Down at the Colo River last saturday. Getting down there nice 'n early to beat the heat we decide to warm up no Bushy Corner (14). No worries, piece of piss. Start climbing and the first moves were much beyond a 14. I thought that's alright, not an uncommon thing. Pushing through with cold fingers and clipping 2nd n 3rd bolt fine. Chilling on the ledge and contemplating the next few moves and directions, looking up and not being able to find the next bolt, I think "surely, it's just over that ledge, I just can't see it". Going up to the bushy ledge (3metres run out) I start to think "Chill Will, there's just not that many ascents, it's probs under all this leaf litter". To no avail. Looking up, there is another ledge, again thinking it's just out of site. Again, nothing. "f*** this s***, 5 meter run out is not cool on a warm up". There is a decent crack and I only have a set of wires on me (as it's a sport route), so I desperately try and set one. Of course I can't get one in there. Point of no return. Down climbing would be just as risky as getting to the next bolt. Pushing through I end up getting to the bolt. Looking down, I finally take not of how far it was run out. 7-8 metres with 2 ledges in between. Making it up to a rap ledge I get up there and take a good old rest on some rusty old bash ins.
Trying to work out what the heck happened we looked through all the guides. Essentially, what I ended up doing was climbing up Bushy Corner, going over the rotten old stump which used to be the belay tree, then continue climbing up Senior Sits Club, which states it needs a small cam and continued on through.
I'm sure most of you guys would have been alright with all that but myself being a pussy, it left me quite rattled. |