Coop comp

It was weird on Thursday to strip the coop bare; that place has been a tangle of holds for as long as I've known it, and to see the bare walls underneath was... strange.

Coming back this morning, with a comparatively sparse collection of 30 problems, all new, all fresh, was also a bit of a shock.

It was a fun comp; it felt much more playful and friendly than other comps, mostly because it seemed like we were just all climbing together instead of really competing. I sent all the problems up to number 23, so unless there's someone I don't know about that should net me second place.

Back we go tomorrow night to make a more concerted effort at the last 7 problems...

Back to the Edge

It turns out that if I were a woman, and had made it into finals, I would have been able to send at least one of the three problems.

The three finals problems (men and women) are still up, so after warming up on random other problems another climber and I began to tackle the women's finals problems (roughly V6--V8). One of them was quite fun, with a big first move and delicate, crimpy holds throughout, but in that time I was not able to piece it together.

The other one, I sent on my third try.

The routes have cool features; one of them is apparently modeled on the nose of a commercial airplane. The other one is a weird blocky square thing, with a hollow interior. Made for a fun move on the finish of the one finals problem I did send.

Post-comp climb.

It's interesting to note that the crowd seems to have changed.

We came back to Cliffhanger for the first time (as a group) in quite a while, and while we mostly had fun, we all noted how the crowd felt different than when we regularly came. It's a little unclear why; maybe the strong climbers have moved on. Maybe we were there on an off night. Maybe we are the strong climbers.

It makes me glad that I have a pass at the Edge, now. The crowd there feels much more welcoming and social, and much more like a crowd that will help push me and make me a better climber. We had fun at cliffhanger, but I just couldn't make myself try as hard as I need to to improve.

The days, they blur.

The Edge, or was it the coop?

An arête climb, green, overhanging on pinches. Surprisingly delicate, and only once it was done did I realize how good it was. It was crowded, mostly new people trying this 'climbing' thing out for the first time.

Blur.

Another arête climb, delicate in its own way, though far more burly a finish. Balance, then strength.

We return to the problem of a few days prior, with the swing. I feel tired, sore, but keep working. Again, I fall, my strength and fingers fading, when suddenly I find myself, hands wrapped around a hold, foot gently up to the left, and

Catch. Shift. Match.

Done.

Day Five

Coquitlam.

It was an Edge invasion; protesting the lack of new climbs in well over a month, a crew of Edge climbers decided to check out the new climbs out in Coquitlam en masse.

Like a kid in a candy store, I tried to sample whatever I could. They had some new round volume forms, one of which was a hold on 10 (10!) routes, including the finish of one V7. While fun, it made for a lot of scraped forearms for everyone there, all of us trying to hug the same holds in the same way.

It was a good day; I felt competitive with those around me, and while clearly not sending everything left-right-center, I made a good showing.

Day Four

The Edge.

Feeling somewhat weak, no new climbs, so I join Chris in making up a few. By that I mean that he made up two problems, I made up one, although it never found a finish.

First problem: Low start, big move up and match on a decent hold. Move up to a good hold, match, bring the left foot high, and grab out right for an awkward hold. Commit, cross into much better hold. That's the crux. Move feet up, grab a big pinch, and heel hook high up. A few quick moves and it's done. V5 or so.

Second problem: Similar start, higher left hand. Move left up to not-so-great crimpy pinch, and right hand out right. Very cool foot swap to lift heel hook higher, and then huuuuuge cross with left hand.

Let go with the feet.

Swing.

Stop swinging, or at least try to.

Stabilized, miraculously, move up through an increasingly burly sequence of moves eventually up and left onto a hold that looks great... but isn't. An awkward heel hook should lead up to the finish, but neither of us sent it.

Probably V7, and very, very cool.

Day three

Coop again.

There is a new climb; small holds back in the cave. Back to a rail, match, move feet out and grab a hold with a weird thumb-catch. Stuck, can't move out to the overhang. Fall.

Try again. Realize that the thumb-catch is a red-herring, and that the hold is best used as a pinch. Try to heel-hook the rail, fall.

Try again. Ignore the rail, and move straight out onto the face; feet cut, into a 90 degree "iron cross". Lift the feet to the rail, which is now solid. Grab small hold on face. Can't figure out feet; fall.

Try again. The thumb catch, it seems, makes for a great heel hook; one can simply rest on it and shake out. Swap feet, crank into corner, strain for the penultimate hold... and fall.

Next time.