Didn't take too long to fix and we were on our way again in short order.
The campsite was closed, but we camped there anyway. Rules have no meaning for this group. The area is littered with boulders that have been weathered in an astonishing variety of ways. Some are vertically striated such that they look like elephant skin, some are pocketed to the point they could pass for a giant sponge, and most defy description.
Boulder at Rocklands:
Pete on a sport route at Rocklands:
Charles on the same route, different view:
Because of the winter rains, a raucous array of flowers were blooming, the vibrant colors making a sharp contrast with the monochromatic landscape of rock.
I only bouldered at Rocklands. The sport climbing looked great, but there was a certain symmetry in doing just one type of climbing discipline in the area. The rock was gritty and I found myself doing things I would not have typically attempted -- primarily because there is a psychological aspect of being willing to try more dynamic, gymnastic moves close to the ground on a boulder versus on an airy face high above a valley. The move may be the same, but the human mind is not typically wired to allow a person to test themselves at a great height. That really is one of the great things about climbing, however, because it is such a head game. Objectively, there is no reason a person can't do the same thing 3 feet off the ground as 300 feet off the ground, it's just a matter of being in the proper mindset.
No comments:
Post a Comment