Cracks & Dihedrals

Dihedral Route

Thursday afternoon I dropped off Marc at the Denver International Airport so he could go to New York. Driving Little Blue in the winter is incredibly nerve-wrecking. Especially when you are driving a few hours and only have a short-window of time before the sun sets and the roads start getting icy and really slippery. And well with Little Blue and her infamous past and known to not have decent traction, I decided to stay and crash on a couch in Boulder with my new friends, Meg and Matt.

That evening, they both took me to the Boulder Rock Club. This place was incredibly happening. Sooooo many climbers in the gym. Back at the Delaware Rock Gym (DRG), I do not think if there was ever a time that there were more than 10-people in that gym at once...except for a birthday party or something.

But I got to try out a whole bunch of routes that ranged from 5.6-5.9. I think I am getting better and more comfortable every time I climb. Also, I challenged myself to my first dihedral and crack climbs! This was sooo fun and exciting. I wish Marc was there to see me attempt and accomplish them (almost).

Slowly Getting Up!

Matt said that I would do well with the dihedral route. Right before we got into the midst of climbing, we took an hour-yoga class to warm up for climbing. I missed yoga and most of my flexibility and balance came back to my body pretty quick. Matt stated that since I was pretty flexible and had really good balance, dihedrals would be perfect for me. The dihedral at the gym was solely balance and full body pressures against both walls, and so my dancer background would help me with this route. I did really well: took it slow, there was one part of the route that was pretty challenging, but I was able to shimmy, push, and mantle my way up to the top! Such an awesome accomplishment! I'm not going to lie, I can't wait to try it out on real rocks!

Then my next challenge: cracks. Meg is an awesome teacher as far as explaining out techniques I need to work on, as well as how to go about climbing cracks. Let me tell you, it's hard and painful. I cannot believe you can use your hands as fists and your feet as your equipment to help you excel up a vertical crack route...unbelievable! But I made it maybe 1/3 of the way up the route before my hands and body were getting pretty tired. I've got some homework. 

But overall, I was pretty proud of myself and really excited to continue working on these two types of climbing. I wish it was not snowing everywhere...I want to go try these outside!

TheChristyBel

Snowy Flat Irons!

Rappelling in Boulder Canyon

So after my emotional lack of rappelling yesterday down the Third Flatiron, Marc was awesome and took me to Boulder Canyon to give me a lesson on rappelling. We went to Mine Hole Crag where we had this nook all to ourselves! He set up an anchor, showed me what to do, rappelled down himself, then held the rope at the bottom for me in a fireman's rappel as I rappelled myself down. After my first rappel, he made me do it a number of times until I did not feel nervous or scared anymore. What a teacher. haha. Here is how my lesson went! Enjoy the photos...and please note the awesome patterned pants I was wearing!

TheChristyBel

Rappelling - Butt Shot!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Having Fun and Not Nervous Anymore!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Learning to Even Enjoy Looking Down
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Getting the Hang of It!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

TheChristyBel Learned to Rappel!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Attend Homecoming? No - Climbing the Third Flatiron

I guess I enjoyed Boulder, Colorado so much the first time, that I had to go back again! It was the University of Wyoming's Homecoming. For some reason, I was not feeling the urge to celebrate and partake in this 'Rite of Passage' college experience. I think I was so spoiled with the University of Delaware's Homecoming Festivities during and after my time there, that I really did not feel the urge to celebrate here at UW. So, off to Boulder, CO I went! I just love it down there. It is so beautiful, lots of awesome hiking and climbing, and I just really enjoy the vibe, atmosphere, and community down there. I think it might be the next calling...but I am totally getting ahead of time and the purpose of this entry.

The FlatIrons
From Right to Left: The First, Second, and Third!

Marc was already in Boulder at an event for one of his friends, Matt. But we decided to make our stay for the long weekend to do some exploring. Friday morning, we decided to go climb the Third Flatiron. The Flatirons are part of the Fountain Formation - a rock unit that stretches along the eastern margin of the modern-day Front Range. The formation was deposited in rivers and stream roughly 300-million years along the flanks of a mountain range that geologists refer to as the Ancestral Rockies. The Flatirons were tilted into their present position by the Laramide mountain-building episode approximately 70-million to 40-million years ago.

The Third Flatiron is a popular pastime for local climbers. It is the fastest known time for free-soloing the 1,200-ft East Face (timed in at 5-minutes & 59-seconds). Don't worry, I didn't climb it that fast nor free soloed it! From what Matt has stated, the Third Flatiron is one of the best multi-pitches to do and the technicality is a 5.4-5.6.

