A hint of orange at Bushwhack

Yesterday with a free afternoon and only a 10% forecast of rain, the question was not so much whether I would climb after work, but where.  Initially considering Northwest Branch or Murray Hill,  I decided to save those for the shorter days coming all too soon, and instead took the opportunity to get in a couple hours at Bushwhack.  The walk in was beautiful, with newly yellow ferns carpeting the forest in many sections. Arriving at the rocks, I found many more leaves down than had been there less than a week beforehand, and was simultaneously enjoying the added color and cautious about the less than adequate footing in places.

After looking around for a few minutes, I settled on Flipping the Switch as my project for the day.  About ten months ago I had tried the original stand start, The Rider, but even with several pads and spotters didn't quite have the confidence to make the committing final move.  A few days later, Brian went out and sent the full line, and right away it went on my list of things to do this year.

I did a quick warmup on the nearby Crystal Odds, named for the fragile seeming holds leading out of the difficult to protect pit.  Not very hard, but delicate and enjoyable.  Then I went over to finally send The Rider, and I won't deny that it took me at least ten attempts to suck it up and make the last move.  Even with 2.5 pads on the ground, and the hold obviously within reach, it definitely got to my head!

After eventually sticking it I set to work on the sit-start, a beautiful kneebar sequence leading to crimps in a seam, and a big throw up to a jug to join the main problem.  Somehow despite the greater physical difficulty, it went much more quickly.  In fact, I cruised through the crux on my first full attempt and would have sent it right then had my hand not slipped off the final move just enough to shake me up.  Two tries later I finished it, just in time for the sound of raindrops to send me back to my car.  With a month left before the time changes again, I'm excited to know there will be more afternoons like this!