May catchup post

Some more shots of the Mammoth Lakes hot springs:

 Friday 6 May 2011

Snowboard with Martin and Neva. They gave us free passes, which saves us $90 for the day.  I've only been on the mountain less than a handful of times, but I'm getting better.  It helps that both Neva and Martin are instructors!  They took me on a narrow run down the mountain which forced me to control my turns a lot more than on the wide runs I've been going down.  A steep drop to the left and a mountain on the right forced me to get good fast!  After that run I tried to concentrate on standing upright to save my back and get more control, and focus down the slope instead of looking at the end of my board.  By the last run I was tired and sore, but doing shallower turns in between the slashing sweeps that slowed my descent.

Saturday 7 May 2011

Boulder at the Sads.  I didn't take to it as well as I did to the Happys, although the rock is more like that area than the Buttermilks.

A couple of shots from the 'Iron Man Traverse' (V4) at the Buttermilks

 'Evilution' super-highball on the Grandpa Peabody boulder

Sunday 8 May 2011

Climb at Dilithium Crystal crag at the Inner Crag of Owen's River Gorge.  "Lieutenant Uhura" 5.11c o/s (very cool long pumper!), "Photon Torpedo" 5.11b o/s.  Try to onsight "Enterprise" - a very sweet little roof 5.12b - but fall off after the lip moves.  Not much time to rest before another try, as it's time to hike out and head home, so I fall off again at the same spot.  Would be great to get back down to this awesome area before we leave.

Monday 9 May 2011

Snowboard - last day!  Got confidence now to go through the trees on my way down the slope.  Only hit one!  Most of the run down the snow is banked up against the trees, so I'm able to slow down and turn sharp, unlike the main runs which are groomed to an even gradient.  Dodging obstacles adds something to the experience.  I'm sure I'd get bored running the same easier wide pistes, so to change things up there are the steeper Double Black Diamond runs or there are the trees.  I'll take the easier tree runs thanks!

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Climb at Dilithium Crystal again.  Send "Enterprise" with no trouble this time.

 Although the previously-unexplored headwall was a little spicy!

Try neighbouring 12d "Not For Sale" and get all moves no trouble first time.  Pumpy roof to a long gaston move to lip, with hard and tensiony core moves needed to get across.  Have one more shot before we have to leave, but fall off on gaston move.  Feels easy for 12d even though I couldn't send.  No time this trip to get back on it.

Wednesday 11 May 2011

Drive from Mammoth Lakes to Las Vegas with Vren as a passenger.  He's a climbing guide working in Mammoth Lakes, Bishop and Las Vegas.  Camp above Las Vegas on the Blue Diamond mountain. 

Thursday 12 May 2011

Drive from Las Vegas to Kingman.  Find out that diff. has leaked all oil out.  Call AAA and get towed to repair shop.  $800 to replace rear axel assembly - housing is cracked.  Stay at Motel 6 overnight.  Hopefully this is the last big expense I have to deal with on the van, but I doubt it.  Thanks the risk with buying a 5 year old car I guess.

Friday 13 May 2011

Pick up van from garage and drive to Flagstaff.  No more problems on the way back.

Saturday 14 May 2011

Climb at the Pit.  Jumped on "No Joke" again but didn't do very well.  Considering giving up on it, as I only have a few days left in Flagstaff.

Monday 16 May 2011

Climb at the Pit.  Flash "Sister of Mercy" 5.12c (Ewbanks grade 26) - easy face to hard little roof; juggy deep undercling 2 finger pocket to a high half-pad 2 finger sharp crimp over lip, hard move to small sharp crimp, big move to small sharp crimp, match, high foot, pull up and get feet above lip, then easy to top.  Short crux that would be hard to onsight, but with pre-inspection from a neighbouring route I saw that it would be ok, so long as I moved fast.  Not sure if soft for the grade, but definitely not sustained.  "God Walks Among Us" 5.12b 2nd shot.  Awesome bouldery short route with very cool moves.  Sustained for the whole route.  This wall is all very cool.  Many short hard routes to try, and all so accessible!

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Climb at the pit.  Another 3 goes on "No Joke" 5.13a/b.  First shot was the best; linked from the ground all the way to the rest, but couldn't get through the high crux.  Was advised some better beta for that crux by a local, but I couldn't get to the rest the next 2 times.  Cleaned the route.  There are a couple other 13a's that I may have more success on that I should try before I leave.

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Modify stick clip, modify Nalgene, buy foam to make bed for van.  Snowing and cold today (In late May!), so can't go outside.  Can't climb at the Pit for the next couple of days, and Monday I leave for Canada, so no time left to send "No Joke".  Felt closer last time, but I think it would still take more days than I have left to send it.

Friday 20 May 2011

Climb at the Pit.  Send "Fresh Squeezed" 5.13a 2nd shot!  Very short bouldery route (4 clips including chains) with a hard low crux and sustained boulder finish.  Tried a 12c called "Excalibur", but I'm low on power after doing the 13.  Couldn't send after 5 shots of trying.  The people I'm staying with in Flagstaff threw me a going away party, and many of the locals I've met and climbed with came to wish me well.  Great party!

Sunday 22 May 2011

Mike came home from fighting a fire in New Mexico.  Went to a new bouldering area which BK, Sweeney and Matt Hoak found and cut a track to.  Cleaned and tried a bunch of new lines.  Played Croquet with Dustin, Julie, Christine, Megan, Mike and Patty in the park.  Tomorrow looks like I'll get one more day of climbing in at the Pit with Mike and Patty, then do some shopping for the trip North.