apAdventures

Time for a quick update on the climbing front. Paul and I are still here in Bishop, frantically trying to wrap up our long, long ticklists. We’re hoping to ditch out of here in about a week and move on to our final climbing destination: Yosemite Valley. So needless to say, the pressure is on. At this point in the trip we’ve pretty much cleaned up all the easy/moderate Bishop classics. So all that remains now is the hard stuff. Yikes!

Since we arrived Paul and I have spent the majority of our climbing days up at the gorgeous Buttermilk Boulders. Honed for the gymnastic Hueco-style climbing that we usually frequent, the technically-challenging Buttermilk climbing is quite a special treat for us. (Really! Sending v2 has never felt soooo good!) This combined with an amazing setting with the Sierra Nevada Mountains as a backdrop, we just can’t seem to get enough of these boulders.

I think I can accurately say that I’ve managed to tick each and every one of the easy and moderate Buttermilks classics I had on my to-do list. A few of the noteworthy sends include the tricky Buttermilk Stem (v1), the technical face-climbing highball Good Morning Sunshine (v1), Monkey Dihedral (v2) on the Saigon Boulder (an outstanding little stem problem recommended to us by Grit, Manu and Anke), the beautifully crimpy Green Wall Essential (v2), Birthday Direct (v3), King Tut (v3), and of course, everybody’s favorite (or not!), the Iron Man Traverse (v4)….(which I *finally* just did last week, THANK goodness. I was starting to stress over this one!) If I were to leave Bishop having only completed these easier classics, my trip will have been a success. These are some of the best climbs I’ve ever done under the most aesthetic setting imaginable.

H O W E V E R, having said that,…..if I were to leave Bishop having completed possibly just one more little climb….saaaay…..perhaps…..one of the most famous climbs in all of Bishop, potentially in all of the country…..a climb whose moves I literally have been dreaming about in my sleep…..just one more climb to add to my tick list…….a fun little ditty by the name of……..High Plains Drifter (v7)…..which is loads more than just ‘fun’ and by most, including myself, probably not to be considered ‘little’ by any means……hmmmm……well then…..my trip would be indescribable by the small word “success.” It would be freaking amazing!!!! So yes, one week and only the hard stuff remaining. And for me, this means one climb and one climb only. High Plains Drifter. Fingers crossed. I’m sooooo close!

Enough about me, let’s talk about Paul. He too has quite an extensive ‘moderates’ tick list. He’s ticked off twenty v6’s since we’ve been here! Sheesh! Green Wall Center being #20. Also included is the ultra stellar Saigon, a repeat for him (I’m so jealous). If I might say, I personally think Paul’s extensive ticking can be attributed solely to him avoiding boredom by climbing any and all climbs adjacent to the climbs I’m working…..and working and working and working. A perfect example is Iron Man. Throughout my epic go’s spent flailing and falling, Paul ticked off just about all the other climbs on the stinkin’ boulder, which is quite numerous (and comical) if you’ve ever looked in the guidebook, haha. How about this description: Iron Man Footless (v6), two stars, “Surprisingly, the traverse is not that much harder without using your feet, if you move fast!” Yep, ticked.

Last week during more flailing and falling attempts by me on Soul Slinger (v9), Paul dodged boredom once more by getting motivated to try out Soul Slinger Right (v8), “Cold, cloudy day? Begin as for Soul Slinger and make a big pull from the two good incuts to a rounded hold on the right wall.” It was indeed cold this day and yes, cloudy. Add this one to Paul’s tick list too.

Running around ticking v6’s out of boredom isn’t all that Paul’s been up to though. I’ve gotta give him a little more credit. I think most days are really spent trying to re-grow skin on his fingertips from his Mandala (v12) attempts. And somewhere in there he finds time to throw in a few harder sends, like Center Direct (v10), Acid Wash (v10), Mandance (v11). Saturday we went to the Sad Boulders for the first time and he promptly cleaned up on Beefcake (v10). Not bad. But also not The Mandala. Like me, for him too only the hard stuff remains….relatively speaking.

So one final week here in Bishop. I almost can’t comprehend it! Ahhh! The pressure!!! We’re resting today, hoping to rejuvenate whatever last drops of energy our muscles still have remaining. We’ll be back on the boulders tomorrow….

Paul contemplating which Iron Man line to do next

Me sending Buttermilk Stem, v1

Me falling off Saigon, v6…again

Paul loosing skin on the wicked sharp Junior’s Achievement, v7

The Mandala, v12

Paul’s Molly, v5 repeat. Bored?

Paul celebrating his send of Beefcake, v10

posted by arr

Yesterday was Paul’s Birthday. Hip hip hooray! Keeping with the birthday celebration trend set forth on Manu’s October birthday here in Bishop, Paul and I ventured out on a little hike. This time around Lake Sabrina, our first zero-elevation gain hike….deeeelightful. See the beautiful snowy pics below.

