One of Ann’s goals for this season was to lead Ed’s Crack, the classic Vedauwoo 5.7. To set ourselves up for an early start we camp near the Nautilus. The weather in the morning is almost unbelievably nice, and despite another party heading for Walt’s Wall, we have Ed’s to ourselves.
Ann starts strong on the tricky bottom section, steps over the gap and up the slab without hesitation. Mark and Kate show up and take a few pictures to help document the event. The offwidth overhang at the top of the second pitch is the crux, and this part at least makes Ann put up a fight. She fusses with protection, extending and unextending slings, then Z-clipping, all the while moving up and down the crux section. In the end she climbs it in true offwidth style, inch by inch, powered only by grunting and commitment. For my part, following the route is a relaxed and blissful way to finish our week off.
2 responses to “Vedauwoo – Ann leads Ed’s”
lol.. “z clipping”.
i remember when we did “The Flake”. i put a piece in that was a few feet off the line and didn’t put a long runner on it.
at the top, on that slab, i had about 40 pounds of rope drag. i mean, i could barely pull the rope up with one arm. hell, it coulda been more than 40#’s. it was ludicrous. i thot i was gonna die. heh.
oh yeah, then i anchored into the rap anchor and that mouthy salmon head from L.A. got all chapped at me (and reasonably so). ha. he didn’t know what an EPIC i’d just gone through.
then.. oh focking LOL.. when i tossed rope over the side, some kook newbie british bitch got all bum chapped ‘cuz it hit here. i was like “Look, listen up bitch, when someone yells out “ROOOOOPE”, that means a rope is coming. It’s not a question if you are in the way, the focking rope is coming down.” blodddy hell.
damn, we had some good times out at JTree. i remember i got that epic sunburn and thot the trip was over. i hate that $hit.
ann, it’s good to see you leading stuff. that is way rad trad. you 2 are having a great go at it. i guess claire is leading/hangdogging some 5.5.’s and 5.6’s these days. i don’t keep up. i check this place sometimes and it looks like y’all are having fun.
one thing, i thot you had a trailer. but all i see is a camper.. wtf? y’all tortoise like now?
kthenby
Oh yeah, that was a stellar trip. JTree. The Flake. 5.8. That was the sort of route Vedauwoo offers up – don’t take it lightly, no matter how low the number is. You would have felt better on that one if you could have seen me in the crux with my knees in my ears.
So we live in the fifth wheel now, and weekend in the camper. It’s an awesome setup, and has lots of future possibilities.