The CragBaby

I currently have two friends (Ben Grubb and Ben Sales) on a road trip in the U.S. with their current destination being Bishop, CA.  I thought I would keep up my recent tradition (started with the Hueco list) of listing my favorite problems per area as sometimes my favorites vary from the listed area classics. (Listed problems that are crossed out mean it is an area classic according to the guidebook, but I think it is one to definitely skip.)

A climber on Pope’s Prow. Photo by Frank Wu.

v0

• Unnamed on the Sunshine Boulder – (Buttermilks) This climb actually gets a v0- rating, but it is pretty scary because of the height.  It is a great warmup for the Buttermilks as it gets the head thinking for the day.
• Hero’s Roof –  (Buttermilks) Enjoyable.
• China Doll – (Sads) Highball that looks like a spine.
• Unnamed on the Small Boulder next to Leary / Bard Boulder – (Buttermilks) It is actually a v0-, but it still managed to toss me off 4 times… making me love the problem even more.  =)

v1

• A Birthing Experience – (Buttermilks) The hardest v1 you will ever try because it doesn’t take “usual” climbing techniques.  Instead you will have to start perfectly laying down and implement elbow scums.  So fun… I tried and DID NOT send. Ha ha! Perfect climb when you need to take a break and have some good laughs.
• Buttermilk Stem – (Buttermilk) A hard v1 but another good intro to the Buttermilks.
• One Pull – (Happies) Actually has a bit of a committing move.
• Immigration in The Media – (Happies)
• The Great Dominions – (Sads) 
• The Black Stuff – (Sads) Awesome! Bring pads.

v2

• 60 foot Woman Traverse – (Happies) Surprisingly hard because it is so long.
• InterSactum – (Bishop) A little tricky.  It unfortunately doesn’t top out, but good.
• Still Life – (Sads)

Doug doing a high step on Birthday Direct.  Photo by Frank Wu.

v3

• Birthday Direct – (Buttermilks) Perhaps the hardest v3 I have ever seen. I attempted it 10 times and did not send (no matter what Steve H. claims. Thanks for your optimism, Steve.) =)
• Slap Happy – (Happies) Reachy, but good.
• Solarium – (Happies) This is one HARD v3.  Wouldn’t call it a classic per se. Don’t feel badly skipping it.

v4

• Ironman Traverse  - (Buttermilks) This is the problem you often see photographed from Bishop.  Great line.
• Sucker Punch – (Happies) One move wonder, yet still quite fun.

Me on Serengetti, being spotted by Pang.  Photo by Frank Wu.

v5

• Strength in Numbers – (Sads) Tall problem, but the holds are surprisingly good.
• Go Granny Go – (Buttermilks)
• Go Granny Go Variation – (Buttermilks) The direct version of this problem probably has a harder move in it, but I liked the flow of the variation better.
• Serengetti – (Happies) 
• Pain Grain – (Buttermilks) Hurts and quite scary, but you feel like a rockstar when you send. =)  There is a v7 sit as well.
• Mr. Happy – (Happies) Sharp, but a good example of Bishop pocketed line.
• Son of Claudius Rufus – (Happies) Fun traverse.  Perfect problem if nursing a sprained ankle because it is close to the ground.
• Molly – This is listed as a classic.  I hate it.  Skip this problem!

v6

• Rio’s Crack – (Sads) This was an excellent climb.  Definitely in my top 3 of favorite Bishop climbs.
• Pope’s Prow – (Buttermilks) Technical line.  Make sure to pad up the bottom, even though it isn’t “too” high.  I did see someone rip off and really mess up their ankles while trying to do the last mantel.
• Unnamed on the Leary / Bard Boulder – (Buttermilks) Not sure why this problem doesn’t get a name because it is great.  The last move of going to the patina flake is reachy for the short person, which feels quite scary.
• Milk the Milks – (Buttermilks) This line has a biggish throw, crimp traverse and then finishes up on slab.  Perfect!
• Atari – (Happies) I did not get to climb this problem due to the sprained ankle.  But it looks so stunningly beautiful sitting up on the hillside.  Someone please go send this one for me. =)
• Strength in Numbers Variation – (Sads)
• Every Color You Are  - (Happies) Fun!
• Fly Boy Stand – (Buttermilks) Core intensive! Yes, you start at the big jug… and yes, it is still hard.
• Green Wall Center- (Buttermilks) The moves were just ok, but the face of the climb is gorgeous.

