Joshua is climbing his first route. He's got on the smallest sized Baby Ninja's made. Route is located on the front side of "The Little Flat Iron" boulder at Drapers Bluff, IL.

Mike Backer leading the 2nd pitch of an unnamed sport route (5.6?). This climb is located above the 3rd class scramble to access the camping ledge @ Draper's Bluff in Southern Illinois. Photo by Andy Lemon.

Mike Backer leads an unknown sport route (first route to the right of "The Outline"). Photo by Andy Lemon.

This is Mike Backer climbing out of the darkness on an unknown sport route. Photo by Andy Lemon.

Mark Schumaker leading his first sport route. He's a bit sketched but pulls through the moves just fine. Photo by Andy Lemon.

This isn't a great picture of me but at least now you know what I look like. We actually climbed Thin Man which is a long(for So Ill) trad crack around the corner of Bloody Nose.

Here's a shot of Draper's Bluff in the midday sun...which was a welcome sight to Jeffers and I after the storms from the past TWO days!

This is the view from the first pitch of Bloody Nose 5.6. Really fun climb that is awesome thing to do at the end of a day when you cant feel your toes and can barely stand to touch the rock.

Here I am attempting Scrambled Eggs (V6) at the end of a very long day. I worked the problem for four hours and on my last attempt i stuck the jug on the lip but cut my hand. I was literally running on Red Bull (Some Rep was handing them out free) I came back a week later and did it.

Me on the first pitch of Bloody Nose, 5.6. Super fun easy route with awesome views from belays.

it's really amazing what kind of critters you can find @ night on this sandstone. the most colorfull animals come out at night. i am flaging over a salamander here. MaryJo snapped this

This is me leading the first pitch of Bloody Nose. Not a very good pic but oh well.

"C" on the South Face at Drapers Bluff in Southern Illinois. This is a great first lead route. Large pockets, excelent placment opertunities all the way up. Tricky start make sure you have a spotter.

This is a great 5.9 trad climb located in southern Illinois at Drapers Bluff. Killer sandstone crack!

This is a shot of Antkiller (5.9) at Draper's Bluff in southern Illinois. It's a 2-pitch trad route that takes small to medium wires, Aliens, and cams up to 3". You can rap off the first pitch using chains off to the left.

This is me at the top of Dust Doctors (5.8). This was my first mostly trad (only one bolt) lead. It's super fun and a must do if you are at Drapers.

This was the first time I had ever been climbing on real rock (March 2005). The guys at Vertical Heartland provided us with thorough and patient instruction. By the end of the day, I flashed this route (not sure if that applies to TR).

Me on my first sport lead at Draper's Bluff Southern Illinois. Mounds 5.7

Ant Killer 5.9

Andy on Puppet Master.

Crux of Dust Doctors.

Great trad line. I will for sure be back on this one.

This is fun Dad! But what's up with the moss?

Becky begins following Jon on Fancy Lads pitch 2 (5.7, A0). Jon freed it at 5.12a. You don't get any more exposure than this in Illinois.

brandon contorting for ~Scrambled Eggs~