Gap Rock Enjoys Watermelon & Biscuit Sandwiches

Written by Caitlin and Ellie

Hi, it’s Caitlin and Ellie! Coming out of an intense transition in Leadville, where Nichola baked us bread, we packed the trailer and drove to Rifle to food shop. We started our time in Rifle reviewing top rope climbing skills, then progressed to mock lead climbing at the Snow Cone Cave. The group was super stoked on leading (especially Ellie). Everyone in the group had led their first route by our fourth day in Rifle. Our days were spent cragging, doing lessons, and cooking food. We had a blast at the Funny Face wall, where the crag fashion was funky and fresh. Brody wore a jean shirt, Eli had a flannel, and I (Caitlin) was climbing in my fruity fusion button-down. 

We spent two days with Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers having a blast building belay platforms, stars, and closing harmful social trails. It was hard work but we passed the time with pirate jokes and lots of goofiness. In class, we discussed the concept of wilderness and learned to rappel and build anchors. Our instructor from the Sawatch, Walter, surprised us with watermelon and biscuit sandwiches. Yeehaw!

I (Caitlin) tried to make cinnamon rolls but woke up in the middle of the night to discover that they had exploded in my sleeping bag. They still tasted great. 

Our last day in Rifle was autumnal and a little chilly. We went creeking and practiced falling on lead. The pados want to come back and send Feline one day. Bye, Rifle!

We transitioned into the desert in one action-packed day. We food shopped in Moab for the Indian Creek section, then drove to the beautiful Bears Ears National Monument. Our first day of crack climbing in the Creek was polarizing. It definitely kicked a lot of our butts, but after a few technique lessons and a lot of practice, we all kind of got the hang of it. The desert is a harsh place and we found ourselves baking on some south facing crags. We did find a sick cave to climb (and hide) in. As Walter once said, we Gollumed in the cave.

Luke taught a lesson on land ethics, and Michael took us on a walk around the desert to learn about desert ecology. 

On Saturday night, we got blasted by a massive desert storm. At 3 A.M., the group awoke to howling winds, thunder, lighting, and rain. Some of us lost some tarp stakes in the night. We all woke up to snow on the mesas, which was a magical sight. The snow stuck for a couple of days, and it was beautiful (and cold). We’ve also seen some stunning sunrises and sunsets on the mesas. Desert magic!!

The group has been rocking the backcountry cooking. Some masterpieces include shakshuka, pizza, french toast with blueberry compote, and fajitas. We just finished our food shopping for our next section, where we’ll head into the canyons in Bears Ears for 6 days. Stoked!