Meadows  7/15-16/89

Joel and I went to Tuolumne Meadows, our first trip in ~6 weeks.

Day 1:  Black Angel 5.11a steep lieback flake/thin crack.  Joel led with one
fall/hang as he blew from the unexpectedly hard last move with a titanic pump.
Then back to East Cottage Dome for vertical knobs last experienced with John.
Old Folks' Boogie 5.10d -- I led with one hang, after trying wrong sequences at
the crux with bolt below my feet.  Just one lunge away, but I downclimbed to
the previous bolt and clipped in for a rest.  While I was there, I found a spot
for a 1 Rock above the bolt which held under testing.  Then I cranked the crux.
Not as nice as Ballroom Dancing, which has more steep climbing and more bolts.
Comfortable Numb 5.10c -- Joel led, no problem.  Then he followed another
climber (Ed) on Ballroom Dancing 5.10c after Ed's partner couldn't make it.

Day 2:  Scorpion 5.11 on Medlicott (a repeat for me of a classic).
Pitch 1:  5.11b vertical face/lunge with many bolts -- Joel led with one fall
when he had run low on strength clipping the bolt for the crux.
Pitch 2:  5.11b fragile flakes on stepped slab -- I aided past the first bolt
after several attempts tenderized my fingers (at my free high point, a flake
blew and I "flew" maybe 3 feet).  Joel dislikes slabs and batmanned to the
second bolt.  Nice double cracks follow.
Pitch 3:  5.10d thin/flaring hand crack -- Joel had trouble on the lead (one
fall due to crumbling flake foothold, one fall + one hang due to 2 Friend
placed in crucial hand/foot jam).  Then the cool overhang to finish it off.

Clint