Trip Report: Yosemite

Arne leading the second pitch of Commitment
(more photos here)

Just got back from a long weekend at Yosemite with my climbing buddy Arne.  Pre-kids I used to spend a full week in the Valley each year, but now I’m lucky to get a few days here and there.  I’ll take what I can get…

We did a lot of climbing — 28 pitches total — but we stuck to short routes.  I haven’t climbed much outside this year and felt a little rusty.  Usually it only takes me a day or so to get my confidence back, but this trip I really didn’t feel strong until the last day.  Also, any Yosemite route that is 5.9 or hard requires impeccable crack technique and if you don’t get a lot of practice on cracks everything will feel a little harder than the ratings indicate. 

Below is our tick list.  In addition to the climbing, I managed to squeeze in a hike to Nevada falls on Tuesday morning before heading to the airport.  I’ve been experimenting with barefoot-style running and did the hike (about 8.5 miles and 2,000 vertical feet) in my Chacos in under 2 hours.

All in all a great trip — there’s no place on Earth like Yosemite but the older my little girls get the tougher it is to be away from them.  Hopefully we can make future trips a family affair!

FRIDAY (arrived late afternoon):

• C.S. Concerto (5.9, 3 pitches) linked to last 3 pitches of After 6 (5.7) — A couple of runouts got our attention.  Welcome to Yosemite

SATURDAY

• Commitment (5.9, 3 pitches) — One of my favorites at Yosemite.  Unfortunately there was a wasp nest right that the crux.
• Bishop’s Terrace (5.8, 2 pitches) — You’d be hard-pressed to find a better 5.8 climb anywhere.
• Church Bowl Tree (5.10b, 1 pitch) — Super-slick feet.  I almost got the onsight but fell at the last move.
• Church Bown Lieback (5.8, 1 pitch) — Fun route!

SUNDAY

• Nutcracker (5.8, 6 pitches) — The most popular 5.8 at Yosemite.  I think there are better routes.
• Nutcracker, Direct Start (5.9, 1 pitch) — Felt way harder than 5.9 to me.

MONDAY

• Nurdle (5.8, 2 pitches)
• Suds (5.9, 1 pitch)
• Golden Needles (5.8, 2 pitch) — A bit dirty but stellar climbing.  If this route were in the Valley it would be 5 star.
• Boneheads (5.10b, 1 pitch)
• Babble On (5.10a, 1 pitch) — Very cool roof traverse.
• Knuckleheads (5.10b, 1 pitch)

Trip Report: Climbing in the Verdon Gorge

Me climbing on L’Epéron Sublime

Whenever a vacation takes me near mountains or canyons, I try to sneak away for a day of rock climbing.  So when I was planning the itinerary for our recent trip to France, the Verdon Gorge immediately came to mind.  The Verdon is one of the largest canyons in the world (what we call a canyon is called a gorge in Europe) and is considered Europe’s most beautiful canyon.  It was formed by the Verdon River, which is named after its turquoise-green colour.

Luckily, I was able to find a British guide named Alan Carne that lives in the area and specializes in the Verdon Gorge.  The Verdon is known for its huge white limestone walls.  I don’t do a lot of climbing on limestone and I had heard that the ratings there are stiff so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Alan suggested that we start with a classic route called L’Epéron Sublime (7 pitches, 510c A1 or 5.12).

When climbing in a canyon, you have to either hike or rappell to the bottom first.  In this case, Alan lowered me using a 200 meter static line.  Because the wall was so steep, I ended up hanging in space a good bit.  Our route started from a ledge that Alan called “the garden” about 150 meters above the river.

Once we started climbing, I realized that the climbing was going to take some getting used to.  The limestone on this route tends to be quite slick and the feet felt insecure.  However, there were usually nice pockets and cracks for the hands.   Limestone usually means face climbing, but L’Epéron Sublime is somewhat unique because it follows a crack and corner system and requires the use of crack technique.

