Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
The crash pads were carefully placed in the potential landing zone as Stella looked at the problem, mentally climbing each move and visualizing herself getting past the crux with the new beta Raine had recommended she try out. They stood back as she studied the rock.
Raine stood next to her and they discussed the alternative beta. Instead of matching on the nice rail midway of the route, she would use a small crimp to the left and then get her left foot up high on a small foothold. Then she should be able to lock off and pull herself up to the good hold. Stella wasn’t particularly tall, where height sometimes helped on rock, but she was strong and her fingers could slip into cracks and onto small ledges and hold.
Stella pulled on her climbing shoes, attached her chalk bag to her waist and coated her hands in the chalky powder that would help keep her hands dry and create more friction while she climbed. She reached up, felt the textured rock, her left hand on the high thin crimp and her right on the much better side pull. It was warmer than she would have liked. She hoped they hadn’t let it bake in the sun too long while they warmed up. Colder conditions would make it easier, but it still felt good to feel the familiar holds, and she wanted to try it. She took a deep breath and then in-stepped her left leg on a small foot and high-stepped on a small foot with her right. She rocked her body weight over the high foot, and then stood up to reach the good ledge with her left hand.
Vienna moved closer to her with arms outstretched to spot her. If Stella came off the rock, the hope was to guide her to the crash pad below and cushion her fall. Vienna was always in awe of the way Stella climbed with such confidence, her posture perfect. Climbing posture was not the same as posture everyone was constantly reminded about outside of climbing, and Vienna admired and aspired to climb with the posture Stella had when she moved up a rock surface.
Stella fought the urge to match her left hand on the good hold and searched for the crimp out left. She found it and then looked for a good foot left. She settled for the only slippery tiny foot that was in the area. This must be the foot she needed. With confidence, she committed to the foot. Her hips tight to the wall, she locked off the hold to the left, pulling her body in close as she flagged her right foot under her. The flag allowed her to counterbalance her weight and cross her right hand to the good hold directly above her. She grasped the hold, and while she felt instant relief with the knowledge she had done the hard part and the send was likely, she made sure not to relax and kept pressure through her body as she finished the last couple moves out right to top out. Everyone cheered, and Stella felt the glow of accomplishment that came with climbing a boulder she’d really wanted to experience. She was also very shocked that she’d managed to send it first go. She hadn’t expected that at all.
Raine stepped up next and shook out her arms and hands before feeling the start holds. They felt smaller than they looked when Stella was on them, but they were nicer on her hands than she expected. The girls were used to climbing at the Buttermilks in Knightly, with the sharp granite boulders, so this sandstone felt pretty friendly on their fingers. Raine tried the first few moves, getting a feel for the high step and coming off a few attempts. She surprised herself by sticking the larger ledge on her fourth go, and Stella yelled at her to reach for the crimp out left.
“You’re going to have to really lock off on the crimp since you’re shorter than me. Get your left foot up. Yes. That’s it. Trust the foot. It’s good. Now flag under and cross to the jug.”
Raine tried to execute the beta, locking off her left hand as she flagged her right foot under her to make the cross, but instead of smoothly grabbing the big hold, she peeled off the wall from her body weight swinging out. She felt Vienna’s hands guide her hips as she landed on the crash pad. She felt the rush of excitement knowing how close she was to a good hold. It would be easy from there to top out.
“You were so close, Raine!” Stella encouraged.
The others added their voices.
In the end, try as hard as she might, Raine couldn’t complete the climb. She came off the rock over and over. They had their biking to do, and she didn’t want them to miss that, so she promised the boulder she’d be back another day.