|
ichaelme
Sep 16, 2007, 2:21 AM
Post #1 of 31
(14833 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 14, 2007
Posts: 17
|
arent these boulders far from any trails? i have been to umstead a few times, mostly around the harrison entrance and have never come across them. however, i did find a small little boulder off of the company mill trail, i assumed that is was not the climing spot. or at least i hope it wasnt becouse if it was me and my buddy disregarded the "no climbing" policy and messed around on it
|
|
|
|
|
whipperman
Sep 16, 2007, 3:21 AM
Post #2 of 31
(14820 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 23, 2005
Posts: 62
|
They're a few minutes off of one of the trails. Harrison road is the correct entrance spot. Take the main road until you come to a large fence on your right with a bunch of no parking signs. Walk around the fence and walk down the road for about 10 minutes. The dirt road will eventually become a single track trail. Start to look for a single track trail branching off to the left and heading up a hill. Walk up the hill and when you get to the top of the hill the trail will end. Keep heading through the woods in the same general direction diagonally left and you'll start heading down to the river. The rocks are along the water and there are a few good problems. All and all, there isn't a whole lot there. Worth a trip or two. Keep a low profile as I believe climbing is not an approved activity for Umstead.
|
|
|
|
|
ichaelme
Sep 17, 2007, 1:13 AM
Post #3 of 31
(14807 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 14, 2007
Posts: 17
|
"Walk around the fence and walk down the road for about 10 minutes. The dirt road will eventually become a single track trail." would taht be the company mill trail?
|
|
|
|
|
knieveltech
Sep 17, 2007, 2:18 AM
Post #4 of 31
(14791 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 2, 2006
Posts: 1431
|
whipperman wrote: They're a few minutes off of one of the trails. Harrison road is the correct entrance spot. Take the main road until you come to a large fence on your right with a bunch of no parking signs. Walk around the fence and walk down the road for about 10 minutes. The dirt road will eventually become a single track trail. Start to look for a single track trail branching off to the left and heading up a hill. Walk up the hill and when you get to the top of the hill the trail will end. Keep heading through the woods in the same general direction diagonally left and you'll start heading down to the river. The rocks are along the water and there are a few good problems. All and all, there isn't a whole lot there. Worth a trip or two. Keep a low profile as I believe climbing is not an approved activity for Umstead. I was under the impression that the boulders where on airport property.
|
|
|
|
|
jager
Sep 18, 2007, 9:02 PM
Post #5 of 31
(14760 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 25, 2006
Posts: 21
|
I think the land is Umstead Property or the airport lets Umstead use it. Since there is a small picnic area by the pond. Lots of bike trails that were there when I first started going there. I actually camped by the pond back in boy scouts (like in the early 90s) and was told it was umstead. There is actually a house being built right beside of where the trail starts on reedy creek rd. Allen, have you not been there before? I can show you where it is, not suppose to climb there anymore though. I haven't in a long time. Although I think the waste water treatment plant did more damage to the surrounding area than the climbers would do to the rock in a million years. Just shoot me and email if you still have my address. (This is Matt)
|
|
|
|
|
rsmillbern
Sep 18, 2007, 9:11 PM
Post #6 of 31
(14756 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 29, 2005
Posts: 319
|
Make sure you take LOTS of bug spray if you go there ;-)
|
|
|
|
|
knieveltech
Sep 18, 2007, 9:41 PM
Post #7 of 31
(14748 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 2, 2006
Posts: 1431
|
rsmillbern wrote: Make sure you take LOTS of bug spray if you go there ;-) No doubt. Long time no see, you been getting outside much?
|
|
|
|
|
rsmillbern
Sep 19, 2007, 2:32 AM
Post #8 of 31
(14716 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 29, 2005
Posts: 319
|
Stone Mtn last weekend, Table Rock before that. Heading to CA and Yosemite next weekend. Looking forward to the cooler weather, have to get you out to Stone and Sauratown...
|
|
|
|
|
knieveltech
Sep 19, 2007, 2:51 AM
Post #9 of 31
(14710 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 2, 2006
Posts: 1431
|
rsmillbern wrote: Stone Mtn last weekend, Table Rock before that. Heading to CA and Yosemite next weekend. Looking forward to the cooler weather, have to get you out to Stone and Sauratown... Yosemite, eh? Hot damn, I'm envious. Enjoy the trip and bring back lots of photos! As far as Sauratown or Stone is concerned, just say the word and I'm in. Likewise for Moore's.
|
|
|
|
|
norskagent
Sep 19, 2007, 2:29 PM
Post #10 of 31
(14692 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 9, 2003
Posts: 409
|
there are many good problems there, if you bring pads and are willing to devise some eliminates/variations. On the first short steep outcrop there is a nice pumpy lip traverse, and several sit-start problems, some obvious and some devised. On the big outcrop there are several splitter highball lines, the best of which is "welcome to umstead" a v2ish crackline directly over some back-breaking rocks. The corner to its right is fun though the top stays dirty. The arete right of that is fun and highball. The face just right of the arete is probably the best hard line there, "pipeline", ~v6ish. There are also some great traverse lines there, the "ramp" (v3) starts below "welcome" and follows the ramp right to a jug in the corner. The "ripper" (v6) traverse starts at the far left side of the wall and ends same as the ramp. There used to be the infamous "d.t.t.w." problem left of welcome but a key hold broke off after the first ascent (which is featured on dosage 1 I believe). Also, above the main wall is a short traverse wall, and ~200' right of that are two more short walls that offer good problems. Wait until fall/winter for best results -
(This post was edited by norskagent on Sep 19, 2007, 2:34 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
ichaelme
Sep 20, 2007, 1:49 AM
Post #11 of 31
(14663 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 14, 2007
Posts: 17
|
right on, you sound pretty familiar with the rocks. im going to hike along the bank of reedy creek i guess and try to figure out once and for all were these boulders are. im stoked to climb on some real rock for the first time in a while, plus i wouldnt mind a little hike.
