Today, my gf, two friends and I hit up Foster Falls in Tracy City, TN. We had been watching the weather all week. It finally broke this morning allowing us to get a solid day of climbing, after we cooked up some deluxe scrambled eggs of course!
One friend is super solid (leading 5.11s), I'm pretty moderate (5.8/5.9 leads) and the other two are beginners. We first hit up The Rocket Slab to warm up. The damp 5.5, Afterburner, barely did the job. Next, we headed to the Dihedrals, only to be greeted by a posse of school children. Okay, off to Jimmywood. Whoa - I'd never been and it's great!
I first led the 5.8, Jacob's Ladder. It was fun and a much better warm up to get the lead head going. Next, I stepped over to Pocket Pool, 5.9, to get serious. What an incredible route! It was possibly one of the best I've ever done - full of a variety of moves and holds. It takes an indirect route, including a great little traverse, and seemed perfectly spaced for me. I loved it, and, besides a slip down low, sent it cleanly.
After that, we headed back to two routes, while the little tykes were camping out at the dihedrals still (It's good to see kids outside though). The first route is a prominent fist-size crack which ascends through some different strata of rock before splitting into a V. I have climbed it several times on TR. This time I led it on gear! It was about 5.8, took good gear, and was pretty short and very secure. Another opportunity to practice with the gear = always good. Leading climbs which I top-roped early on in my climbing career is extra rewarding.
The highlight of the day had to be my go on Bear Mountain Picnic - 5.8+ (HA! climbs like a 5.10). This long, arete ascends beautifully above the creek and is full of sustained, steep climbing on horizontal ledges. I might have chosen the more direct, and, thereby, more difficult route. Man, was it a bear and a blast! I have never made so many sounds climbing before. It was perfect for me right now though - offering me long, steep climbing (not my forte) with exposure. I couldn't muster enough strength to pull the last section on the first go, but blasted through it after a short hang. Routes like Pocket Pool and Bear Mountain Picnic bring together physically demanding climbing with mentally stimulating moves and spacing of protection.
This was definitely one of the best climbing days I've had! I think I have a newfound appreciation for Foster Falls! This week should be really awesome as well! Friday, I will be doing a "training day," practicing multipitch skills before going to Linville Gorge the following Thursday - Sunday. I then hope to hit up Sunset Park in Chattanooga to further increase my trad leading skills. EXCITING!
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