I spent the day climbing at New Jack City, in Victorville Cali. Climbed with my friend Sarah and Mr. Photographer Anthony. It was a photoshoot for future article in DPM, so hopefully you can see me in that later! The day was nice, sunny, and brisk. Very very brisk. Almost too brisk.

New Jack has metaphoric rock, very different from my normal, Joshua Tree sharp as shit rock. I learned quickly I cant smear on anything, its toe down or shut down. Metamorphic rock is a very interesting rock to climb on. Its almost like perfect slices of rock cut off in blocks, which makes for perfect pad crimps! Its awesome.

In reference to pulling a sharma… as soon as I climbed out from the cold shade out in the Raven Rocks area I got mega hot climbing in the sun. So when I got a good stance mid-climb took off my jacket and threw it down to the ground ha.

Enjoyed sport climbing mucho today. Didn’t do that bad, considering I have been doing nothing but bouldering this entire month. But… the bouldering has been in Bishop, so can’t complain in the slightest haha. Thought I did pretty well on the few 5.11s that were lead today. I usually would consider myself more of a “boulderer” or a “trad climber” over “a sport climber”. Mainly because I have a personal issue with fear of falling on sport lead. Its the preconceived notion of the pre-placed protection bolts that overcome my focus turned into fear, instead of focus on climbing. Straight up, fear follows me any space past a bolt.  Speaking about the placements of bolts… at New Jack City some routes are basically bolt ladders. On one 5.10b, the first and 2nd bolt were (no joke) 2 ft away from each other! This may be one of the reasons why I wasnt so fearful climbing on lead today ha, give me a real crag with run out sections and things may change. BUT, with trad climbing I place when I want to. I find that trad on lead I fall into a concentrated state of climbing. Placing when appropriate, not when another person thinks its appropriate. When climbing in Tahquitz I finished up a pitch, once I peered down to my belayer I saw that I ran out 40ft in one section!

If I continue with sport I’ll hopefully consider jumping on lead with 5.12s before the year ends! We’ll see. Untill then, keep calm & climb on.

-Natalie D.