Diablo, December sends
Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:45 pm
Well Pete, sorry it's not skiing. Taos Ski Valley was good on Saturday but nothing about a December day riding the lifts makes me want to spray. But yesterday Micah and I had an all-time chillaxed day at Diablo. We left Santa Fe at the aggressive hour of 9:30 am. Micah was on Grape Ape shortly after 10 am. I was drinking a delicious Black IPA from Santa Fe Brewing Company. Grape Ape is a 40 m pitch of 5.10c sport that goes through a couple of roofs. Micah managed the on-sight send and he was amped. I was feeling that Black IPA liquid breakfast. Then we hiked a couple minutes from Winter Wall to the Solar Cave to try some new routes. First I led a 5.11b/c that was classic Diablo funk, found myself stymied at the crux not feeling it as a "warm up."
Then something strange and wonderful happened. After Micah also led the first one with the draws pre-hung, it seemed expedient to try the next one. Hominid, another 5.11b/c that goes through a big roof then a smaller roof above that. I found myself established under the first roof and it was strenuous. But I could see the salvation handlebar another five feet above me. Instead of resting or hesitating, for a change, I thought, "get up there and grab that and see what happens." Well, it was classic Diablo weirdness up there with smeary feet and no obvious downward holds, but I persevered and cranked through it. By the time I reached the second roof, which was trickier, I felt a strong urge to send. And I did.
Cranking through the first roof on Hominid.
Above Hominid, the second pitch of Intelligent Design is a striking 5.11c thin face climb on an exposed arête feature. Micah's dad and his lady happened to be walking through the arroyo and they took some pictures.
By this point, I had a new attitude or something. Trying to decipher the moves entering the crux section.
There were some desperately thin moves but somehow I kept it all together for another on-sight ascent.
That was unexpected. Not sure of its origin. But we were both elated to send! I had another Black IPA at the base of the climb and enjoyed the desert sunshine. Pura vida
And here are our artists enjoying the sunshine and the raw landscape of Diablo Canyon.
Then something strange and wonderful happened. After Micah also led the first one with the draws pre-hung, it seemed expedient to try the next one. Hominid, another 5.11b/c that goes through a big roof then a smaller roof above that. I found myself established under the first roof and it was strenuous. But I could see the salvation handlebar another five feet above me. Instead of resting or hesitating, for a change, I thought, "get up there and grab that and see what happens." Well, it was classic Diablo weirdness up there with smeary feet and no obvious downward holds, but I persevered and cranked through it. By the time I reached the second roof, which was trickier, I felt a strong urge to send. And I did.
Cranking through the first roof on Hominid.
Above Hominid, the second pitch of Intelligent Design is a striking 5.11c thin face climb on an exposed arête feature. Micah's dad and his lady happened to be walking through the arroyo and they took some pictures.
By this point, I had a new attitude or something. Trying to decipher the moves entering the crux section.
There were some desperately thin moves but somehow I kept it all together for another on-sight ascent.
That was unexpected. Not sure of its origin. But we were both elated to send! I had another Black IPA at the base of the climb and enjoyed the desert sunshine. Pura vida
And here are our artists enjoying the sunshine and the raw landscape of Diablo Canyon.