This year, with all this glorious free-time I have right now, I wanted my present to Paul to be geared toward the act of doing, not buying. So last night over a ripping hot campfire at our campsite up in the cold, cold Buttermilks at the base of the Sierra Nevadas, I made Paul a homemade pepperoni pizza in my dutch oven. For those that don’t know Paul, the man would eat pepperoni pizza every single day of the year if I’d let him! To my surprise (since this was my first attempt at campfire pizza), it turned out to be homemade campfire perfection!!! We enjoyed the pizza, our cokes (a double special treat) and the roaring campfire well into the evening, with little Morgie curled up beside us on the crashpad. The moon is almost full right now and from our site we could see the Buttermilk Boulders almost perfectly, gleaming in the moonlight below us. A wintery hike, warm campfire and homemade pepperoni pizza. I think he liked it.

Homemade pepperoni pizza. Mmm.

Our new campsite

Lake Sabrina

posted by arr

I’m not much of a crack climber but the most appealing line at the Happies, to me, is a crack climb called Slow Dance v10. It starts low in a cave and the path of usable holds follows the only separations wide enough in the crack for a few finger tips to fit in. The guidebook describes this climb as finishing to the left of the crack and dropping off. How lame for such a cool climb? In my opinion the line should be climbed through the crack to the right and finish far right, where the crack in the massive boulder continues. The guidebook labels this particular version Mandance and is given a slightly harder grade of v11. For added excitement and to follow the crack to its completion I took it further right and higher off the ground.

I questioned my ethical purity however, as I ventured rightward out the crack, veering away from the jugs of the normal top out. The pure line and the outstanding movement kept me psyched though. Totally pumped and way off the ground I cruised to the top of the house-sized boulder. As I caught my breath and started the down climb I realized that the pure line was the right line. One of my favorites in Bishop.

Executing the sending beta on Mandance v11

posted by pjv

After one full month of bouldering and with one more month to go, Paul and I decided that now is a good time for a little mid-trip rest. With a rainy forecast in Bishop, cozy snow up in Mammoth Lakes was too hard to pass up for these two desert dwellers. We booked a room at the Swiss Chalet in Mammoth for 4 nights, located the nearest coffee shop, settled in and watched the rain and snow come down. Four blissful days and nights of doing absolutely….n o t h i n g. This is the life.

Snow in the mountains! The view from our motel room

Snow on the Sportsmobile! First time!

Our cozy motel in Mammoth Lakes

posted by arr

It’s been a full month now of Bishop bouldering with long time friends. Beginning today though, Paul and I are back to two. Sadly, yesterday Grit, Manu and Anke said their goodbyes to us and started their long journey back to Germany. To no avail, Paul and I jokingly (or not) tried to get them to change their plane tickets to stay for an additional month with us. Ahhh, but life calls…even with the European “5 weeks minimum” vacation time. Until next time, we like to say. Paul and I have quite a good running track record of linking up on climbing adventures with these guys.

Last weekend we were all treated with a surprise last-minute appearance of THE one and only Court-nizzle from the SLC. The crazy nut drove 950 miles (one way) for a skimpy 26 hours of chill time with the Germans and us. And that’s why we like him. Even just a little hang time with Courtney is waaaay better than no hang time with Courtney. Yeah dude.

Before Courtney’s visit came a week with our long-standing Pittsburgh climbing buds from way back in the day. We hadn’t climbed with Jen and Brian since Paul and I lived in the good ‘ol ‘burgh, five plus years ago before little Seb and Oren. This was truly a special treat for me. Over the last five years Jen and I had been “climbing together” through emails, photos and blogs. Whenever I would send, this is the one gal I had to tell. So getting one week of the real deal, working climbs together, spotting one another, cheering one another on was freakin’ awesome. Two kids and five years later, Jen hasn’t missed a beat with her love and drive for climbing. She’s still crankin’ harder than the boys. Love it!!!

And last but BY FAR from least, the always psyched, always climbing (or at least crankin’ pull-ups on their hangboard when they can’t make the gym), easily-talked-into-a-Hueco-climbing-trip, Jason and Kathy even made the journey from Pittsburgh too for a week. And this time with little one year old McKenna in tow! A one year old on a week-long climbing trip sandwiched between two cross-country first-time plane rides?! Now that’s what I call hardcore. Inspiring.

So here we are now, after all the great sends, great falls, great chillin’, and bummed goodbyes. Paul and I, back to two.

