Back to the boulders: 10 months post surgery

Bouldering at the Usual Boulders, 10 months post-op.

The past month has been bouldering month. After a slow start on the boulders, I feel like I'm starting to pick up steam. I've done my first V3s in almost three years and I've been able to send a number of problems that I couldn't do with the botched resurfacing. I'm still not at the level I was five years ago, but the possibility is starting to look within reach.

One of the areas I've most frequented is known as the "Usual Boulders" (I've also visited the "Middle Earth", the "Mosquito Coast", the "Egg" and the "Boulders in the Bosque"). The Usual Boulders is one of the closest areas to my house: a steep half-hour walk, straight up the hill from my front gate. It has shade after 2:00 PM and tends to be cool and breezy even on hot afternoons, so it's nice for summer. And it sports a number of moderate boulder problems, most of which I hadn't done in about three years. All in all, there are almost 30 established problems, of which one is V6, two are V5 and everything else is easier. Just right for a guy trying to get back into bouldering after a couple of years of hip problems. So far I've managed to send 16 of those problems, so I guess that's good.

This traverse is one of the first boulder problems I did in the sierra, more than 16 years ago:

The old, fat guy sends a stout V2 traverse that's still good after 16 years

This V2 roof problem that has two, distinct variations. Here is variation number one:

Twist in the right toe, to make this first reach

This part is hip intensive.

I never got here with the botched resurfacing.

Variation number two of the V2 roof problem:

My revised left hip is working pretty good here

A crimpy V2 problem that often gave me a bit of trouble even before hip surgery:

Big reach

This problem is rated V1, but it´s no give-me:

The next move would be pretty hard if it wasn't for the knee lock below

The happy sender gets a V1

My 10 year old daughter has had a pretty good year bouldering outdoors, sending a variety of problems including three V2s. Here she is cruising a long, pumpy V0 traverse at the Usual Boulders: 

Ceci hanngs out on jugs, half way through a V0 traverse

Cecilia finishing up the V0 traverse with ease

The Matrix: closing in on 9 months

Tim roping up to climb in the Matrix

Like I said before, La Barrosa, the sierra behind my house, is exceptional for its bouldering. However, there are also two small areas I opened up for roped climbing. One of these areas is the Bosque, which I wrote about earlier. The other area is known as the Matrix. The Matrix is located on the cool, shady, south side of La Barrosa and makes a fine destination for sunny, low humidity days. Last summer it wound up becoming the hot spot for new, hard boulders, but it's also home to about 16 short routes ranging from 5.8 to easy 5.12.

On a beautiful Sunday, almost five weeks ago we (Martín, Analía, Rafi, Ceci, Gaby and yours truly) spent the day in the Matrix. This turned out to be sort of a breakthrough day for me. For the first time in almost three years, I began to feel like I might realistically be able to put all this hip stuff behind me and someday, in the not so distant future, return to my previous level. Since that weekend, things have only gotten better.

At the entrance to the Matrix, is a gently overhanging wall, which hosts six short routes, ranging from 5.8 to bouldery 5.10. We started out there, climbing three of the routes. One of these, perhaps the best on the wall, is a surprisingly good 5.10a  (to look at it) and I was happy to see my 10 year old daughter Ceci climb strong through the tricky crux.

Ceci approaching the crux on a tricky 10a

Pulling the 10a crux on top rope

After finishing the three warm up routes, we headed to the steep overhang of the Matrix proper. The easiset route on this little wall is a 10c called "Have a cookie" and was put up by visitng climber Mike Pleinis, from Ogden Utah.  

Still old, but not quite as fat, Tim climbs "Have a cookie"

Place the red camalot

I was curious to see how my hip would work on this move.

Place the yellow camalot

"Have a cookie" is steep

The next route we did was "There is no spoon", a 10d just to the right of "Have a cookie".

Martín on belay duty while Tim climbs "There is no spoon"

Contemplating the crux

My operated hip does the job on the 10d crux

The old, fat guy is back in action

In spite of the fact I was more than happy to send the 10c and the 10d, I should say these are two routes that I had also managed to do with the botched  hip resurfacing. My big advance came on the next two routes, a couple of stout 5.11a's that sometimes gave me trouble even when my hip was not a factor. Although I didn't get any photos climbing these routes, I want to report I sent the first one clean on my second go and the other route I managed to lead in relatively good style with one hang to rest. This is the first time I've climbed these routes in about three years, so it counts as a milestone for me.

