i've been having a hard time trying to write this post about tensleep (all text for now, a photo or two will come later). everyone, and i mean everyone, has RAVED about this place, so i was anticipating that i probably would too. however, now that i've spent time there, well for me.. "its ok." there are a number of things that go into a good climbing experience, and i have run down that list:
- fun people: i climbed with jason and i mean dont we all want to climb with jason?
- good climbing: i didnt get on a climb i didnt like, rock was solid, movement was fun
- decent camping: quiet and there were a billion stars
so i cannot pinpoint my issue. it could very well be that everyone hyped it up, hyped it up .. and it is a fun place - dont get me wrong. however, i guess, i just dont fall into the group of everyone else who just so happens to absolutely love tensleep.
in any case, here are my thoughts.
the first thing to note: there are a lot of "PM shade" climbing areas.
there are AM shady crags, but most of the areas we climbed were PM shade, like 130pm. this meant that we'd get up in the morning, and basically, we'd just hang out til the afternoon .. and then we'd head into the crag. so weird. this was a huge change for us seeing that all other climbing areas have been get up early and start climbing early - you know, the usual. it was quite interesting, very different -- and has pretty much ruined my schedule ever since! ;)
climbing: techy limestone pockets.
i expected the climbing to be more facey and vertical. however, there were a number of climbs that were slightly steep .. and when you add small pockets .. it adds to the difficulty of the climb. most times, we werent getting particularly pumped on climbs. however, my burns on climbs were limited due to the fact that my fingers were killing me. i did enjoy the sequential nature of the climbs. its always a lot of fun to figure out the piece to the puzzle that works for you!
crags: there are a ton of crags!
try not to get stuck at any one place for too many days in a row. there is a lot to see. it seemed to us that certain crags were more pockety, while others were more crimpy. either way, most of the holds seemed pretty small :) but dont worry, the feet are usually really good. and the rock is beautiful. one area had blue and orange streaks on the wall. the climbs on that wall mostly followed a streak of color. another area had brilliant white. very pretty.
approach: not bad.
some are short. but some are longer with a sustained uphill. we mostly chose the sustained uphill crags, but you get used to it. and the best thing to do is to consider it your cardio workout for the day!
guidebook: very different from others that ive seen .. very comical.
first of all, its titled: Lies and Propaganda from Tensleep. keyword: "lies." now, how much can you lie in a guidebook? i mean, its a guidebook! we got on a climb where the description said: "not a 5.12 move on it." when, in fact, the first move off the ground is most certainly a 5.12 move and quite difficult! haha, really?? we talked with other climbers who had been on the climb and they agreed that there are 5.12 moves on the climb .. soooooo, not sure how it makes any sense. and on the cover pages of crags, there are African Dictator icons. they mean absolutely nothing but they are still there! oh and the star-rating system: patriotism is 5 stars, pornographic girls are 4 stars, and cats are 3 stars. you have to keep flipping back and forth to understand the rating system. OR, just get on everything ;)
random beta for the area:
- RV Park. showers arent cheap so we didnt go there often. but when we did, we'd pay to stay overnight and we'd hang out there during our rest days. the park host is really nice. they also have a book exchange, or you can pay 50 cents if you want to purchase one of the books.
- the visitor center at the edge of town has a bathroom, and they are really nice people :)
- at the time we were there, you could get water from the pay campsites and even use their toilets. this really surprised us since in any other climbing area .. this would never be allowed.
- there are no food stores in Tensleep. the closest grocery store is at least 30 miles away. gotta stock up!
so, my thoughts on the place:
could it be, could it be? could i possibly be the first Tensleep Hater? haha, no! i really wouldnt take it that far. actually, i think i got stuck on a project early in my trip with a precision move that i couldn't stick -- and that left a bad taste in my mouth. sigh - boo hoo! soooo, i am going to reserve my final judgment until i return to the area again.. because really, Tensleep is a fun place to climb ;) and for all of you out there, i would recommend a visit!
oh and side bonus: my fingers definitely feel stronger!
