Sol

tasty granite

Congrats!! Excited to hear about your adventure!

I've got some new Photon's. They were great biners...

Partner found.

I should have taken more pics up at the Wart Wall the other day.

I'm looking for a partner for the East face of Bridge Creek Wall this friday (or possibly saturday). The climb clocks in at 11+, so you should be ready for the grade, plenty of dirt, lichen, possible looseness, and adventure. It'll be a full day and a bike is needed (i've got a couple). Sound fun? Send me a PM or message on here.

Ironically had my wife pulling a tick out of me last night after visiting the Wart Wall/Mastadon Area, little guy too.

The deep-seep of an oppressively wet spring is still lingering but today the stone is dry.

yeah, I do agree with what people are saying about a summer climbing trip. go climbing!! I just thought i'd mention a few lightweight techy items that I would buy if (i were you) and I had the money.

i think blake should buy that dragonfly stove!

40L cilogear pack Camp Air Harness Some lightweight Camp Nano or Photon biners ultra lightweight rainjacket/windshell

yep

maybe today's snow is killing them off

Bridge Creek Wall seems to be the tick motherland.

The ticks in Ltown have never bothered me at all. Wear pants, check yourself before you start climbing and check yourself before you get in your car. No big deal. Now pulling 4-6 a day off my dog, that gets a bit old.

There' just no way I could ever nail it down to one trip report: Favorite TR thread

there's only one bolt on it right, at about 25 ft? it's been like that for at least 10 years. it protects, not so adequately, up to that point with slider nuts, rps, and aliens. ive seen a 50+ year old father of 3 hike it on lead. if you dont have the balls to lead it, it is easily top-roped. i don't remember the whole story, but the first ascencionest told me something about Yoder marking where he wanted to put the bolts (and maybe even putting that one bolt in), but getting scooped by someone with a more tradical perspective. it was a while ago but vantage use to be the hotbed of ethical quandaries in washington.

rocker block is too classic to trundle

Trip: Black Velvet Wall, Red Rocks - Texas Hold 'Em to Lone Star V 11c Date: 3/28/2011 Trip Report: I had the fortune to meet up with old climbing partner Blake Herrington in Red Rocks over spring break. The highlight of our trip was an ascent of the link-up Texas Hold 'Em to Lone Star. Texas Hold 'Em, put up by "The Gambler", John Rosholt, weaves a direct line up and through the large roofs left of Epinephrine on the Black Velvet Wall. Blake started off the first block with moderate, climbing up corners and slabs. I took over for the memorable "Panhandle Crack" which takes a steep line to the top of the Texas Tower. An intimidating and classic pitch of 10+. (Note: not my pic,taken by Darren in Vegas and swiped from Mountain Project). Another pitch of 5.10 led us off the tower and into the exposed upper section of the wall. Thin moves off the belay began the first pitch of 11c. Which then moved up, and then right, through a powerful crux sequence. I fell twice, pulled the rope each time, and beared down a bit harder and got'er done on my third burn. Here I passed the reins over to Blake and he pushed us on forward through the aesthetic flares and corners of the second crux pitch. The crux on this pitch was a bizarre changing-corners move. We had been monkey-calling to some climbers on Epi and were now starting to get some cool views of Seattle climbers Jon and Tad as they made their way upwards. [/img] And with that, we were staring straight into the ridiculously steep roofs that had been haunting us all day. Yowza. Blake pushed on through a pitch of 10+ that I wont forget for some time. I took one last look down before beginning. The roof pitch ends by and improable traverse left on a hidden ledge to top out Texas Hold 'Em. From here the adventerous and alpiney, Lone Star took us to the top. The summit is guarded by a 250+ft pitch of runout 5.9 on friable holds. Blake carefully tip-toed his way up this with the very last rays of light, and I simuled on up in the dark. We were psyched. It's a classic link up on one of the most beautiful walls in Red Rocks and is on par with the other long classic free climbs of the West. Gear Notes: Doubles to a single 4, nuts and rp's.

Contrary to what most people think about granite, Ltown granite becomes much more friable when wet (or not completely dry). Wet climbing seasons (when the rock seems and feels dry) can take a heavy toll on the stone. This season in particular has seem lots of holds breaking... and while that is part of the game, it is a bit discouraging when the key hold on your project breaks right before you were gonna send.

that is rad!! well done WCC!

what you tryin to get on darin? solo?

Standard fare on Tooth and Claw: