New Spikes peak routes

[F4?]

Footage from Friday. I am still working on synching music to the footage.

[JC w KC redux]

Pretty cool for the first 60 seconds.
I remember getting to that big ledge and being pretty gassed.
I told Gavin I was going to stand there for a half hour or so to let my forearms recover.

Did Swine Flu the same day. Full body stem at the top of the chimney to switch my forward foot and step into the crux was interesting.
That climb was really fun for me to pull off and supremely protected. Good luck to any short people.

Sadly, I have no pictures of either lead - but I have some great memories.

[F4?]

HA!! JC I was in the same boat with Dances, I got to that ledge and wanted to take a nap.
Nice job leading both!!

My right side was feeling it for sure.
But I was lured by the next sequence of holds, which made me want to just continue.

I'll cut the video down. I tried speeding it up, meh, still too long.

[JC w KC redux]

HA!! JC I was in the same boat with Dances, I got to that ledge and wanted to take a nap.

Yep - I wrote in my log that the climb is so good it is stupid fun. I was intimidated getting started but I got two cams in that hole and then launched into all those solid holds. I was pumping pretty good through the first 3 bolts but the holds are all there and you just have to keep moving. The upper part after that ledge still has some challenge and a lot of nice moves with a crazy amount of holds to choose from - it just keeps on giving. Gavin had me lower off to belay him on TR but the pull was atrocious (imo) so I went around and belayed him from above. I'll be curious to check out the new 5.8 if I can get back to leading that level.
I have to be able to see properly first.

Thanks for posting and the atta boys. All those climbs in the chimney are fun - too bad the staging is such a PITA. Needs a backhoe and a dump truck to haul off all that loose talus underfoot. Waaaaaah...

[F4?]

I prefer to stage on top in the winter.

I can imagine in warmer weather the base would be just just right.

[JC w KC redux]

I can imagine in warmer weather the base would be just just right.

It is a nice spot for a hot day - stays shady all day (except the top/walk off).
My biggest gripe was I could not see squat in the chimneys. I have light sensitivity so that does not help.
I also found all the loose talus underfoot to be annoying and your belayer needs a riot shield for all the rock that comes off the back wall while you are chimneying. I am not sure that back wall will ever clean up - geologically it is why the chimney formed in the first place. The front wall is great with all those holes, and excellent rock quality. 

[JC w KC redux]

I just noticed I accidentally used a contraction in my last post and it was not truncated (I removed the apostrophe since noticing it).

Is the fix in?

I still see weirdness on the new routes page so I guess no.

[climberdude]

I found it was really helpful to have a headlight for the first half of "Hole Hog".  I tried it first without the headlamp and then with one - suddenly I was able to see holds, especially when starting the chimney when holds are not as plentiful as higher up.  The talus is a pain, but I kind of carved out a better belay stance in the talus near the beginning of "Hole Hog" while belaying Brad and Gavin while they were drilling during the route preparation.

[F4?]

Finding the bolts was hard and we even started left on Bacon Bits

[JC w KC redux]

I've climbed everything up there except Hole Hog (tried with and without a headlamp and I still had a hard time seeing). Every time I'd look up I would be blinded by the change in light. I had to just feel my way up the chimneys and hope I encountered the bolts along the way. Maybe the bolts should have LED backlighting with Tesla lithium batteries. 

[F4?]

Pink hangers!!

[JC w KC redux]

Pink hangers!!

I was thinking a pink filter on the LEDs

[F4?]

Even better permanent draws on the routes.

Save weight having to lug up the trail 13 draws. That some serious weight.

[JC w KC redux]

Even better permanent draws on the routes.
Save weight having to lug up the trail 13 draws. That some serious weight.

Get a chimp.

[Brad Young]

If only if I couldn't I'd have fun.

[This was a test post regarding posting with apostrophes, which I haven't been able to do].