Rock Climbing --- 9/7/2013 - 10/1/2013 --- Wyoming, Arkansas

Road Trip with Adam; 24HHH with Guy.

9/7
Drove to Maryland and picked up Adam around 8pm. We started driving right away.

9/8
Driving all day. Adam determines that religious billboards outnumber adult entertainment billboards by about 2:1 in the midwest.

9/9
Saw a dust devil in Kansas. Reached Boulder in the evening. Lots of rain. Hail in Denver.

9/10
Rain all day. Ugh. Did a nice 6.8 mile loop hike up Green Mountain (8,144') to acclimatize and get some exercise. Boulder got as much rain today as it typically gets in all of September. And more rain is forecast. FML. FMRT? We went to Neptune, bought a Ten Sleep Canyon guidebook, and drove to Wyoming.

9/11
Finished the drive to Ten Sleep. By 3pm we are actually climbing! Five days into our climbing trip! We went to the Circus and we each led Winged Lizard (5.10a); Insane Hound Posse (5.10b); Death Flake From Hell (5.10a); Improbability Drive (5.10d). Climbing!

9/12
Started the day on Ice Station Zebra (5.10c to the second set of anchors) which was really stellar. Then we climbed Smoke Tunnel (5.10b) which was also quite good. Next we climbed Circus In The Wind (5.11a) which was absolutely fantastic. We were expecting this since it got two sticks of Juicy Fruit gum and a dreidel in the guidebook. Adam got the onsight. I climbed with a few hangs, but definitely would have an easy time with the redpoint on this one. Had a bit of a scare when the guy working a 12d just to my right got dropped 40' due to belayer error with a grigri. Brake assist device is no substitute for proper training. Luckily, the rope caught him just as he reached the ground. He crushed a sapling and tagged some rocks, but wasn't injured. Phew!

...rain break...

Went to Home Alone. Spotted a bail biner on Plea Bargain (5.10a) so I immediately set out to lead that climb. The bolt spacing looked... old school. But at 5.10a I figured I could deal. It wasn't pretty. I did get the biner. And got to the anchors. But yowzers it did not feel like 10a. I suppose the bail biner should have been a clue. Adam wisely toproped the climb and agreed it felt hard. Since we had a rope up and the bolt spacing on the entire wall is spicy, we decided to climb Character Witness (5.11a) on toprope. It felt easier than Plea Bargain. Really. So we moved on to toproping Always Keep It Loaded (5.12a) which also felt easier than Plea Bargain.

¿Como?

Something is wrong here. Yeah... it turns out the guidebook is dyslexic. Routes are listed backwards for this wall (and there is no picture to confirm). What we actually climbed were Character Witness (5.11a -- wooo! I led 5.11a with wide bolt spacing); Plea Bargain (5.10a); and Freaks and Phonies (5.10b). Yup. That all makes sense.

Done for the day we had time for a very brisk rinse in the creek and another lovely dinner. Followed by a liter of herbal tea. Whenever I do this, I tend to top off my Nalgene pee bottle in the middle of the night and then have to break out the emergency backup 40oz. SunnyD bottle. Did you need to know that? Yes. Yes you did.

9/13
Don't drink that. It isn't SunnyD.

It looks like SunnyD?

Trust me.

Headed to Godfather Boulder. Started on Umpalumpa Humpachu (5.10a) and Godfather 1 (5.10c) which were both very good. Then got on Godfather 2 (5.11a) which I really enjoyed. Adam got it clean (obviously) but I hung a few times. So I climbed it on TR to work the sequence, then attempted a redpoint which frustratingly ended in a single hang. Oh well. Meanwhile, Adam climbed The O'l Roer (5.10d). After that we stopped at Greenie Invasion (5.10c) on the hike back. Adam led it, though the climb was slick and challenging. After three goes at Godfather 2, it was all I could do to TR Greenie and get our gear back.

Then it started raining. Obviously.

