Indian Creek Weekend, Day 3

Day 3 - Sweet riding on the Sovereign Trails.

Tanya enjoying the slick rock of the Sovereign Trails

It takes a while to strike camp and pack up. By noon-ish, Tanya and I head back towards Moab to ride the Sovereign Trails. It's a new single track system about 12 miles south of town. They're constantly adding to it so we drop by Rim Cyclery to pick up a current map. Up the street is Pasta Jays...how could we not stop for lunch?! Fueled up, we're finally at the "trail head" about 3. Even with map in hand, we're missed the mark on the trail head and the trail! We have one little fun section and then can't find a way to connect back to single track. This is not at all like I remember and I apologzing to Tanya saying there's got to be more and it's all a blast. After tooling around for an hour, we find that we've made a big loop and decide the head back. There are folks at the trailhead - apparently we went the wrong way and just caught the tail end of the system. We go left as directed...jackpot!! It's exactly as I remeber it!! Fun, fast, mild technical challenges, and cool slick rock. Tanya take a scary looking slow spill where she ends up folded in half, head side down, legs over, ass up! She hears me say, "oh", "oh", "oh!" as the slow tumble progresses and yells - 'I'm OK', while still in "position", before I have time to ask. Alls well and it's just good laughs. Shortly after that, it's time to head back, down a quick cider at the car, and meet Glen, Silvia and the kids at Eddy McStiffs. I'm exhausted but it's been an incredible trip!

Indain Creek Weekend, Day 2

Day 2, Stellar climbing at The Reservoir Wall

The gals arrived about 11:30 last night but heard all the raucous noise from our camp and decided to settle down the road at a safe distance. We make arrangements to meet them at the Second Meat Wall. We get there nearly 11:30ish but there are so many cars, we decide to go elsewhere. Good thing! There was apparently a huge party of 20 somethings all in costume! We take our chances at The Reservoir Wall, and except for our large party, there's only two small groups. Silvia sees Pente open and rushes to claim it. It's a classic and always occupied. Not only does she love it, but it's as pure of a crack climb as one can get, all 160 feet of it! For us ladies, it's thin hands to perfect hand jams. She leads it beautifully. I get about 15-20 feet off the ground to the little roof and am totally spanked. Nothing I do makes a difference! There's flailing and then there's failing outright. I haven't had that with climbing since I was a beginner! Disappointment is an understatement. I watch a couple of others give it a run... ahh...the right foot up into the roof crack and stem left. Well, next time. There's a long line for the climb and I doubt I'll have another shot this trip.

So, I belay Dan on an unnamed short (60ft) diahedrahal hand jam climb (fist jam for me). I hadn't had much success with fist jams before. Dan gives me great fist jam beta and it works wonderfully! By mid point, I'm exhausted (poor technique), but scend after that. Fun little climb!

Luckily, I get a second shot at Pente! Bingo, the right foot beta does the trick and I'm up it, no problem. As I climb and wear myself out, Glen yells up helpful hints, like 'point your knee towards the crack'. What a difference that makes! I finally get into a groove about 2/3's up as the crack becomes a perfect hand jam for me. I can relax and not fight for every inch. The rest goes clean to the anchors and I'm jubilant! I haven't been that happy about getting to the top of a climb in years. The line is so beautiful, so sustained, and such an accomplishment for me.

I end the day on a thin crack with lots of stemming possibilities, Dr. Carl. My leg is shaking as I'm exhausted, but this is such a fun kind of climb! There's plenty of rests and barely a need to cam your toes into the crack, so why not. Just as everyone else attests, it's a blast to do and a wonderful way to end the day!


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Completely spent, I head down to the girls camp site for their group meal. Joseffa makes a marvelous dish with penne, veggies, and thai peanut sauce. It hits the spot perfectly. All of us then head up to the main camp site to enjoy the fire, port and chocolate. Yummm! It's a Beth thing but I'm going to make it a part on my camping repertoire. At one point, Dan lights a flare and that provides a surprisingly pleasant and almost christmas-sy ambiance. The evening is lots of laughs but not quite as heightened as the night before.

At about 1:30 (I am a night owl after all), a couple joins the fire, and that seems to stoke a second wind in those remaining. Suddenly 3 new bottles of whiskey appear, and it's my signal to call it. I walk back over the rock rim to my tent. Already, their clamor is mitigated by the boulders encompassing the basin. Those mushroom are aglow again in the moonlight. Coupled with the cool air, a pleasant calm comes over me. I take a short walk to one of the mushrooms across the way, scamper up, and lay on the flat top, star gazing. There is nothing else but this now and I am happy here.

Indian Creek Weekend, Day 1

Day 1 - Superb climbing at The Optimator Wall

The warm sun wakes me. Wondering if I should get up yet, I hear the little voices of Giulia and Keenan. They chatter as they stomp over the rock bar and exclaim "Ooooohhh". (I'm not the only one impressed). They see my tent and realize someone "lives" here and unexpectedly considerate for their age (5 & 4), they start to whisper. How cute!

