Full Afternoon

A break in the rain. Wow. Finally. Unbelievable. Jaw dropping. Awe struck. Flabbergasted. Dumbfounded. Thunderstruck....

Wait, cancel that last one.

So, yesterday I got out in the afternoon with Mark, Mark, and Mark's friend Rand. Like us, most other climbers in the area were taking advantage of the parting skies, and so we headed down to the Slime Wall to start so we could avoid some of the crowds.

With the bugs eating away at us, we started with Falled on Account of Strain, which I led in one pitch...That thing has got to be one of the best 5.10s in the Trapps. So Much fun. Mark and Mark climbed it afterward.

After Rand met up with us, we headed over to the Winter/Spring area. Those climbs were a juuuuust a bit wet in the crack still, so Mark led the first pitch of Boldville (5.8) while Mark led the first pitch of Oblique Tweak (5.8). After the Marks finished their leads, we had both the Winter and the Spring set up on top-rope.

With the top-rope all set up, I got on The Summer (5.11d X), which I had been on once three years ago. At that time, I only made it up like 20 feet off the ground. But yesterday, I cruised it. Fun face climbing for sure!

And for a little contrast to the fun face, the Winter (5.10d) is a crazy corner crack with all sorts of advanced tomfoolery required. Same with the Spring (5.9++), crackey, facey, balancy, fun-ny.

For the last climb of the day, Mark and I did the Sting (5.11d). I don't know how many times I've done this climb now, but it never stops being awesome. I've got it pretty wired at this point, down to which side of the harness the gear should be on for easiest placement. It was Mark's first time on it, and he did really well too. Just a few tries for the first move, and then one hang at the next two cruxes.

All in all, seven pitches of spectacular Gunks climbing. Can't complain too much there.