So, it's been a long time coming. Almost a year now since I wrote anything about my outdoor escapades. Well, I haven't had much in the first half of the year 2016, but the second half has been amazing.
After the Rudra climb however, I did one more traditional-style rock climb on the wall of Prabalgad. It was a virgin route over a vertical face of approx 200+ feet of crumbling rocks. The crack was shallow and difficult to protect in the upper sections. I stopped around 50 feet short of the summit due to extremely loose rocks and fading light. Had to cut a around 15 feet of rope to sling a chockstone and rap back to the highest anchor point before wrapping up the attempt.
The Prabalgad wall was my second virgin climb in 2 months. First one was a few weeks back near Tryamabeskhwar. That one was successfully completed without any bolts or aid moves. The Prabalgad climb was significantly more challenging than the other one on two accounts - the moves and poor rock quality.
On the penultimate pitch, I aided a 5.11a-ish move on a suspect placement, and then followed it up with a couple more aid moves to pull on to a ledge, both in the realms of .10d/11a.That was the one and only aid sequence I have done and on suspect placements. It was nerve-wracking and hence memorable. I am a free climber, and to do aid moves on suspect placements was a unnerving to say the least.
Anyway, after the Prabal climb I could not do much rock climbs. I did a couple of hikes but nothing much to talk about.
In July, I flew to US and then happened the Canada trip. We hikes more than 100 miles during our 2-week stay in Banff and Jasper National Parks. Beautiful is an understatement. And so is splendid. I'll let the pictures explain it - www.mowgliandpanda.com/banff
After the Canada trip I came back to Florida and just pumped plastic. I think I got stronger than I was earlier. Regaining of the lost endurance is still work in progress. All in all, the Edge Rock Gym in Jacksonville is a blessing in the otherwise flat lands of Florida. It helps me to keep climbing. Systematic training schedule is still being worked out and not yet kicked off completely. But the schedule is on and the start is just fine. Hope to continue and stick with the planned schedule. Availability of the gym and bouldering walls actually is a detriment to stick to hangboarding regimen, which was my only option back home when I was in India.
I hope to do an outdoor trip to Tennessee or North Carolina and climb some actual rocks, which I have not done since a month. Last I did was some climbs at Lost wall in Georgia, where I repeated a few traditional style routes up to 5.8/9.
After the Rudra climb however, I did one more traditional-style rock climb on the wall of Prabalgad. It was a virgin route over a vertical face of approx 200+ feet of crumbling rocks. The crack was shallow and difficult to protect in the upper sections. I stopped around 50 feet short of the summit due to extremely loose rocks and fading light. Had to cut a around 15 feet of rope to sling a chockstone and rap back to the highest anchor point before wrapping up the attempt.
The Prabalgad wall was my second virgin climb in 2 months. First one was a few weeks back near Tryamabeskhwar. That one was successfully completed without any bolts or aid moves. The Prabalgad climb was significantly more challenging than the other one on two accounts - the moves and poor rock quality.
On the penultimate pitch, I aided a 5.11a-ish move on a suspect placement, and then followed it up with a couple more aid moves to pull on to a ledge, both in the realms of .10d/11a.That was the one and only aid sequence I have done and on suspect placements. It was nerve-wracking and hence memorable. I am a free climber, and to do aid moves on suspect placements was a unnerving to say the least.
Anyway, after the Prabal climb I could not do much rock climbs. I did a couple of hikes but nothing much to talk about.
In July, I flew to US and then happened the Canada trip. We hikes more than 100 miles during our 2-week stay in Banff and Jasper National Parks. Beautiful is an understatement. And so is splendid. I'll let the pictures explain it - www.mowgliandpanda.com/banff
After the Canada trip I came back to Florida and just pumped plastic. I think I got stronger than I was earlier. Regaining of the lost endurance is still work in progress. All in all, the Edge Rock Gym in Jacksonville is a blessing in the otherwise flat lands of Florida. It helps me to keep climbing. Systematic training schedule is still being worked out and not yet kicked off completely. But the schedule is on and the start is just fine. Hope to continue and stick with the planned schedule. Availability of the gym and bouldering walls actually is a detriment to stick to hangboarding regimen, which was my only option back home when I was in India.
I hope to do an outdoor trip to Tennessee or North Carolina and climb some actual rocks, which I have not done since a month. Last I did was some climbs at Lost wall in Georgia, where I repeated a few traditional style routes up to 5.8/9.