The Creek - Indian Creek that is

I stuck around Bishop a little longer than the rest of my Canadian Family to go skiing with about 2 feet of fresh snow up on Mammoth Mountain with Laura, Dave, and Amy. It was pretty awesome, especially for the first few runs when there was still untracked snow and the wind hadn't picked up yet. We followed that up with an awesome corned beef dinner. I also got my new pair of Evolv Talon shoes and had to test them out at the Happy Boulders - they worked excellently, but I still got a big flapper on a finger. Then I headed towards Utah and Indian Creek. On the way there was a bit of snow and I stopped to search for trilobites (I only found bits and pieces though).

At the Creek I rejoined the Canadians with the addition of Drew and Mike the Brit. We climbed cracks for 2 days, then took a rest day and walked a bit at Canyonlands, then back to the cracks for another 2 grueling days. I managed a few clean TR ascents plus a few nice new leads. My previous Creek training last year w/ Stacy and Stephanie (thin cracks) and Alf (wide cracks) helped a lot. Here are some pics...

Jase high on "Crack Attack" on a busy day

Mike ascends into the darkness on the Cave Route

Matt sending "Supercrack"

Will and I got in a camera duel

South and North Sixshooters at sunset

Mike and Jase enjoy a campfire

Hopefully I can continue with the cracks and perhaps a tower before heading to Las Vegas and the Red Rock Rendezvous at the end of the week.


For a more complete trip report for the Indian Creek trip go here: Tom Grundy's Indian Creek 2012 Trip Report

Sunrise, moonset, and planets

The sky has been interesting the last few days, The full moon was quite nice with some good moonrises and moonsets, although they didn't quite correspond w/ the nice sunrise light. The planets (Venus and Saturn I think) (oops Venus and Jupiter) have been drawing closer in the evening sky. Good stuff.

Not in the sky, but it seems spring is coming to the east side.

On the climbing front I got a blood blister on a fingertip, bashed my shin again, and then sent my project.

moon set over 4 Gables and mt Tom

Matt cooks under the planets

Sunrise on the east side

Spring comes to the east side

More in Bishop

Not much to report other than more climbing and bouldering. After "resting" with the jackhammer we did a day in the gorge and another day at the Happy Boulders. Then the forecast was for wind and weather and I went to see Aron Ralston talk about his experience as described in "between a rock and a hard place" - the community reads book for the county. I got up early to get some sunrise pics with the clouds over the sierra - it didn't light up as I hoped, but was still pretty scenic, and on the way back I saw some hawks to photograph.

Matt works "Action Figure"

Weather coming over the Sierra at sunrise

Red Tailed Hawk sitting

Hawk taking off

sign for slackline crosswalk I photoshopped

Back to the Happy Boulders

With a bit more weather heading in (mostly just wind and cooler temps), we climbed in the gorge and back at the Happy Boulders. We all succeeded on a few projects including a few for me from years past which is always satisfying. Here are a few pics.

I scraped my thumb open in a pocket

Will tries to get wifi from the parking lot while Matt looks on

Matt on "the clapper"

Will on "Mr Witty"

On a "rest" day - that I'll probably need a rest day from I helped Tim break concrete and embedded rocks out of his backyard. It was manly work with a jackhammer and pick. We were both pretty worked by the end of the day, but we busted out heaps of rocks and concrete dividers and "walkways" and moved them into piles.

Tim works THE BRUTE