Drove down Friday morning. Saw a bunch of rangers dealing with a small fire along the side of the road on 44/55 near the overlook. Didn't think much of it at the time.

We jumped right on Feast of Fools and I proceeded to get spanked. I pumped out placing gear. Especially the red alien under the first roof. Had to hang a few times by the crux, and I was carrying the stupid #4 cam that I didn't need (the #3 is useful just below the manky pins). So I finally get screamers on the pins and a small nut just above them. Then make the hard crux moves. I get to the jug holds above the crux and I just can't hang on. It was so frustrating to take a big fall when I was basically done with the climb -- two 5.5 moves away from the anchor. At least I placed the nut, otherwise I would have blown both screamers. We climbed Hans' Puss to reach the anchor then did Feast of Fools on toprope. It felt easy! Or at least possible. Maybe someday I'll get back to the climb and lead it cleanly. After that we had to leave to set tents for both IORC classes. They were lucky we did... all the sites were gone about an hour after we got to the DEC, and long before the COE vans arrived. They were late because the road was closed due to the forest fire.

Saturday we gave IORC a quick stove tutorial and took them on a tour of toprope options at the Trapps. Peterskill was closed due to the forest fire. Then we started our climbing on Morning After. I got to lead the scary start on the first pitch. And earned pizza on the second pitch :-) Then we climbed Blackout though we were off route on the top pitch. Blackout is listed in Gunks Select as 5.9G, but the pitches are like 5.8PG, 5.7PG and 5.9G (with a long 5.8R section). The book actually says that there is a long 5.8R section in the middle of a 5.9G climb. I'm sorry, but I don't think a G climb should have a long section of R climbing at just one grade below the crux of the climb. Next we climbed Phoebe, then I led Bunny to set a toprope on Retribution. Didn't want to lead it because I was tired and didn't have my green alien. Am I supposed to have three excuses for redundancy? I'm sure I can come up with another. Anyhow, Retribution was more awkward than it should have been -- I don't think I would have felt good leading it.

The funniest thing happened on Bunny. There was a party just starting it, so we were going to wait for the party on Nosedive. They were about done and were willing to put our rope up on Retribution. But the party on Bunny was having issues... confusion... frustration... anger... Let's just say that I didn't realize anyone used "you are a fucking idiot" as a belay command. After they bailed and stormed off, the climb was open for us. Perfect!

Sunday we went to the Nears and climbed Birdland, Yellow Belly and Yellow Ridge. I was sooooooo scrunched on Yellow Belly. Stuck in this tiny alcove desperately trying to get out before my muscles completely cramped. Remind me to never again lead that second pitch. Yellow Ridge has a really exposed and airy overhung final pitch which I led in the howling wind, but it is only 5.7 so it feels really fun. Probably some great photo potential there since you traverse off the belay, so the belayer has a good angle while you campus the final moves.

All things considered, it was a great weekend. We never really had problems getting on climbs even with all the crowds, and I kept running into people I know from Cornell and even people I used to climb with in DC. Had to detour down Clove Road and Route 6 to get around the fire going home. Luckily COE paid for my gas. An especially good thing considering the price jumped 22 cents in the past eight days (at the 209/44 intersection where gas tends to be cheapest).