South Six Shooter

sorry about the photography logo. . . blogstomp sticks it on and sometimes I don't notice they're on there until after I upload it. 

I stare at the six shooter every day. There's something about looking at something every day that makes you want to conquer it. I had actually been to the top of the south six shooter five years ago when we first moved here. Brian and I went and climbed it one windy day. It felt small beans compared the the big whoppers we were always pulling off (think hiking 26 miles through icy slot canyons, 5.10d towers and climbing two peaks in five hours). It didn't seem memorable. 

Fast forward five years to now when I can barely remember how to tie a figure-8. Not really, but climbing doesn't happen every evening, weekend and waking moment like it used to. I did make it Indian Creek two weeks ago thanks to Heidi, who watched the gals while B and I climbed the Fin wall with one of his buddies. It was amazing, but left me craving more. And the six-shooter that didn't make an impression before? phenomenal!

Allison and Matt had arrived two days before, but Brian had been on a SAR in the maze. He finally got back and we woke up to another foggy morning. After lounging around the house, we couldn't take it anymore and decided to knock of the six shooter after all. Allison offered to watch the girls! I took absolutely no convincing whatsoever. 

We hiked up in the mist. It was beautiful and other-worldly. We couldn't even see the six shooter-- or fifty feet in front of us. We made it to the base of the climb and did the three pitches to the top (adding in a 5.9 variation). The whole climb I had been silently praying that the fog could part momentarily when we topped out to take in the view. And it did. When I pulled the last move to the summit of the tower, I was blown away by the view. A sea of fog with only the mountains and tips of the rocks above. And the sun was shining. It was a gift just for me. And to this date, it was possibly the most stunning reward for summiting.