Who: MJ and Deanna, on the drive home from New Mexico
When: April 11 to April 12

The Pit lies just outside Flagstaff, a nice little sport climbing area that's been called Le Petit Verdon because of its limestone walls. Pretty. We got lost for a while and then we almost ran out of gas, and then we had to go on a bathroom break... Then we found Lake Mary Road and thought about car camping at the W*l-M*rt parking lot, or how about in Ashford? But on the way to Ashford we passed by Lake Mary and heard this sound. This sound, it was like raindrops falling but it was clear outside with nary a rain cloud in the sky. So we stopped. And stared at the windshield. AT ALL THE FLIES AND MOSQUITOES SWARMING ALL OVER THE PLACE. So we made a u-turn and tried to find free roadside camping but wouldn't you know it, there were signs all over the turnouts that said camping and fires were prohibited. *Grumble, grumble.* Our last hope was to go to the Pit camp site before settling on the parking lot.

Guess what?

The (awesome) camp host let us in! And, he said the following morning he recognized me and the car from last year. How very cool.

We woke up to frost and ice and the fact that our car was strategically mis-parked behind a bank of trees that blocked the sun. We moved the truck a few feet back and had breakfast.

It's dry. Everything's dry and cold, or dry and hot. The altitude's 7,500 feet (about the same at Enchanted Tower, NM); we were still wheezing a bit.

The Swiss Tower. Nice limestone, lots of pockets. Lots of holds; sometimes too many. Interesting top-outs on shelves, with the anchors on a higher wall. A little mantling is necessary.

The Oven and Loony walls. Again, short. A bit of steepness which translates into a pump-fest, but it's all good. There was no one around that day except us and two older climbers.

We stopped to eat at Mountain Oasis in downtown Flagstaff; looked through the racks at the Patagonia store. The drive back home was uneventful, which is always good. Don't stop at Kenner for gas; it's a rip-off at $4.09/gallon. The girl trip was fun and I hope we get to do it again!