All Fires- AEC Bouldering

The sun sets over the La Sal Mountains

Christian Prellwitz- 'Smile Left' (v3/3+)

It's been a very cold and snowy December so far, which has made climbing outside quite difficult. I've had several planned road trips get shut down by big snowstorms. With the busy Christmas period just around the corner, I was desperate to get on some real rock. Luckily, the weather was quite beautiful yesterday and I was able to make it out to the Atomic Energy Boulders with a couple of friends.

'Dare To Compare' (v2/3)

Simon Hutton- 'Breaking The Waves' (v0+/1, from the stand)

Hannah Gordon- 'Sunshine Arete' (v0)

'Broken Feet' (v1/1+)

'Red Baron' (v0)

'All fires have to burn alive to live...'

Eternal Sunshine- Bouldering At The AEC

It's really a blessed life. Wake up to bluebird skies. Pick up a breakfast sandwich and coffee at the local bakery. Make the meandering drive through canyons and over mesas, past bald eagles and pinyon jays, out of the mountains and into the open expanse of the desert. Park amid a sea of sandstone blocks and swim around through the junipers and pinions looking for that perfect line of crimpers and pockets.

It's the process and all the moments in between that make the experience, that elevates clumsied movement to imperfect poetry. Sunshine gives life to belief, and belief informs action, lifting us up to heights we'd only imagined.

The pictures:
(above) 1-Christian Prellwitz sticking the edge on the initial crux of 'Black Streak' (v3+). 2-Lone Cone and Petroglyph Crag linger in the background as Lexi Tuddenham journeys out onto 'Ship's Prow' (v1+).
(below) 1-Lexi Tuddenham sticking the pinch on 'Roadside Attraction' (v2). 2-Lexi again, this time on 'Easy Up' (v0+). 3-'Lake Lover' (v0). 4-A different take on a familiar problem: Christian styles the finishing pulls of 'Ship's Prow' (v1+).

Sewemup Mesa Bouldering

Friday dawned cold and snowy, but the desert beckoned with the promise of blue skies and warmer temperatures. Lexi Tuddenham and I decided to head somewhere different than the usual Paradox Valley haunts. Instead, we sped past the turnoff for Hwy. 90 and kept going north on Hwy. 141 into the heart of the Dolores River Canyon and the sheer vertical walls of Sewemup Mesa. Numerous boulders lie scattered throughout the whole length of this canyon, but one of the best concentrations is below the Sewemup Mesa buttress, where several dozen problems can be found among the beautiful Wingate Sandstone boulders. This small gem of an area is a great place to visit for the West End climber as well as those who frequent the Unaweep Boulders. This spot is not far from Unaweep and boasts blocks that are far superior in quality.


The pictures: (above) Christian Prellwitz pulling through the juggy middle of 'Survey Marker' (v0), a spectacular highball in a perfect position. (below) 1-Christian getting high on 'Survey Marker' (v0). 2-Lexi Tuddenham finding the friction on 'Autobahn' (v0). 3-Lexi Tuddenham prepping to climb her 'Arch Nemesis' (V2-).

Back To AEC

Another beautiful day of weather. Another trip to the outstanding boulders of the Atomic Energy Crag (AEC), perched high above Paradox Valley, just outside of Naturita in Southwest Colorado.

A sampling: (above) Lexi Tuddenham sticking the tenuous move for the top on 'Juniper Center' (v0+). A bad landing adds to the spice on this outstanding highball. 2-Christian Prellwitz pulling through the middle of 'Action Jackson' (v2).

(below) 1-Christian Prellwitz trying to catch the 'A Train' (v4). 2-Christian on 'Action Jackson' (v2). 3-Lexi Tuddenham bracing for the storm on 'Nor'easter' (v0). 4-Lexi approaching the thin top out of 'Bug Juice' (v1).

Atomic Energy Bouldering

Two friends, Lexi and Sarah, and I drove out to Naturita on Friday to sample some of the fine bouldering at the Atomic Energy Crag. This collection of blocks (and roped climbs) offers some of the best bouldering in the West End, with around 100 problems spread out over a large boulderfield with expansive views of the La Sal Mountains to the west and the San Juans to the east. Check out info on this spot and many others in 'A Guide To Bouldering In The Telluride & West End Areas (Of Southwest Colorado)'.

The pics: (above) Lexi Tuddenham stretches for the horizontal before the final mantel on 'Box Car Sidepull' (V1). (below) 1-The starting left hand pocket of 'Hob Knob' (V1+). 2-Lexi Tuddenham shows off the optional downclimb for problems on the Shark Fin boulder. 3-Sarah Carden dances over stone in the last rays of the day on 'Sunshine Arete' (V0).