Mission Cliffs

Climbing w/Blake @ MC:
10b(f), 10d(f++), 10c(f+)

The B was a really cool start in a cave with a long upside-down traverse, the fall was just a bad move on a bit of exposed face that knocked me off balance.

The D was a LONG arete/face climb on the back wall that required huge endurance and a ton of tricky balances. Climbs like this feel like playing "Operation" on a cliff face. I made it halfway up clean and was feeling good about my progress, and then it all went to shit. Once I fell, I just kept falling, and I could not regain the necessary zen state of mind to keep the weight on my feet and only use my hands to keep me on the wall. I kept trying to do big pullup moves on holds that really wouldn't support that kind of nonsense, and exhausting myself in the meantime. When I get tired, I get stupid and obstinate and just want to get the climb done, and someday maybe I'll learn the lesson to take a breath, recollect and refocus rather than just trying to brute strength the fucker. Beautiful climb, though - difficult and extremely technical. I'd love to try again.

The C was on the double overhang/slab. The slab was beautiful stuff, the overhang moves were quite tricky. The first one involved a one-handed heave up and over the overhang, leaving you balancing on one foot essentially folded into your crotch. Since that angle was too extreme for me to stand up, it took me a few tries to figure out how to heave myself high enough to get my hip under me and straighten my leg. Nice one.

Oh, and 14 burpees.