Indian Creek Trip Report - 4/29-5/1
(by Amy)

After agreeing to meet at 3:30, and not arriving home til 3:45, Mark & I
were on the road by 4:00, just in time to hit the rush hour traffic
through Bernalillo.  The drive went smoothly until right outside of
Farmington, where the blue & red lights ahead warned us of some good
rubbernecking potential.  And that is was… an accident involving
half of a double wide!  With the opportunity to reroute through downtown
Farmington, we decided to check out the local eating establishments and
stumbled across quite a find.  Three Rivers Brewing Company, right on
Main Street offered a nice selection of locally brewed beer and fine
grub.  We indulged.  The longer dinner put us at Indian Creek around 11
pm, where we pulled up to our now regular site and spread out the tarps
and bags.

Saturday morning Mark & I were up early, rearing to go.  But our
California crew consisting of Clint, who was on our last IC trip, Erika,
my roommate from Stanford, and Seth, her boyfriend, were still on
California time and slept in a bit longer than Mark & I.  Once we got
ourselves organized, we headed out to Scarface Wall.  There was only one
other car in the parking lot when we arrived, what good fortune!  We
hiked up with the intention of doing the namesake, but first we warmed up
on some nearby 9's.  Mark & I started on an unnamed 5.9 that Mike led on
our last trip to this wall, while Erika, Seth & Clint headed further down
the cliff to do Spam.  After a rough time getting off the ground, I got
myself up on the climb.  The lower section didn't cause me too much
trouble, but the finger/layback section at the top was quite awkward and
I had to do quite a bit of hanging to get myself to the top.  I chalked
it up to being the first climb of the trip.  Mark also got on the climb
and hung a bit (Mark, correct me if I'm wrong here, I don't want to
negate your glory!)  Next Mark & I moved on to Scarface, 5.11-.  I didn't
remember the finger crack at the beginning of the climb, but there it
was.  Mark got my first piece of gear in high and I started up.  This
first section was hard!  I don't remember having so much trouble on
toprope!  After much whining, hanging, and a bit of aiding, I got three
more pieces in and got into the hand crack.  That part went pretty
smoothly, with a few more hangs on the way to the top.  Mark got on next
and boosted my self esteem by also hanging on all the bottom pieces of
gear, although he proudly boasts that he never aided.  (It helps when the
first two pieces are already in and clipped!)  As Mark was working on
Scarface, three Albuquerque folks walked up, one of whom recognized me. 
Apparently he works at the gym, but how often have you guys really seen
me at the gym this year?  So they got on Scarface while Mark & I wandered
back down the cliff looking for Erika et al.  We found them toproping an
unnamed 5.10.  They had led Spam, 5.9 next to it, and an adventure climb
they named Gobbler, also 5.9 before getting on this one.  Mark & I both
led Spam, then toproped the unnamed 5.10.  It was now quite hot in the
sun, so we wandered around the cliff to the shady side.  Clint led Dirt
Cheap, 5.10+, which had a finger crack start to a fun hand crack and then
protectable chimney, finishing in this awkward offwidth type thing for a
move or two.  What fun!  We all TR'd it except Seth, who was afraid of
being "chicked" by Erika.  Then we headed back down to the car.

The California crew was quite impressed with our car camping setup.  Mark
cut down a little on the kitchen, but we still managed to fill up the
Outback with the back seats folded down.  Erika, Seth, and Clint, on the
other hand, all fit into Erika's Prius.  I don't think I could have
gotten MY stuff into a Prius, let alone three people's!  We had a fine
pasta dinner around a modestly (read "non-Walt") sized campfire.

