Monday, July 06, 2009
Climbing at Shelf Road: Part 2
I wake up sniffling and congested. Still, I'm happy to be outside and hoping for another good day of climbing. Today, Mother Nature is making it more of a challenge. We don bug spray. The gnats scoff and continue to fly into our eyeballs. Mark burns himself (again). We set out for the Dark Sides, an area known for comfortable shade, but find that it is in full sun in July. We backtrack and hike further. We finally get on a climb (new route? no info on it). I'm less confident today and find myself struggling internally to commit to each next move. We send Mark to lead a climb around the corner, but by the time he gets to the top, the thunder overhead is becoming more ominous. Well, we can't give up after just one climb, can we? So Mark cleans the route and we find our way to a conveniently located and surprisingly not-smelly outhouse and hang out under the awning to watch the storm pass by.
Our patience works in our favor. When we emerge, the sky is blue with rolling white clouds, the air is cooler, and the bugs are now only a slight annoyance. Kate does a great lead on Crynoid Corner and Mark and I follow on toprope. Feeling one last climb in us before heading back to camp, we stop at an unlisted route which has previously been nicknamed Kate's Favorite Lead. A fun little 5.7ish with a few moves to get my heart rate up. Leading this climb is just what I needed for a lovely endorphin-laden sense of accomplishment.
Camp is eerily quiet when we return, with only one other group camping across from us. Fog begins to creep over the hills. We eat a fantastic meal together. Mark makes a fire with some scavenged cedar wood which fills the whole camp with an amazing frangrance. Anyone who reads my version of these outdoor adventures can probably tell that while I love these climbing trips, it's not really about putting a rope into a harness and seeking out the most hardcore wicked climbing I can do (p.s. consider that a disclaimer as to the accuracy of the facts about these climbs). I love the challenge of climbing, but I also like taking a nap on a rock after lunch. I like sitting around the crag and cheering on other people as they climb. I love that after hiking and climbing, your Ruby Red Squirt tastes like no other soda has tasted before, and your dinner tastes out of this world even if it is the same thing you've made at home 100 times. I love campfires and the warmth that pours into your tent when the sun peaks over the horizon in the morning. It's not just about the muscle and grit and endurance, people. It's about the s'mores too.
Our patience works in our favor. When we emerge, the sky is blue with rolling white clouds, the air is cooler, and the bugs are now only a slight annoyance. Kate does a great lead on Crynoid Corner and Mark and I follow on toprope. Feeling one last climb in us before heading back to camp, we stop at an unlisted route which has previously been nicknamed Kate's Favorite Lead. A fun little 5.7ish with a few moves to get my heart rate up. Leading this climb is just what I needed for a lovely endorphin-laden sense of accomplishment.
Camp is eerily quiet when we return, with only one other group camping across from us. Fog begins to creep over the hills. We eat a fantastic meal together. Mark makes a fire with some scavenged cedar wood which fills the whole camp with an amazing frangrance. Anyone who reads my version of these outdoor adventures can probably tell that while I love these climbing trips, it's not really about putting a rope into a harness and seeking out the most hardcore wicked climbing I can do (p.s. consider that a disclaimer as to the accuracy of the facts about these climbs). I love the challenge of climbing, but I also like taking a nap on a rock after lunch. I like sitting around the crag and cheering on other people as they climb. I love that after hiking and climbing, your Ruby Red Squirt tastes like no other soda has tasted before, and your dinner tastes out of this world even if it is the same thing you've made at home 100 times. I love campfires and the warmth that pours into your tent when the sun peaks over the horizon in the morning. It's not just about the muscle and grit and endurance, people. It's about the s'mores too.
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1 comment:
amen to s'mores! the way food tastes when a little dirt is mixed in by an exhausted cook amidst tall trees is unlike anything that i could fix at home. and the uncomfortable nights of sleep on rocky ground with the warm peace of accomplishing something that scared you the morning before is something i relish. "living" outside and doing something hard makes me reset and appreciate the simple things--glad it does you too!
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