Day Three: East Spur

Tuesday February 8, 2012

We lined up a guided tour with Rocco and Mary for Tuesday to head into the East Spur and East Spur Maze to see some highly recommended boulder problems.  I felt good at the start of the morning as we warmed up around 9:30 am at a highly concentrated area in the East Spur.  Everyone in the group went up a high quality highball boulder problem to help focus the mind for the rest of the day.  I still had a bunch of skin after the first two consecutive days and was only feeling minor soreness in some of the larger "pull" muscles.

After waming up we headed over to a boulder problem known as "Jigsaw" which was a slightly overhanging V5 traverse on iconic "jigsaw" puzzle looking holds...I was blown away by the appearance and feel of the holds and definately plan on carving a few climbing holds sets to replicate this unique Hueco boulder problem.  Nyle and Cohn both flashed the line and I wasn't able to top the boulder out.  As I worked through the sequence, my hands were slowly unwinding as I tried to move through the climb.  It was clear that the first two days of climbing consecutively had completely drained my strength...it was going to be a long day in a new bouldering area knowing that the body desperately needed more rest.

After failing on "Jigsaw", we moved over to another classic V5 known as "Jingus Bells".  This line was more straight up and down on decent edges and crimps, requiring less strength than the previous overhanging traverse.  The movements looked pretty sick as you climbed out of a lower den area and gradually moved slightly right for about 20 feet of climbing until you are forced to dyno off of two crimps to the lip.  If there wasn't a boulder protecting the dyno to the lip, this line would probably be a classic V7 due to the insecurity of the last dyno move and the inability to try it in isolation.  Cohn and I both got to the dyno moves numerous times from the start but were unable to send the line.  It was the most eye catching line I had seen yet in Hueco and unfortunately I had drained my bodies energy and strength levels and was forced to walk away.  I figured I would rest for the remainder of the day and just spot and hang out with the crew.

For the remainder of the guided tour, I saw classic boulder problem after classic boulder and wasn't able to attempt them knowing that I just didn't have what was needed on this particular day to send.  I kept the psych level high as everyone was putting down some pretty sick boulder problems.  I was able to send "New Religion" which is a nice overhanging V7 on perfectly sculpted incuts with a dyno to a hueco.

At the end of the day, everyone involved decided to take the following day off as well to fully recover.  A day and a half off in a row was something I definately didn't want to do on such a short trip; but watching my hands slowly unwrap off of classic boulder problem after classic boulder problem was killing me inside.  I knew that will adequate rest I could do these problems...so rest day here I come!

Thursday we are going back to East Spur Maze to get back on "Jingus Bells" first thing in the morning, then over to yet another new mountain for me, "West Mountain" where Rocco assures me that there is the best V7 in the entire park.  So Psyched!

Media Update:

 

The puzzle pieces on "Jigsaw"- V5

 The approach to East Spur Maze

 Boulders in the East Spur Maze

 Boulders in the East Spur Maze

 Entering "The Maze"

 Mike Cohn on a classic highball warm-up

 Jobi on a nice overhanging arete with perfect huecos

 Murph working "Long Haul"

 "The Flame" boulder

 This massive outcrop had lots of paintings from previous inhabitants

 Cohn entering the top sequence on "Hypro-Glow"

 Rocco standing beneath "Ministry of Truth"- V10

 I have never seen so much rock before!

 Rocco on "French Tickler"- V9

The wicked features on "Uncut Yogi"- V6