Bishop Climbing Report #1

January 26, 2008 | Filed Under Uncategorized 

First things first… Adam, one of the sweetest friends one could ever have, sent a postcard of San Francisco to my new mailbox here in Bishop.  It arrived yesterday afternoon.  I promptly posted it up on the kitchen wall next to the refrigerator.  (I dont have refrigerator magnets, duh…)

The previous residents put up a lot of nails in the walls around this house.  They’re still up there and when I’m puttering around the house, I find myself looking at those nails and wondering what used to hang off those nails.  I decided that I’d follow their vision and find something to hang off every nail in this house before I move out.  The postcard is the first.

Today was the first day since I got here in Bishop that I didn’t have anything related to work, or moving in to take care of.  The whole day was my oyster, to speak of.

With clear sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s, I said to myself that I came all the way out here to climb, and I still haven’t climbed? What’s up with that??  I located my climbing shoes, threw the crash pad in the car and drove out to the Happys.    I was really anxious about this very first day of climbing. I was afraid of just how rusty I would be.   I haven’t really climbed seriously since last spring and I’d been hitting the gym every once a while, but really just minimal maintenance.

So the baseline to compare myself against, would be the problems I climbed the last time I was here, Thanksgiving weekend 2006.   How badly would I compare, that was the question.

I hiked up the long approach trail and made my way to the Solarium (V3).  The sun was shining brightly but the winds were strong and chilly.  I warmed up on a juggy problem next to Solarium to get my fingers loosened up.   I was feeling good, I’d give Solarium a try - it is rated at V3, but its really more out of tradition considering its such a classic problem - than the actual grade.  It’s more like a really hard V3, or more appropriately, a V4.

Sent it.

So, okay. I was doing better than I expected.  Looked to my left and saw Big Chicken (V2).  Always a fun problem, no matter how many times I’ve done it.  I repeated it and it was actually a bit easier than I remembered it.

I stepped back and looked at the problem to the left.  One of the classic problems in the area, Hulk (V6).  It’d been a longstanding project for me before I finally sent it the last time I was here.  It was (then) the hardest problem I’d ever done in Bishop.  I truthfully did not think I was in any shape to attempt to repeat Hulk.

Or was I?  I told myself it couldn’t hurt to try.  I chalked up and sat down at the starting holds and started to recall the sequence of holds long buried in my mind.   I got up to the crux before missing the hold completely and finding myself on the ground.

I turned to look at the holds at the crux and it became clear to me that I most likely could do it.  It wouldn’t be easy, but I had the strength to pull it off, just barely enough.  The question would be how many attempts I’d have to stick the crux move, before I became too fatigued for the day?

Threw myself on the problem over and over.  The sun dipped lower and lower in the sky.  Soon it would disappear behind the canyon walls and it’d get too cold to continue.  I was racing not only against fatigue but time as well.

After countless of attempts, I tried a slightly different foot positioning and found it to be much better.   I knew I’d get it in the next few tries.

Three tries later I found myself in a static lock-off, one hand on the crux hold and the other on the little sidepull.  I’d done the hard part.  Now I just needed to pull myself to the top of the boulder. And I was TIRED.  I summoned up every last reserve I had to pull myself up the last two holds before clambering over on top of the boulder, screaming to the sky, ‘HELL YES!’

I was so pumped after this, I could only muster enough effort to send another problem, Ketron Classic (V4).  And now my arms were jelly.   I packed up my crash pad and walked back to the car.   It was a great first day, and I look forward to the many days to come.

•  Solarium (V3)
• Big Chicken (V2)
• Hulk (V6)
• Ketron Classic  (V4)

There’s a weather warning posted for the area.  A big snow storm system is moving in the area and should hit the mountains with at least 2-3 feet of snow and bring generally horrid conditions for the next two days.

I’ll get pictures, of course!

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