9/14
Got up early to beat the weather. We went up the Canyon to climb Beer Bong (5.10b). Adam started just as the clouds moved in. By the time he finished we were socked in and it was drizzling. I cleaned the climb on toprope and we walked back to the car and drove out of Ten Sleep.

We drive out of the canyon and get cell phone service. Only now do we realize how hard Colorado has been hit. Sounds like a once-every-century type of deluge. We were lucky to avoid it, and we are worried about all our friends in the area. Our climbing plans continue to be modified by the weather and we head east to Devil's Tower and The Needles. We arrive in the evening and share a camp site with the Js, the only other climbers around.

9/15
Awake early. Forecast is for rain, so we decide to climb single pitch routes to make bailing easier should a storm roll through. The day goes like this:
  hard
  horrifying
  hornets

We start on Little Fingers (5.9) which is aptly named. Someone with little fingers would find the overhanging crux finger locks to be bomber. Adam and I both get only a half pad in the crack. We each lead the climb and we each think it is quite hard.

Then we get on Little Creatures (5.9) which I lead. It is a 170' pitch. The first 100' goes well. It feels like mild 5.9 climbing. Plenty of finger to fist cracks. Then I continue up to a totally blank, overhanging left facing corner. The hairline seam in the corner has bits of grass growing out of it. No way it continues this way. I traverse left and end up on 5.10+X terrain. One of those days that makes you swear you will never climb again. I finally make it to the anchors and bring up Adam who says some of the moves felt like solid 5.11 to him. Researching later on Mountain Project, it appears that I should have traversed right and pulled through a roof to stay on route. But the topo in our guidebook was pretty clear that you stay left of the left facing corner. Sigh.

We finished the day with Adam leading Down and Out (5.7) which was a fun, mellow climb... marred by hornets in a crack at mid-height. Luckily, neither of us got stung.

Done for the day we went back to the campground to relax and recover.

9/16
We wake early to climb Soler (5.9) to the top of the tower. It is super windy today. The approach is a bit scary -- as we climb the ramp and head around the corner to the southeast face, we are nearly blown off the cliff. I'm only exaggerating a bit. The climb itself was in a huge right facing corner and mostly sheltered from the wind. Adam led the first long, sustained pitch, and I took us up to the Meadows on the second pitch. We decided not climb above the Meadows because of the wind. We did six single rope rappels (double rope on the final rappel) to reach the ground. Overall it took almost five hours, which is longer than one would expect. We blame the wind. We also realized that we are both quite tired after six days in a row of climbing. Rest day tomorrow???

9/17
Rest day! Apple cobbler and hot showers.

9/18
Up early to climb El Matador (5.10d). We went straight up the boulder field to the west side of the tower. I led the first pitch which was pretty straightforward easy to 5.8 climbing. Then Adam started up the money pitch: 140' of burly liebacks or very wide stemming. He got about 50' up and then came down. I took the lead, hoping my longer legs would help with the wide stemming. They didn't. I finished the pitch, but it was basically all aid climbing. Adam followed and cleaned the pitch. Then I went back down and climbed it again on toprope. I have to say, this is one of the most brutal pitches of rock I've ever climbed. I was happy to climb it on toprope with only a few hangs.

After that, we went down. There are additional pitches to the top of the tower, but they aren't as good and don't get climbed much. Turned out to be a good choice since we got back to the Dick just as a massive thunderstorm/hailstorm moved through.

Completely beat, we left Devil's Tower.

9/19
Just over the South Dakota border, in Spearfish Canyon. More limestone sport climbing. We go to Big Picture Gully and start on Open Your Mouth and Say Ahhh (5.10b) which we boh think is really hard for the grade. Then we climb No Turning Back (5.10c) which is really fun. Next we climb Willie and the Hand Jive (5.10c) which is hard and steep. We get on Everything's Big in Texas (5.10a) which is spectacular. Sustained and right on for the grade. My only redpoint/onsight of the day, and I was proud to get it.

