SkiSickness

I have been lusting for the pink goodness of Albuquerque's ripe watermelons for some time. The Sandias tower nearly 6,000 ft above the Duke City. I called Nick at some point last week and he told me about a plan he had with his buddy Mark to climb a route called Excitable Boys. No need to look at the route, I need to jump on that. Please allow me to join.

So how does this go? Squat in squalor, sip some coffee at 7 am and drive a paved road to 10,678 ft above sea level. This is New Mexico's version of the Black Canyon: top-down granite adventure climbing.

Mark linked p1 and p2 for a 58 meter pitch up a sustained 5.8 face splitter that got cruxy when it seamed into some face moves.


Nick on some fun climbing about 50 meters into it.


I linked p3 and p4 for a 45-50 meter affair with a fabulous corner having a cruxy 5.9+ move through a bulge after turning this roof, then some entertaining face climbing to a fat ledge.


Mark pulls through the aforementioned cruxy bulge.


After some third-classing up a gully, Nick drew this awesome 50+ meter pitch that started with a 5.9 bulge into an offwidth.


I took a video of Nick cruising up some offwidth after the roof.


Mystical object


Then we hiked over to the ultra classic top pitch of a climb called Second Coming. Two climbers were just getting ready to climb it. We were nice enough to wait to rappel to the ledge, but I paparazzi'd this guy Leonard cruising up this stellar 10- face crack


Nick and I did the ROSHAMBO for the pitch, but he defeated me on the rubber round for a 2-1 victory so he got to lead the pitch. LOVELY.


WOW this is my new backyard and it's climbable basically all year except for summer thunderstorms and winter blizzards!?
<3<3<3

Looks like something to get excitable about. Was it cold?

I want to climb that watermelon too. Looks like fun rock.

It was cold in the shade then perfect when the sun finally made it to the western aspects of the climbs. A good place not to start too early.

Looks fun dude.

Gotta say, I like this site Sky. People regularly posting from different countries is rad. Nice work putting it together.

I'm glad you like it. One of these days I'll make time for further improvements.

Merely broccoli-powered delusions of grandeur.

They don't take too kindly to that broccoli-powered Praise Jah stuff here in the atomic city, yo. We toe the line. But delusions of grandeur sound likely enough.