Hello blog world! Haven't posted in a few months. Both good and bad reasons for that, but most of all I have had ample time to reflect. Reflect on my photography, my life, my climbing, this blog, yadda yadda.
Anyways, I hadn't been doing much climbing when some friends and I packed up the truck and headed down to Bishop to do some good 'ole fashion Buttermilkin'!
[Bottom] Michael Cohen cruxin' on Smooth Shrimp, V6.
[Right] Michael Cohen on the Buttermilk classic Seven Spanish Angels, V6
I hadn't been to Bishop for a year. It had been 2 months since Eric's last visit and he was eager to take care of business from his last trip. Then we had Michael, Nate and Justin who had never been to Bishop. We were psyched.
The first day we did the regular Buttermilkin' at the Birthday Boulders and Iron Man. Then we checked out Soul Slinger. Good problem but not quite what I was looking to climb this trip. Michael was psyched to get on it but decided it was going to be harder then he'd hoped.
That evening we drove over to the Get Carter Boulder which is home to some amazing hard lines. My eyes were set on the classic Seven Spanish Angels. I had first tried the problem in 2008 putting in decent work for having never climbed anything else of that grade. In 2009, I returned hoping to crush the problem in a few go's but again was shut down. This time higher on the right hand friction "crimp."
So needless to say. I wanted this problem. Three tries later and I'm bumping my hand deeper into the huge and rewarding finish jug finishing the problem. I was so stoked. Yellin' and hollerin' like a mad man as the crew looked on. But victory isn't always completely harmless. When I bumped deeper in the jug, gym climbing caught up with me in the form of a solid flapper. Ironically, it was 2 years prior in Bishop, on my first trip, where I had had my last flapper. I was still psyched.
Day two was followed by some more sending. Michael did Smooth Shrimp (V6), Eric did High Plains Drifter (V7), Michael Caine (V7), Get Carter (V9), Seven Spanish Angels (V6) and took some huge falls along with Justin and our buddy Alex on Popes Prow. Eric also tried Bubba Gump but I think he thought some holds had broke. Or maybe it was just really hard. I did High Plains as well which I had tried last year but again punted like a fool on Go Granny, Go.
Eric Sanchez snags the finish jug on Seven Spanish Angels.
The eve of day 2 we checked out Finders Fee over in the Pollen Grains but with really bad wind conditions we had to bail. Day 3 found us back up there at the boulder. I warmed up on nothing and decided to try Cindy Swank (V7) just to the left of the Finders Fee line. The crux of CS is pulling the lip at 9 feet high. The right hand is extended up on a slopey friction crimp and you have a high left foot. You pull through left past bumps to a slopey pinch, get your right foot high and snag the finish jug. This was a hard problem but totally what I was looking for. Unexpected, hard and crimpy. Eric also sent the line, then Finder's Fee (V9), then Finder's Swank (V8). Nate worked this awesome V2 angled crack and made it to the finish jug but dropped off do to high winds.
[Right] Justin Ancira sticks the slot and holds the swing om Cindy Swank.
[Bellow] Eric about to enter the crux on Cindy Swank.
We noticed that a huge left foot has broke since 2008.
Later that day, we popped back over to the main area where I made quick work of Gleaming the Cube (V6) and then sent the low start to the previous line, first go at V8. Michael ended up dispatching both problems as well and Justin sent the high start in great form. Nate also sent Inner Sanctum (V2) which is what Gleaming the Cube finishes on.
After that last sesh at the Cave Boulder we headed to the hot springs to eat dinner and relax and end our trip. All in all this was one of the craziest and best times I have spent in the bouldering mecca of the East Side and again it just makes me crave more.
I will finish this post up with a few more images but stay tuned for more in a few days!
-Alton
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