WAGG Day 22 - Goes 63-65

October 9th, 2016

It's been 5 months since my last go on Whiskey, and it felt go to take three goes on the thing. Also, a summer of poor conditions (maybe better stated as low-motivation) brought me to the table a little weaker than the last time. Still, I took three goes, and did all of the moves at least twice. This thing is hard, but amazing. I need to climb/train more, and I feel like I'm over a little period of burnout.

WAGG Day 21 - Goes 59-62

May 7, 2016

It's been almost six months since I last gave Whiskey a try. A lot of things have kept me from it in that time, but it was good to be back. I have been training a lot for an upcoming mountaineering trip and NOT focussing on rock climbing strength. So, I was pleasantly surprised on my first go when I fell only a move below my best go to-date. Subsequent goes were less impressive, and my lack of training shined through. My big takeaways from the day are:

1. Whiskey a Go-Go is still amazing
2. I haven't lost as much strength as I thought, but I have lost some endurance
3. I am psyched to spend the summer and fall solely focussed on hard rock climbing and even bouldering (yes I said it).

A Pitch or a Problem per Day - Psyched!

From my Mountain Project Profile

Sure it's loosely defined, but I'm pretty psyched that I'm over 365 for the year. Since I only tick "sends" the actual number is much higher. Leading Congrats with Matthew was the lucky number 365 for the year, and there are still 9 days left!

WAGG Day 20 - Goes 55-58

Well, this week was certainly better than last week. Aside from having a big day on the route (4 goes) I figured out some micro-beta that will help me further down the line.

On the first go, I was feeling pretty strong, but as I was reaching to the crux the rope obstructed the first side pull - the TR is starting to hold me back I think.

On later gos, I learned how important a finger's width is on the soapdish. Sometimes the move off the Gaston feels solid, and sometimes it feels questionable. The key is to move the hand one finger to the right(?) from what feels natural.

Such a good route!

WAGG Day 19 - Goes 52-54

In preparation for writing this entry, I took a look at the last two WAGG reports. I've been stagnating lately. This stagnation is the result of obvious reasons (excuses) which makes it somewhat tolerable and justified, but still frustrating and disheartening. Most of October I was either sick, or busy, or both. This meant only one night of action on Whiskey early in the month, and not much training to make up for the lack of physical presence. I spent the first day of November at Necedah, and took three goes on Whiskey. I think all of those goes were either two or three hang efforts on TR - not exactly progress, but hopefully the kick in the ass that I needed to spur me to better effort. I'll be back next Sunday and hopefully will see some improvement.

WAGG Day 17 - Goes 47-49

9/20/15

Jay and I went right back to Necedah after Friday's attempts. We had a huge crew there, and we got a lot of climbing done, although most of mine was done on Whiskey. I took a total of three goes this time, and they were very encouraging. The first was a TR go that took me to my highest point yet from the ground, falling only 2-3 moves from the top - I was psyched. A while later I decided to give it a shot on lead, and went bolt-to-bolt after the first 2-3 bolts. The third and final go of the day was another TR go, and I made it within a move or two of the top, bettering my earlier go. It was heartbreakingly close, but it would have to wait. I tweaked my left pinky a bit on this last go, and I plan on taking a break from Whiskey for a couple weeks - hopefully I don't lose too much.

WAGG Day 16 - Goes 45-46

9/18/15

Jay is back in town for a bit and we snuck up to Necedah for the evening. I took a couple TR goes on Whiskey. The first one of the night I climbed through the crux to a new high point from the ground. My core felt solid in the crux, so the shift in training regimen is paying off. I used the rest of that go and almost all of the next to try some new beta between bolts four and five. The beta I've been using is a little scary on lead because my feet were getting all jacked in the rope above bolt four. The potential new beta is promising, but it needs to have the kinks worked out.

