Bishop, Vegas, Bishop

Back track a bit, and lets play catch up...it has been a while since we have had a good wireless connection. Sorry to be slow on the updates, but I think you will enjoy the pictures we have coming over the next few days.

We got to Bishop about five days ago in the evening and barely found the campgrounds, much less a site. Luckily we met up by chance with a fellow Alaskan, Josh, who is on an extended road trip for the next several months. He let us share a site with him and we have been climbing with him since!

The next morning we began with a day at the Happies. Bishop is a small town that happens to be a bouldering mecca! The Happies are one of three main areas at Bishop (the Happies, Sads and the incredible Buttermilks), all within about twenty minutes of eachother. The Happies are volcanic rock with some of the craziest features you could imagine. Huge huecos (big scoops and hold in the rock), perfect patina, huge holds and small crimps and pockets galore! The climbing is generally on overhanging rock with good holds, which makes for incredible problems. Since the sun was blazing we found an impressive line in a cave that had small crimps leading to huge pockets with a mantle high over the ground. Paul climbed it quickly and powerfully. It was very impressive. Hunter stepped up to it and finished it in a couple of goes. It made for incredible climbing and beautiful pictures! I passed this line up - it was a bit higher and harder than I would have been comfortable with. Huge props to Hunter and Paul for keeping their heads cool on a really high mantle. And huge props to Josh Helke at Organic for making such a great pad that gave us so much confidence - that thing has softened some huge drops! We followed the shade climbing whatever inspired us. Easy to do in a place with over 1000 problems all within a ten minute walk of eachother!

The line that pulled through this roof was riddled with pockets. It was so impressive.

Paul near the last moves and a ways off the deck.

This boulder had some great features and a great warm up route.

The next morning we headed off to Las Vegas to pick up Rob. Josh decided to come check out Red Rocks with us and we were stoked to have another climber along. It was a long drive through Death Valley to get to there...Death Valley is creepy - make sure you have a full tank of gas and a lot of water with you when passing through. So desolate. Once in Vegas we found Rob in a sea of people at the largest most well lit airport in the world! We headed to the campgrounds and the next morning we headed up and did some moderate multipitch routes (as mentioned in the previous blog). The next day we decided to clip some bolts on incredible sandstone sport climbs in the Black Corridor of Red Rocks. Amazing, check out the pictures.

Sport climbing in the Black Corridor. The place is like an outdoor gym!

Sandstone! Great pockets, ledges, everything.

Rob cruising up a route in the Black Corridor. There is a black patina over brilliant red rock in the corridor.

Josh on Rebel Without a Pause. This line was steep with big moves. So fun.

After Hunter led it, we all gave it a go on top rope. It fit Pauls style perfectly. Big, powerful moves on an overhanging wall.

The views from Red Rocks are inspiring, and the rock is incredible. I look forward to going back someday soon.