IF YOU WANT TO SKIP ALL THE BORING STUFF ABOUT ME JUST SKIP TO THE ALL CAPS SECTIONS OF: HERE'S THE START OF CLIMBING THIS LAST WEEKEND.

Last weekend I was lucky enough to get to climb with a bunch of climbers who are just plain better than me. It's a long story of how I met this group, but I am so glad that I did. When you are a young guy trying to learn to "trad" climb, nothing beats some guidance from climbers with experience. Long story short, I was introduced to Brad Young, who is working on a second guide book for the Sonora Pass area. I was introduced to him by Tonya (or Dr. T as her students know her) and Allen. Allen has been an great inspiration, to get my ass up all the cracks in the Sunnyvale PG gym. I still have a couple more to tick off, but watching him climb up and down all of them is always good inspiration for me (that and the laughing as I flail in the OW.)

But back to the important stuff, climbing outside. I was able to first climb with them outside in the fall of last year. I'll make this section short (edit:ok it's long and boring) since I don't have any pictures and this makes this section next to pointless. But anyways, for some reason they decided to take my noob ass to one of their unknown climbing areas they are developing. I had been doing some climbing in Yosemite (bagged Royal Arches, barely) so I was able to learn somethings, but I was about to learn a lot more. When we first get there Brad says, "Do you want to help put up a new route?" The thought had never occurred to me. You take me to this amazing place and then let me put up a new route? OK! Along with me were three of my friends, and his plan was to let each of us switch off drilling bolts so that we could all create the route. We found a slab area that Brad has been wanting to put a route up on and started to scope out the line. I led up about ten feet or so, to a stance, and drilled the first bolt. Let's just say I had a new respect for drilling on lead after that.
I lowered off that bolt and then the next person went up. We continued this until we were at the top. We then all led the route clean from the ground to have a clean first ascent of the route. We called the route "Crouching Tiger" because of the orange granite and back water streaks that were near the top, and because of the crouching position you were in through the crux. We rated it 5.7 and gave it 2 out of 3 stars. While there I was able to lead a long 5.8 hand crack, which at the time i was stoked to get clean.

I went back there a second time and followed Brad on a 10.a finger to slab route and also did the first ascent of Dog's of Society 5.11b slab. We did another FA on a 5.10a (I'm going blank on the name), and on this one I learned the "joys" of developing new routes. I spent about a hour cleaning the dirt out of the crack. We also were able to do a new route on Kennedy Tower, which was rated 5.8 three pitches...it ended up being 10a which was exciting for me at the time. That's part of the adventure though, getting out there into the unknown and climbing it, then documenting it for the guide book. Yes that section is long and lacking of pictures, but that was a meaningful trip for me.

Winter came, and with that I spent most of my time freezing my ass off in Yosemite. The experiences I had in the Fall had me hooked. I was going to be a climber. That was it. Decided. Here are some random pictures from this winter.Ok enough of the flashback. HERE'S THE START OF CLIMBING THIS LAST WEEKEND.
I was planning on spending another weekend in the Valley but got word that my friends Tonya and Allen were headed up to the Sonora Pass area to climb with Brad Young, and also help him work on his new guide book for the Sonora Pass area. It was a pretty easy decision to go with them. The first area we climbed at was at a local reservoir.
It was refreshing climbing outside, and not seeing anyone but the people you came with.
Tonya was hoping to lead "The Handle" which starts to the right, traverses the roof, and then heads up the corner, but unfortunately it was still wet. We decided to bypass the wet roof with some face climbing, and the rest of the route was good.
I cleaned out a lot of dirt.
I liked what I found underneath it :)
There are three choices for the second pitch. Allen wanted to establish a new route, which I was happy to let him lead.
It starts with a 5.10c squeeze and then has a short rest. Then the business begins, with a 5.11a offwidth. I was happy to not be on the sharp end for this pitch. Allen got it clean, so the route now exist. "The Wedge" 5.11a.
After working on another route there, we called it a day. The next day we spent sometime doing guide book work at an area called "Diamond Cutter" (Brad please correct me if I mess up any of these names.)
The routes weren't that great to be honest, but hey that's how guide book work goes sometimes, and it was still climbing, which I always seem to have fun doing. We only did the first pitches of two climbs here, but will be back to finish the next pitches for the guide book.

After this we were lucky enough to be invited to go to a new climbing area discovered by Steve Moyles. from Santa Cruz. He named this area "The Lucky Draw."
He found something around 9 5.9's on this wall all next to each other. The wall is only about 50 feet tall, but still a lot of fun. The abundance of closely spaced cracks makes this spot especially nice with a big group of people. The first route he discovered that wasn't 5.9 was appropriately named "Not 5.9." Brad and Steve got an FA on a 5.10b wide to overhanging hand crack here and I was fortunate enough to be able to get a FA in as well.
It was pretty short, but I was still proud to get to climb some virgin granite. And they even let me name it! I named it "Munge Bob" because it was pretty dirty before i cleaned it out. I have had Munge Bob square pants playing in my head non-stop since I climbed it haha.


I am just grateful that some experienced climbers decided to help me in my beginnings as a climber and continue to help push my skills today. It never gets old following someone much better than you up a route, and even better when they will belay you haha! I have my eye on some big walls this season, but I am almost more excited for the adventures that always await me up in the Sonora Pass, with Brad, Tonya, and Allen.