Training Day

World Wall One, the best sport crag this side of the Mississippi? Well, maybe the best sport crag within driving distance of Olympia. Nic, Technorigine(5.12c)


The weatherman is such a liar. I guess that’s why I get my weather from a woman. In any event they were both wrong this time but regardless of the weather forecast we were not to be deterred. Leavenworth had been tickling our fancies for far to long and it was time to reclaim our rightful place at Little si. We got a late start to the day but in the end it was quite helpful. Arriving at the crag around noon, we found the wall bathing in sunlight but only for the next hour, and for the rest of the day we were cloaked in a comfortable shade. You couldn’t tell by the swarms of cars that had congregated in and around the Little si trail parking lot but we were actually only one of 3 other groups at World Wall One so we had our pick of routes. The day started well, warming up on Aborigine, trying to get the feel for being on a rope again and dusting off the sequence to a pretty classic .11b. It felt good to rope gun the first route of the day and the beginning crux felt like a V.0 as I dispatched it with style, remembering where everything was and went. I did almost take a fall halfway through by committing to a hold that I thought was good only to find my hand ripping off of a bad sloper. I clutched the flakey jug I had been holding onto in desperation only to finish the route way more pumped than I should have been, and with the addition of a nice little flapper on my hand between the pointer and thumb. Not bad for a warm up eh? Next Jimmy had a go and looked solid the whole way up clipping the chains in warm up style victory. Nic had been eager to get back on Technorigine and there was no time like the present so on his warm up go he made it all the way through the first crux only to fall at the second, a grueling swing to a big one handed jug.

Nic lunges his way through the first crux of Technorigine(5.12c)

We were all psyched as we moved over to work Psychosomatic(5.12d) a former project of mine. Jimmy rope gunned this one and made good progress getting to the last bolt before coming down. I tried to flex my knowledge on the route but only had enough gusto to make it to the second to last clip before lactating out. Nic made an impressive go by linking it all the way to the crux but completely forgot the sequence and came off. I gave him some beta that had worked for me and after a couple of hangs he had sent it and was attached to the victory rail only to take a nice little whipper before getting to the chains. He is so close to sending that rig, and I hope we can get out there soon so he can get it.
After that we moved our camp over to the main corner where Rainy Day Woman is and Nic, fresh off of Psychosomatic, volunteered to rope gun it. I wasn’t going to stand in his way but I think he was trying to waste himself at this point because he wasn’t so successful, falling a few times before clipping the chains. Jimmy had the same result and they both looked at me to redeem our crews name, so I stepped to the plate. The last time I had been on this route it was on top rope and I had an extremely poor performance. This time I sailed it, it was nice to send such a classic with ease and I even improved my beta and confidence. I’m excited to get on the extension Hydrophobia. After I came down Nic flew up it on top rope just to make sure it hadn’t got the best of him. Nice recovery Nic.
I was feeling jazzed at this point and after a little lunch I managed to get to the chains on Technorigine with an all time low of hangs, 6. The important part was that I was able to fire both cruxes with only one hang each, and I really feel close but yet so far to sending. Jimmy repeated Aborigine but didn’t feel the endurance or the need to continue on the extension, either way this was really good training for the upcoming sport climbing comp for him. Next Nic was ready to send, and he climbed well, making it through the first crux of Techno yet again but just couldn’t muster the strength to pull the second crux, A Meurte Nic!! We shouted.

Jimmy grabs the lip of the Psychowussy boulder problem(5.11b/V.1+)

Jimmy at the first clip of Psychosomatic(5.12d)

Last but not least we all took a lap on Psychosomatic trying to push as far as we could for a nice warm down burn. The training day had ended and we were all pumped and psyched to get back on a rope. The weather and the crowds had been perfect all day and as we left, the rain finally came. Classic Little si sesh. Have fun in Hawaii Nic, and I hope I can do Oly’ justice in the upcoming second annual South Sound Pull Down!

Breaking out of the forest, a nice little surprise.