The Grotto - September 30, 2010

We gave up on our El Cap dreams and headed out to Sonora to relax at Burhoe's house and cool off with some sport climbing.  From Burhoe's we headed out to the Table Mountain area to the Grotto area.  The grotto wall lived up to its name as it was down in a hole and about 15 degrees cooler than the surrounding walls.  It was a nice change from the Yosemite heat!

 

This formation was really cool -- the crack climbing up these columns was followed by steep sport climbing.

Ken misread the guidebook and instead of warming up on a 5.9 he headed up this 5.10b.  Ken almost got it done but it got a little bold and he had to hang to rest for the crux move.

The slugs there were huge.

After a closer look at the guidebook Anja warmed up on the 5.9.

 After the 5.10b Anja fought her way up the 5.11b to the left.

 Ken wanted nothing to do with the thin looking crux of the 5.11b, so he headed up a steep 5.10a that followed this white streak on the Upper Head wall.  The climb was great and the view from the top, looking  back at the reservoir was awesome.

Anja headed up the start of the 5.10a.

Anja pulling through the crux.

Ken followed the white streak climb with another 5.10a on the Welcome Wall.  He cruised up to the fourth bolt but struggled at an undercling with a very small crimp.

Anja struggled at the start of this climb were Ken had used a handjam to cruise through but when she got to the small crimp she matched her hands on it and pulled through no problem.  The views of the reservoir were great.