v7

• High Plains Drifter – (Buttermilks) This problem really does not need any description.  Just do it!  Or, in my case, attempt to send it… but hopefully it doesn’t also give you fellow readers a sprained ankle. =)  The line is so great, that it was worth the sprained ankle.
• Morning Dove White – (Happies) I loved this line because it was beautiful.  Unfortunately I was sick the day I stopped by and then I sprained my ankle.  I must admit that I was incredibly sad that I never got to properly work this line. =(
• Junior’s Achievement – (Buttermilks) Extremely sharp, but I still liked it.

Travis on Checkerboard.

v8

• Fly Boy Sit – (Buttermilks) This was my all time favorite climb in Bishop! Great line that flows nicely and still has a heart flutter finish.  Definitely try, but make sure to have a lot of pads.  It isn’t called Fly Boy without reason.
• PowPow – (Sads) – simply excellent!
• Checkerboard – (Buttermilks) Very aesthetic line, though quite difficult for the short person.  I was struggling to get through the middle section and the real reachy area is near the end.  

v9

• Moon Raker – (Buttermilks) I loved this line because it includes movement that just seems improbable to find on a route.  Technique needed includes heel hooks, heel-toe cam and the ability to stop the massive swing.
• Soul Slinger – (Buttermilks) This seems to be a favorite of most people.  You shouldn’t have too hard of a time finding a sea of pads underneath it.
• Toxic Avenger – (Happies) Hard, yet possibly do-able. Try it!

Remember that you are in Bishop, land of the high-ball problems.  Take lots of pads! 

Once again, I didn’t hop on anything harder than v9 meaning my list caps out at this level. Do you readers have any suggestions?  Please list up any problems you suggest in the comments. =)

As I mentioned in the previous post, after Hueco Tanks I made the 15 hour trek to Bishop, California.  I did stop in Joshua Tree, but only for a couple days and rather to rest up and enjoy the scenery than to really climb.

I was excited to roll into Bishop.  I had been there years ago, when I had first started to climb, and it was nice to come back with a little bit of climbing knowledge.  Pictured are The Buttermilks.  Photo by Frank Wu.

During the time I was in Bishop, I saw a handful of SLC’ers who had come out for a long weekend. It had been a long time since I had seen the SLC crew!  One weekend Travis and Wen made the drive and we spent all weekend climbing and laughing.  It was fabulous! Here is Travis working the moves of “Saigon”.  

Both “FlyBoy” problems, the stand and the sit, are absolute must do’s.  The sit for sure was my all time favorite problem in Bishop.  It truly was fantastic!  

A lot happened on this particular day.  Tim and I sent the “FlyBoy Sit”, while poor Steve fell from the lip and broke one ankle and horribly sprained the other.  Two days later I sprained my ankle on High Plains Drifter.  The result? Steve and I had plenty of time to hang out, sip tea and become excellent friends. I am off to visit him and Tim in Leeds tomorrow. =)

Another fabulous line, “Morning Dove White”, that starts in a sequence of pockets then finishes on what I hear is a heart fluttery top out.  Unfortunately I sprained my ankle before I could properly work this one… bummer, as I really liked the line.  Pictured is Jason.  Photo by Frank Wu.

Me on “Disco Diva”.  I didn’t make it much farther than where I am pictured. Ha ha!  Photo by Frank Wu.

My two favorite shots from my road trip were both taken by Frank Wu. The boulder in the picture above also has a v10 dyno line on the right side.  This guy climber was consistently trying it, finally sticking the line at the moment that Frank captured this shot. Unbelievable!  Can my dog be any more unimpressed?  Thanks for the photo, Frank.

