Sometimes no matter how many people you call, you just have to hit the crags alone. It's either that, or you watch Urban Cowboy for the hundreth time on TNT.

Usually Roger's Park has top-outs around 15 feet, but that is high enough to hurt when you don't place the pad within the landing zone. The illusion is that putting the crash pad right up against the wall is going to help since you will fall straight down. Don't do this. Make sure you put the mat out further from the wall than you think and in the direction that the end of the climb is (if it traverses). I totally underestimated this and landed on a tree root. It's not going to cushion you...ever.

I usually have a warm up that helps to get over the top-out jitters when climbing alone. This is the worst place for fear. More than once, I've been at the last two feet of a route eye-balling my mat and all the sudden Elvis leg attacks and now you either panic and figure out a not-so-graceful dismount or you get the nerve to finish. Try starting with an overly easy route like "Finger Crack"(V0) or "The Chin"(V0) at the dihedral you'll see near the first climbs of the trail. It's a good motivator.

This trip to the wall was different than most. I don't know if I've been there enough that the animals just ignore me now, or if they just aren't afraid of people, but they were all over the place. It was almost surreal. I practically had to share a handhold with a Rock Wren at the starting point of "Abash" (V2). I'd try the route and get to the last holds over the outer hump where they seem to magically disappear and then send up a billow of chalk from my pad at the dismount. The Wren would just sit two feet away and then go hang completely upside down by the starting hold staring at me as if to say,"You can't do this?".(photo to the right).

I had enough of the Wren and went back toward the entrance to do "Put Your Shoes On" (V1) real quick. Heading down from the top-out I ran into a Blackneck garter snake (below) getting some sun. Cool snake, didn't bite. However, if you see one and pick it up, realize that this snake will musk you (a really smelly pee-like substance). To be fair, I suppose in its circumstance I'd do the same. It's never boring at Roger's Park. --Steve

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