Otter Lake Cliffs: July 17, 2011

Here is a quick weekend update:  I got held up on Saturday doing landscaping around the house so I was not able to meet up with a sizeable group of friends who were bouldering at Nine Cornered Lake in Caroga.  Rumor has it that despite the warm/humid conditions; they were able to get a good climbing session in. 

Sunday I headed into Otter Lake Cliffs to get on some of the routes that I developed last year with Murph to see how my rope endurance was holding up.  Early in the morning it became clear that my fitness is nowhere near where it should be to get on the sharp end of the rope!  My strength was good because of all of the bouldering I have been doing lately, but I frequently found myself pumped halfway through routes or even climbing bolt to bolt because the mental game was not sharp and ready enough for full on committment while leading some of the routes.  Lession learned, time to tie into the sharp end at least twice a week for the next month or two to work on some of those flaws.

Banta and Skyler had a good day on the cliff.  Both guys are relatively new to the rope game and enjoyed the terrain, varied style of climbing, exposure, and overall atmosphere of the cliff.  Skyler did both climbs he was close on three weeks ago first try!  Banta flashed the last climb we did on Sunday...Psyched for both of them and even more psyched that they both want to go back in there soon!

A new route was worked on and all of the moves were done.  The necessary hardware will be installed soon so it can be led.  This new route tackles some of the severe overlapping sections of roof and makes up one of the more dynamic climbs on the cliff...estimated at the lower 5.12 grade.  Finally a route that goes right after the roofs that initally drew us to this cliff.  Below is a short video clip of a ridiculous 6'-0" dyno we were trying in the middle of the session.  I would love to say that it isn't feasible, but Skyler and I both reached the jug more than once.  Maybe white guys can jump? 

The New Route is the thickest red dashed line.  You climb to the third clip on the roof traverse, then head straight up the overhanging sections of the roofs (Keep in mind, this roof section is only 1/3 of the developed cliff band at Otter Lake...there are numerous climbs to the right of these roofs).