-  Routes I've Climbed     -  Climbing Log 2001 2002 2003 2004     -  Future Goals (coming soon)

2001 Climbing Log

January 1 - Attempted Mount Washington in New Hampshire with Brian, Kristin, Shawn, and Tom via the Boot Spur route.. Did not summit for a variety of reasons including weather, partner motivation and fitness levels, and a late start.

January 13 - Attempted the Thachtop-Powell ridge (RMNP) with Lisa. Lisa had a cold-related asthma attack at 12,000 feet so we descended. It was cold and windy on top of Thachtop but a beautiful day in the mountains none-the-less. (Note: Our last attempt to do this ridge ended at about 12,000 feet on Thachtop when I was sick)

January 14 - Ice/mixed climbing in Loch Vale (RMNP) with Guillaume, Jennifer, Rob, Steve, and Tray. Toproped 5 different routes including 3 mixed routes. One route ascended a fallen tree trunk for 20 feet to thin (2 inch) ice over steep rock. I bloodied my upper lip when a tool placement popped and I smacked myself with the adze of one of my ice tools. I have now climbed all the routes at Loch Vale except for the mixed horror shows to the right of Mixed Feelings.

January 20 - Hiked in to Jaws(WI4) with Lisa ( RMNP). The ice was not well formed so we climbed a rock pitch to the right. We then went to Lumpy and soloed the Bowls of the Owls on the Twin Owls and bouldered at the base of the formation.

February 3 - Climbed Seam Rock with Andrew and Lisa via the right side. Great day for winter rock climbing. The rock was warm to the touch.

February 4 - Ice climbing at Hidden Falls with Lisa. Place was packed with people. We were going to leave when a CMS guide offered to take a rope down for us. We climbed on his TR and then worked our way around the area between the people. Eventually, we climbed everything there, including a mixed route to the right of the main pillar that was probably M8 or so. (did not get all the way up the M8 line) LISA LED ICE FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! (WI2)

February 17 - Headed to Ouray with Lisa and a group of people that I had not met. Rented a condo and climbed for three days in the Ouray Ice Park. Climbed in the lower gorge with Lisa and Tom. Climbed several lines including a mixed ramp line that sent me flying on the first attempt.

February 18 - Ouray Ice Park. Climbed between the bridges on a 160 foot sheet of dead vertical plastic ice. Then we headed to the Schoolroom area where we climbed some mixed routes and LISA AND I BOTH LED WI3 FOR THE FIRST TIME..

February 19 - Ouray Ice Park. Climbed with Lisa in the lower gorge. Watched Jim Donini climb a hard, natural mixed line on lead. Heady stuff.

February 24 - Ice climbing with Lisa at Loch Vale in Rocky Mountain NP. I led a thin, brittle WI2+ pitch with an interesting traverse at the top. Lisa followed and we then top roped some hard mixed climbs. Super fun day!

March 3 - Tried to scramble up Palisade Mountain with Tricia. Perhaps a bit to technical for non climbers. A fun day none-the-less. 

March 4 -  Ice climbing at Hidden Falls with Judy L. My first time climbing with Judy. It was crowded but we got to climb several lines. Good climbing and fun conversation.

March 10 - Attempted to solo Long's via the North Face or Keyhole route. Poor visibility. Turned around just before Granite pass after post-holing for a couple hundred meters. Visibility was down to 30 meters.

March 18 - Climbed at Ridge 02 in the North 40 with Andrew. Andrew put up a new line on aid to the right of Stitches Chimney and I lead Ohio Grade 5 in the snow again. A fun day of scouting and bouldering after the snow hit.

March 28 - Went to the North 40 and bouldered all day with Dose and Kiko.

April 1 - Climbed at Ridge 02 in the North 40 with Andrew, Guillaume and Jennifer. Andrew put up a new aid line solo before we arrived. (Late Show) I led a first ascent of a 5.9 crack (Get on out there) and we climbed Stitches Chimney. Bouldered later with Guillaume and Jennifer.

April 4 - Climbed Pear Buttress 5.8+ at Lumpy roped-solo. My first time climbing a multipitch route (5 pitches) solo. Quite an adventure.

April 8 - Climbed at Greyrock with Vance. Climbed a route called Simon. 5.8.

April 15 - Climbed with Guillaume and Jenny on Mary's Bust in Big Thompson Canyon. Guillaume led a 2 pitch bolted route. My first sport climb. Then we toproped another face climb.

