Spring Break Trip Report: Day 5 & 6

Lot's of climbing!

On day 5 we were at the Gorilla Cliffs area in the Utah Hills. Our original plan was to climb at a cliff call the Simion Complex but we did one route and pronounced the cliff choss. The limestone was really blocky (CHOSS) and the anchors on all the routes were rusty and sketchball. Not cool.

We decided to hump it up the hill and go to the Soul Asylum. This prooved to be the right choice as we climbed our brains out on some fantastic stone. There were really nice overhanging 5.11's and 12's and long easier routes with some being 100 foot rope stretchers. As our last climb, we climbed an amazing 100 foot 5.10 that ended at a natural arch that you could peer through and see the sunset. Cool.

Fun and juggy 5.10 Great but short 5.11aExcellent 5.12b. One of the best routes I got on.

On the walk back to camp we were treated to an amazing desert sunset (our photos don't do it justice).

Susan and Shiloh caught sleeping together!!!

Day 6 found us at another crag in the Utah Hills, Black and Tan. There are two crags here and we spent the day at Kelly's Rock which is loaded with easier routes, the best 5.11 in Utah (so the guide stated/it is a really good route) and a few 5.12's.

Highlights of the day were:

-The fun warm up climbs on interesting limestone features like fins and runnels.

-Susan was close to sending "the best 5.11 in Utah."

-Some of the best 5.11's I have climbed in a while on sweet rock.

-I climbed a short, super steep 5.12 that was rad.

Fun 5.10. A bit run out.

Really cool 5.11 with perfect rock.

Susan on "The Best 5.11 in Utah."

We were psyched to get back to this area after a rest day for Susan to redpoint (climb without falls) the 5.11 she was so close to sending and for me to get on some stuff on the Black and Tan wall (a really impressive wall packed with hard climbs).

Next post...

Day 7, 8 & 9

-More Mormons

-Rest day fun

-More Black and Tan and Kelly's Rock

-Bad weather, Zion National Park and polygamy

Spring Break Trip Report: Day 3 & 4

After a few days in Arrow Canyon we were ready for a change and headed to Lime Kiln Canyon, a newer crag with lots of multi pitch limestone sport routes in the mountains east of Mesquite. This is another area we visited during our Thanksgiving trip where we got shut down. The skies were blue and it was nice and warm in the sun on that trip but the wall we tried to climb on was in the shade all day and was super cold. We only got up two pitches on the 5 pitch climb we chose for the day before we had to bail and retreat to a warmer crag in St. George. Ever since that day we have been excited to get back in warmer weather and summit one of the stellar multi pitch lines there.

On this trip, the weather couldn’t be better and we had excellent temps on the wall even though it was in the shade for the whole climb.

The climb we chose was 5 pitches with the hardest pitch about 5.10a on beautifully sculpted bullet limestone. Not only was it great rock and a casual grade but there were comfy belay stances and lots of bolts making for a stress free climb. We swapped leads throughout, moving smoothly and quickly up the wall, until we topped out in the sun in a fantastic position. From our summit perch we were able to watch climbers on the adjacent big wall (The Grail) climbing routes that we will definitely have to come back for someday. The Grail has multi pitch 5.11’s and 12’s and harder routes too. Looks awesome.

Camping spot below Lime Kiln. The wall we climbed is in the left side of photo.

Pitch 1 Finishing pitch 1 Pitch 2 Starting pitch 3 Finishing in the sun at the end of pitch 5. On the summit.Climber on The Grail Wall. Can you see him?

Cool thing that happened while we were on the wall…on the summit we were hanging out and enjoying the views and sunshine when we heard a deafening sound right over our heads. I immediately knew that it was a fighter jet flying over us and pretty close too. Only I couldn’t seem to figure out where it was until a loud boom exploded in our ears and it literally flew right over us (no joke…right over our heads). Seconds later more fighter jets flew over the cliff. It was pretty crazy to witness.

After getting off the wall, we got back to the car and cracked some much deserved beers and hung out for a couple hours in the sun enjoying the day.

Later, we did a quick stint of studying and working in the Mesquite library and then went to St. George to meet up with some friends of ours that were on their way to Bishop and ATE AT

IN-N-OUT BURGER!!! Yes!