Here's a photo of our friend Pablo from Buenos Aires sending the second hardest route in the Matrix (an 11d). The route the kids are top-roping on the left is the 11a  I sent clean.

Pablo sends "The Matrix reloaded"

It's been three weekends since our visit to the Matrix and I've been mainly focused on bouldering. I have to say it's been going pretty well. I've sent my first V3 since before the botched hipresurfacing and each weekend has given me a new breakthrough. I'll try to write a blog post about bouldering in the near future.

Six months and beyond

The six month check-up: De Smet says the x-ray looks perfect

The six month check-up came and went. I sent the above x-ray to De Smet and he wrote back saying: "the x-ray looks perfect". "Perfect" sounds good.

The weather hasn't been very cooperative this spring for weekend climbing, although I've gotten out some. We've climbed in the bosque, Paredes Naranjes and another area on La Barrosa that I established called the Matrix (I hope to write up a report on the Matrix when we climb there again latter in the spring). Highlights include my first redpoints of 5.11 in more than two and a half years (an 11b and an 11c in the bosque) as well as climbing a few interesting new routes I'd never done before.

One of the new routes we tried was a nice crack squeezed between two bolted face climbs at Paredes Naranjas. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the first time the crack had ever been lead. 

The old fat guy placed gear in a crack right next to bolted faces

Here are three shots of Martin flashing the crack, using the gear I placed:

Martín flashes the crack using the gear I placed

No problem here

Go Martín

El Groso, Gaby and Matoco, down from the Himalayas to climb at Paredes Naranjas

Another highlight was Cecilia redpointing the 5.8 crack to face route en el bosque (her first serious redpoint  in Balcarce). This is the same route where I reinitiated my climbing in the fifth blog post.

Ceci redpointing the crack to face route in el bosque

Ceci looking strong before a tricky move on the face

I went bouldering a couple of more times, but I haven't really been able to get into an outdoor bouldering rythmn yet. I hope to put in some nice reports on some of the local bouldering areas once I get my mojo working, Meanwhile, by supplementing my outdoor climbing with sessions in the home gym, I have been able to maintain about three days of climbing per week. I also try to go on hikes at least two of my non climbing days. Typically these hikes range from 4 to 6 miles, but today, for example I hiked around 8 miles. The highlight in this category was hiking the length of the sierra, La Barrosa from end to end on top and then returning along the base. This is a fairly intense three hour hike which I hadn't done for several years. Now I've done it three times since the revision.

Back in Córdoba

Tim climbs Criollitos, an 11a in the Sierras of Córdoba, summer 2009

When I first came to Argentina from Salt Lake City, in September of 1994, I knew there was climbing in Patagonia, but I didn't know much at all about the Province of Córdoba, the place where I was going to live and work. One of my roommates in Utah and my main climbing partner at the time, José Pereyra, had informed me there was established rock climbing in the Sierras of Córdoba and encouraged me to go to Argentina. Jose's encouragement was one of the main reasons I had decided to accept a two year position at the University of Córdoba instead of staying in the US.

My first taste of Argentine climbing came at an indoor wall, situated in a municipal gymnasium in the city of Córdoba and run by Club Andino Córdoba. There I met a young, ambicious 17-year-old climber named Diego Roldan. We hit if off from the start: he didn't speak much English and I didn't speak Spanish, yet somehow we managed to communicate. The following weekend we were on a bus to Los Gigantes, the oldest and most traditional climbing area in the Sierras of Córdoba. The place seemed strange and magical to me and ever since that first trip, Córdoba has become one of my favorite places to climb.

The sierras run north-south down the backbone of the province in two parellel ranges: the Sierras Chicas to east and the higher, more extensive Sierras Grandes about 50 kilometers to the west. In many areas the Sierras Grandes reach well over 7,000 feet in altitude and the high region captures sufficient moisture to form a complex system of streams, canyons and rivers. Rising up to approximately 9,150 feet, Cerro Champaqui, located smack dab in the middle of the Sierras Grandes, is the loftiest point. Sharp, crystal-studded granite abounds throughout the mountain range and climbable rock is pretty much unlimited, although the established climbing is largely concentrated in two main areas: La Ola and Los Gigantes.