April 21 - Tried to climb at Palisade with Guillaume, Jennifer and Jason. It was COLD. My hands were numb by the top of the first pitch. I climbed right behind Guillaume and I brought Jennifer up while he belayed Jason. We bailed.

April 27 - Climbed a sport route up the Poudre with Andrew. It was fairly hard. We were not too motivated and somewhat tired. It was a great route though and definitely warrants a return

April 28 - Climbed at the Thumb and Needle with Kate. It was her first time climbing. I soloed up easy 5.4 and setup a 5.8 toprope for us.

April 29 - Big Day for me! I soloed a route on the north side of the Ships Prow (between Long's and Meeker) called the Flying Dutchman. It was a 1600 foot snow and ice climb. I brought no rope and was afraid to climb the brittle ice crux solo so I climbed loose, snow covered, 5.4 rock to the left of the ice for 30-40 feet before returning to the steep snow. I would say the snow averaged about 45 degrees and hit 50 in some places. I then traversed the Loft's upper snow field and came down the Loft Ramps which already had steps kicked for me. A QUICK glissade brought me the rest of the way down the Loft route and I was at the truck by 3pm. 10 hours total. 11 miles. 4000 feet of elevation gain/loss.

May 6 - Bouldered at Tropics for several hours.

May 8 - Rope-soloed the first three pitches of the Rewritten on Redgarden Wall in Eldo. 5.7

May 12 - LISA IS BACK!!!  Climbed Chrome Plated on The Pear at Lumpy Ridge on a beautiful day.

May 13 - Bouldered with Dos at the Greyrock Bouldering Area for several hours.

May 19 - Soloed a 1200 foot snow couloir on the South face of Flattop Mountain called the Dragon's Tail couloir. The snow was wet and a little sketchy, but not bad. There was a rock crux above rotten snow. It was not hard but a little heady. I left a cord-a-lette on the rock crux in case I encountered more difficult climbing above and had to down climb. The snow and rock above was loose but easy and I topped out at around 3:30. Not bad considering I left the trailhead at 11:30.

May 20 - Bouldered at Boxcar boulder in Wild Basin with Lisa, Josh, and Melissa. I flashed my first V2. Then I climbed The Great Dihedral on the Bookend at Lumpy Ridge with Josh. It rained on the approach to the climb but got sunny right as we got to the base. We started up and it started raining again on the second pitch. Then it started snowing. Then it got dark. It all worked out though and made for one exciting adventure.

May 24 - Climbed in Eldo with Christy, Athena, and Dave. The girls climbed on the Bastille while Dave and I did Calypso.

May 26 - Climbed Pear Buttress 5.8+  at Lumpy with Christy.

June 2 - Climbed Joy and Tribulation 5.9  at Lumpy with Lisa and Josh. A fun route. Took a short leader fall on the third pitch chimney.

June 3 - Tried to go to Kiener's, turned back on hike because it was too hot. Went to Boxcar Boulder in the morning with Lisa, Josh, Guillaume, and Jennifer. Then we all went to Lumpy in the afternoon and Lisa and Josh and I climbed Melvin's Wheel 5.8+ while Guillaume and Jennifer climbed Joy and Tribulation.

June 5 - Bouldered at Torture Chamber with Guillaume and Jennifer.

June - 7 - Bouldered and toproped with Damien and Ana at Greyrock Bouldering Area.

June 9 - Climbed at Palisade with Damien and Ana. We climbed the north face of the Mini D 5.4 followed by the last pitch to the summit 5.7. Damien and I then climbed the first two pitches of the Mini D. Damien climbed up into ground fall potential, placed a couple pieces and then took a short leader fall. Exciting stuff.

June 11 - Bouldered at Tropics with Lisa, Guillaume and Jennifer.

June 14 - Bouldered at Tropics

June 16 - Climbed at Vedaewoo with Guillaume, Jennifer and Jason. Climbed The Umph Slot 7+ and Mother 5.7. Offwidths suck! :) We then tried to get on top of a mushroom boulder by any means necessary. :)

June 17 - Climbed on Ridge 02 at the North 40 with Andrew. I put up a new line called A Lichen Daydream. Andrew put up a new 5.9 route. I led the Leaning Boulder Crack 5.8.

June 23 - Climbed with Toni at Lumpy. We climbed White Whale to a variation on the fourth pitch. Then we climbed the first crack system to the right of Melvin's Wheel 5.8 and the second pitch of Melvin's Wheel at 5.8+

June 24 - Climbed with Lisa, Guillaume, and Jennifer at Lumpy. Lisa and I climbed Sports Pages 5.8 while Guillaume and Jennifer climbed Wallet Eater. 5.8 It was fun to climb side by side for three full pitches. Lisa and I climbed a different crack on the third pitch that went at 5.9+. It was my hardest lead to date.

