The Ranch

You can't climb everyday nor should you. Turns out Jeremy is learning this one the hard way. Yesterday we visited Horseshoe Canyon Ranch(http://www.gohcr.com/rock_climbing.htm). Sorry the website is run by punters. Anyway, the high for the day was 30 and felt about 10 degrees colder. Windy, high humidity, and no sun means it takes you an hour to warm-up, if you can even call your current state after that period of time as "warm." Be that as it may we tried to climb stuff. He had a streak to maintain of 7 days of climbing in which he had climbed at least a v11, and I, on the other hand, was trying to send anything. We decided on the divide and conquer method, but unfortunately Jeremy was unable to get warmed up again once he made the 20 minute hike across the canyon. That coupled with the fact that he was trying to make the second ascent of Dave Graham's power testpiece, Loved by Few Hated by Many v13, didn't bode well. He rant into two hours later without a pad and confessed the ending of the streak. Just two days before he and I had visited DeSoto. As usual, he wreck shop and I tried to keep up. I sent nothing for the day, while he crushed the second ascent of Zach Leavitt's Midnight Frightening v11. He the proceeded to establish two of his own in Project Pat v9 and Upward Warrior v8, both of which were sick climbs.
JTW blowing minds and demoralizing others on Midnight Frightening v11

Upward Warrior v8 starts in a standing position with sidepulls bear-hugging the arete. It gains the sloper at 10' and tops out slightly left.

While Jeremy was gone, I proceeded to do the likely second ascent of an old Blake Strickland problem in the north Idahos called Isolation v8. Although it is an eliminate, it climbs some amazing sandstone slopers, so I was pleased to finally do it. Next I met up with the only other people at the Ranch that day who also happened to be friends. I had the chance to witness what is very likely the first native female Arkansan send a v7 in Razor's Edge. Morgan Gattis has been holding her own with the boys for years, and she definitely seeing dividends these days. Hopefully her climbing will continue to flourish. Across from Razor's Edge is another Blake Strickland problem know as Dark Elf v10. This was one of the original four v10s at the Ranch before outside developers came. Unfortunately, I was told by Blake that the problem never saw a second ascent as it broke shortly after his first ascent and is probably unrepeatable in its current state. After 30 minutes on Sunday, I had worked out all the moves except for one, which still illudes me. In this time Morgan sent her project and Jeremy reappeared, so I decided to call it quits on that rig until a warmer day.

Last stop for the day was yet another Strickland problem. Come O Long v8, was established a little over a year ago in the south Idahos directly behind Even Dirtier. It is an excellent short face climb with a slightly hazardous fall potential. Blake chose to top it out by traversing left and coming back right; however, I thought the correct line should be straight up. I nearly flashed the problem, but neglected to fully consider the topout. Short work yielded my second Strickland problem of the day and another possible second ascent. I was happy to have done this one, especially since I believe a sit start will be possible on this one. By that time it was so cold one could barely stay warm even while climbing in a down jacket, so we called it quits. All in all it was a good day. A lot of climbing by myself and "alone time", but that's what this roadtrip was predicated on anyway.