Should have stopped there, but just right of Everything's Big in Texas is a steep, loose pile of dirt covered -- absolutely covered -- in weeds with nasty prickers and tenacious burrs. Above the weeds is the start of a chossy, dirty climb called Fact or Friction (5.10a). This annoying climb is how we chose to finish our day. Actually, we finished our day picking burrs out of our rope... and socks... and pants... and hair. Great choice that one.

9/20
Went to Sunshine Wall. Climbed Lost Ninja (5.9) which was excellent; Pakistani Route (5.9+) which was also very good; and Johnny Walker Black (5.10a) which had some really hard moves. It seemed to both of us that Spearfish is a good two letter grades harder than Ten Sleep. But maybe we are just beat after climbing nine out of the past ten days.

We finish early and start the drive to Arkansas. We see a camel in South Dakota. I'd like to say something funny about the camel, but nothing comes to mind.

9/21
Driving to Arkansas. Hassled by cops in Missouri while cooking dinner on the side of the road. "Can you open the back of the van? I'm not asking to search your vehicle." Yeah, because even after running my plates and my license, you still have no probable cause. But you'll ask anyhow, because only someone with something to hide would have a problem with that. #dirtbaglife #adamsfirsttimebeingtalkedtobyacop?really?

9/22
We get to Horseshoe Ranch by 11:30am. We climb approx 25 routes each by 6pm while scouting the north and west sections. Mostly we climb easier routes that we plan to climb during the comp. But we do get on Crimp Scampi (5.10d), considered one of the best routes here. It is plenty fun. Like most routes here (at least everything below 5.11) it is long reaches to good holds.

9/23
Scout the entire east side and more of the north side. Climbed probably 20 routes each.

9/24
Climbed a half day scouting the last part of the north side. Only about 10 routes climbed each, so an easier day. If you are counting, we have climbed 12 out of the last 14 days.

Finished around 1pm, and then made a grocery run to town. Where the hell is that grocery store? GPS and Google Maps and 3G aren't the way we find things in the Ozarks. Just ask the fella at the gas station.

Another climber got dropped due to belayer error. Belayer with an ATC lost control of the rope and a guy hit the ground from high up. He didn't appear to have anything broken, but was looking pretty hurt.

Apparently there is a boil advisory for the water here, and there has been for some time. But nobody thought to post signs or notify anyone. There has definitely been no soap or TP in the bathrooms the entire time we have been at Horseshoe. Arkansas!

9/25
Yeah, there is a boil advisory. I posted a sign by the campground spigot once we got it confirmed. Eventually official signs went up.

My real concern is that they are going to have nearly 1000 people here for four days, and there are only a few toilets. I'm thinking there will be fields full of more than just horse and goat shit. But, as one of the HCR employees said to me when I asked if they were getting port-a-potties for the event, "people will mostly be climbing, so it really shouldn't be a problem." Can't argue with that logic.

9/26
Adam and I watch some of the 12 hour competition. Guy, Cat, Jeff and Katie all arrive and we register for the 24 hour competition. We take a quick tour of the North Forty and stash a bunch of water. Then it is early to bed to get plenty of rest for the comp.

9/27
The big day. Up early with anticipation. All 280 competitors are milling about. We go through the opening ceremonies and the awesome Climber's Creed. Then the shotgun fires and we are off.

For Guy and I, the comp has a rough start. We sprint uphill to the Kindergarten Boulder where we planned to start. We stashed water, but are carrying our packs. Most competitors stashed packs too. We get to the boulder winded from the run and pumped with adrenaline from the start of the comp. We grab the first open route. Turns out to be a hard 10c. I lead it to hang the draws and barely send the route. Going up for my second lap, I nearly come off the crux. By the time I'm lowered off, it is feeling like my route total for 24 hours might just be... two. Guy struggles with the route because of the superglue he put on his fingers to protect his skin. It reduces his friction and he flails at the crux.

