utah update

Early last week, I had the pleasure of picking up a good friend from the Salt Lake City Airport. I last saw John when I returned to Illinois to see my parents, so it was great to have an old friend on board for the last leg of the trip. John had originally planned to spend a week in Colorado with Team Saint Louis (Kevin Boicourt, Dane Iwata, and Marc Chagnon), but at the last minute he scrapped Plan A in order to climb on cobbles with the boys from Illinoise.

Despite a relatively new finger injury, a several week absence from the sport, and some misplaced skin, John showed up with his A game- quickly dispatching several 5.12's including Orgasmo (5.12c), Hooked on Estrogen (5.12c), Functional Idiot (5.12b, Onsight), and The Drizzler (5.12b). Early on John had expressed concerns about his performance, so it was good to see him put things on the board.

Photo by Aaron Stover

I, on the other hand, did not have much luck with my projects. It was a frustrating week as hopes were high to put down Loser (5.13a) and Sprout (5.13a). I was able to one hang both routes quickly, but subsequent attempts on these pitches bore no fruit. I successfully managed to one hang Sprout four times, and also managed to lose my high point on Loser on my third attempt. What?

Loser, 5.13a
Photo by Aaron Stover

Within the last year I have become accustomed to sending 13a relatively quickly. I certainly thought these two routes (which suited me well) would go with little effort. Both routes feature sustained climbing with only one knee bar rest at the half way mark, and long lived crux sections. On my last attempt on Sprout I was able to unlock the knee bar rest that would have made linking the second half of the route possible, but my time ran out.

It was disappointing to have spent three entire weeks in Maple only to leave empty handed. It certainly put me in a strange headspace. I felt as though both routes were well within my ability, but I couldn't shake the anxiety that stemmed from the countdown. Every day I was thinking about getting things done so I could either move on to the next pitch or leave Maple entirely. Time lines have never affected my performance. I generally climb at my own pace, but with the sand running through the hour glass, I suppose I put a great deal of unneeded pressure on myself.

Photo by Aaron Stover

I enjoy redpointing routes quickly, but not because I derive pleasure from expanding some sort of tick list. I think that being able to link a route in a few attempts demonstrates natural talent and unparalleled focus. When you've tried a route several times, you begin to hardwire it- the moves become ingrained and your body adapts to the stresses specific to that route. While it's true that projecting requires multiple failures before a single success, I think that sending a route because all the moves have been dialed only demonstrates the ability to adapt to repetitive behavior. I don't find sending a route that has been dialed rewarding in the least. Everyone has different philosophies or standards regarding their personal climbing performance, perhaps I am a bit too critical?

At any rate, I decided that the remainder of my time in Maple would be better spent sampling more of the canyon's 5.12s. In total, I was able to put together 20+ routes between 5.12a and 5.12d all of which I was able to either onsight or redpoint second go. It was nice to consistently onsight 5.12c, and to even bag two 5.12d onsights.

In climbing, I think it's key to roll with the punches. It's understandable to feel down when your ego is checked or when your expectations unexpectedly need to be re-evaluated, but learning to adapt to changing situations is part of being a climber. Whether you're retooling a sequence onsight or redefining your short term and long term goals, it's crucial to take a step back, collect yourself, and find a different approach. Rest assured, if you remain stubborn, you will stunt your growth. While I could have pushed John and Aaron to trek back to the Pipe Dream cave for one more attempt, it seemed that I could learn more by solidifying my base, focusing on revamping my onsight/redpoint tactics, and ultimately being humbled by leaving some short term goals open-ended. Regardless of my mediocre performance, it was nice to climb in a new locale with two of my good friends.

On an unrelated note, we managed to arrange our last rest day around the Miss Sanpete County 2010 Beauty Pageant- a definite highlight. Unfortunately for us, poor planning on our part forced us to sit in the back of the theater, and being that my eye sight is quite poor, I was unable to make out much of Sanpete County's finest. After a heated swimsuit competition which featured entirely too many one-pieces, and the talent portion of the event which showcased an unfortunate oboe piece and a less than spectacular vocal performance of "I Need a Hero," we were able to hear from the contestants regarding their service platforms. In the end, one of the indescribable, blurry young women was crowned Miss Sanpete and the rest were given some sort of conciliatory title (Miss Congeniality, Miss Something or Other, etc). While there was quite the turn out for the event, it seemed as though Ephraim was shutting down for the night, so we hit the bricks and headed back to Maple Canyon.

In other news, our departure date is approaching fast, and in order to break up the long drive home we've decided to stop in Rifle, CO. After sampling some more of the States' best limestone crag, we'll make tracks for Boulder where we'll post up for a night at our friend Kika's place. Then we're heading East of East Saint Louis- I'm definitely psyched to go home, spend time with my family, see my friends, and plan out my Fall season. Get psyched!