Break Out the Big Bros! (A Vedauwoo TR, Part 2)

As I said before, more photos from the day are in the gallery.

Sunday morning dawned clear and warm again. We decided not to spend too much time on the rock that day, so we’d be able to get home with enough time to clean up and take care of everyday life. We packed up camp and made it to the the Nautaulis by 9am; early enough to be first on two of the more popular climbs on the formation.

Handjacker (5.7 ow) – Dylan started out the day leading this innocuous-looking, fairly short off-width, and a climb that Mark and I have done a few times before. The early part of this climb is pretty easy, but hard to protect. The last 8ft, though, are heck-on-wheels. I enjoy this climb because my feet fit well in heal-toe during the wide part. Dylan climbed it fantastically, without any hangs or falls, though it seemed to me to be the hardest I’ve ever seen him fight for a climb.

Lower Progressive (5.9+) – We hung a toprope on this one and everybody had fun giving it a try. Mark and Dylan both climbed without any trouble, of course. I had one flying crash as I tried to get on the climb, but I jammed and pulled into the crack, and eventually worked my way up. I actually had the most trouble in the center of the climb, in one area where I lost all friction for the foot outside the crack. It was a very difficult, but very fun climb. One of those climbs where you give it every ounce of energy you’ve got, and the finish feels so good for it!

Between climbs, Ann and I did a few yoga poses on top of the rock formation, the photos turned out really nicely, so I’ll post a few below. It was a really fun day. Dylan has an awesome video on his blog of Mark climbing Handjacker before we took off for the day. After the two climbs, we followed Ann and Dylan out to a coffe/sandwich shop in Laramie, and I had one of the best curry chicken wraps I’ve had in a long time. Great day, great climbs and great bruises to remember it with!