2010 Road Trip-Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, Montana, and Wyoming.
After three months of little climbing to allow myself to recover, I am back on the road. I have to say that I don't miss the snow and cold of Minnesota, but from the photos to start my road trip, there is a contradiction. The 2010 road trip begins in Colorado with some hiking and camping in the Southern Rockies.
Camping in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains south of Salida-February 09, 2010
Morning view of the Colorado Rockies (Sangre De Cristo)-Feruary 09, 2010
The view from my window in the morning-February 10, 2010
Frosty morning in the Jimez Mountains (Valle Grande) in New Mexico near Los Alamos-February 11, 2010
Fisher Tower in March
Indian Creek at sunrise
Climbers from San Diego on Generic Crack. Their rack for the route consists of two 0.75, two #1, nine #2, six #3, and two #4...weight traning.
A view of Super Crack Buttress at Indian Creek
Duke chilling out at the Creek in March
Justin (aka-stone master climber) tapping up at Indian Creek
Here are two serious crack climbers tapping up. It's almost a flash back to the seventies with the bandana and long side burns.
After several hours, Tom finally got pass the crux. Thank you grigri!
Generic Crack...Indian Creek
Tom on Generic Crack saying "I don't know how to jam...and it's painful"
Tom on Chocolate Corner at Indian Creek
Dan from Idaho belaying his son Ben on a 5.10a in Joshua Tree
Ben, 10 years old, climbing Illusion Dweller
Ben leibacking on Illusion Dweller
Not bad for a 10 year old kid. Imagine what he can climb at 20
Hayley climbing at the Thin Wall
Happiegirl from the Gunks climbing at J-Tree
Girls from Flaggstaff, AZ
Gallo climbing a 5.10d in J-Tree
Gallo means rooster in Spanish...or it could mean badass climber.
Tom on Super Slide in Yosemite
Couple from Chicago enjoying time in Yosemite
Sergei from Spain after climbing the Freeblast. In this photo doing the traditional camp moving at Camp 4
Lutz and Issie came from Germany to boulder in Yosemite
Sailing in San Diego
Man over board...hang on tight!!!
Mission Gorge
Climbing at Mission Gorge near San Diego
Alex coming up to Pitch 2 of Salathe.
Alex on the Freeblast of Salathe wall
Alex jumarring pitch 3 of Salathe.
Pitch 4 of Salathe.
Kate and Stephen (UK couple on a year long trip) chilling in El Cap Meadow while we were climbing. Kate is doing yoga and I am not sure what Stephen is doing.
Kate checking out the big wall through Tom Evan's scope.
Kate thinking that climbers are crazy to hang out so high up.
Beautiful day to hang out at the El Cap meadow bridge as Stephen and Kate learn about El Cap from Tom Evan.
Lars with Middle Cathedral in the background
The German's standard breakfast is cigarette and coffee as demonstrated by Lars.
Taking a look at Sentinel's Steck Salathe...maybe next year.
Lars from Munich, Germany
Alan's vintage truck...his choice for the ultimate road trip.
Emily and Alan along with Tom, Andy, Leah, Bryan and Megan at site 35 during breakfast.
Site 35 at camp 4 on a rainy, but awesome morning with beer for breakfast as seen with the bottle in Andy's hand. That's the German's way of coffee in the morning. Or Johnny Cash's Sunday Morning Coming Down.
Leah is very chipper this morning. Just take a look at what she is having for breakfast...reference to Johnny Cash's Sunday Morning Coming Down.
Lantern lit dinner with everyone.
Another dinner at Camp 4 with everyone. I am not sure what Arana (Espana) is doing.
Emily and Alan shot and kill a deer and BBQ Bambi over the fire in Camp 4. Notice the sad and guilty look on Alan.
Nathan (Australia) is new to climbing in Yosemite. First time climbing in the Valley.
Fifteen minute smoking break...according to climbing and working condition
On top of Manure Pile Buttress
Thomas and Uwe (German climbers) follow behind us on Freeblast.
Pitch 3 of Salathe. Just hanging out on a nice day.
Time to move past the roof and into the chimney on pitch 3
Arriving to Triangle Ledge for evening meal and apparently beer and a smoke.
Instant lasagna for dinner
Feeling better and energized after dinner and coffee
Preparing coffee in the morning
Taking photos of Andy and Half Dollar in the morning
Andy after his first night sleeping on a big wall ledge
Climbing up to the Half Dollar on Freeblast
Thomas leading pith 5 of Freeblast
Thomas is considering what to do next at the crux.
I think Thomas is smoking as he is belaying here.
He IS smoking...but notice his break hand is secured on the rope.
Uwe on Mammoth Terrace
Belaying Thomas upon Mammoth Terrace
Uwe belaying Thomas up on the last pitch of the Freeblast
Thomas arrive to Mammoth Terrace
Thomas with hand jammies!!!
Preparing an afternoon meal on Mammoth Terrace
Yosemite Valley as seen from Hwy. 41 tunnel on a cold morning.
