Unrepentant Geek Grrl: Devil's Lake

Went to Devil's Lake with Katie last weekend.

Saturday - left her house at 7:30 a.m. Climbing by 1 p.m. after driving there, missing a turn, reversing, finding the campground, setting up the tent, getting to the park, buying a sticker, etc. I led Push Me Pull Yu (5.6). Didn't have my lead head, made it harder than it should have been. Set up a toprope on Cheatah (5.10). Struggled with the bottom crux, glad I wasn't leading it. Then cruised the rest. Katie did great, too. Then I led Brinton's Crack (5.6) and Katie followed. Brinton's is superb. Then led Anemia (5.2) because I thought Katie should lead it and she didn't feel ready. And by then the sun was low in the sky and we decided it was time for showers and dinner. Shower facility near the parking lot is very convenient. Ate at the Barn Restaurant (not to be confused with the Farm Kitchen) which has a really great beer selection! We had beers from Furthermore Brewery of Black River Falls, WI. Highly recommended. I slept like a log.

Sunday - reasonably early start. We hiked along the railroad tracks to the Railroad Amphitheater. Very easy to find. I led Pine Tree Step-Across, 5.6, although I wimped out on the step-across move; on lead your last gear is below your feet and you have to do a step-out with hardly any hands... scary. Then we set up a toprope on Catenary Crack (5.9). This was definitely old-school Devil's Lake 5.9 - the hardest route of that grade that I've ever climbed. Really fun, but strenuous. Then I led Pine Tree Dihedral (5.5) which was fun. Then toproped Cop-Out (5.11) which was a majorly great climb. I'd love to get on it again. Then a final lead of The Pillar (5.6), with an awkward move into a chimney, and a finish on the top of Catenary Crack.

We called it a day and were back in the cities by 9 p.m.