Latest Moss and Choss

[JC w KC redux]

KC and I had a fun day yesterday. We started the day with a scarefest on the Shepherd.
I led Sheepish 5.6R in the hope that the gear would be good and the rock quality might be similar to the Lamb.
Read no further if you're an onsight douche like me
Well, no need to tell you too much - other than the gear stances were mostly awkward and the placements dubious - mainly because of rock quality. After the last pro (a slung lodestone) the rock deteriorates horribly, the moves are committing, the drag is pretty awful and the runout is crazy. Other than that it's a wonderful climb!

Placing gear on Sheepish from a nice comfortable stance





The gear doesn't gain you much altitude but the runout sure does!





After Sheepish we decided to go hunt some bugs on Hunting Spiders 5.7.
I led this one a few months ago with the FA'ers (Jon Cochran and waldo) and I didn't want KC to miss out on the fun.
There were a few other climbers already on route, so we asked what they were doing to make sure there would be no conflicts. I had a pretty good idea there wouldn't be - since no one actually does this route!
As we continued to talk we realized we were both M&C er's. Turns out it was the Llama Dangler - rhyang.
He and his pard were starting up TT to climb some of the upper tier routes.

"Watcha doin' Spanky?" "I'm bug huntin!" I recommend this route. It's pretty cool other than a bit of rope drag.





rhyang was on Cool Daze while I was bug huntin'





After we Hunted Spiders it was time for KC to get her lead on.
We went to another climb I'd onsighted with Aaron McDonald a while back.

KC onsighting Rumbling Rampart 5.6





Not to let the moment fade, I suggested KC lead Walk the Plank. She said she wasn't ready but I knew she was.

KC Walks the Plank - she said she was spooked but it didn't show as she did a solid lead.
I was super proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone!





We ended the day with me free soloing Big Bad West and The Lamb.
I just needed to get my head back and get a little more time on the rock. Pure fun!

Looking forward to the Rockpile! NWS is showing sunny and warm.

[rhyang]

Great pics, and nice meeting you two finally !  What a perfect day -- not so warm as to be unpleasant, just enough clouds to make us appreciate the sun

We warmed up on Chockstone.  Hua hadn't climbed at the Pinns before and wanted to get used to it before diving in.  Here she is on Walk the Plank -



She warmed right up, and led Overboard too, p1 of Tilting Terrace, and then Rebecca's Sailing -



Then we mosied on over to the Destiny Wall area and did Dos Equis.  I was feeling tired after that, so she led Corona as a cool-down.

Nice to see that the place hasn't changed all that much since becoming a National Park !

btw I could hear you instructing that other party about knob tie-offs from two pitches up    Sure enough, their leader made use of one while doing Bits and Pieces.

[JC w KC redux]

Thanks for sharing ryhang - ironic that you guys were on Chockstone too!
Great that you got in all those pitches (I know you led Cool Daze and Adam's Apple)  and impressive that Hua led all that stuff. Nice that the ladies put that sling technique to good use.
Will you guys be coming next weekend?

[cobbledik]

Ugh, I've had some times on hunting spiders.

After making it onto the vertical wall left, grabbed into a huge bowlingball sized stone that immediately come out, I was able to transition quickly to another large stone that promptly came out as well. Took the ride and watched as the stones started to shoot down the fully directly at my belayer. Luckily she held it together and held the belay. Made it through and brought her up. A very West Side experience.

[Atomizer]

Walk The Plank looks pretty cool.

[JC w KC redux]

Ugh, I've had some times on hunting spiders.

I remember reading your account of that online somewhere.
Thanks for cleaning it up! - glad no one was hurt in the process.
There are some big holes up there when you cross the gully.

[JC w KC redux]

Walk The Plank looks pretty cool.

It's super fun with some excitement as you step across to the first bolt over Davey Jones Locker.
The rock on both routes is nice quality and definitely worth a romp.
The Poison Oak at the bottom of the rappel is raging and the wind tried to blow my toss right into it.
I did a controlled dragdown of the rope on my way down to avoid it.
You can usually just toss way left and then realign on the way down.