But we get past these opening hiccoughs and quickly settle into a grove. We calm down and start climbing well. We calm down and start climbing fast. Our strategy seems perfect. We start with guidebook author Cole on one side of us and Dick and Natalie on the other side. So my first time out, I've come up with the same strategy as the most experienced competitors. As Guy put it, "You onsighted the strategy!" We blast through the Kindergarten Boulder routes without waiting in line. Then we blast through all the easy sport and trad routes nearby. As it gets dark, about 9 hours into the comp, we have climbed 60 routes each. That is an average of 4.5 minutes per route. We are feeling great and are easily on track to make our 100 route goal.

Things slow down at night. Lines on the easy sport routes get long as teams who have basically given up on the comp settle in to doing the mandatory minimum of one route per hour. We have to move around more and tackle a bunch of the dirtier trad routes. My low point comes around 2am when I realize that we have slowed so much that our 100 route goal is in jeopardy. We pick up the pace and move around the lines and things start going well again. At 6am we both still have enough energy to climb two laps on Around the Fur (5.8+) a steep, pumpy climb. This is about two number grades below my rested onsight level of 5.10+ so there is obviously some fatigue from 20 hours of climbing.

9/28
As the sun rises at 7am we each get our 100th route.

It was an amazing, awesome time. After route 100, I took off my climbing shoes for the first time. We updated our score cards and enjoyed the sunrise for a few minutes. We spent the rest of the comp helping others reach their personal goals and making sure we climbed at least one route an hour. We finished with 104 routes each, 24 of them trad routes. About one vertical mile of climbing. This is exactly double Guy's total from last year.

I hate to sound cocky, but it was pretty easy. Didn't have to touch the liter of black tea I had in my pack for caffeine. I'm not sore or injured. I don't have any cuts or blisters. I could definitely climb at least another 12 hours after a night's sleep.

Maybe I don't hate to sound cocky :)

We take a nap and then enjoy the awards ceremony. Guy, Adam, Jeff and I all get our 100 route shirts. Cat places second in the Women's Intermediate division. Katie far exceeds her goal of 24 routes.

9/29
Everyone is feeling great. We get up early and say our goodbyes. I get some pancakes at the final breakfast and head home. All that is left is a few days of driving back to Ithaca.

After thinking about it some, I've got a list of what we did right and what we could have done better. This will be the basis of my strategy next time. When we go for 150 routes each and over a vertical mile of climbing :)

Right:
  Moisturizing hands for several days before the comp
  Scout scout scout
  Focus on quantity of routes early before other tired teams slow us down
  Never take off climbing shoes
  Bring a stick clip
  Trad rack: single set of cams .5 to 5 and two trad draws
  Sport rack: 8 quickdraws
  Stay on the North 40 as much as possible
  Stay out of the sun as much as possible
  Never ever wait in line!

Improvements for Next Year:
  Definitely want a rope hamper for next time
  Use a short rope and put a knot in the end
  Small pack with trad rack, food, water, and one layer... minimize yard sales... don't be that croc guy
  Maybe tape fingers? Experiment with using superglue to keep tape in place, but don't glue finger tips!
  Stash more water. Stash packs. Running with a pack sucks!
  Don't do any trad routes until after dark
  More scouting! Wire all the one-move-wonder 5.10s
  Bring a clipboard and laminated, annotated mini-guide
  Practice different tie-in strategies... maybe each climber with their own short rope?
  Eat an actual meal during the night

Climbing! (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Climbing!    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/11/2013

Adam at the base of Death Flake From Hell. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam at the base of Death Flake From Hell.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/11/2013

Awesome limestone in Ten Sleep. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Awesome limestone in Ten Sleep.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/11/2013

View down the canyon. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

View down the canyon.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/11/2013

Me after finishing Death Flake From Hell. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Me after finishing Death Flake From Hell.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/11/2013

Adam on Ice Station Zebra. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam on Ice Station Zebra.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

When I'm climbing with just one other person... (Category:  Rock Climbing)

When I'm climbing with just one other person...    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

...it is hard to get pictures of us climbing... (Category:  Rock Climbing)

...it is hard to get pictures of us climbing...    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

...so I sometimes take pictures of other climbers... (Category:  Rock Climbing)

