Spring Forward--

Josh heading up Pitch 5 or 6 of Lurking Fear

"Dude, this is WAY above my head."  I stated flatly to my climbing partner Josh Lavigne as we scrambled the last bit of 4th class terrain in Yosemite Valley.

Pitch 4 Lurking Fear

"It is over mine too." Josh returned.


Yeah right, I thought.  You climb the shit out of El Capitan! --with grace and good attitude to boot.


This was Monday.  My first full day back in the valley--of only 5.

Five!!  NEVER NOT ENOUGH!


A ridiculously squeezed in trip...dropping objectives, but sharing wonderful company and the prospect of a killer new job at home waiting.

Josh and I hiked along side a favorite Yosemite cliff.  Moseying past the prow with Haul bags waiting, brushing our shoulders against the fixed lines of the Salathe Wall, finally dropping our packs at the base of Lurking Fear.
Our plan was to free climb with no dire need to push for a summit.

Just free climb, try hard, and have a good time.

We did!

Josh and I cheezin' after sending some El Cap free climbing!  

Josh led the first 2 pitches of the morning.  Both of us stymied by the boulder problem finish of the first pitch.  A wild sloping-pinch- mantle- over type move.  Hard, but doable.
The second pitch, 5.13c, was an intentional aid-fest.  I checked out the sideways dyno half-hearted.

Jens on the first pitch of Romulan Warburg, FiFi Buttress

What?  Beth Rodden, nice work!!!!!

I led the next two pitches.  The first being a funky mix of crack climbing with slippery face climbing.  I combo-packaged this 12c pitch.  Not ready to commit to trying hard.
Pitch 4, slab climbing to the base of a slippery water runnel.  A thin RP seam slowly widens to a hand crack finish.
I free climbed the SHIT out of that pitch!!

WOW!!  I just on-sighted a 5.12 on El Capitan!!  I quit climbing.  That's it, reached my pinnacle.  Done!!!!!!

We proceeded in climbing 2 more amazing pitches of 5.12, then decided we were happy with our achievements!

What a Monday!

I arrived to the Big Ditch at 5pm Sunday.  A decent amount of daylight tempted me

Time for Royal Arches?

First stop, Camp 4.  Jens Holsten, my other climbing partner, waited patiently.  After chatting with some folks, we finally made our way to the Pines to meet up with Josh.  The golden hour had settled in, Royal Arches was out.  Beer and conversation in the Meadow with a magical sunset ended our day.

Monday arrived.  Jens feeling mellow opted out.  So, Josh and I rallied for the Lurking Fear adventure.

Me, leading us up the first 7 Pitches on Watkins

Tuesday, the three of us fueled with coffee and hilarious motivation over Monday's dinner, headed to Fifi Buttress.  Romulan Warburg, a highly recommended rock climb-- beautiful steep corner system stacked with 5.11 and 5.12 climbing, was our objective of the day.

We rotated leads.  Jens volunteering for the sharp end first.
This pitch climbs a stellar dihedral---thin-- with awesome finishing moves.

Note to self:  Stretch before this pitch

Pitch 2, continues up a corner system-- a little run out.  Some sections required thoughtful climbing, I had trouble with this one.

I might have teared up.

Pitch 3 consisted of some off-the-hook steep blocky 5.11 climbing.  Really fun and airy.

The 4th pitch combo-meal consisted of a  bouldery dihedral switch with a bolt to a ridiculously pumpy finger/small hand crack.

RadiCal  

Josh danced up this...it was awesome to watch!

Next, pitch 5, was unique-- face climbing knobs with a few bolts and the ability to stem right.  Fun and short.
Pitch 6--  the glory crux.  A thin tips layback to an awkward mantle finish. Super strenuous and tiny pro.  I pinky jammed and layed-back, while Jens opted for some stemming.

A fabulous climb and company to celebrate Andrew's birthday!!

Jens heading up the middle of Watkins on his block.  

Wednesday greeted us with more sunshine but achy shoulders.  The Merced river gently lapped at my toes for most of the morning.  Yoga beneath El Cap soothed my brain in the afternoon and a beer with Jens firmed up our plans for the following day.

Thursday -- 4am came like Christmas.  I was ready to get up well before Jens actually hollered at me to get up!

Mt. Watkins day!

WOOT!


Jens and I hiked in while Josh dropped us off at Mirror lake, returned the car and biked back up to meet us.  All of our first time on Watkins --I love the family adventures!!

Josh (left side behind flake) taking us to the top...with the rad tree on the ledge to the right!

We speechlessly took turns on the approach, re-directing one another if a hiking error occurred.

Sunlight emerged as did the mosquitos as we made our way up the fixed lines.

