Tucson

Friends with (Climbing) Benefits: MT Lemmon Style👊🏼

I am just days away from heading off to yet, another climbing adventure, with the child on top of this rock with me. And, I realized that I have not posted about all the fun we had the first 4 months of this year 😳 I am so behind on my blog!!

One reason I haven’t blogged about this period of time is that I had soooo many pictures to sort through! Much like the trip I made this time last year, with my blog buddies in Montreal. I have been blessed with an abundance of riches 😊 Just like then, I had to sit down and force myself to pick the best moments out of a mountain of happy memories. So, here it goes!

Our first stroke of good fortune was that our son, Ryan, decided to spend the winter months with us in Tucson. He stayed from January to April, which meant I had an outdoor climbing buddy at all times 😆 The second was that our dirtbag pals (a dirtbag is a person who lives in a van, traveling from one climbing area to another for weeks, months or years at a time) made a stop at our place! Joan and Dean are on a mission to climb and visit every national park and climbing area in the US🌟

Left to right: Dean, Dennis, Joan, Ryan and me

There is no way I could document every time we were out cragging. Often there was some subset of this group out, and with other local folks mixed in, climbing, biking, or at an acro yoga class! This was an intense period of physical activity to be sure! So I will attempt to hit the highlights.

One of the earliest trips up the mountain involved all five of us. We made our way up to Goosehead rock, which has several routes of varying difficulty. This is a mile past Windy Point, as you head up MT Lemmon.

Dean belaying Dennis

Dennis is on the left, at the top and Ryan is leading a harder route on the right

Joan and Ryan met while working at Vertical World, and have been serious buds ever since!

Joan on the left, cruising past me on the right 😂

Yes, Dean is wearing shorts even though there is snow on the ground. That’s just how he rolls👊🏼

As you can see, we had a colder than usual winter in Tucson this year. More snow and rainfall than usual. This meant that we had to get out whenever we could get a weather break. And, sometimes we had to head indoors to get in a climb.

Dean is patiently waiting for me to figure out this 5.10c lead beta, he looks thrilled! 😂

We did get another chance to make it up to the Windy Point climbing area. Unfortunately Dennis was working and Joan was not feeling well, so it was just Ryan, Dean and myself. I say it was unfortunate because this was, by far, my favorite day of climbing😊 The sun was out and we hit up two of the most picturesque climbing areas on the mountain.

We set our sights on Hitchcock Pinnacle Rock first. I have wanted to get on top of this the moment I laid eyes on it last year 😍

We had the area to ourselves, and made a simple plan. Ryan would go up first, leading the easiest route on the right (5.7) and then belay up me, and then Dean.

A huge thank you to Dean for these great photos! I will cherish these always❤️

Now it was Dean’s turn!

Of course, summit selfies at the top of all of us!

Dean is King of the World!

I love the reflections in Ryan’s glasses

There is another route, a slightly harder (5.10a) on the left side that we wanted to try. So we rappelled down and went back up! Check out the right side of the tower, see that ledge? near the base? The climber has to pull over that roof.

After we finished playing here😆 The guys wanted a bigger challenge. We made our way a short distance to the other side so they could climb Steve’s Arete.

This is a gorgeous climb and a 5.11a, not something I wanted to try, so I just took the pics

I believe that Dean went first

then Ryan

Both of these guys are strong climbers, and they struggled at times to send it. When Dean said “now it’s DeeDee’s turn”, I said “pass”! Next time😲 maybe.

Of course, they were interested in the harder route on the right, “Green Ripper” is a 5.12b and it took Ryan several tries to send it, but he got it!

You can see his climb here: on his youtube channel! Its a three minute video.

After this the weather turned cold again, so our next two trips out had to be at lower elevation on the moutain. We made our way to La Milagrosa canyon a couple times, which required passing through some water. Off came the shoes😂

The first time found us at a crag called “the beach”, mainly because it is always in the sun☀️ Ryan spent a long time working an overhanging 5.12, he came close but didn’t quite send it. It did make for some pretty pics!

The second time we hit up the “Main Wall” I really liked this area, even managed a few lead climbs myself 👊🏼

Joan on lead, with Dean belaying

the belayer does not seem to be paying attention!