Me on a tall v1 (I am currently forgetting the name).  Photo by Merrick Ales.

“High Plains Drifter” was one of my favorite problems.  The problem ends about 20+ feet up, but most people top out the whole boulder, down climbing the crack on the right side.  I loved this problem, but did not send (falling from the start of the crux).  I instead just took away the below sprained ankle.  Photo by Frank Wu.

I thought the sprain was quite mild, this picture being taken the morning after it happened.  Yet as I write this blog post it has been 7 weeks and my ankle remains a cankle.

This boulder isn’t in the book but houses a handful of excellent problems.  Here is Sunset Head working the crux of the most right problem.

MP on “Checkerboard”.  Aesthetic line, but quite reachy for us short folks.

Me working the moves on “Devoted”. Picture by Dan Brayack.

Fellow climber (whose name I did not catch) working Moonraker. I really loved this problem because it required all these fancy moves plus the crux was the ability to slow down this epic swing.  One of my most fun days in Bishop was with a crew of friends, all working this problem and jamming out to old-school hits like ‘YMCA’ and ‘Come on Eileen’.

And of course, a blog post about Bishop must include a picture of the Ironman Traverse.  A tricky v4 regardless if you know the sequence.  Picture by Dan Brayack.

My Bishop “office” and fellow co-workers. =)  Steve, on the left, is home in Leeds and I am off to see him tomorrow.  Aaron, on the right and closest to the camera, is back in Kentucky for a few weeks longer before hitting the road again.  And I am not sure where Dave, sitting behind Aaron, is currently located.

I met this crazy kid, Michael Pang, on my last few days in Bishop.  He was hilarious!  A climber, fellow working professional, who still loves to sleep in his car and happened to be camped in the same parking lot that I was in.  Ha ha.  I’m hoping to catch up with him when I get home.

I met a lot of great people in Bishop.  On this particular day I was supposed to be resting, but went out climbing solely for the reason that Prairie was in town.  Prairie and I ended up never catching up, but I made friends with an awesome group and ended up having one of my best climbing days.  Best of all, at the end of the day my cheeks hurt more from laughing than my fingertips from climbing.  Photo by Jeff Fox.

After 8 months on the road and 5 weeks in Bishop, the fingers started to look quite gruesome.  I like to pretend like guys find this attractive.

From Bishop, California I drove home to SLC to spend a week and half hanging out with friends and resting the ankle I had managed to sprain in California.  (My Bishop pics and trip beta will soon be forthcoming.)

From SLC I caught the direct SLC to Paris flight, spending four weeks in France before heading over to the United Kingdom.  My first 5 days in France were spent in Lyon visiting my friend David (pics also coming soon), then I drove to Fontainebleau. I am still in Bleau and will be here for a couple more weeks.  So far Bleau is hands down my favorite destination I have visited on this road trip adventure.  Below are some pics of the last two weeks…

Me working Graviton. Such a great line with a heartbreaker finish.

Guillaume on the Red 13 traverse at Canche Aux Mercier. Fabulous line!  Guillaume was introduced to me by my friend David and has been a great friend here in Fontainebleau.  He has generously allowed me to crash at his house (located in a village outside of Bleau called La Vaudaue) and is always excited to get out climbing with me. =)

Jussi on Helicopter.  I had heard that this problem was an ankle eater… but silly old me hopped on anyway because it looked like an enjoyable problem.  After attempting it about four times, I feel from the crux “helicopter” move and re-tweaked my already sprained ankle.  Argh! 

Juho sending Druxmanie. =)  I really liked this climb and am hoping to go back for another try at the send.

Me on La Marie Rose. 

Working the crux topout of La Statique.

Jussi getting so close to sticking Vin Rouge, a 7a dyno.

