The Last Stage

In my last blog update, I wrote about climbing at Smith Rock. That was over two months ago and a lot has happened since then. After leaving Smith, I drove down south to Yosemite. I had a lot of big plans for the fall season in the Valley, but none those things really panned out. There really isn’t much to tell for the month I spent there. The motivation to climb was hard to find and the new route Mason Earle and I had been working didn’t go down. It turned out that the new direct start we had scoped out the season before was a bit harder then we had predicted. Two very large dyno moves on pitches five and six proved to be do difficult for us to free. I couldn’t really find the motivation to climb anything else after coming down from the el cap project. Soon after, I left the Valley and headed back home to Orange County to visit my family for a little while.

 After resting up in the OC for a week I felt ready to get back out on the road. It was time for the last stage of my trip. The desire to get out to the desert had been growing on me all year so I packed up the civic and headed out to Moab Utah. One of the many reasons I enjoy Moab so much is that it has this feeling of blissful freedom unmatched by any other climbing area I’d been to. I couldn’t wait to sink my fingers into those perfect sandstone cracks so I headed to the crack climbing Mecca of the world, Indian Creek.

I ended up climbing pretty well in my time at the Creek. I think the laid back feel that place has fueled my motivation to climb. For a change I didn’t worry so much about what I was climbing and whether or not I would succeed. As long as I was climbing I was happy.  It was great to just hang out with friends and enjoy the vast silent beauty of the desert. We rock climbed, highlined, rope jumped, fired guns, went wondering around the desert looking for first assents and hung out around the campfire at night telling stories of previous climbing adventures.

This concludes my six and a half month road trip. There were ups and downs and of course awesome adventure I'll never forget. I plan to settle down for a while in Boulder CO where I hope to make friends, get a job and climb ALOT! Thanks for reading...

Here are some photos from my month in Utah.

Onsighting Learning To Fly 5.13

photo by Curtis Long

Climbing Tasmania, the amazing extension on Johnny Cat

 Photo by Curtis Long

Making what might be the second assent of Abbienormal. I was really psyched on sending this thing. This might be the hardest trad pitch I've done.

I love it

My FFA at the Pregnate Woman Wall. "Mother" AKA "The Coat Hanger", 13a  35m. Thanks to Scott Bennett for showing me this thing!

A 12+ called Humble Pie. One of the best pitches at the Creek!

Sending a cool 5.13 at Donnelly Canyon called Half Alligator Shark, Half Man.

Big Guy! didnt send

Sending a 13a called Death Of A Cowboy second go.

My lizzard friend. Found him under my tent trying to stay warm.

Photo By Curtis Long

Some Big Horns on the White Rim

A unbelievable 13d roof crack on the White Rim Called Necromonicon. A hundered feet of overhaning hands. Pumpy to say the least!

Walking my first highline at the Fruit Bowl. Never knew I had it in me.

From Switzerland With Love. I would always gobie on this climb really bad. Never managed to get the send. On this go I got through the crux then fell.

End of the day at the Fruit Bowl

A nice video of myself on a cool route called Humble Pie. Thanks to Bronson Hovnanian for shooting and editing this...