SPlat*

Pike's Peak through the tunnel

It's Saturday night, and I have just finished a day of running errands and faffing around trying to get things done. Suddenly I realize that I don't have any plans for the next three days, and the forecast looks great! Some last-minute phone and email harassment sets in motion tentative plans of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

First off was climbing granite in the South Platte area, a region of dry rolling hills and beautiful pine forests. My friends Todd and Casey were gracious enough to let me tag along, even though they brought much better food and camp entertainment than I did. (Boggle anyone?)



I told them it was unnecessary, but Casey and Todd insisted on bowing to me.


We spent one day climbing splitter cracks at Turkey Tail.





Casey on the overhanging thin-hands "Quivering Quill"


and Whimsical Dreams





Deproaching Turkey Tail, amid a sea of climbs


On Tuesday we found our way to the climbing mecca of Thunder Ridge. Made up of 5 or 6 major walls, aspen forests, wildflowers, and spring creeks, Thunder Ridge's hidden locale isn't even in the middle of nowhere, it's slightly NE of that.





Todd scoping out the Wasp Canyon walls

I got a workout on the route "Storm", right next to the classic "Starlight."
Gaston would be proud.

Thunder Ridge is unlike any climbing area I've been to, and I am already excited to return.

On Thursday June 30, 7PM at the REI in Boulder I am going to be giving a slideshow about new alpine rock climbs!

*SPlat being the local slang term for the South Platte