I’ve climbed in a bunch of places, but the climbing in the Verdon is unlike anything I’ve done.  The walls are steep (rarely less than 90 degrees and sometimes overhanging) and the climbing is very sustained.   A typical 5.10 pitch involves long sequences of moves at that grade, making the climbing physically demanding with a serious, exposed feel.  It’s as if the wall is trying to push you off.  For this reason, I didn’t ask Alan to let me lead any of the pitches (those of you that have climbed with me know that’s unusual).

All that being said, I loved it.  The moves were very aesthetic (that one’s for you, Arne) and good technique is rewarded.  And as you can tell from the videos, the views are amazing!  One of the highlights was watching Alan free a short 5.12 section on pitch 6.

Talking to Alan after he freed the 5.12 crux pitch.  Check out the view!

Despite a late morning start, we moved pretty quickly on L’Epéron Sublime and finished with plenty of daylight.  So we decided to tackle another route, Afin que nul ne Meure (rough translation:  ”So nobody dies”) (5 pitches, 5.9).  Compared to L’Epéron Sublime, this bolted route felt really easy.  Alan and I traded leads and finished the route in about an hour!

After 12 pitches of climbing, I felt surprisingly fresh.  Alan, who is super-motivated despite 30+ years of climbing experience, asked if I wanted to do another route but I was hesitant to push my luck.  After all, when you’re climbing in canyons there’s only one way out!

More climbing L’Epéron Sublime

Overall, the Verdon Gorge is one of the best climbing destinations I’ve visited.  The approaches are super short, the climbing is stellar, and the weather is mild.  And Alan was a fantastic guide — motivated, strong, and knowledgable.  I’d love to go back and spend a week some time.

Kevin’s Superfood Smoothie

Almost exactly 2 years ago, I posted my Power Smoothie recipe to this blog.  It’s become one of the most visited posts on my blog.  If you search Google for things like “Maca Power Smoothie” my recipe is in the first few results.

Recently I read a book called Superfoods by David Wolfe and I changed the recipe to add another superfood, cacao, that completely changes the taste (think chocolate!) and makes the smoothie more energizing.

What are superfoods, you might ask? They are special plant-based foods that are some of the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet, but they also have several unique medicinal properties.  They may help with detoxification, balance hormones, boost the immune system, improve mood, or heal infections.

About the new ingredient:  Cacao
All chocolate is made from cacao beans,  but unfortunately most chocolate products (e.g. Hershey’s bars) are heavily processed and packed with sugar and artificial ingredients.  Real cacao beans are packed with nutrients such as magnesium and iron and contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world (15 times more than blueberries). Plus, in clinical studies chocolate has been proven to increase brain blood flow and function.  Cacao was so revered my the Mayans and Aztecs that they used the beans for money instead of gold!

This vegan Superfood Smoothie receipe contains 4 of David Wolfe’s top 10 superfoods:  Cacao, maca, hempseed, and coconut oil.  I’m planning to try adding a fifth, spirulina, soon.

Here is the recipe:

• 1 organic banana
• 2-3 cubes of ice
• 2-3 tablespoons ground cacao nibs — Nibs can be purchased online (here’s a good site).  I use a small coffee grinder to make fresh cacao powder.
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed – A great source of Omega-3 fatty acids.  (I use Barlean’s FortiFlax)
• 1 tablespoon organic extra virgin coconut oil – The healthiest of oils, supports your thyroid and gives you energy.
• 2 heaping tablespoons hemp protein powder - Yes, hemp - for your health.  It’s one of the most complete sources of protein around (I use Manitoba Harvest)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon maca powder – Maca is a root grown in the highlands of Peru.  It boosts energy, balances hormones, and even increases libido.  You will notice the effect after a few doses.  (I use Macasure)
• Hemp milk  - as needed to achieve a drinkable consistency
• OPTIONAL:  1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey to sweeten

I love the taste and texture of this smoothie and the cacao provides a noticable boost in energy.  I use the smoothie primarily as a recovery drink after exercise.  Enjoy!

