thanks Moab.

On October 12, 2012 is was raining pretty much everywhere in the four corners area, yes even in the desert. If fact the days of the 11th and 12th the whole of Moab flashed. Myself and 3 others departed Durango, CO on the 12th with plans to climb Castleton on the 13th – but since we’re working with sandstone, we decided to wait  24hrs for the rock to dry.

We went and played in Negro Bill’s Canyon and simul rapped the Morning Glory Arch. We entered the canyon at the top at the sand flats (near a big radio tower) and didn’t have two cars so we jumared our way back up (left two fixed lines). We were unnecessarily applauded for rappelling down and jumaring back up by confused tourist at the Morning Glory arch. People typically enter from below at the normal trail head. The question “how’d you get those ropes up there” made us smile and I referenced batman and his grappling hooks.  Then we drove over to Castleton camp for a good nights sleep and wake up at 05:00am as to avoid any waiting for other teams to summit.

Upon waking up and eating some boiled eggs I was staring off behind Will and my face lit up as if illuminated by a giant lighting bolt, but there was no lighting. It was the brightest meteorite I’d ever seen, burning up in a matter of seconds. The 1.5 hour hike up to the base of Castleton alone wore me out, but on pitch 2 the sun broke through and covered us in it’s loving energizing heat.

We climbed in two teams of two up Castleton, summiting and back down by 09:30. Nik (trad leader) and I climbed Kor-Ingalls (5.9) which was covered in calcite and I applaud him for keeping his head together as he slid and humped his way up this slippery rock. Talk about running shit out, Nik . Gary (trad leader) and Will went up the North Chimney (5.8). Will and I are both sport climbers so this stuff felt a bit harder, but super fun. Then we made our way over to the Corona Arch and did what anyone with a pare of decent sized balls / labia would do, swung through it. Enjoy.