We got up early with a plan today. We were headed to climb the classic El Matador and then drive to the Needles in South Dakota.
We headed over to register at the climbing ranger office. I'd reported the deceased falcon via paper the night before and wondered if they'd received it. The ranger said that people had reported a falcon down the day before with a broken leg. We directed them to where they could find the little guy's body. They suspected it was the daddy falcon. Very very sad.
We hiked up to El Matador happy it was still cool, though still humid. We got to the base and found no other parties. Yay us! I lead the first pitch (5.8) and Dave followed. It was a very fun lead.
The next pitch was the business. 150 feet straight up the equivalent of a three-sided elevator shaft. Dave flew up it in perfect form.
I looked left at the left wall. I looked right and the right wall. Then I looked at my legs. I didn't think it was possible for me to stem as needed. Gulp.
I started up. The initial part of the climb is in a crack on the left side. It wasn't my "best" crack size. I got up a ways and flew out of the crack like a suicidal lemming. After many attempts and cursing, I got past this section and layed back the crack like a crazed person.
I obviously hadn't learned my lesson from Carol's Crack.
I went until I oozed out of the lay back and then 'assumed the position'. It was tedious. It was slow. It was hard. My face rubbed against the wall. My arms were too short. I was too weak. Gack.
Minutes after starting this, my body obviously shunted all blood out of my brain to my muscles. I couldn't even speak.
I finally made it to the top with the hollowed look of a someone who'd just seen a ghost. I made it though. Dave lowered me and I checked myself out for major gore wounds. Clearly, El Matador had gored me. Hard.
We hiked out and returned to the ranger station. At Devil's Tower, climbers are required to register when the head up to climb, and to check in when they return. While in the station, a woman tourist looked at me and said "Did I just see you up there climbing?" I said "Yes". She said "How can you walk after that?" It was pretty funny! My legs, arms and rump ached the rest of the day.
We hopped in the truck. We headed to South Dakota for some climbing at the Needles. When we mentioned to others we were going to the Needles, the comment was always the same: That place is scary. I wondered what was in store for me.
The drive to the Needles is quite pleasant. It didn't seem to take long at all.
When we arrived in the Needles, we immediately hiked up to do Tricouni and Tent Peg - two climbings in the Ten Pins area. They were both really fun! I love the rock here. It's got great friction, it's hard and most importantly, it SPARKLES. It really does. It's really beautiful.
Next, I finally got to experience "the rap". I'd long heard of the rap, but now I was on top of the Tricouni and I had to do it. One places the rope on top of the tiny summit. Dave is connected to one side of the rope ready to rappel, and I'm connected to the other side. Our bodies act as counterweights to the other. Then we rap. Whoa. Mentally it was freaky. In practice it worked well.
We called it a day and headed to our camp site. To get there, we had to go through one of the Needles crazy tunnels. The thing is TINY. Buses drive through this! I am glad it was Dave and not me driving at the time we had to go through this crazy tunnel!
We found our secluded camp site, made dinner and enjoyed the evening. It rained during the night.
