threat level? Colombia… 2

Yesterday we arrived at Sutatausa (Suta) courtesy of Andreas of Roca Solida. Our guide Cesar, with whom we bouldered with in the gym previously, met us in another vehicle, and he was accompanied with his two friends, Pedro, a young kid with incredible energy, and Gerardo, who didn’t climb. Suta is the crag that’s shown in the LT11 video Threat Level Colombia, where they walk over an electrified fence. We didn’t get the privilege as I’m guessing they walked to other areas first to check stuff out; otherwise, from the parking area, where Andreas tipped the local residents to watch over his vehicle, it’s a straight walk to the first area called Zone 1 (of 6).

notice the sign that says something like: vehicles prohibited on indigenous travel path. Zone 1 is approximately behind those tall coniferous trees high above the Evolv pad on the hillside.

Just a quick sidenote if you’ve never heard of Colombia’s famous “Disneyland,” it’s NOT quite the same thing or as successful:

Colombia's Disneyland complete with what appears to be a monorail!

Ok, back to talking about the crag, well, let’s get some fauna out of the way first:

does this bug have two heads, a fake head or is it two bugs doing it (I mean copulating)

"porcupine insect," pretty cool, eh?

Now for climbing. Our first boulder was our warmup with a 5, 6 and 7.

author on the warmup

We never figured out the 6 or 7 on the right but thought it did the lower moves shown here then moves back to the 5, or at least that’s what the 6 did… the 7? no idea.

here cesar is working the lower moves on what we figured the 6 or 7 followed.

We also climbed the line done by the LT11 crew, Grande Arapa, v7. Glassberg used a low foothold to dyno to the slot (right hand in image below), but for us, it was way too low! Also, having not remembered the start holds, Jon Wright basically did it from lower holds. In the video, Glassberg uses sidepulls from which he reached off a HUGE stack of things! Below the sidepulls, there’s a very good undercling and a bad pockety hold just below it. What we did was stand in the spotter’s hands to reach the crimp and undercling, then pull on. This climb can be done as a jump start too, making it probably the cleanest start. JW called it a 6, but the pinch is pretty bad. Also, we exited just left of the bushes instead of what Glassberg did in the video.

the author sticking the crux move to the jug slot. this is Jon wright's beta that involves a technical toe highstep.

Jon on the upper moves... he sent the line first figuring out the crux footwork.

This arete below is just on the other side of Grande Arapa (visible in the background on left). They, cesar and his friends, called it 10, but Jon did it in a few tries thinking more like 7??? It started to rain while Jill tried it, before I could shoot Jon on it.

sheep herders moving past us.

Here, Jill is trying the arete in vain in the rain.

These are miners leaving for the day after working by hand a coal mine somewhere over and behind the top of the cliff band barely visible in the background upper left.

That cliff band above suta has routes on it and has many giant roofs.

someone was prepared...

from left: Pedro, Cesar, Gerardo, and Jon.

~ by r. mulligan on 2012/04/02.