Storm clouds brewing over Cerro Champaqui in summer, 2009.

Climber's camp in La Ola, summer 2009

Mariano Maceri climbs Cazen a Willy, an 11a on La Ballena, summer  2009

Cecila climbs 5.8 on La Ola, summer 2009

Climbing possibilities are more limited in the Sierras Chicas. However, in the region surrounding Cerro Uritorco (the tallest of the Sierras Chicas, with an altitude of about 6400 feet), there is a nice collection of climbable rock. This area is locally referred to as Capilla del Monte, for the name of the small town that sits at the base of Uritorco. Although there is some climbing (difficult to access) on the high faces of Cerro Uritorco, the bulk of the climbing at Capilla del Monte is located close to town, along a short canyon carved by the Rio Dolores as it exits below the dam that forms Lago El Cajón. I first climbed here back in 1995, with Diego Roldan, my wife Gaby and other climbers from Córdoba. In fact, Capilla del Monte was the last place I climbed at in Córdoba before I went to Balcarce in August 1996. More recently, an active group of local climbers has blossomed and the quantity of established routes and boulders has exploded. Because of the low altitude and dry, sunny winter climate, Capilla del Monte is without a doubt one of the best winter climbing spots in all of Argentina.

Today is Wednesday and we have been in Rio Cuarto with the inlaws since Saturday night. I've been trying to stay as active as possible, mainly by going on long walks by the river. As far as I can tell there isn't even a small climbing wall to be found in Rio Cuarto but I'd sure like to hear about one if someone knows. Meanwhile I'm doing what I can to keep my arms from going all limp and noodlely (as if they weren't aleady that way) including traversing the brickwall in my inlaw's backyard.

This is the only climbing I could find in Rio Cuarto

Not exactly your destination climbing area

Day after tomorrow, Cecilia and I are on our way to Capilla del Monte to meet with Martín, Analía and Rafi. There should be more posting after the climbing begins.

The old fat guy rebounds in Viejolandia

The crew back in Viejolandia last Sunday

Today is exactly three months after my revision surgery. So far, all I can say is: thank you, Koen De Smet! Last Sunday the crew (me, Martin, Analia, Rafael, Cecilia, Gaby and another friend named Hugo) returned to Viejolandia. My new hip rebounded like a charm and this time I actually began to feel like a real climber.

The week before, after three consecutive days of hard activity, including the day I got spanked in Viejolandia, my thigh muscle was feeling tight and sore. This was nothing like the set backs I'd had with the first surgery, where I ended up limping around for extended periods of time. However, considering my previous experience, any kind of pain makes me feel a bit anxious. I took it easy for a couple of days, more because I was busy at work and home than because my leg was really bothering me. Then last Thursday, I took out the headlamp and went for a brisk 4 mile nighttime walk after work. When I got done my leg felt tighter and more sore, which made me even more nervous. Still, I wasn't even close to walking with a limp. Then, by the next day, my leg started feeling a little better. Even though, I decided to do a 40 minute ride on the stationary bike, instead of going for a walk. After the ride, my leg felt even better. Saturday, Martin and I climbed pretty hard in my climbing gym and then took the dogs for a 4 mile walk. By then my leg was hardly bothering me at all. I was feeling ready for my first attempt, since surgery, at climbing two days in a row. Sunday I'd go another round with Viejolandia.

The old fat guy climbs an easy, beginner 5.8 in Viejolandia

Hugo races the old fat guy to the top of the cliff

Looks like Hugo is winning

Martin and Hugo worked the 5.11 on top rope. Martin managed to climb it without any hangs

Hugo on the 5.11. The crux is passing the big roof above. 

All and all I did seven routes that day, including a solid lead of the 5.10 that kicked my butt the weekend before. Sure, most of the routes were 5.7 or 5.8, but I felt good and my new hip was working great. 

Watch out for the ferns

Pretty orange lichens

Rafael showing his stuff

Make the move, Rafi

Analia watching over her son

Rafi goes for a high step