Alright, here it is, my funeral for 2010. Since I love lists, I figure I’ll just put together a couple lists of favorites problems and places from 2010 and the same lists for climbs and areas I’d like to do and go to in 2011. Without further ado:
Favorite Problems (basically didn’t rope up last year, so no routes) of 2010:
-Hobbit in a Blender, Hueco Tanks. This was probably the hardest I have ever tried on a problem. I literally screamed every move for the first ten or so moves until I was on the easy top-out slab.
-Hershey’s Symphony, Hueco Tanks. Amazing highball boulder problem (practically a route). You have a pad under you for the crux, but then there’s another 25 feet of climbing in a corridor that’s impossible to protect. One of my all time favorites.
-Montana Meathook, Lost Horse. I’d always held off from trying this because of the intimidating pit and the grade. Turns out it was a little soft and nearly impossible to fall into the pit. Great problem. Me repeating it in the fall:
-One Way Ticket to Midnight, Lower Mason Lake, Tobacco Roots. My proudest FA by far. 2 hour drive, 1 hour hike, middle of a giant talus field, alone, crappy landing, one pad, high mantle, amazing. Last problem in the vid below:
-Fire in the Hole, Cascade Creek. Another FA, but this one didn’t have any spice. The direct top-out is easier and probably the better line for most, but I just really like the movement on this one.
-Tweeker, Whiskey Gulch. Definitely not one of the best problems I did, but very satisfying because I’d been trying it ever since my first trip to Whiskey many moons ago. Mega-sandbag.
-Lava Lunge Traverse, Cascade Creek. Desperate problem for me. It’s a sit start from the right into the Lava Lunge. I could do the dyno and the traverse seperately nearly every time, but it took me three days of work to actually link them together. Stuck the dyno with my fingertips.
-Fridge Center, Leavenworth. Killer moves and perfect height. Deployed a little extra try hard and flashed it.
-Old and Serious, Squamish. Was really suprised how amazing this problem was. Another all time favorite.
-Ripper Point, Cody. This was a big break-through problem for me. A few years ago this was in the impossible category for me. It’s the first problem I’ve sent that I thought was impossible in the past.
11 Problems for 2011:
-Planet of the Apes, Joe’s Valley, UT. Started working it the last day of the Thanksgiving trip and fell off the mantle completely gassed on the last go of the day.
-Orange Roughy, Old Baldy, SD. Fell off the last move in the 95 degree heat of mid-summer. If I can get back with semi-decent conditions it should go down easy.
-Seven Spanish Angels, Bishop, CA.
-Sheepherder, Bishop, CA. My mental project for my upcoming trip.
-High Plains Drifter, CA. Gotta’ dream…
-Duke Traverse, Lost Horse, MT
-Lava Lunge SDS, Cascade Creek, MT
-the Punisher Crack, Tobacco Roots, MT
-Millipede, Horse Pens 40, AL. Mmmmm, slopers…
-China Crisis, Bozeman Pass, MT. Should go quick if I actually try.
-the Great White Behemoth, Ten Sleep, WY. The most aesthetic route I’ve ever seen.
Where I went in 2010 (outside of MT):
-Hueco Tanks, TX. A little over-rated, but I still want to go back ASAP.
-Joshua Tree, CA
-Red Rock, NV. Kraft boulders suck.
-Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT. Got my tech on.
-Ibex, UT
-Joe’s Valley, UT. Great crew.
-Cody, WY
-Mt. Rushmore (Old Baldy), SD
-Leavenworth, WA. The Joe’s Valley of the NW.
-Squamish, BC, Canada. The most amazing setting of any climbing area I’ve ever been to.
-Triassic, UT. Under-rated.
Where I want to go in 2011:
-Bishop, CA. Should be going for about 2 weeks near the end of Feb. Fifth season in a row. Hopefully that streak never ends.
-Ten Sleep, WY. Need to get back to the buttery sickness.
-Black Hills, SD. Psyched on the bouldering, but I’d like to rope up some as well. There’s gold in them thar hills.
-Ibex, UT
-Joe’s Valley, UT. Unfinished business…
-the Dirty South. Planning on doing a three week trip to the south in Nov/Dec. HP 40, AL, Little Rock City, TN, and Rocktown, GA. So psyched.
Bouldering Montana 
I like the routes Eric! Ten Sleep is the exact opposite of what you did last year, get after it! I’m jealous you’re always going on such amazing trips.
not chips?! first v7 has to be fairly memorable….mine was the lower smoking boulder “unnamed v7” to a topout jug, still remember every one of the 3 moves.
great list; i might be in bishop first week of feb. when you gonna be down there?
Hey Sam, probably going to be in Bishop either Feb 19th or 26th, haven’t quite pinned it down yet. You still going to Europe this spring? Enjoy it, sounds like you should be on one hell of a road trip!
As for Chips, it barely missed the cut for top ten. It’s a killer problem with really unique, varied moves. I feel like I’m just breaking into V6 and it didn’t feel any harder than the few other 6s I’ve done so I’m taking six points.
YAAAY 3wks in the dirty south = awesome fun time. Free lodging and showers in STL.
Not only am I planning on stopping in STL, I’m also counting on you joining me for a few days.