Dogleg? More like Elvis-leg if I’m being honest. As we arrived at the base and racked up I was feeling a little off. Just kinda trembly, and awfully sweaty. Was I hot or cold? I couldn’t tell, I just felt off. Two days later I’d be completely laid out by the flu, so it was probably an early twinge of my symptoms showing their head. But I didn’t feel bad enough to back off, so up we went.
The first third of the climb was fairly straightforward. After that things got a little more awkward and precarious. I slowed down a bit and just focused on gear. I didn’t feel any worse than below, but definitely got the sewing machine leg going. Whatever. I just slopped my way through this section, which I’d say is the crux. More insecure than hard, with some weird positioning.
Awkward positioning and less than perfect jams finally gave way around the corner to a diagonal crack with secure jams. Topping out takes you through a series of ledgy pockets to the actual summit. I scoped our descent options and down climbed back to the previous nest. Small pieces in a wall of plates made an anchor, and Emma was on her way up. She aced it, naturally, and arrived relived that it was “so much easier” than Continuum.
We soloed up to the summit, and then down a flake to the most obvious rap rings. Since it was an unknown quantity, and we’d been meaning to practice, we set up a single-strand blocked rappel. Kinda risky given the position of the anchor, but we went for it anyway. Which gave us some great rope retrieval practice as well, each working a side, and jumping from boulder to boulder to adjust the angle of pull. Eventually we got the rope down and didn’t even tear the sheath open in the process. Success. Obviously we could have avoided all that nonsense, but it was good practice for Emma, who’s been lucky enough to only know effortless rappels.
We weren’t quite done, but close to it, and the sun was feeling a little oppressive so we ended on a quick run up The Eye. So much fun. And better gear than I remembered! Although you’re pretty much guaranteed to hit a ledge if you fall, so still kinda no-fall zone. But it’s just so easy, it really is a romp.
Dogleg
5.8+ – 80′
with Emma
Nothing too bad. A bid insecure and slippy through the middle.
Otherwise fairly secure climbing. Fun.
Down climb the back using flake chimney, single 60 to rappel.
The Eye
5.1 – 120′
with Emma
Super fun romp. More pro than I remembered, but none of it necessary.
