4 Days of Fun at The New!

For one, I went with a huge group of people from my college outdoors club--17 total! Half had never climbed before, so I spent some time rope-gunning and belay-bitching. It was because of these newbies that I found myself at the Beer Wall at Bubba City, and toward the end of the day found time to get on St. Pauli Girl, 10c sport. Has anybody been on this thing? Perhaps I just need to work it a little more, but I had a hell of a time pulling the crux between the 4th and 5th bolts, and took about a 20 foot whipper the time that I *almost* finished the crux sequence. I got it eventually, and it was great, but it just seemed a bit sandbagged. I'm giving it a 10d.

 

However, it was nice to return to some climbs I hadn't done in a few months. Since it was already up, and I didn't want to waste time pulling and releading, I toproped The Green Piece (10b sport, Butcher's Branch, Kaymoor,) and was very satisfied to get it clean. I think spending some time both in the gym and on the slackline has really helped me learn to balance better and climb more efficiently. I also toproped Flight of the Gumbie (5.9 sport, same location) even though I've climbed it half a dozen times, just because I have a really fun way of pulling the crux that includes matching a foot to an undercling.

 

We spent another day at the Junkyard. Since everything can be set up from the top, we got to experiment with a few trad lines that we don't have the gear or experience to climb otherwise. I got on New Yosemite (5.9 hand crack) and Team Jesus (10b,) and attempted Andropov's Cold (11c.) Flailing on New Yosemite reminded me why I hate crack climbing, Team Jesus reminded me why I should always trust my own beta (i.e. going right at the crux) over everyone else's (i.e. going left at the crux,) and Andropov's Cold reminded me that I'm still not a 5.11 climber! One might say that it was a solid day of rememberance.

 

I made my first trip ever to Whipporwill. What a mistake! The two 5.8's we were going to set up for the newbies were both missing the third bolt, as were several others--it looked like some boater had cruised by when the water was up and taken every bolt he could reach along that stretch. We found Blimey (10b) still intact and led that up, but it was an incredibly unimpressive climb--despite having fallen on it once, I have no desire to go back and redpoint. We had to be back at school that evening, so we cut the day short after that and went home.

 

Despite my intentions, I found no time to hangdog my way up my first 11 lead--which was going to be either Legacy at Endless or Satisfaction Guaranteed at Summersville--but after my performance on Pauli Girl, perhaps it's for the best, I would have hated to leave a bail biner.

 

~Ross