I picked Andy up at 7.30 and we drove out to the Roaches. It was cold and clear, the tops of the Roaches were glowing golden in sun as we got near and it was obviously going to be a fantastic morning.
I took this picture a couple of weeks before on another early mission. Cold, still, sun rising: a perfect place to be.
Brrr. Walking in to the Tetris boulder at the Clouds was chilly, -4.5 according to the car with a very cold breeze. Warming up took ages, mainly focusing on the delicate balance of chilling hands on rock then warming them in the pockets. Just the right mix is required to get them functioning and not just going solid with cold half way up the problems.
Eventually I was warm enough to start climbing but Andy never quite got going, claiming a harsh training session the day before had ruined him. Hmmm.
Andy attempting to use a piece of rubber to warm up. He failed. Nice boots though..
I worked up to a high point on Hard Arete, actually feeling good on the previously very hard feeling start but not quite getting the body position right on the throw to the good left hand higher up. Pleased though to be making progress. Anything 7A ish not on a slab has always been impossible before and I am definately getting somewhere..
I then had a few goes on the lip traverse of Trust, apparently called Thrust, which was absolutely the perfect problem to climb in such conditions. Rarely will slopers feel as good as they did that morning. After some deeply ungraceful udging I turned the lip and made it to the top..
Having got up something we hastily called it a day and walked back to the car. Ah, the joy of an early start, a mint day and a problem climbed. To cap it all the snow/sleet/rain started about an hour after I got home. Result!
Happy on the velcro slopers of Thrust