The next day we spent in St. George. Much of the day was spent studying, working and hanging out at the central city park in St. George next to their beautiful new library (Susan couldn’t say enough about that place). Hanging out at the city park was like watching T.V. They have an amazing swimming area in the middle of it that is designed to look like a slick rock stream that is fed by a spring pouring out of some built up rocks. It is cool. The swimming area was swarming with pregnant Mormon mothers with their kazillion kids in tow. They were quite a sight. No wonder St. George was rated one of the top 10 fastest growing cities in the country. I should mention at this point that we got the book on tape, “Under the Banner of Heaven” to listen to on the trip and were a couple cassettes in by the time we hung out at the park. Hmmm….I will talk more the book and about Mormons we saw on the trip as my trip report continues…

Lunch was fun on our rest day. We went to a park in another part of downtown where there are a bunch of cool sandstone formations that people were scrambling all over (more large Mormon families). It was a free-for-all. With no guard rails to protect people, there was potential carnage in almost every direction. Awesome. Although, I have to admit I like parks like this more than I like parks with danger signs everywhere telling you where you can and can't go. Survival of the fittest!

That's how you kiss your good mormon plural wife.

In the evening, Susan did some more studying and I went up to Hurricane (about 30 minutes northeast of St. George) to go for a run. I couldn’t find the trail I had found directions for from a website so I drove around Hurricane looking for a cave called the Hurricave that has had some recent press online. I found it…but too late for a hike up to check it out (another trip maybe...). I did find a small bouldering area that has seen action and was in a really pretty setting on a hillside overlooking the desert.

Later that night we grabbed some pizza in town, drove up to the Gorilla Cliffs (a climbing area 30 minutes southwest of St. George) and crashed.

Spring Break Trip Report: Day 1 & 2

Finally! We left for the trip. I was really excited to get out of Flag and go climb on the limestone between Mesquite, Nevada and St. George, Utah. This area has some of the best sport climbing in the country and Susan and I were ready to get on some routes.

After mulling over the crag options we settled on climbing at Arrow Canyon, just southwest of Mesquite, Nevada, the first few days. Arrow Canyon is a breathtaking limestone slot canyon. In many places the canyon walls are less than 100 feet apart and some walls rise over 300 feet. Just inside the canyon, petroglyphs dot the walls to remind us of early visitors to this special place. In fact, legend has it that there was a battle by two Indian tribes in the canyon that proved fatal for one tribe as they were cornered within the confines of the canyon and killed (accounting for the many arrow heads found in the canyon by later visitors).

We have climbed here before... During Thanksgiving weekend, in 2008, we climbed a little in this canyon but had trouble with weather and directions and vowed to come back to sample the rest of the routes this canyon had to offer.

At the top of the list for this trip was the Swamp Cave, a big limestone cave with tall and impressive sport routes ranging from 5.9 to 5.13. We were unable to climb at this wall last trip due to the approach being a nasty mud bog from all the rain (thus the name “Swamp Cave”). This trip was different. Dry conditions allowed for a pleasant walk back to the cave on a sandy trail through an amazing field of thick green grass.

Swamp Cave

Over the two days we spent climbing at the Swamp Cave we sampled many of the best and worst routes on the wall. We climbed on some amazing 11’s and 12’s on the right side of the cave that would be classic anywhere but I also climbed an 11a on the left side of the cave that was literally choss. All the holds were covered in a thin layer of mud and sand and many of the clipping holds were suspect. One clipping hold in particular was so alarmingly hollow that when I knocked on it with my hand it sounded like knocking on a sheet of ¼” plywood and I could feel the vibrations in the hand gripping the hold (the hand holding my body to the overhanging wall!). Yikes.

Climbing went well to start off the trip...I got on some nice 11's and 12's and sent a 5.12 that was hard work for me and Susan almost sent her first 5.11b lead!

Susan warming up on a 5.9 (above) More warming up Jason warming up on another 5.9 (above)
Jason on a fun 12a.
Arrow Canyon is definitely one of my favorite places after this visit. The quiet and relaxed vibe, wonderful smells and scenic quality is hard to explain and must be experienced. Excellent couple days to start the trip!

Next trip installment: Days 3 & 4
-Mormons
-Rest Day
-Lime Kiln Canyon
And more…

Road Trip!

Life is good!

Susan and I will leave for 10 days to sport climb in Las Vegas, Nevada and St George, Utah on Friday (tomorrow). This is probably the last trip to the desert to climb before it gets to hot so we will have to enjoy it while we can!

Good thing we're leaving Flagstaff because it is snowing right now (don't think it's going to stick...).

We have a new camera so we can take lots of photos so check back in a week and I'll catch you up to speed on our trip!

Hot Loop Trail Running Epic in Sedona

Last week I was excited to run a loop that I had spied on a trail map of Sedona a while back. The loop caught my interest because of it's remote nature (almost all of it is in a wilderness area that is really hard to access) and because it is about 20 miles long. It is really hard to find loop trails that are that long. I try really hard to find point to point or loop runs because they are more stimulating to me than out and backs and to find one of this length is really exciting.