WAGG Day 15 - Goes 42-44

09/13/15

It has been more than three months since the last time I was on Whiskey. I spent the summerr away because humidity sucks for hard rock climbing, and I was doing so much cardio getting ready for the Tetons. It was good to get back on the route last Sunday, I took three real goes on the thing, all on TR. I managed to one hang it on TR again, so at least I haven't lost anything since June.

The route felt good, but my core gave out in the crux, my arms and fingers felt solid, so its core focus on the training plan from here out.

Cross One Off the List!

I love Thoroughfare, and I have loved it since the first time I climbed it on a top-rope close to a decade ago. At that time, if anyone would have asked if I would ever lead it, or any 5.11 trad route for that matter, I would have told them they were crazy! Even my considerably bolder early-twenties self would have thought leading 5.11 on gear was unlikely - I just did not have the mindset, commitment, or process that I do now. Latching the jug you see me holding in the picture below, is the result of over a year-and-a-half of hard work, dedication and commitment to a process. Two years ago this was an impossibility, and last night it became a reality - it won't land me in any of the mags next month and #Thoroughfare won't be trending on Twitter anytime soon, but I accomplished a goal I was not even aware that I had until recently and considered impossible up until a few months ago. There is no secret to doing this, and I really believe anyone can do it...set a goal, create a plan, and work the plan. It will take sacrifices along the way, but that moment, where you blow so far through any prior expectations you could have conceived of for yourself, is worth every bit of sacrifice along the way - the smile on my face speaks for itself.

James Schroeder, hitting the jug at the end of the difficulties on Thoroughfare (5.11a) at Devil's Lake - Jay Knower Photo

Best 5.13 Sport Route in the Country?

Just sayin'...

WAGG Day 11 - Goes 31-34

05/02/15 (weight 179.2, AMRHR 56)

After last Friday's encouraging progress, I couldn't wait to get back up to Necedah for another go (or four) at Whiskey.

After three lead goes and a TR go at the end of the day, I wasn't able to match my effort from last Friday, but I was pretty happy with my ability to make the first few clips repeatedly on the lead goes. On lead the route will break down into the following three cruxes for me:

WAGG Day 10 - Go 30

04/24/15 (weight 179.2, AMRHR 44)

I drove up to Necedah on Friday after work to meet Charles and take a few quick burns on WAGG. To warm up, Charles led Tower Route while hanging draws, we pulled the rope, and then I led it with the draws in place. Then we hurried to the top of Y-Crack Wall and set a top rope on WAGG. Charles rapelled the line and I followed hanging draws and cleaning holds.

Conditions started to deteriorate almost as soon as Charles tied in for his first go, and they weren't any better by the time it got to be my turn. So, in a full rain, I tied in for a go  of my own (the route overhangs 10-12 feet, but the wind was blowing mightily) and found (mostly) dry holds up to and through the crux. For the first time ever, I climbed from the ground through the crux and fell a few moves above. I ended up two-hanging the route on TR, and doubt I would have sent if conditions were better, but I might have been able to one-hang it instead. I topped out in a full rain, cleaned the TR setup and rapelled to the ground. It was the happiest I had ever been in the face of failure and bad conditions. I was, and still am, incredibly psyched. Up until Friday, I was feeling like I had lost some ground over the winter, so the huge progress I made was exceedingly welcomed.

I cannot wait to get back to Necedah again. While a lead of the route is probably still a ways off, it feels like a real possibility. From here on out, I hope to leave the TR behind and make each go a lead go.

WAGG Day 9 - Goes 28-29

04/18/15 (weight 178.6, AMRHR 60)

I managed to get up to Necedah for a pair of goes on Whiskey over the weekend. Nothing special, I feel like I am stagnating on it a bit and need to change the training strategy around. It feels like I need more core, more forearm endurance and more general power endurance work away from the cliff. It also feels like I need to make a more reasonable pyramid up to the route, and climb some stuff a few grades easier. Maybe it was just a high-gravity day and I need to reengage...regardless, it felt a little stale on Saturday.