I led the first 7, Jens the next 6 and Josh the last 6.  Our pasts melding into the present, everything clicking.  Roughly 8 hours or so after tying in, we reached the summit!

An evening in Tuolumne and a quick solo of Cathedral Peak closed the week out.  I piled in Randy the Subaru and headed East.

How perfect that I climb in Yosemite with two friends Josh Lavigne and Jens Holsten.  All three of us having similar experiences and attitudes towards the loss of loves, friends, and family.

RaDicaL tree on the hike out from Watkins

Cumulative a lot of loss amongst us but so much growth.

A lot of learning.
A lot of reflection.
A lot of conversation.
A lot of adventure.

One of the best trips I have ever had in the valley.  A seamless integration of decades of climbing experience with life changing lessons.  We fit together so well in this crazy puzzle of life.

This only emphasizing the importance of letting the world show me, not me showing the world.

I must be open and gracious.

Adapt and laugh.

Most important, love and spend time with those who cultivate a similar path.

Tuolumne and the boys!  

Fitz Roy

Approaching Fitz Roy's west side

“Is that you Clay?”  Sam piped up, poking fun in the full moon from our tightly packed perch. 

We had all just settled uncomfortably into our sleeping bags, tethered by cordelette and were already greeted by the loud rhythmic sound of air squeezing through a nasal passage.  Chad was out, snoring, and clearly comfortable with his legs dangling over the lip of granite.  Dreaming of rainbows and Alfahores (the most delicious cookie/carmel/chocolate treat EVER), I am sure. 

The final push to begin the route.  

  

Jens silently stirred snuggled next to Chad in their dual sleeping sack.  

Two peas in a pod.

Luke lay to my right, stiff and quite.  I think he snuck a sleeping pill.  

Clay laughed on my left side. “Ha, nope, not me tonight Sam!”

Sam, somewhere near my feet...hugging the edge...rubbed his arms methodically in attempts to stay warm, complaining of cold triceps!!! 

I slept with my face buried into my sleeping bag, hugging a rock with my cheek, chest down all twisted up.   The climbing rope under my ass leveled me just enough from slipping too far down the ledge.

Six of us sleeping on one 8 by 5 ledge, strewn with boulders and patches of ice.  

Snow was not easily accessed for melting and we were all too lazy to seek it out.

This was our second bivy on Fitz Roy. 

Stoked to be on Fitz Roy!!!

Earlier that morning Luke, Sam, Clay and myself had been awoken at our first bivy (a plush platform hanging over the northern side of Fitz Roy.

Chad and Jens had gotten an early start from their bivy lower down on the route and were climbing over our sleeping bags with smiles.  

“Morning guys,” Chad greeted us with a smile through the early dawn light.  The 4 of us started packing our kits as Jens and Chad set-up to blast up our first headwall.

Jens handed me back the #4 we had left for him on the snow pitches the day prior.  He gathered it out of the ice lined crack, but said he couldn't bring himself to clip it.  Nice work!!!!

Adam and Mike also began packing their kits, sleeping in a not-as-sweet- alcove 15 feet below us.  

100m of simul-climbing came to a halt!

Clay and I had started the approach and climbing with them Wednesday, February 12.  

Leading away from the snowy mess.  Glory ridge climbing once again

This was February 13th.  The ‘Breakfast pitch’ this Thursday morning leered at us all.  A shaded wall smeared with ice and snow.  

Adam and Mike were hesitant.  

Jens was the first to give it a rip, successfully hand traversing left into a short off-width section.  He mantled his ice axe, stemmed trepidasiously, and finally chicken-winged his way to a good stance with descent gear.  

Alright, it goes!!

The boys all looked at each other with uncertainty.  

Myself and Sam leading up the stella rib to our first Bivy

“Never climbed an icy crack with my rock shoes on,” Sam admitted to Clay as he prepped for his go on the ‘breakfast pitch.’

He nailed it with Clay following suit shortly after!  

Bivy ledge on night 1--cushy and amazing!

Adam and Mike were not feeling it, opting to descend. 

 “I think it would be safer just to go up,” I commented in an attempt to rally them along.

  

It didn’t work.

We were down to 3 teams. 

Wishing them safe travels as they figured out how to rappel off this crazy mountain, the 6 of us pushed further up the 5000 foot feature.  

Inching our way up the wall in a perfectly choreographed pattern of climbing and belaying, laughing and trying hard.    

Half-way up the headwall, I took over the leading.  Cracks were still a little snowy, but now with the sun's warmth a lot of wet.    

Eventually the 3 teams breached the headwall, belly flopping onto a flat sunny ledge.  The route continued around the south side of a western rib...more shade and ice.  

Sam Piper, Luke Holloway, and Mermoz and the moon glowing in behind.

