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Belly Flop at Mid Cliffs
We work in one more trip to the Black Cliffs before we head for Reno. It’s a good day for me with a spectacular belly flop on lead, complete with legs flailing in the blue sky. Next route I pump out and hang before completing a high-grovel factor mantel for the chains. Good stuff. We’ll…
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High Water at Black Cliffs
We break out a new rope and enjoy it on a few easy climbs at the Black Cliffs outside Boise. The weather is about perfect, but the interesting thing in the canyon today is the state of the river. We climb just above a diversion dam that marks the beginning of the big New York…
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Climbing with Mary
Eating at Crossroads one night I spot someone who looks familiar, and finally remember that we climbed with her once at a gathering she organized in Red Rock. I approach her and she invites us out for some climbing with her friend Shannon. We accept, and meet at a cold and windy Reggie Dome. We…
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Short Leads on Short Wall
Thinking we forgot the book, I pick one of the cracks on Short Wall at random, remembering that their ratings are all very low and thus perfect for getting back into placing gear. Of course I manage to pick the hardest of them to start with. It’s enough to make me shaky, but I get…
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Pixie Rock Topropes
We tentatively break out the climbing gear we’ve been hauling around unused for three months, and put a top rope on the easy slab climbs on Pixie Rock at Indian Cove. The sun is warm but goes away too early, well before 5 pm. Climbing seems familiar, but has become foreign to my body again.…
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Vedauwoo – Farewell
The time has come for us to leave the wonders of Vedauwoo behind, but we can’t resist going out early to put a rope on one last climb on John’s tower, Yellow Belly 5.10c. This is perfect – hand jams, stemming, fingers, a hard lieback, all leading to a final honker of an offwidth. We’re…
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Vedauwoo Grand Loop
To close out the month we attempt a full helping of our favorite activities, setting out to traverse the whole area from north to south with climbing packs, climb with friends at the Nautilus, and return via a different route. It’s great, and exhausting! Kate and Mark introduce us to some new friends, I lead…
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Vedauwoo – Plumb Line
Quite the crew shows up for our main weekend gathering: Kate, Mark, Sean, Matt, Doug, and Liz traipse to the Plumb Line crag with us for some grovelling. I like all the short cracks I’ve climbed here, and of course I take another swing on Plumb Line itself, doing much better this time. Ann shows…
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Vedauwoo – Clamshell
No Vedauwoo season would feel right without a day spent on top of the clamshell, a giant boulder that rests against Fall Wall in the main area. Dad, Doug, and Liz join us for the fun scramble up through the tunnel underneath to the base of the wall. We’re quickly reminded we’ve been climbing cracks,…
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Vedauwoo – Plumb Line
Before leaving for a short trip to Fort Collins we drive visit the Plumb Line crag. The climbs here are short but brutal. The first works me hard, and the classic Plumb Line utterly defeats me, leaving me wanting to return for a better effort. When will steep hand jams start to feel solid? Routes:…