Wind Horse

There’s nothing to get over the End of Winter Blues like a perfect day of rock climbing on dry granite in gleaming sunshine.  The trail up to the Notch, just outside of Carbondale, CO, was icy and treacherous with sections of post holing in decaying snow.  Several times the rubber of my shoes lost traction on the icy switch backs and I ended up and precarious split positions. I questioned whether old man winter had released his grasp on the crag. Arriving at the base of the cliff I was relieved we would be climbing and bathing in sunlight. 

DR on Wind Horse

 

It seems last summer the local climbing masters were working hard and produced some unfathomable lines, bigger then anyone’s imagination. Of particular attentions was Wind Horse. The route is so colossal, in order to tope rope it and have the belayers remain on the dirt, climbers first climb a pitch on a 60 meter rope and then untie and retie into an 80 meter rope. The climbing is brilliant with a very tricky crux requiring massive crimp strength, pinch strength and invisible feet. The route is so tall one really feels a loss of attachment to what’s below as the arête steepens and breeze stiffens.

Badger on the look out

Climbing at the Notch this past weekend was exhilarating.  From the road the Narrows and Notch looked suspect as loose rock bounced down the hillside and pinged off the jersey barriers protecting the parking lot. It is not until one ventures up the steep hillside that one is rewarded with high quality Crystal River Valley Granite climbing in all grades.  I got home from climbing Sunday evening more exited then a puppy just released from a kennel. I bounced up and down in our one room studio apartment nipping at my wife’s side. This form of climbing excitement wasn’t going to fly with her. She pointed to the front door and told me to go for a mandatory run.  I obediently laced up my running shoes and tiredly dragged my feet over red gravel excited for spring and local climbing.