Chatter filled the crisp air as we took a moment of pause.  All 3 parties able to mingle.  Gazing west at the vast icecap, conversations of previous weeks adventures and empanada parties.  We all smeared more zinc sunscreen on our faces.  Clay and Chad both accentuated their white face paint with a tan zinc lip goo.  

Comical to look at them both!  

“What were you dreaming about last night, Chad?”  I inquired, rousing him for his snoring.  

“Not sure? Man best night of sleep I have had in while, though!”  he replied with a grin.   

yup!

I continued the leading, but was super happy to have another team clearing the path today.  I could mindlessly wan....ops foot slipped on some black ice.  Mindless wandering wasn’t going to happen.

We all pushed on, now over 14 hours into our day.  The sun creeping closer to Cerro Torre and the western skyline.  

Short steep headwalls sections, wandering pitches with loose death blocks, black ice, snow and water.  This climb was not a gimme.

Worry swept across Clay’s face as the temps began to drop and it seemed we were no where near a comfortable stopping point.  

“Hey guys,” Jens hollered down to the four of us spread out working diligently on our individual pitches, “I think this ledge will fit all 6 of us!”  

I saw the relief in Luke’s eyes as he followed his line up the ledge with Sam, Chad and Jens already on it.  Clay had almost resigned to sleeping in a snowy flat patch a pitch lower, until this news broke.  

Phew, we were exhausted and ready to get settled in.  

Oh the Breakfast Pitch and the gang!

Chad commented on having never shared such a small ledge with so many people, he thought it was a riot!  

The snoring subsided or maybe I got a few minutes of sleep too.  

Either way Jens’ alarm at 5 am was dreadful.  

I convulsed with shivers.  Sam and Luke too.  All of us fairly dehydrated, exhausted and cold. 

Clay, thankfully, offered to lead the breakfast pitches again!  Luke and Sam started us off the third day.  More steep sections with iced blocks and another looming headwall.  

Sam and I looked at each other at one point, “Where are we???”  

The mountain stretched like Jack’s bean stalk....into the endless blue sky.  

Endless, it seemed that morning.  

My turn to head up the Breakfast Pitch, at last.  Headwall just got better!

We blasted off our bunk bed ledge without breakfast, without melting water.  

Three or four pitches had us at an angling scree and snow filled tennis field sized expanse.  Luke aimed right towards the steep red rock, a finger crack calling his name.  Jens aimed left, near the prow towards a fully rimmed-up crack he was convinced would fall out with a gentle tap.  Clay strayed straight up, towards an off-width filled with snow at its base.  

Ha, cragging 4200 feet off the deck, looking for the right path.  

Luke and Sam down-climbed.  

Not right.

Clay paused under the off-width without the correct sized gear to make a reasonably safe ascent.

Jens doubted his rimy hand-crack.  

Cheezin' at the bellyflop spot.  

Stumped.  All of us.
Jens gazed left.  A hand traverse led directly left around the prow back onto the north face of Fitz Roy and presumably the easier terrain we were looking for.

“HAND TRAVERSE!” I shouted up, “That’s the beta!!”  Chris Trimble had written me a little message right before we left for this mission, as I knew he had climbed Afanasieff last year.  

‘Sick hand-traverse leads to more wandering terrain to the top.’ 

Jens took it.  

Sure enough, the sick hand-traverse bopped us around a prow and onto a few feet more of 5.10 terrain before eventually mellowing to easier 5.8 blocky climbing.  

Jens scoping out the sick hand traverse!

Chad Heading up for the hand traverse

The terrain was not too difficult, but as we climbed up higher the snow was more prominent as was the rime covering the rocks.

Capes of never-never land rime flew westward, waving up to 5 feet sideways off the granite.  Clinging like a sea urchin in the waves.  

With the developing day, the sun’s warmth melted chunks and doused us with the little ice daggers and water droplets.  

The blue sky became a more prominent visual, as 5000 feet of granite was almost entirely under our feet.  A final snow field blanketed the path to the summit ridge. 

The 6 of us high-fived, took photos, danced a little, and marveled at our birds-eye view of the Southern tip around us.  

so close...so close

Three exhausting days of work, two cold nights of sleeping on rocks, all to summit one amazing mountain.  

We were on the top of Cerro Fitz Roy!!!!!!

Summit time is exponentially shorter than ascending time.  With many rappels and tricks still to fill the day, Luke and Sam headed down first.  Chad and Jens lingered at the top with Clay and I.  I spread some of Andrew’s ashes and took a few photos for Chad and Jens with their Hostel business card.  

We all strapped on our crampons and Jens and I led our teams down the southern snow slope.  Luke and Sam had just anchored into the first rappel, Chad and Jens had just completed a 15 foot down climb section.

