New Camera... New Route in Unaweep!

Jesse taking it to the top on a neighboring route. We climbed this route (I don't know the name) to then traverse over to what we thought would be the top of the climb that we wanted to check out. Here Jesse is taking on the challenging roof crux. What was cool through the roof is that there was a really nice hand jam for your left way up high and plenty of big holds out right to pull on. It was a bit awkward but climbed really well.

After I traversed to the top of the new route, I built a top rope anchor and we rapped down on two ropes and examined the possibility of free climbing the line. It looked great with really nice rock and very few loose sections. Jesse and I were both optimistic that the route would be climbable and pretty straight forward and well protectable at that!
Jesse has just climbed through the bottom of the route where we added two protection bolts where there was no natural protection available.

Our new route ascends the right crack/corner that is just to the right of the tree at the bottom of the page. Begin with some face and crack climbing up the white/yellow pegmatite until you then head into the dihedral/chimney. Follow that up through a roof (easy) and then choose your own adventure to the two bolt anchor at the top! 140 ft gear to 5 inches double set.

Late evening light in Unaweep. Looking at the north facing walls from the Mothers Buttress.

Thanks to my mom and dad for getting Jane and I a new camera. I have gone through at least one a year for the past 8 years. It's the same ole story with these camera's, take them climbing on sandstone routes in the desert and they fill up with crud and stop working.

Take them caving in wet and dusty limestone caverns and they stop working.

Take them on backpacking trips and they get crushed.

Either way you look at it they take a beating and I always have to get another in 12 months or less.

This time there is a new camera by Olymipus (The StylusTough) that doesn't have a extended lens on the outside (just a slider). I am hoping that by having the lens internal that the gears won't get all kinds of crud in them and prevent the camera from opening. This one is supposed to be good underwater, in the dust, and even OK in changing temperatures (I doubt that). Anyway, I am optimistic about the new lens and will certainly share how this one is working. I will say that compared to the Canon Elf's that I have loved over the years that the computer is slower on this camera and that it does handle a bit differently. It takes longer between photos but has better video and more options for taking pictures. It's a better camera overall, but I think just a bit slower than the others that I have had.

I took some pictures of some a new route that Jesse Z of Grand Junction and I established last night after work. A great 140 foot pitch of 5.10- that has all the types of crack climbing on it. Face moves, a small roof, jugs, some chimney, and hand crack. We lucked out and and I am glad that Jesse had his eye on this line and that he invited me to come along and help establish it! ahhh yeah to rock climbing and new partners!!!

piz : )