My new (old) ride

Once you start cycling, it’s inevitable that you’ll accumulate bikes.  So far I’ve kept it to just my Kuota racing bike for training and an Electra cruiser for rides with the family.  But recently I started feeling the need for a change of pace on training rides.  Most cyclists scratch this itch with a single speed, but I wanted something that I could also use to pull the girls in a trailer.

After looking at a bunch of options (mostly cross bikes), I stumbled upon this Peugeot road bike on Craig’s List.  As you can tell from the pictures, it’s in amazing condition for a 24 year old bike, with all original parts and hardly a scratch on it.  With a little research, I determined that it’s a 1985 Peugeot PSN 10.  I even found an online version of the Peugeot catalog from 1985:

(click the image to enlarge)

I’ve always liked the styling of 80’s vintage Peugeots so  I decided to keep the bike all original except for the pedals, which I upgraded to Forte Campus pedals that have a clip on one side for cleats and a platform on the other for street shoes.  I’ve put about 50 miles on it now and it rides like a dream.  As I’ve remarked before, it’s amazing how little bikes have evolved over the years.  At 22 pounds, this bike is a lot heavier than today’s carbon bikes but it sure rides a lot smoother and is just as fast on the flats.  I have to admit, it’s a lot of fun to pass riders on modern high-end bikes while shifting gears on the down tube…

Eldo Rocks

Me on the knife-edge ridge atop The Yellow Spur

I was in Denver last week for a conference so I stayed an extra day and went rock climbing at Eldorado Canyon State Park just a few minutes south of Boulder, CO.  ”Eldo” is one of the top rock climbing destinations in the U.S. with hundreds of routes on walls up to 700 feet high.  This was my first visit and I was excited to check it out.

I climbed with Eli Helmuth from ClimbingLife Guides.  I climbed with Eli a few years ago at Lumpy Ridge so it was good to catch up with him.

For our first objective, Eli suggested that we tackle The Yellow Spur, one of the most classic routes at Eldo.   This route is popular for good reason — the climbing is super-aethetic and every pitch is excellent.  I led pitches 3, 4, and 5.  Given Eldo’s reputation for stiff ratings and the fact that I haven’t been climbing outside much this year, I was happy to get the onsight.  The Yellow Spur is rated 5.10a but the crux moves on pitch 5 felt more like 10c to me — definitely near my lead limit.

After a somewhat complicated descent and a Clif Bar, we tacked our next route, The Green Spur.  We did the 2 pitch route as one rope-stretching pitch.  The climbing was really engaging — another Eldo gem.

A climber (not me) on The Green Spur
(photo from Mountain Project)

To finish out the day, Eli suggested that I lead Darness Til Dawn, a single pitch 5.10 corner just to the left of The Green Spur.

A climber on Darkness Til Dawn
(photo from Mountain Project)

For whatever reason, I tend to struggle with corners and sure enough, the crux move on this route completely shut me down.  I was pretty frustrated — stiff ratings or not, I should have been able to onsight this route.  After 3 tries, I finally found a key foothold that made the move feel easy.  That’s one of the things I love about climbing — small changes to body position or sequence often make all the difference in the world.  After flailing up the rest of the route with pumped out arms, I took a short rest and did the route again on toprope.  This time it felt almost easy.

By the time I finished the last pitch (my 10th of the day), I was completely spent.  Good thing, because 5 minutes later it started pouring rain.  So Eli and I did the short hike out of the canyon and grabbed a burger at a pub in Boulder.  After eating, I spent about an hour at Neptune Mountaineering, a famous climbing shop and museum of sorts.  Then it was on to the airport for the flight home.

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the climbing at Eldorado Canyon.  I can hardly imagine how awesome it would be to live in Boulder and have world class climbing at your doorstep.  Maybe some day…

Summit Climbing Gym 2.0

Last night I climbed at Summit Climbing Gym in Grapevine.  Summit is 40 minutes from my house, but it’s worth an occassional visit because it has the only hand crack in town (just right of middle in the pic above).  After last night, I may be going to Summit more often…

A couple of months ago, a couple of local guys bought the gym and there is a new sense of energy.  I climbed 10 or 12 routes (plus 10 laps on the crack) and the route-setting is superb.  One of the new owners, Kyle, introduced himself to me and asked for feedback on the gym and their new website.  This is always a good sign.

