The Barb

MIchael on the roof 9 pitch

        Having had fun on the Petit Grepon, Michael, Jonny, and I decided to do another threesome. This time we decided on the Barb (5.10-) on Spearhead. Against our will, we all decided to sleep this particular night, but between work, climbing, and entertaining relatives, we were all left with no more than two hours.

        Jetting to the ever so popular bivy situated just below the snowfield of Spearhead’s base, we ditched all unnecessary weight at the “Sheridan”. From there we reached the base of the route and ran into another group. As a team of two, they moved with more efficiency and breezed by us.

Easy climbing placed us at the first belay where I began to feel weak and got a small headache. I contagiously used my partners’ psych to continue and took the next pitch and Jonny the next. I started to wonder if it would be wise to not do difficult alpine days back to back on such little sleep. I practically run on pure GU for two days every weekend.

       Running on fumes, Jonny and I didn’t put up much of a fight for the gem pitches and Michael gladly tied in and walked them both. At the top of the Barb Flake we wasted some time getting slightly off route. My feet had swollen so much that it was obvious they wouldn’t be going back into my climbing shoes, once they had been taken off at the belay. So I followed Michael up the last two pitches of 5.7 to the summit where we refueled, fist bumped, and took a few pictures.

        It appears I am not very welcome on Spearhead. My last trip involved me pooping my way to the base of it and then once again while on lead, thirty feet run out, on the first pitch. How, you ask? Well if you must know, since I wasn’t on a crux pitch and only beginning my day, I refused to do it harnessed. It involved an uncomfortable heel hook, mantle, and a lot of embarrassment. I ended that day with an injured achilles tendon that put me on crutches for a week and haunts me to date. Despite my luck on Spearhead, I look forward to repeating Syke’s Sickle (5.9+), The Barb, and later on sending Spear Me the Details (5.11d).