The beginning of my obsession.

  It has been 4 years sense my first outdoor boulder problem was established... with a V grade. Before this it was merely plundering into an unknown abyss of endless Wyoming rock. So, invited by Jesse Brown, Micah Rush, Colby Frontiero to climb and develop new boulders in Wyoming at an area called Sweetwater Rocks was an experience brought into reality. Along with us was friends Andrew Ellbogen, a.k.a. Chuck,  Zac Rudy who was at the time my closest competition in climbing, and my good friend Cory Cummings a.k.a. Red Bearded Slothimal.

  It was 2009 and I had just completed my first WBS boulder competition in Casper Wyoming. We set out early the morning after the competition to the Sweetwater Rocks in Jesse Brown's "Total Recall" Van. After an hour and a half drive on smooth highways and relatively groomed dirt roads we stopped the van. Parked at a boulder spot known as the Pirates Of The Carribean. We then began warming up on whatever we could find. Everyone was having a successful run on problems both new, and old. Finally after a few good burns Colby and Micah went home and the rest of us launched on foot across the desert lands to seek out new and fresh areas of rock. Zac and I stayed pretty close hunting rock while the others spread out hungry for perfectly sculpted lines. When Zac spotted the first piece of untouched stone that he was drawn to we immediately opened up the crash pad. I however did not have a form of climbing protection until later that year. So one pad was good enough. Zac gave the line a first burn, bailing at the top he took a short break. I asked if I could give it a shot as it was my first attempt at an unsent line. He said sure, and immediately I saw the moves in my mind and cracked a smile. It wasn't sinister by any means, but I was aware that I could possibly climb it smoothly based on the size of the holds. I managed to Flash Zac's project making it my First Ascent ever. Though I felt stupid about it, Zac had a great head on his shoulders and congratulated me, then he also sent the problem. The name of the problem is Baker's  Dihedral, and I believe it was V1 or 2. Jesse was the man to help name this line because I wasn't sure how names of problems were brought up. It stuck, and the problem was sent once more that day by Jesse. Here is one of several remaining images of the problem and other routes climbed that day. Note: images are tiny because I could only find them on the 307Bouldering.com website.

Jesse topping out Baker's Dihedral

The dihedral to the right of the image below with a crack is Baker's Dihedral

 Working a fun problem Jesse put up to the left of Baker's.

 This was a challenging topout.

 Colby Frontiero working a large boulder.

 Jesse Brown on the "Black Pearl"?

 Micah Rush taking claim to this tall line.

 Another angle of the "Black Pearl"?  problem...

This was a grand day never to forget, the beginning of my climbing obsession. Marking the day I began developing as many problems as I could find.