One day I met three Finnish guys, Jussi, Juho and Tuomo, and ended up meeting up with them on 3 different days to climb.  Tuormo worked for a Finnish television company and had this great 8mm camera that rattled loudly while in use. He took a handful of footage on the days we climbed together.  Here he was taking footage of an excellent traverse at Fronchard Isatis.  The traverse isn’t named but is on #29 on the Red Circuit.  Good times!

Re-circling to the series I started in December …. post 2 of Living the Nomadic Life.

1. Just Leave
2. The Best Car for the Road
3. What to Pack
4. Where to Visit
5. Tips and Tidbits

The “best” car for the road is quite a subjective topic as it depends more on what is important to you than the actual vehicle itself.  Things to consider include:

• How much do you want to spend on gasoline?
• Is your current vehicle reliable?  Or should you buy a new one?
• How many people are going on the trip?  (If traveling with another person, a car is probably NOT IDEAL as the car becomes your home and it is nice to have some space.)
• How much space do you need to feel comfortable and happy?  And how important is complete privacy (i.e. the windows of a car vs. the enclosure of a van)?

Basically there are three main options.  The biggest variables are space versus gasoline prices, giving up one for the other.

The Dream Home

I saw some fantastic van set-ups on the road, thinking especially of Prairie’s and Nick’s vehicles.  I unfortunately did not take any pictures. Argh!  I have emailed Prairie and hopefully will have some pictures to post up for you soon.  Basically the best van setup is where the bed is located at the very back by the back door allowing the middle of the van to be open.  Both of my friends had constructed their belongings to be in stacks or built shelves, creating an atmosphere of a true room.

Along these same lines is the camper setup. It doesn’t provide as much spare room as a van, but still creates a true home feeling..

Amy’s and Tripp’s camper setup.

The Lil Chicka posted her old travel vehicle on her blog.  You can see how they were able to organize in stacks, creating some walking space.

The Runner Up

Many people travel in SUVs or mini vans were the backseat is removed and the whole back is made into a bed, creating a storage space underneath the bed.

This picture is from TheRockClimberGirl blog. I traveled in a similar setup for about a week and it was very comfortable and worked well, requiring very little re-arrangement for sleeping.

The Tight Squeeze

For the penny pinches, traveling by car is an option.

Pierre traveled in this little car but had taken out the back seat and built a bed area that allowed him to lay flat, albeit with limited wiggle room.

When his car was completely packed up, it looked like this.

My Set Up = Tight Squeeze

I ended up with the tight squeeze approach because…

1. When I left home gasoline prices were $3.50 a gallon. I knew I would be traveling a lot and didn’t know how to forecast future fuel prices.
2. My Honda was very reliable and I trusted it to be able to go the whole trip, which it did.
3. I was traveling solo and so a tight squeeze approach could work for me.
4. I was content with the limited privacy and space.

I kept the front fairly clean so that CB could sit on the passenger side if she needed a break from the backseat.

I slept in the backseat, having this bed basically set up at all times.  The only thing I had to move when wanting to sleep was the crashpad (as it was stored on my bed) from the backseat to the front seat. (Yes… I slept in the backseat of my car…. for almost the entire 8 months.)

Most of my belongings were in the trunk.  Near the end of the trip I had organized everything into bins to ensure dryness as moisture liked to seep into my trunk (a fact I did not know as it never rains in Utah).  The empty spot in the picture was used for my cooler.

Have you been on the road before?  If so, what was your setup?  And what did you think about it?

Adrian on ‘Dirty Martini’.

Usually guidebooks include a list of area classic, which was the case in the Hueco Tanks guide; however, sometimes my favorites vary from those of the author.  For instance, many of the classics in the Hueco guidebook were high balls, which I don’t really enjoy (in fact usually skipped).  So I have started to compile some of my favorite lines in each area I visit, with the following being my Hueco list.

V0

• Small Potatoes area includes a whole handful of fabulous v0 – v2 climbs. (Small Potatoes, North Mountain)

V1

• Orifice Affair – (Lunch Rock area, North Mountain) 

V2

• Name? – (Small Potatoes, North Mountain) There is a prow climb in the small potatos area.  I can’t remember the name now (and I am sans guidebook as I am sitting in France) but remember this line being real fun.

