Lost in the Hood and Weekend Recap

Ok, here are a couple videos from this weekend and one that's not. Props to Jimmy for the vids. Enjoy:

I can't even believe how this weekend went. We (Jimmy, Nate, Rami, and I) finally rolled down the hill into Horseshoe Canyon Ranch at midnight Friday after the 9 hour drive. It was raining.

When we woke up Saturday fog and clouds were lingering but boulders were dry - and it was finally cold! We decided to head up to try The Anti-Hero (v12) and after climbing Jeff's Prow (v9), made our way to the other side of the boulder. It felt hard! The second move for me is super bunchy and feels very violent and powerful. I wasn't even sure I could do it at first. I took a break and decided to try the boulder just to the left, Loved by Few Hated by Many (v12). It was a boulder I couldn't really touch last year. In a few tries though, I had worked it out and was able to send. It is one of my all time favorites. In the mean time Nate and Rami climbed Flash Gordon (v10) - Nate's old nemesis - and Jimmy climbed The Anti-Hero. I re-focused my attention and was able to climb to the last move on Anti-Hero before blowing it. But I had tried hard and was super tired. Jimmy and I wanted to get some attempts Wood Grain Grippin' (v14) before dark as well so we packed it up.

Wood Grain felt hard as well and after trying it for a bit neither Jimmy nor I was able to send. I broke the left start foot, making the first move a little more difficult. Jimmy and I were also having trouble keeping our foot on the next left foothold. The rock here is not the best and it seems that the key high left foot is crumbling a little. How well this one will stand the test of time seems in question (the finish jugs are thin as well) - I just hope to climb it before it becomes impossible.

I woke up Sunday morning sore but psyched to try and finish off the Anti-Hero. After a little work I was able to do so. Rami quickly finished Jeff's Prow as well and Nate was making good attempts on Loved by Few. But Nate and Rami were both psyched to go check out Fred's Cave and so that's what we did.

It was packed! There were probably about 20 people hanging out around the roof - I haven't ever seen 20 climbers in one spot in Arkansas. Anyway, Jimmy and I were just chillin' out waiting to go try Lost in the Hood (v14) and once it started cooling down we headed over.

The boulder was gross. There was some wet green slime and a bunch of mud in the right start hold. We did out best to clean it out but our expectations were low. I pulled on the wall and tried hard. Immediately I knew it was possible. I was expecting it every try and eventually I just did the move and took it to the top. It was an unbelievable feeling!

Then Monday before we left we went to check out a new line in Cowell called Off the Rails (v10). It turned out to be one of the nicest lines I've seen in Arkansas. Very good rock and very nice movement.

I guess that's it,

Brion