US trip with Stan

In 2003 Stan and I made a climbing trip to the USA. We planned to visit most of the famous climbing areas and some National Parks. Our US climbing trip actually started in 2002 in Shawangungs where we climbed classics like Broken Sling (The Near Trapps), Ken`s Crack, Arrow (The Trapps) but the terrains there weren`t what we`d dreamed about.

In september 2003 we set off on the journey to the west. First we wanted to become familiar with American cracks that I didn`t preffer at all. I still pretty much hate cracks! So we decided to practice in Wyoming on Devil`s Tower.




The view of Devil`s Tower. If you see it, you have to climb it...






The first attempt... I tried to lead the first pitch but as I said I hate cracks (Bon Homme Variations, 5.8)




Stan leading the second pitch of Bon Homme...




We also climbed the first pitch of El Matador (5.10d)... but the cracks in the chimney looked scary...

We climbed two routes, got to the top and left the tower...

The next we planned to climb The Grand Teton... but the temperature below freezing point made as to go more south to Idaho. Idaho is well known for it`s City Of Rocks. Area of dozen granit rocks with routes both trad and bolted. We spent few days there and climbed some classics like Bloody Fingers (5.10), …. and some sport routes.


Stan climbing Scream Cheese 5.9., one of the most popular routes in the City...



Undoubtly the most famous climbing spot of the US is Yosemite. We didn`t have any special goals there, just to try our skills and climb something nice. We came there at the right moment, the Tuolomne Meadow`s camps were closing so we didn`t meet the ussual crowds – we had the best conditions for climbing the Regular Route on The Fairview Dome (5.9).


Regular Route is said to be the longiest route in Tuolomne Meadows...




Stan leading the first pitch of Regular Route.

The Meadows were getting ready for the winter but not so the Valley. The Camp 4 was almost full of climbers and we quickly found out how to get to know people... almost every climber likes beer :o) We met a group of Austrian, Japanesse, Canadian and even Czech guys...

The very next day after we`d come to Valley we started to enlarge the list of our climbs... the most impressive was Serenity Crack (5.10d).


Stan leading the first pitch of Serenity Crack...



We were told by friends of our climbing club that Americans are very strong so that overhanging 5.10 is a hell but 5.10 slabs are funny routes... if this had been the truth, we have had very bad luck in chosing the bolted route on Royal Arches... It was so horrible that I couldn`t remember it`s name... but I remember the brown strip I had to clean off my underwear...

Stan was hungry for big walls and multipitch climbs and one day he planned a route on The Middle Cathedral Rock... While leading I guess 6th pitch Stan slipped and showed me how could a Czech eagle fly in American Rockies...




A Czech Eagle after unsuccessful flight from The Middle Cathedral Rock...