HAIKU

Starts off with a tiff
​We never fight - ha! Yeah right!
Winter Heat is DONE!

​DATE: September 1, 2019
​WALLS HIT: 1 (Winter Heat)
NUMBER OF CLIMBS: 2 
NUMBER OF PITCHES: 3
​NUMBER OF FALLS: 0
NUMBER OF TAKES: 0
VERTICAL FEET CLIMBED TODAY: 260
TOTAL VERTICAL FEET ON THE TOUR SO FAR: 1,885
NUMBER OF CLIMBS REMAINING: 211
VERTICAL FEET REMAINING: ~48,200
DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED: 0
​DIRTY UNDERWEAR ENCOUNTERED TO DATE: 3

​START & END TIMES:
  • Arrived Parking Lot - 5:00 a.m.
  • Arrived at Winter Heat wall - 5:45 a.m.
  • Back at the car - 11:15 a.m., 95 degrees F


​The Routes


​Climb 1: Hole in the Pants (Trad) (5.7)(2 pitches - 190')

Wall: Winter Heat

​Conclusion WTF? What the FEISTY!
  • The first 15-20 feet is a free solo.
  • MP and Handren list Pitch 1 as a 5.3. Rick and I definitely disagree with this assessment. It's harder than that (I'd say it's within the modern 5.7 range). 
  • Guidebooks also list 2.5" as the largest piece of pro needed. Two #4s are needed to protect in the off-width crack. If you only have a 2.5" cam you will run it out (with decking potential) on the more "challenging" terrain (or terrain with rock that isn't the worst but you still may not want to fully trust with consequences). 
  • Rock is decent for the most part. 
  • All in all the climb is fun if you are comfortable with a free-solo start on terrain that is harder than 5.3. 

Climb 2: Nuttin Could Be Finer
​(Listed as Trad. As trad we'd call this a rated X. We strongly recommend TRing it.) NOTE: You do have to lead a climb to set up the TR.) (5.7)(1 pitch - 70')

Wall: Winter Heat

Conclusion WTF? What the FUN!
  • This climb was fun as heck. The near-solid black petina results in a variety of holds that keep things super interesting (underclings, crimps, holes, side pulls). Plus the look of the rock up close is a visually stimulating change of pace from the red.
  • This climb should be listed as a TR or, if you lead it, X. It is not really protectable in the first 40 feet [unless you count one micro-nut placement in thin petina that would blow out in a fall. You would also need the right sized (large) tricams to place in holes at about 50 feet up as the first real pro.]
  • Previously we inspected the climb and decided we didn't like the look of the non-existent pro, so we set up the climb as a TR after completing "Hole in the Pants." A static rope or  very long webbing is needed. The anchor has to be built about 40 feet back. We used a small tree and two boulders for the anchor and belayed from above to prevent too much friction and wear on the rope across the long slabby top (Hence the photos from the top, rather than us on the climb). 

Summary

If you've read our other posts you may recall that we previously attempted to climb Winter Heat Wall not once, but twice (Day 4 and Day 7). Both times we arrived too late and were shut down by the heat and that absorbent black wall.

The problem with the previous two attempts was that we tried to tack on Winter Heat after doing climbs at other "nearby" walls. Since Winter Heat is completely on the other side of Kraft Mountain, it's a 45-minute approach. We just wanted to maximize our hiking time by doing Winter Heat Wall when we were already almost there, but the summer wouldn't let us. We finally had to acquiesce and commit to an early morning approach just for Winter Heat (or wait until Fall). 

After two "failed" attempts, Winter Heat was like a thorn in my side. I wanted to "git 'er done." The thought crossed my mind that maybe Winter Heat had some "bad mojo." And, there were several "almost" moments that, ultimately, turned out OK. Like:
  • Getting into a little tiff with Rick (more on that in a sec);
  • My discomfort with a free-solo start on P1 (I like my protection, thank you very much);
  • Getting creative with a TR set up when we realized the protection was about 35-40 feet back from the edge (for Nuttin' Could Be Finer); And,
  • Dealing with a stuck rope.

Winter Heat is now done and checked off the WTF 5.7 Tour list. I liked it. The rock on the wall is striking and unique. I'd gladly walk the 45 minutes to get here when I can spend the full day that it deserves. 
A Little Aside... Arguments

I know, I know, Rick and I seem like the perfect couple who live in a bubble-climbing-land (that's like fairyland but for climbing) and we NEVER ever argue (queue the snicker...).

We used to argue more than we do now and, believe me, we've had some doozies. There were even moments where we wondered if we'd make it. Imagine selling your house, living in a van for a couple years, being together 24-7, spending your life-earnings to start a business that was also very, very physically demanding in a business sector that has a tiny population of people that would buy our product (that would be Climb-On Maps), and, for the sake of completeness, carrying emotional childhood baggage that would pop out with the flip of a trigger (who doesn't have that, right?). All fuel for the fire. 

Naturally we had to make a choice - figure it out or implode (or maybe explode... implosion/explosion, either way the relationship is headed for the morgue.) Figuring it out meant doing the hard work - personally and together. And, the work doesn't stop, because change is slow (why do our brains have to be such creatures of habit?) and we don't stop being faulty humans.

And, arguments start with the smallest of things. Take today, for example... I was geared up, ready to lead the first pitch of "Hole in the Pants," Rick had me on belay, and, I'll be damned if nature didn't call (this is a challenge with morning climbs, which I'm sure I will post about on another day...)

Mind you, we are racing against time and heat, so getting out of all my gear to take care of business would be super inconvenient and time-consuming to say the least. I debated about holding everything in, but with a two-pitch climb, dealing with a top-rope set up on top of the formation (more time), carrying up supplies to pack everything out, etc. I decided "holding it in" was not an option. So I said something... and then Rick huffed and rolled his eyes out of frustration. Remember that previous reference about emotional triggers? Well, let the argument begin...

This is funny, right? In retrospect it is. And it's even funnier to think about all of things I was yelling from the bushes while taking care of business and making sure I was defending myself (that's called multi-tasking) . Oh the injustice!

Well, as you can see from the video, the anger dissipated and we let things go. There are many important skills in a relationship that I won't get into here (after all there are thousands of tomes, websites, and Insta-accounts dedicated solely to this topic). But I will say two things:

(1) It's important that each person identify his or her own personal, deep-seated reactions, be able to communicate them, and, be willing to own and face-up to them (complex and not easy); And,

(2) Learn to prioritize and let things go. If you hold onto everything, you will end up with a very cluttered emotional house. Although it's tempting to believe every feeling and reaction is important, some things aren't worth locking horns over or allowing to fester. This doesn't disregard how you feel, it just means letting the other person feel "their way" (e.g. Rick was annoyed with my time management and worried about the coming heat) and you feel your way (e.g. I can't help it when nature calls, I have a right to take care of business), and then move on. Neither person was wrong here. Let it go (and get climbing!)
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