After a pleasant night in our tent at the Cheese Head Ranch, a spread north of Canyon City owned by a climber from Wisconsin who hosts an annual Memorial day climber gathering, we set out with our friends Lisa, Dave, and Dyson (now a year and half old!) for the Menses Prow area, hoping for shade. The shade is there, and most of the other Cheese Head visitors too. For the rest of the blissful morning the shady wall is covered with ropes and climbers.
Period Piece, 5.8. I lead this nice face climb to start the day, and Ann follows.
Turbo Charged, Inter-Cooled Meat Machine, 5.10c/d. I lead this after Lisa, taking a fall from the balancy crux area. A reminder to find the best direction to weight hand holds. I think the newer book must have downgraded this, Lisa was calling it 10a. Seemed just right for me. A couple of scrunched traversy moves, followed by a reachy one.
The B.O.S.S. Method, 5.8. Ann leads this, overcoming some anxiety and finishing nicely on the steep approach to the anchors. I lead it too, playing a little on some of the pocketed face between the two cracks.
Dumb Waiter, 5.9+. A fun lead, one of those routes that just makes you smile. An improbable-feeling bulge provides sinker pockets when you need them.
This Nuts For You, 5.10c. I give Joe a belay on this. It looks like a nasty second clip, so I TR it. After a fall from that second clip move, I start over, change my sequence, and make it up clean. Sharp handjams, but fun.
4 responses to “Shelf Road – The Gallery”
deelan.. looks really good. i have read quite a bit about Shelf Road. i would LOVE to climb there. the rock looks like it’s choss, but obviously it is not… what’s the scene like there? compare it to the ORG.
so here is last weekend’s tick list:
(Friday)
“Nirvana” 5.10a ****(redpoint)
“Expressway” 5.11b***** (redpoint)
“Set Free” 5.10C*** (redpoint)
“Homebrew” 5.11b** (redpoint)
“Abitarot” 5.9**** (redpoint)
“Hammered” 5.11b*** (flash)
“Fender Strat” 5.10a*** (flash)
“Ghengis Khan” 5.11a*** (flash)
“Child of Light” 5.9**** (redpoint)
Saturday:
“Black Chicks in Heat” 5.10a***(r) (flash)
“Hatchett Job” 5.10b** (flash)
“D.W.P” 5.11c**** (nearly flashed!!)
“Funky Cole Patina” 5.11b*** FLASHED
I’d say the same thing as last time, although I can add that there are definitely a couple of new guide books out. The place is very fun, I look forward to going back.
Congrats on the list, you’re on your game…
so I’m planning a trip to the area in mid-august and shelf road is on the hit-list. could you please make some reccomendations about the areas to find the best climbs. (we will have climbers with us from .8 to .12 skill levels). How is red rock canyon? any other must-climb areas for sport? If you could, please e-mail me back. any info would be helpful.
Shelf is nearly all sport climbing, with most areas rich in 5.10-5.12 routes. I tend to look for 5.8-5.10 climbs, which are a little rarer but still plentiful. In mid-august, it will likely be a shade-chasing game. Cactus Cliff early in the morning is great, and you can migrate to The Gym or Gem Wall in the afternoon. Menses Prow is another good morning area that stays shady longer. The Dark Side has the most abundant shade, but I haven’t yet climbed there. Have a good trip!