Day 7: Panic on Granite

The Petersons had one last day to harass and humiliate Arvind. Since he was able to handle a 5.4 climb in Eldorado without disgrace, he was obviously ready for something a little tiny bit harder. Like a 5.9.

The Dome is the best friction climbing in Colorado. Just across from the Cathedral Spires, it is close to Denver and faces due south, getting plenty of sun even in the winter. With an unwilling Peterson kid, Eric, brought along to give John a safe belay, Arvind was forced to march at top speed up the long hill to Bishops Jaggers.

Eric walking through caves on the approach   Arvind and Eric cowering beneath the Dome   An exhausted Indian survives the death march

John and Eric leading the way up the friction slab while Arvind watches in terror

Arvind's climb was marred by frequent comments like "I give up" and "let's go home". But Arvind's unsympathetic belayer would have none of this. Eventually Arvind reached the top of the 5.9 pitch and basked in the manliness of his achievement.

The Bishop - the rock across from the Dome

Arvind being lowered down

This is Arvind in triumph with Cathedral Spires in the background. With this ascent, Arvind became the most hard core Berkeley computer science graduate in Connecticut / New Jersey, easily surpassing Randy who spent the winter break writing papers and generally doing nothing of note or useful to society. Arvind, however, is now a hero in his home town of Madras, where they are building a statue of him out of ski wax and climbing chalk.

The final assault on Arvind: Roxborough park