I headed out to Ten Sleep, Wyoming for 8 days during the fourth of July and had my strongest trip so far. The limestone is world class, the people I met there were really inspirational, and the fourth of July celebration in town was quite the experience.
Day 1
Goldmember 5.13d
This route was one of my main goals for the trip. Last September I took a trip to Ten Sleep for the first time over the weekend with the CU alpine club. I focused all my energy on this route and fell on my second go right below the last bolt. After that go I didn’t have the energy to climb it again and I left longing to go back and finish it. This trip was my chance. We arrived at Ten Sleep after driving six hours from Boulder and immediately we hiked up to give it a go. I quickly warmed up and on my first try I rehearsed the sequence, put up the draws, and figured out clips and rest spots. My next go I went for the send but fell off the upper crux. We headed back down to set up camp and the next day we headed back up to Slavery Wall. I did a really quick warm-up and sent it second try that day. My sixth try! For the first full day of climbing I already was really psyched about the trip.
Day 2
Hellion 5.13c
While I was spending the day on Goldmember, my friend Chris headed over to start projecting Hellion. By day two he was super close to sending and I headed over with him to the Superratic Wall. Hellion is a pretty sick line. Slightly overhung the whole way with huge pockets and big reaches. The crux is near the bottom with a precise deadpoint to a mono and then sustained climbing through two more bolts before the final jab for a two finger pocket. Chris made it look easy and sent second try of the day. My first try I went for the flash but missed a hold and fell. Second and third go I fell higher up and after an hours rest I sent.
Day 3
The Burden of Immortality 5.13a
Aunt Gemimas Busquick Thunderdome 5.12d
EKV 5.12c
Day three was sort of a half rest day. After two days of hard climbing I didn’t expect much, but surprised myself with some good sends. We headed out to Slavery Wall to tick off the rest of the classics on the wall. I warmed up on a nice 12a and then onsighted ABT 12d which has a technical opening slab to a really steep headwall. The headwall starts out with huge pockets and near the top you have a powerful crux right below the anchors. After that I onsighted Burden of Immortality which in my opinion is one of the best 13a’s I have been on. After Burden I took a quick rest and finished the day off by onsighting the ultra classic EKV 12c.
Day 5
Super-Love Bliss Machine 5.12d
Sky Pilot 5.13d
Galactic Emperor 5.14a
After our first rest day of our trip I came back feeling strong and decided to get on my main goal for the trip. After hiking for what seems like forever you finally reach the French Cattle Ranch and the Sector D’or et Bleu wall. This wall is one of the best walls I have seen and contains some of the best climbing. The wall is completely blue with bullet hard limestone. My main goal was the route Galactic Emperor 14a. Sky Pilot 13d starts in the middle of the wall and follows an orange streak through a powerful mono crux low down. Then sustained thin face climbing on shallow pockets lead to a chain draw. From here Galactic Emperor keeps going up another 30ft to the top of the wall with one final crux near the top on really small shallow pockets. After warming up on Super-Love Bliss Machine 12d over by Slavery Wall, we arrived at the Sector D’or et Bleu wall ready to give Galactic everything I had. At the wall we watched Cameron Hörst send Galactic Emperor which was very impressive considering he could barely reach the pockets and a lot of the time he was using holds that looked nonexistent in between the actual holds. I jumped on it after his send and surprised myself by onsighting the crux and making it to the third bolt before falling off of a 13b section. The second go I sent Sky Pilot 13d and fell off a few moves above the anchors. My third try I psyched myself out lower down and on my fourth try I knew I could get the whole thing. Sky Pilot went really quick and I made it to my previous high point and took advantage of the ok rests and after getting everything together I launched into the final crux. Two hard pulls on tiny micro pockets lead to a dead point to a flat rail and the end of the crux. I stuck the rail and finished the 5.11 terrain and clipped the anchors. My first 5.14a!
Day 6
He Biggum Fucked 5.13d
After finishing my main goals for the trip I wasn’t sure what else to do. Walking by this route I decided to give it a go. After warming up I got on it and fell on the opening boulder problem crux. Then worked out the upper moves and after a quick rest I sent second try to my amazement. After this route I eyed Fd in the A 5.14a right next to it and got on it to see what it was like. All the moves went really fast and I could definitely see myself doing it. On the second go I made it about half way and fell. My tendons were starting to feel painful and I decided to call it a day.
Day 8
The Insect 5.12d
Day 8 was our last day of climbing for the trip and I gave Fd in the A everything I had. After warming up quickly on an 11a and the insect we went straight to the base. My friend Chris got really close to sending He Biggum Fucked yesterday so we had both our projects lined up to send. Warming up was painful. My tendons were ache and I had a lot of doubts. My first two tries I ended up making it past the hardest physical move but then falling higher up on the final crux lock off. Chris gave He Biggum Fucked his last go after several tries and pulled off the send for his first 13d! I gave Fd in the A one more time but fell at the exact same spot. We called it a day and headed back to camp to stay one more night before heading back to Boulder. For me the trip was definitely eye opening, because I broke into the 5.14a grade and along with it I was pulling off 13d’s second try or within a handful of tries. I am now back in Boulder and packing up to start my nine month trip around the U.S.
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| Gold Member 5.13d |
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