Utah climbing - April 2007
Annual spring pilgrimage to Utah. Big plans to climb a lot of towers, waylaid somewhat by iffy weather. Spectacular, nevertheless. AND Polly and I got engaged. Some highlights:
Sunday: Indian Creek - The Fin. A new one for both of us. Great crag. After the noon start, "warmed up" on Nagasaki, which felt kind of hard. Polly lead Walkin Talkin Bob. Continuing the unrequited quest for the clean .12- lead, I had a go at Flight Time and took the obligatory fall. Finished the day with Hot Fun Sunday, which was really good. Stormy evening, drove out to canyonlands to have a look.
Cat Wall from The Fin:
Storms over Canyonlands:
Monday: Indian Creek. Stormy early. Plan was to check out Pistol Whipped Wall, but Beef Basin was dark and brooding by 10am, so we checked out Optimator Wall instead. Another great crag - Indian Creek fails to disappoint. Warmed up on Neat, which was killer. Started to rain, hoardes arrived to do Annunaki, which is overhanging and stays dry in a rain. Polly had a go at Soul Fire, a really amazing thin hands splitter, amidst light rain and ominous thunder - she almost got it, having to take right at the end when it goes to green camalots. Then I had a go at Annunaki, and was psyched to get it first try - quest no longer unrequited! Started to rain more, so we bailed.
Polly at Optimator Wall parking:
Tuesday: Castle Valley. Plan was to lug some sleeping crap up to the base of Fine Jade, climb it, then lug the crap over to Castleton, climb it, lug crap to top, sleep up there. Here was the scene at the base of Fine Jade, 9am on a Tuesday on a non spring break week (fingers represent place in line):
We were fourth. The first party split P1 into three pitches. All of us bailed to Castleton. Polly and I did North Chimney, left the sleeping crap at the base. The other guys did Kor-Ingalls. We beat them up there, and I asked Polly to marry me. She said yes! All of this seemed like a very big deal, until one of the other guys (Nate) came up and BASE-jumped off of the west end of the tower. I got to take some pics, and threw up in my mouth a little bit.
Walking over to Castleton:
Polly reading dirty jokes out of the summit register to Nate, who is topping out. If you want to hear these jokes, contact Adam Abeles.
Gun show up top:
Nate jumping off. He was shockingly mellow about the whole thing - just waited for the wind to subside a bit, and then did a soft countdown for himself and jumped off.
Celebratory brews at the base. Fiscal year 2009 baby, save the date!
