Climbing in MIssion Trails Regional Park with the Gang

Me on Susies Wild Ride

Climbing is really turning into a social thing for me. I have a network of people that I hang out with for this sport and its easy. The pretense for seeing each other is common interest stemmed from individual goals.

We climbed Susies Wild Ride (5.9), Crack of dust (5.8) and Quack of ducks (5.9).

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I was busy belaying or at a second pitch this day so I didn't get as many photos as usual.

A subset of the group

View from the Belay Station

Me on Susies Wild Ride (5.9)

I found susies wild ride to be quite difficult, even on top rope. I do not know how Scott led it. The holds were very bad, mostly slope-y or little tiny baby edges. I found it to be terrifying to hang onto the rock. I didn't feel like doing that a second time. I am firmly a crack climber and this horrible face wasn't on my short list.

Patrick on Crack of Dust (5.8)

Crack of dust was closer to a finger crack than a hand/fist crack in my opinion. I felt like the holds weren't secure, and the only reason the route was rated so low is that you could climb the majority of it as a dihedral. I climbed it easy enough, but Its not a great crack climb to train on if you ask me.

I didn't get a good photo of quack of ducks because of the way we set it up as a multipitch anchor. We set up a sport anchor at the top of crack of dust so by the time you climbed it, you were at the second belay station waiting for them to set up a trad anchor for the second crack climb.

I liked quack of ducks a lot. It was a short climb with one hard move in the beginning. I have mixed feelings about climbs that have the crux in the first or second move. The inside of the crack was highly textured rock, ripping apart skin if you weren't taped it. I think that textured rock is great if you feel confident about hand jams. The texture just makes the hold more secure. If you aren't confident, then the texture is scary and makes it harder to commit to the holds.

View from the Belay Station, Mariah's cave climb

It was a huge group today, upwards of 12 people. We planned in leaving at noon for a 3 route trip, and I ended up leaving at 2pm. It was great that I am making so many new friends, but I just didn't wear enough sunscreen to last me through the day, if you know what I mean.

If you like reading my climbing vignettes and looking at my pictures, check out the related articles below. Also, you can click on the climbing label to get a more complete, chronological list.

Maria