WAGG Day 8 - Goes 25-27

Jay was in town last weekend and he coaxed me into a day at Necedah (the coaxing did not take a large effort on his part). I was psyched, but tentative about getting on Whiskey after a long hiatus over the winter. I had been training, but not enough, and did not want to feel like I had gone totally backwards on the thing. I decided to put a top rope on the route and see how things went. I took my time rapping down the route; cleaning holds, hanging draws and trying to remember all of the route's intricacies along the way. As I descended familiar holds triggered faint memories of the movements that would link them, my muscles twitched in anticipation and my mind slipped easily from its chaotic wanderings into a calm and focussed state. I have completed each of the movements to link all of those familiar holds. Taken as individuals, or even as pairs none of them is too difficult, but stacked, one-after-the-other, for fifty unrelenting feet, with virtually no chance of rest - well, one comes to understand how a candle can melt without ever having its wick set aflame.

WAGG Day 7 - Goes 22-24

I have been nursing a sore shoulder for a few weeks now, and I have not been resting it like I should. Today looked like it might be the last good rock climbing day for the year, so I had been planning all week to come up for the day. I had a good session on the hangboard on Thursday night, and planned on resting all day on Friday and Saturday to give the route one more solid effort before the season slipped away. Friday morning my dad called and asked me to help load a load of Christmas Trees at the family Christmas Tree Farm on Saturday...so much for resting. Sunday dawned, I was tired and sore, but I pointed the car north anyway and headed for one of the best routes in Wisconsin, if not the country.

WAGG Day 5 - Goes 15-18

Another rad day on Whiskey!

Sending weather? 

Living The Dream

Summary

In the weeks (almost months now) since Phil and I returned from the trip to the Bighorn Mountains for which we were awarded an American Alpine Club/The North Face - Live Your Dream (AAC/TNF - LYD) grant, I have been hemming and hawing about how to write a trip report without making it sound as though I am attempting to make something out of nothing. It is true that by the standards of summits reached, or routes climbed, we had little success...but judged by, at least what I consider, the more important standards of adventures shared, knowledge gained of self, partner and place, and the strengthening of an old friendship - we accomplished much. For those that are only interested in summits and routes completed here is the list:

• In the Bighorns, we reached the summit of Buffalo Back (ca. 12,300') via the West Face Route (II 3rd)
• Outside of the Bighorns, we  reached the summit of Devil's Tower (5,114') via the Durrance Route (II 5.7)

For the rest of you that are psyched to hear about the adventure and the knowledge we gained...read on!

WAGG Day 4 - Goes 10-14

I spent another day on Whiskey yesterday. I can tell that I am getting stronger, but it feels a long way away...even a clean top rope ascent feels a long way away. I had the reserves for five goes today, which is a big improvement over the previous days where three was the limit.

The Birth of an Obsession

I have been trying to become a better climber since I started climbing seventeen years ago. At times, when the circumstances of life have allowed, I have been very focused on this goal, and, at other times, when life's circumstances were not so generous I have been less focused. Recently, the circumstances of life have allowed me the opportunity to focus on climbing in a way that I have not been able to for over a decade - and I am grateful for that. Since February, I have been climbing, a lot and enjoying every minute of it. I have been pushing myself both on and off the rock, and the effort has rewarded me with regular PRs for a variety of climbing styles. Things have been going very well, and I am having a great time climbing, but my quest has been lacking one thing that I enjoy...a long-term project.

"Tickled" is the only way to describe it.

I have two-year old son, and one of my favorite things in this world is tickling him. His laugh is adorable, and the joy in his laughter is unmistakable. It is the kind of innocent, head-tossed-back, happy-to-be-alive-in-this-exact-time-and-place, sound that comes out of us with less and less frequency as we age. An "I-do-not-care-who-sees-or-hears" joy that cannot possibly be self-aware. I tell you this because as I briefly sat alone at the top of Gill's Buttress last night, the sun low on the western horizon, the valley below lit as if from within by the late-evening glow, I felt this feeling. I did not laugh out loud, but I felt tickled.