Super Moon and Tiny Town in Vedauwoo
Last weekend we snuck out on Saturday night for an evening of windy camping and grilled steaks in Vedauwoo. Since it was the very end of the semester, we couldn’t get any friends to come along for climbing. So, our goals were more modest: 1) Photograph the Super-Moon Rise in Wyoming, and 2) See if we can locate an interesting new area with a few bolted routes.
Mark using the crash pad as a grill windscreen
GOAL 1 – SUPER MOON
I had hoped that with the wide-open prarie in Southern Wyoming, I might be able to get an awesome photo of this supposed Super Moon rising. Of course, as we drove up in the afternoon, the skies clouded over with storms and the prospect was bleak. I held out hope that the storms would move off before sunset, but they never did.
Hiking to a moon watching spot on a cold, windy evening
Later in the evening, I was putting G to bed and the trailer started to glow with a weird silvery light. I looked out the window and saw the edge of the bright, full moon peaking out over the distant cloud tops. So, I handed the baby to Mark and ran outside with the camera!
Super-moon rise over storm clouds
It wasn’t quite the photo that I was hoping for, but the moment was very nice for me. Sitting out in Vedauwoo with the wind whistling by, I watched the distant storms light up with lightening and the full moon surf the cloud tops. It was a peaceful and lovely time to be outside in Wyoming.
GOAL 2 – TINY TOWN
A little searching on Mountain Project turned up some interesting new information about bolted routes in Vedauwoo. Apparently, some development has happened on a boulder just past the Reynold’s Hill pull-out. Mark and I were hoping to go check out these climbs, but, again, I forgot all guidebooks or directional printouts.
Hiking back to the Reynold's Hill parking
So, we went with the classic ‘Voo formula and just walked off into the woods towards some rocks that looked promising. Shockingly, we found the area right away!
Tiny Town (5.8) a new bolted line in Vedauwoo
The routes are on a smallish boulder about half a mile from Vedauwoo road. There is a cow trail that one can follow from the tree line in towards the rock – which Mark decided looked like a boob (nipple and all) from a distance.
Currently, there are two fully bolted routes, Tiny Town (5.8) on the west-ish side and When it Pours, it Rains (5.10+) on the north-easterly side. There’s also a third set of anchors on a clean looking wall, which is probably Small Steps (5.12-), set as a project on TR.
The SE side of the Tiny Town boulder (Anchors but no bolts - yet)
The area is very kid-friendly with a nice flat base and short, easy approach. Mark and I are excited about getting back here to work these routes soon – Who wants to come with us?!
The world's longest, most ghetto stick clip next to the 5.10 route
Windy AND COLD. In Pic #2 I would have been comfy in nothing short of a down coat, hat and gloves. Air temps were probably 45-ish but the constant, strong winds had my nose dripping like it was midwinter.
And the next day it was sunny and nice again.
These new routes have some very could lichen-camouflage. Just to add a little, I’d say that the 5.8 rating looked honest and the bolts are well spaced. There are lots of nobs and divots to work with. We will be back.