Climbing with the NGRC Climbing Club

Climbers on the Cave

A photo of me before climbing Elsas Face

There was a big climbing group today. My old climbing friend, Long, started a climbing club at his company, and I was invited to pad the roster a little bit. It was a big group of beginner outside climbers. I had a lot of fun and it was a nice day out of the house overall.

The first thing we did was Practice Boulder. Scott and Tony set up the route the same way I did the first time I took Alex out. Alex did really well this time. He climbed the 5.6 route on Practice Boulder 1 that he wasn't able to get before. It really is an easy climb, it just requires one to commit. Also, the rock was incredibly damp today. It was a terrible day for friction climbing in general. I slipped more times than I care to admit, and I always thought I had the stink bug technique DOWN.

After that we climbed up to the Cave where I attempted a 5.10a crack climb. My hands are really not in the best shape. I got up to the crux and fell out of the crack. The pain in that moment was so intense I started to shake for an imperceptibly small amount of time. It took off just the tiniest bit of skin and hurt like the dickens. I just can't believe how taking 6 months off of climbing has weakened my hands. The skin is paper thin where they were once burly and calloused. I suppose you gotta use it or lose it, and I am greatly missing the loss. I was really disappointed because I used to pride myself in crack climbing, but now I can't. I was elite in that one thing, and now I am mediocre all around.

If you will allow me to go on about that one point... I am dissappointed about no longer being the climber I once was. I didn't know this nostalgia would happen so quickly. If you haven't been keeping up, the reason my climbing ability has lessoned is because I started my masters degree last semester and I simply ran out of time. I am working full time and maintaining a part time school schedule, and something had to give. I never wanted to be that person that said they didn't have time for the things that they love, but it happened. I gave up short term happiness for long term investment, and I am finding myself regretful and perhaps more unhappy than I would like to admit. I want to have it all, but I might not have the energy it takes.

So anyway after everyone struggled with the 5.10a we went over to Elsas crack to cater to the beginners of the group and give people a chance to actually climb one. My book calls it a 5.7 but everyone else was calling it a 5.6. I mean, geez, can't you just let it be a 5.7. I managed to get through it pretty easy. I had some energy left so I also tried the adjacent climb, Elsa's Face. I have never climbed this one before, so I was really dubious about it. It was a classic slab climb with thin edges. I am pretty proud of myself for nailing this one. I didn't lean on the rope at all, and there was actually one really tough move in it. Usually when you have to do a high step with one leg, you got some pretty bad beta. I cracked up because everyone who climbed it after me had to do the exact same high step.

Alex was able to climb Elsas Crack. I was so proud of him. He was proud of himself too, and afterwards, said that hewas glad he got to climb one.

Photos are below!