Winter break!!
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First stop...Red Rocks. Since we were climbing routes there weren't many opportunities to take photos, as one person was climbing as the other belayed.
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We spent a day at the Gallery, 2 days at Sunny & Steep, and one day climbing Olive Oil (III 5.7).
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These two pics are from a particularly photogenic section of the approach to a crag called Sunny and Steep.
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After we had enough of the Las Vegas area, we decided to cruise down to Bishop for some bouldering!
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The drive was beautiful, with some nice mountain views.
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We even passed some random sand dunes in Nevada!
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As we crested the first of several mountain passes, the Sierras magically came into view.
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We had to wait for cattle to cross the highway in front of us, on more than one occasion!
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The scenery is getting increasingly spectacular...we must be close to Bishop...
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Merrick met us at the Happy Boulders, driving the 1984 Ford Station Wagon that served me so well in college.
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And now for some bouldering! Here's Merrick on a sweet V3 arete.
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We randomly stumbled across this beautiful V1.
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The central line on this boulder is Serengeti (V5). At the time it was my hardest send ever!
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But this changed the very next day, when I sent The Hulk (V6). The sequence on this line was super fun.
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Merrick spent a few minutes working Action Figure. He managed to work out all the moves, and a send seems virtually guaranteed on his next trip down!
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**UPDATE 1/24/02** Merrick DID send it on his next visit! We knew it was inevitable...
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On our third and final day, we headed to the Buttermilks, which feature world-class bouldering in a truly spectacular setting.
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We started out with a nice V1 slab, which didn't have a single handhold! Because of my relatively poor footwork it took a few tries to make it up, but then I did it a half-dozen more times to dial in the friction technique.
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We also tried a super-aesthetic arete climb, Pope's Prow (V5). Approaching it from the right is one way to start...
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...but coming in from the left seemed more promising. It's definitely a climb to try again next time!
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Next on the circuit was a unique V2, the aptly named A Birthing Experience.
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Merrick contemplates an escape from the "womb"...
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Yuko climbing the same route.
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The trip finally had to come to an end. The road out from the 'milks was less than perfect...
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but the spectacular sunset more than compensated for it.
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Merrick met up with some local climbers on the way out, for an unusually scenic game of Hacky-Sack.
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Merrick, me and Yuko, prior to heading our separate ways. Until next time...
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