Beautiful sunrise
Sunset over the Rocky Mountains
This trip this summer was much shorter, and I missed my friends who I spent a month with last year, but it just seemed to click like nothing before. In April, I tore the muscle fibers in my forearm and couldn't climb for a month. The main outdoor climbing trip I took before this was Hueco, which was back in February. I was thirsty to climb outside, to say the least. To be honest, I didn't know what to expect before my trip to Colorado. I was hoping I would climb strong, but I was nervous. I didn't want to re-injure myself and I'll admit I wasn't the strongest mentally. Once I saw those mountains, I was so excited to climb on rock and man, was it fun!
Lake on one of my rest days
Elk in the road...typical
After about eighteen hours in a jam-packed car, I finally could go climbing. The first views you see when you drive from Boulder to the park were absolutely breathtaking. There wasn't one cloud in the sky and I could smell the pine trees from the car. It felt so good to be back. Once we got through the town of Estes and started driving on Bear Lake Road, re-familiarizing myself with all the construction and seeing all the animals as we drove up, it made me feel like I had never left. My friend, Aaron, and I started hiking to Emerald lake and had to climb the classic "Kind" (v5) to start the day off. After some fun moderates, we climbed at the Real Large Boulder and I sent "The Arete" (v8). I got a heal hook along the side and then after the first side-pull, matched on two baking crimps to finish it out. It was a really fun problem I had never tried before and was glad to end the day knowing there was some try hard. :) We later went out to dinner in Boulder and I faded fast. It was very hard to try and stay awake. The next day I woke up and had never been so sore in my entire life. More sore than after triple crown or any other climbing trip. My body was exhausted, but every ache just made me smile, knowing I got to climb, and in one of my favorite places. It was a good day!
View while biking
During my rest days, I went biking through the park, walked along Pearl Street in Boulder, and just enjoyed being with friends and family and being outside. One of the days, I even got a much needed massage and was ready for more days of climbing! After some great days at the park, I went sport climbing with some friends from La Sportiva in Boulder Canyon! To get to the wall, we had to cross a river by hooking ourselves in and pulling ourselves across some rope (Tyrolean Traverse). That was an adventure of itself and am so glad I checked that off my bucket list. :) After some fun routes, the next day I went back to the park, and wanted to give "The Kind Traverse" (v11) a good go. I had worked this last summer and again a few days before this, falling going to the crack at the very end twice. Now who falls going to the crack? Me. There were some major "Noooo!"s said after each fall. The morning came and I was tired. I had climbed the night before and was sore all over from biking, I didn't expect much. We were on the hike up and my dad asked me if I was going to send it first go? My response: I'm excited to work it, but I'm not expecting much. It would be a miracle if I send it first go." We got to the boulder and I got on and felt good...and SENT IT FIRST GO of the day!! Topping it out, I was so incredibly psyched. Not only had I sent my first big project, but that was also the hardest problem I had sent to date. At that moment, smiling ear to ear, I felt like I had exceeded all of my expectations. I was injured two months before this and at this moment knew I had come back stronger. Working on a problem for a long time, giving your all every go to try and do it is both fun and frustrating. But every frustration, every hard day, everything was worth it. Every second of it. It made me realize how much I love climbing and challenging myself to go one step further. That night, we celebrated with some ice cream in Estes Park and was just so happy. I gave two thumbs up after I sent and that was a good symbol for the rest of the day - it was a two thumbs up kind of day! :)
Kind Traverse
Me giving two-thumbs up after sending Kind Traverse
Tyrolean Traverse in Boulder Canyon
I still had a few days left and was so excited to climb with my friend, Angie. She inspires me to always climb and have fun, along with inspiring so many other people. We went to Emerald, too, and worked "Whispers of Wisdom" (v10) along with "Real Large" (v9). I think that one of the best parts about my trip was just getting so motivated. This day was also one of the most fun days I've ever had. Climbing with so many strong people was refreshing and incredibly fun. After a super fun day of climbing, lots of laughter and smiles, we ended the day and trip with a delicious dinner. After driving back to Estes, I was sad to go. I think I had one of the hardest times leaving this trip than other trips. The trip was coming to an end and it felt like it had just begun. Everything I could have asked for happened: I sent my project, climbed so many fun problems, and hung out with so many motivating and inspiring people. Packing my bags, I remember thinking that I was so lucky. Although I would have loved to stay the whole summer or even just a few weeks more, the time I had there was unforgettable. I have stories and memories to share and bring home. Driving home the next day was hard...I didn't want to leave. I even asked if we could turn around and go back to Colorado because that was closer than to finish the drive home. :) I would go back to Colorado in a heartbeat and am still wishing and hoping I'll be back soon. For now, I just have to be thankful, remember these amazing experiences, and most of all, realize that if you look hard enough, every day can be a two-thumbs up kind of day.
Me and Angie after a great day
Next stop...Red River Gorge!
