Hueco Tanks

I just got back from making a trip to Hueco Tanks with Kevin Fahey and Dan Affsprung. We arrived in Hueco on Friday night, and climbed all day Saturday and Sunday with taking a short half-day on Monday before making the 7 hour drive back to Phoenix. 

Hueco reminds me a bit of the Superstitions in term of movement quality, without its characteristic sharpness. This makes sense since I heard that Hueco has some traces of limestone mixed in with the characteristic granite. This is why there are pocketed features on the holds. 

I came in to Hueco with a few defined goals. The first was to check out a bunch of the cool roof climbs there. The second was to send Baby Martini, the classic V6, and then finally, if possible, to send whatever else I tried during that trip.  

Pictograph 

Overall, the theme of the trip was left arm lock-offs and kneebars. For some reason, every boulder problem I tried had a crux revolving around a left lock-off and a kneebar, which is a triple whammy since:

1. I'm weaker on my left side
2. I usually don't lock off
3. I usually don't kneebar, let alone even put on a kneepad, as I discovered on this trip. Maybe Cosmic Bicycle/Tricycle will feel more locked in now!

On Saturday, we spent all day at the Martini Cave. Kevin and I got to work on Baby Martini right away while Dan was more focused on the traverse, Big Iron on his Hip. I was hoping to send Baby Martini in a session but couldn't due to some crucial toehook beta that I found later that evening. I did, however, work the lines to the point I had the majority of the movements dialed in. None of us were able to send anything that day.

Sunday came a bit better. I came prepared this time, with more beta and actual food and water. The day before, I didn't bring enough supplies for the whole day. We started off climbing the classic Nobody Here Gets Out Alive. I wasn't too impressed. It was a bit greasy, but that's what you get when you climb at a well-traveled classic. We then headed over to the Trac II boulder where I was able to finish off the often climbed Daily Dick Dose (DDD) problem. It was not as good as people made it seemed. The holds are quite small, and due to the traffic, were quite greased up with rubber and chalk even after cleaning. It was a bit of a struggle getting established on the boulder but after realizing that the crux was to lock off on the left arm, I was able to get it done the first go from the start using a slightly strange dropknee beta that I executed poorly. The video is shown below:

Dan wasn't able to do DDD, but was able to send the more respectable (in my opinion) problem known as Babyface. 

We then headed over to Dean's Trip where Kevin and Dan tried the line while I filmed and rested for the return to Martini Cave. I'll have to get back and check it out next time. Upon returning to Baby Martini, I practiced the new toehook beta once, and then fired it first go from the start. I then went to work on the low start, The Toastmaster, which goes at V10. The crux on that one revolves around a big move out left to a crimp from a right hand undercling. Since I was tired and was struggling with some skin issues, I wasn't able to stick the move but now that I know what the sequence is, I feel confident about my chances.   

Missing the crux hold on The Toastmaster

The last day, we warmed up at the Small Potatoes boulders. I was feeling quite wrecked, while Dan had an amazing last day where he flashed See Spot Run, a notorious V6 highball. I'm not sure between him, Kevin, and I who was more psyched that he did it. I'm glad he didn't fall off! We then went to Stegasaurus, a roof V7 which he did on the quick and I followed up on. 

We ended the trip on a visit to Girls of Juarez, which is Hueco's equivalent of the Bat Cave. I wasn't able to do it, due to poor skin and forcing beta that didn't work for me, but Kevin and Dan were able to dispatch it. 

Overall, I think the trip was pretty successful. None of us got hurt, and we all managed to get ourselves up something. I was able to check out the lines on the 100 proof roof and Martini Cave, and I'm stoked to try them. In particular, I'm very stoked to come back for Girls of Juarez, Dean's Trip, Fern Roof, Big Iron on his Hip, and The Toastmaster. I'll need to make sure my kneebar game is up to snuff! I would have liked to check out the lines on West Mountain, East Mountain, and East Spur, but that will be for another time. In addition, coming to Hueco with good skin and a bit more time probably would have made the experience more enjoyable, but I think we made the most out of our short time there. But for now, its back to local AZ lines. The homies have been busy finishing up the projects!