"Interesting" Weekend at Black

Saturday, Brett and I went up to Black Mt, where we were to meet a very strong young climber, Natalie Josefsberg, and her father, Ken, for a day of showing Natalie around some classics of Black Mt. While I'm glad to say that Brett was able to fill in for me as tour guide/coach, I'm unhappy to report that I was stricken with heinous food poisoning for the majority of the day. Ken was kind enough to contribute these photos for this blog, heh.

FAIL

How I spent much of Saturday

Luckily, after a drive down into Idyllwild and a slowly consumed soda, I recovered by the evening, and was able to accompany Brett, Ian, and Bridgett down to the Captain's Junk boulder for a night session. Ian was coming very close on his project on the steep wall, and Brett and Bridgett threw down some attempts as well. I wasn't able to climb, but at least I got some photos.

We ate dinner and camped under a beautiful night sky and by the morning I was feeling well enough to climb.

Brett and Ian started the morning off with a send of a difficult finger to hand crack right in our campsite. 

The crux fingerlock.

Brett approaching the old school top rope bolt placed on top of the large boulder.

We started the day by heading back down to the Captain's Junk boulder so that Ian could try to send his project, which he'd been coming extremely close to on Saturday night. The Captain's Junk boulder is one of the best boulders I've seen at Black Mt. With classics starting at v2 and established up to v10 with an even harder project, and quite a number of the lines warranting 4 stars, it's a boulder that would considered classic anywhere in the world.

Brett with the Captain's Junk boulder behind him and to the right. The discerning Black Mt boulderer may be able to pick out Velvet Revolver on the hillside in the distance to the left. 

We all climbed the classic v6 Captain's Junk to warm up. Ian had climbed the line many times, but it was a first for Bridgett, Brett, and myself.

Bridgett sending the boulder's 4-star namesake, Captain's Junk, v6.

Bridgett reaching the amazing dinner plate patina jugs to topout  Captain's Junk.

 After warming up some, Ian and Brett threw down several attempts on the steep project.

Ian on the opening move of the Captain's Junk project

Brett attempting the upper section 

Although Ian didn't send, he looks extremely close, and I'm sure he'll get it soon.

We parted ways at this point and Brett and I headed over to the corridor of problems that Ian and Anthony showed me last week. We both did the v4-6-ish sloper problem, and Brett sent the steep crimp rail (7 or 8?) in a handful of tries.

Myself on the sloper problem

From the corridor we went down the hill to Ex-Patriot, which unfortunately still remains my nemesis. I made almost a dozen attempts and the best couple of them left me coming agonizingly close to sticking the left gaston crimp up high. You can see the videos from a couple of weeks ago of me pulling past that crux and then falling like a total punter.

Considering the way I started the weekend, I'm happy with the way things turned out. At least I was able to climb with everyone else on Sunday, plus now Brett and I know how to get to the amazing Captain's Junk. 

Stay psyched everyone and tune in next week for more sports action.