June 28 - Bouldered at Tropics with Steve Majors.

June 30 - Camping and climbing at Palisade with Andrew. Climbed standard route on the Mini D. (5.10a, C1) I led the 2nd and 3rd pitches (with some aid after multiple falls on the first bolt). We then attempted the central pillar. (5.9 - ?) The pillar turned out to be a great climb but a little dangerous. There is a 30 foot tall column/flake that was loose and hollow sounding. When I led up it, I found that it was only about 5 inches thick at one point. We bailed for lack of big pro and lack of desire to climb around on that loose flake.

July 1 - Still camping and climbing at Palisade with Andrew. Andrew led two pitches of chossy, loose rock to get up to the wall behind the Mini D. I led up the back-wall for a long pitch. I took my biggest leader fall ever on this pitch. (17 feet) I had placed a blue and green Alien and equalized them, then I started up a lay-back sequence when my hand popped off and I took a nice ride. I stopped face down about 10 feet off the ground. I now LOVE little Aliens.

July 5 - Bouldered at Tropics with Doser

July 11 - Bouldered at Rotary Park with Guillaume

July 14 - Climbed Kor's Flake  with Lisa. 5.7+  This was my first time climbing on Sundance Buttress at Lumpy and I must say that  this is one fun route. I could not fit through the squeeze section on the second pitch so I had to stem the dihedral at 5.8. A couple roofs higher up provided some excitement including the best fist jam I have ever encountered. Someone stole our water from our packs at the base so we had to conserve. We then headed over and started up Eumenadies. 5.8 We bailed midway through the second pitch because of lightning.

July 15 - Climbed at The Monastery with Lisa. My first time to a sport climbing area.

July  21 - Climbed after Andrew and Leigh's wedding at Ridge 02 in the North 40 with Lisa, Paul and Janie (Andrew's friends from NM) We climbed Get on out there 5.8+ and a new variation to Andrew's backside roof route at 5.8.

July 22 - Climbed at Ridge 02 in the North 40 with Lisa, Paul, Janie, Ronnie, Lynn, Andrew and Leigh. We climbed Ohio Grade 5, I didn't quit my job for nothing, The layback roof without Andrew's  bolted finish, and a few other things.

July 24 - Climbed at Combat Rock after work with Guillaume. I led the Diagonal 5.9 and Guillaume led a route over a really big roof that was rated  5.8.

July 28 - Climbed the Wolf's Tooth on the Twin Owls at Lumpy with Lisa, Guillaume and Seneca. We climbed some unknown 5.6 to get up to the Wolf's Tooth and then I proceeded to thrash my way up WT, pulling on gear through the crux. Guillaume was the only one who climbed the pitch with no falls and no aid. We then climbed Yosemite Crack 5.9 on TR.

July 29 - A big day climbing Long's Peak! Lisa, Guillaume and I climbed Stetner's Ledges with the Hornsby Direct finish to Broadway and then traversed over to finish on upper Kiener's. We were not very fast but we had a great time. Guillaume led the crux pitch (the piton ladder) on SL which was solid 5.8. We descended the North Face and hiked out. 16.5 hours car to car.

August 11 - Climbed at Lumpy with Guillaume, Jennifer, and Seneca. Guillaume, Jennifer and I climbed the East Ridge 5.8 on the East Owl. I got spooked on the first pitch and pulled on a fixed pin. Oh the shame. :)  We met Seneca in the parking lot at 11,  hiked up to Batman Pinnacle, and climbed Batman and Robin 5.6. 

August 12 -  Climbed at the Monastery with Toni, Jen and Jed. We did not climb much but managed to get up a couple of 5.7s between the rain. It was a great day though and the watermelon that we hiked in was fantastic.

August 18 - Climbed at Lumpy with Lisa and Seneca on Sundance Buttress. My second time on this formation. This time we did Eumenadies 5.8. This was an excellent climb with some sustained 5.7 and 5.8 climbing. We made decent time by having both seconds climb at once. One of the better routes I have done at Lumpy.

August 19 - Climbed Hallett with Lisa! Lisa's first alpine lead!!! We climbed an unnamed route on the lower part of the First Buttress 5.7 and then joined the Center Route on the last two pitches 5.6. Guillaume and Jennifer hiked in with us and climbed another route on Hallett called Culp-Bossier 5.8. We hiked out together and had diner in Estes.

