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Slideshow (142 photos)

Leaping between boulders

Muffy: Easy face climbing on plates with cool orange lichen

Hang 'Em High: Crimping at the start of Hang 'Em High

Hang 'Em High: More crimps through the crux

Hang 'Em High: Grabbing for a draw

Hang 'Em High: The route finishes in a crack

The Fire Spire: Colin follows the first pitch, belayed from above by Tom, just before a major storm hit

The Fire Spire: Tommy and Colin gearing up at the base of the spire

Batteries Not Included: Colin and Tommy at the belay in front of the "eye"

Batteries Not Included: Colin follows P1 of Batteries Not Included; crisp limestone

Batteries Not Included: Colin follows P1 of Batteries Not Included; crisp limestone

Batteries Not Included: Colin rappels through the "eye"

Unknown: Pretty much the only boulder we could climb; we suck

Shredded hands from 31 straight days of climbing

West Face: Slab at the top of P3

West Face: Nearing the top of P3, Lake Sabrina in the background

West Face: Leading P4 in the rain

West Face: In a warm puffy jacket at the P2 belay, Aspendell in the background; the vansion is parked in the pullout on the road above Colin's head

Our camp spot next to large boulders. Too bad there's ticks.

Rock hoping around the top of Elk Rock

Colin on top of large boulder

Awesome views off the back side of Elk Rock

Finally the sun; we ran out and climbed a few routes before dark

Open Mouth Syndrome: Perplexed by a sea of pockets at the start of the route

Open Mouth Syndrome: Typical pocket at Cochiti

Open Mouth Syndrome: Typical pocket at Cochiti

The Prow: Sending the super-overhanging Prow

The Prow: Pulling the crux on big jugs

Otto's Route: Starting up the third pitch easy chimney

Otto's Route: Pulling the final move onto the summit

Otto's Route: The final rappel off Independence Monument

Otto's Route: At the belay below the summit

Otto's Route: Massive runout up to the capstone

Otto's Route: Ahhhh…protection; notice the drilled stances up the face above him

Otto's Route: Hard pulling over the overhang leads to a good ledge and fixed anchor

Otto's Route: Woo hoo

Otto's Route: Starting up the first pitch of Otto's Route

Reading the register on the summit.

Getting up early to hit the Tower

Solar: Leaving the P1 belay and starting up P2

Solar: Excellent corner jamming on P2

Solar: Finally, a break in the jamming

Colin at the top of P1 of El Matador. We decided to bail here.

A scary self portrait (Copyright © Colin O'Connor)

Approaching in the rain, of course

Our campsite at El Rito; cows roamed around our van at night

Boltaneer: High on Boltaneer

Boltaneer: In a sea of knobs and cookie-chip chunks

Boltaneer: Amazing jugs where cobbles used to be

Boltaneer: A super juggy and high-quality route

Fear is Never Boring: Crux moves at the top of the pitch

Fear is Never Boring: Styling the second pitch, in the rain

Fear is Never Boring: Following the beautiful face on P1

Fear is Never Boring: Nearing the top of the pitch

Big jump with plume of sand

Colin's thigh sprouts people

Totally airborn

Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall

Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall

Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall

Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall

Weird Science: Colin leads up the awesome wall

Chilling out at Observation Point

Our camp at Observation Point; it snowed…again

Chew Time: Colin follows Chew Time at the left end of the wall

Chew Time: Colin follows Chew Time at the left end of the wall

Chew Time: Standing below Chew Time

5.9 Route: Colin follows small crimps in the rain (which turned to snow)

Fear of a Black Planet: First route in the Gorge, slippery and good

Fear of a Black Planet: Long reach at the crux

Expressway: In a sea of pockets near the anchor

Bone Up: Pulling through the first overhanging section

Bone Up: Pulling though the big overhang high on the route

Bone Up: Whew…getting established after the roof

Expressway: Thin, crimpy moves at the bottom

Expressway: Crimp…ouch!

Expressway: Steep climbing that just doesn't let up

Winter '93 -- the snow is deeper than young Colin

Question of Balance: Looking at the pitches above with water streaming down the face

Lookin' smooth at the Middle Ice Caves area

Tenuous brook crossing

Cold Cuts: Near the bottom of Cold Cuts

Cold Cuts: Angular holds characterize this route, and just about every other route at Rifle

Feline: Bustin' back muscles

Rumor Has It: Colin on Rumor Has It, a super popular .11b

Rumor Has It: Fierce and strenuous laybacking

Pile Driver: Steep climbing in a cave…a good choice because it was raining

Standing at the base of Gong Show Crag

Gong Show Crag proved a popular destination with locals

Welcome to the Iris Slab: Preparing to lead, not super motivated

Welcome to the Iris Slab: Shoeing up

U2RINXS: Starting up, pretty much the crux of the route

U2RINXS: Traversing to the arete

U2RINXS: The route climbs the left tower of the highest formation in the photo; Colin is there if you look closely

U2RINXS: Cranking on a jug in a sea of rock

Approaching the Rock Garden from Penetente Canyon

Standard Route: Relaxing on top of Devil's Thumb

Standard Route: Belaying Tommy with fingerless gloves

More Gunky Than Funky: In the steep corner of P1

More Gunky Than Funky: Approaching the belay; odd angle with fish-eye lens

West Gruesome: Finally in the sun, Colin enjoys a comfy belay at the end of P1

Hitching Post: Colin raps the Hitching Post back to the car

Hitching Post: Colin sitting on top of the Hitching Post

Colin eating breakfast in the carport

Totem Pole: Colin comes up the final chimney

Totem Pole: Standing on the sub-spire just after the crux

Totem Pole: Standing on the sub-spire just after the crux

Totem Pole: The final face moves to the summit

Totem Pole: The final face moves to the summit

Totem Pole: Rapping the Totem Pole

Totem Pole: Rapping the Totem Pole

Totem Pole: On the summit of the Totem Pole

Totem Pole: On the summit of the Totem Pole

Totem Pole: On the summit of the Totem Pole

Son of a Thousand Fathers: Campusing up the big moves at the start

Looking around for dry rock

Ice Station Zebra: Colin's first lead in the canyon

Colin looking all scary

Euro Trash Girl: Gearing up at the start of the route

Orange Likin' Delight: Pullin' on jugs up the arete

Orange Likin' Delight: Pullin' on jugs up the arete

No Perches Necessary: Colin approaching No Perches, but up the wrong gully

No Perches Necessary: Colin approaching No Perches, but up the wrong gully

No Perches Necessary: Colin belays

The crew that did the initial gathering of stones for the chimney

Unknown: Starting up an unknown (but good) route in the Beastie Alley

Mama Jugs: One of Colin's first trad leads; real juggy with good pro

Walking off Mosaic Rock

View from the top of the rocks, looking towards Taos

Colin sketches on top of the bear-proof storage box

Manta Ray: More 5.9 friction

No Country for Old Men: Colin belays Tommy on P5 while Michelle snacks

No Country for Old Men: Nice rope management

No Country for Old Men: Colin emerges from the P5 chimney

No Country for Old Men: Taking a nap after the big whipper

No Country for Old Men: At the P5 belay, happy to be bailing

Little red potatos…swollen fingers with very little pad remaining

Wind swept plateau on the approach to the Main Wall

Approaching the Main Wall

Approaching the Main Wall

Approaching the Main Wall early season

Standing on a large boulder at the high end of the Main Wall