After my usual camp breakfast (oatmeal and a hard boiled egg), we rack up and head over to climb at The Optimator Wall at the "crack of noon". I get a chance to enhance my off road driving experience in the Audi with a river crossing and fun sandy spots. It's a steep hike up but stunning when we get up there. We settle under a "cave" created by an enormous fallen slab, right by Annunaki. The angles, colors, and reflected light are sublte and sublime. Of course, I forget to pack my camera that day and am so disappointed. Silvia, ever the considerate climber and hostess, picks gentle Lady Pillar to start with. There's plenty of face features for your feet so it's a nice mild warm up. Next, she strings up Neat. It's a dihedrahal crack climb that doesn't become crack only until the mid point. 3 feet beneath the anchors is a small roof. After very important hand camming technique advice from Silvia, I do fine until I get to the roof. Flailing would be an understatement! I take repeatedly and finally crawl my way to the anchors. My final climb of the day is on a thin double crack system, Unnamed B. I make my previous flailing on Neat look like an aquatic dream! Yikes!


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Tanya and I head back to camp with the kids so Glen and Silvia can get some more climbs in. Silvia gets to lead Annunaki with only one fall. It's a crazy hard thin steep crack. Wow.

We play "slack" board with the kids, climb up on one of the mushroom boulder, and take in the sunset. It's dark before the climbing group returns (Silvia, Glen, Matt, Katie, & Matt). Then later in the evening the Friday night arrivals begin (Baca, Tim, Lisa and Drew). As the whiskey bottles are passed, the fire grows larger and the laughter more raucous. At one point, white gas comes to the party. Let's just say whiskey and white gas is a bad combo, and hearing someone yell "drop and roll!" defines a moment like no other! No one is terribly worse for the wear and we are lucky to remember the night as "funny". The night ends (for me) with Glen teaching Ike and Jos how to make "dry fart" sounds (versus wet or walking, he he). Terribly amusing but after 10 minutes or so...it's time for me to hit the sack! Besides, it's 2AM and I need some semblance of sleep if any decent climbing is going to happen.

Indian Creek Weekend

Panorama of my camp spot

What an incredibly beautiful weekend! It's been a while since I've been mesmerized by my camping location!! Many places are nice or convenient, few are spiritual rejuvenations. This is such a place for me. That's just the camping! The climbing is intimidating but exhilirating. It's quite a different sense of accomplishment when you're able to defy gravity and scend one of these climbs. Indian Creek is certainly a new favorite for me!

Early morning arrival

Silvia and I set off Thursday evening and arrive about 1:30 AM. I hammer my last stake in at 2 but wired from driving all night, I need a moment to allow my tiredness in. The back side of the boulders that define our camp area seem like an ideal spot to wind down with a cider. I walk over a small rock bar and my jaw drops. Back here is a large sandy wash encompassed by mushroom shaped boulders aglow in silver in the moonlight. It's like a private bowl. Obviously, I MUST sleep here! Not only is it beautiful, sand is the best to sleep on! There's a wonderfully flat spot encircled by brush, high and to the left of the wash (no one should sleep in a wash afterall!) It takes no time to unstake and transplant the settlement to this perfect spot. The stakes sink in easily with a simple stomp on each and home is set. Back up to my cider sipping spot, I bask in the crazy bright half moon light. Fred would love this; Fred needs this. I resolve to bring him here some future 2AM half moon night. Overwhelmed by the beauty, believing it temporal and fragile, as if it doesn't happen nightly here, I can't tear myself away until the cold penetrates my layers. By 3AM, I force myself into the tent and sleep well into the morning.

Day 1 - Superb climbing at The Optimator Wall

Day 2 - Stellar climbing at The Reservoir Wall

Day 3 - Sweet riding on the Sovereign Trails.

Goldfish

Ha!

The Front Fell Off!

Wow - too funny! It's like a Monty Python skit but it's a real interview!!

Climbing Log: Turkey Rocks

Climbed Turkey Rocks in the South Platte this weekend with the gals - Silvia, Tori, Kira, Kre, Joseffa, and the kids (Giulia,Ike and Jos). The weather was suppose to be rainy, especially on Sunday. Originally, the plan was to go to Indian Creek, in Utah close to Moab. But the thought of rain on soft sandstone is beyond frightening. Hence we chose to stay closer to home and take advantage of the better forecast for Saturday at least. If Sunday turned sour as forecasted (50% chance), then it was only a couple hours to head home.

As luck would have it, the weather held out on Sat, only spitting in the late afternoon. Sunday however was absolutely beautiful! The wind abated, it was partially sunny, and in the 70's - a perfect day to be out!

I won't go over too much detail about the climbs as time does not permit but wanted to get the climbs logged in. I didn't lead a thing - my first 7 was fairly stiff and enough to put me in full chicken mode. Here, Here! to all the gals that did lead, especially on the final day - wow those climbs are hard!!

Day 1 -
Turkey Perch: Honky Jam Ass Crack (L- Tori), Ragger Bagger & Reefer Madness
All the kid climbed HJAC and were amazing!

Day 2 -
Turkey Tail: Turkey’s Delight (L - Joseffa & Silvia) & Rasmussen (L - Kre / I can't believe I made it to the top of this even on TR!). The tough ladies (i.e. not me) also did Whimsical Dreams (L - Joseffa)

Turkey Perch: Left Handed Jew (L - Silvia & Tori) Giulia made it to the top of this & hung out nonchalantly as mom self belayed herself up to retrieve her. Giulia was too light to be lowered! Concerned? Not at all...she entertained herself by swinging on the rope and going "whhheeeeee!"

Once again, not a lot of photos but here are some cute ones: