Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Star leading the 7a
Scary gear on the Thaiwand
Me having fun on a polished Longes Feschtl 6b+
Looking at Tonsai, Dum's, Tyrolean, and Tiger Walls
Andie moving up Groove tube
For the next five or six days Star and I climbing on the beach in the morning and followed the shade to the NW walls. It was also very nice to meet people from all over the world on the beach too. We met a wonderful couple from Austria, Clara and Andie. We also met a couple from the states, Andy and Jenn. They are from Utah.
After a few days of climbing we decided to take a rest day. We took a long tail boat to Ao Nang. It is 10 min ride and very scenic. We walked around there and took a elephant treck. It was fun.
By this time in Tonsai I had three or four lines that I had tried a few times and they became projects. The first on was a Little Fish 6b+(11a) that has nice holds mixed with bad holds and is very beta extensive at a slit overhang. Another was a beautiful steep line up an arete, Over Stay 6b+(11a). It is only 6b+ but OS is very pumpy. What turned out to be my biggest challenge was what I set out to do in Thailand, besides get a tan, send a 12a. Wake and bake is a very steep line that follows a dihedral. It is overhung from both walls of the dihedral. This line has two cruxes. One down low at the second bolt and one up top in the crack.
First Little Fish went down then Over Stay was redpointed. Now the same day that OS was sent I decided to go and try to work WnB for the fourth time. When I showed up at the line there was a few folks working the 8a next to it. I climbed it once and got the beta down nice. As I was resting and packing up one of the guys motivated me. The guy that was on the 8a was very excited about his 8a project and I thought that if I wanted to send this 7a+ I was going to have to be just as pumped. So I decided to try again to send this thing clean. I wound up redpointing it and all I can say is I was a little excited. It was great.
Star lead here first 7a. It was a very steep line the followed the opening of a cave on the Thaiwand. The second pitch of Inaka. She did a fantastic job on this on. Exposure is a large reason why folks do not send this one clean.
Over the next few days we climbed on the Fire wall, Melting wall, the Nest, Wild Kingdom, Thaiwand, Tonsai beach, and Cat wall. Thailand is a great place to climb but make sure you have at the very least two weeks.
So whats next........... Little River Canyon this weekend and many more to follow, T-Wall projects all season, AMGA SPI training in Red Rocks at the beginning of March and Red River Gorge at the end of March for my birthday. In May we are going somewhere for two weeks but have not figured out where yet. I will let you know.
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