Desert Southwest Spring Break Update
March 30, 2009 
1 Comment
Photo:
Keith Ladzinski
Last week was a pretty big week for the areas in the desert southwest as some of the best climbers in the world descended on the areas stretching from St. George, UT to Las Vegas, NV and beyond.
The biggest news of the week was Paul Robinson’s 2nd ascent of Psychedelic (5.14d) in St. George. In addition, Robinson climbed Breakin’ The Law (5.14b) and a reportedly very difficult 5.11 to round out his week of route climbing. On the bouldering front he made quick ascents of Booka Booka Booka (V13), Crusader For Justice (suggested V12), Cloverland/Skin & Energy (V12) and Settler’s Of Catan (V11) all at Moe’s Valley.
Daniel Woods and Jon Cardwell made a joint stop in Red Rocks Nevada’s Black Velvet Canyon to repeat a few area testpieces as well as to add some of their own. Cardwell climbed a sitstart to Fountainhead calling it Atlas Shrugged (V12) with Woods getting the 2nd ascent. They both also repeated Abaddon (V12), a steep roof to highball finish pictured below. To round out the trip Woods repeated Ethan Pringle’s Wetdream (V12). (More pictures)
Pete Lowell on the FA of Abaddon
Photo: Andy R/Vegas Bouldering
Moving onto Moe’s Valley, Woods and Cardwell both repeated Crusader For Justice and Woods did the 2nd ascent of Meatbag (V13) and another repeat of Cloverland/S & E.
Other news from the areas include:
- Isaac Caldiero made the 2nd ropeless ascent of The Present (5.14a) after (I believe) Dave Graham.
- Lauren Lee also sent The Present (with a rope).
- The unheralded Bill Ramsey, who is probably most well known in the midwest for his impressive sends at the RRG, moved out to the Las Vegas area a few years back. He recently sent the route Hold Your Fire (5.14b) at Mt. Potasi, NV.
- Audrey Sniezek redpointed the long, technical and runout 5.13b Fall Of Man at Arizona’s Virgin River Gorge.
- Despite going through a bit of a funk, Carlo Traversi repeated Breakin’ The Law (5.14b) in St. George.
- Not to be forgotten is Joe Kinder. A few weeks back he sent an old Todd Perkins project he is calling Visitor Q. Kinder has suggested a possible grade of 5.14b for this new line.
Related Posts
Climbers: Audrey Sniezek, Bill Ramsey, Carlo Traversi, Daniel Woods, Isaac Caldiero, Joe Kinder, Jon Cardwell, Lauren Lee, Paul Robinson, Pete Lowell
Areas: Moe's Valley, Mt. Potasi, Red Rocks, St. George, Virgin River Gorge
Footage of D. Woods at Moe’s coming soon in The Players DVD…