V3

• La Delicate – (New Meadow, North Mountain) Technical slab climb.
• Ostersizer – (Backountry) This fun line is located in the backcountry next to Hobbit in a Blender.  However, I learned after I left that a huge chunk of it came off during the Rock Rodeo, splicing a brand new pad in half.
• Sign of the Cross – (Sign of the Cross, North Mountain) Tricky!  If you can’t reach the starting holds, get a boost.  Do-able, just takes a little time to figure out (at least for me).

V4

• Girls of Juarez – (Upper Lost Boulder, North Mountain)
• Moonshine Roof – (Backcountry) This roof includes a big first move that traverses into an intriguing surfboard feature, with a consistent finish.
• Warmup Roof – (Backcountry)
• T-Bone Shuffle – (North Mountain)

 V5

• Lobster Claw – (New Meadow, North Mountain) Fabulous line with many beta variations.
• Jigsaw Puzzle – (Backcountry)
• DragonFly – (Backcountry)

V6

• King Cobra – (New Meadow, North Mountain) Powerful! The finish looks so straightforward, but watch out as that heel hook likes to spit that heel right out.
• See Spot – (Big Time Boulder, North Moutain) Quite a tall problem that I did not send and probably never will. =)
• Baby Martini – (Martini Cave, North Mountain)

V7

• Big Iron on His Hip – (Martini Cave, North Mountain) This might have been my all time favorite climb at Hueco.  The sit start is popular line Dirty Martini, but if you are like me and can’t climb v9 right now this is a perfect alternative that includes all the enjoyable moves. =)  In order to send I had to use a bicycle, heel-toe cam and this great campus cross move.  SO FUN!
• Roughage – (Lunch Rocks, North Mountain)
• Speedbump – (New Meadow, North Mountain) This is a great line because it is so easy with the right beta and so hard otherwise.  The key move is a weird heel hook that seems impossible, but completely unocks the problem.
• Guns of Navarone – (North Moutain) A new line not in the book, located near Baby Face and Daily Dick Dose.  I actually never got the chance to try it, but it looks superb. Real long and crimpy, with the crimps supposedly becoming more positive the further you climb.

 V8

• Chris’s Arete – (North Mountain) The climb is said to be soft for the grade, and to be honest I agree with that assessment.  Regardless if it is a v7 or v8, try it… it is fun!
• Something Different –  (Backcountry) Only worked on this climb one day, but the moves (especially the beginning moves if you are shorter like myself) were intriguing.
• Sex after Death – (Backcountry) Hello crimps!

V9

• Dirty Martini – (Martini Cave, North Mountain) This is the only v9 that I hopped on.  The climb felt ok except for the shut down first move.  If you can pull this incredibly hard first move, the rest will be a cake walk.        

Hueco Tanks at sunset.  Photo by the beautiful Suzy Q.

Hueco Tanks is a premier bouldering destination located in El Paso, Texas with 1700+ boulder problems. (Please note that I had a house to stay in with friends while in Hueco, so much of this write-up is information I gathered from other climbers.)

Best Time to Visit

Hueco Tanks is a winter destination with the climbing season being from November to March, with the prime season being December to February. Expect it to still be quite warm during these months as the average temperature during my stay, from January 15 – February 15, was mid-60′s.

Length of Stay

The climbing is so numerous that a many month trip might still not be sufficient. I stayed for exactly a month and felt like I had just scratched the surface on the bouldering, and had yet to check out a single route.

How to Get There

Hueco Tanks is quite straightforward to locate. While in El Paso, navigate your way to Montana Avenue (also known as US-180 / US-62). Follow this road East until you see Hueco Tanks / Ranch Road. Make a left turn and follow this road to the visitor center of the park.

Guidebook

The guidebook is called Hueco Tanks and is authored by Matt Wilder and published by Wolverine. It is a phenomenal guidebook, making each area and problem easy to locate due to the inclusion of its 300+ color photos.

