How To Celebrate Father's Day

This Father's Day my parents decided to spend some time in Sedona, meaning two things for me. First, that I'd be taking a much needed road trip with my dog, and secondly, that I would get to boulder at either Kelly Canyon or the Anvils. Plus, having to drive through Phoenix on the way meant I would get to crimp on the dense, dark granite of my old stomping grounds, Beardsley Boulder Pile. And, although I didn't know it when I left, I would also get to boulder in Prescott at Groom Creek and night-climb a slab 5.11b dihedral in Oak Creek Canyon. Overall I didn't climb that much, but it was a healthy sample of Arizona rock, and the drive itself was worth every minute.

SUNDAY: Beardsley Boulder Pile

We went out late, around 5:00 pm, good thing too because the boulders get shade around 3:30 but are still hot as frying pans 'till at least 4:00. Nevertheless, by 8:00 our tips were raw and torn, and with little light left we walked back to the car, deciding on Indian food for dinner.

I sent several problems I had never tried before, including the following Dyno and V4 slab, and made some progress on a layback V5 (not pictured), which had thwarted every one of my previous attempts.

Jared and Shane on Double Clutch, V3, Dyno



Megan and Shane on an unnamed, hard, V1 on the Monkey Lust Boulder

Shane on Pencil Thin Left, V4

MONDAY: Groom Creek

I decided, at the suggestion of my brother, to take the long way up to Sedona, through Wickenburg and Yarnell, and then into Prescott. The drive was amazing, really awesome, but also took a lot longer than I thought. I was left with an hour and a half to check out the granite of Groom Creek; simply not enough time. My day went something like this: Find V2, barely make it up in three tries. Find V0's, gain confidence. Search out V6 to finish up on, find V6, lose confidence upon sight. Find V5, fail, lose confidence. Find V3, fail, lose confidence. Finally resort to nearby V2, get spanked, cry, tear off shoes, pack up. Then, on my walk of shame back to my car, I decided to attempt yet another V2. This is the first one pictured below and is pretty scary when your climbing sans spot. I made it, surprisingly, and hurried back to my car, 3o minutes later than I'd planned.

Fingery, high-crux, layback V2s.

V2 Arete

V3

V1's

TUESDAY: Kelly Canyon

The climbing in Kelly Canyon is spectacular. Great quality sandstone in a beautiful location make it one of my favorite destinations, and considering this was only my second time, and both times I've gone with just my dog, that's saying a lot. This time, however, I met two flagstaff climbers named Evan and Dave who seemed happy enough to have another spot. This place is awesome, there isn't too much more I can say about it, I'll leave you with the pictures and hope they can do it justice.

Triangle Arete, v3

Sadly, although they look kinda like lichen,
those are paint splats from little, soulless, bastards.
V3

V7 or V9, depending on the top-out

Pictures by me (dp).