Panorama of the Sedona area from the summit of the Mace. (4 Flying Apaches goes up the high contrast arete above the 2 sagebrush meadows)
(about above the word "up" on my computer)

The Mace

Climbing around Flagstaff 2007 Page

The Mace

I got to do some more climbing in and around Flagstaff in 2007. The climbing areas included the pit, the waterfall, and the Mace down by Sedona. I'll start with the Mace, because I have better photos for that trip.

This was my second ascent of the Mace, the page to my first climb in 2003 is here. The Mace is an ultra classic desert sandstone spire. It is more ultra classic for the position and summit than for the climbing itself, which tends towards the wide and grovelly. Luckily, I am not too bad at wide and grovelly - at least in the 5.9 and down range. Even in the dreaded 5.9+ I can usually muddle and thrutch up. The gear I had wasn't necessarily the best, and I would have happily placed a bigger cam than I had in a few places, but my further trimming of the rack at the base didn't seem like a horrible mistake which was nice. Despite my memory of Brian's 60 M rope being long enough for the descent, we brought 2 ropes, and that was good, as we would have come up short with only one of my 60's.

We started out fairly early in Flagstaff in the cold and snow. During the drive we dropped enough elevation and lost enough time so that it was quite nice when we got to the parking area. It was a relatively short hike up to the base (with a little bit of wandering because I didn't start us out on the wide obvious trail). There were a number of cars in the lot, but nobody else was on the climb (although a party of three had signed the summit register for the same day, we never saw them).

Dawn experiences the joys of flare chimneying with a pack.

The first pitch went fairly quickly, and Dawn was wondering why it even took as long as it did until she got her first taste of "fairly solid" Sedona sandstone (one wants to be gentle with the holds in case they decide to migrate downwards with you along for the ride). Then it was a long bit of crack in a flare followed by some runout offwidth (runout with the gear I had). Luckily there were a number of pretty good rest options along the way. Pitch three featured a delicate hand traverse with poor feet into another flaring crack-chimney sort of operation. This would have been a lot more fun with less stuff on, but I was glad to have my camera and camelback along for most of the ride. Dawn's camera fit in her pocket. It also rang a few times when people called her.

Pitch 4 was the crux, but before that it featured some interesting and fun stemming between 3 columns. The reflected light really lit up another bulbous rock tower requiring a few stops for photos. Then came the offwidth crux, which was confusing and strenuous, but conveniently protected with a bolt. The whitewash of bird droppings didn't make it any easier. Eventually I unlocked a sequence that involved among other things a heel toe cam back in the crack, a delicate toe smear with the other foot, squeezing 2 marginal hand holds together, a flaring cupped hand jam, and a lot of quiet grunting. Then I was back into the sun on the top of the lower tower. The move to the higher tower involves leaning over a 4 foot gap to clip a bolt on the far side while staring about 110 feet down the gap. Then you shuffle over to the right to a flake, and muster the oomph to commit fully to crossing the gap. Then there are a few moves up to a thank god hold and scramble to the summit. The register looks like some sort of industrial trash can bolted to the rock. It also doubles as anchor.

We spent about an hour taking pictures, admiring the view, reading the summit register book (which is full), and enjoying the hazy sunshine on the summit. Then it was time to rappel back down. Dawn rapped to the lower tower and I scrambled down and jumped across the last few feet. It was exciting, but a bit too much of a drop to be enjoyable. Two more scenic rappels brought us to the ground. The next day Dawn complained that she was sore all over. Something about not having enough padding and getting blended in the trad blender set to offwidth and squeeze chimney.

Scenic pillar from pitch 4

Shadow of The Mace from the lower tower

Dawn jumps for joy on the summit

Rappeling from the Mace

Dawn answers her camera on the summit

Four Flying Apaches (AKA Sedona Scenic Cruise)

Another climb in Sedona I did with Dawn was "Four Flying Apaches" also known as "Sedona Scenic Cruise". It was a beautiful (but a bit windy) day, and despite the fact that we took a lot longer to approach the climb (due to being slow and photo-geeking), the climbing and views were great. All in all, another fine day. I led the odd pitches (extending the 3rd), and Dawn led 2 and 4, (sport pitches), although she ended up at a rap anchor on pitch 2, which saved her a runout bit (where I placed a cam). Some of the rock wasn't the greatest, but we didn't break anything big off despite Dawn pointing out that she was leading on "mud" a few times. At least it was bolted mud. The airplanes and helicopters flying above and below us were sort of neat the first times, but the noise quickly got old. All in all, another great day out on the rock. The climb had a lot of variety, some face, slab, crimpers, slopers, and cracks of various sizes from fingers to chimneys. Due to a relatively slow start and relaxed pace, we got down around sunset and got to do the hike out by the light of the quarter moon. (we did have headlamps, but didn't pull them out). Dawn took all the pictures of me except for the timer one...

I psych up for the 3rd pitch - great stuff

Dawn starts pitch 4 with a smile

Chevre sandwich with your view?

A helicopter passes below us

Dawn pushes me off the summit

I start the second rap down

Dawn finishes the second rap

Scenic scenery from first pitch top (near sunset)

Panorama of the Sedona area from the summit of 4 Flying Apaches

Bouldering at Buffalo Park (2004)

Buffalo Park

Buffalo park is a small basalt bouldering area within bicycling distance of my brother's, so it makes for an easy climbing fix. There are also some convenient boulders to put the camera on for self timer photos...

Bouldering at Buffalo Park (2007) (same shorts!)

Paradise Forks

Paradise Forks is a trad/toprope area a bit south of Williams. It features fairly vertical basalt columns, with most climbs 5.10 and up. The smooth basalt can be fairly unforgiving for me in the off fingers and thin hands size. Luckily, often there are stemming oportunities. You rappel in to the base of the climbs and then have to climb out. It is pretty scenic, but mostly I was climbing or belaying, so I don't have any worthy climbing photos yet, here are a few others anyway.

All the gear you need for safe climbing

The sine wall at Paradise Forks (about 25 M tall)

The San Francisco Peaks on the drive back

The Pit, (AKA Petit Verdon)

The pit is a limestone sport climbing area out the Lake Mary road. It is usually warm as long as the sun is shining, and on a number of occasions we have post holed in through snow only to end up climbing in t-shirts in the sun. Once again I was usually belaying or climbing, so the photos aren't so great, except here is Julie stomping her gear into her pack. Unfortunately the button that changes the ISO on my new camera is too easy to bump, hence the digital noise.

Julie on Anorexic (priest draw)

Julie packs her bag like she means it

Priest Draw

Probably the most famous of the Flagstaff bouldering areas. It is a limestone bouldering area with pocketed roofs being the specialty.
My old (2004) page about priest draw bouldering

Super Roof

Another limestone roof area, this one features one long roof traverse. Good stuff. Julie has it wired, I fell a lot. In between burns we found and cracked open little geodes.

Julie on super roof

Stick your face next to the geode so it is in the photo

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