midsummer dreams ...

Projects provide a unique mix of frustration and satisfaction. They are why many of us love climbing the way we do.

June 30, 2007 and July 4, 2007: Eliott Morris on Bierstadt, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Bierstadt is a boulder problem that most of us mortals need to work at. It requires patience, time and dedication to ascertain your beta, because it's technical and everyone seems to climb it a little differently. Although only about 10 moves long, no move is truly easy and a couple of those moves are low-percentage slaps and stabs. It is one of those great problems that never lets up and is "not over 'til it's over." In the first few photos (purple shirt), it was obvious Eliott had already put in some time on the problem. He had the lower section wired. He looked strong and it seemed he would send, but - in typical Bierstadt fashion - the top continued to frustrate him ... eventually wearing him out. Four days later (brown shirt), he dialed in his finishing sequence, but fell off the lip too many times to count. Two days later (no photos), he put it all together. w3rd.