixed pins. My next attempt went better and I completed the pitch without any more taints.

Once again, Bill followed easily, hanging out in the middle of the crux to clean the draw. I took the lead once again and led a long pitch up to the base of the crux pitch. This pitch, though only 5.8+ or so, has a very devious and unobvious traverse to the left. I stalled out for quite awhile here trying to figure out the balance to make a blind reach around the corner and paw around for a hold.

When Bill joined me at the belay, I decided to let him lead the last 10d R pitch. I had led it before and in fact never fallen on it, but it is a heady lead and I had proven myself pretty incompetent so far. Bill danced up the pitch like it was 5.8, seemingly standing on nothing at the crux and running out the top massively. I followed without mishap and felt pretty solid on it. This pitch plays more to my strengths of footwork and head work and not power. I love this route and will be back many times.

Photo 2: Great light as Bill Briggs leads the runout 10d final pitch of Superslab

The next day I met Warren at 8 a.m. and it was cold (40 degrees or so) and windy. We delayed for as long as we could, but I had to be home for Derek’s 5^th birthday party at 12:30 p.m. so we eventually had to get moving. Because of the cold and the wind, we elected to start on something a bit more moderate. We did the ultra classic Bulge. This Kor route is a heady undertaking for a 5.7 leader. I led the first three pitches placing three pieces on the first, three on the second, and just two on the third pitch. Warren followed easily, but thoroughly enjoying the great position. He took over the lead for the 5.9 direct finish and dispatched it with ease.

Photo 3: Warren cruising the 5.9 direct finish to the Bulge

We descended and headed over to C’est la Vie. I had raved to Warren about the first pitch of this route. I think it is one of the more challenging 5.9 pitches in the canyon and also one of the most varied. In ninety feet of climbing, this pitch has about everything on it. I led it and Warren followed, thoroughly enjoying himself. I was leading just because that was what Warren wanted. He hasn’t done much climbing in Eldo and wanted to get more of a feel for the area.

After climbing to the anchors, we toproped Pansee Sauvage. I had previously climbed this route cleanly on TR, but wanted to learn more about it in preparation for a headpoint lead. The route has only three bolts in 90-feet of climbing and is rated 5.11a/b. I think it could be led with a reasonable degree of safety, but I’ll need to get a bit better. I fell on the route twice! Warren got the TR onsight! He is climbing so strong these days.

Photo 4: Warren on Pansee Sauvage

That was it and I headed for the party. I was looking forward to the mass Matron speed ascent the next morning.

Matron Speed Ascent

January 27, 2003

This morning, as I write this, confirmed participants were Tony Bubb, Chris Parks, Mark Oveson, Bill Briggs, Kreighton Beiger, Bernard, Josh Janes and Warren Teissier. I was holding out hope for the Trashman, Homie, and Buzz. It was going to be a big party!

Alas, when I pulled into the trailhead this morning at 6:50 a.m. expecting to see a couple of cars there already for the early starters, I was the only one there. At 7 a.m. I was still the only one there and I started to worry if I had gone to the wrong trailhead for my own event, but just then Josh and Bill Briggs arrived. This would be it. I was disappointed because this was going to be a great group, but it still was a great group – just a smaller great group.

Bill had brought his hyperactive, super fit Gordon Setter Shamus and was therefore going to stay on the ground in a purely supportive role. Now when Bill Briggs is your supportive personnel you know things are going your way. Bill strapped my 60-meter 7.8mm rope onto his back and we took off.

Josh had never climbed the Matron before, but he is a very talented climber – ticking off 5.11’s in Eldo by the handful. The last time I saw him was at the gym and complaining about a tough clip on a 5.13! The closest I get to a 5.13 is belaying Hardly. Anyway, so Josh is going to onsight solo the East Ridge of the Matron. I think this route is at least 5.6 at the start and there are some tricky sections further up. I wouldn’t do what he did. He at least took climbing shoes for an extra level of security. I just went in my SuperFly approach shoes, but I’ve climbed the East Ridge probably six or seven times. This would be my first solo, but I had simul-climbed it with Bill Briggs last year when we set the team record of 1h15m from the South Mesa Trailhead to the South Mesa Trailhead. I was hoping to better that time today by soloing, but I’d also have support, so it would be a different event.

I led us up the very familiar Towhee Trail at a good pace. Josh and I both had harnesses on. I wore shorts as it was already 50 degrees out. I tried to keep my pace under control on the approach, but did notice my heart rate was 167 – that’s pretty fast. Josh and I chatted a bit at the start, so I couldn’t have been going that hard. Shamus led the way and Bill trailed behind us a bit.

I knew Josh to be very fit from previous Minion outings and I think he was a cross-country runner in high school. Hence, I wasn’t surprised for him to be right behind me after ten minutes. I was surprised when I started to drop him. Apparently he went out a bit fast since I’d gain about five minutes by the base of the route. I looked back at one point and could see Bill Briggs closing the gap on me. I knew I had to wait for Bill at the start of the route because I’d need to carry the rope, but I figured he’d catch me and he nearly did.

I arrived at the base of the route in a little more than 26 minutes. Here I put the rope Bill had been carrying on my back and started up the route. I knew I had to wait for Josh at the top, but I wanted to keep going until I had to stop. The steep, tricky start went very well for me and I felt completely solid and comfortable soloing it. The rest of the climb is much easier and I thoroughly enjoyed scrambling up this rock.

When Josh arrived at the base, he had to switch shoes. Bill, being a full-service support personnel, carried Josh’s running shoes up to the base of the rappels and waited for us there. I climbed the 600-foot route in about ten minutes. I set up the first rappel and descended to the intermediate point. I had forgotten to bring a sling, so I tied myself to one end of the rope and then that end to the anchor bolt. I waited for 6 or 7 minutes for Josh to arrive, chatting the whole time with Bill. He was real supportive and encouraged me to take off as soon as I hit the ground.

I figured Josh would run me down on the descent, but I forgot that he had to change shoes. With the rappel and the shoe change, I had too much of a lead and I pushed hard on the descent. I was back at the Shadow Canyon trail just five and a half minutes after hitting the ground. My total time for the roundtrip was 1h8m27s, but if I take out the time spent waiting for Bill at the base and Josh at the rappel, but total time was 1h0m8s. This is a partially supported time, of course. If I had known I was so close to breaking an hour, I’d have kicked hard. But I didn’t know this because of the two times I had to wait. It doesn’t really matter of course, since this was a goofy partially supported effort. I say partially supported instead of fully supported since I carried the rope up the route and set up both rappels.

Josh finished about 3.5 minutes behind me in 1h125s and Bill came in about 2.5 minutes later. Josh apparently followed the Homestead trail for a bit on the descent before backtracking and coming down the Towhee trail. What an invigorating way to start the day! The roundtrip on this baby is dying to see a sub-hour time. Bill or Buzz could probably pull this off, but it will likely have to wait for August. Unless these guys make a last minute attempt… Go for it!

Location	Bill’s time	Bill’s adjusted time	Josh’s time
Shadow Canyon Trail	14:56	14:56	~16:30
Matron Climber’s Trail	20:47	20:47	~23:00
Base of the route	26:17	26:17	~30:30
Summit of the Matron	38:27	37:11	~47:00
Back on the ground	50:54	42:35	~52:30
Shadow Canyon Trail	56:24	48:05	N/A
Towhee Trail	59:17	50:58	N/A
Finish	1:08:27	1:00:08	1:12:05