clear creek canyon – D. Scott Clark Photography

Clear Creek with Matt Lloyd

It’s been a while since I’ve shot some climbing. After two solid months of being too busy to do much else, I was finally able to get away from my desk a couple weekends ago and climb with Matt Lloyd. I worked on Twitch (5.12d), near the New River Wall (which felt incredibly hard) while Matt put a burn on The Prowler, his 14a project. Was good to get out shooting again.

Low Wire Crag in Clear Creek Canyon

Sitting below the popular High Wire Crag and, one of my favorites, the Wall of Justice in Clear Creek Canyon is a new crag with some great lines called Low Wire. Kevin Capps bolted this area this summer and has been working on sending all of the routes. The last one is the hardest, a 5.13b?, in a very overhung cave with some big powerful moves.

Kevin Capps climbing The Grizz 5.13b

Two routes, a 5.12a/b and a 5.12c, are just above the river.

Matt Lloyd climbing Groove Town, a very hight-dependent 5.12a

There are routes that range from 5.9+ to 5.13 including a great 5.12a, “Fly Low”, which is my hardest flash (climbing a route from bottom to top without falling on your first attempt).

To get out of the area you have to climb a 5.4 slab. Right now there is a rope to assist in your ascent. Low Wire will be included in the new guidebook coming out soon!

Daniel Cornella climbing the 5.4 slab out of Low Wire

Matt Lloyd on Marble Man

Last May Matt Lloyd asked me to come out and photograph him on a short project he was working on in Clear Creek. He has since made the first ascent of “Marble Man” 5.13b and it will be in the new Clear Creek Guide Book.

Published in Origin. Magazine

I just picked up my copy of Origin. Magazine at Whole Foods (the only place it sells) that has photos I took of Jon Cardwell and Chelsea Rude a few weeks ago.

It has two covers…

Jon Cardwell climbing Rubble in Clear Creek Canyon & portrait in front of the FlatIrons.

Chelsea Rude climbing Stone Cold Modern in Clear Creek Canyon & portrait in front of the FlatIrons.

Matilda Soderlünd climbs Prime Time to Shine 5.14b

Later in the week we went back to Clear Creek to the Primo Wall where Matilda Soderlünd made easy work of Prime Time to Shine (5.14b).

Matilda Soderlünd Bouldering

A few months ago I got a call from Tiffany Hensley asking if I wanted to get out and shoot with Swedish climber Matilda Soderlünd. Who am I to say no to an invitation like that. We tried to go to Guanella Pass but we got rained out. On the way home we decided to stop in Clear Creek Canyon to at least get some climbing in.

Matilda is not as much of a boulderer as she is a sport climber, but she definitely can hold her own.

We found this friendly guy blocking our path out, but he allowed us to pass eventually.

I invited Matilda to come back to Clear Creek later and show me her sport climbing skills. And she is impressive.