Mission Impossible Backside- Guide

After climbing Mission Impossible fairly early on in my wanderings at the lake, you would have thought I'd looked at the backside of the boulder earlier. For whatever reason, it was only a little over a year ago that Ben and I cleared the brush back from its base and found 4 great climbs. Ben nabbed the first ascent on all of these lines, and we repeat them often these days.

All four lines are moderate, and the landing is great. This makes the Mission Impossible boulder one of the best for warming up and beginning climbers. Its great to start your day by circuiting through these four, and then going to the opposite side and climbing Mission Impossible. Give it a try.



1. Mission Enough (v0)- Climb the left arete.

2. Mission Possible (v0)- Climb the crack that runs parallel to the left arete, while staying off of the arete proper. Though this may seem like an eliminate, it actually climbs naturally and doesn't feel contrived.

3. Mission Direct (v0+)- A great intro to slab climbing. Head straight up the center of the face, balancing on small and devious slopers. Don't wimp out and reach for the aretes!

4. Tomcat (v0)- Climb the right arete. Like Mission Impossible, but easier.

Just Say No

Here's the topo for the Just Say No arete. On the face left of the arete is This is Your Brain


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1. Just Say No (5.10)- Start low (has been climbed from a sit) and climb straight up the arete. Both right and left variations have been climbed at the top. Top rope anchors are ten feet back from the lip. Will require long runners to set up.

Burlfest Boulder

There was a project left on the Burlfest boulder until Scott came through a few weeks ago and took it down. So here is the updated top for the Burlfest boulder:




1. Panzyfest (v0)- Start seated on two good slopers. Move up and right using the crack, until it stops, and then reach right to a good hold marked by a small beak. Rock over.

2. Burlfest (v5?)- One of the best problems at Brownwood. Although it may look like an eliminate, it is in fact the more obvious line than the crack (Panzyfest), and follows the edge of the sloping arete. Start seated on two good slopers and move up to two bad slopers. Move into a gaston and crimp match and then throw out to a good hold on the face below the lip. Bump the left hand to the good hold marked by a beak and the right hand to the back sloping corner of the boulder. Mantle.

3. Little Annie (v4?)- Starting from a sit, find a way to establish on the arete and move into the good face hold on Burlfest, and top out Burlfest.

Anticipation boulder

Well the semester is winding down, and I'm hoping to get some work done on the Lake Brownwood guidebook. Here's a topo of the Anticipation boulder. This boulder is located just right of the Mission Impossible boulder.



1. Project- This line has been climbed from a crouch, but a true sit has yet to be completed. Establish on small crimp and rubbish undercling and head left towards the sloping lip. At the lip traverse right, topping out Anticipation.

2. Anticipation (v2)- A surprisingly tricky problem. Climb the arete from the sit, staying on its left side. Tops out on the slab left of the arete. The top-out is the crux.

Inspiration

Since Thursday, the weather has been pretty lousy (although its been great in general recently, so I cant complain). So lately, I've been doing a lot of this...



And dreaming of this...

More Photos!

Here's some more photos from Scott.

Me on the last moves of Smooth Sailing:



A good shot showing the angle of wall and holds on Smooth Sailing. Both Smooth Sailing and Jack in the Box start on the flake in the right side of this picture.



Colter sending Smooth Sailing, for the third ascent. Colter's right hand is crimping on one of the most unique holds at the lake.



Scott on the first ascent of Jack in the Box:



Finally a picture that shows the angle of this wall, and gives you a hint about the terrible landing. Where i am in the picture is actually about where a fall from the dyno lands you. The two spoters (Dave, Asa) are standing on higher blocks.

Scott's right hand is on the higher of the two holds used to make the dyno. The key to sticking the dyno is keeping your right hand on that crimp to control the swing.

Ha, i still can't believe its been climbed! Crazy