Shrinkage (Ego) Factor on the Naked Edge.

A quick trip to Colorado this weekend left me aching, bleeding, and grinning for more.

Chris, Jesse and I shot out on Friday afternoon to CO, driving 75% of the time through the rain we arrived in Boulder with enough time to stop at REI to get me a new harness. I had somehow worn thru about half of my belay loop and no one was liking the idea of me belaying them. We found out that you can return anything to REI, including climbing gear, without real question. Satisfaction guaranteed. So sweet. We stayed with the always hospitable family of Paul. Paul always greets you with a smile, a handshake and a Bass beer. And you better damn well take it. Rusty showed up later that evening after finishing his lecture.

Awaking early, coffeed and muffined (yep, those are verbs), finalized our racks and packs and walked out the door to go get more coffee and breakfast before driving into Eldo. Chris and I climbed the first 3 pitches of T2 to P1 of the Naked Edge and Jesse and Rusty did some less than desirable approach that gained them a better position on the already busy route. Our efforts to get there early were ideas shared by many others.

We had to do our fair share of waiting but we eventually got rolling. Without going into great detail, that route kicked the crap out of me. I got rocked on all of the 5.11 pitches and bonked completely on the final pitch. While pulling the corner to the 'naked edge' I lost it and fell into the empty space beneath. With rope stretch I ended up falling about 12 feet into nothing. 600 feet of air beneath my heels. With no way of getting back on the route and out of ear shot with Chris, the team that was behind us tossed me their line and I got back on the route and struggled to the top. It was a horrible experience, yet I cannot wait to do it again.

We all were thoroughly rocked by the edge and decided to stay off the Yellow Spur.

My fingers since I can't crack climb.

After a nice dinner at Paul's, Chris and I met up with Adam and Arnold from P&C and cruised Pearl street for a few great hours of drinking. It poured most of the night, so our chances of climbing on Sunday were looking thin.

We awoke to a wet Sunday with no possibility of climbing so we helped Paul with some furniture moving and packed up. We dropped the Rustinator off at the airport on the way out.

On a 'small world' note. Paul gave us a stack of Alpinist magazines and while Jesse and I pawed through the climber porn, I recognized photo of a guy in the latest issue. It ended up being a article about the two guys that were climbing behind us on the Naked Edge and bailed me out from my void fall on P5. Seems both are extremely talented climbers with the Italian born Rolando Garibotti putting up first ascents in Patagonia (among other places) and completion of the Cerro Torre traverse, and Bruce MIller is considered to have one of the most impressive alpine climbing resumés in the US of Aye. Always fun to share a belay with a great couple of guys to then open up a magazine and find out that they are a couple of modest elite athletes.

On an even more amazing note, when we stopped at Subway on the way home, each of us won a free meal item off the menu. Jesse a sandwich, me a drink and Chris a cookie. Stellar.

I once again managed to return home from Colorado without getting left on the side of the road! I'll call it a good weekend.

Jesse on P3.