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