Cumbre dancin' on Fitz Roy!

“Hey Quinn, you might want to give Clay a belay on that section.” Chad hollered to me.  I nodded and followed suit.  

I finished the down climb after Clay, and led across a short icy bit to the first rappel station.  Luke and Sam’s ropes still through the rings.  

“Be safe guys.” Chad hollered back at us one last time.  We were not all descending the same way.  The four of us choosing the Franco-Argetintine while Chad and Jens opting for the Super Caneleta.  

We caw-cawed with joy one last time and sent one last well wish to one another.  

The six of us summited Fitz Roy on Valentines day 2014 as an unplanned team.  Psyched to spend time together, share the loads of route finding and cleaning up the icy splitters.  Snuggling and shivering on uncomfortable platforms suspended over seas of glaciers and scree.  What a treat!    

Andrew Barnes atop Fitz Roy.  Cerro Torre in the background!

The four of us completed our rappels and separated ways, as Clay and I had gear to retrieve at another camp.  Upon arriving haggard back to El Chalten on Saturday morning, our glee was quickly overthrown with news of only five successfully descending the mountain that day.  

Fitz Roy was Chad Kellogg's 5th Patagonian summit (or so he mentioned on the top).  Sadly, it was his last.  

A legend in the climbing community, it was an amazing treat to summit this prized mountain with such a pleasant and skilled alpinist.  Thank you Chad.  My heart extends to your family and close friends and to Jens for loosing his partner en route.  

Love to my dear friends Jens, Luke, Sam, Adam, Mike and my rock star partner Clay and to the whole community of climbers in Chalten who made it down safe from their adventures.  

Cerro Torre and others.  Looking west.  

Pata-pnemonia

Fitz Roy in early morning from Niponino camp. 

Sunny.  Warm.  Breezy.

Chalten, Argentina.

Still coughing, been a week.  It is not awful but it is not desirable.

Jon Schaffer, Clay Kennedy and I hiked up to Niponino Thursday amidst hanging clouds and snow.  The mountains looked wintery--and they were.  We made pretty good time on the hike with our more than 40 pound packs, dodging the obscene amount of trekkers and only a minor route finding snafu or two along the way (5 and 1/2 hours).

The homestretch across the last rock strewn glacier, I took a digger in a slushy pot hole.  Minor wetness that dropped me onto my knees.  Five minutes later I took another digger, this one almost thigh deep.  Soaking.  I hurried over the last few boulders and plopped down at a sandy bench to change my socks and into my boots.  The boys scouted for a prime campsite.

We found a place to nestle the tent between to boulders and the three of us packed in.  It was warm enough, the winds subsided and the peaks finally revealed themselves.  Cerro Torre staring at us--caked in snow and ice.  Full winter conditions.  El Mocho was our plan, Todo y Nada was the route.  Sounded so good in theory.   Upon approaching the following morning the rock sandwiching the steep snow gully was a blanket of white.  The top of the gully was teased with spindrift.  The 300 feet or so of rounded granite was dripping with ice and water.  Dampening my soul.  We needed to surmount this 'easy when dry' obstacle to gain access to the gully.  My eyes widened as I looked up 1000 feet.  My knowledge about climbing drifted into the thin blue air.  Clay and I both hesitated.  Jon remained cool and composed as we discussed 'bailing.'
Which we did.
The winter conditions had me doubting that I should even be in Patagonia.  I don't want to be guided up El Mocho, or any other route.  My fears before coming here seem to be true.  Last season and the season prior were a little friendlier, warmer, and drier.
Perhaps this is not my place.  Perhaps just not yet.

Approaching, the Torre Valley.  Cerro Torre strutting her stuff.  

Rainbow Walla Walla

"update your grey matter cause one day it may matter"

Partner and breakfast

Somebody said that to me the other day.  I liked it.  There it is.


I have gathered a hint that writing about my personal growth and attempts at stirring conversation (other than climbing) via a blog are not fulfilling certain requirements.

To amend this audacity, here is some illusive move-by-move intensive spray, ensuring your slack-jawed attention....


Rainbow Wall.  The Original Route.  November 10, 2013.

Partner makes coffee while you just begin to notice a world outside your own eyelids.
Frantically search for the park pass (the same one you have used for weeks and just used yesterday) as the sun gradually mantels the horizon.
Warm up the truck, simul-searching for park pass and shoveling delicious eggs into mouth (also prepared by partner)
---Hey, hey, be nice! ... I cook the dinner and make the lunch, he cooks the breakfast.

