Team Waimea at Red River Gorge 2015

This a report from our 9th annual climbing trip to Red River Gorge, KY –  the world class climbing area.

Day 1

Kids: we slept, we drove, we ate… Finally we arrived! It was a long day…

Adults: we drove, drove, drove…. Finally we arrived to a beautiful 3 story cabin which looks like a palace and feels like a palace with a hot tub. This is the first time ever we don’t stay at a campground.

Day 2

The second day went well, despite all the rain. We went to the Military wall which was fairly dry.

Here is what kids say about the best thing they remember about this day:

Mike: I almost sent a 12b on the first day
Erika: playing chess with Renee
Savelei: playing pool with Stine
Marina: pterodactyl games in the driveway
Corrine: campusing up the stairs
Anneli: dancing in the rain

Day 3

Here are the day 3 highlights:
Marina – dancing in the rain
Corrine – meeting people for other cultures, Irish, French, Australian, Spanish etc
Renee – seeing 60 year old climbers flashing 12s
Alix – waking Michael up and talking to old French couple in their native tongue
Michael – SENDING
Savelei – getting caught in the rain
Anneli – hiding from the rain under the overhang
Erika – screaming on the really fun 12b

Day 4

Highlights of today
Erika – none, I got sick 🙁
Mike – on sighting 5.12a Check your grip
Stine –  same as Mike
Phineas –  the food! It was the best dinner we’ve had I would say
Anneli – probably just hanging’ out at the crag
Corrine – getting my hair groomed by Marina
Marina – when Aleksey was playing crossing roads
Ellen – teaching Aleksey how to play crossing roads
Savelei – I was tired and I died
Alix –  planning out trip to France! : ) and Jean Jacques and Martine
Aleksey –  watching 67 year old french climber named Jean Jacques on sighting 5.12a
Maria –  sending the beautiful “27 years of climbing” and getting a 5.10b
Matt –  leading the 27 years of climbing
Renee – going over the non-hoppy ledge on the 5.10b

Day 5

Today was the rest day and it was restful! We slept in, went for a hike and went to Miguel’s.

Today’s highlights include

Stine – I got to eat phish food ice cream and goto Miguel’s
Savelei – When we went on a hike
Phineas – Eating pizza and going to Miguel’s
Erica – Having a meat pizza at Miguel’s
Ellen – Going to Miguel’s
Corinne – going to Miguel’s
Marina – Resting in the hot tub
Anneli – Sleeping out on the porch
Alix – Napping on the porch
Aleksey, Matt & Nikolay – woke up @6am in the morning and went climbing while kids are still sleeping, got back before the rain!

Day 6

What a day! We have done so much climbing today!

Alix – french fries and climbing through sub zero temperatures
Erica – lots of friction
Renee – two words with control
Savelei – three 5.12 send thingies
Anneli – working as hard as I could
Phineas – carving faces into potatoes
Ellen – doing a first 5.12
Marina – getting my potato crux move
Mike – having some big falls
Corinne – eating potatoes
Matt – hanging with awesome kids
Stine – taking my sleeping bag to the crag and using it
Aleksey – observing Waimea team members working very hard and being very funny

Day 7
This was our last climbing day. We woke up, packed, cleaned the cabin and left to climb in the wonderful Muir Valley. Another awesome day of climbing, lots of pizza at Miguel’s and we were back on the road heading home!

Our highlights:

Michael – one hang 12c
Erica – 12b that was awesome
Stine – sitting in a hueco on 12a
Anneli- getting all the moves 11a
Marina – sending the 11a
Alix – sun
Corinne – getting on a12
Ellen – flashing 12a
Savelei – flashing two 12th
Phineas – sending 11a
Aleksey – observing many climbers reaching new heights and learning that they can try super hard, on sighted the box of fried potatoes.
Nikolay – wearing the red team tank top
Maria – learning that I still enjoy climbing despite a nasty fall a day before
Matt – watching all three of my girls climb fun routes
Ren̬e Рtrusting my hands and trusting my feet more than I ever have before