...so I sometimes take pictures of other climbers...    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

...like this guy working a 12d right next to me... (Category:  Rock Climbing)

...like this guy working a 12d right next to me...    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

...He is the guy who took a ground fall... (Category:  Rock Climbing)

...He is the guy who took a ground fall...    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

...but then jumped right back on the climb (with a new belayer)... (Category:  Rock Climbing)

...but then jumped right back on the climb (with a new belayer)...    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

...Wish I had climbing shots of me like these... (Category:  Rock Climbing)

...Wish I had climbing shots of me like these...    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

...yes, by that I mean photos of me working the crux of a 12d :) (Category:  Rock Climbing)

...yes, by that I mean photos of me working the crux of a 12d :)    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

Moby Dick in Ten Sleep. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Moby Dick in Ten Sleep.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

Booty biner! (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Booty biner!    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

Adam trimming his toenails. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam trimming his toenails. I'm not really sure how this made it past the censors.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

Gorgeous sunset. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Gorgeous sunset.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/12/2013

Adam climbing. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam climbing.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/13/2013

Wait... Who is belaying Adam? (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Wait... Who is belaying Adam?    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/13/2013

Ten Sleep.  That white dot in the lower right corner is Moby Dick. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Ten Sleep. That white dot in the lower right corner is Moby Dick.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/14/2013

Adam in the clouds on Beer Bong. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam in the clouds on Beer Bong.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/14/2013

Looking down at Adam from the Beer Bong anchors. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Looking down at Adam from the Beer Bong anchors.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/14/2013

Somehow, I thought the view would be more impressive. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

"Be sure to stem the final portion facing outward to enjoy the view" --Guidebook

Somehow, I thought the view would be more impressive.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/14/2013

I guess we did want to go alpine climbing. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

I guess we did want to go alpine climbing.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/14/2013

This was the forecast when we fled Colorado. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

This was the forecast when we fled Colorado.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/14/2013

And this was on the front page of cnn.com when we got service a few days later. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

And this was on the front page of cnn.com when we got service a few days later.    Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming -- 9/14/2013

Devil's Tower in the morning. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Devil's Tower in the morning.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/15/2013

Adam coming down from Little Fingers. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam coming down from Little Fingers.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/15/2013

Moby Dick at Devil's Tower. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Moby Dick at Devil's Tower.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/15/2013

Adam at the start of Soler. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam at the start of Soler.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/16/2013

Looking down at Adam from the top of Soler. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Looking down at Adam from the top of Soler.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/16/2013

Adam reaching the top of Soler. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam reaching the top of Soler.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/16/2013

Climbers on El Matador. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Climbers on El Matador.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/16/2013

We camped with the Ms last night.  Borrowed their MSR Dromedaries to hang in the sun for a few hours.  We both took nice, heated showers. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

We camped with the Ms last night. Borrowed their MSR Dromedaries to hang in the sun for a few hours. We both took nice, heated showers.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/17/2013

Adam starting pitch 2 of El Matador. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam starting pitch 2 of El Matador.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/18/2013

Me after finishing pitch 2 of El Matador. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Me after finishing pitch 2 of El Matador.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/18/2013

Me going back and toproping pitch 2 of El Matador. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Me going back and toproping pitch 2 of El Matador.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/18/2013

Our hands after three days of climbing at Devil's Tower. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Our hands after three days of climbing at Devil's Tower.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/18/2013

Leader of the party behind us on El Matador. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Leader of the party behind us on El Matador.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/18/2013

Leader of the party behind us on El Matador. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Leader of the party behind us on El Matador.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/18/2013

Adam rappelling. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam rappelling.    Devil's Tower, Wyoming -- 9/18/2013

Spearfish (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Spearfish    Spearfish, South Dakota -- 9/20/2013

Adam climbing. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam climbing.    Spearfish, South Dakota -- 9/20/2013

Adam cleaning a route. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam cleaning a route.    Spearfish, South Dakota -- 9/20/2013