Begin drive to Red Rocks, with a brief weight load check at port-o-john near entrance to campground.
Prepare and discuss fib for entrance gate worker--as park pass still hasn't shown itself
Get ushered into park with smiles and glitter---FREE PARK DAY! SIcKbirD
Drive entrance loop while rocking out to the LCD SoundSystem.
Park truck, finish packing bags (partner sneaks 2 large coils of cordelette into bag, it has become a personal joke to do this on most outings.
***don't make fun your partner for having so much extra shit on their harness)

Begin hike.
Nail the first part of the approach, but follow a trail up an extra steep slope prematurely (after passing under Cloud Tower) because you figure you need a little more leg work for an upcoming Patagonia trip.

Entering crux on second pitch

Hike down hill through a cat-trail before finally emerging beneath Red Rocks best version of the "death slabs"
Laugh and giggle
Sneak off for a pee (hydration is key)
Kick steps up the seemingly endless sandstone slabs, while ogling at the rad fold that splits Rainbow Mountains North Face right down the middle.
Rack-up, snack-up, bundle up.  (November on a north facing wall....I put on long underwear and still have no regrets about it.)
Partner heads up the first pitch 5.6
Partner slips off 6 feet up the first pitch, his catlike reflexes turn him around 180 degrees.  He lands with one foot on a 3L drom and the other foot on a boulder 1 foot off the ground.  Left hand gently bitch-slapping the wall during the pirouette.

Silence

Brief discussion of pain and options.
"You Okay?"
"Don't talk to me just yet."

Climbing crux of second pitch

Silence

"Can I see your wrist?"
"I am okay, gonna start again"

Mulligan commences
Sending commences.  Partner links first and second pitch 5.6 to 5.12.  (with a half-twisting-micro-dyno to crimps from an awkward stemming stance in a blank corner).
Wild!  Harder as a shorter person.
Sending continues.  Partner climbs next pitch 11d (wild barely dihedral seam with face holds.  Loud ape noises echoing about.  This pitch is a combo package of gear and bolts),
and next pitch 11b (more wild steep stemming, face climbing, and finger locks) and next pitch super fun 5.10 through a tree to a giant ledge.
Wait, wait, wait.  Don't be so judgemental just yet, we decided to climb this route in blocks.  He leads the first half, I lead the second


Arrive at PartnerSwapLeadTime (huge ledge 6 pitches up).



Simul-climb through blocky ledges with tremendous rope drag, while placing minimal protection.

Partner Headed up Pitch 3

Lead up nearly hold less stem box, excellent climbing 5.12
Grunt while debating on giving up because holds are just beyond reach and another dyno, really?
Grunt more.
Grunt and crimp tiny nothings.
Send.
Continue up strenuous lay back with perfect one foot long allotments for protection while partner adds to difficulty by "accidently" yanking on the tag line attached to your back-side 5.12
Grab onto personally placed protection because accidental yank freaks you out.

Gather thoughts, commence mulligan

Pitch finishes with wild face climbing left to anchor.  5.11
Ascend leftward then up *heel hook for bonus points somewhere along this pitch.
Lastly, clamber a 5.10 hand crack through roof, sandy slabby finish.

Top out an actual summit in Red Rocks!!!!!!
Take climbing shoes off, set up video camera for summit dance.
Stub toe
Eat peanut butter sandwich
Sign summit register
Pause for a moment of Gratitude!!!!! (Andrew Barnes)

Partner following upper crux pitch

Search for better rappel anchors
Use slings that are obvious, but aren't the cleanest line.
Commence rappel, moving knot so its easier to pull, repeat 7 more times or so.
Touch down to ground alongside both ropes and happy partner.

High Five!!!!

Hike out in daylight, nailing the de-proach with no extra training errors.
Sip Beer back at truck while chatting with an older gentleman who finds it appropriate to look me up and down while asking,

"Rainbow Wall?  What time did you start?  Today? "

Caution: emotional share

The below, I wrote somewhere along the long journey home from Greenland this summer.  I have just discovered it, re-read it and decided, although emotional, it is something I desire to share.  To remind myself of love, loving, and that in the big picture some things just don't matter.  

Tell someone you love them everyday--love everyday!


"The futility and emptiness of my existence were symbolized by the simple act of jumping
up from the chair.  Nothing in the everyday habits of a man is ordinarily freighted with
more purposefulness than the business of quitting a chair.  The swift leverage may impel
him on any one of a thousand different errands and opportunities.  But with me it led only
to blank walls."  Alone p. 127

I feel as though I could write and write and words could not fill enough pages to express
to you my true thoughts and emotions.

I haven't slept…really since July 8th.  I didn't know then Andrew had passed or maybe he
was in transit…as I type I don't know time of death or details of the incident.  Some don't
believe in soul connections, to you I am sorry…I wish you would take the time to listen.

