Thrasher!!!!

Well, here's a change of pace. After doing more research and talking to Nikon owners, I decided to upgrade to the D90 yesterday. I bought the D5000 about a month ago but for some reason continued to research other models. I have a bad habit of doing this. Luckily, the shop I bought the D5000 from gladly allowed me to return it for the higher end D90. The biggest difference between the two was that the D5000 lacked the auto focusing motor in the body. The D90 has this motor built into the body allowing one to use any Nikon lens. The lack of this AF motor in the D5000 would have limited which lenses I could use. I think I made the right choice.

So, I took the new camera for a test drive today at a skate park near Coors field in downtown Denver to see just how fast it can shoot. 4.5 frames per second is fast! I actually had a lot of fun!

Check em out!

Colorado fried chicken Eldo style

Local hardman Hank Caylor on Kickin' Chicken.
Photo by Brian Solano taken from MP.

Winter seems to be in full swing along the front range here with cold, cloudy days being the norm. I have decided to take a little time off from climbing to try and shake this nagging pain in my right shoulder. I'm hoping some PT will alleviate the problem so I can get back out there and put away some projects in Eldo.

However, I still plan on getting out with the crew to take shots while I'm on hiatus. I caught wind last night that Scott and Josh were meeting in Eldo this morning to go give Kickin' Chicken a go over on the west ridge. I had tried this spicy line a little over two years ago but seemed to never put it away. It's kinda spooky with big, bold moves checking it at 5.12b R. A critical fixed nut is all ya got for the crux section and it looks like it's about ready to blow any day now.

Now, from the ground, the climb really doesn't look all that inspiring to waste your time on. But, once you're on it, it turns out to be one wild ride with incredible position. Kickn' Chicken actually shares the same start with a route called Wild Turkey which is fully bolted and goes at about 12a. After the 5th bolt on Wild Turkey, you do a wild traverse out to KC. Once on the route proper, you clip a "fixed nut" as your first piece before launching into the business. Initiating this section is kinda spicy with hard moves to read.

First up is Josh. I had scrambled around to the top and dropped a fixed line in so I could lower myself right into the action. Once Josh is at the fixed wire he is understandably hesitant to launch into the unknown knowing that the wire could blow out sending him for a good 25 footer below. He decides to back it up with a yellow alien before gettn' after it. Now, it's go time. He moves up trying to decipher the cryptic crux and takes a short fall. Whew, the wire held. Now he has a bit of confidence in the gear and goes for it. At the top of the crux section is a small, hard to see crimp. He just misses it and goes for the big ride. Yeeeeaaaaahhhh! He yards himself back up to his high point and continues up the pumpy route to the top. Maybe next time Josh....

Josh starting the business on Kickin' Chicken

Scott is up next. The clouds have moved in creating cold conditions for him. He really just considers this a recon mission since the conditions are less then optimal and climbs "bolt to bolt" warming his cold digits at each bolt while hanging. After departing Wild Turkey, he clips the lone wire and goes for it. With cold hands, he takes a couple short falls before finishing. At Josh's request, he down climbs the route cleaning all the gear and is lowered to the ground from the start of KC.

Scott also in the business on Kickin' Chicken

Josh is now ready to give this thing a serious run for it's money. The sun is back out and conditions are near perfect as he starts up the red sandstone. He gets to the crux and is looking solid as ever. He moves up higher and is at that point of no return when he misses a crucial hold and takes a good 20-25 footer, even bigger than the first. Hell yes! That's what I like to see. People just going for it. Go big or go home! He gets back on and continues to the finishing ledge. So close dude!

Josh way out at the point of no return.

Scott decides to give it one last burn before leaving for work. He almost had it this go too like Josh but was denied. They are now both really psyched and can't wait to get back on it. Stay tuned for more dispatches.....

Josh goin' big!


Scott takes flight and flies away


Scott gettn' aggro


Josh bearing down with a five finger death blow.


Josh just getting started on the Wild Turkey start.