Ryan’s happy to get this 5.12b “Ecstatic Electricity”

The weather shut us down for a few days for climbing. So Joan and I did some partner yoga🧘🏻‍♀️because of course, who wouldn’t!

Did I mention that Joan is crazy!! I guess I am too 🤪

Our last climb was back at Windy Point, but Hawk Rock this time

Dean in space

While the guys worked on a couple routes, Joan and I climbed up the back way to watch from the top. We also wanted to take a look at a slack line that was set up on a nearby peak.

It was such a windy day, we never saw anyone try to cross this!

Dean topping out

I’m just goofing around here, but the rock was a little sharp 😉

After a few other climbs, here and there, Joan and Dean departed for Red Rocks in Vegas. They would be meeting up with Ryan while he worked his way northward. It was sad to see them go, but we are all planning on climbing again next winter.

It was time for our daughter, Alex, to visit for the weekend. Alex, Ryan and I went to “Crags Against Humanity” which is low on the mountain and very easy to get to from the car. We went so Alex could get in a few climbs, and to help Ryan train for a rock rescue drill that he needed to perform at his AMGA rock guide II course that he would be taking at Red Rocks.

Alex’s first lead at MT Lemmon

My turn to lead

Ryan “rescuing” me, I am supposed to be unconscious!

And I am saved!!

So now I am caught up!! Until Monday (three days from now) when Ryan and I start climbing at Smith Rock State Park. We went as a family two years ago! I wrote a post about it but I haven’t been back, until now.

So excited, and lucky, to get to climb with my kids💕

If you want to learn more about Joan and Dean’s adventures, you can find them on Instagram @love2dirtbag

Ryan is on IG @rtillson_ and he posts climbing videos at youtube: Ryan Tilley

OR click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6kqvEAyZZHVkIjfLCRo0Yw

I’m Taking a Photography Class 📸

I signed up for iPhone academy. My main goal is to get better at taking photos with my phone because it is really hard to haul a camera up the side of a mountain, without killing any of my family members🤣😂🤣

We have a lot of plans this summer, that involve outdoor activities. Some of those activities could be considered a tad dangerous,😉 but I still want to get some shots of all of us together. With college graduations, new jobs and boyfriends/girlfriends, it is getting tougher to corral the family for these special moments.

Last night it was as if the sky was on fire! I wanted to take a panorama and catch both the moon and the sun.

Here is the original:

I used Snapseed to warm it up a little, the goal was to make sure it still looked natural. Can you see the moon? Hope so!

Wish me luck as I try to figure out all these apps!!

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge

Now that spring is in full swing, I am actually finding some critters again!

Believe it or not, this is the same hummingbird in all three pictures! Apparently, this species will “flash” his colors when he is irritated, or trying to find a mate. I am guessing he was mad, as opposed to attracted to me😳

My iPhone8 camera was fast enough to capture him as he went from green to fuscia, and the transition color in-between! The hummingbird accomplishes this cool trick by flipping some key neck feathers at break neck speed (see what I did there, 😝)

Have a great week everyone! 💕

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Winter Edition!

Ok, so spring officially begins tomorrow, but I am still searching for critters in the Tucson area. My hubby and I were out walking in our neighborhood, around 10 am. We were walking on the lower road when a coyote casually went the opposite way on the upper road. Do you see him? By the mailbox?

Unfortunately this was the best pic I got as I was using my cell phone and shooting into the sun. This is a really healthy looking canine! We are just now starting to see chipmunks and lizards scurrying around as the weather has warmed. Clearly the coyote population has found plenty to eat this winter! Perhaps feasting on the many roadrunners we have nearby😊

Roda’s Critter Connection, Winter Edition!

I really lucked into this one! I was sitting in our front room and this roadrunner hopped up on the wall in the back yard. He ran along the top and hung out just long enough for me to grab a picture.

It has been cold, by Tucson standards, and we have not seen a whole lot of critters, so this was a gift!

Have a great week everyone 🙂

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Winter Edition!

Another Monday, another critter! I was lucky enough to catch this desert toad while we were hiking Saturday. Well, I didn’t have to try too hard, he is in a terrarium!

There was a children’s animal program at Catalina State Park, near the trail head. They brought in quite a few critters that are commonly found in the desert here, near Tucson. It was a warm day and the animals were quite active inside their enclosures, but these two toads appeared kinda bored with the whole deal! Check out his fingers!