Climbing in Hueco

Hueco Tanks has a handful of rules and regulations. Basically there are 4 climbing area: North Mountain (the main area) and West Mountain, East Mountain and the East Spur (all 3 of referred to as the backcountry). North Mountain allows 70 climbers per day, 60 by reservation and 10 walk ins, with a cost of $5 per person. To make a reservation, call Texas Parks and Wildlife at 512-389-8900. The earlier you make a reservation the better, with people making reservations a year in advance.

To access the backcountry, you must have a guide. I believe there are 3 ways to line up a guide: commercial tours, volunteer tours and personal guide (meaning you personally know someone who is a guide and willing to take you out). Commercial tours are (I believe) ran out of the Rock Ranch and consist of groups of 10 people, $20 per person. The volunteer tours are free but it sounds like you are at the mercy of the crowd. My facts on these two types of tours could be a little off as I only went on tours with friends. If I were to do it again, I would strive to hop on more volunteer tours.

Classic Climbs

There are so many must do problems in Hueco, I am going to make this point its own blog post.

Camping

• Hueco Tanks Park – there is camping in the park, ranging from $12 – 16 per night. The upside of this camping is you are located right in the park. The cons include no dogs and gates shut at 6pm (meaning you can not drive in or out after 6pm.  Boo!).
• Rock Ranch – the Rock Ranch is located within a mile of the Park. The cost to camp is $5 a night, but discounted to $4 per night if staying for longer than 14 days. This is the main climber hang out and dogs are welcome.
• BLM Land – there is free camping on BLM land. I don’t know where it is located exactly (but could find out if one of you readers are interested). I just heard it was a little sketchy for the lone woman traveler, which I am.

Wi-fi

There is wifi in the park and at the ranger station. I think you are supposed to use this wifi only if you are a paid camper, but I believe most climbers would just walk over from the Rock Ranch.

Rest Day Activities

I usually worked on my rest days while in Texas, so don’t have too much advice in this area. Below are a few suggestions.

• White Sands National Park – I did take CB to this National Park and it was one of my favorite stops on my trip. The brilliant white sand looks like mountains covered in powder, including a handful of tourists sledding down the billows.  It is definitely worth the mere couple hour drive.
• El Paso – El Paso does have a lot to offer including a handful of museums and theaters.
• Carlsbad Caverns – I did not visit the caverns, located within a couple hour drive, but hear it is a worthy destination.
• Juarez, Mexico - Juarez is a mere 30 minute drive. In the past it was common for climbers to cross over the border to explore the neighboring country.  However, when I was visiting there was a lot of unrest and violence, especially in Juarez.  I only knew of one climber who made the trek on a rest day.
• Petroglyph tour – Hueco provides art tours of the many petroglyphs within the park.  I hear the tours are fabulous, but did not go on one.

Other

• Dogs – no dogs are allowed in the park (including the campground), nor can you keep them in your car due to the heat. The Rock Ranch does allow dogs to roam free on the lot, but this alternative didn’t quite work for me as I would have been nervous leaving CB (a chihuahua) to fend for herself.
• The Scene – the scene in Hueco is intense! Whew! Expect your visit to include fabulous climb after fabulous climb, but also expect to hear name dropping and lots of discussion of 8a cards. Expect to daily see v12′s crushed and don’t be surprised at all the photographers and their mass of gear. The climbing still makes it worth the trip, but the scene was by far my least favorite out of all the destinations I visited. I even heard a guy comment that he couldn’t send his project because of his shoelaces. Really?! Come on.

If you have any additional beta, please feel free to comment or email me.

I felt fortunate that world class destination Hueco Tanks was on my list of road trip stops.  I had heard about this destination for years and happily rolled in mid-January, exploring the boulder problems for a month.  

(I apologize prior to any of you readers scrolling through the pics.  Usually my posts include pics of friends, but I was real lax on taking pictures in Hueco as there were always friends around with better cameras than mine.  The result was good pics, but most of the ones I received were of just me.  I apologize.)

