Welcome back to Big Cottonwood!
The local climbing season officially started for me this past Sunday (though it is supposed to snow this week so it will be on hold again). Ms. Pear, Stone Face Killah, the Grayhghost and I hit up the Speedtrap in Big Cottonwood. The Speedtrap is a great little crag as it has ZERO approach, is only 2 miles up the canyon (making it a perfect after work crag), is overhanging (equaling clean falls) and the routes are a bit harder (one 5.10, two 5.11′s and two 5.12′s).
I climb in Big Cottonwood extensively during the climbing season, but it is amazing how it takes me a couple routes to get used to the unique break lines of the quartzite again. I hopped on the 5.10 to warm up and ended up with a flash pump and was pretty cautious due to the odd bolt placement. Next the whole crew ran the 5.11d, an absolutely stellar climb with clean falls and accurately placed bolts, and the Stone Face Killah bagged the redpoint. The grayhghost hopped on one of the 5.12b’s, redpointing it on his second run, and the Stone Face Killah and I both gave it a go. I was able to do all the moves and made it to the chains, but I had many falls on the way up.
Overall a great first day in Big Cottonwood.