Sads: Day Two, Pow Pow Done

February 19, 2008 | Filed Under Uncategorized 

We got out to the Sads again today. This time, I dragged along all my photo gear, and have more than just my words to amuse and delight you, my dear readers. One of the climbers in our group wanted a second crack at Strength in Numbers.

The area classic didn’t go down quite so easily, and inflicted its share of flappers.

We also set up camp at another area classic, and one of my long-standing projects, Pow Pow (V8). This kind of problem is exactly my kind of problem - crimpy edges and precise, powerful throws. I came very close to finishing it two years ago but was forced to walk away after a hour-long battle that left me too fatigued to muscle it out, and this time I was back with a vengeance.

The starting holds to Pow Pow - two shallow slopey crimps that you need to lock off on before you can throw to the next (another shallow, slopey crimp) hold. Anthony in the picture below gives you all a good idea of what’s involved.

So the five of us are sitting around, working the problem, when two other climbers come in the area and start taking their shots at it. I’m feeling a little peevish. I came here to finish this problem and I wasn’t going to sit here and watch someone else do it before me. So I cleared the air, chalked up and put that baby to bed first. My first ascent of the V8 grade and it couldn’t have happened on a better problem.

After a full weekend of climbing, my fingers are all painful and swelly. I’m going to need a few days to recover before I get back to work on some new projects…

Oh, and… apparently we weren’t the only ones doing climbing that day…

Comments