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Dom contemplates the deeper complexities to the fine art of scampering up boulders, while Rita reads in the background.

I’m watching the 2009 NBA playoffs and I’m pretty sure it will come down to a battle royale between the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. What a game it will be!!
Anyways, just got back from my first trip out to Leavenworth for the 2009 climbing season. I haven’t really been out bouldering since the last time I was there in November of last year and the whole car ride down I had butterflies of anxious energy fluttering about in my brain. I hadn’t grown to fully trust my healing finger so I wasn’t quite sure what the results of this trip would be. My car was packed with pads, food, tents, and two dudes who go by the name of Jimmy and Dom(a.ka. Youngblood and the Dominator). The weather was perfect, of course, and we rolled into Leavenworth on fumes, almost. After filling up my near empty tank and avoiding an embarrassing phone call for someone to bring me gas, we hit Forestland where gobs of boulderers were waiting to meet us. We had around 10 people from Oly alone, not to mention all the other boulderers who were there. It was good to be in such a big crew, but after warming up on some of the usual problems Jimmy and I split for the shade of the upper forestland’s mother boulder. I had gotten really close to sending a cool two move power problem called bananas over the summer and was eager to get back on it. Jimmy was amped as well and we got to work. Jimmy sent in a matter of tries, nice, but my head was swimming about in the murky waters of hesitation. I decided it was not to be and we moved around the corner where a sweet problem called Kobe Tai lay in wait. This problem is on an overhung face with some of the nicest little crimps you could ever imagine.


Lisa attempting Kobe Tai(V.8)

After making some hard moves and a lock off bump to a good flat hold below the lip, a sketchy top out awaits that involves committing to a good pocket/crimp and rolling over on a slab with small edges to help you on your way up. There is a myriad of different ways you can do the moves to the lip, but I found the best way for me, and it ended up working quite nicely for Jimmy, who sent first, as well as me who shakily pulled over the lip and shouted with triumph. My one goal of the trip was to see if I could still send V.8 and doing it on a awesome boulder like Kobe Tai was pure joy.
The rest of the Oly squad eventually made their way up and reports of sends started to poor in. I decided to take a break and check out some of the other boulders in the uppers that were left out of the guide. One of the most inspiring lines I saw was a boulder called Cobra Con. A proud line with chunky crimps and a nasty sloper guarding the top that made its way up a tall off-white boulder stood proudly out of the jumble of boulders. I can’t wait to get back and try this line. I also saw the Tea Cup, super sick!!! I hope I can get strong enough to do that problem some day.
After my wandering was over we packed up our things and made our way to another awesome boulder.


Lonely Fish boulder from the road.

A huge boulder just off the road called the Lonely Fish boulder. Home of my first V.10, the stand start to Dirty Dude. I was really enthusiastic about getting back on the boulder’s namesake problem Lonely Fish, since trying it with my friend Nick over the summer. I knew it was doable but I just hoped I could pull it off and keep it together tot op it out. The landing zone is a bit treacherous with minimal pads, but luckily we had three triples and two doubles at our disposal and we turned the nasty landing into a gym floor. I gave it a few burns getting farther than I ever had slapping the flat jug over the lip but falling each time. I finally got the balls to latch that wonderful shelf and with a concentrated amount of sketchiness I pulled and slapped my way into the slabby dihedral and topped out some 25 feet above. Damn, that felt really good. I had a good victory howl on top of the boulder and then came back down to spot. Lisa, Jimmy, Dom, and myself were all knee deep into the session when before you knew it a sending train started to emerge.


Dom on the first moves of the Lonely Fish(V.9)

I sent first, followed closely by Jimmy, and then out of nowhere Lisa gave a growl of effort and finally latched the victory jug and scampered up the dihedral like a chipmunk on crack.


