Mt. Charleston - Season 2

I've you happened to follow any of these ramblings last year you'll remember a lot of spray about the development of a bouldering cave high up the trail. And though the cave has yet to be officially named (Man Cave, Mosiac Cave, Craig's List, and Bat Cave have all been thrown around, but nothing has stuck yet) that doesn't mean people have forgotten about it. The high elevation, thirty-five minute hike, and long horizontal roof problems make this area one of the best to gain some fitness on real rock while dodging the numbing heat of the valley.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting up with two good friends for a session up at the cave. The first since last September. Walking up and feeling the holds felt surreal, as I had spent a huge part of last summer projecting nearly every line alone.

Isaac managed to make short work of all the stand starts, and made huge links on the sit (V9 any way you slice it).*

*For a first-timer's impression of the Charleston Cave and more sweet photos check out Isaac's blog.

Isaac trying hard on the pocket exit.

A detail of Isaac on the pocket exit.

Isaac looking ahead to the redpoint crux of Landing Strip V9.

After trying to figure out the body position for the crux on Delirious V11 for a while I switched to trying a (seemingly new?) line with Craig that he had been piecing together which begins as for Delirious, but cuts out right into the pocket exit shown above. Craig had some fun beta that worked for me (involving heel-toe camming against my own shin) and before long I was linking through the crux, which ends in a satisfying cut-loose move.

Craig attempting the crux on Delirious for old time's sake.

Yes, that is exactly what it looks like. A heel-toe cam against my own shin.

Reeling in the wild swing.

And though our spray to send ratio was high, it was great to just laugh, talk smack, and enjoy the absurdity monkeying around in a cave for a few hours.

All photos by Liberty Herring.

-BLOCHEAD