On the Rocks: All American Classics

Well I hurt my finger again. It felt amazing to get outside the few days that I did before getting hurt, and my motivation was soaring. Naturally I'm super bummed that I've taken a big step backwards in recovery progress, but thankfully it doesn't seem as bad as I initially thought. And more in the palm than the actual finger.

I'm taking a week off to "heal" as best as I can, (patience isn't one of my strongest character traits.) It's only been three days and I'm already desperate to start climbing again, and even get back on the bastard boulder that wrecked me.

I took six weeks off after Teva to recover, and it may not sound like a long time but my frustration in tweaking my hand again and having to take just a minimal one week off has been bumming me out. My hand had been feeling much better and I was starting to feel super strong again. I thought I was in the home stretch. This regression sucks.

In my sour mood I've been reminiscing about the best rock climbs I have done. I recall that Urban Climber Magazine did a "Top 100" countdown not too long ago, and although I probably couldn't rank a hundred problems, I've decided to pick one boulder of each difficulty grade I've done (in the United States), V0-V12, that stands out as a clear and dominant all-time-fave.

This was definitely not an easy task, as you will see many honorable mentions for many grades. Photos when I had them.

V0 A Birthing Experience, Bishop, CA

Lisa Rands trying to exit the womb on A Birthing Experience

V1 Great White, Yosemite, CA

V2 The Angler, Joe's Valley, UT

Sasha Turrentine inching her way up The Angler

V3 Porkchop, Red Rocks, NV

Kati Peters on Porkchop

V4 Tendons Give, Yosemite, CA
Honorable Mentions: Jedi Mind Tricks, Bishop, CA

Taylor Nystrom fighting on Honorable Mention Jedi Mind Tricks

V5 Hammerhead, Yosemite, CA
Honorable Mentions: Kill by Numbers, Joe's Valley; Germ Free Adolescence, Eldorado Canyon, CO

Going for it ~with gusto!~ on Hammerhead

V6 Wills of Fire, Joe's Valley, UT
Honorable Mentions: Woodyard Arete, Yosemite, CA

Jes and Ian Dory sizing up Wills of Fire

V7 No Holds Bard, Yosemite, CA

V8 The Wind Below, Joe's Valley, UT
Honorable Mentions: King Cobra, Yosemite, CA; The Checkerboard, Bishop, CA

Charlie Barrett high off the deck on The Wind Below

V9 The Tombstone, Yosemite, CA
Honorable Mentions: Heart of Darkness, Yosemite, CA; The Fall Guy, Bishop, CA

Kelly McBride on Honorable Mention The Fall Guy

V10 The Vortex, Boone, NC
Honorable Mentions: Drive On, Yosemite, CA; Thriller, Yosemite, CA; Whispers of Wisdom, RMNP, CO; Beyond Life, Joe's Valley, UT