Maple...

21 August

Maple Canyon was cool – definitely not the best crag in the world – but not bad – at least it was nice on the hands. Though everything else really hurt…the first day – we climbed at a wall reminiscent of the red – lots of big holds – consistently steep – bouldery cruxes. I shot two photo sequences here – as well as did a 3 burn read point of a 7a+ (pretty pathetic?)

SOP for me is to climb until I’ve beaten the snot out of myself…and it was no different this day – my two final routes (back to back) were ROUGH…I totally felt like I was going to blow it the whole way – my foot work went into the can…and I just hauled myself on slightly steeper than vertical jugs…

One thing about Maple – the bolts jobs tend to be well……lets just put it this way – you can reach the first bolt from the ground and if you blow it on your way to the second – you’re gonna biff it hard….

Our second day of climbing was spent at Box Canyon – which is definitely the most popular crag in the Canyon – at least, of course, until the new guide comes out…we “warmed up” in the sun – which was a bad idea – on a 10a – which I barely RPed and then an 11a – which took me 3 burns to send (the first burn, I figured out all the moves, the second burn I pumped out a few moves before the anchors and the third burn – I just barely managed.)

Things smoothed out, however, once we got into the canyon – and more specifically into the shade – the flies in the sun truly suck…and as many as I could kill – twice as man continued to buzz me…but that all changed once we made it into the canyon…

We did two moderates, both of which were quite good – then I decided to work a 7a…I was pretty hosed, so I just did it bolt to bolt – hanging the draws. I didn’t even try the well-defined crux because I knew I only had one shot at it….so I clipped through and did it to the anchors.

There was this girl there….and she was nice…..and I asked her – “Do you clip the bolt after the crux or skip it?”

She goes, “Well, I don’t remember, its been a while, but I think when it was at my level, I hung a long draw”…..Thanks sweetheart…..I got some 12as at the New for you to do….Being 3 on, 1 off, 3 on, 1 off and at the end of long and hard Day 2 at Maple – it was safe to say that I stuck the crux, but chickened out skipping the bolt and didn’t RP it…

I did one more “Coupe De Grace” or whatever burn on one of routes we had previously done…which I managed to score by the skin of my teeth – a good finish to a long hard day and also a good finish to my trip at Maple.

We’re now in the Provo City Library – not as nice as the Moab Library – (and net freaking cost $1.00), but whatever…the plan is to do American Fork tomorrow and the following day – and then rest – and then do our last day of Trad climbing at Little Cottonwood before I drop Deniz at the AP and start my venture back East…

Oh and I paid $8.50 for a shower at Flying Js….what a rip huh???? #$)(#UU#$

I managed to read a whole 350 page book in two days - we stopped at the used book store in Moab and I picked up - "Misery" by Stephen King - definitely a goody! I love reading - I better not start anymore books - poor Deniz....