Monday, July 30, 2012

Flagstaff Arizona

 This past week I was down in the hot desert of Flagstaff, Arizona. I went down there with my friend Bobby, who lives down there and showed me around. Driving down there was not as bad as I was expecting but still, 12 hours is 12 hours. Finally making it into town, I was wanting to climb to help get rid of the lazy car ride down there. Bobby took me to the NAU campus climbing wall. The next day we headed out to PBR Roof. This was a pretty classic roof full of something I was not expecting at all. It was all roof climbing. I have hardly ever climbed on roofs, except for a little bit at Comm Row, but never really on real rock. Trying to warm up on this v5 called The Hermit. I then got on Missionary Position (v6) and Puffer Fish (v7 ( it was more like a v5)).  I then tried this v9 named Our God is Neither. It was pretty cool on these pockets and a lot of maneuvering around. I left to drop Bobby off at work and headed back out to climb with Tyler Wade. He is a local bone crusher that knows how to climb roofs fast and easily. He is good at two things, rock climbing and making milkshakes. He took me over to Bat Roof, which was this really cool v3 with really big pockets.

Bobby Enzenberger on Missionary Position


Lucas Larson on Our God


Tyler Wade on Our God
The next day we headed out to this sport crag called The Pit. It still is limestone climbing but not a lot of roof climbing. I got on this really easy warm up and then headed over to this 13a climbing called Pulse Roof. This climb is more roof climbing but still really good. I was able to send it second go and made quick work of the crux and a scary clip and was able to gun it to the top. Thanks to Bobby, for putting up the draws, and Tyler for helping me with the beta for the crux. It was really cool and fun but the cleaning of the draws, well lets just say that I wanted to kill someone because of it.

Rest day the day after and on Saturday we headed over to Choss Roof. This roof is beautiful! Its big and steep, its everything you can ever think about when it comes to roof climbing. I got on this climb that was pretty freaking sweet. It has a big throw to this jug that just makes you feel like a bad ass when you stick it.

Choss Roof

Feeling like a bad ass
Just trying this was a lot of fun! The top half felt like I was refrigerator wrestling on a roof so it felt really hard. As the day was narrowing down I did another climb which was cool but scary due to it being kind of high off the ground. I learned a lot about climbing in Flagstaff, like don't go during rainy season. Just rains a lot, but I also learned a lot about using my feet which I hope will help me in my next climbing goal. until next time guys, keep on climbing!


Tyler Wade sticking the throw.





Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Taste the Bronco 13d

View from Star Wall
Yesterday, July 10th of 2012, I did my hardest climb, Taste the Bronco 13d at Star Wall at Donner in Truckee, California. On that day I also sent a 12b called Bucko on my second try. Thinking about trying Bronco after sending Bucko, but Dustin wanted to get on Taste the Pain, so I decided to climb Taste as well. Watching Dustin on Taste and shouting out beta made me want to climb it smoothly so Dustin could get some more beta. Dustin later tells me that I have to try Taste the Bronco. I looked at him, scarred and worried because I have never done Bronco before so getting up into new territory scared me a little but I went with it anyways.
Eric Perlman staring Bucko/Bronco.
Herman Gollmer climbing in the dihedral.

Starting Taste the Pain was easy for me due to me having sent this route earlier in the year but I still had to pull the 13c crux. Climbing fast, I get up to the bad left hand finger lock and almost blew it right there. I kept calm, hit the right had slopper and stared at the good edge that I throw for. Sticking that, clipping and getting up to the beginning of the traverse of the roof, I had to stay calm. That was hard because I have never been paste that point. Starting the roof traverse getting pumped, I can hear Dustin shout "straight arms!", my arms go straight, "cross!", I start crossing making bigger movement, "big move!", I make this big move and match and hit the good jug. I'm still freaking out but I manage to get a good rest and trying to get it all back. After resting for about 3-5 minutes up there, I ran for the top grabbing hold of what ever felt good, which wasn't much because my arms felt like they were going to explode. Getting to the top and clipping the anchors, I just realized that it was my first time on Taste the Bronco. I sent 13d first try. Now it doesn't count as a flash or nothing but more like sending it first try on a redpoint. It's hard to explain but all I know is that I did it first go.

Lonnie Kauk resting before he heads up on Taste the Bronco.

After sending that route I was really excited to start acctually working Steep Climb Name Desire. Figuring out the top and knowing what to do when I get up there really helped. Getting excited and staying psyched for more climbing and project sending. I hope you all have a great climbing year!
Lonnie Kauk getting a quick shake out on Taste the Bronco 13d.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Monkey Paws and Steep Climb

Lucas Larson reaching for the good edge on Monkey Paws 12a
Last weekend I did my first 12a trad climb named Monkey Paws. This climb is located on the Snow Shed wall up at Donner Summit in Truckee, California. This climb is this beautiful, mellow finger crack that faces towards the parking area. My good friend Urs Moosemuller onsighted this climb in his early years. Now trad climbing is not much of my thing. I berfere to climb bolts and go pebble wrestling but I do go trad climbing here and there and I am now starting to spark a interest in that kind of climbing. The first time I got on the it I had no idea what I was doing, did not know where to stop and place gear, where to even place gear but i decided to man up and go for it anyways. Falling and getting scared, I decided that next time I was going to go at it a different way. I decided to go and rappel down and figure out how I was going to stop and place gear and what kind of gear I was going to need. I first ended up pink pointing the climb. (Pink pointing is where you already have gear placed but you treat it like you are sport climbing.) After sending it that way, I then pulled all of my gear and placed all six of my pieces again for the red point. I sent Monkey Paws placing my own gear and having a blast.
Lucas placing a bomber stopper placement.

Lucas Larson getting ready for the next move.

Later that week I went back and sent it again for the photo's that are above. After a nice warm up, I headed over to climb at Star Wall to get on my project, Steep Climb Named Desire 13d/14a. This became my new project after sending Taste the Pain. My friend Anthoney Ozuna was trying to work Warp Factor. He came pretty close all three tries but did not send. He will next weekend for sure though. I how ever tried and failed on Steep Climb, however it is not going to stop me from getting on that thing. I know if I send that climb my climbing will be pushed into the next level and I want that to hurry up as soon as possible but I am 100% okay with taking it slow to learn more about myself and my climbing in order to climb that climb.

Lucas Larson climbing on Warp Factor 13a before he heads for Steep Climb.


Lucas Larson climbing the long draw on Steep Climb