First time cleaning out pro on a trad route.

TR on a slab route on the western face of Sociable Wall. Top out to the Upper Meadow.

Me top roping Suprize.This is one of my favorite,and one of my most hated climbs,it's real easy up untill that last move.It really pisses me off to see poeple make it so easy.

This is my buddy Favors, on his way up The Suprise at Draper's Bluff. This was his first lead ever!

This is me leading Sidewinder. An easy sport lead with a slingable horn. Hope you like it!

An unknown climber linking the two pitches on Outline. Drapers Bluff, So. Il.

4 Year Old Joshua is climbing on the sport Route called Surprise. We strategically put Sweet Tarts on the route as incentive to get him to want to climb higher.

Leslie topping out on the classic upper pitch of Fancy Lads (Tracy Belaying). Great weather, great partners, great rock, and a baby sitter for both Moms! What else can you ask for?

4 year old Joshua is climbing Surprise 5.8. He's snatching the sweet tarts off the route as he climbs higher. Mom & Dad put the candies there as incentive to climb higher. It worked!

Tracy is climbing on the fantastic upper pitch of Fancy Lads. The bottom pitch is sport 5.10c and the upper pitch is either 5.12c or about 5.8 A0. There are bolts in the 5.12 section that you can aid on, and then there's beautiful trad climbing after that. Look out for the wasp nest Tracy!

Tracy is topping out on the super fun upper pitch of Fancy Lads at Drapers Bluff. The gear placements are great! And look at the view! This route is fairly new, yet is likely going to be a classic.

The crux is the slightly overhanging bulge about 12 to 15 feet off the deck. The water groove on the right side of the bulge is the ticket up and over. Only problem is the bulge is a conglomerate of very sharp pebbles that'll clean the hide off your fingers! It's a great climb!

Having some fun TR'ing a short sport route at Drapers Bluff.

This is a really nice route on the South Face of Drapers Bluff in So. IL. I love climbing at the place! I don't know which route it is so if someone could help me out I'd appreciate it. I think it's in the vicinity of "Monarch", "Innerspace", and others. There's a couple of belay bolts just to the left of the cedar tree.

Mike Backer leading the 2nd pitch of an unnamed sport route (5.6?). This climb is located above the 3rd class scramble to access the camping ledge @ Draper's Bluff in Southern Illinois. Photo by Andy Lemon.

Mike Backer leads an unknown sport route (first route to the right of "The Outline"). Photo by Andy Lemon.

This is Mike Backer climbing out of the darkness on an unknown sport route. Photo by Andy Lemon.

Mark Schumaker leading his first sport route. He's a bit sketched but pulls through the moves just fine. Photo by Andy Lemon.

Here's a shot of Draper's Bluff in the midday sun...which was a welcome sight to Jeffers and I after the storms from the past TWO days!

"C" on the South Face at Drapers Bluff in Southern Illinois. This is a great first lead route. Large pockets, excelent placment opertunities all the way up. Tricky start make sure you have a spotter.

This is a shot of Antkiller (5.9) at Draper's Bluff in southern Illinois. It's a 2-pitch trad route that takes small to medium wires, Aliens, and cams up to 3". You can rap off the first pitch using chains off to the left.

This is me at the top of Dust Doctors (5.8). This was my first mostly trad (only one bolt) lead. It's super fun and a must do if you are at Drapers.

This was the first time I had ever been climbing on real rock (March 2005). The guys at Vertical Heartland provided us with thorough and patient instruction. By the end of the day, I flashed this route (not sure if that applies to TR).

Me on my first sport lead at Draper's Bluff Southern Illinois. Mounds 5.7

Ant Killer 5.9