Well…. summer has arrived here in Utah, and is in full effect. You'd think beating the heat would be possible, you know wakin up at 5 am having a quick slurp of coffee and your out the door! I wish this technique would be suffice. But, in the end, once you get to the crag you realize just how amazingly the rock can retain the heat of 105 F (45 C, for all you metric users) from the prior days of nucleic solar rays. So here is my summer time to-do list for any inspiring desert travelers. #1 BEER, Cold cold beer #2 More Beer, or whatever suits your fancy #3 Shade and high elevation. Search in any nook and cranny for the tiniest bit of relief from the intense rays of sun #4 Motivation. Don't 2nd guess your plans for the day, otherwise it's way to easy to succumb to the ol' couch and air conditioned technique #5 Tape. Chances are your skin is going to feel like of giant bowl of porridge, so bring reinforcements #6 Excess of chalk. Preferably Moon dust for any or extreme conditions #7 Saturn Moon Pad(the big one). For the un-calculated dry firing and slipping from the spooging schlarm that naturally emits from the rock. #8 Video Cam. For capturing all the blasphemous obscenities that pour from your pie hole for future entertainment. #9 Last but not least, water! For proper hydration, although the majority of beer is water.  

  First objective: Bunker Creek Located at nearly 10,000 ft(3,300m). Nestled in the deep woods of shady pine and aspen trees lies the giant clusters of sandstone looking volcanic tuft. A world of rock is here to explore and develop. Another typical situation of Utah rock, where nearly 80% of rock is pure choss, and the other 20% is absolute heaven. A small twenty minute hike leads you to an amazing array of boulders. Many first ascents are to be had here, so lots of cleaning and prepping the rock before attempts is needed. A thorough moss scrub and fallen aspen tree tumble will leave you drooling with a world class bloc before your fingertips. Pictured below is an amazing project that had been previously cleaned and worked upon. I was fortunate enough to make away with the F.A. after a handful of tries naming it Flight of Fury. You can never be too sure when grading a first ascent especially in the slippery heat. The current consensus resides around 8a/+   Second objective: (Wouldn't you like to know) wash Located on the one dirt road I've never been on before, up past a water melon farm and coffee plantation resides the quaint little sandstone zone. Not a whole lot here developed yet, but we have set our goals high and have unleashed with full force in the heat to clean and develop this bouldering gem. One massive boulder surrounded by many others of equal or greater value scattered across a hillside. The future of quality highballs in America is here. The main boulder which by the way is in arms reach of a drive by, towers over and adjacent to a pristine campsite. Not a whole lot more to say about this new area except SHIBIDAANG!   One of the many highball projects  

  The intro crux move on another highball  

  Laura gripping the fresh stone on Titicaca  

As weather cools, projects will go down, but in the mean time, some delicious eating and snacking is in the mix. A classy appetizer of Nacho Doritos with cottage cheese and for the main entree, Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Chicken and Gnocchi with a $1,000 bottle of wine is what hits the spot.