Weekend on the Shore

Adam and I are planning on making up for our failed Red Wing trip by heading to the North Shore of Lake Superior to hit up the cluster of crags there.  BSU’s OPC (Outdoor Program Center) will be taking a group of freshman on a trip to the same area, so we might run into some of our friends on staff while we’re hitting up the rocks, but I think we’ll be looking for a slightly higher grade of climb, so will more likely climb on our own and hang out with them at night, provided we camp near one another.

I’m looking forward to hitting up a brutal off-width, Superior Crack 5.8+, reputed to “elicit more swearing per linear foot” than any other climb on the shore according to Falcon Guide’s Climbing Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Adam hit it this summer and said it was a pretty punishing route, and since I’m some sort of sick mutant that actually enjoys off-width climbing it seems like the ideal route to hit while I’m in the region.  Other routes on the list are Danger High Voltage! and Urge to Mate (climbers sure give routes weird names.)

We’ll have one newer climber in the group, Rachel, who weighs in at about 110 lbs.  Can she catch the Fat Boys of rock climbing?  We went to the wall last night and gave it a try, and she seemed to be fairly prepared.   Overall, it’ll likely work out well.  Adam and I can lead some easier climbs and build up experience then she can top-rope them.  It’s not a bad plan, but, as anyone who reads my blog regularly knows, my plans have a history of utter failure.

Adam expressed his desire to repeat his brother-in-law’s stunt of climbing Palisade Head naked with the exception of harness, shoes, and sombrero.  All I have to say about that is, it’s going to be cold. The weather doesn’t look too promising.  We’ll get good climbing Friday night, and Sunday, but Saturday will be a crap shoot.  I’m hoping for a little more luck in this department than I’ve had before.