Summertime citrus deficit

Somehow, I never quite got out to Grapefruit Rocks enough this summer. The separated shoulder didn't help, of course. The pick of the days up there was when Frank, Adam and I made it up to falcon rock one night after work in early June. We climbed until 11pm and could have stayed longer. As it was, I was wiped out the next day after an extended day of fieldwork following the am flight to Barrow. Ouff.

Good skiing and climbing buddies Adam and Frank; me trying to trust the crust on 'Larry's Project'; Adam milking a rest and busting though on 'Overhang Direct'.

Each time I get out there, its a little better than I think it will be. Frank did too good a job of lowering my expectations! Its about one hour from our place when there's no traffic, plus a 5-30 minute hike to the different outcrops.

Lise and I spent a great sunday morning out there two weeks ago. We'd been invited to lunch with the 4th grade teachers from U. Park Elementary (Lisa's placement school), so we did a morning mission, leaving home before 7 am and getting in about 5 pitches each before making it back to town at 1 pm.

And so as the fall rolls on, it seems like only yesterday that I first went out there with Frank and Tom. The seasonal changes are so pronounced that it makes it seem like the seasons come and go so quickly. Everyone is already writing off Fall and talking about skiing, which will probably be only about a month away. The squirrels outside are all stashing nuts for the winter. The Equinox run is next weekend. Hopefully there's stil time for a bit more climbing before the skis and tights come out though!

Chickaloon Climbing Trip, Labor Day

We again took advantage of a long weekend to make a trip south, this time to go climbing at a place called Chickaloon, about 90 miles north of Anchorage on the Glen Highway. Tom was paving in Denali, so I picked him up on the way through on Thursday night. We got in late and ended up sleeping in a pull-out right under the crag. 18 wheeler diesels are loud.

A great field of boulders lies 2 minutes off the road, halfway to the crag (Weiner Lake aka Wookie Wall). After a quick tour of the best bouldering lines we rolled up to the crag. As we finished a short warm up we were joined by a few locals, including main developer Paul Turecki. We spent a chilled-out afternoon up there climbing and chatting with those guys. Tom had two routes in mind from a previous trip, and wasn't about to let sleep deprivation and weeks of non-stop paving slow him down. After a couple red bulls and a mid afternoon under-the-route nap he sent 'Illuminati 5.13a' fourth shot. I spent some time working out the bottom of the "must-do local classic" next to it, and we called it good, retiring to the free camping spot on the river behind the real slice of Americana that is the Chickaloon bar.

Lisa and Lalida got in about midnight. It had already started raining and didn't let up until about midday Saturday. By that time we'd rolled down to the greasy spoon in Jonestown for a real breakfast of king-sized pancakes, hashbrowns and eggs. The overhanging headwall protected many of the Weiner Lake routes and we spent the afternoon climbing. Late in the evening I went to my happy place after fighting to onsight a superb 100 ft 5.11 (22/23).

Camping on the river, Tom, Rob and Lupin, Lalida and Lise; view from Purinton Creek crag; Tom up at the Wookie Wall; Lalida at Purinton.

On Saturday night we had a few beers and a late pasta dinner with local climber, all around good guy and Tom's friend, Carl, and road-tripping Rob and his beautiful Siberian Husky 'Lupin' on their way home to Canada after a summer of fishing off the Kenai. Sunday morning we all climbed a mile up the road at Purinton Creek. Tom and I took off back to Weiner and Lalida gave Lise some crack-climbing coaching. They rocked back to Weiner in time to hear me screaming my way up my project - pAAH!! Tom put on the real show though, when he sent the local 5.13c (30) test piece, second day. Very impressive. The ladies drove home early Monday, and I managed to link up 'Breaking the Chains' 5.12b second go, which Tom repeated, to cap off a very successful and enjoyable 4 days climbing.

What a place! This is surely the best sport climbing spot in Alaska: a huge cliff of compact rhyolite, maybe 1 km long, 100 m tall and gently overhanging at the base; free camping on the river, spectacular scenery, and plenty of well bolted routes in the 5.11 - 5.13+ range. Too bad its not closer to Fairbanks, but next summer I'll be back!

Looking across Weiner Lake from the crag; walk in through the fall colours.

Fall is in full effect now. The colours in the beautiful Matanuska Valley were great.Driving the Parks was equally spectacular; this has to be one of the most enjoyable 300 miles to drive anywhere. Tom's stories and music help too though! The final treat was that Denali was out. Absolutely enormous.