Lutz trying to send Midnight Lightning
Bryan and Lutz getting ready to climb Seperate Reality
Not bad for someone who only boulders
Lutz making a desperate clip on Seperate Reality
Bryan jamming hands and feet on Seperate Reality
Tessa on some V15 boulder in Yosemite
Lutz spotting Isabella (Easy) on a V15 boulder
Not quite sure what Lutz's hand is doing, but it doesn't appear he is spotting Issie
Lutz's is amazed at how easy Issie made the V15 boulder send. Or he is checking out her ass from below.
Issie (Easy) making a nice heal hook
Issie saying, "Sure, I'll catch you...NOT!!!"
Stemming and underclinging...looks difficult
Stephan being spotted by Tessa and Issie
Back stepping on a difficult bouder problem
Andy on Royal Arches
Andy carrying a tobacco pouch as he climbs Royal Arches.
Water falling on to the route
Getting the rappel set up on Royal Arches
Time to go down for dinner
Climber from Berlin hiking in very fashionable footwear.
Danke and Mishi atop Bishop Terrace
Tessa on Bishop Terrace...determine to leiback instead of jamming. Look at how relax she is not even breaking a sweat.
Tessa finally forced to jam into the crack
Perfect hand size jam technique demonstrated by Tessa
Three climbers attending church on Bishop Terrace
Marc on Bishop Terrace
Look at the cool purple and green climbing shoes. Only a badass climber dares to wear such bright colors.
Marc making the jam at the top crux on Bishop Terrace
Klaas, Marc's father on Jam Crack
Another dinner at Camp 4
Relaxing after dinner by a warm campfire
Breakfast a a rainy morning at the Pines campground
Camp 4 host...aka Yogi Bear
Hal, Natalie and Masuo at the base of El Capitan before climbing it.
Hiking in Sequoia National Forest
Hanging at Manzanar near Lone Pine
They appear not to want to talk to each other...but decided to forgive each other below
At a spring in Bishop, CA
Kate snorkeling in a natural spring pool in Bishop, CA...notice a shark at the right edge of the photo.
Near Tioga Pass, Kate chilling out while Stephen tried his hand at flu fishing.
Mount Stephen...29,150 feet...the tallest in the UK.
Kate and Stephen at camp near Mono Lake at sunset.
Third Pillar of Dana
Heading into Death Valley on a June evening
Welcome to Death Valley
It's a mirage...palm trees in the desert???
Natural hot springs in the middle of Death Valley
Mountain biking in Oregon near Bend, Mike is speeding down the single track.
Mark descending a fast single track.
Chris quickly caught up to the peloton called Mark who was just an Energizer Bunny on this trip.
Chris and Mark racing each other. Unfortunately, they were riding in the wrong direction and had to turn around half a mile later.
Somewhere in Oregon. It's a tough climb, but the view was worth the effort.
Chris, Micheal and Mark relaxing after getting to the summit.
Mark (aka - Rocky Balboa of mountain biking...Eye of the Tiger)
Micheal, Chris and Leo on the MacKenzie Trail
Tom Brown finally back with Team AARP composing of Micheal Thompson, Chris North, Tom Brown, and moi in 20 more years.
Micheal and Thanh at a rest point.
Micheal on a break away speeding up the hill and setting a blistering pace.
Chris is giving chase, but it's not likely he will catch Micheal.
Three bikers on the Yellow Brick Road to see the Wizard of Oz...not sure which one is Dorothy. Toto got eaten by a mountain lion.
A nice Rainbow trout caught on the Big Horn River.
Ken and Ted on the Big Horn River in Montana
Dan fly fishing on the Big Horn River
Roy Erickson making a cast to fish on a good run.
And hooking a nice rainbow trout on this beautiful morning.
Roy playing a trout, keeping him from running down stream.
Ted Hanson, sort of like looking at Huckleberry Finn.
Ken Hanson showing the artistic side of fly fishing.
A nice rainbow trout caught on the Big Horn River.
A brown trout caught on the Big Horn River.
Dan trying to land a trout on the Big Horn.
Roy is helping Ken land a fish.
Looks like a nice size trout.
Roy and Ken...talk about needing to get a tan. My camera had trouble with the auto focus.
Sweet looking brown trout.
Roy with a nice looking rainbow.
Ted (aka - Huck Finn) with a nice rainbow
A beautiful Cutthroat caught on the Tongue River in the Amsen Wildlife Preserve near Dayton, WY.
Fly fishermen and a dog making the long trek to the North Tongue River.
Crossing one of the many streams as Ted, Ken, Bunkie, and Jay approach the North Tongue. CLOONIE!!! It's only a mile hike to the river...and all uphill coming back.
Wild flowers in the Big Horn Mountains
Ken making a beautiful cast on the upper North Tongue River.
Ted making a cast to rising fish on the North Tongue
Lassie???
A man and his dog fishing
Wild flowers along the river in Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains
A nice Cutthroat on the upper North Tongue River.
A beautiful Rainbow trout caught on the upper North Tongue River.