I had another fun week of climbing in Flagstaff.  Wednesday, Tony and I went up to the peaks to try Gluten Free. It is similar to the egg in Squamish except sharper and the compression is much wider.  I can barely reach between the holds.  We made pretty good work on it, but I feel like a send is still a long ways off.  This past week I was also doing a photo assignment for class where Tony was the subject, so thats why there are going be so many Tony pics in this post.

On Friday, we went out to the Gloria’s and had a great time nerding out on the techy dacite.  Suzu was able to throw down a bunch of new problems, which was super impressive because sending in the Gloria’s doesn’t happen to often, regardless of how hard the climbs are.  At the end of the day Tony got psyched and tried to send the Jewel.  In the end he got agonizingly close to sticking the crux deadpoint but couldn’t snatch it up. 

Right after I broke the hold off, my friend Lisa sent Pressure Drop, she figured out a new sequence where you grab a dirty slopey pod, hand heal match and lock-off 3 feet or so to a sloper, then mantel.  I had been deterred to try this thing again because the top was way more insecure.  Two weeks ago I decided to try it again, but this time on a rope.  I went out by myself and self-belayed myself on the top section and got shutdown.  I figured out a sequence for myself but was only able to do the top section once.  After that session I decided it was too dangerous for me and I would just have to let that one be.  

But, being there on saturday with plenty of spotters and pads I couldn’t resist to try and send it.  On my first go I hit the last hold, but right when I hit it my hand slipped and I ended up plummeting down from the last move.  The next go I was able to send by the skin of my teeth, with unexpected foot slips and knee scums.