Simon calls and says that he will be coming to Arizona.  Did David want to go climbing?  YES!

We have climbed together many times, but there are pictures from ice climbing in 2004, a very successful rock climbing trip in 2006 and a less successful rock climbing trip in 2008.

The weather had been good for quite some time.  Sunny and warm for the season (70's).  A few days before Simon arrives, the rain and cold set in.  The first day that Simon is in town it is snowing or raining in all of the climbing areas close by.  The second day, it is snowing in Cochise Stronghold, where we wanted to go, but it was not raining north of Tucson, so we go off to Queen Creek.  It was sunny as we drove up, but as we entered the tunnel, some rain started.  On the other side it was raining and sleeting.  See below :-(

  • rain on the rocks
  • rain and fog on the rocks
  • waterfalls (where there aren't rivers)
  • a pile of sleet by the car
  • dark and wet
  • If you look back to the west, you can see the sun we drove through

So, we gave up on Queen Creek and drove west (toward the sun) and went to Sven Slab in the McDowell Mountains north of Phoenix.

  • We climbed the slab just left of center
  • Looking back to the car from the climb
  • The view from half-way up the slab

    • That storm did not get us

It was only in the high 40's, but the sun was out (not on us).  The grades were 5.5-5.8 slab climbing.  Easy by our standards, but hard enough with cold fingers!  Simon led the first rout (Quaker Oats) and we put up a top rope for Sinkso, Ego Trip and Cakewalk.

  • The slab was thin
  • did I say it was thin???
      • Simon
      • Simon
      • David

      By the time we left, the sun was beginning to set of the colors were wonderful.  It was still COLD.

      • The beginning of sunset seen from the base of the slab
      • The entire hill seen from the car.

      The last day we woke up to 35°F so we went back to bed.  By the time it was warm enough, there was not enough time to go to Milegrosa Canyon, so we tried to go to Mt. Lemmon.  The road was closed due to snow, so we had a large meal and Simon headed home.