August 25 - Climbed at Combat Rock with Lisa. We climbed Schoolmarms in Space 5.8 and finished with the second pitch of Diagonal 5.8+.

August 26 - Climbed on the Twin Owls with Lisa Guillaume and Jennifer. We both climbed Tilted Mitten 5.9 (I aided the crux.. oh the shame :) and then we all led the first pitch of West Owl Direct 5.9. Lisa took her first leader fall! She continued up the pitch though and topped out in fine style. 

September 1 - Devil's Tower with Lisa, Guillaume and Jennifer. We climbed TAD a 5.7 on the east face that was directly in the sun. The temperature on the rock was around 100 degrees. Lisa got heat exhaustion on the second pitch and we decided to skip the summit. We rapped back to the ground with safety backups and then traversed the 3rd class ramps with a running belay until we were back on terra firma.

September 2 - Devil's Tower, north side. Lisa and I climbed Mystic and the Mulchers 5.8- while Guillaume and Jennifer climbed Assembly Line 5.9. Lisa and I then climbed the first pitch of McCarthy North Face 5.8+ (and one of the best pitches I have ever climbed!) We ended the day top roping on Broken Tree 5.10b. 

September 3 - Last day on the Tower. Guillaume and Jennifer left us on the approach to climb El Matador 5.11a! Holy Shit that looked hard and painful. Lisa and I headed over to Soler 5.9- where I had a bit of a problem leading the second pitch. The re-sole of my rock shoes started to peel off and I had to hang, mid-pitch, off of one piece and cut the bottom of my shoe off with a knife. I was not the happiest camper at that moment. I aided the rest of the pitch and we simu-soloed to the top through 5.4 terrain. The summit was a shallow rounded dome covered with grasses, cacti, a few chipmunks, Turkey Vultures, and an occasional snake. (although we did not see any snakes :)

September 9 - Climbed at North Table Mountain in Golden with Lisa, Guillaume and Jennifer. Nice rock but noisy and WAY too many people for my taste. Lisa and I climbed 8 routes and Guillaume and Jennifer climbed 11. The ratings there seem to be off from route to route. The first two 5.7s we climbed were harder than the following two 5.8s. I then fell off a 5.9+ and later flashed a 5.10a/b. Hmm...

September 11 - Bouldered at Tropics with Jason.

September 15 - Climbed at Combat Rock with Lisa, Guillaume and Jennifer. We climbed Rambo Santa 5.7 with the upper pitch of Diagonal. We played for a while on the roof of Schoolmarms in Space. We toproped GI Joe Does Barbie 5.9+ after Guillaume led it. We climbed a short 5.8 crack up to a tree.?  Lastly, I was spanked on Camouflage 5.9 and had to lower off because I could not find adequate protection.

September 16 - Jug Rock with Lisa, Bob and Michelle. We climbed ever route there except a chossy 5.8 that is set apart from the other routes. Grades were 7,8,9,10b,10c,11a.

September 22 - Climbed the Left Book with Lisa, Andrew and Leigh. We sort of made up a route as we went along this day. Lisa and I climbed a pitch of 5.9 just behind the Bookmark Pinnacle and the rest of the pitches were moderate 5.7. I had to pull on pro to lead the first pitch but it was a really fun day. After the climb, we all sat on top of the Book and ate and bouldered and played.

September 23 - Climbed at the Ironclads with Lisa. This was an interesting sport area. We climbed 8 routes ranging from 5.8 -  5.11. Lisa led through the 5.11 despite taking multiple falls at the crux and banging herself up a little. Can you say Trooper? Well you had better if you are going to climb with Lisa! :)

September 25 - Bouldered at The Torture Chamber with Toni and Jen. Practiced anchors with Toni.

October 4 -  Bouldered at Tropics with Jessica.

October 6 - Lisa and I finally climbed the Ridge between Powell Peak and Thachtop Mountain in a big day! We started at Bear Lake and hiked up Tyndall Gorge to the base of Tyndall Glacier. We simu-soloed the glacier at AI2 and then followed the Continental Divide for a few miles to the summit of Powell Peak. (We also climbed Taylor Peak along the way.) From here we soloed the 5.4 knife-edge ridge toward Thachtop until a steep slab coerced us into rappelling for 100 feet before continuing. We descended the S-shaped gully on the north flank of Thachtop and hiked out to the Glacier Gorge trailhead.

October 7 - Climbed at the Monastery with Jessica, Lisa, Brian, Guillaume, and Jennifer. It was a fun day!

