Man, what a couple of weeks it has been!
Don't you just hate it when work grabs hold of you and does not let go for a while.
Enough whining on to the trip report...
My climbing partner Joe (last name not included to protect the innocent) met me at Carderock where I had set up my ropes on two of my favorite climbs out there:
Trudies Terror (5.4) and
Triple A (5.7)Trudie's is a great finger-jam crack in an inside corner that is pretty steep (nearly vertical) and just the right width for some good finger-jamming. A very fun climb!
Here are a couple of not very good pictures looking up from the bottom...
I also use Trudies as a training climb for teaching people how to lead. It's actually easy to protect, has plenty of placements available using nuts and hexcentrics, and since it is so steep and pretty short (~40 feet) it is a great first lead.
I usually let them lead it, while on top rope, and then we both rappel down afterwards and inspect the placements and critique the lead. Do this once or twice, and then let them lead it for real.
Triple A is a much different climb... I don't have any pictures to post, as I was having too much fun! Actually, I am still trying to recover my technique after being away from climbing for a bit too long.
Anyway, if you start to the left of the flake that leads up and away towards Trudies, and instead work on the climb pretty much following the little ledge at about 7 feet, and then work the 3 flakes and head up, you will be at the base of the overhanging bulge about 25 feet off the ground. From there head up and over and top out!
The lower part is very smooth, while the overhang is really sharp on the fingers from all of the quartz inclusions... If you save your strength and climb the lower efficiently, you will have plenty left to pull the over hang :)
All for now!
