apAdventures » Flagstaff-Arizona

Weekend Play to the Rescue

September 4th, 2023

It’s been a heck of a summer.  Somehow four months has whipped right past my eyes, a blur of house projects, play dates, teenage social life obligations, gymnastics, gymnastics and more gymnastics and way too much work.  Plans to head up to the cool pines of Flagstaff for a day of bouldering kept getting canceled, or postponed.  Tired and grumpy seemed to be tainting our usually psyched and happy household.  We needed to get out, just the four of us. Needed to wake up in the van, hike out to some good boulders and pull hard, head back to camp and make some simple food, climb into our sleeping bags all sweaty and dirty, wake up and do it again.  And if we really wanted to pamper ourselves, throw a big ‘ol epic hike on top of all that.  Yes, this is exactly what this family needed.

That’s it. We’re going. And we’re leaving Friday. Or one of us will most definitely spontaneously combust.

Ivan sends! Unnamed v2 on Floorpie Roof at Priest Draw
Silas working out the beta on Bat Roof, v3
Planning out the pampering portion of the trip
Kids and I headed off for Plateau Point via Bright Angel Trail from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
While Paul, in training mode for running up Mt. Lemmon FROM TUCSON with crazy German buddy Manu in about a month, runs down to the river from the South Rim via the South Kaibab trail and then up the Bright Angel trail to meet us
Psyche and happiness restored

posted by ARR

If you give a climber a climbing trip…

August 3rd, 2022

…she’s going to want another climbing trip.

Bad Ass, v5 in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Never gets old.
Stinky Ass, V6. Same.
Twister Direct, v2. Ivan
Twister Direct, v2. Silas

posted by ARR

More Fall Colors, Grandparents & a Birthday

October 27th, 2021

posted by ARR

Video of summer bouldering in Flagstaff

August 18th, 2018

Viewer beware: contains “song of the summer” 😉


posted by ARR

Kids Paradise

August 17th, 2018

Upon returning to Flagstaff with Jen, Brian and family in tow, we soon learned that friends John and Mandy with their four kids were also going to meet us there. 8 kids on a climbing trip! Gah! Silas dubbed the week “Kids Paradise.” Well put, Silas. 🙂



The Boys



Saltine Crack Whore, v10



Paul sending Saltine Crack Whore (and nobody cares, heh heh)



Brian flashing Disco Polly, v6



Jen sending an Unnamed v5 at Gomez Traverse



After getting rained out one afternoon and thinking the day was done we all headed back to camp, only to find the weather all cleared up. Not able to resist the pleasant temps that the rain had brought we decided to get a little wild (wild, that is, for parents with small kiddos that outta be in bed at a reasonable time if we don’t want to pay for it later). We ordered up a stack of take-out pizzas downtown and then drove out to Super Roof for an evening session. Wild, I tell ya. 😉



Jen looking gorgeous



The boys really got obsessed with this one. An Unnamed V2 on Badass Roof. Both Seb and Oren sent!



And Jen on Badass, v5

posted by ARR

Protocol Muscle at The Draw

August 13th, 2018

On one weekend at Priest Draw our friends Cat and Gus joined us. Both are now Protocol enthusiasts too. Climbers plus weightlifting? Don’t knock until you try.



WHICH pocket?! A common scene at Bat Roof, v3



The kids have their own use for all these pockets





Gus slapping his way up Wife Beater, v8



Cat on an adjacent and also slappy unnamed v2 we oh-so-creatively refer to as “Sister Beater”



Paul giving a sending go on Carnibroiler, v12, which he nailed the following weekend



And me on Meateater, v7. DONE! FINALLY! Still can’t believe this thing was so hard for me. I’ve vowed to never attempt a repeat. Ever!



Icing on the cake, I snag Move N Groove Barbie, v7 the following weekend. Woo!

posted by ARR

Summer Fun

August 11th, 2018

I’m sharing a bit of a backlog with you all. School is now back in session but summer was a blast! We spent the early part of the summer bouldering at Priest Draw up in Flagstaff, which is typical for us. But what’s not typical is the amount of sendage that went down in such a few short trips. Paul took down Pink Lightning v11 the very first weekend we were there! (Which I got neither pics nor video of because I honestly wasn’t thinking he’d actually send it that soon, haha). And I quickly cleaned up my long standing nemesis Meateater v7 without much effort. The kids were little crushers too, with Silas topping out actual legit boulder problems versus the typical “kids climbs” that they make up for themselves on smaller boulders. It’s been a good summer, and a great encore to my own comeback from such lousy health this time last year. I’ll start off with posting some pics. Video to follow…eventually. Heh! We’re busy around here these days! 😉



John warming up



Mandy styling Flip Flop Traverse, v1



Kite flying! I’m embarrassed to say that soon after this photo was taken the kite’s tail got stuck in the top of a tall pine and ripped off, leaving an ugly piece of red plastic litter overhead. All of the kids apologized to Mother Nature profusely. Can’t say as that made any of us feel any better about the blunder. 🙁



Morning maintenance



Climber Ivan



Brother Silas



Darn cuteness

posted by ARR

This is for you, Brian and Jen

December 1st, 2017

Flagstaff, Summer 2018?

posted by pjv and arr

Meanwhile…

July 11th, 2017



Paul still battles the endurance factor on Pink Lightning, v11



…and I move on to my next victim, Meat Eater, v7. This thing has been a thorn in my side for waaaaay too long. It’s about time I finish it off…



…so I can move on to all the other Priest Draw classics. Like this one! Move N’ Groove Barbie, v8



Our buddy Tim tempting me into trying it



While young boys run wild through the draw





Silas and Ivan find a fun traverse



And promptly climb it over…



…and over…



…and over again.

posted by ARR

Puffer Fish, V7

July 9th, 2017

Send!!

posted by ARR