Temps and humidity have been pushing us to the hills lately and this post covers two separate weekends to the serenity of the Rockies. In true Kream Team fashion we rolled into Summit County with ample beer and high hopes of sending and general merrymaking. After the absolute hell of Interstate 70 was behind us we spent two amazing weekends climbing at Haus Rock near Keystone and Lime Creek (re: Mud Creek) between Eagle and Basalt.
Hiking into Haus Rock.
This guy.
Eh?
You can only get laughs from true friends when you shove a DSLR in their face.
Princess Dani at her crag.
Selfies
Haus Rock is a killer little crag with a wide range of grades on solid stone. It also happened to hold Nate’s long time project Macho Picasso (5.13b) which he dispatched in style. Nate is pretty much a role model for us all when it comes to climbing and if anyone deserves a well earned send it’s him.
Along with some great climbing we spent an amazing afternoon and evening drinking beer and eating homemade tacos at Nate and Kari’s in Breckenridge. We have become quite a tight crew and time with the Kream Team is always time well spent.
Now that’s gangsta.
Chillin’ at the crib in Breck.
Woody’s glamour shot.
Nate dispatching his longterm project Macho Picasso (5.13b) at Haus Rock.
Congrats to Nate! It takes a special kind of determination to stick with these longterm projects.
Nate’s future climbing guide profile picture. “Hey guys, just hanging out.”
Most recently we visited a couple new crags in whirlwind style including Lime Creek and Independence Pass. Lime Creek has insane potential that has thus far been stymied by a short season and the plentiful easy access cragging of the surrounding area. This weekend it provided just the retreat from the heat we needed until we got rained out on Sunday. Nate and I put in anchors on a 5.13ish? line we spied but got soggy before we had a chance to try it so we’ll have to come back for that one. LOTS of high quality limestone in this area and we barely had time to scratch the surface.
One standout event was the absolutely insane piece of choss Nate removed from the climb Meatballs in Space (5.12c/d). With barely a single pry with a rock hammer a nearly 7’x9’x2′ rock slab came crashing down and completely obliterated a boulder where the belayer would normally stand. Quite a sobering sight, but I am glad we took the time to clean up this route before the worst could happen.
View of the Holy Cross Wilderness from Lime Creek.
Some of the crags of Lime Creek coming into view. We climbed mainly on shaded routes in the trees.
Nate shortly before pulling off a choss block taller than he is and just as wide. The block obliterated a boulder at the belay. Scary, considering a chalked rest hold was right in the middle of the now removed flake.
The way out of Lime Creek was no walk in the park either. With the soaking rain of the last 24 hours we were left with a clay and mud covered road that immediately filled in tire tread and left us all skittering and sliding around as we bounced and spun in and out of ruts. At one point Buck bounced 45 degrees to the road, landed in ruts and we continued to drive down the road with all four tires in different ruts for about 300 feet. All in all it was certainly as bad or worse than any icy roads I have experienced and luckily the slop subsided as we neared the paved road leading down the Frying Pan Valley into Basalt.
After getting rained out in Lime Creek we made a quick stop on Independence Pass to sample some roadside granite.
Some wild roses on Indy Pass.
Nate on the stout power endurance test piece Scene of the Crime (5.12d). Tough as nails!
With time to kill we made a side trip over Independence Pass and hoped right on a challenging and historic climb called Scene of the Crime (5.12d) on immaculate granite loafs. Indy Pass is a special place and it’s amazing we had not made it up there sooner. Lots happening lately, and more posts to come. We’ve been exploring a new local crag call Staunton Rocks and we haven’t even touched the pile of photos from our week in Oregon and Ten Sleep… Summer is certainly in full swing!
Dude, that’s a face only your mother could love.