The loop I planned to follow was the Hot Loop Trail. This trail starts just south of Village of Oak Creek and follows the base of Woods Canyon (similar to Oak Creek Canyon) and then climbs up onto the mesas left of Woods Canyon. Once on the mesas, the trail wanders along the top for quite a while and then drops back down and into Jacks Canyon. Jacks Canyon takes you back near Village of Oak Creek and then the trail breaks left, travels over a pass and then drops back into Woods Canyon and back to the car.

I had read that the trail was hard to route find on because of it's remote nature (it doesn't get much traffic) so I planned to turn back if it got to confusing. Can you smell epic yet?

Here's the story...

I started the run at about 10:30 am figuring it would take me about 4 hours to finish the run. I had some Shot Blocks, Gu Shots, 1/2 a banana, 2 cliff bars and about 1 1/2 quarts of water.

The run started at a Ranger Station and follows pleasant, flat, trails through open desert into Woods Canyon. Once in Woods Canyon the trail wanders around and I had to rock hop the creek here and there. After a mile or so traveling in the bottom of the canyon the Hot Loop Trail cut left and up onto the mesa with about 1,000 feet of gain. Once on the mesa I was rewarded with flat running on a nice trail with views of Oak Creek Spire and many other sandstone walls and spires below me to the left. After I lost view of Oak Creek Spire the trail became more difficult to follow. Many sections resembled faint cow paths. Luckily, there were cairns built here and there to help out. Also, the trail became more wet and muddy in shady sections making travel more difficult. Not bad though...so far.

Then next many miles were amazing. Even though the trail was hard to follow, it traveled along the rim of Woods Canyon with impressive views of the rushing creek thousands of feet below and cool basalt and sandstone walls along it's rim.

After a while the trail got better and traveled throught my favorite section of the run. I would say that this is as close to feeling like being in Zion National Park as I could get in Sedona. I was running on top of a sandstone mesa with slickrock everywhere. There were cute stunted trees grasping to the sandstone here and there and to the right were stunning views of sandstone spires and walls in the upper and tighter parts of Woods Canyon. To top it off, every 1/2 mile or so a nice little stream would be flowing through the slickrock and I would soak my head to refresh in the mid day heat (temps got up to high 70's). It was really, really special running through there.

Then the epic started...after that wonderful section of running the trail climbed steeply up onto another mesa on a rough trail that was smack dab in the blazing heat. This climb brought me onto a flat mesa that should have been easy traveling but the snow hadn't melted all the way yet at this elevation and there were slushy snow fields, rivers of water flowing everywhere, standing water and lots of ankle deep mud. I could have made the decision to turn back here but I was only about 1 mile from where the trail drops down into Jacks Canyon, away from the muck and back toward the car, so I trudged on.

Traveling along the mesa was slow moving as I jumped from rock to rock, slopped through mud, crossed small streams and slipped through soft snow. After mucking along the mesa for a while I realized that I missed the sign (if there ever was one) for the trail that leads down and into Jacks Canyon and I was way, way past wanting to go back and try to find it. I realized at this point that it would be easier to keep going forward and cross country to Schnebly Hill Road and go down that and at least get down into Sedona. Going back at this point (I figured I went at least 3-5 miles too far) would make for a 30 mile day and I didn't have the food and water for that. The best thing to do was shoot straight for town and then, even if it was farther to get back to my car, I could ask people in Sedona for food or water or get a ride if need be.

I was committed then...I cranked forward to Schnebly Hill Road. Suprise...the snow got deeper as I rose in altitude and got closer to Schnebly Hill Road and the Creeks got deeper. Nothing to bad though because anything is better than the mud mine field I just went through and here I could scoop up snow and eat it, saving on precious water which I still had some reserves of. After a few more miles of postholing and creek hopping I made it to the lookout on Schnebly Hill Road.

From here I knew I would make it back. It was just a matter of getting down Shnebly Hill Road to Sedona and piecing together trails to Village of Oak Creek and then run down the road to my car. I guessed this to be about 20 miles, about equal to the 20 or so miles I have already traveled to this point. It was now 2:30 pm and I had a long way to go.

Just after descending from the lookout on Schnebly Hill Road I was able to call Susan to check in with her. I was originally planning on being at my car at this point and calling her and letting here know I was done and be home soon. Well...I was now calling her to let her know that I was probably going to be at my car by around 6:30 pm and worked. Susan was wonderful and offered to pick me up but I am stubborn and felt that I got myself into this mess and I was going to finish what I started. I felt it would be a good character builder and learning experience. She probably thought I was crazy to pass up a ride back to my car and part of me was thinking the same thing.

