2020 Climbing Season - Day Crag Photo Compilations & My Route Pyramid

• When the pandemic began and the gravity of it sank it on March, it was quite depressing. When outdoor recreation opened back up in June or so, I began to find solace in climbing outside as much as possible. My partners and I climbed before or after work on the weekdays and on most weekends. This post contains some photos taken on the cragging days. Omitted are the photos from multipitch routes that are in other posts. Also, many short sessions before/after work at the Exit 32/38 crags are not represented, since those sessions are spent cramming as many route burns as possible.. :) 

June

Fellow climber on top of P1 of Zig Zag (5.7, Trad) @ Mt. Erie

Nate on... I forgot which route, they all kind of look the same @ Vantage

My stick clip, stuck on 2nd bolt while projecting Crescendo of the Sarcophagus Bleeding (5.11b, Sport) with Nate @ Exit 38. Don't ask how this happened....

Zoomed in photo of my stick clip

July

Me on Gotta Keep Dancin' (5.9, mixed, 4 pitches) @ Mt Erie

Nate and I getting some water and enjoying the views on top of Gotta Keep Dancin' (5.9, mixed, 4 pitches) @ Mt Erie

August

Staring at these beautiful lines on Upper Wall Town, unfortunately after getting rained out on a route.. :-) @ Index

Jay on A Castle so Crystal Clear (5.8, Sport) @ Exit 38

Jamie, onsighting Crescendo of the Sarcophagus Bleeding (5.11b, Sport) that Nate and I finished projecting on the same day :P @ Exit 38

Me on Wicked Witch of the West (5.11b, Sport) @ Exit 38

(pc: Jamie)

Me on Wicked Witch of the West (5.11b, Sport) @ Exit 38

(pc: Jamie)

Nate on Toxic Shock (5.9, Trad) @ Index

(pc: Jamie)

Jamie TR-ing on Narrow Arrow (5.12c, Trad) @ Index

Jamie on The View from the Bridge (5.10d, Trad) @ Index

September

Jamie on Hang it out to Dry (5.11b, Sport) @ Exit 38

Jamie on Hang it out to Dry (5.12b, Sport) @ Exit 38

Me, stoked on sending my first 5.12a! Rainy Day Woman (5.12a, Sport) @ Exit 38

(pc: Jamie)

About my route pyramid this season-

• In the beginning of the year, before the pandemic happened, my goal was to redpoint a 5.11a (Sport) & 5.10a (Trad) outside. I had some detailed indoor goals as well. 
• Well.. when the pandemic happened and indoor gyms closed, I was quite sad about not getting to climb indoors. But what I discovered was that outdoor was so much more interesting. Very subtle variations in rock can make a big difference in difficulty of a move which is always amusing. Also, the history of the routes, when the information is available, is always fun to read up on. So while I didn't meet any of my indoor goals, I ended up getting a lot more redpoint sends outside than I ever thought I would this season! My sport redpoint pyramid looks like below..

5.12a

5.11c

5.11b, 5.11b, 5.11b, 5.11b, 5.11b 

5.11a, 5.11a, 5.11a, 5.11a

• My hardest trad send is at 5.9 at Index; it was a proper crack climb and it felt pretty hard. 
• Already looking forward to next season - my goal is to redpoint 5.12+ (Sport), 5.10c (Trad) and I also would like to boulder/crack climb a lot more!