Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...
I picked up miss Pssst in New Rochelle at 7:45. Of course we managed to get lost but we were back "en route" around 8:45. It was rather cool, and the feet were hard to feel, but this didn't stop us, nor did the occasional snow. I started by leading Bunny (5.4), miss Pssst followed and we rapped. Next miss Pssst lead Laurel (5.7) and I followed. She had made a nice lap coil: wow. We rapped down. She then lead Horseman (5.5) in 1 pitch using all the gear. I followed and felt some of the stances she stayed in for long periods to put in pro were rather scary. We walked down that one. After getting scared seconding a 5.5, in my typical logic, I decided to get on a 5.8+: Dirty Gertie. I was totally sketched out and it took me everything I have to finish it clean. Miss Pssst seconded, we rapped, and then she lead it (with a slight variation, but with a lot more style), I seconded, we rapped, and called it a day as we were frozen.
We drove back to TRC (getting lost on the way) and I decided to stay to climb a little. I started by doing a red from the comp where Miss Pssst's yellow is. Then I did the yellow Brian almost broke is neck on. That was followed by a 5.9 on TR with Miss Pssst. Then I did her yellow problem from the comp. We then TR a 5.11 which she onsighted but I took once. We followed by leading a new 10, a new 11, and a new 12. The 12 I had to stop 2 clips before the anchor.
I think its fair to say we pulled hard today!
4 comments:
Way to climb hard! Sounded like an excellent start to the season. Not too cold?
Haven't done Dirty Gertie, how was the climb?
Nice!!
I wouldn't say "too cold", but definitely "cold".
Dirty Gertie was nice. The opening moves are balancy and committing especially given that you have no pro in and the belayer has a crappy stance. Then when you traverse right after the second or third piece is in, you have almost no feet for a few moves.
BTW the only things we used from your rack on every climb were the 3 Aliens. The other piece we used was the #3 Camalot which I recommended that miss Pssst take when she lead Dirty Gertie (I had not brought it on my, lets say, less than perfect send, and it was pretty obvious it would have been nice to have).
I forgot to mention that while she was climbing Horseman, a trad climber who had just rapped down beside me said: wow she's bad ass!
Yeah, I love my Aliens, and they work well in the Gunks. I just don't have the full confidence to buy them again, but there are no perfect alternatives.
Thought Dirty Gertie was a face climb - where did Pssst slot a #3?
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