Friday, December 24, 2010

HUECO!

Friday

Friday was spent mostly in the airplane being bored or trying to watch cartoons over the engines noise. I found out that If you act like you are sick, and do a good enough job, people won't sit right next to you even if the plane is practically full!

When I met Kevin, we went over to Super Target to get enough food for the week and went to the land to so I could set up my tent. With about an hour of daylight remaining we went to the North Mountain and I did my first climb in Hueco, Butter Dish (V1) on the warmup boulder. Next, Kevin showed me Stinking Jesus (V8) on the back of the same boulder and I proceeded to flash it making it my hardest flash to date! After that, we went to Diaphanous Sea (V12?) and I flailed on it not coming close on both the hard moves so I wrote it off as to hard at the time.

Saturday

On Saturday I went on a tour to East Mountain with Many strong climbers including Daniel and Phil! I warmed up on the classic Warm Up Roof (V4) getting it second go because Kevin called me on a microscopic dab (maybe just a little bigger). I heard Kevin say that he wanted to try 10-10 (V10), so I decided to check it out. I really liked it. Aside from one flexing crimp, it is all pretty solid rock and If you don't mind lowballs (which I don't) you might find this to be a very enjoyable climb and definitely not one star as suggested by the guidebook. To add to the ascent, Kevin sent shortly after and I got a back to back send train with Daniel Woods!

Next, I went over to Mojo (V10) with Mellisa (I'm pretty sure that was who I went with) and found it frustratingly difficult and not a little awkward. This problem has a high hand heel match and I suck at high heels. Once I learned the heel, I found it to be very fun. I did the topout (which you are supposed to do, but some people drop from the jug) and found it to be quite scary and was surprised to hear that I looked relaxed.

Next we went over to the Dragon's Den and I was pummeled by Full Service (V10) and could not figure it out. Kevin recommended Dragonfly (V5) and I flashed it and campused Dry Dock (V7) second go. When I went to look for Kevin, I stumbled over Daniel and watched in awe as he dispatched the first ascent of Yellow Diamonds (V13?) an amazing new line near Satan, Satan, Satan about on par in quality and style to Nagual (V13).

After that We went to Hobbit in a Blender (V5) and I did it in a few tries. I really liked this line and the start is surprisingly similar to an easier version of Evolution (V12) Bishop. Then Daniel, Kevin, and I worked on Try Harder (HARD V9). I got most of the moves but never sent. Daniel sent after about an hour of work and then proceeded to find and clean a blank looking section of wall behind Hobbit. He sent it in two tries and dubbed it Escape Velocity (V11). This is a super cool climb with a sort of a jump/float move from a tiny crimp rail to a crimp gaston. (I just found out that this problem has already been done, although it looked as if it were never touched, by Chris Schulte and called El Condor Pasa, same grade)

Sunday

On Sunday we went to the East Spur. We met up with Daniel and a few people from Colorado including Asher (who I climbed with at nationals a few years ago) and Ryan and Rylin. We first went to Better Eat Your Wheaties and both Asher and I couldn't do it. Next, I went to Glas Roof (V9) and worked it for a while and almost sent, but decided to save my fingers for Platonique (V11). I worked on it for a while and got all the moves except the bump to the pinch and decided to just do Glass Ass Crack (V9) (the right exit) before we left.

Next, we all went to New Religion (V7) and Asher and I flashed it! I really like this problem and Asher says its one of the best.

Monday

On Monday, I warmed up with Kevin and Phil and went to the Diaphanous boulder. I gave Diaphanous Sea a few more goes and made no progress so I gave up and did the super fun highbal with a death landing Hearshey's Symphony (V1) and found it to be no that scary. Phil made some progress and was coming pretty close on Terre de Sienne.

After that, we went to The Power of Silence (V10) with Tomo, and I tried it many times for an hour, almost sticking the crux.

Next we went to Kevin's project El Techo de Los Tres B (V11). I got beta and did it fifth go! I was really surprised and very happy with the send as this is a very unique problem with heel and toe hooks and heel hooks above the head all on a small-ish roof.

Tuesday

Tuesday was spent as a rest day. First Kevin and I went into town for food and gas, then Kevin took out a mid afternoon tour in which Courtney finished 10-10. I spent the afternoon watching South Park and Ren and Stimpy and reading the Hueco guidebook.

Wednesday

On Wednesday I went on a tour to East Spur and met up with Daniel and a few other people. First we went to the Gunks and I did Alf in a Blender (V6) which is an awesome lowball cave and quite hard for the grade.

Next, we went to the Stableboy Rock, which is a really neat boulder situated in a sort of a cave and I did Mr. Serious (V8) which is a really good crimp problem and someone (I forgot what her name was) did her first V10, A Good Day for Swiss Crisp Mix!

Next, I went to Glas Roof and I did it first go from the start that day, I had tried it a lot on Sunday and now I really like that problem. I think it is a perfect combination of strength and technique with almost every type of hol and many styles of movement. Then we went and watched Daniel come painfully close on the project behind Jigsaw Puzzle (V5).

On the way out we stopped off at Sex After Death (V8) which I did in a couple goes.

Thursday

Thursday was my last and possibly best climbing day. First we warmed up and met up with Asher and Rylin and went to Diaphanous Sea. I decided to try it a few times because the thought of giving up on it nagged me in the back of my head the whole rest day. I decided that I would try the crux first as I hadn't come close to sticking it before and surprisingly stuck it first try. I rested for about a minute and fired it off form the start. I was so happy I ran down, called my parents, then did a victory lap on Hershey's Symphony! This climb was very fun and as for the grade I think it is probably more like a solid or hard V11 than a V12, but it was very fun and hard and that is what matters to me.

After that, went to the Power of Silence and I stuck the crux about three times and fell going to the crack. Since I had done Diaphanous, I wasn't way to disappointed.

Next we went to El Techo and Asher almost flashed! Soon Kevin sent it and eventually Asher sent right before we left, after finding some circus trick beta and hitting the hold right. Rylin said that Asher and I could only take nine points on 8a since we both did it, so I pointed out that if it was only a nine, then why didn't he do it?

Next, we went to Bleeding Brothers (V12) and I tried Big Nose Milley (V9). I heard that many people do this problem with only one shoe to fit their toes in a pocket, but that didn't work for me so I found a strange campusy beta which involves a full one arm lock off and a one two campus to the lip. This was a great way to end the trip with a send.

Friday

On Friday, we met up with Asher, Flannery, and Rylin at a coffee shop before I headed to the airport. Thanks for picking up my Ipod Flannery! (I left it on a table back at the land and almost forgot about it) and thanks for the amazing trip Kevin!

Saturday I just looked and found myself posted on 8a:


Two 8A (+) by Liam Vance (14)
Liam Vance has done his first two 8A (+), El Techo de Los Tres B and Diaphanous Sea in Hueco Tanks. In the Junior rankings up to 19-years-old, the 14-year-old is #14.