I think I’ll add Summit to my regular training routine.

Roasting at Red Rocks

Me leading Pitch 4 of Dark Shadows

Last weekend I went to Red Rocks with my friend Michael for a few days of climbing.  We went late in the season, so our biggest challenge was staying out of the sun and 100 degree temps.  Here’s what we did:

Saturday:
This was Michael’s first multi-pitch climbing trip, so I wanted to start out on something pretty easy.  We chose Frogland, a 6 pitch 5.8 in Black Velvet Canyon.  Michael did great and we finished early, so we moved over to Triassic Sands, a route that has been on my tick list for a while.  The second pitch has a 5.10 crux that the guidebook describes as “an athletic series of moves”.  I’ve seen people struggle on those moves, so I was pretty amped up.  So amped up that the route felt very casual.  The pitch turned out to be one of the best I’ve climbed.  All in all, a great first day with 8 good pitches of climbing.

Sunday:
One of the neat things about climbing in the desert is that no matter how hot it is, it’s usually very comfortable if you stay in the shade.  However, if you are climbing in the sun, the heat radiating off the rock will roast you.

Unfortunately, our day 2 objective, Dream of Wild Turkeys, was directly in the sun.  We knew this before we hiked in, but we hoped the heat would be bearable.  It wasn’t.  We climbed the first 2 pitches and bailed.  After we rappelled down, we had a little snafu with the rope, so I ended up climbing the first pitch of The Gobbler, which looks like an amazing route.  I’ll be back to climb that one (linked to Fiddler on the Roof).

After a morning spent in the sun, we were pretty tired and dehydrated.  We consulted the guidebook and selected a route that was in the shade called The Misunderstanding.   This 2 pitch 5.9 turned out to be a real gem, with incredibly aesthetic and varied climbing.

Monday:
For our last day, we selected Dark Shadows Wall, which the guidebook says “rarely gets sun”.  Unfortunately, we visited during one of those rare times of year.  Our intent was to do Risky Business and Dark Shadows.  We started with Dark Shadows, which climbs a corner that did provide some shelter from the sun. 

Michael leading the first pitch of Dark Shadows.  
The standard 4 pitch route is shown in red.

We finished that route quickly, but unfortuntately Risky Business and everything else on the wall was baking in the sun — too hot to climb.  So we cut the day short and headed to the airport.

Overall, we had a great time as always.  But given the weather, we made a couple of bad route choices that kept us from climbing as much as I’d have liked to.  I’ll know better next time.

Good luck, Lauren!

The ThinkCash marketing team (photo courtesy of Ben)

Today we had a farewell lunch at Joe T’s for our intern, Lauren (the person waving in the photo), who is graduating from TCU this weekend.  Lauren is our second marketing intern, and both of them have landed great jobs after graduation.  I like having interns around because it’s a win-win situation — they get good job experience for their resume and we get help with odds & ends projects (interns always know they’re in trouble when I tell them I have a “strategic project”).  I also like the energy they bring to work every day.

Good luck, Lauren!

(P.S.  I can’t believe how big our marketing team has become!)

Sunday Family Project

Abby has been talking about flower gardens a lot lately, so we decided to build a little garden in the back yard.  Abby and Allie picked out all the flowers and a bunch of seeds.  We also planted some basil, cilantro, and spinach.  We’ll see how it goes…

Sometimes shorter is better

Here’s an explanation from Rock and Ice Magazine of why shorter people have an advantage in climbing (or any sport where gravity is a primary obstacle).  I’m not sure their logic is 100% correct because it assumes that taller people are also thicker, but it’s pretty clear that taller people will tend to have lower strength-to-weight ratios.