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.