Slightly More Knowledgeable Return to Mount Yonah

I was anxious to return to Mount Yonah, realizing that the first time I had been had been somewhat wasted on someone so ignorant about rock climbing. When we pulled into the parking lot, I bounded ahead, leading the charge up the mountain. I still don't understand why I like this particular hike so much, nor why I find it so easy compared to other people's perceptions, especially since I tend to be an average speed hiker. Regardless, I sprinted to the top, waiting several times for the group behind me to catch up. The weather was nice, cold with a slight wind. I decided to forgo the tent and slept outside with my sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and new fleece liner. The liner was fantastic and I slept like a baby both nights. 

The next morning, I headed for the climbing wall and was one of the first to climb. I tried a few different routes, most of them easy and below my usual climbing grade but on average it's hard for me to find something at my perfect level. Typically outdoor routes seem to be either really easy or really difficult, at least at Mount Yonah and for my level of climbing experience. I enjoyed the views and the company, watching much better climbers than me impressively tackle some very hard routes. I was pleased to actually have my own shoes, unlike the last trip to Yonah when I had used the worn out club shoes. I also actually understood the route gradings and could better assess my own skill level comparable to the routes, which made it much more fun for me than just blindly climbing without any idea of what I was doing. 

The next day, we headed down to the lowers, which has several climbing walls. We went to a different wall than I had been to the year before and it seemed to be hard to me, especially since everyone was taking turns leading two 5.10+ routes. Someone set up a top rope on both of these, and I tried them. It took a lot of encouragement and time, but I managed to reach the top of both and also of a route nearby that was chossy and mossy at the top, increasing the difficulty of the route and increasing my struggles. By the end of the day, I was sore and tired but I felt accomplished and returned to the rock gym with more confidence and finesse. 

Events occurred: November 2-4, 2012