Here I am over half way through my third
season in Squamish to try the Cobra Crack. The journey is ongoing and
definitely one of the most frustrating and challenging projects I have had. I
still haven’t reached my high point from last season when I was excruciatingly
close to sending. I have however worked out a better hand position that makes
the exit a little easier if I get back there. It’s a strange climb and despite the crux
being difficult and powerful it has evolved into a linkage problem for me. I
have done numerous one-sit attempts with significant overlap. I have even
climbed all the hard stuff through from just above the hands free rest after
the 5.11 intro. For some reason though
the entire link remains elusive.
I feel a big difference between this season
and the last was my preparation. I spent six months before last season working
in a climbing gym and training. This season though I felt I needed to earn a
bit more and spent the previous six months working a 2/1 roster on a mine site.
I don’t feel like I lost a lot but possibly just a bit of raw power in my arms
that I need for the large one arm pull over the lip of Cobra after the mono
move.
 |
| Locking up high with limited time to get the mono just right. Photo: Drew Smith. |
I have stuck the mono move from the ground
19 times now but only climbed through to the exit crimps 4 times (all last
season). A bit of luck with the mono wouldn’t go astray as I feel my strongest
attempts have been thwarted by issues with getting the mono correctly while I
have climbed through it at other times when I felt tired. The issues generally
relate to my tape getting stuck on a crystal or my skin tearing open. The lip
move afterwards I have tried to find alternate beta but it really just comes
down to having enough power in my arm. I can do it extraordinarily easily after
a quick sit on the rope.
 |
| Sticking the lip. The next big pull is right hand to the jam in the crack at the top of the photo with very poor/no foot holds. Photo: Drew Smith. |
 |
| Topping out after I have fallen. My high point last season was fondling the last crimp two holds above where my left hand is in the photo. Photo: Drew Smith. |
Despite walking up the hill a ridiculous
number of times and a large number of attempts I am still having a lot of fun.
I am definitely reaching beyond what I would have considered myself capable and
that is what keeps it interesting. A great supportive crew of people in
Squamish also helps.
I also got to climb with the crack maestro
Mason Earle who had his own epic battle with the cobra. After a few seasons of
effort and falling of the exit crimps 10 times he took some seasons off and then
came back this year stronger and on a mission. After only a few days he sent
which was really inspiring. The same day I felt really strong but had issues
with the mono and my skin. I was so psyched and wanted the double send day so I
took the tape off the upper part of my finger for my second attempt but for
some reason still had trouble getting the mono. I felt like I could do one arm
chin ups on the holds but couldn’t get my finger into the jam. So I just shoved
it and pulled tearing the side of my finger open. I still had a lot of energy
so I taped my finger really tight and had a third shot ignoring the pain. For
some reason even with the tape I got the mono and stuck the lip. I pulled hard
and hit the hold over the lip but my pinkie finger got stuck on the outside so
I couldn’t invert. I was noticeably tired on the third attempt yet that is my
high point for the season.
 |
| Mason cruising the exit on the Cobra Crack. Photo: Eliza Earle. |
 |
| This was after I had cleaned up the dripping blood and shoved chalk in the hole. I taped it up and had another go hitting my high point for the season on the third shot of the day. Photo: Drew Smith. |
I have had one terrible day on micro
traction since then and I feel some long-term fatigue settling in. Rest days
are in order and it has got really hot here anyway. I still have plenty of time
for some good attempts. Some days I think it will be next shot and then some
days I feel I could easily just keep falling there all season and never send.
That’s the mental challenge when projecting hard things though. My motto now is
to ‘just keep turning up’. I hope I will have one of my strong attempts and the
mono will go in straight away. If not I guess I will have to train harder!
 |
| Amazing bivouac on the Sky Pilot ridge during a rest break from the project. |
-->