The El Paso landscape. Photo by Craig Copelin.

One of my Red River Gorge friends hiking down North Mountain at sunset.

Me working through the crux of “Baby Martini”. This climb was a perfect way to wreck oneselves at the end of the day. Long and core intensive, it was an excellent way to ensure a great workout. Photo by Frank Wu.

Me on “DragonFly”. Photo by Craig Copelin.

Kenyon on “Fern Roof”, which he sent a couple days after this picture.  Congrats, my friend.

Me on “The King Cobra”. I loved this line and had to put in quite a few days of work prior to sending. It was one of my proudest sends simply because it was a climb that wasn’t my style.

Daron on “Julio and Me”. Photo by Frank Wu.

Me on “Moonshine Roof”. The best part about this climb was the huge surfboard feature pictured here. Photo by Frank Wu.

A fun aspect of road tripping is continually running into the same people. I had climbed with Courtney, pictured here, in Rumbling Bald and then again in Hueco Tanks. She was in Hueco with her friend Shulpa, who I have now ran into in Joshua Tree and in Bishop. =)  Here Courtney is climbing the fun line “La Delicate” in the New Meadow area.

Me on “Big Iron On His Hip”. This was by far my favorite line in all of Hueco, that I luckily sent right before the end of my trip. Though the line wasn’t really aesthetic, it included the coolest movement with techniques such as a heel-toe cam, a bicycle and a campus drive by move.. all of which were necessary (at least for me) in order to send. So much fun!  Photo by Frank Wu.

I had lived out of my car for my entire road trip until I reached Hueco. In Hueco I had a place to stay in with fellow climbers, which worked out well for the sole reason that I didn’t know what I would have done with CB otherwise (as dogs are not allowed in the park). The Rock Ranch allows dogs to roam, but CB is so small that I would have worried about her. The people in the house were great. Pictured here is Tammy and Daron shaving the dog and James drinking jack and coke… all at 9:45am. =)  CB absolutely loved James, and he was real great with her, petting her while he would play video games on his rest days.

El Paso is quite the unique place. Old buses, random open air living arrangements and buildings that look like space craft can be sighted on the way to the Park.

I love this picture. This is me, hanging out with The CragBaby and Johnny Utah.

Lastly, a picture of my Hueco “office”.

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is a dude ranch that also houses a good number of sport climbs (around 250+ lines) and boulders of sandstone rock.

Best Time to Visit  

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is a cool weather bouldering destination making the best time to visit when the temps are in 40 – 60’s.  I visited in January and definitely experienced days that were in the 30′s, with temps below freezing at night.  The best seasons to visit would be spring and fall.

Length of Stay

There is a good amount of climbing in Horseshoe Canyon Ranch and the surrounding areas.  On my visit I was there to boulder only, and felt that I had pretty much bouldered it out within a week to week and a half.

How to Get There 

Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is located outside of Jasper, Arkansas.  From Jasper, travel 7.4 miles on State Highway 74.  You will see a brown sign that says something along the lines of “Turn Now for Horseshoe Canyon Ranch” and you should immediately make a left turn on a dirt road.  Follow this road for just over a 1/2 mile, seeing two different signs stating that Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is a 1/2 mile away.  You will then come to the gate (remember to close behind you) and the road will take you right to the store where, if open, you can get all the information you need from Barry.

Guidebook

There is a Dr. Topo guide available, plus a book that is specifically about Horseshoe Canyon Ranch.  The Dr. Topo guide is almost as good as the bouldering sections of the guide, so is a good alternative for a short stay.

Camping

Climbers are allowed to camp in Horseshoe Canyon Ranch for a cost of $5 per day.  As a solo traveler,  camping at the Ranch is probably the best idea if looking for fellow climbers.  There is free camping somewhere nearby (within a 30 minute drive) but unfortunately I don’t know exactly where it is located.  Another option is to stay in the cabins.  A crew of us did this one night when the temps hit real low levels and the cost (in January 2009) was $80.  The cabins are nice and can comfortably sleep 5+ people in beds and a handful more on the floor.  Note that all animals on the ranch wander around so there is a good chance that your cabin could be surrounded by horses in the morn (reference picture above).