The feature image is where we ended up at the top of the hike. It’s a beautiful park 🙂

I hope I can find an interesting critter for next week 🙂

Standard Route on Mt. Lemmon

Ryan and I first climbed on Mt. Lemmon near the base, at “the wall of the flying scorpions”. This was a single pitch crag and near 1500ft. elevation. We had fun, even though I did split open a couple fingers in the process.

This time we decided to head up near the 4000ft area to a multi pitch climb named “the standard route“. This climb is located on Chimney rock and is only a 200ft climb, divided into 5 pitches. Perfect for me but pretty lame for Ryan!

It was a gorgeous day when we got to the base of the wall.

Ryan placed his rope and some gear near the base and we “suited up”.

There was a party of three ahead of us, so we waiting our turn. I watched the two women ahead of us in the hopes of learning the best way to maneuver the route.

Then Ryan lead up to the first anchor.

There was a big ledge here to sit and wait for our turn on the second pitch.

The view just keeps getting better!

This is the start of the second, and my least favorite, pitch. This is the chimney, which is just large enough for your body to squeeze into the gap. You can see the last climber in the group ahead of us as she tries to work her way up the rock face.

Eventually, Ryan and I got up, through and over this pitch. Below is the top of the chimney and the start of my favorite pitch, number 3.

We waited here for a bit while the other group made their way up.

Helmet hair!

Ryan was tired of waiting at this point and was ready to head up.

The view from the top of pitch 3.

After talking with the group ahead of us, we all decided to combing pitches 4 and 5 and went to the top!

This rock teetering on the spike, was another 1000ft or so above us. Would love to climb in that area!

The obligatory Summit Selfie!

We waited for our turn to rappel off the top.

Ryan goes first and I wait for him to yell clear, then I head down. When we are both on the ground, we pull the rope through the anchor.

But the rope did not cooperate this time. Ryan had to climb back up and retrieve it!

This happens sometimes! Luckily he knew what to do because that rope is $300.00, Yikes!

After a fun climb there is only one thing left to do!

Happy Hour at Zona78!

Our next climb will be with the whole family!

The Climbing Adventure Continues on Mount Lemmon

Ryan and I have been climbing in the Southern Arizona area, and have been to the Cochise Stronghold area a couple times. We like that area, but it is a two hour drive from our home in the Catalina foothills and makes for a pretty long day. We decided to head over to Mount Lemmon, in the Coronado National Forest, which is only 40 minutes away.

The day was perfect for climbing with the temperature at 73F and no wind. And, since it was a weekday, we would not have too many other climbers to contend with on the wall.

There are many crags here, mostly single pitch climbing, all well bolted with “lower offs” in place.

We chose the “wall of the flying scorpions” because it had several routes, some low enough for me, and most harder, for Ryan to climb.

This is the view from the parking area and our routes are on the far right rock wall.

We had a bit of a hike to get through the gully and over to the crag. One thing I have learned about hiking in the desert is that the cactus are not the worst offenders. I used to believe that the cacti, with their sharp spines, were the only foliage to be avoided. But the cactus are not the biggest problem! The brush and bushes, none of which are the iconic saguaro variety, are the real danger. Look at the spikes on this bush!

This, and the many large aloe vera plants with their razor sharp leaves, are the real obstacles along the path.

We made our way to the other side of the valley and found the wall.

These are the easier routes, so just a warm up for Ryan! I made it up this first, 5.8 just fine.

But, 1/3 of the way up the second wall (5.9) I had a little problem.

Turns out this rock was a little sharper than I had hoped. As I pulled up on a finger tip hold, I sliced my index finger. It wasn’t too bad, but the blood made the rest of the route a little slippery and I then took a larger piece of my thumb off.

That was ok because these were the only two routes I was going to attempt on this wall anyway. So I finished off the climb and we moved down the wall to Ryan’s routes, 5.10b, 5.10b/c and a 5.11-.

Ryan’s routes were longer and obviously harder. At this point I was just belaying him and taking some shots from the base of the wall. A pretty view!

The view from the base of the wall, looking back on the road leading up Mount Lemmon

Ryan’s favorite climbing shirt. Last year’s Christmas gift from his sister.

