Twas the last weekend in September, 08, and I was finally headed to Lumpy Ridge, CO for the first time. The area has a vast history of climbing, from Layton Kor to Tommy Caldwell.
After the early morning wakeup call, Jason picked me up and we set off.
Jason led the first pitch of Melvin's Wheel (II 5.8)
He snagged a small tree on the way up, and did battle trying to whip the rope off of it. Ha!
I followed, and found that the big #3 had walked up and gotten very stuck while protecting the crux move through a small roof traverse. I mustered, pushed, pulled, delicately worked with a nut tool, and still it wouldn't move more than 1mm. Sadly, I left it to be worked more on the descent.
Next, It was my turn to lead the amazing flaring crack that was the trademark pitch. Gear placements were good, maybe a few were a little tricky. Very enjoyable climbing up a lone crack with not much but clean granite surrounding.
Photo: Jason follows the second pitch
We rapped off, and got to work on the cam. After 15 minutes of swearing, sweating, and blood, Jason called it. Then he gave it one last full fledged yank and it popped out!We were stoked, to leave a # 3 BD Camalot would've been a sad day.
We ate lunch and headed to Backflip (II 5.9)
I led the first pitch, a sweet right facing flake/dihedral, the crux a desperate stem, reach, and grovel. I linked the 5.6 second pitch to the base of the incredible textbook right facing dihedral. Jason led this with steez under darkening and spouting skies. You lieback up the finger width crack, then traverse right under a roof for a good 35 ft. Incredible!
I ran the last pitch out on less than optimal granite, arriving at a cool rappel spire.
Lumpy Ridge, ahh, what a place.
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