Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Coming to the Northern Lights Hotel and Casino had been her first time back in years, and she couldn’t believe how much she had disliked being in the environment. After spending the majority of the last few years outdoors in such a beautiful place as the Eastern Sierras, she almost felt as if she’d been holding her breath the entire time she’d been indoors. She hadn’t even realized how much of a toll it had taken on her being inside for so long, or the stress of dealing with the threats. She inhaled deeply, grateful to be outdoors in the early morning sunrise with her friends, setting up the crash pads at the warm-up boulders where they all could climb.
Once they set their crash pads in place, all of them studied the boulders in order to choose their routes. Vienna stood looking up the rock face for a moment, drawing the fresh air into her lungs before she reached up and felt the warm sandstone. Vienna was a very strong climber with a good head, but she didn’t boulder a lot. She preferred sport climbing, but this softer sandstone with lots of holds was very fun to warm up on. She quickly topped out several of the V0s along the trail, and it wasn’t long before she was feeling pretty excited to try something a little more challenging. She made her way over to another boulder nearby that was just past the warm-ups. There were a couple V1s and a V2 that she wanted to try. Boulder problems were rated with a standard V scale from V0 to V15 or above, with VB meaning basic.
Stella helped her arrange the pads and offered to spot her. The climb she picked started from the left and topped out at the center of the boulder. After making sure the pads were in a good position, Vienna stepped up to the start holds. The moment she did, her mind was clear and focused. Everything disappeared but the problem she faced climbing the slightly overhung boulder. She grabbed the start holds and quickly heel hooked the outside wall of the boulder with her right foot. The pressure allowed her to keep from swinging out and made it easier to reach up with her right hand. She then found a good toe with her left to take pressure off the heel hook, and this allowed her to move it over to a new hold. She continued a repetitive pattern of heel hooking and reaching for holds as she moved left toward the center of the boulder. She then had to hold body tension as she took her heel off and repositioned her feet to go for the top jug.
The moment she grabbed the good hold she felt joy rush into her. She had it. She got her right foot up high and rocked over it to get on top of the boulder. She could hear Stella telling her good job and felt the warm sun on her face. It was the best feeling, and she decided to sit on top of the boulder for a bit to bask in it a little longer. After a little while she saw Harlow making her way toward them.
“You should try this one, Harlow, it’s really fun!”
Vienna hurried down the other side of the boulder to be a spotter. Harlow was tall, and although Stella and Raine were both excellent at spotting, Vienna knew she had superior capabilities. She took the position seriously. A spotter needed to ensure the climber’s head was protected in a fall first, and secondly his or her spine. When Vienna was spotting, she was wholly focused on the climber, her gaze fixed on the belt line. That way, she knew if that portion of the anatomy was dropping fast, there was no mistake, the climber was coming off the rock and she had to guide the fall.
Harlow studied the boulder and then chose a different route, a V4 with a standing start. She moved up the rock tentatively, and Vienna willed her to keep going. Several times she paused, her hips pressed against the boulder. Stella stepped close and called out instructions in a calm voice, encouraging her, telling her she could do it. That she had it.
Vienna stayed quiet, concentrating on Harlow’s body language, not on the climb itself. It was her responsibility to make certain Harlow wasn’t injured if she fell. Stella and the others could give Harlow the necessary reassurance to keep climbing.
Harlow came off the boulder several times, but landed on her feet without any help or guidance from Vienna. She simply looked up at the boulder, studying the rock with even more determination, and then started again. That was Harlow. She never gave up. The others gathered around, encouraging her. Cheering her on. Eventually, Harlow made it to the top, and Vienna was able to drop her arms. She’d had to move position twice, but she’d marked each position ahead of time and knew exactly what she would do if Harlow fell as she moved up the boulder.