Two days ago my best bud Jason Kruk and I hiked up to the backside of the Chief to attempt an old project.   We had exactly one day off work, and a brief spell of decent, late winter weather.  The project is a beautiful, leaning, splitter finger crack, an hour hike from the car.   First attempted by Perry Beckham in the '90s, this line had been attempted intermittently over the last couple years by Jason and Jeremy Blumel. 

On our first try we couldn't feel our fingers at all.  Just a bit too cold.  Then the circulation started to flow a bit, and I laced up my Anasazi Blancos for one last go.  The line is very balancy, and towards the end, quite powerful.  I thought I was about to fall a half-dozen time, but managed to latch the top of the wall with bloody fingers and numb toes. 

I named the line after an awesome Strokes album.  The crag is called the Solarium, and the route is a hot little line.

The next day at work I couldn't wipe the grin off my face.

Will