|
|
|
|
|
Carnage
Sep 20, 2007, 12:33 PM
Post #12 of 31
(14638 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 27, 2007
Posts: 923
|
i went there with a friend yesterday and we basically just got lost for about 45 min w/ no sight of any boulders. lemme know if you can give a good description of where they are. thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
knieveltech
Sep 20, 2007, 1:25 PM
Post #13 of 31
(14625 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 2, 2006
Posts: 1431
|
ichaelme wrote: right on, you sound pretty familiar with the rocks. im going to hike along the bank of reedy creek i guess and try to figure out once and for all were these boulders are. im stoked to climb on some real rock for the first time in a while, plus i wouldnt mind a little hike. You might want to reconsider, or if you do hike the bank of the creek take the left bank (farthest from wastewater treatment plant). I hiked the bank a few months ago looking for the rocks and ended up bushwhacking around aimlessly. Eventually I ended up in a (active) rock quarry, at which point I turned around and bushwhacked back to the car. Nice enough hike if you don't mind bugs. Lots of bugs. Oh and no sign of the boulders.
|
|
|
|
|
norskagent
Sep 20, 2007, 1:33 PM
Post #14 of 31
(14622 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 9, 2003
Posts: 409
|
from I-40, take harrison blvd. towards cary. Turn right on weston, then right on old reedy creek. Cross over I-40, and proceed until you see a newly built house on the left (the only house on the left). Park somewhere else, out of the way, either up or down the road away from the house. Walk back and follow the old soil road just right of the house, it has a fence and concrete barricades at its entrance. Follow it until it turns to singletrack at a pond. The trail goes along the pond's dam, then heads into the woods. When you see crabtree creek to the right, angle down towards it, the main rocks are along the bank and the smaller ones are above them a little further. Please be low key, the park/airport people don't want to have to respond to complaints about parking, noise etc. I'm sure.
|
|
|
|
|
CinnamonJohnson
Sep 20, 2007, 2:48 PM
Post #15 of 31
(14613 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 4, 2007
Posts: 88
|
I think CragX is prob more fun that the Umstead boulders. Cary Town Park after dark son!
|
|
|
|
|
norskagent
Sep 20, 2007, 3:22 PM
Post #16 of 31
(14601 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 9, 2003
Posts: 409
|
the "pipeline" problem alone is worth the effort, it has overhanging slopers, crimps, "jugs", and a last move dyno to the top - start: mid: start of the ripper traverse:
(This post was edited by norskagent on Sep 20, 2007, 3:23 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
Carnage
Sep 20, 2007, 3:44 PM
Post #17 of 31
(14590 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 27, 2007
Posts: 923
|
norskagent, can i get you to put an X (via MSpaint) on the spot where they are? Heres that park map. dont have to be perfect, but close would help
|
|
|
|
|
CinnamonJohnson
Sep 20, 2007, 4:13 PM
Post #18 of 31
(14571 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 4, 2007
Posts: 88
|
Too bad no more Down to the Wire.. We carried a Big Boy out there one day to pad up the base, didnt get it though...
|
|
|
|
|
norskagent
Sep 20, 2007, 4:45 PM
Post #19 of 31
(14566 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 9, 2003
Posts: 409
|
house is orange block, soil rd. is thick red line, singletrack is thin red line, rocks are the red blobs, location is approximate.
|
|
|
|
|
Carnage
Sep 20, 2007, 4:51 PM
Post #20 of 31
(14561 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 27, 2007
Posts: 923
|
thanks a ton, im going there today
|
|
|
|
|
norskagent
Sep 20, 2007, 5:14 PM
Post #21 of 31
(14553 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 9, 2003
Posts: 409
|
be sure to check for ticks, esp. the tiny deer ticks, when you are done.
|
|
|
|
|
ichaelme
Sep 21, 2007, 1:21 AM
Post #22 of 31
(14525 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 14, 2007
Posts: 17
|
i cant wait to find these boulders, you guys rule!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
ichaelme
Sep 21, 2007, 1:24 AM
Post #23 of 31
(14524 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 14, 2007
Posts: 17
|
what is CragX?
|
|
|
|
|
knieveltech
Sep 21, 2007, 3:22 AM
Post #24 of 31
(14508 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 2, 2006
Posts: 1431
|
ichaelme wrote: what is CragX? If it has to do with a park in Cary I can only assume he's referring to the craptastic artificial boulders. Personally I'd rather dispense with that bullshit and either spend an hour or two screwing around by the Haw River or shred my tips off in Durham.
|
|
|
|
|
CinnamonJohnson
Sep 21, 2007, 4:59 PM
Post #25 of 31
(14497 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 4, 2007
Posts: 88
|
Cragx is North Cary Town Park. They have 2 concrete boulders that are fun to play on. Theres one steep wall with a lot of edges. You can make some pretty cool eliminate problems on it. I wish more cities would add these things to their parks. Apparently these were pretty expensive.
|
|
|
|
|
|