October 13 - Bouldered at The Beach in Big Thompson Canyon with Lisa, Melissa, and Bronson.

October 14 -  Bouldered at Rod's Gym in Estes Park with Lisa.

October 15 - Bouldered at Carter Lake with Lisa, Melissa, Bronson, Steph, Carla, and Brandi. Gee, this was a rough day! :)

October 20 - Bouldered at Carter Lake with Nichole, Vance, and Jason

October 21 - Climbed On Sundance at Lumpy with Lisa. We climbed Grapevine 5.8+ in 6 pitches. I took a leader fall on a traverse on pitch 4 because my hands were cold and numb and I let it affect the way I climbed that particular sequence. After the fall, I was angry and climbed powerfully across the traverse with no problem. Is there a lesson here? Don't be tentative!

October 25 - Bouldered with Jason at the area across the road from Duncan's Ridge. Nice area. I had not been there before.

October 27 - Climbed with Jason at Lumpy. We climbed Andrew's variation to Chrome Plated on the Pear 5.7+  and then Toproped the cracks of the back of the Pear. Bouldered a little on the way out. Got the V2 at Book Boulders easily and well as the Pepsi Mantle.

October 28 - Climbed at Lumpy with Lisa, Andrew and Jessica. Jessica and I climbed the Pin Route 5.6 while Andrew and Lisa climbed the East Ridge 5.8 of the Ease Owl. We then switched and Andrew led an unnamed route with Jessica and Lisa and I climbed Turn Turn Turn 5.7++d in poor style. Lisa lowered off after 30 feet and I went up to finish the lead. Looking up at the gaping maul of the squeeze chimney above, I promptly traversed to the right and climbed a nice 5.8 hand crack to the top. We will have to go back and climb the chimney climb at some point.

October 31 - Tried to boulder at the Tropics with Jason but the wind would not cooperate. I did get the bucket roof at Power Rock though. I am surprised I found it so hard before?

November 3 - Climbed in Eldorado with Jennifer. Guillaume was sick and did not want to climb. We climbed Rewritten 5.7. It was an easy route and a LOT of fun. One of the best 5.7s I have ever climbed. Easy, good pro, and nice exposure. Eldo is crowded in all but January and February.

November 4 - Bouldered at Carter Lake with Jessica, Guillaume and Jennifer. We did not climb all that much but we managed to scamper to the top of a few of those problems. :)

November 10 - Climbed in Eldo with Jennifer and Guillaume. We linked Rosy Crucifixion 10a with the upper pitches of Ruper 5.8. Both were great routes. Guillaume led the pitches of Rosy and I led the pitches of Ruper. The beginning of Rosy traverses right out over the void on bouldery moves. Exciting stuff!

November 11 - Hiked in to Mount Meeker with Seneca to climb Dreamweaver. Unfortunately the route was not in condition and we bailed before we started. The snow was granular and completely unconsolidated. I hurt my finger on the hike out when I slipped and fell on the snowy talus. It is still swollen as I type this the following day. I am hopeful that I will be able to climb hard this weekend. I don't mind long hikes but I don't want to get up at 1:45 am to do so! :)

November 18 - A big day! Seneca and I climbed All Mixed Up WI3+/M4 on the east face of Thachtop Mountain. Four pitches of ice and mixed terrain. This was a step up for me as it almost doubled the total number of ice leads that I had done. It was a long day. We received 4 inches of new snow durring our effort which made for some fun spindrift while we climbed and a descent that seemed endless. One of the best climbing days I have had in terms of personal progress.

December 2 - Climbed at Palisade with Andrew. We climbed a first ascent? that turned out to be a death route of huge, loose blocks. We finally bailed and soloed some moderate terrain to the top of the formation. We ended the day by top roping a 5.10b/c.

December 8 - Bouldered at Carter Lake with Seneca and Will. Tore the skin off of the back of my fingers trying to get the V3 on the Kahuna Boulder.

December 9 - Climbed ice at Loch Vale with Judy. I led up easy ice to set up a TR. In the end there were four top ropes from other groups so we all traded top ropes and climbed 6-7 lines. Fun Stuff.

December 16 - Bouldered at Rod's gym with Jennifer, Guillaume, and Seneca. We then hiked and scrambled around on the Thumb and the Needle on Prospect Mountain.

December 18 - Bouldered at the south end of Horsetooth with Jason.

December 30 - Climbed at Hidden Falls with Lisa. I led the main flow for the first time and soloed the flow on the left. Judy showed up a couple hours later and then Seneca showed up shortly after that making for a social day.