April found me only in my home gym for indoor climbing, but also the first outside day for 2024! A total of 124 climbs across 11 climbing days.

April Goals:

  • Get back on lead: check! I led 11 climbs this month - not huge, but also not zero. 5 indoor and 6 outdoor, including my first outdoor falls (that were more than just hopping back down to the ground.)
  • Help new leaders: They’re testing at the beginning of May! We did some practice in groups of 3, I did some downclimbing and falling on TR, and one of them even got to lead and belay outside.

April’s Notable Climbs:

  • Redpointed the chimney at Belmont!
  • Some solid attempts at the offwidth, including some progress on the last attempt across 2 days

Lead 5

  • 5.9 2 (flash)
  • 5.10b 1 (flash)
  • 5.10c 1 (flash)
  • 5.10d 1 (repeat climb, but first lead)

Top Ropes 68

  • 5.6 1 (flash)
  • 5.8 4 (2 flash, 2 repeat)
  • 5.9 6 (3 flash, 3 repeat)
  • 5.10a 6 (flash)
  • 5.10b 7 (6 flash, 1 repeat)
  • 5.10c 3 (flash)
  • 5.10d 7 (flash)
  • 5.11a 4 (1 flash, 2 repeat, 1 top)
  • 5.11b 7 (3 flash, 1 repeat, 3 top)
  • 5.11c 6 (5 top, 1 LOL no)
  • 5.11d 4 (1 flash, 1 top, 2 attempt)
  • 5.12a 4 (2 top, 2 attempt)
  • 5.12b 1 (attempt)
  • Chimney 1 (redpoint)
  • Offwidth 7 (attempt)

Boulders 43

  • V0 15 (1 flash, 14 repeat)
  • V1 15 (2 flash, 13 repeat)
  • V2 8 (3 flash, 5 repeat)
  • V3 5 (2 flash, 3 attempt)

Auburn Quarry

I have been daydreaming about a return trip to Auburn Quarry pretty much since we were walking back to the car in 2021, and it finally happened! In 2021, I was a year out of the gym and hadn’t been climbing (thanks, Covid!). I am a stronger climber with much more outdoor experience now than I was pre-Covid and especially after that full year off, so I was looking forward to seeing what changed.

My two big goals were both checked off! I remembered climbing M&Ms 5.8 on TR and thinking “I could probably lead this,” so I was happy to have the opportunity for that to go perfectly smoothly. I also got some redemption on Diagon Alley 5.6, where 3 years ago I had gotten fully stuck on the last move, getting up a short dihedral to reach the anchor. I achieved it with no problem this time and felt great to have that ticked off, but was also gratified that the last move still felt significantly more difficult than the remainder of the climb. It was also interesting that all 3 of us who climbed that route did that move completely differently!

The full list from the day:

  • Gone Coastal 5.6 (repeat pink point)
  • Scooby Snacks 5.9 (flash pink point)
  • Sneaky 5.10b (top pink point, took a few real lead falls!)
  • M&Ms 5.8 (repeat, but first lead)
  • On Demand 5.11c (maybe about 3/4 on TR, including a bunch of falls. It was fun!)
  • Community Chest 5.7 (repeat, but first lead; pink point)
  • Kirk Arens Arete 5.9 (flash TR)
  • Diagon Alley 5.6 (redpoint lead)

May Goals

The past couple months random things beyond my control have gotten in the way of my goals, so this month I’m only going to say “climb when I can” and “use gym time efficiently”.