Scott cruxing


Yeah! Scott goin' BIG!


grrrrrrrrrr


Yours truly, cold and ready to get back down on the ground after hanging around for a couple hours shooting these guys.

Thin crimps and cold temps!

Lately it seems I'm behind the lens more than anything when I go out climbing with my friends. I'm discovering I have a passion for outdoor photography and I would like to step it up a notch with better equipment when I can afford it. Right now I'm using a great little Nikon Coolpix 5600. It has been on many adventures in the past few years including a trip up El Capitan in Yosemite Valley to the beautiful alpine walls here in Colorado. I never leave home without it.

Yesterday I climbed up at Rincon wall in Eldorado Canyon with the usual crew and snapped some great pics of Josh leading a route called Camouflage. It's desperate crimping on a steep slab clocking in at a "sandbagged" 5.12b. I have yet to try it, but will probably give it a go sometime in the future. I still need to send Superfly!

Josh on the thin start to Camouflage


Josh making a dicey clip


Very insecure moves on Camouflage

South Platte Dancing 101

So, I had a great day in the South Platte yesterday with Josh, Scott and Lisa. Scott had met Lisa and her husband in Eldo a few weeks back and invited them along. However, Lisa's husband was injured so he couldn't make it. The SPlatte is an area west of Denver extending pretty much all the way down to the Pikes peak area near Colorado Springs. There is literally a lifetime of climbing to be had in there.

Our day started at about 0745 off of Hwy 93 south of Boulder where I met up with Josh and Scott. We picked Lisa up in Golden at the park-n-ride near C-470. From there, it's about a 30 minute drive to the Cathedral Spires area of the SPlatte. This is a great winter destination because it's all south facing and warms up really nice. Unfortunately, this area is closed from March 1 thru the end of July for nesting raptors.

We arrive at the small parking area right off the South Platte river about 9am or so and it's only 8 degrees! This is fairly typical because the road is deep in the forrested canyon and doesn't get any sun and the cold air just sinks to the bottom. Luckily, the trail leading up to the climbing area is quite steep so you are throughly warmed up when you arrive at the cliff base. There is nothing quite like a Catherdal Spires approach!

Arriving at the Sunshine Wall drenched in sweat, we drop our packs and gulp down some water. Josh was psyched to give "Mississippi Half Step" a go over at Poe Buttress. I had climbed this route a couple years ago already but was up for another run on it. Another route I was thinking of giving a try was "Edge of Fright". I didn't like the sound of this one... Me and Josh continue further around to the right while Scott and Lisa stay at the Sunshine wall.

Mississippi Half Step is a two pitch climb on perfect granite on a formation called Poe Buttress. It's only drawback is that it is a short route. The overall quality of the climb makes up for this however. I take the first pitch allowing Josh to tackle the crux 5.11d upper pitch. I quickly arrive at the spacious ledge that signals the end of pitch 1. Josh shortly casts off on the 100ft crux pitch. He looks great until he arrives at the perplexing 8 ft crux section of the climb. It's not all that obvious how to get thru this part of the climb. Also, Josh had just spent 4 days or so in southern Arizona climbing and probably needed a rest day or two. After some falls and what not, he makes it to the anchor. "I hate being a climber today" Josh tells me as i lower him back to the ledge. Na, I say, "you just need a rest day or two". He later topropes the pitch again and cruises it with no problems at all.

By now, the sun was leaving the wall so I really didn't want to try "Edge of Fright" so I just toproped it instead. Wow, this would be a spooky lead since there is little gear and most of it small. Oh well, next time! We packed up and headed back over to the Sunshine wall where Scott and Lisa were climbing. This wall faces more SW so it was still sunny. Scott was giving "Far Reaches" a go which clocks in at 5.12c. He almost sent... he looked strong on it and I'm sure he'll get it next trip. Just before the sun went down, me and Josh raced up the "Standard Route" and watched the sun settle behind the distant ridge out west.

We walked back down the steep trail, now mostly in the dark, and talked about how awesome our day of climbing was. Wow, I'm beat!

