Friday, January 6, 2012

Serves You Right & Another West Mountain Adventure

With the New Year hangovers gone and everyone resolving to climb more boulders it looks like North Mountain projects will have to wait another week or so. Luckily the backcountry is not in need of classic lines.

Wednesday I took out another Classics of East tour, where we hit all the main zones leading to the Lower Dragons Den. Everyone on the tour got a new boulder in and I was fortunate to send the world class Full Service, Hueco's first and arguably best V10. I can't even express how amazing this line climbs, and those reading that have tried or sent it will know that an attempt to describe this V-Scale standard is futile. All I will say is that it is thoroughly worth it. Worth the skin, the time, the training, the plane ticket, the gas money, the unemployment, and will certainly stick with me for years to come.

Thursday Nate, Lib and I went out on a climbing/recon mission to a few areas we had yet to explore on West Mountain.

First stop, the Round Room. A fully enclosed circular room littered with sinker huecos.

After a few laps without ever touching the ground we headed out and onward to try a few problems near Animal Acts V5 including Honeycomb Hideout V5 and eventually Scream V10,11, or 12 depending where you start.

Nate eyeing the miserable sloper on Scream Stand V10.

I was pretty surprised to send the V10 stand start to Scream on my second try after botching the flash by missing the sloper. This line is a great power problem and it looks as if the lower starts add nothing but brick hard moves on pockets and poor feet.

On the send go of Scream Stand V10.

We rounded out the day with a hike up the hill to Bodysnatcher V4 and finally to Crash Dummy V7 before sprinting back to headquarters to turn in the end loop key. Every time I get out to West and explore more areas It makes me realize how much I have left to discover.

-BLOCHEAD

2 comments:

  1. Nice job on the Service man!! Seriously, it is one of the best boulders, anywhere, period. Those holds really are made to be climbed on.
    On another note, send Scream low! That would be something to write home about!
    Keep inspiring/making us jealous.

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  2. Thanks Isaac! Scream low (and lower) look crazy! might have to try them anyway though.

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