Well, I did not become a crack climber overnight. I was very keen to try, believe me. Tony picked a route called The Naked and The Dead, which wasn't actually a real Indian Creek crack, but a little varied corner. I could not get off the ground. Tony claimed that technically I seemed to be doing everything right, but I had a splitting pain in my feet, when I tried to step up. I first thought that I had injured my toes in the Narrows trip (I had a little incident involving a small rockslide), and actually, when I took my shoes off, I could find the sore spot by poking. It didn't hinder my walking, and I had a nagging feeling, that it would be something more complicated than just an incidental injury.
The next day we decided to first do some touristing in the Canyonlands, and climb the afternoon. This time Tony picked a 5.9 wide twin crack, called The Twin Crack, and I started going. It felt better. My feet felt definitely a lot better in the wide crack, although this crack meandered quite a lot, and almost provided steps at times. But the wide crack was not OK for my hands... The relatively narrow start was good. I got half way up, and the crack opened more. I just couldn't find a position, where my hands would stick. Bugger. Anyway, it was promising, and I thought, well, let's try something narrow again.
Tony did something interesting looking on top-rope - courtesy of our neighbor climbers, there were queues forming here and there - and we continued after that to our next target. It was again 5.9, but looked fierce. And it was, judging by the way Tony had to fight to top off. But the start looked inviting, so I took position and was ready to go. Knee down left, foot in crack, twist knee back up.
Again, a bone splitting, teeth rattling pain in my foot. I could have cried for frustration. I knew I had it right, but still somehow, I didn't. It was getting dark, and we had to give up. Tony noted a few times about me being incredibly silent in the car on our way back. I felt cheated. Others could do it, without tears running down their faces, why couldn't I?
After an overnight sleep, I have come up with a few ideas to try, when I get the next opportunity to try cracks. Let's see, if they are the correct ideas.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Anni is being a little harsh on herself. It is true that whilst she face climbs well, that cracks aren't her forte. The problem is that there aren't any easy cracks in the Creek. We started with a 5.8, but it's only 5.8 if you have the technique which isn't something that you pick up overnight. Anni got most of the way up this. She also got most of the way up Twin Cracks. 5.9 isn't an easy grade to climb, and 5.9s in Indian Creek are supposed to feel like 5.10s elsewhere. The routes we were climbing, despite being the easiest we could find, were considerably harder than what we normally climb in Finland. The final climb was brutal, it finished with a wide overhanging crack (camalot 4), I ended up doing some bizare arm bar - microcrimp combination with Toby's voice echoing "just jam it, just jam it" in my mind. I was almost yelling down, "I can't it's too wide". It was too wide, but only by a modicum. I could stack hands, but on overhanging terrain it is very hard to make upward progress in this manner. It was 5.9 for those with bigger hands, and I'm sure Toby would have cruised it, but for me, and especially Anni it was desperate. 5.9 going on 5.11 would have seemed a fairer grade to me. I had cruised a 5.10b earlier and even got 5.11d on a top rope the day before; this felt harder than the 5.10 and the crux not much easier than the 5.11. So, Anni having problems with this climb was hardly surprising. The lack of skin on my right elbow is a testiment to this.
Anni,
Don't feel bad about your first crack climbing experience. I only started climbing in May so I still remember that pain that you describe. The first time I stuck my foot in a crack I almost screamed from the pain. All I could do was to jamb a hand, which also hurt, and stick my foot in and hang there for a moment. Eventually you get used to it. When you adjust will totaly depend on your physiology and tolerance for pain. I don't think there is anything anyone can do about having small hands except to find cracks that work for you on which to practice. Good luck and keep trying.
Tony, thanks for getting me addicted to tea with a splash of milk. I can no longer start my day without it. By way of payback, I am doing better than you with your new Captain Crunch Berries addiction.
I am glad you are having fun.
Post a Comment