Sunday I woke up early again, but was surprised to see Mark still
asleep.  I got up, got the water boiling, and still no Mark…  It
took hot chocolate and tea to lure Mark, Erika & Seth out of bed.  Clint
managed to get up on his own accord.  So, after a slow start, we rolled
up to the parking lot at Optimator Wall at the early hour of 10:30, but
still managed to be the first car in the lot.  By the time he hiked up we
knew why.  East facing cliffs are quite hot in the morning, especially
the late morning.  Mark & I started on Neat, 5.10, while Erika, Seth &
Clint started on a splitter crack on Charlie's Pillar, 5.8.  The first
half of Neat went quite well, but 100' of crack is bound to wear just
about anyone out, so I did some hanging on the top half of the climb. 
And then the roof right below the anchors was also a bit tricky for my
smaller hands.  Plus I ran out of #2's, got to the roof hoping my #3
would fit, it didn't, so I downclimbed to my last protection, then had to
be lowered down to retrieve an earlier #2.  I reclimbed, put my piece in
the roof, and eventually made it to the anchors.  Mark also led Neat,
with a little less hanging and a little more gear beta than myself.  It's
quite interesting how he always deferred the first lead to me...  Clint &
Seth TR'd Neat, and a little cajoling put Erika on the sharp end.  She
did an excellent job on it, getting Neat clean.  Mark claims that Erika
"chicked" me too, but I don't know if that's possible…  Next Clint
got on Hayduke Lives, 5.10, which shares the beginning with Neat, but
traverses a finger crack to access a splitter crack 10 feet to the right
of Neat.  Clint used the combination toprope / leadrope to protect the
climb, depending on the toprope off Neat for protection until he was
about 2/3 of the way up the climb, then switching to lead mode.  So once
the toprope was pulled it looked like he'd really run out the bottom half
of the climb!  While Clint was leading, Erika & Seth provided a wonderful
lunch of avocado, tomato, and cheese on open faced bagels.  Perhaps we
should have brought more bagels to contain those slippery avocado slices
since Mark & I almost got cut off because of all the avocado
escapes…  Erika, myself,  Mark and Seth all TR'd Hayduke Lives,
then moved over to an unknown 5.10-5.11 to the left of Charlie's Pillar
(the one Mike led last time) which we also TR'd.  By now it was getting a
little late, but we wanted to check out what other climbs were further
down the cliff.  Our explorations took us to see Soul Fire and Sardikar
at the far end of the cliff, but Clint came back and led Lady Pillar,
5.10-, which Erika followed, and we called it a day.

We got back to camp in time to soak our feet and hands in the river
before darkness fell.  Another pasta dinner was culminated by an award
winning Mark apple pie.  Clint claimed he had heard about this but never
thought he'd get to experience it for himself.  Mark's culinary
reputation is spreading throughout the climbing community.

Monday morning Mark beat me out of bed, but there was no hot tea
delivered to me in my sleeping bag!  Mark and I rushed to eat and pack so
we could get a few climbs in before our early departure that afternoon,
which meant that we left the California crew to catch up with us at the
crag.  We had designated Monday as the Supercrack crag day, hoping the
weekday would cut down on the crowds.  We were mistaken…  It wasn't
too crowded as we hiked up Donnely Canyon for me to give Chocolate Corner
another go.  Probably because it was damn hot in the sun!  So, I got back
on Chocolate Corner, 5.9, with a plan to learn something and to not
take.  I fell in the same two places as last time, but I know why I fell
this time.  So I have some confidence for the next trip.  Mark of course
got it clean.  Next we headed across the canyon to Supercrack, 5.10.  We
lucked out and arrived at the climb right as another party was pulling
their rope.  Mark got on the sharp end first this time since there was no
way in hell I was leading this wide one.  Mark climbed it in style,
having just the right gear and just the right skill and endurance.  So
Mark has now successfully ticked off the Indian Creek trinity, Generic
Crack, Incredible Hand Crack, and Supercrack.  He was pretty psyched
about his accomplishment.  Next I cleaned the route.  I struggled at the
bottom, falling many times.  The last time I managed to get my hand stuck
in the crack and wedged in with my arm before my feet cut loose.  So I'm
just yelping with pain for a while until Mark takes hard enough for me to
unweight my hand and pull it out.  Eventually I get to the top of the
pillar, ready to start the real climb.  After two or three moves I'm
ready to bail on the climb, frustrated by the whole experience.  But Mark
eggs me on, and eventually I get back to climbing.  Lots of hanging, but
I finally do get a little more proficient with the wider crack. 
Amazingly, even after all my whining, Erika decides she wants to lead it,
and she leads it cleanly with style.  I've been "chicked" again!  Clint
topropes it in the sun, then Mark & I needed to leave.  We said out
goodbyes and hiked down to the car.  As we're driving off, Mark thinks he
sees the gang eyeing Incredible Hand Crack, which is also in the blazing
sun by now.

After a quick stop for ice cream in Monticello, we head for home.  When
it came around to dinner time, there was no question in our minds where
to stop, our new favorite brew pub in Farmington.  And what luck, Monday
was half price burger night!  So Mark & I got out of there each with a
beer and fully loaded burger for $10.  A price Mike would even gladly
pay!

Amy