Arriving at HCR. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Arriving at HCR.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/22/2013

Crimp Scampi (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Crimp Scampi    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/22/2013

Lots of horses and goats. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Lots of horses and goats.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/23/2013

This guy wanted to hang out in the sprinter. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

This guy wanted to hang out in the sprinter.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/23/2013

Adam got this shot at the same time from outside. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam got this shot at the same time from outside.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/23/2013

Before going for a ride, he wanted to check out the kitchen. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Before going for a ride, he wanted to check out the kitchen.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/23/2013

Adam looking at a short route. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam looking at a short route.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/25/2013

Only a few routes have permadraws. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Only a few routes have permadraws.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/25/2013

Adam on a short, steep route. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam on a short, steep route.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/25/2013

Adam is ready for 24HHH!!! (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Adam is ready for 24HHH!!!    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/25/2013

Some 800 oval biners will be placed at the top of routes so climbers can lower instead of clean. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Some 800 oval biners will be placed at the top of routes so climbers can lower instead of clean.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/25/2013

Horse (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Horse    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/25/2013

Climbing Barbies.  12 Hour Comp. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Climbing Barbies. 12 Hour Comp.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

12 Hour Comp. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

12 Hour Comp.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

Guidebook author Cole. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guidebook author Cole.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

Dick and Natalie -- Team Leather and Lace. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Dick and Natalie -- Team Leather and Lace.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

12 Hour climber. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

12 Hour climber.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

Dick and Natalie pulled their rope and it did this in a draw part way down the climb. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Dick and Natalie pulled their rope and it did this in a draw part way down the climb.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

Yup, that's what happened.  First time I've seen it. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Yup, that's what happened. First time I've seen it.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

Dick during the 12 Hour Comp.  They competed in the 24 Hour Comp too. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Dick during the 12 Hour Comp. They competed in the 24 Hour Comp too.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

Free freaky haircuts. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Free freaky haircuts.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

Lots of water and gatorade and food bars.  This is my stash for the comp. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Lots of water and gatorade and food bars. This is my stash for the comp. Next year I'll stash twice as much water so we don't have to worry about finding it. Not that we couldn't find it... just that we weren't always near our water when we needed more.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

The Cornell crew!  Getting ready for an early bedtime :) (Category:  Rock Climbing)

The Cornell crew! Getting ready for an early bedtime :)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/26/2013

Guy had pretty bad blisters after the comp. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy had pretty bad blisters after the comp.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

Guy and I after crushing 104 routes each at 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell! (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy and I after crushing 104 routes each at 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell!    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

Guy and I after crushing 104 routes each at 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell! (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Guy and I after crushing 104 routes each at 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell!    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

Team Free Solo Rappellers! (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Team Free Solo Rappellers!    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

The entire Cornell crew after the comp. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

The entire Cornell crew after the comp.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

We have been awake for about 27 hours at this point. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

We have been awake for about 27 hours at this point. And it shows.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

Night Owls :) (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Night Owls :)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

Katie got some awesome shots at the end of the comp. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Katie got some awesome shots at the end of the comp. (Katie's Photo)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

We were a bit tired. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

We were a bit tired. (Katie's Photo)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

A lot tired? (Category:  Rock Climbing)

A lot tired? (Katie's Photo)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

Ok, I don't really remember doing any of this. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Ok, I don't really remember doing any of this. (Katie's Photo)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

I love how huge my arm looks in this photo, even if it is just because it is closer to the camera. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

I love how huge my arm looks in this photo, even if it is just because it is closer to the camera. (Katie's Photo)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

Are we still posing? (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Are we still posing? (Katie's Photo)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

Ok.  Done now. (Category:  Rock Climbing)

Ok. Done now. (Katie's Photo)    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 9/28/2013

But I would drive 500 miles (Category:  Rock Climbing)

But I would drive 500 miles
And I would drive 500 more
Just to be the man who drove 5,000 miles
To fall down in Arkansas.    Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Arkansas -- 10/1/2013