The End of 2008

The last weekend of 2008, Betty, Greg, Kelly, Steve and I went down to Reimer’s Ranch outside of Austin.

Reimer’s Ranch is a limestone sport crag in Dripping Springs, west and just a little south of Austin, Texas, with hundreds of routes covering grades from 5.5 to 5.14. Now I’m not much of a sport climber – in fact I haven’t been much of a climber at all for the past few months. (Don’t ask. Elitism + bouldering + college = motivation killer.) Anyway, sport climbing isn’t what usually gets my blood racing, but Reimer’s Danzig- hard stone rife with routes more fun than Mastodon’s Leviathan managed to inspire even my hell- bent for big wall heart.

Day 1
Betty’s Subaru Outback pulled up in front of my uncle’s house in Austin Saturday morning around 10:00 a.m. After forcing my pack into the already overstuffed trunk I slid into the backseat next to Kelly, a photographer for a local DFW newspaper and a damn strong climber. Our quintet’s weekend stick clip pinned me against the door, but it was nice to be back on the road with the kids; my first honest-to-god climbing trip was with Betty, her then boyfriend Greg, and Kelly to Enchanted Rock (a mostly trad locale also outside of Austin). So there we were again: Kelly and I in the back, Betty in the passenger seat, and her now husband Greg driving.

We met Steve, a long time friend of Betty’s, in the parking lot for Rosie’s, a quiet, almost empty little Mexican restaurant on the way to the crag; it made me think of what the Yosemite Lodge Cafeteria outside of Camp 4 must be like in winter – restaurant workers and climbers. After a couple of breakfast burritos we checked out and headed down over rolling hills, past the county park station, around more hills and into the parking lot. After a hop, skip and a jump we lugged our way down a narrow watershed and past Sex Cave (a name bestowed, I’m sure, for several reasons) which dripped with tufas and stalactites (and a nice stalagmite which is still forming). Down Sex Canyon and right, onto the right band (aptly named) we hit up the Dead Cats Wall and danced up a duo of deliciously dreamy warm ups. Then it was on to the good stuff.

Both bands face the Pedernales River, which eventually feeds into the Colorado. Most of the routes along the left band, which we hit up after the warm ups, are higher than those of the right – fifty or sixty feet as opposed to thirty. First off was Eight Flake – let’s see if you can guess the grade based on its name – a fun climb up a large flake with good holds and King Kong sized feet. Next was Prototype, which Greg, Steve and I did and which is to date the most fun rock climb I’ve ever been on. Seams, large pockets, crimpers, feet that magically appear when you need them, difficult sections thrown in between jug rests, and even a mono all make this dead vertical 5.10 more fun than the bounce house you always longed for as a child. Down from us a bit Kelly (with a little help from Betty) did his project third try: Flinch, at 5.12b.

As we walked along the cliffs Betty and Kelly pointed out some of the crag’s classics: Bastard in the Brothel (.11a and traversy), Suicide Child (.12c, a beautiful route and Betty’s current project), Catharsis Roof (.12c, which Kelly had sent the weekend before), and War on Rugs, another .10d and the last climb I got on that day. Already pumped, I hung on TR over and over after Steve so magnanimously led it. With a crux dynamic opening, sharp pockets all the way, and a pump punishing finishing mantle, it’s my current project to lead at Reimer’s (along with Proto, of course).

Day 2
After a night camping in Pace Bend which yet again proved my intolerance for the cold, we gradually made our way back to the crag. After a few hours of confusion due to work related matters, we got down to simpler, more primal things.

It was Eight Flake again, to start off, after which the kids all hopped on Bastard in the Brothel, a sick looking line I floundered my way out of by saying that I was “saving myself” for another burn on War on Rugs, which was at least partly true. I managed to get in another go on said route, on which every move was easier save the crux, which I still haven’t cranked from the start (yet). We finished the weekend up on a fun .10c which I was (honestly this time) way too tired for.

Night for now – baklava calls.