Lisa on the road to victory, the Lonely Fish(V.9)

Before this problem she had only ever managed to send V.5(?)!!!!! This ascent was probably the most impressive thing I have seen in real lie, Lisa just keeps on impressing me with her stunning sends lately, before this trip we got out to Little si where she man handled Rainy Day Woman for her first 5.12a lead outdoors!!! Needless to say high fives were being handed out like glow sticks at a rave. Dom, who had been lodged in a tree during the send fest came down to try his luck. He had the beta and knew what to do. He pulled through all the moves to the very last throw for the victory jug slapping the flat jug only to rash off and fall. Literally having the flash slip through his fingers. Aaaaahhhhhh!!!! I’m positive that he will get this very quickly next time.


Jimmy testing the waters of Dirty Dude Stand Start(V.10)

Well, the hype died down after Lisa departed back to Oly, and us boys were left to our own devices. We played around on a cool V.7 called Bombs Away that involved a basketball jump to a cool crimp rail and nasty grovel/hump fest up and over a dirty slab at the lip. Jimmy clinched the send and Dom and I came close but didn’t manage this one. Jimmy, I never said the problem sucked, I just hated getting my shirt dirty and coming away with no send; I’ll definitely come back and finish it off(maybe). I also gave Droppin’ tha’ Kirschbaum a look over and realized this one might have to wait for another year or so, yikes! It is an endurance power marathon. We finished off the day at a boulder called Starfox whose salt and pepper face had seen better days.


The Starfox boulder at dusk.


Some pretty little spring flowers.


Most of the holds had broken off leaving nasty razor blade crimps and a huge move with a boulder breathing down your neck. It was good to get this mystery cleared up since I had always wondered about this boulder problem. That night Dom reenacted Dante’s inferno in our fire pit and I just enjoyed being back at a nice Leavenworth campsite under the stars with a hot bowl of chili.


Bridgecreek.

The morning brought clam chowder and the packing up of our camp site. Our first stop, The Pretty Boulders. The hike was steep but I love this area. The rock is grade AAAAAAAAAA, very purty, and home to the sweetest V.3 around, Pretty Girl. I did the usual warm up circuit with minimal pain from yesterday. Jimmy ticked the pretties, and then we loaded up for Pretty Hate Machine. The initial moves are not too hard but I always get shut down at the dyno. It was pretty much the same old story for me, I’m still psyched to come back and send, but Jimmy dispatched in a handful of attempts. Looking really strong he got to the dyno every time and when he finally sent he turned into Inspector Gadget and pulled out the go-go gadget arms. Nice job Jimmy, the only problem he didn’t manage was Pretty Boy but he sent everything else at the area.


Jimmy on Pretty Boy(V.7)

We were going to head to Mad Meadows but ran for Tumwater canyon instead to seek out some shade and cooler temps. After watching my crashpad fly off the top of my car roof nearly killing everyone driving behind us, or should I say luckily not killing anyone behind us, we arrived safely at the Swiftwater picnic area. Dom and I monkeyed around on some of the easier problems at the picnic area and then we all tried a cool V.6 lip traverse on sandstone-like granite. Really cool slopey/grainy holds led straight up to a powerful top out.


Joel's Traverse(V.6)

I came sooo close on this one but eventually gave up due to lactic acid build up, and a severe case of vaginosis(medical term). Jimmy gunned up this one as well and tried a V.8 jump problem that looked cool but climbed kind of awkwardly. It was a nice setting, I just wish some of these boulders had more features; the rock quality for this kind of granite is out of this world!!


Chicken Man(V.8)

We got back to the car and felt the sting of little to no skin and decided to head home with the traditional stop at the Heidleburger and an intense game of name that grade/area/boulder problem/first ascentionist. I’m very pleased with what I got done even though I feel like I could have pushed harder at times. This season looks to be a very promising one, Jimmy is climbing harder than I have ever seen him climb before, Lisa is coming out of her shell and turning into a scary rock crushing monster, and Dom, well, Dom just likes to put things down his trousers, who can blame him?!! Just kidding Dom, in all honestly everyone climbed harder than I have ever seen them climb, even if the sends don’t show up on the scorecard it doesn’t mean a lot of mileage and knowledge wasn’t gained. All I hope for is to have as good a year sending as I did last year and to have twice as much fun in doing so. I’m also psyched for the return of long lost friend and climbing compadre Nick Madness, I can’t wait to see what he gets done this year as well. I’ll see everyone soon. PEACE!