A great week in the desert!
Having never climbed in Zion before we decided to get on something short and moderate to familiarize ourselves with the rock and such.
Smashmouth (4p. 5.11), is a sweet fingercrack splitting a steep headwall, and was perfect as our Zion intro.
Jason leading p3.
Jason following p4
crux
then we walked over and did Inner Chi (5.11)
it's beautiful
cruiser stemming with some decent rests, to a funky mantel up and out of the corner at the top...to a sweet one bolt anchor, because the second bolt had pulled...welcome to Zion
The next day, Trish wasn't feeling well, so she decided to do a short hike and then relax in her hammock, while Jason and I climbed Shune's Buttress (8p. 11c)
The first pitch in a super enduro 5.11 corner stretching 165' to the top of a prominent pillar.
so good!
leading p1
Jason following
The highlights of the climb are exiting this chimney
and climbing this splitter high on the headwall
Looking down the sick splitter
The next day, Trish was feeling better so we hopped on Monkeyfinger(8p. 5.12b).
It's beautiful too
Trish following the pillar on p1
More corner splitters
Jason following the endless finger crack above the roof on p3
Tired from our first three days of climbing we decided to just climb one pitch the next day, Fails of Power (11c), a sick splitter that is like something from the Creek came to Zion, and then do some hiking with my folks.
Nice scenery from the shuttle heading up canyon
Fails of Power
Sweet climbing
difficult roof and layback race up to the upper chains
Then we went hiking. We saw some sheep
and a big ram
some petroglyphs
hiked through come cool slot canyons
and saw a nice sunset
Next up was taking my folks up the trail to Angels Landing
Doin pretty good for a couple in their mid-60's!
summit shot!
After Angels Landing, we had beers at the Zion Lodge, but Trish was stoked to lead something. She decided to hop on Cherry Crack, her first 5.10 trad lead!
gettin stoked
sending!
We had a couple of days left, and had a couple of climbs picked out...but we epic'd horribly on the decent from Mojo Risin', spending a cold night high on the peak before an epic hike out the next morning/day. DO NOT WALK OFF MT. JOHNSON!
The climb, Mojo Risin'(8p. 5.11) was sweet tho!
early morning light on the approach
Mt. Johnson west face, the climb follows splitters up the steep headwall slightly to the right of the huge chimney just left of center in the pic
the climbing is adventurous, wild chimneys and caves, sick splitters, and some Zion sandboxes and stacked sand plates up a sweet face, oh and one gnarly looking bat inhabiting a sweet handcrack
Jason leading into a funky chimney
Trish following the splitter enduro corner
Jason high on the route
Trish topping out in the evening light
sun going down fast!
summit shot, before an epic decent, involving a forced bivy, running out of water, never ending wandering up and down endless gullies and washes, many rappels, a freshly eaten deer carcass, and a long, long hike back to our packs, comfy shoes, and finally pizza and much beer!
One last parting sunset shot from camp....the Watchman lit up like a torch
What a sick week in Zion! Can't wait to get back for more!
