more YMCA

I have been working 12 hour days on average here in LA, but I have still found the time to make it to the rock gym two nights a week and outside on the weekend. Today a group of us drove up to Black Mountain from LA and enjoyed a perfect day of bouldering. My main desire was to try to send the line Alex and Ian sent last week (see previous post), which Ian has dubbed Beowulf, and Maya thinks looks like an overhanging butt. On the way in, we stopped at group camp 4 and 5 to warm up.

Here are a couple shots of Michelle sending a nice crimpy warmup.



After a couple problems we got on Soul Snatch, which I tried during the Birthday Bash weekend, but greased off of repeatedly. Today the temps were much better than back in August, and both Steve and I were lucky enough to send this gem, with Spencer, Will and Jeff all coming very close too.





Then we drove up to the YMCA Camp area and met up with Ian, Alan, Alex, A.ron and others. Pretty much as soon as we got there A.ron got the probable FA of this little line.



Then Will, Jeff and Steve (who flashed in great style) climbed on Ghost Dog, the beautiful V8 highball I posted photos of last week. Here are some more shots of it.





Finally A.ron told me to get off the boulder and put on my shoes to climb on Beowulf and I started giving it some effort. Unfortunately, I did not send, but I easily completed the crux throw that I could not do last week and made several good links. Sent it in two parts with good overlapping linkage.

Two pics of Steve on the lower section of Beowulf.



Myself linking through the finish of Beowulf, or as Maya calls it, "the butt problem."






Next week the same LA crew plus some others are going to Bishop. I'll join them if I can, and if I can't perhaps I will get back to Black and send this all time classic problem.