Posted on January 6, 2013
Trixie turns 400,000 on the odometer as we roll into another 30 mile long straight stretch of Nevada desert. A few curves, a slight rise in the road, and then its straight again flanked by Joshua Trees and Yucca dusted with snow.
Celebrating 400,000 miles with Trixie in the Nevada desert.
See?
Our 2012 Christmas ornament accompanied us on the way to Vegas thanks to my parents.
Saying goodbye to Will, Cora and Ben in the final days of our stay in Red Rocks, NV carried with it a feeling of closure to the year in a way that no date on the calendar seemed to evoke. You would think these feelings would present themselves during our move to Hailey, or parking the bus at our new home, the supposed end of the world, the solstice, or the New Year but these dates came and went, just as yesterday and the day before.
Turned out to be only a blown fuse.. an $80 dollar discovery, and one that had us scrambling to get Trix up for the task.
Rolling up our tent I glanced at the old Miguel’s campground tags, remnants of spring break and Thanksgiving trips to Kentucky in 2009. This time as I carefully brushed the desert sand from the ground cloth after each roll, I new the climbing season had ended and with it the common thread of the last 8 months. As it turns out, it isn’t the calendar that represents closure to one chapter and the beginning of another and the fireworks we watched from the strip in Vegas didn’t bring about any pensive moments of reflection on the year past. Instead these feelings came flooding in as Trixie filled with the gear of summer: ropes, draws, campstove, packs and climbing shoes.
I check the temperature back home in Hailey. It’s 10 F and looks as if it will drop well below 0 F again this evening. The car still smells of wood smoke and climbing rope as we continue north and relive favorite climbs, hikes and stories.
Another evening campfire. It felt weird to recycle paper when we got home.. what, no fire tonight?
Will and his coffee on Christmas morning.
Will on a steep 5.11b at the Sunny and Steep crag behind Kraft Mountain. On the way out from this day we passed a boulder that we had noted the day before as an impossible looking problem. This time as we approached we saw a guy working it with another guy filming the process. As we got closer I said “glad you are filming that cuz I wouldn’t believe it otherwise..” and then noticed I was talking to Dave Graham.
Ben on Gift Rapped (5.11a) Holiday Wall.
Lunch at James Brown Crag. Sunnier, radder, and quieter than the mess at Holiday Wall below.
Robyn’s first onsight gear lead!! Brasswall – Pine Creek Canyon.
The world dropping away toward the valley.
Ben about to crux on Maneater (5.12a)
Robyn working an 11c at the Gallery.
Robyn sent an impressive (5.11a) on Cannibal Crag called Baseboy Direct which follows a dainty and technical line straight up the center of a featured red face. Will sent his 4th 5.12 ever and his first in over a year with an ascent of Maneater (5.12a). I had a couple memorable ascents as well including Soul Power (5.11d) which powers through a bouldery start to a poor rest and keeps with you through the remainder of the climb with small and technical edges right to the chains. Although the logistics of a multi-pitch wall never quite lined up, we had two amazing days of single pitch gear climbing. Robyn led her first ever gear routes, beginning with a few pre-placed pieces and on our second day all on her own with an onsight ascent of Zen and the Art of Web Spinning (5.4) at the Brass Wall. I got more experience with true crack climbing with flash ascents of Straight Shooter (5.9 fingers) and Scalawag (5.10b) an imposing roof crack that starts with hands followed by fists and pulls the lip after 15 feet of near horizontal jamming.
My hardest gear lead before this was a 10b face climb at the New 3 years ago. Will inspired me to sack up a place some gear on this 10b hands and fist crack. I don’t care who you are, taping your hands before battle feels rad as shit.
Taping up for “Trad is Rad” day.
This little guy was one of HUNDREDS in certain areas. The spines felt like zip ties.
It was all I could do to not dig up a small Joshua Tree and try to plant it in our house back in Hailey.
Will cruising Caustic (5.11b) at Cannibal Crag.
Cleaning Caustic @ Cannibal crag. Hard to beat the backdrop.
Robyn in her new hat made for us by Kassy and Alf – what an awesome gift!!
Ben on a rad 5.11a at the Holiday Crag. Looking dapper as always.
A Christmas Eve fire at Red Rocks.
- Christmas morning brought a thoughtful gift from Will, a memento from their time in Joshua Tree.
More than the climbs however, we will remember the great time spent with awesome friends. When we arrived late on Robyn’s birthday (Christmas Eve) we were welcomed to a warm fire by Will, Alf and Kassy. On Christmas morning we had a big breakfast, decorated a bush near camp and handed out presents under a warm desert sun. Later that week Ben joined us from Salt Lake fresh off one of his last days of work at Nexus and looking forward to his new career with Black Diamond. The next night Will went to the Greyhound Station to pick up Stu who was passing through en route to California and eventually Hawaii. Early on New Years Eve, Cora flew in and brought her usual enthusiasm and high spirits to add even more good energy to the group.
The way the desert landscape interacts with the plant life is truly amazing. A delicate and dynamic balance. This Yucca plant was abnormally HUGE.
Alf on a 10b at the Gallery. Rumor has it he is hooked on climbing. Let’s just hope he finishes up in Anchorage soon.
Ben climbing Caustic (5.11b) with a belay from Will as Robyn and I look on.
The hike out from The Gallery.
Curiosity led me down this rabbit hole which offered a rad cave pedestal and lunch spot.
Kassy finding the perfect backdrop as I called the repair shop about our bus. Another rush to grab the camera was worth it.
One of those, WAIT DON’T MOVE moments.
The sun is low in the sky now, casting long shadows of sagebrush over what could be the straightest stretch of road yet. Four more hours and we are back to Rupert, the Bus, groceries in Twin and then on to Hailey where the next season truly begins; ski season. It’s strange to think how influential your life’s passions are. By finding that activity that serves as a way to interact with the world, to travel and better understand it. Climbing encouraged us to travel the west and as we shift into winter, backcountry skiing will lead us into the Sawtooth’s, to early morning skin tracks and steep descents among the granite peaks. It will push our lungs as we ascend and clear our minds of everything but the smell of the pine and the reward of powder turns back to the car. I guess it really is a cycle. One thread ends and the other begins only to bring us back again, always eager, anticipating the season to come.
