Photos by cchildre

Photo left is the 5.10b and the right is the 5.11c/d

Gavin, my nephew, works on one of his first routes...not bad for the 5.9 section

Becton Reed climbs the 5.10d route up the Prowl that divides the Rose Bud and Big Horn walls at Sitting Bull Falls. Great light and a pulley system got me some great angles. Top it off, a swim in the upper pool to cool things off.

Becton working the fist jams through the Squeeze Chimney. Sunday at the Spring Fling 2007.

Becton looking up ready to wiggle his body up the Squeeze Chimney. Sunday at the Spring Fling 2007.

Topher Bentley blows the onsight of Eliminator, a slightly overhanging hand crack next to Elk Slabs. The cruxy upper section spits him out like a watermelon seed. He finished the ascent in style with a stunning rock humping move. It was awesome.

I loved Mexico. My favorite destinaton for sport climbing madness.

I believe this was Russell Hooper on Big Bite. Unremarkable photo, I know. Thing is, he climbed this route, skipped the first two bolts that are shared with S-Wall. Only used the last bolt as protection. He was easily 80 feet off the deck before he had any protection. He made it look like a cakewalk though. Fall Gathering 2006.

Steve finally takes off his guiding hat and puts some rubber down. Notice how everyone seems to be watching his footwork, which was the real key here. Fall Gathering 2006. More shots from the weekend at http://www.freewebs.com/k00lie/fallgathering06a.htm

This problem had some really cool movement, it was just committing, and beta was key. Such a perfect day to climb at the Fall Gathering 2006. More shots from the weekend at http://www.freewebs.com/k00lie/fallgathering06a.htm

Bathed in the sun, everyone had fun trying their hand at this techinal problem. Nice work. Fall Gathering 2006. More shots from the weekend at http://www.freewebs.com/k00lie/fallgathering06a.htm

He got the first send of the group. Made short work of this fantastic problem. A really nice day in the sun. Fall Gathering 2006. More shots from the weekend at http://www.freewebs.com/k00lie/fallgathering06a.htm

Matching on the rail looking for the next move. I snapped this shot just before he popped off. Fall Gathering 2006. More shots from the weekend at http://www.freewebs.com/k00lie/fallgathering06a.htm

Larry fighting to get a send. This problem was fantastic. Brute force was no match for good technique here. We spent a lot of time working on this one. A great photo op as well. Fall Gathering 2006. More shots from the weekend at http://www.freewebs.com/k00lie/fallgathering06a.htm

Julie working out the nice moves of this terrific boulder problem on the north side of Quartz. Guided by Steve, who was a fountain of beta, I think everyone had a blast that day. Fall Gathering 2006. More shots from the weekend at http://www.freewebs.com/k00lie/fallgathering06a.htm

Drew working on his Enchanted Tower project Goliath. First day, lighting was poor but I did get this nice snap where he missed his sequence and took a short fall. Photo: Craig Childre

From above, these hold look marvelous, such a fun like with great movement. Aerial Anticipation, incredible route, an inspiring lead for Chad. Working some of the final moves out, the arm pump became the limiting issue.

From above, these hold look marvelous, such a fun like with great movement. Aerial Anticipation, incredible route, an inspiring lead for Chad.

Too bad my focus was a little off. Chad getting "the most pumped ever at the Wichitas" working on Aerial. Seen here clipping the 3rd bolt on what many call "best sport route in the state". A great weekend with scorching heat had us hiding in the shade. A nice lead for Chad.

Trace follows me up Ker Plunk. Fabulous route and great view. Shade was the name of the game this day.

Megan follows me up the aesthetic route Large Corner Girdle. Was my first lead of the route and quite enjoyable. We timed it almost perfectly, able to stay in the shade for most of the route, till the League of Doom rap station.

Borrowing everyones quickdraws he knew. Then pre setting every route that his collection could occupy. Kevin is seen here setting up for the improbable Tower Run! While setting he On Sited every route but three. A few days of hard earned rest. He returned and redpointed every line on the tower in a single day. Simply Insane!

The last weekend of Spring Break took us to Datil onto the Tower. Drew working on one of his latest projects before the summer sweeps him away to Utah. Great line, and I suspect he will get this send at the end of the summer.

I cannot overstate how lucky I was! I show up to J-Tree without a climbing partner, expecting to climb in a team of three, only to find Deb. She and I clicked together on the first route, and climbed together for the rest of the week. Her smile was infectious, and I fed off her energy, propelling me to complete routes I feared too difficult. I could not do anything but smile looking down and seeing her giving me a flawless belay. Here she follows me up Taurus during our most productive day of climbing. I will never forget that time out in the desert.

We ran the TR at Dreamboat Annie a few times. I topped out in boots on the marginal arm/body offwidth, and scooted back to the car for the camera to shoot this sunset. What a fantastic weekend we had, great weather on Saturday climbing at Leaning Tower, cold Sunday, so we hiked into Panther Canyon and looked for the Icebox till it warmed up for a trip to Scott to climb. Then on to Meers for their famous burgers...tasty!

A little run out start on really easy climbing turned to this angled crack. Rope drag was....a drag, but the climb was very good as Lisa and I followed to clean and collect all that booty! We scored two pieces an awkardly easy to pull nut, and a frustrating #1 new style Rock Empire (being my first booty ever). I love me some booty!

Using the crimps looses a grade, but that just gives him a good reason to go back and stick the lunge. Nice hard climbing by Matt here.

