Banyan Tree

Saturday was rain free but really misty. The tem split into three to try to complete various projects and arranged to meet up later. I headed to Banyan Tree to look at an 8b+ (5.14a) by Steve McClure and John Dunne as well as the classic 8b (5.13d) Nine Deep, One Shallow. Conditions were pretty awful and the crag was extremely greasy, wet in places. I decided to leave Nine Deep for a future trip with better conditions as it looks like a good candidate for an on-sight attempt and set to work on the Steve’s route. It was a fairly short route and really crimpy. Conditions were far from ideal for this type of climbing but after a reasonable on-sight attempt, and working the remaining moves I took my first red-point, greasing off on the last hard move. After cleaning the route and drying the holds as best as I could I rested for my next attempt. Reaching the same point as before, I pulled hard with my left hand which subsequently fired off the greasy side-pull with such force I punched myself in the face. Safe to say I didn’t red-point on that attempt and I took it as a sign to call it a day.

After meeting up with the rest of the group at Lei pi Shan, I tied on at the base of a very wet Single Life and using my newly found crimp, managed to climb to the top. I felt tired clipping the chains but pushed on anyway for a shot at the extension. I had briefly felt the holds a few days before at the end of a session and remembered them feeling pretty small bad. I hoped they would feel better than I remembered but I was out of luck, falling with about four hard moves still to go. Maybe next time…