Summer 2012 climbing

These are photos from my summer of climbing.

Me leading Karate 10-14-2012. A bunch of us from the Tacoma climbing gym drove down for a last weekend with Fletch before his hip surgery. Lisa L. is belaying me while Kyle took photos with my Canon 7D.

Me, leading Karate in 2012

Lisa following me up Karate. Lisa and Kyle spent a lot of time at Squamish this year crack climbing. She cruised this thing.

A long lens view of Craig leading Karate

I went to Smith for a few days in June with James and Marty. Here Marty is following the second pitch of Lycopodophyta 5.8

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Marty topping out.

Marty leading Spiderman, Smith

Marty leading Spiderman, Smith

After leaving Smith, Sue and I drove to City of Rocks

Sue following Rain dance at City of Rocks

A 5 pitch bolted 5.8 at Steinfelds dome, City of Rocks

Jim P. at City of Rocks

City of Rocks

Jim, City of Rocks

Jim, City of Rocks

A cool German guy we met and climbed with at City of Rocks

Working cash register, City of Rocks

City of Rocks

Jim, City of Rocks

Came back to town for a hair cut

The lovely Merica

Craig at Index

Lisa, Tim and Sue went to Smith over the 4th

Crystal and climbing Barbie high above I-90 on Snoqualmie Pass.

A climber at the smoke bluff connection at Squamish. I led the 10b crack to the left for the first time last trip.

James near the top of Calculus Crack 5.8 Squamish

James looking at the view on Memorial Ledge. This is the top of Calculus Crack. Three climbers have their memorial plaques here. It's a strange, but very peaceful place. You can't get here without some committing climbing.

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Christine leading a 10a at smoke bluffs off the couch.

James following me up a 5.9 at Seal Cove, Squamish

James following me up the famous Skywalker Traverse, Squamish, Canada in the background.

This is the belay anchor before the Skywalker Traverse

Climber finishing the Skywalker traverse. It's only 5.6 climbing, but the exposure is un-nerving.

Climber leading Klahanie crack. She later helped me spot James as he led the runnout to "Local boys do good".

Looking down at Klahanie Crack.

James running laps on Local Boys.

James, after running a lap on Local Boys. He led this, to get us up there, and he later led the second pitch. Very scary 5.11 friction...but fun in a sick sort of way. This was the best day of the trip, and the hardest climbing I've done in decades. We started on Skywalker, and then did everything on the Klahanie Crack slab, excepting the 11d on the far left.

German climber passing my belay station. I carry my big DSLR for moments like this.

Climbers are proud of their eccentricities. This climber lives in this rig on trips.

Ultimate climber rig at the smoke bluffs.

The incomparable Diedre. People put this route down because it is only a 7. I found it awesome.

Deidre, Squamish

Deidre, that is the road to Whistler down below

The day we climbed Local Boys, and Skywalker (among others) we walked out by headlamp. I wrote a 'to do list' on my roll of tape. I needed new laces, 5 less biniers on our heavy rack, James needed chalk, sour cream and onions. We got a warning from the ranger, who was parked behind our car in the closed parking lot, blue lights blinking.

My shoes were blowing out by the end of the trip.

Scored some used size 14 shoes, here I am cutting the back off prior to shortening them down for my wide feet.

Tools of the trade for shortening long climbing shoes (15) to fit wide feet (8 EEEEEE).

The trip is over when the blood trails make your partner nervous.

We saw this car full of people at a gas station on the freeway

This isn't quite climbing, though there were ropes involved in passing the headlands to Toleak Point, Olympics. Sue and I hiked the 14 mile round trip, for the first time ever. And possibly the last, as my ankle is developing some problems.

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