Anke flashing the committing highball The Hunk, v2, cool, calm and collective

Kathy’s send of Carrot Top, v3 at the Happy Boulders

Brian’s beta on Birthday Direct, v3

Jen’s beta

Paul’s beta

Paul ticking what might possibly be one of the best v8’s in the country, the beautiful Checkerboard

Anke cruising the classic Hero Roof, v0

Grit carefully making her way up Heavenly Path, v1

Myself, Paul, Manu and Anke chillin’ at the Buttermilks

Grit lookin’ oh-so-pretty in red on The Sixty Foot Woman Traverse, v2

Courtney’s crushing sequence of Lidija’s Mouth, v3

Manu using the force to onsight the classic Pollen Grains highball, Jedi Mind Tricks, v4

Manu sending the surprisingly burly Not The Clapper, v1

…followed by Grit

…followed by me

Anke working her slab technique on an Unnamed, v1 at the Happy Boulders

Manu looking not pretty nor pink on Pretty in Pink, v2 at the Druid Stones

Paul sticking the surprise hold on Arch Drude, v5 at the Druid Stones

Until next time…Paul, myself, Manu, Grit and Anke

posted by arr

So much bouldering, so little time for web posts! We’ve got a heck of a crew right now here in Bishop. The Germans, Grit, Manu and Anke, are still here crankin’ with us and last Saturday the Pittsburgh’ers arrived: Jen, Brain, Seb and Oren and Jason, Kathy and ‘lil McKenna.

Projects, projects, projects. Manu sessioning Soul Slinger, v9…..

…followed by me

Another beautiful day in Buttermilk Country

Manu on High Plains Drifter, v7, which he sent the following morning first go

Anke cruising up a Get Carter Boulder warm-up

Grit getting first dibs on Seven Spanish Angels, v6

Getting higher! Me on Seven Spanish Angels, v6

And he’s off! Manu on (or is that off?) Seven Spanish Angels, v6

Pretty

Kathy flashing Green Wall Essential, v2. Yeah girl….

…followed by Jen

Sand boy Seb

Paul flashing Bowling Pin Arete Sit, v6

Seb and Oren crushing yet another unknown, unnamed Buttermilks classic

Lil McKenna contemplating her beta

Jason bustin’ out the crux move of The Hulk, v6

Kathy at the crux of Solarium, v3

McKenna showing momma how it’s done Solarium, v3

posted by arr

Happy Birthday Manu! A Bishop birthday celebration isn’t complete without some yummy “Pullaway” bread from Erick Schat’s Bakery and a pleasant hike up to Piute Pass with your bestest buds:

Manu and Pullaway Bread. Mmmmm.

The hike up to Piute Pass

The view into the Sierra Mountains at Piute Pass

Manu and his Birthday Crew, from left to right: Grit, Manu, Anke, Morgan, April and Paul

posted by arr

Two days ago, before the snow came, we managed to sneak in a high elevation hike. We started at South Lake and trekked six miles up 3000 vertical feet to the boundary between the Inyo National Forest and the Kings Canyon National Park at Bishop Pass: 11,972 feet elevation.

posted by pjv

A few days ago April described temperatures almost reaching 90 degrees here in Bishop, CA. Today we woke to snow covered mountains and perfect bouldering conditions. Temperatures when we started climbing were probably around 35 degrees (Fahrenheit) at The Buttermilks. Friction was perfect. After a few easy warm-up climbs I ditched the group and said I’d meet them at the Grandma Peabody boulder in a few minutes. I was psyched to warm up my finger tips by giving Center Direct, v10, a go. After a few quick laps on Go Granny Go, v5 I couldn’t wait any longer. I threw my pad under Center Direct and sent, first go. I packed up and as the group was walking down the hill to join me I said, “So, what’s next?”

Here are a few pictures of what came next…

April topping out the high Sunshine Boulder

April feeling the pump on Iron Man Traverse, v4

April close to sending but too pumped on the finish of Iron Man Traverse, v4

Me sticking the dyno on Iron Fly, v9

Anke trying the awesome Green Wall Essential, v2

posted by pjv

As temps in Bishop soared yesterday to almost 90 degrees Paul, myself, brown dog Morgan and our German friends Grit, Manu and Anke spent the day up at cool 8,500 feet bouldering on the beautiful granite blocks of Rock Creek. The energy was high, the lines absolutely stellar and the fall foliage in full display. Here are a few pics of this absolutely perfect climbing day:

Manu sticking the last sloper of Pull Down Like De Jesus, v4

Paul goin’ vertical (for real!) on Osama, v6

Grit crimpin’ hard on Choice of Weapons, v4

Anke working her technique on Twisted Sister, v3

Manu’s turn on Twisted Sister, v3

Paul sending A Boy Named Sue, v7

Me finishing off Groove and Arete, v4

posted by arr