One Cool Problem at Tanque Verde Falls

Someone else will fill you in later on all the juicy details from our Tuesday bouldering at Tanque Verde Falls. Here is a video of one of the problems we worked on, and where we spent a good amount of time and shoe rubber trying to get to the top of this devious boulder problem. This line is a "classic" problem in the sense that in many ways it embodies what bouldering is about. This gneiss boulder is found in the creekbed of Tanque Verde Wash, a short distance above the falls, and has an amazing display of striped quartz banding across its face. The problem is short and fairly straightforward, starting with two good handholds and bad, water polished feet. Throw right hand up to a high sidepull on an arete, and then try to reset your feet to throw for the lip. The excitement you get from sticking the lip quickly dissipating as you reach over and try to find some holds to topout with, only to grope around on frictionless slopers. This is a problem where the slightest differences in how you place your feet or shift your body weight are the difference between topping out or landing in the pads...again and again.