Trad Climbing Practice at Twin Rocks Mountain

Cindy McCloskey and myself hiked to the base of Twin Rocks Mountain in order to practice building anchors and placing pro on class 4 granite slabs on November 4th.  Temperatures were mild, the wind was calm, and the base of our climb was exposed to warm sunshine through early afternoon.  We set up a two point anchor, using a Black Diamond #10 hex inside a crack for point number one, and a sling around a rounded rock horn for point number two.  A 6mm prusik cord connected the two anchors, and we tied in to the anchor at a master point created by an overhand knot.  We then spent the next three hours ascending various class 4 routes, placing nuts, hexs, and cams into the cracks we encountered along the way.  I climbed up 60 feet of slabs and topped out onto a large boulder, which was captured in the picture below where I am waving.  I also put a sling around a boulder located at the top of our primary practice route, and used that anchor to abseil back down to the base of the cliff.  After Cindy abseiled down after one particular ascent, I pulled the rope through the top anchor, and then it came back down the route and collected by my feet.  As this occurred, the rope dislodged a softball size rock that came racing down the cliff.  I just stood there, watching this rock approach with increasing speed, but couldn't decide which way to move.  Stupidly, I took off my helmet before pulling the rope through.  But luckily, the rock missed my head, and more importantly, I learned an important lesson...don't take off your helmet when pulling the rope down!  Otherwise...what a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, and the practice session will pay off in the future when we climb harder routes in the Wichitas and Rockies.