You might find in those quite and intuitive moments exist something greater, a breath, a voice, a dream, a heart leaping.



I know that on July 9th during the hours of 7pm and ­3am Greenland time that sleep was
absent and thoughts of Andrew flooded stronger than any day so far (I often waited for
sleep to come with thoughts of him, his last text..our last embrace…)  I also know that during
that day…as I weirdly wandered about the rainy day Fjord, that my thoughts of him were
odd….not solvent.

Andrew was a friend, a love, a soul connection, a climbing partner and an amazing example of a man. We have this wild connection that words can't touch.  We shared dreams of each other that were real events in our lives, even across the many miles that separated us.  We openly discussed our connection through letters, emails, morning tea and evening wine/art hangout times.  We both feared ruining the amazing friendship we had forged, but mutually yearned to explore one another in a different light.
It was decided that our friendship would never fall, regardless and so we danced a new dance. This dance ebbed and flowed through the years, even as Andrew traveled to Europe this April.  His heart was torn and he needed to do some sorting.

On this trip to Greenland, my thoughts and journal were already filled with my own sorting
about Andrew….my romantic fantasy of best friends turned life partners.
I analyzed our emotional dance… ha, he was a fabulous dance partner in every way!!  Now it continues in the most gut­wretching­body­quivering­heart­melting­
I­don't­know­what­to­do­with­myself­sort of way.

I regret that we didn't share enough time this spring, both distracted with various life events and a mutual uncertainty of how love- in the grand scheme- should abide.   I regret my decision not to drive over to met him in Grand Junction before I left for Greenland.  To gaze into those glorious blue eyes or feel the warmth of his larger than life embrace.
Instead our dance continued through letters, email poetry and art.   I became well acquainted with the affairs of the McDonald's neighboring Andrew's old condo…free Internet.  Tales of the odd folks
glutenous eating habits mingled with life details of selling his condo and the exciting move to Paradox Valley.

Digging his soul deeper into the earth.

Andrew has been the only person I can say that I gave my love to without need or expectation of reciprocation.  I have never felt so strongly for someone that I truly, honestly, openly gave my love to….because he deserved it.

So many loved him and he treated everyone with kindness, "My mom always told me, nobody is better than anybody else."   Andrew insisted on giving this love to everyone, "plenty for everyone"…strangers, animals, family, friends, and the earth.

So proud of him for making it happen.

My heart has grown with and for Andrew Barnes in the last 6 years.  Our adventures of
the heart, mind, and earth are the most fond memories and I can't stop replaying them in
my head.  We both disliked too much time between us.

It is overwhelming how time stands between us now.


­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Annie Rooney.

Good god what a laugh.  A soul connection immediately.  We snorted together, shared a gymnastics ­like passion for certain yoga poses, ran during the lunch hour.  ­
Sprinting and sweating.
We actually spent our :"solo" ­time together, running the 18k to the town of Todos Santos.

As I re-­emerge from the icy fjords of Greenland with an already broken heart, I find many emails pertaining to her death.  A drunken driver episode on the Fourth of July!!!
I stared at my computer screen in disbelief.  Lizzy and John sitting next to me thought perhaps I was joking.  I couldn't digest it, sometimes I still feel I haven't.
Annie and I shared every day of our Yoga training together from 6am to 9pm.  She jokingly called it
"yoga-camp," I think alluding to her parents misunderstanding of this 3 week choice of time spent.   Our friendship continued afterward.  Weekly phone calls, almost daily slack-jawed photo messages, talk of running an adventure race together--meeting in Vegas for a bike and a climb.

She is a beautiful woman that I missed almost immediately upon leaving her presence in February and will miss also in the days going forward.  My love her family and friends, I know I am a newer connection to Annie Rooney but it was a darn lovely one to have.  She is amazing!

October Light

My little town of Estes Park is torn up.  Road closure due to extensive flood damage and the closure of Rocky Mountain National Park from the government shut-down are both proving to be a challenge. 

Friends like Leah and Scottie DeCapio, Karla and Justin Dubois, Amy and Dave Hammrick, Melissa and Adam Strong, Melissa Martin, and Andy and Cindy Morgan all own businesses and homes in this beautiful mountain town.  A lively-hood based off of tourist traffic.  No roads and no park equals no income.  Yet, these friends of mine- the whole of these small mountain towns- are moving through it all with admirable grace.

We are all coping with life obstacles every minute of every day.  We can choose to mope about it, or we can look at the new opportunities created from the destruction or death!    

I recognize the difficulties in living this way every minute, but it is something we should all be striving towards!  I know the death of Andrew and Dave and Rick and Annie have all had their unique offerings.  

