Enjoying Creation

Two days ago, I experienced the most incredible hike of my life. Heading out from Little Molas Lake on Hwy 550, I took the well-packed Colorado Trail up a series of switchbacks. Very quickly, the trail was moving up the naturally terraced, rock lined hill side above treeline. After only about ten minutes, I decided to turn the run into a hike in order to more fully take in my surroundings. It was during the next few minutes that I fell in love with God and his creation again. Like the psalmist, I felt incapable of withholding praise. The mountains, the hills, the sky - they all are a testament of the power, beauty and creativity of God. Furthermore, as his creation, I naturally feel most satisfied and complete when encompassed by his glory that is nature. This summer is almost surreal to me. I have the privilege of hanging around beautiful Colorado, hiking, camping and interacting with incredibly interesting people. In the moment, I can perceive that this is a pivotal point in my life. God is teaching and developing me everyday, and I am grateful. Even my future path is starting to become less murky. I don't know what the future holds but I am not worried, knowing that he will guide my ways and work everything for the better.

In other news, I've spent a couple days in Durango this week. A friend and I went up to XRock off Hwy 550 and I led Left X, a full trad route. Although only rated a 5.7, it was stiff. The additional mental stress of playing your own gear is amazing. It is completely different from sport climbing. I love it. Yesterday, we went on the Alpine Loop in a friend's jeep. This 4x4 path of old mining roads winds through some beautiful parts of the San Juans. It was a fun drive. We eventually went to Velocity Basin, a cirque-like area surrounded by peaks. The accumulating snow was melting off to leave astoundingly blue water. I've never seen such color in water before. In some spots, the water over the top of snow, leaving the snow dimpled and pitted - a neat look.

Climbing Bonanza

Today was an awesome day!  I had the morning off so I went climbing out at Cecille Ville N of Leadville.  When I came back to work, we were all given the afternoon off, so we went down to Buena Vista to climb at Turtle Rock!  YES!

Cecille Ville is a small granite outcropping on the side of Hwy 91.  It had 6-8 sport climbs on it.  My fellow intern and I headed out this morning, greeted by one of our first beautiful sunny and rain-free days.  Without a guidebook, we simply picked a line and hit it.  I led it first and then he led it.  It was probably around a 5.7 and was not too bad.  The rock was frigid though.  This place is definitely an afternoon climbing destination.  We then set up a TR from above on a harder route - ~5.8/5.9.  It was a more balancey face climb using small hands and feet.  They were fun and we had a great time.

In the p.m. a group of 4 of us headed out to Turtle Rock in Buena Vista.  We did some anchor training here last week.  Again, I scouted a route and hopped on it.  It was kind of an arete, face, dihedral mix.  The ~70-80ft route only had like 4 bolts, so I placed some protection in the middle section - 2 nuts and a cam.  The granite there had big ol' crystals.  I was weary of one popping off but they were my only source of holds really so I took advantage.  This lead was probably 5.8+, maybe 5.9.  The runout nature and the delicate holds made for a very heady lead.  I felt very accomplished at the top!  After that, I hopped on this rad crack that a friend led.  The bottom was a face with delicate feet and some flakes for hands.  The big move is only about 15 ft up - a little dual hand crimp with little to no evident feet.  Off that crimp, one has to get high feet, extend upward to an overhead flake - stick a fist in for a bomber handjam.  After that, you just work the flake/crack up the rest of the way.

All in all, it was an awesome day!  My next goal is to climb some multipitch at Monitor Rock on Independence Pass.  "The Nose" route is 5.7 trad and about 5 pitches.  Maybe tomorrow. :)

ROCK ON!

Outward Bound Intern Update 1 - Where's Waldo?

We eleven interns, ranging from 21 yr old college students to a 40 yr old and everything in between, successfully completed out 12-day training yesterday. The training consisted of a lot of history and philosophy of OB, creating a positive group culture, teaching, support and logistics aspects and tech skills. As an intern, I will where two hats: (1) Support Intern - doing supply and logistics operations for courses in the field, (2) Field Intern - acting as an assistant instructor in the field. We were barraged with info concerning logistics and supply. We will know the warehouse inside and out by the end of the summer.

Some highlights of the field section - 5 days:

• Building climbing anchors off of trees and gear
• Learning about fixed lines in the alpine
• Crafting a group tarp into a waterproof shelter
• Eating an abnormal amount of field food
• Seeing the mountains and desert of CO
• Bonding with my coworkers

We were given our course schedules on the last day of training. I am stoked about mine. First, I will be supporting a 30-day course in the San Juan Mountains in Southern CO. It is one of the most intense trips and support responsibilities. It will involve me spending most of the trip in Silverton, preparing resupply for the trip and awaiting any necessary evacuations. Hopefully, I will get the chance to spend some time in the field with the course. The area is supposed to be beautiful. Then I will have 5days before starting a field section with mostly 30+ yr old adults. The course is 14 days long and will involved some climbing and backpacking. After another 5 days or so, I head out again with a crew of 14 and 15 yr olds for two weeks. It should be a pretty awesome summer! Tiring and intense, but awesome.

Leadville is a neat area, nestled in a valley between the Mosquitos range to the east and Mounts Elbert and Massive to the west. There is outdoor rec to be had in any direction. Today, for instance, I ran 15 miles around a lake and then did some sport climbing - not a bad day. I am probably going to run another long run on Sunday. Before the field training, my running was pretty good. I managed about 30miles in the week before. However, if I want to do the 50miler in late July, I need to step it up. A friend is pacing the 100, so she and I will probably check out some of the 100 course and do some night running. Besides running, I want to improve my trad leading. Today's climbing exhibition was lack luster. I failed on a 5.9-ish lead and was pumped out. I do not like steep face. I like long, low angle, multipitch, easy stuff. Sorry, that is the sort of climber I am. I don't dream of climbing 5.12s. I just want to go have fun.

In other news, my lady-friend has hit the road to Idaho. That means we will both be living adventurous lives in the mountains for the next couple months. Unfortunately, it means that we most likely not see each other until September - a real bummer. Maybe....something can work out. We'll cross our fingers. We are going to read a book together, John Piper's "Don't Waste Your Life," and I am excited about that. It's nice having someone to care about and to share life with.