I began the long trek down Schnebly Hill Road with no one else around (the upper half of Schnebly Hill Road closes in the winter) and it was kind of nice to be running down a nice graded dirt road with no cars or anyone around and definitely nice to not be tromping in the snow and mud anymore.

After a few miles, I reached the gate that closes in the winter on Schnebly and was welcomed by hords of people and jeep tour jeeps. Weird after all the alone time but very nice to know that from now on I can get water, food or a ride if I needed it.

Near the bottom of Schnebly I ran out of water and was on the hunt for a jeep tour to beg from. Not long after my water hunt started, I ran past a guy widdling a walking stick at a viewpoint and he hollered over to me to ask if I wanted some water. I ran over with a big grin and told him I would love some! He filled my water container with icy water from his cooler and he told me about how he comes from Europe every year to visit the Southwest and how he loves Sedona the most. He said that this is his wifes first trip here and she is off horse riding right now. I thanked him (he was very nice!) and went on my way knowing now that I had the water (tasted a little like hard alchohol) and just barely enough food (I started rationing) to make it to the car.

Not more than a mile down the road I left Schnebly Hill Road and got onto the trails that would lead me back to Village of Oak Creek. I figured I had 13-15 more miles at this point. The winding trails brought me past famous Sedona sandstone features such as Snoopy Rock and Bell Rock, on the way to Village of Oak Creek. On a normal running day I enjoy floating along these sandy and slickrock trails enjoying the views. On this run, I was just trying to keep it all together. Early on, after leaving Schnebly I learned a slow methodical shuffling movement that would keep the pain to a semi tollerable level and keep me moving forward at a decent clip. Waves of aching pain would come and go and my breathing would quicken and silly grunts would come out when ever the pain got to be to much.

Somehow I kept it going and made it to Village of Oak Creek and the road. From here it was all gravy. It didn't matter how much pain I had because I only had a few miles left and I could crawl that much if I needed to. In fact, I started to feel better. I was able to pick up the pace a little bit and the last mile to the car I actually had a decent speed going (I probably looked like I was barely running to motorists driving by...). It must have been the delirious mode I was in that got me running faster, I was saying things out loud like..."Focus!", "Good form, come on!" and "You can do this, this is easy!"

The next thing I knew I was wandering around my car in circles so that I wouldn't turn into a tight little ball, drinking tons of water and eating whatever I had in the car including a bag of salt and vinager chips. Mmmmmmm.... The time was 6:30 pm and it was a loooonnnggg day! I stayed in the parking lot for a while stretching and walking, feeling an extreme emotional high from the day and feeling very, very satisfied.

I called Susan and told her that I was fine and coming home soon, went to a gas station and got a Gatorade and Big Snickers (it was the best food I could find) and wolfed them down, drove home and had some dinner with Susan.

When the day was done, I had run about 40 miles in about 8 hours and gained and lost thousands of feet of elevation on almost all single track trails while seeing some of the most amazing terrain in the Sedona area. What a day.

Camp Verde Climbing

Last week we went to Camp Verde (hour south of Flagstaff) to go climbing a couple times. A friend and past owner of the climbing gym I work at, Stan Mish, gave me the info on this area. I had never heard of it and was psyched because it was new climbing (new to me...the area has been around for a while I guess) and close to home and it was supposed to be hot down there (couple thousand feet lower in elevation than Flag). Fun new routes and sunny and warm...sounds great.



So, the first time we went there was more of an adventure day (we had directions but they weren't perfect). We drove east of Camp Verde on Hwy 260 for a while and parked in a large pullout on the side of the Hwy where there is located a history marker titled " 13 mile rock." Above the parking lot is a large basalt cliff. We assumed this to be the cliff with the routes so we hiked up the hillside hoping for a trail. Didn't find one so we bushwacked through the desert up to the cliff. All went well on the approach until we were almost touching the wall and I slipped on a rock and fell "cartoon style" with feet high in the air right into a prickly pear cactus. I led with my shoulder so my right arm got the most damage. Luckily, it didn't really hurt or sting and we plucked the needles out and were off climbing. I was suprised at how it wasn't a big deal. Falling onto a cactus like that was always a nightmare of mine.

Attack of the cactus!

Well...we got to the cliff, found the routes, and also found the trail that leads up from another area on the hill (we were supposed to park on a dirt road right before where we parked on the road...ah ha!). The climbing was fun with most of the routes in the 5.8 to 5.10 range, not difficult climbing but nice for a casual day out.

Susan climbing a fun route (she is the tiny speck near the top of the wall).


View from the cliff.


The second visit was with a bunch of friends and we did the proper approach (much easier) and cranked off the rest of the routes we didn't do the first visit. Good times and cold brewskies.