More climbing along the interstate...

I got out Saturday morning, We (Fred, Andrea, and I) left Genesee at about 6am and drove west. We had never been to the area but we thought we would give it a shot. When we got there I knew I had seen the routes from Rt 70. We didn't know any of the names of the climbs but we saw a good looking moderate and decided to give it a shot. We got to the base of the climb and we were all alone.

Fred chose to lead the first climb, The Ice was fragile, it looked like the sun may hit it in the evenings. Good ice was a few inches down. I followed Fred and Andrea followed me. Because she didn't have tools.

I chose to lead the 2nd pitch. It was long but most of us it was a steep walk up with about 10 -15 meters of WI2/3 at the top. When I got onto the Ice it was wet, placements were made with ease. I made it up quickly and set up an anchor.

When Fred made it up to me, we realized we couldn't get the tools down to Andrea. Also we couldn't repel all the way to the last belay. I saw an anchor a little above us so I had Fred lower me and gave her my tools. They had some issues with the rope length on the way down but we worked through it. The climb was a little too easy but perfect for me just starting to lead. I enjoy these multi pitch climbs cause I learn so much each time. I rappelled off my first V-thread, and had some unexpected issues come up and had to problem solve. I feel like its good to have issues when your on these easier climbs where there is a climb off option. I got to think through options of retreat and even thought of some ways afterward we could have made it more efficient.

Vail... Everything I imagined and More.. More people...

I left a few minutes early from my house cause I had a feeling Scott Would be early. Sure enough, he was at the park-and-ride at the Lookout Mountin exit where we typically meet. We hopped in the Subaru and we were off well ahead of ski traffic. It was about 5:50AM and we were ahead of the crowds. Scott Lappi and I were headed to Vail with such classic climbs as "The
Fang" and the "Ridgid Designator". It was unknown if these climbs were in, the only report came from an old (non-climbing) friend but she had seen climbers and that was good enough for us. As we pulled into Vail you could see the climbs. We arrived at the golf course parking area at 7:30 right on schedule. "The Pumphouse" loomed above but was not our original goal. (we later wished we camped out on it) There was no one on it but we decided to get a closer look at the Designator and try and go up the "Spiral Staircase".
After 45 minutes of hiking we saw the first climb, the "Ridgid Designator".

It was in all of its glory and there were climbers on it. As we got closer we realized it didnt matter because neither of us could lead it, in fact I doubt I was in shape enough to top rope it. We enoyed some good conversation and snapped a few photos and moved on. We strapped into our crampons for the 100-meter traverse over to the Spiral staircase. There were two groups on it already and we decided we would be out of their way the fastest by me hoping on their ropes trailing my rope to belay Scott to the top.

I climbed up, then belayed Scott to the top. It was a great climb I would call a WI3 - 3+. It was the longest climb I had attempted all year and it was great.

We walked up the 70 meter gully to the new objective. There were two visible climbs called the "Pencil" and the "Eraser"

The pencil was maybe 15 meters total and 10 of it was a great pillar called a WI4, a guide and his client were on the Pencil so

we decided to try the Eraser. It was a little thin on the bottom maybe a foot and a half but the whole pitch was only 10-meters or so. It was an easy hike around to set a top rope and get a couple of laps in and try and get out of Vail before we hit ski traffic. Scott set up the rope and gave me the honers. It was a difficult and completely vertical for most of the pitch. The scene was georgous with a great curtain extending from the left and the right side of the pillar.

We climbed and had a great time. Scott cleaned the route and Rapped down on the rings over the Pencil. We quickly walked down to the top on the staircase and met another climber topping out. He let us quickly rapp off the top and there they were. I counted 18 climbers, groups of 2 and 3, within 150 feet of each other.

It was insane and totally unsafe. As we climbed down the gully I looked up to see someone thow thier rope over the edge only to land on a guy placing a screw. Fortunately he wasn't phased and he shook it off. We quickly hoofed it to the car, felt like a little over a mile being sure to walk only on the footpaths. Got in the car and were heading out of town before 2 pm.

I thought the area was amazing, the Ice climbs were great and I cant wait to climb the classics when I am at that level, but it seems mixed climbing is the fantastic part about it. There are hundreds of lines we saw all over the Ampetheater area. It was very inspirational and mativational to see peoples projects. I was very turned off by the crowds but I live in Colorado now so... Overall I think I am in a good place right now. Always people wanting to climb and LOTS of easy close climbs to get more comfortable leading.