Josh eating some pre-climb pizza

Josh coming up pitch one on Miss Half Step

Josh bearing down on Half Step

Josh starting off on crux pitch of Half Step

Looking over at Cynical Pinnacle. You can barely make out climbers on the last pitch of Wunsch's Dihedral.

Super flyn' again

So, my friend Josh has been working on a route in Eldo called Superfly up in Kloof Alcove. It's a kinda short route but quite powerful clocking in at 5.12d. We had already been up there last Monday on a cold cloudy day working on it and Josh had came close then to sending but was denied. I guess the climbing gods weren't ready yet to grant him passage.

I too, have been toproping the route along with Josh, but still needed to work out one particular section of the route before tying into the "sharp end". The route is all gear and kinda spicey to lead. I had videoed a friend on it last summer and watched him fall ripping out a key piece of gear and taking a big whipper.

We met up about 10:30 and drove over to the canyon where another friend, Scott, was waiting. The three of us walked up the snowpacked trail to Kloof Alcove. Upon arriving, Josh decides to skip the standard warm-up and get directly on the intended route, Superfly. I don't think his initial intent was to seriously try and climb the route, no falls, to the anchor. More of a warm-up run. Well, he pretty much floated up the thing and got his redpoint first go! Wow, that was quick.

I decided to do a lap on toprope just to see how I was feeling today. I made it to the top with little trouble and no falls. Ok, I now have no excuse for not leading this thing I declared. After a brief rest I tied in and cast off on the powerful route. I was feeling fine and relaxed when I got to the business part of the climb. I placed my two pieces of gear and started to move out right and fell. AHHHH, after a quick rest, I tried again and nailed the move. I continued on thru the crux with no problems and was soon on the finishing ledge. Maybe next go.....

All photo's courtesy of Scott Bennett.


things are about to get hard for me here


me sticking the big crux move on Superfly.


Josh cruxing on Superfly


Josh about halfway thru the route. This section can be kinda scary until you get it figured out.

The Mouseketeers Club

Hey, So I got in touch with my friend Josh last week who has been out in the "Valley" doing some climbing and what not. We decided to get out and do some climbing and catch up with what we have been doing. Josh suggested "Mickey Mouse" Wall which is just south of Eldo. He wanted to check out a route called the Red Dihedral which clocks in at 12d. I have heard about the route so I was up for the recon mission.

This is a good place to climb this time of year because it gets sun most of the day and the rock warms up quick. We decided to do the "outlaw" approach which follows the train tracks thru 4 tunnels before reaching the wall. The advantage to this way is that it's a level hike all the way over. It also brings back those childhood memories of walking the train tracks growing up as a kid.

Once reaching the area we racked up and Josh cast off on the first pitch which was still in the shade. brrrrrr The upper pitches were already in the sun so the suffering was short lived. Josh tried to sandbag me into leading the crux pitch but I let him have it. Things started out fine until it got hard. It stayed hard for quite a ways and Josh resorted to aiding his way up the 100 ft pitch. He was able to free climb sections here and there but this thing was brutal! After he reached the anchor, I lowered him back to the ledge and I gave it a try on top rope. Wow! this thing is stout I yelled. Probably the hardest route I've ever been on. I free climbed maybe 10% of it and pulled on gear the rest of the way. 12d????? yikes! After being served up a big slice of humble pie we headed down to the lower industrial wall and did a burn on "Soul Train" and called it a day.

Windy Weekend

I was hoping to possibly get out some this weekend to do a little climbing since the temps have finally risen back into the high forties and the sun is shining. But, as always, the wind has decided to make an appearance creating bitter windchills making it better to climb indoors.

So, for a change of pace, I've posted up some of my favorites pictures of the local flora.




Columbine, the state flower










Alpine forget- me- nots. This is probably my favorite alpine flower. It's mostly found at 12,000 ft or above.






Looking west at Mt Evans.


No, this is not Colorado. Believe it or not it was taken in NJ at a local park. It's one of the best photos my camera has ever taken. Be sure to click on photo to enlarge because the detail is really good.