The troops assembled from Colorado and California, converging upon our hallowed desert climbing locale. Sixteen hours of driving filled with dreams of sandy slots and parallel fissures without end. We descended into Indian Creek under a bloodlit moon, awaking the next day to our beautiful playground.
Visit on photobucket.com
After shuddering off the caged feeling and cobwebs from the drive at Donnelly Canyon and Battle of the Bulge on day one, day two brought us to Broken Tooth. This cliff was new for even the most seasoned creek veterans in our crew. I couldn't resist and set off straight away on a brilliant climb Rock Lobster 5.11, figuring the first half of the climb would be my warmup.
Visit on photobucket.com
We moved on to Pussy Wuss Crack 10+. Here is Henry contemplating how to chickenwing over a roof with piss feet. Liz was able to get her knee in, but declined the title of "Wide Ropegun Girl".
Visit on photobucket.com
We took some toprope runs on Inflictor 5.12-, a sick fingers and tips line, before Chris sacked up for the lead. Henry jugged the Rock Lobster line and nabbed some great images.
Visit on photobucket.com
Visit on photobucket.com
Visit on photobucket.com
Cruxin above a purple tcu.
Visit on photobucket.com
For a rest day we hit up our first tower- Easter Island a super fun 2 pitch 5.10 on the Bridger Jacks.
Visit on photobucket.com
After the mandatory night time vacillations, our goal for day four was made concrete. Bryan's last day would be spent in search of adventure on Rimshot 5.11-, a 5 pitch route that would prove to be stellar. Bryan was in need of a lead and started off on a thin hands splitter, as the unique 5.10 stembox and burly crux corner loomed on high up and left.
Visit on photobucket.com
A view up the stembox- what a feature and just plain fun to climb!
Visit on photobucket.com
Henry and I made it to the top first as a party of two, and also having accidentally bypassed the traditional start by way of hard ow and then through my first triangular shaped chimney. We had killer perspective of Liz and Bryan following Chris up the crux corner.
Visit on photobucket.com
Negotiating the kitty litter (thank you Chris for apt terminology) took us all to the awesome summit of Bridger Jack with the Six Shooters off in the distance.
Visit on photobucket.com
Visit on photobucket.com
We said our goodbyes to Bryan, his first time in the Creek cut short by the real world. With Henry as chauffeur and Liz in Moab, Chris and I (mostly Chris) went back to retrieve our stuck rappel ropes. Once retrieved Chris took a run at the pumpy, sustained, and aesthetic Egg Drop Soup 5.12. From there we linked up with Hoopdancer 5.11 taking us to the top of Hummingbird Spire. Some sketchy rappels ended day five.
The sixth day would find us at Scarface Wall, my first time there. Warmed up on the wall's 5.11 namesake.
Visit on photobucket.com
With a reason in my mind not found in the realm of the rational, I racked the big gear as my first 5.11- offwidth would be on lead. Big Guy! (that's the name of this gorgeous 120 foot splitter)
Visit on photobucket.com
I struggled mightily on the 15 or so feet of #4 camelots as my big snowboarder knees would not fit, but once it got to 4.5 and 5 I was able to hand and fist stack to victory. What a line!
Visit on photobucket.com
Day 7 was our next rest day, nabbing both summits of the South Six Shooter 5.8 with our new arrival Clara.
Visit on photobucket.com
Visit on photobucket.com
We returned to Moab only to be civilization shocked by the 4000 person Canyonlands marathon. First shower and some thai food were worth it. The 4:40 am alarm put me into a sore disgruntled state, but soon we would be slinking down steep dirt switchbacks in the pitch black. Our truck moved on, abreast of the Green River but unable to even know it was there as no light penetrated down to Canyonlands NP. I began to make out the depthless black cliff lines, as the morning intruded into the sky. Then, our target was before us, and my whole being filled with awe.
Visit on photobucket.com
Moses, Zeus, Aphrodite, and the Thoracian Mares stood silently waiting for us. The sun filled the canyon and warmed us as we prepared for Primrose Dihedrals 5.11+, seven pitches of sustained, clean, cracks to be climbed on Moses the largest of the towers. Zeus keeps watch for now.
Visit on photobucket.com
Henry passes the 11+ boulder problem gatekeeper, and then links the first two sustained pitches. Fingers, rings, stems, and hands. Here is getting all rockstar to surmount the 10+ jams around a roof.
Visit on photobucket.com
I went next, yanking on an RP to pass the devious start.
Visit on photobucket.com
Chris cast off on the only bad rock of the route and snapped a shot of Henry and I dangling in space. Meanwhile Clara shot a crazy perspective of the same scene from the ground.
Visit on photobucket.com
Visit on photobucket.com
Chris made tidy work of linking pitches 3 and 4, a fingers roof and overhanging big hands. This left me taking lead on the last of the business- linking pitch 5 to pitch 6- the infamous ear of Moses. Tricky pro but fun climbing, all the while the ear loomed on high.
Visit on photobucket.com
A fun 9+ face move to lb, and then I was wrestling Moses' earlobe with 5.11 ow moves.
Visit on photobucket.com
I whipped out eventually, switched it to a lieback and made headway before another fall. Blood flowing freely out of a torn cuticle I summoned everything for the last hard climbing of the trip and made it to the belay. From here was surreal as we chimneyed and tunneled into Moses' brain, emerging to the summit out the top of his head.
Visit on photobucket.com
Feet free of my shoes, I spent one last moment of pure being and joy dangling in space on rappel. Primrose lived up to its hype and more, the perfect end to a perfect week.
Visit on photobucket.com