Getting Ready to Ascend...But Let's Take a Selfie First!

Smiling and Excited...and Nervous!

For the ascent, we hiked part of the Mesa Trail for the approach where it connected to a steep and bouldery climber's trail that led you to the start of the climb on the Third. Matt has led and free-soloed this climb, so he led the route for us. The route was the Standard East Face route. I went in the middle of Matt and Marc, even though we had a double rope where Marc and I followed up Matt.

Marc Taking Butt Photos of My Ascent Up the Third
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

The views as we ascended were so beautiful. We were able to see the whole city of Boulder, as well as Denver in the distance! We had perfect, sunny weather, clear skies, and beautiful scenic views, however, as the views got more appealing, the look down got more terrifying. I tried to not look down as much as possible. Hey, this was my first real big climb and my first multi-pitch, so of course I was nervous of the height!

The View Around Us.

We climbed up 5-pitches to where we reached the summit. There we were greeted by a few climbers who had free-soloed it and were about to rappel down. So while we waited, we were able to take a breather from the climb, take in the view, and for Marc and Matt to 'teach' me how to rappel.

The First and Second Flatiron From the Summit of the Third
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Happy He Made it Up!

Panoramic From the South (Left) to the North (Right)

What a View!

A Marker In the Rock!

Waiting to Rappel...Yes I Was Nervous!

So the idea is to rappel down three pitches. Well....this was my first rappel, and on top of being nervous and never rappelling before this climb, I was incredibly nervous. And well, as soon as I got into the rappel rope, I looked down, and well, I didn't rappel. I was so scared, practically broke down into tears. I cannot just perform an action without practicing it first. So, with the awesome flexibility and patience from Marc and Matt, they helped me top-rope me down two pitches. So in the diagram below, we did the first two yellow rappels in one, then did the third yellow rappel instead of the long red one. After the third rappel, we hike back around the Third back to the Mesa Trail.

The Descent Route

Cannot Believe I Climbed That!

I know, I did not rappel down, but I was able to climb up without a problem. Marc said that he would take me to a not-so-high climbing area and actually give me a rappelling lesson. So, I will be rappelling soon enough! Maybe just not a 200+ first time rappel. Other than the rappel, I really enjoyed the climb and adventure today! Really appreciative and grateful for two flexible and supportive people to climb with! :)

Summit Posing At the Summit of the Third! Duh!

TheChristyBel

Adventure Film Festival in Boulder, CO

So we found out this weekend, that the Adventure Film Festival was in town; well in Boulder, Colorado. Marc has been to a few film festivals before and said they are really cool and fun to go to. Since Boulder is about 2-hours away from Laramie, and I had finished a lot of my work ahead of time, we decided to have a 4-day weekend down there. Leaving right after one of my meetings, we packed up his van and drove down to Boulder.

Seeing Bigger Landforms Along the Drive.
Reminds Me of The Tetons...Sort Of.

Passing through Fort Collins and Boulder was sort of a shock for us. I have not been in a big city since maybe December when I was back east for the holidays. So seeing big stores like a bunch of Walmarts, Targets, top named brands stores, & lots of fast food joints, were pretty weird, but also very comforting to feel like I was home (not that I went to any of them, haha). 

The Sunset Driving into Boulder.

We got to Boulder around maybe 7pm. We stopped on Pearl Street, which is there main street of downtown, walked around the shops and had dinner at this really nice restaurant. It was really nice weather to stroll around the downtown. We then travelled about 20-minutes to Boulder Canyon and found a turn-off on the side of the road in the canyon that overlooked the Boulder Valley and slept in the van for the night. Yes, for car camping! The city skyline was absolutely beautiful in the clear night. I wish I had taken a photo, but 1.) my phone had died and 2.) my phone would not have been able to take the shot and scene that we saw. When we woke up, the city was covered in a dense fog, but still a beautiful and sunny morning on the overlook! Sorry, still no photos.

Hanging Downtown with a Frog
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Llama Puppets!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

The Flat Irons in the Distance!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
Super Pumped to Visit Here!
Dr. Leathers Would Be So Proud (And Jealous!)