Wi-fi  

Wi-fi is available at The Lodge.  The Lodge is supposed to be used by cabin guests only, but Barry, the owner of Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, allowed me to use the wifi.

Wi-fi can also be found in town at The Library, which is located at the very edge of town by the car wash.

Rest-Day Activities

Jasper is a quant little town that can be explored on rest days.  There is a great little restaurant, The Boardwalk Café, that serves excellent organic foods.  There are a couple of national parks within a couple hour drives, but I did not check them out.

Other

• There are many dogs that roam through the ranch.  The guidebook suggests not to feed them and requests that climbers keep their dogs on leash.  The dogs are friendly but are very protective of their food and the livestock.
• When I rolled into Horseshoe Canyon Ranch and Jasper, I was coming in with 8 friends.  Our presence increased the population of the town by 1.6%.  This fact for some reason cracked me up. =)

If you have any additional beta, please feel free to comment or email me.

I haven’t written on this site for a couple weeks, the longest I have ever gone without posting.  My last post, which I removed, was about The Future of Climbing.  I wrote it with the intent of creating a discussion about how the climbing industry structure could change and how crag access and other climbing issues could be addressed through climbing professionals.  I was amazed at the response of this post.  I received numerous positive emails and twitter posts, but also received a good handful of negative blog comments.  Negative blog comments always surprise me because in my 5+ years of blog reading I have never had a need or desire to personally attack someone on their own site.  

The negative comments made me realize that perhaps I had written the post incorrectly or in a format where my true tone didn’t come across.  I was honestly trying to create a discussion, but had posed my thoughts in questions which could have been taking as finger pointing.  I realize this now.

I considered re-posting my entry, but have decided against it because I realized that perhaps I don’t need to create these discussions.  I also realized through this post that perhaps I don’t want to spend so much time talking about climbing.  

I have been writing this blog for 2 years (no, I did NOT start it when I went on my road trip.) I started this site because I work as an analyst for a venture capital firm, with my industry of focus being online technologies.  In order to understand these technologies, I must use them.  I started the Wasatch Girl blog, but was struggling at first to find my online voice.  So I started the Cragbaby blog with the hopes that talking about my hobby, climbing, would be a catalyst for my business posts.  This technique truly worked and I continued to write on this site for the sole reason that people seemed to enjoy stopping by. =)

With the response to my last post though, I finally realized that my time would be better spent focusing on the Wasatch Girl and my career, rather than the Crag Baby and my hobby.  I think climbing for me is meant to be simply enjoyed.  Climbing will never be my life nor do I want to work in the outdoor industry, so I am going to focus on just loving the act of climbing rather than talking about it.

Working the moves on Devoted. Buttermilks, Bishop. (Photo by Dan Brayack).

I plan on continuing to post on this site, but with less frequency.  I want the few posts I do upload to be content focused with information that might be useful to you readers.  I will still post the occasional photos of my recent destination stops, but want to focus more on trip beta write-ups (like this Rock Town post which many of you readers have emailed and mentioned was useful), problem suggestions for each area and how-to posts on road tripping (for instance this post on Living the Nomadic Life).  I might continue to post my gratitude lists on this site, but think I will move my thoughts on volunteering to the Wasatch Girl.

Hope you readers are well.  

Best.

Rachel

And … once again it is time to move on. =)

I have been in Hueco Tanks for the past month, soaking up the desert sun and attempting to get stronger.  I have absolutely loved the climbing here in Texas, but to be honest I am completely ready to move to the next destination. Whew! Next up is a quick stop in Joshua Tree, being there a mere few days, and then off to Bishop.

If any of you readers are close to either of these destinations, drop me a line as I would love to catch up.