Recon Mission II - Consumnes River Gorge

Yesterday we went to Consumnes River Gorge to go climbing. We found the top-rope Field Guide at REI Friday night and discovered that there were quite a few easy routes for a beginner like me. It's only an hour away and we could pick up Kyle from his dad's on the way back. Perfect. We have a new rope and Chris re-strung his gear Saturday night. We were ready.

To quote Dickens: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
It went like this: Sunday morning - got up, got coffee and got going. Drove out past Diamond Springs and parked on the side of the road. Pulled on the backpacks and started down the path. And I mean down the path. We were going to the Consumnes River Gorge. Gorge...hmm...hadn't really thought about what that meant. So, we started on the rim and had to hike downhill to the river. Oh. My knees have issues with downhill. Luckily I didn’t end up needing the brace. After some time on the dusty path we hit granite and could hear the river. Scrambling over and around boulders, we found the first climbing area. Now the actual routes looked pretty good - plenty of knobs in addition to all the cracks - but the base of the routes was a smooth slab of granite that slopped down towards the rocks and river below. Kinda sketchy. I didn’t feel comfortable belaying Chris on a hill and he must have not liked the idea either since we quickly decided to move on and check the other formations. We hiked to the other side of the rocks and we came upon some climbers. Chris and the climber guy roamed around a bit scoping out the other routes. Unfortunately by this time the sun was having its way with me and crack climbing on the hot granite in a spot with no shade didn't sound that appealing. We decided to call it a "had a nice hike" day and head on out of there. Well, if my knees where unhappy with the downhill part of the hike, think about how my heart and lungs felt going uphill! And let's not forget the scorching sun! Can you say heat stroke?!
I think you can. And I did. Repeatedly. From the time we got home until I got up this morning. But all I could actually do was groan and whimper a bit. There was no articulating that I was felled by the heat and sun and now in the throws of a migraine and would it be better for you if I went to the bathroom down the hall to throw up?!
Happy Father's Day Chris. Thanks for going and getting Kyle for me. And then feeding and bathing him and getting him to bed. You rocked while I just rolled from side to side, trying not to die too loudly.

But I want to go back and try again. In October. When it’s not over 90 degrees in the shade. And because I care and don't want you to be disappointed that I took no photos - you can go here or here to see pictures of other people climbing at Consumnes. From my comfy seat, here at my desk, in this nice air conditioned office, it really does looking like fun climbing! But all future summer activities will be in Tahoe -where it is usually 20 degrees cooler.

And it is suppose to hit the 100’s by Wednesday. Not good.
11 more days until we're back in Santa Cruz!