The CragBaby

Oh my….  I just swung by Jun’s blog and saw the best post EVER!  It is a video of SLC locals bouldering and I LOVE IT! I love watching Severhead and Jun crushing, giggled when JamesMonster cut her feet on a v0, smiled when I saw ShutUp at the Wrinkle in Time area in Joes Valley …. and then laughed out loud when I saw I was actually included in this video.  HA HA HA!  I do have two questions though…

1. Why does everyone in this video send EXCEPT me? =)
2. How in the world did I miss this strip show by Severhead?

Thanks for putting this together, Jun.  I can’t wait to get out and boulder with the local gang.

Little Cottonwood Canyon houses numerous boulders and routes, most of which on granite rock. The majority of the routes are traditional lines with a few sport routes (one of which being All Chalk and No Action) with boulders sprinkled throughout the whole canyon. The canyon rock is known for its small features that are superb when the temps are in the 40 – 55 degree fahrenheit range, but can be nearly impossible at warmer temps, making the grades often feel sandbagged.

A couple weeks back, Shaft and I ran up to the Five Mile area as I am working smiley left. The funny thing is I almost topped out this project last summer at a night bouldering session (the least likely time to climb in LCC) but am struggling to get off the main rail with the optimal temps. Argh.

Smiley Left beta. It actually looks as if a foot hold fell off; however, I am pretty positive it was a foot hold I wasn’t using. Oh well… I will use it as an excuse anyway. He he he.. just kidding. =)

Shaft on the warm up slab.

Shaft on the Surfboard.

With this erractic weather, LCC season (especially as of last weekend) was over as the temperatures soared into the 90s. Thankfully a storm has blown in allowing me to hop on some boulders with Katie, Shaft and new friend JR on Monday. Perhaps this storm will allow LCC season to last just a tid-bit longer.

I have been wanting to hop on the uber classic route “All Chalk and No Action” for quite awhile as many people have mentioned that it would be my style (crimpy!). A couple weekends ago the crew and I headed up LCC for the first battle.

The Route Slayer on a TR run of “All Chalk and No Action”.

The Route Slayer, Gunner, BinerBen and I all did about 3 laps on TR, assessing out the holds. Next time I go back, I will probably need to do a couple more top rope runs prior to hopping on lead. The climb is CRIMPY with two distinct crux moves and I think a fall from the last bolt going to the chains could be “exciting”.

Grace climbing a funky 5.9.

The boys: Shaft, Gunner, Tallman, BinerBen. LCC was beautiful this day. The temps were perfect for LCC granite climbing, but warm enough to cause two avalanches across the canyon.

Ms. Unicorn gets the hardcore high five for the day. This girl just started climbing and has NO FEAR. Even though she is a noob, she hopped on the 5.12 to “give it a try” and ended up with a bloody finger. She then hopped on a TR that was on “Perhaps” and after unclipping the bolt (for anyone who has done this climb you know that bolt on the slab) fell and took a pendulum swing, ripping her pants, that scared everyone on the ground, but not her. Hard core!

The Route Slayer on one of the warm ups. The climbing on this problem is easy, but the height can be quite mental. As Shaft would say, “It’s NOT over!”  =)

Me on the Chipped Arete Variation. Fun.

Triznut crushing “Fat Albert”. It is amazing how this climb feels so much more do–able in the right temps.

 HA HA HA! Check out the determination! This might be the worst photo of me EVER, but that look and my beloved heel hook helped me pull “Salad”, completing my second V5. I completed my third, a great undercling one at the Parking Lot, about a week later.  I was so psyched!