The Draw

I just found an old video of Eric, Andy and I at Priest Draw in Flagstaff, AZ from about a year and a half ago. Andy wrote a great article on our trip for czechclimbing.com... check it out here. Andy just sent his first 5.13c and was off to southern France last time I talked with him. Okay, that's enough sportclimbing talk, here's some bouldering...

Warning: Video may be inappropriate for children and offensive to anyone who doesn't want to be referred to as "bitches"

video - Andrew Burgoon & Jeff Sillcox

Two Dragons Video

Well, just when the temps are finally starting to get good at Way Lake, it's snowing. I've got my fingers crossed that it isn't the end of the season yet. I took a few pictures last weekend when it was nice and sunny and Eric shot some video of the latest addition to the list of five star problems at Way Lake, Two Dragons. Here's a few photos from the weekend. Eric trying Two Dragons (V9) and Avada Kedavra (V10). Jamie climbing Fuzzy Halo (V0) and Eric sending Happy Hands Club (V5). Click the photo for the gallery.


photos - Jeff Sillcox

And the Two Dragons video...

It's gonna get weird... two dragons

Eric, don't panic, I didn't send the Two Dragons project. But it will go down this weekend. And hopefully there will be pictures and possibly even video. (Although we haven't been very good about either recently). I just made a list of all the projects and problems at Way Lake that are V6 or harder and came up with 14 projects and 20 that have been done. About half of those 20 haven't seen a second ascent. Anyway, here's a few pictures of the hardish stuff and hopefully we'll have a bunch more after the weekend.

This one is of me on I'm Too Drunk to Taste this Chicken (V6). Just left of this is the I'm So Paralyzed project and to the right (above the nice, flat landing) is Dangerous and Inconvenient (V7) and Prune Candy (V9).

photo - Eric Lang

Eric getting the second ascent of Karate Kid (V8)

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Me posing after the FA of Knife Dance (V8) (still awaiting a second ascent)

photo - Eric Lang

Eric working the finishing moves on Ugly Duckling (V9ish)

photo - Jeff Sillcox

The wave project... probably pretty hard

photo - Jeff Sillcox

A couple more hard problems went down this past week. I finally did my project in the talus after several days of work. It's called Avada Kedavra and I think it's the hardest thing up there right now. Probably V9 or 10, but we'll have to see what Eric thinks after he repeats it this weekend. I also finished off the mini green 45 project and named it Iron Lotus. It took a lot of work but I think it's only V9. Wills got the second ascent 30 seconds after I topped out.

The Manda...err... The Southface (aka Evilution)

The Southface
Photo - Jeff Sillcox

While Jeff was gallivanting in our own personal Heaven (Way Lake), I was toiling in my own personal Hell (trying to climb in late southern California summer). My inability to send anything at Tramway, through the melting skin on my fingers, has reminded me of my inability to send my personal Mandala - The Southface. When I first started trying it, I could barely get to the first hold, and it took many tries before I could stick it.

The Southface
Photo - Jeff Sillcox

After finally sticking the first hold a couple of times, I found myself eternally falling off the last move. I'm not sure if this problem wants to be sent, but this is where the standoff continues this season... I can't tell who hates who more...

Way Lake

Apparently our friends Mike and Johnny beat Eric to the FA of this one... we were going to call it Fish and Chips. It's called Morpheus and it's somewhere around V5. On the right side of this face is Eric's One Dragon (V8) and an amazing project. Click the photo for a gallery.

photos - Jeff Sillcox

Here's a crappy little video of my new problem Prune Candy (V9).

video - Tom Gibbings