Wick's Problem!

Today I went to Saddle Rock at Donner Summit and did Wick's Problem (V11)! I tried this problem about two months ago and wanted to try it again ever since then after falling grabbing the jug twice. This time I went there with my parents and got there at around noon. I warmed up for a short time then started trying it. The first try of the day I got past the crux and matched the jug, but all of the sudden both my hands popped. I sent around eighth try nearly falling on the end just before the topout. I ended up using some unmarked tiny crimp cracks that I thought I would fall from any second.

After I sent that, I started trying Nietzsche Girls (V9) and got very frustrated when I touched the crack/pocket almost every go and my feet popped every time. Then I decided to try Soul Train (V10). I stuck the crux in about a half an hour and got to the topout (the same as Wick's Problem), but could barley pull by then due to being very tired so I decided not to try it again as I didn't want to hurt myself and we only had two pads. After that I decided to try Nietzsche Girls some more and sent after about 1 1/2 hours of work. It took a while to figure out how to place my feet, but I finally found that a right toe jam works, but even on the send keeping my feet was desperate.

Overall this was a great day in which I completed one of my hardest problems, Wick's Problem (V11), and sent Nietzsche Girls (V9), a problem that I had been interested in trying before.

The firestones, again

Last Sunday I went back to the Firestones with Kevin and Keenan and finally did the Monster (V10). We got there at around ten thirty and climbed for until twelve. This time we were able to drive up to the closest parking and only had to walk a few hundred feet rather than getting lost and walking a few miles. I worked it for a while tiring myself getting to the last move many goes. Finally when it started to rain, I decided that I would send it, and did! Since I hadn't practiced the top out that day, it took me a while to commit to. This was made worse by the smear that I finally used to top out on was dripping wet. In all this is an amazing problem on good rock.

Future Present

About a month or two ago Mike, Boz, Keenan, Sal, Ferris, and I went back to Barbed Wire and Erratica. We left in the night to go to Hate Handles for good temps, but ended up hiking for a long time in circles trying to find the boulder. Finally we gave up and agreed to go to Barbed Wire before too late. We got there at around 11 p.m.. Keenan pseudo flashed Future Present (V10). (he almost sent last trip but fell on the last move) I had sort of wanted to try it but was discouraged from not coming close to sticking the first move last trip. I sent it second or third go with the first move feeling easy. When I did it, it felt easy enough that I decided to try the Welcome to the Future (V11). I sent after about five goes of unlocking the sit moves. The sit is the full line and is definitely one of my favorite problems ever.