Scott got the OS for the only problem on this boulder with 3 star status. It was a great line that was not too long and had some very nice movements. This move was one of his favorites for the day. Crimpy!

Tim Barnett put up this line and a few of us jumped on a TR to try it. Then he got back on the sharp end and sent it before pulling gear and moving elsewhere.

No not this one. But that was the joke of the day after Topher won the battle of wills during Scott's ascent of 'Wounded Knee'. This day yeilded only a few photo's and no one made any real progress on GD. Till drew rampaged on it.

Drew Cummings sweeping up on this weird route / traverse. It wasn't a bad line, just not what one would expect at ET. I did not particularly like it but others enjoyed it. Different Strokes.

Toph cranked on this cool 10d. Great line shot by our good friend Drew Cummings "He's a Diesel"

Scott warms up on a 10c? Crazy? No, that is what happens when you listen to Toph's warm up suggestions. He just doesn't understand the word moderate! Slopey down low, juggy up high, it was a nice line.

May 21, 2005. Here I am working on my first onsight of a trad 5.8. My spotter / belayer Topher looks on skeptically as I cautiously place my first piece of pro. What followed was a gruntfest till I turned the lip and fired in another piece. Next stop the chains.

My cousin Jason after he tops out Spaced. I lead the 1st and 3rd pitches and Topher got the 2nd. I think the short runout I did turing the first lip was more a head game than actually being dangerous. I am just not sure I could swim loaded down with all that gear. This was my fourth and fifth trad leads and my first onsite of a 5.8. The dried lichen on the wall did not inspire confidence. Space Balls looks awesome, we are going back for that one.

Toph mantles up through the tough and awkard no hands move on the Golden Stairs. Warming up here????? he go to the runout section and lowered off as we moved over to Sleeping Beauty Wall, but not before Alf jumped on lead in his Reeboks! Meeting Alf was a real treat.

The first time I ever saw Drew climb was upon this very route 1 year and 1 month ago. At the time he was still working on the beta. Last weekend he was at it again and pulling hard. This shot is from his first attempt of the day when he failed to stick the upper crux move. His second attempt he got his first send, blowing it all out leaving nothing in the tank. Onlookers were thoroughly impressed by the feat. More pictures from the weekend: http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=dpp37uj.o8zm8fz&x=0&y=8vxpmf

Scott was unleashed on his latest project 'Ghost Dancers' at 12a. For this trip it was working out beta and getting familiar with the route. The sick overhang for the first 4 bolts is burly, right up Scott's alley. Here he hits the scary long reaching left and then bumped it up 8 inches for the clipping hold. Pulling hard!

This is more booty from my fathers gear stash! I have this set of classic hexes from the 70's and they are cool. I was setting up some still shots and organized them in a simple design. I have reslung them and looking for some more trad to test them out.

This is my fathers set of pitons that snagged during a raid of his gear stash. I am going to work them into an art piece soon. Even got the hammer to boot.

Tim P working this beautiful flake on top rope. It was quite a struggle. Where is the rope you ask? Those 7 foot alien's from Predator showed up with some new low vis twine for us to test out, or I just shopped it out for a better composition :)

I climbed up the 3rd class ramp and clipped myself into the belay station for Faded Love to get a good angle to shoot my buddies climbing at Upper Virgin. A group on Fistful was climbing and offered a perfect opportunity to shoot from above so I leaned out and took some shots. If anyone can identify the climber or belay partner I would like to credit her or him.

New years eve! We climbed Fish-n-Clips and then bailed off the last pitch of Wolf Will Survive because it got dark. Some veggie burritos at Posadas, some Carta Blanca, and some Mexican Water (TEQ) we were set for the night. Here you can see our crew strolling up the road to visit the base of Space Boys and watch Italian guys shoot fireworks. I'm the one in the middle with the beer! The characters are from your left to right Drew, Nate, Scott, Tim (barely), Me, Taylor, Patrick, and Mark. What a blast we had if you can't tell from my facial expression.

Grinnin from ear to ear on the summitt! Sure we hit Supernova the day before but Fish and Clips seemed to be more satisifying. Maybe because I led two of the three pitches. That middle 11 is nasty and pumpy. The moves are there so it will go soon enough. We tried to link up on Wolf Will Survive before it got dark but without headlamps the 4th pitch escaped us and we rapped off in the dark. Fun!

Big Tim put up this bad boy and sent it on his last pass for cleaning. Nate jumped on a TR before we pulled the gear. In the background you can see the SuperNova line. Haze was the larges obstacle of shooting this last week. A lot of post work on this photo as the foreground and background required independent adjustment.

After changing the turbo charger out on my friends truck we had some time to work a few lines before the long drive home. Toph loved this line till the overhanging finish that gave him fits. No guidebook means I cannot reference the line, maybe when I find it I will pony up.

Thanks go out to Lisa for shot this one on a trip up to Dead Cholla, pronounced 'Choya', Wall. A mixed climb that tops out beautifuly. I racked all that gear and used one cam LMAO, better to have the gear and not need it I say.

Matt on top belay bringing up Toph on this scary 5.10c. Matt floundered on the boulder at the top out after getting the rope wedged in a crack and was forced to downclimb to dislodge it. The f-16's overhead made communication nearly impossible at times making everyone squemish.

Scott again on Pogues cave right after his foot snapped off and he struggles to pull it back together. He will send it soon I am sure of it.

Simply a nice photo of Jagged Mountain from the North. Early July and snow pack is still good.