home for an island

Laura, Jason, , Kev, and I headed up to Rumney to spend Saturday and Sunday climbing and camping. I would describe the weekend as a rousing success - the weather was gorgeous, the climbing was fun, and the camping was relaxing.

Saturday started with what would turn out to be the hardest climb of the weekend, Obi-Wan Ryobi, a 9+. I lead it, but got sketched out on the early cave crux and spent a bit of time figuring out where the holds were. In retrospect, probably not the best climb to start on.

Me on Obi-Wan.

We then wandered on down to the 5.8 Crag and I set up The Terrace (5.8) for Laura to climb on. It was very slabby and while there weren't really any holds, the climb was very straightforward and fun.

Laura on The Terrace.

Next I got on The Raven, a very long 5.8. This climb spend a lot of time traveling up and to the right, so the falls had the potential to be big pendulums. This was a bit of a sketch out because often I wouldn't be able to see the next bolt so I would just continue up and to the right until something presented itself.

Jason and I then blitzed through Snake Skin Slab (5.8) and Asbury Park (5.7) before calling it a day.

Saturday night found us camping along the clear and cold Baker River. We bought burgers, s'mores, chips, and lots of beer, set a big fire, and generally had a grand old time. Jason fashioned a very functional spatula out of a coat hanger that we used with great success to flip burgers all evening.

I woke up on Sunday a little hung over but otherwise feeling ready to climb some more. I started up on one of my favorite climbs, Bolt Line (5.8). I feel like every time I get on this route the first bolt is less sketchy and the second bolt is more. There are no feet or hands anywhere and my calves were screaming at the end.

Me on Bolt Line.

Jason really wanted to try Lies and Propaganda next, which is a two star 5.9. After the second clip there was a sequence of moves that was a bit scary, but otherwise it was a great climb that was very rewarding to finish.

Jason on Lies and Propaganda.

Following that performance, Jason and I lead and cleaned Sixth Sense (5.6) for Laura. The climb had a few cool overhangs and some other interesting formations that made for a really interesting climb. We also watched some people take some interesting falls and generally be idiots.

To cap off the weekend, we got on Air and Present Danger, a 5.8 that starts at the top of another crag and is phenomenally exposed. The first two clips are sketchy because if you fall you're rolling off the cliff before being caught. The third clip is sketchy because you can't see if until you totally commit to some big moves. The rest of them are sketchy because you can see for miles in every direction and you're super exposed. The climb ends on a pair of really thin hands and no shuts; there is a rap ring and some chain. I was pretty nervous at the end and decided to back up my personal awesomeness system with a second anchor made from three draws strung together. All told it was a great climb to polish of a fantastic weekend.

Andy comes down off of Air and Present Danger.