We were not alone at the crag, a few other duos were there working the wall as well. We caught a glimpse of them as we drove away.

Zooming in on the wall, you can see one of their back packs (circled) where the belayer is standing and the arrow indicates the climber on his way up.

This must have been how Ryan and I appeared from the other side of the highway.

There are so many other crags to explore on Mount Lemmon and we will be heading back to check them out!

Ryan and Dee Dee’s Excellent Adventure

You may recall that my husband and I decided to buy a second home in Tucson about six months ago. As soon as we told our kids, our son, Ryan, began planning a climbing trip. He wanted to leave Washington the minute his fall semester ended and stay at the new house, which would serve as his base of operations, through the Christmas holiday.

This plan was not practical for Dennis and Alex (our daughter) as they needed to work and was not poplar with Grandma as Ryan and I would not be around for the traditional Christmas Eve dinner! But, this is our first year with the new house and everyone has been gracious in allowing Ryan and I this great opportunity 🙂

We decided that Ryan and I would be in Tucson until the end of December and then Dennis and Alex will join us so we can all climb for the first week of January. So, Ryan and I had our first foray into Southern Arizona yesterday.

We left the house at 9:30am for the 2 hour drive to the Cochise Stronghold climbing area in the Coronado National Forest. There are over 1000 different routes to choose from. Ryan decided on Euphoria for our first climb. Armed with two guide books and the Mountain project website we began our search for the route.

For any of you that climb or hike, you know that finding the parking area is the first challenge. We turned onto the well marked “primitive road” and began the 10 mile drive toward the general area. We were pretty sure we were on the right track when we saw the domes off in the distance.

About 8 miles into the gravel road we saw this…

How is a school bus making the 16 mile round trip on this road? And where are these kids coming from??

Anyway, we kept going.

Getting closer!

We had been making good time, up until this point! Somewhere we missed the tiny little sign that indicated the forest road that split off toward the parking area. This cost us an hour as we tried to back track and listen to the disembodied GPS voice telling us to take the private, padlocked road to our destination! Finally, we found it.

The dome on the far right was where Euphoria lives, and where we needed to hike over toward. This hike would take about an hour, according to the guide books, we managed to get there in 40 minutes.

We now are beginning the climb at almost 1pm! The sun sets at 5:22pm and we were hoping to climb the five pitches (plus the hour hike back) before it was so dark that we needed head lamps, so we had to be efficient!

Ryan began flaking the rope

This is the view from the base, lots of trees and rocks!

Ryan lead the first pitch and set the anchor, you might be able to see his yellow jacket at the top of the orange rope.

I climbed up and Ryan took this shot at the top of pitch one.

From here it gets colder! The wind picked up big time and we climbed the next four pitches. No pictures there as the focus is now on not dying! Both hands on the rope at all times. As we went higher the cold became a factor as our finger tips and toes were really starting to suffer! Ryan, of course, never fell. I, of course, fell twice!

We finally topped out about three hours after the initial pitch and we were both shivering! Ryan snapped a summit selfie.

I found out later that a “unusual cold front” had moved into the area and would take the temperature into the low 20s. The first frost warning of the season-lucky us!

It was now pushing 5pm and we had to get back to the car. The hike down was steep and we had all the gear to balance. The sun was going down and we took a few last shots of this beautiful place.

We did make it back to the car before it was too dark to see without the head lamps. I was rather proud of that!

I am not going to lie, I am bruised and sore today! But we will be back! There are many more routes to explore in this area.

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Fall Edition

A while back we visited the Tucson Botanical Garden. It was a beautiful sunny day and the butterflies were out and about. I hope Roda likes this colorful little guy 🙂

Have a wonderful week everyone 🙂

Invisible-No-More

Invisible-No-More

Tucson

Friends with (Climbing) Benefits: MT Lemmon Style👊🏼

I’m Taking a Photography Class 📸

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Winter Edition!

Roda’s Critter Connection, Winter Edition!

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Winter Edition!

Standard Route on Mt. Lemmon

The Climbing Adventure Continues on Mount Lemmon

Ryan and Dee Dee’s Excellent Adventure

Roda’s Critter Connection Challenge, Fall Edition