GlobalClimbing

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It has happened to all of us: You fall on the last easy move of an otherwise hard problem. It sucks, but at least it doesn't happen often, right!? At least that's what I thought. Until I went to Flagstaff...

I guess this peculiar phase of "almost but not quite" flashing started at Black Mountain, the Tour de France center sit, V11 to be precise. I did all the hard moves and then grabbed some crumbly lichen on the topout and ate shit. Oh well, it happens.

[Amazing moves in the lower section lead to a funky topout - Tour de France Center, V11]

However, our short trip to Flagstaff didn't start in a prmising way either. Despite the hot temperatures in SoCal we woke up with a few inches of fresh, slushy snow on our roof!

[Flagstaff in the spring: Anything is possible!]

It didn't seem like anything was clmable but luckily Thomas, one of the kind locals knew where to go and showed us a hidden gem.

Even though it rained on and off I got to do a great climb called No Honor Among Thieves, V10 - 2nd go of course, because I did not know where the finishing jug was...

[Thomas showing us his home turf.]

I was really esxcited to see the climbs at Prest Draw since they looked like my kind of style. But I was sadly mistaken... I started off OK with a flash of Carnivoir, V9 but then the curse of the "almost flash" set in.

[WOW, look at those crazy limestone roofs! Unreal! Flashing Carnivoir, V9 or 7c]

Then, we moved over to Mars Roof where I got on The Girl, V10 and got my fingers stuck in a pocket at the very last move. I was lucky I didn't break them!

[Making quick work of the Sharma classic The Egyptian, V11 or 8a]

I got on the Egyptian, V11, where a foothold crumbled at the last hard move during my flash attempt and so on and so forth. Oh man, ths is starting to sound like a long list of esxcuses. In the end, I just didn't climb as well as I wanted to and that's it. No more wining. Here are a few impressions of the great climbing near "Flag".

[Hiking into Priest Draw on a windy day.]

[Fooling around on great limestone features on the Warmup Wall.]

[Funny name for a cool climb: Don't piece me out Jimmy Simmons, yo!, V9/10]

[Superb roof climbing on awesome features in Pasty Gangster, V10]

[Another view of the same move and same climb as a bove]

[A Mars Roof classic: The Recpetionst, V10, of course 2nd go.]

[Ice enjoying some easy moves in the sun...]

[... and Ice doing some crazy stuff in the Grey Havens]

On the last day, the curse was finally broken. Even though the Sharma problem Drop Zone, V11 involves some seriously crazy footwork I finally got back in my old shape and maybe, just maybe the lil bit of luck that you need in oder to pull it off was on my side. Accodring to some locals this was the frst flash of this problem ever. And I know that some pretty strong climbers like Jimmy Webb already tried...

[Which way to disco??? Getting psyched to climb at Drop Zone parking.]

[Damn cool features on a V5 warmup to the left of Drop Zone, V11.]

[Same as above.]

[Finally! Flashing the difficult Sharma problem Drop Zone, V11!]

Thanks to Ice, Matt and Thomas for showing me around!

I hope you enjoy the pics and the video!