“The ability to shift perspective can be one of the most powerful and effective tools we have to help us cope with life’s daily problem” (The Art Of Happiness, Dalai Lama). 

Climbing, for me, provides and outlet for self-improvement and reflection.  I have written about it before, perhaps its a reminder to myself that life is indeed a gift!  

Climbing is a direct analogy of the importance of balance, breathe and focus.  While acknowledging that control is only in the mind, a crutch perhaps to find calm in this unpredictable life.  

.....and so I end my rant and carry on to another climbing adventure.  Spreading Andrew Barnes' ashes and philosophies of life.  A heart of gratitude, kindness and a toothy smile!!!  

Here is a video from a recent adventure in Southern Utah!   https://vimeo.com/77738049

This is not my beautiful life...or is it!!!

My good friend Dustin!!

In-between the untimely departure from Yosemite and the ridiculous journey we just embarked on
 --- Greenland --- time made itself available at home here in Colorado.

Recently completed rock climbs.

Psychatomic, Monastery, Estes Park.  5.12d -- 5th try on lead

Undertow, The Slab, Boulder. 5.12b -- 2nd try ever (1st try was the warm-up climb of the day  ---ops, effed on-sighting!)

Undertow

New Music, Lumpy Ridge. 5.11dR-- Top roped 8 years ago....so an Alzheimer's on-sight?  Funky pro, but super good!

I also had a good run at the First Flatiron last week also.

A busy errand day in Boulder-town had me itching for a run up the First Flatiron.  Driving to Chautauqua Park, I was easily side-tracked by my good friend Kelly Cramer.  She just moved into a new place and I hadn't seen it or her in months.  Upon arriving, she offered me a PBR.

I didn't decline.

After a wee bit of chatting, the suns' twinkle off the First Flatiron became too pervasive.  I fled, slightly buzzed.

The run, led by Dustin, began a little more quickly than preferred (but looking back, it set the tone nicely).
I kept up, then moved ahead.  Having only been back to Colorado for 10 days, it was with great surprise I arrived to the base just under 13 minutes.
Still breathing heavily, I strapped on my shoes and let the paddling begin.  Was it the PBR or a month in the Valley?  For some reason the sandstone, this day, felt like the grip tape on my skateboard....so much friction!!!!

A smidgen over 11 minutes later I stood on the top!! Stoked, best rip yet!

HOME Sweet HOME!

I had a few great solo adventures on Lumpy ridge.  One day in particular included; Magical Chrome Plated Semi-Automatic Enema Syringe, Tennis Shoe Tango, The Great Dihedral, The Dog, White Whale, Osiris, and Pear Buttress.  While wandering back to the base of The Book, a walking error caused a wicked ankle sprain.  Adrenaline was still pumping, so I started up Pear Buttress.  Pain washed over me near the top.  I paused to enjoy the summit and hobbled back to the base, yet again.  My day wasn't over.  Bronson was coming to belay me for a lead go on El Camino,  5.12c.
It went with a few hangs.  The ankle hurt but not enough to use it as a non-send excuse.

I hoped to return before Greenland madness but he walk out from Lumpy was difficult, therefore making another pilgrimage back to the cliff undesirable.
    

Psychatomic!

A Walk in the Park

Wes enjoying Thatchtop-Powell Ridge

Rainstorms at 9pm are not the usual where we live.  Monday the afternoon rainstorm came, but didn't leave.  Dark clouds lingered and thunder began to roll a second time.  Wes and I had plans to hike up to the Diamond Monday night and bivy for two nights.  We thought about it, and decided to cut it down a night.  We would leave in the morning along with our friends, Andrew and Buster.  They also had plans to climb the Diamond on Tuesday.  After some discussion and listening to the continuous moisture falling on the ground, Wes and I made a late night switch.  

Longs, Pagoda, and part of Chiefshead.  Spearhead in Middle

D7 was moist a few weeks ago and with our two friends vying for it as well, we moved to plan B.  "A Walk in the Park."  This has been on my tick list for a few years.  Justin Dubois did it in 2009 and ever since that eye opening day, I have been inspired and slowly convincing anyone that they should do it with me.  It involves a solo traverse of the Glacier Gorge in its' entirety.  Thatchtop, Powell, McHenry's, Chiefshead, Pagoada, and Longs.  Storm Mountain and Half Mountain can also be included.  Monday night my friend Wes finally agreed! 