After waking up a little chilly in the van, we drove back down to the valley and stopped at a WHOLE FOODS store to stock up on food for the day and breakfast. Man, it made me miss home and having an easy access to Whole Foods. Wahhh. I missed it! But we got some snacks, breakfast, and coffee and headed to a local outdoor gear store to ask them where some prime places to HIKE and climb were.

OH SIDE NOTE - PS NEWS UPDATE! So, I've been attending physical therapy in Laramie since school basically started and they gave me the clear to try hiking and climbing again! They have been giving me so many exercises for my knees, core, and back, along with the worst procedure ever: a dry needling. Which is by the way the worst, but best thing that has happened to my knees. They recreated the pain I get after hiking by having me run, 'hiking' on a treadmill, squats, jumps, whatever, nothing was working (I guess my knees are getting stronger). So they had to press down on my muscles near my knees, which definitely triggered the pain. Once they found the pain spots, they placed 4-needles into that muscle. Let me tell you, so much pain. I bursted into tears during the first needle. Apparently the needles that are going into the epicenter of pain in my knee is supposed to loosen up the muscle and cause the pain to stop occurring. Type 2 fun indeed, but totally worth the pain! No pain during my hike!

Ok, back to the Boulder weekend: after getting some ideas from the mountaineering gear shop, we decided to go to NCAR (the National Center for Atmospheric Research) and hike around their trails. The NCAR is right in front of the Mesa Trail that allows you to travel up and down along the Flatirons. They were incredibly beautiful. They are huge slabs that jut out of the land, great for climbing, and a great hike around.

The Flatirons! I want to hike and climb all of you!

We set onto the Mesa Trail and headed north. Approached the Third Flatiron where we scrambled up a portion of it. Want to free solo? No....definitely not. Saw and met some people that were and as we scrambled up, I looked down and was kind of freaked out. I need a rope. haha.

Looking Up the Third Flatiron.

The hike was absolutely wonderful. A great 3-hour trek before heading into town for the Adventure Film Festival started. And guess what, through the uneven terrain, walking over big rocks and uneven footing, scrambling up part of the Third, my knees were doing great! Super excited! Marc and I can adventure and hike again! haha.

Pano of the Flatirons!

A Wonderful and Beautiful Day to Try Out My New & Improved Legs! haha.

A Beautiful Fall in Boulder

 That evening, we went to the first night of the Adventure Film Festival. This was so cool. Seeing films and short clips of people pursuing their dreams and adventuring in the outdoors was incredibly inspiring. I definitely wanted in on this community. To adventure and document all your experiences and make an awesome visual collaboration...yes, please!

Boulder Adventure Film Festival
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

That night, we spent the night with Marc's friend Matt and his girlfriend, Meg. Both are really into mountaineering and climbing, particularly ice climbing. So they were telling us about the climbing here and where to go. So, we had sometime before the second night of the film festival, so we decided to go to Boulder Canyon and try out the Happy Hour Crags.

Fluffy Kitty, Brinna.

Happy Hour Crags is in Boulder Canyon and you pull off onto the side of the road in the canyon, and just hike up. The cliff walls are right on the side of the road. It was really intimidating, but really fun to climb the walls, look down and see the cars just drive below you! Don't worry, Mom, I was safe and in good hands! It was super fun. I am slowly getting the hang of climbing, trusting the rope, and overcoming my fear of heights (and falling). I even tried a small roof and some crack climbing! 

Marc Lead Climbing to Set Up the Top Rope
Had to Take Butt Photos!

Sunday after the film festival weekend, Meg, Matt, Marc, and I decided to go to El Dorado and try out a few routes there. It was really nice that the three (even though they are pretty experienced) were willing to top rope and climb some routes that were suitable for me. In 'El Do' we climbed Breezy and part of the Bastille routes. Lots of crack climbing. Totally learning a lot while actually doing it.

Meg & Matt Watching Marc Ascend Up Breezy

Marc Leading on the First Part of Bastille

Almost to the Anchor

I'm Going to Be Climbing This Shortly...

My Turn on Bastille's First Pitch

Half Way There - Tackling the Crux of the Route

Climbing was soooo fun. I am really glad Marc is teaching me more and more about this sport. It's really fun and a great way to test and challenge myself, also its a great trust opportunity (for myself and for Marc and I).

The Boulder weekend was super fun and one of the best weekends I have had this fall. Being outside and being able to hike again has been the happiest thing to do since I moved to Laramie. Ahhh.

TheChristyBel

Trying This New Hobby...And Liking It!

Marc & I in Front of the Flatirons