Monday, November 28, 2011

Wilderness Peak Turkey Hike

Over the holiday weekend, Kristin and I made our annual Thanksgiving pilgrimage to Seattle for a very indulgent and sedentary celebration with my family.  Each year, we dream up cool adventures in the nearby mountains, but we almost always end up falling into a delicious pattern of beer, football and turkey with the family, topped off with the best apply pie EVER (thanks Mom!).  If we're lucky, we manage to sneak in a hike or two to stretch the legs and force some blood through our otherwise clogged arteries.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Magic Ed and his Mexican Blog

Magic Ed's Project Pillar
As if I haven't spent enough time daydreaming about our recent trip to the Potrero, Magic Ed just posted a report from our climb on one of his unfinished projects.  

He was nice enough to offer me the FA (probably .10d/.11a) of a brilliant pitch high up on a narrow pillar of limestone 6-700 ft above the canyon floor.  He's tentatively calling it the Grand Pillar, but there's a still a pitch to be done to the top.  Check it out.     

Saturday, November 5, 2011

El Potrero Chico PSA


Jaime Bohle on the exposed 5th pitch of Snot Girlz, 5.10d, 7 pitches
Hanging out at the base of a limestone crag at Potrero Chico, I look down into the gravel wash, what qualifies as a road in this part of Mexico, and see two pickups with soldiers in the back driving upstream.  A few minutes later, having turned around, I look again and see them driving downstream.  And then they are gone – no flying bullets, no blood-filled gutters, no square groupers.  I look up at the rock, see two other people on the wall, and decide with the crowds and all its time to find some peace and quiet.  In 5 minutes, we’re in the wash – in 10 we’re in the Virgin Canyon with dozens of classic routes all to ourselves.  Over the course of two weeks, that’s the only time we see el ejercito (the army) – but we wake up each morning to solitude, sunny weather, and a candy store filled with the sweets of climbers’ dreams. 

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Potrero Chico Teaser

Less than 48 hours after returning from my second trip to El Potrero Chico, all I can say is wow!  The first trip was so memorable, I tried to keep my expectations in check, but EPC delivered again.  Here's a teaser - there's more to come.

Jaime Bohle on Death of a Tradman, Mota Wall, El Potrero Chico