I slept in a little longer than usual as my lower back has a pinched something or other.  Just laying in bed I could feel it, so motivating for a big day was a little overwhelming.  Thank goodness for too much ice cream.  I don't have a freezer so was 'forced' to finish almost a whole carton.  Gross.  That was one of the motivating factors at 5 am, burn off the half gallon of snickers ice cream.  :)

Wes--Thatchtop to Powell

The timer started at 6:45 am at the Glacier Gorge parking lot.  We hiked quickly uphill, jogged the flats or the gradual up hills, with Wes in the front.  I was lagging a little.  Thoughts of the ginormous day and a little bit of back twinge kept me from pushing it from the start.  We arrived to Mills lake in 27 minutes.  Not too terrible.  
The Shelf/Solitude cut-off, although slightly strewn with blown down trees and very muddy, proved easy to find.  I hiked first up the hill with Wes breathing down my neck, "I'm psyched!" he exclaimed!!!





One hour and 59 minutes Wes reached the summit of Thatchtop, "34, 35, 36 seconds, come on Quinn," he hollered at me.  Our goal was to reach the top in under 2 hours.  I double timed the last few steps making it just under the wire.
"Lets recover on the downhill," I panted, no time for a summit register--we kept moving.  

Our next goal was 4 hours to McHenry's Peak, I don't know where these time marks came from.  The night before, I think, I just translated some previous landmarks and times.  It takes about 2 hours to get to the base of Spearhead.  Thatchtop is closer but much more steep, so two hours would be mean we were going pretty fast.   

From thereafter I think I just estimated an hour to each summit?  McHenry's is summit number 3.  

Wes Thompson and I in McHenry's Notch

We booked along from Thatchtop, getting some fabulous ridge climbing and exposure along the way.  We summited Powell in 2:45.  Because we were eating along the way (or sucking on cliff bars since I couldn't breathe enough to actually chew), we didn't stop much.  

From the top of Powell through the Keyboard of the Winds, was new terrain for both Wes and I.  We descended Powell with one slight cliff-out error.  We reached the Notch at 3 hours.  Leaving our approach shoes on (North Face running shoes from a thrift store for Wes and Nike running shoes for me) we scrambled up the Notch.  This didn't feel exposed or much of fifth class.  Pretty mellow.  We reached the summit of McHenry's in 3:20, yahoo ahead of our made-up schedule.  We stopped here for a photo, a snack and a brief breather, less than 5 minutes.

 Stoneman Pass--find Quinn!

Chiefshead looked like a long slog in the distance.  No climbing, just a scree pile at 45 degrees.  Yuck.  Stoneman pass, though, is an amazing landmark.  The gradual ascent behind is a granite sidewalk.  Pretty awesome.  The trudge up to to top of Chiefshead was tiring, but I felt like I finally was in cruise mode.  I think we were on top at about 4:30.  

Pagoda ridge was next, the crux of the solo.  A baby Sierra California ridge traverse.  Gorgeous!  I can't remember our time on the summit of Pagoda, but we quickly descended again, picking the straightest line possible to the Southwest Ridge of Long's Peak.  Wes was sipping on water pooled on top of boulders at this point, having only brought one liter.  He drank one before Thatchtop, refilled at shelf/solitude, and had been slowly consuming the refilled liter.  I brought my camelback with 2 liters.

Cool feature on Pagoda Ridge

Arriving at the junction of the Narrow's and the Trough of Long's Peak, the Southwest Ridge plunges skyward.  We stood a top Longs Peak at almost 7 hours exactly from our start time.  With clouds looming and both of us long out of water, we opted for a descent of the North Face instead of Keyhole Ridge.  The North Face often has water running down it and we were hoping to fill up another liter or so for our descent.  Dry year, the North Face was the only place on the entire route that we were able to catch a drip that would actually fill a water bottle in under 30 minutes.  Both of us collected a liter, and pushed on down to the Boulder Field.

Pagoda's glorious Ridge

After a brief discussion, we decided to forgo Storm Mountain (which neither of us could remember if it was "required").  There are a few trip reports of people doing the Walk, or the Arrowhead traverse where they take the Storm Pass trail out.  Which means they avoid both Storm and Half Mountain.  Wes and I wanted to avoid that lengthy switchback trail that doesn't return you at your car.  We opted to stay near the ridge, just skirting the summit of Storm.  We jogged a little of this alpine tundra but with our tiredness and boulder dodging, a sprained ankle was inevitable.  We were tired, there was thunder, the ice cream had worn off, bla bla bla.  

Sickbird!

In hindsight we should have nabbed Storm, as we ended up on top of Half Mountain anyway in a hail storm.  Ops.  Wes spotted a descent route down off of Half Mountain that returned us to the shores of Mills Lake.  Turns out this is the same way Rossiter descended, although descending straight north off of Half Mountain would be the straightest line!!  It would probably cut off a little more time. 

From the shores of Mills, Wes readjusted his fashionable fanny pack, and we were off running again the whole way back to the car.

Total time, 10:13!