Gotta Love Campfires!

Once again, I've been blessed by meeting some amazing local Solid Rock climbers, and other wonderful folks as well. This past weekend we invited our campground neighbors over for a free BBQ and campfire/music circle. It's really fun to give out free food and just hang out with people! Despite the intense winds (and I mean intense!), we had a good 25 folks come and hang out Saturday night. We also got in some good climbing and had a Sunday worship service at the campground. I'll be here for another week camping and climbing with various folks.

Bishop: For All Seasons

In Bishop, CA you can climb year-round! This small town is an outdoor mecca, just east of the Sierras and west of the Whites. There are more climb-able boulders here than I've ever seen in my life!

Christ going for the dyno

Kevin is having fun at the Sad Boulders

Travis and I managed to find (with Kevin's help) some stellar cracks in the Owens River Gorge

Warming up on an upper gorge sport climb

Stephanie belays Emily in the upper gorge

Joshua Tree

Being in Joshua Tree is like coming home for me. However, this time I got to see the wildflowers and Joshua Trees in bloom for the first time : ) The cries of the coyote, the goofy Joshua trees, the haphazard stacks of rocks, and the quality Outward Bound friends all welcomed me with open arms. (OK, well I didn't exactly hug the coyotes or the spikey Joshua trees, but I have been known to hug a rock or two.)

I had a great weekend hanging out with my dear friend (and fabulous belayer) Jess

Our buddy Chris leads the awkward but exciting crack roof.
The book says 5.8, we'd say more like 5.10 - gotta love Joshua Tree ratings!

Becca in front of one of thousands of JTree rock formations

Jess climbing "The Exorcist, 5.10a"

Zion National Park

After taking a wilderness medicine refresher course in Moab, UT I headed south to Joshua Tree. Unfortunately I did not get to climb at all in UT. (Indian Creek- I'll be back!) However, I did get to stop for a brief visit with another Solid Rock climber who is her second season guiding in Zion National Park. We climbed a couple of beautiful cracks and had a great time sharing about our lives and our dreams. It was encouraging to meet another woman who loves climbing, lives her faith, and also lives out of her vehicle : )

Janette on "Tails of Flails."

Another new friend Sarah is guiding in Zion this season as well

Red Rocks Rendezvous

Over 1000 climbers came together for a weekend of climbing, clinics, and partying at Spring Mountain Ranch near Las Vegas NV. I had the privilege of volunteering for the event with six other Solid Rock members from across the nation. We enjoyed climbing, hanging out at the festival, and volunteering with registration, parking, and coordinating climbing areas for clinics. We had a Solid Rock booth at the event and worshipped together at one member's home on Sunday morning. 17 people showed up for corporate prayer and praise! (...followed by some climbing of course!)
Travis, the National Office intern, came down to help out with the event. We met lots of great folks throughout the weekend and climbed before and after our weekend duties. We did Travis' first long multi-pitch route, Birdland (5.7, 5 pitches) on Monday before he flew back to Bend, OR.

Climbing in Red Rocks