Authentic Climbing Pants for Sale

The Carharts have survived another weekend of offwidthing and rolling around in the dirt. They're getting pretty worn - both knees are completely blown out though the first layer, and the second layer is wearing fast. The butt is about to go too, which will be problematic.

At this point, I've decided they're more of a Dirtbag Fashion piece than functional clothing. So if you need to impress some chicks at your local rock climbing gym, and you wear 30-30, just let me know and I'll sell you these pants for $150. I'll even wash them before shipping, but then you'd lose the "I've Been Sleeping In The Dirt for Weeks" look that so many posers strive for. Your call.

Costume Weekend. It's gonna be hard to top this one.

To everyone who was in Indian Creek this weekend, and wasn't part of our group, we'd like to apologize for the following:

1. Keeping you up late every night with our screaming, tree climbing, bowling, drinking, bluegrass playing, manhunts, and naked fire leaping.

2. Crowding the following crags: Way Rambo, Res Wall, and Battle of the Bulge.

3. Showing up in obnoxious costumes, some of which were offensively tight or revealing, with some offenders sporting multiple costumes throughout said weekend.

4. Sending so damn hard in said costumes, flaunting superior crack climbing skillz.

5. Posting inappropriate materials on the bulletin board.

6. Getting so much blood on Big Baby.

7. Making you question your choice of company, wondering what our group had that your group was lacking which made us have such a good time.

Thanks for your patience and forgiveness, and keep in mind that this will probably happen againthis time next year. My advice - avoid the creek, or come with booze and some wigs.

Back in SLC

About this time every year, the weather starts to break up in Yosemite. Storms will roll in and climbing will be shut down for a day or two. How many storms you wait out is a measure of how hard core you are. This year, I didn't feel like moping around in the caf for endless hours, so I bailed at first sign of weather. Which puts me back in SLC, where the weather is beautiful, and I'm trying to get my life back in shape.

Apartment hunting tonight, job interview on Thursday... And in the mean time, checking out the incredible fall colors, and hitting my favorite local crags with the homies. Life is sweet.

Astroman like whoa.

I've been wanting to get on Astroman ever since I learned that it wasn't a Japanese cartoon character, and was in fact one of the sickest free climbs in Yosemite valley. It's 10 pitches of super sustained climbing up Washington Column, capped off with a sketchy descent down the notoriously steep and loose North Dome Gully. What else could you ask for?

I had no plans to do the route this trip. But one evening, as I was wandering around camp 4 with a few King Cobras in me, I heard my Spanish buddy talking about how his Astroman partner bailed on him. Mostly because he was afraid of the Harding Slot, a notorious squeeze chimney half way up the route.

A quick word about the Harding Slot, from Mountain Project: "Competitor of the Hollow Flake for THE imagination seizing Valley pitch. Many strong climbers have melted down here. There are a couple of reasons for this: first, it requires a style of climbing that is rarely encountered outside of the Valley and avoided in general and second, most average and large size people don't believe they can fit through the slot."

Being something of a glutton for suffering on grovely pitches, and being a chimney connoisseur, and already having done the above mentioned Hollow Flake pitch, (finding it to be one of the most significant emotional voyages of my adult life) I've always wanted to see what this Harding Slot is all about. Now was my chance.

I staggered over to my Spanish friend, and stammered that I'd love to go up Astroman, as long as I got to lead the slot. He was overjoyed, and it was a partnership made in heaven.

Two days later, as I was trying to wedge my body in a downwardly flaring slot of granite so tight you can't ever turn your head inside, with my feet kicking flaccidly into 500 feet of air below me, I once again cursed the power of King Cobras. This wasn't the first tight spot those evil beverages had gotten me into. I wish I could say it would be the last, but I think we all know that's not true. Here's a picture looking up into the slot, but it's hard to appreciate the sinking sense of dread that the feature exudes unless you're hanging right there in its shadow. I suggest you go experience it firsthand.

In any event, once I got into the slot proper, the rest of the route was amazing. One clean crack after another, everything from fists to fingers, plus some face climbing. I've never been worked so hard by a single day of climbing. Stupidly, I didn't tape my hands, and today it looks like I tried to fish out a nickel that I dropped into a tank full of caffeinated piranhas.

So today I'm resting, and trying to get a job. Who knows what else will happen on this trip, but it'll be hard to top the excitement of yesterday.

So many SLC friends in the valley...

Even though today was a rest day, I ran out to shoot Elliot cruising Catchy (10d.) Sometimes I think I should take pictures of people other than Elliot. But I've been wrong about a lot of stuff in the past, so who knows.

Valley weather keeps getting better

Well the weather here in the valley just keeps getting nicer. We're cragging mostly - went up to Pat and Jack's Pinnacle yesterday for some fun routes. I almost took a big fall when blindly bumping a #4 camalot in a pumpy undercling out this big roof. Exciting times.

Here's a random view of the valley that I stumbled upon while bouldering the other day. Left to right it's North Dome, Washington Column, Mt. Watkins (I think) and of course, Half Dome.

Bouldering in the Ditch

Fall in the Valley means shorter days, beautiful foliage, and cooler temps. Which isn't so great for wall climbing, but makes for perfect bouldering.

Chris Mac just published a new Yosemite Bouldering Guidebook, and now it's super easy for hacks like me to find classic problems. I met up with some SLC friends today, and we ventured over to the Candyland area, where as it turns out, everything is really tall. Undiscouraged, well at least only mildly discouraged, we managed to send anyway.

Here's Christine on Once Upon A Time - a beautiful V3 stemming problem with a high finish. Possibly the best problem I've climbed in the Valley so far.

So after an awesome day, my hands are shredded and I couldn't be more content. The leaves are just starting to turn, so hopefully I can get some good pics of those. Stay tuned.

Yosemite revisited. Or relived. Depends on how you define it.

Can't seem to get away from this place for long... Your fearless author is back in the Awahanee, living the reports, posting the dream, and drinking the King Cobras. Something like that.

I haven't found any of the usual dirtbags yet, but they're bound to be lurking in the shadows around here somewhere. And I've only been here about four hours.

We've got some big plans, some not so big plans, and some stuff in between. Wait for this blog to get interesting again...

For all my East Coast friends, sorry I had to bug out and come back West. For further explanation, see the picture above, which I took about an hour ago. That probably says it better than I can...