Ben Spannuth on William Shatner V12

I also climbed a few moderates Livin’ on Prayer V9 and a low start to Finger on the Steel V8, and having not climbed outside too much in the last few months it felt great to roll over the top of something new. In other Newlin news, Austin Geiman, a Colorado Springs local, made the first ascent of a project I cleaned last year and had been calling “The Majestic Arete”. Austin has yet to name it, and I have yet to climb on it but I hear rumors of V10. Very nice effort.

Monday I went to Red Feather to try a few projects. The high on Weather.com was for 31, but as the project lies in the shade it was bitterly cold. The dry, crusted old snow melted on our pant legs as we post holed to the boulder. We built a nice fire, but climbing was difficult and without success. I look forward for things to dry up and warm up a bit before I head back to Red Feather. Looking forward to spending more time at both places this spring.

Also of note, Daniel Woods has spent two more days on the Super Project in Boulder, Canyon and has yet to link all the moves. He is off to Hueco to try and repeat Terremer, Fred Nicole’s V15 on North Mountain.

1.The Dracula Project, which heads left from The Vampire
2.The Parvin Project, which I have done all the moves on and is in the V12 range
3.The Swoosh Project, which is very hard crimping, probably 8B.
4.The Arete, haven’t put a lot of effort into this one but it is a V12-V14 18ft arete. Amazing.
5.The Smurf Project. We can’t forget about The Smurf Project
6.Clubber Lang sit, there is a very hard sit start, perhaps V14 to Clubber Lang that has yet to be climbed.

Anyways, it was Chad’s first trip and he seemed to enjoy himself. We started out on a couple of nice warmups.

A Classic V4

We moved on, to the Toucan Boulder. Last year I put up a problem called The Vampire, which I graded V12. The first move is really hard, perhaps a hard V10 move on its own. It involves a precise stab into a slot. Brian Capps made a repeat but several others who tried the problem in the spring repeated it with a toehook on the lip. I had tried the toehook, and found it to be very difficult. I went back this year, hoping to link the beginning of The Vampire into an unnamed V10 I put up last year to the left. I again tried the toehook method and again found it impossible. I did all the moves on the link-up, using my original method and am psyched to get back soon. Thin, crimpy and powerful, I really like the climbing style. This is another problem that is at least solid V12 if not V13. There is still a great lip traverse project on the same boulder, which I have yet to try.

Chad Greedy is always psyched. The Dracula Project photo Brian Camp

The Dracula Project photo Brian Camp

Today was a gorgeous day in Red Feather with good friends. Brian and Pinto met me at 9:15 and we cruised up to Ft. Collins. Ben Scott slid out of work to enjoy a perfect spring day in Colorado. There was no one else in sight. The sun was warm and we made the 35 min hike across an open meadow following a faint horse trail up the back of the mountain. Ben stopped several times along the way to show us some really nice moderates, including a few harder lines he had completed in the last year.

Ben points the way to the next cluster of awesome granite boulders.

We made our way back to the Pa. Ben had tried to take a line out left, on his initial attempts. Brian and I had found a new sequence on Tuesday and today we figured out the specific beta. Brian has been in top form lately and quickly climbed the “easiest” line out the overhang. Ben gave a very solid effort and fell off of the last hard move. I repeated it afterwards and this is potentially V10. It was a great way to start the day off. Fortunately, the back of The Pa stays in shade throughout the day, and the polished granite seemed to remain sticky with the help of a steady breeze.

We moved to a nice variation, similar in nature to that of the Left and Right El Jorge’s. I got the first on this one, which seemed to be a grade harder, perhaps V11. Brian repeated it immediately after I climbed it. It has been such a great experience going up to Red Feather these past few weeks, having the place to ourselves and putting up really high quality and difficult problems, all in the company of good friends.

Brian Capps on the second ascent of a possible V11 on the Pa.

On the way down we stopped at a classic Ben Scott problem, Threat Level Orange V9. I was worked from training the previous day and having already climbed two hard problems and let Brian have at it. Despite attempts from Cam Cross, and other strong climbers, this great line remains unrepeated.

The past few days Brian Capps, Jason Pinto and I have continued to scope all of the potential in Red Feather. It seems there is more than enough to keep us busy until that Park season and some of the best problems have yet to be climbed! The pool of projects is massive. I added an obvious problem on the left side of the Toucan boulder that checks in at V9, and will make a very hard finish to the Vampire, perhaps 8B? We hiked up and checked out an amazing new V9 arete that Ben Scott just added. Ben has been instrumental in the development of Red Feather and has been putting up problems, finding new areas and taking me to projects since 2002. Anyways, Brian and I sent the arete on our second go. This is one of the best problems of its grade in Red Feather and perhaps Colorado and is a testament to all of the hard work Ben has put into Red Feather. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures.

The Smurf Project and The Swoosh Projects remain unclimbed.

A few years ago I remembered climbing on a stunning arete project. To the left is a gorgeous problem called The Romantic Milkman, which takes the direct line up the slab. Brian, Jason and I hiked back and the arete was better than remembered. An 18ft prow, leads a dicey finish. It seems this one could be V13, and a spectacular one at that.

The Milkman Arete Project

Today we hiked past the arete, up to The Pap, a striking and unique apogee above the trees.

There, at the top of the Red Feather world, lies a steep and classic project. Brian and I were with out pads, but we plan to return. This one could be 8A and the setting is second to none.

On the hike down we saw a very nice wall with two good highballs.

I hope the weather stays cool enough so that we can finish some of these awesome projects.

Sunday I sent the Get Over It Super Sit, which I think is sold at V11, in maybe 5 or 6 tries from the start. Several climbers have this registered as V12. It’s nice for me to repeat some standard problems here or there as a good reminder as to how hard things should feel. I’ve been feeling psyched lately and feel like all the training is really paying off.

Oval Office from Jamie Emerson on Vimeo.

We didn’t have enough pads to try the dyno project, but we are headed back tomorrow. I think this one could be 8B! So psyched on all the rock and hard climbing there is to be done in Red Feather.

Mastodon V12 from Jamie Emerson on Vimeo.

Red Feather is a huge area. The climbing areas themselves are spread out, and the problems within the areas are spreadout. Often times the amount of hiking is equal to or greater than the amount of climbing. It has an exploratory feel. Do to its lack of concentration and it being a 2 hour drive from Denver and Boulder, development has been slow. 6 years ago my good buddy Ben Scott took me to a great problem well off the trail. It was called the Toucan V7. I did it that day and we both checked out a lower and more obvious start. At the time it seemed ridiculous and I basically forgot about it.

This winter has been a difficult one. The weather has been poor and my motivation has been low. I believe it was Camp who suggested we head out to check out the low start and the idea of something new, steep and hard piqued my interest. After wandering through the woods and trudging through the snow we found our way back and it was much better than remembered. I was immediately psyched and quickly repeated the stand start. The new problem starts on an obvious pinch feature and we tried a number of options before I figured out a very powerful but straightforward way to pull on. It seemed to come together quickly and suddenly I found my self gunning for the jug.

This move, which is V7 or so, becomes much harder after completing the difficult bottom move and campus match. I clumsily rolled over. I think this is the full problem from the lowest and most obvious start. This is one of the best first ascents I have done, and it certainly gives me some much needed motivation.

Collin Horvat on the Toucan V7

Brian Camp ready to pounce.

Collin finishing up the day on a classic moderate, Pinhead.