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gblauer
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Aug 22, 2011, 11:35 AM
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I had lunch wonderwoman and blueeyedclimber on Sunday and Josh told me that the left side of the Jean roof is an easier pull (better holds).
Ok, We have a date. I will belay the next time you lead Jean!
Have fun in Spain.
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Gmburns2000
Aug 22, 2011, 1:03 PM
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Sounds like an interesting weekend for everyone. Glad people got out and beat the rain. I've been stuck enough in those 'Gunks downpours that I have a lot of sympathy for you guys. I had a busy weekend myself, although with not nearly as much climbing.
Thursday I drove 2.5 hours to the mid-coast Maine area to say good-bye to my dad. We moved a bunch of stuff from his house and one of his storage units to my own, now-consolidated storage unit, and then the next morning I helped him clean out a couple of his units (he's an electrician and uses them for tools and wire and stuff). Then I drove 30min further up to Augusta to have lunch with a good friend from college to say good-bye to him.
After that, I headed 2 hours further north to home in Bar Harbor to say good-bye to family that afternoon and evening. Two hours with one grandmother, two hours with another, dinner with an aunt, then bed, then up at 6am to have breakfast with a cousin and another aunt, then a five-hour drive back south to Rumney where I met two of my favorite climbing partners (Kurt and Rachel) and their friend Matt. Ran into Jake while there (go figure - running into Jake at Rumney is akin to running into Terrie at the 'Gunks, the likelihood of it not happening is slim at best). Completely trashed myself on just a few climbs (I was tired) and proceeded to enjoy the jumping off the rock into the river way more than the falling off the climbs. Dinner at the Common Man was followed by the hour-and-a-half drive back to Boston.
I returned the rental car, took the T back to my friend's in Somerville, and crashed for the night. Sunday was spent packing and buying one of those harness packages for a friend in Brasil who has just started to get into climbing. The friends down there are mostly beginner climbers, but they have some very experienced friends (or so I'm told), so I should be able to hit the ground running (or hit the rock climbing, if you will) in the climbing scene around Curitiba. The winter is turning to spring there, and that makes me happy to look forward to climbing season.
Now I'm nursing a slight hangover from only three beers, an intense conversation about what constitutes art, and listening to the fiddlers, guitarists, and banjo players crank acoustic folk versions of our favorite Irish, rock, alternative country, and even DISCO! tunes at my favorite pub, The Burren. The music there is fantastic and we even got treated to a folk version of a few Beetles songs sung by an 8-year old girl. She's damn good. My buddy knows her father (one of the musicians that evening), so we chatted with him for a bit in between sets. For Boston folks, Sunday night at The Burren is well worth it.
Anyway, no one won the argument about what art is, but we had a damn good time beating each other up over it. I'm now up doing this something of a trip report and procrastinating taking a shower. My flight leaves at 2pm.
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blueeyedclimber
Aug 22, 2011, 5:09 PM
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gblauer wrote: I had lunch wonderwoman and blueeyedclimber on Sunday and Josh told me that the left side of the Jean roof is an easier pull (better holds).
Don't forget to tell him about the knee bar 
Our weekend was also good. I had big goals to get back on Carbs and Caffeine this weekend but given that i haven't been feeling very strong lately, the heat on Saturday and a tendon issue on my left middle finger, I decided not this weekend. Maybe in the Fall.
We did end up doing some good climbing, however. I led ProctoSilex, P1 of Traverse of the Clods, Feast of Fools, Jean and Drunkards' Delight. Tiff led P2 of Traverse. Ken's Crack and attempted a RP of Retribution (She'll get it next time).
Sunday, we only got 2 pitches in before the rains came.
Josh
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wonderwoman
Aug 22, 2011, 5:58 PM
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blueeyedclimber wrote: Tiff led P2 of Traverse.
Or at least some version of it. It was more like a small roof and a top out. I feel so cheated! I want a do-over!
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jakedatc
Aug 22, 2011, 6:24 PM
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spent the last week at rumney. mostly "guiding" around my gf and I's friend Amy from Toronto.
rained tuesday but after much sitting around in Plymouth we got 2 routes in anyway. wed, thurs were dry and got a bunch done. somewhere in there Josh joined us for the day.. scoffed at my route suggestion and then had to eat his words when he liked the route ;)
friday we hiked up Mt Moosilauke in the White mtns along the Appalachian trail. 8mi in 6.5 hours including one of the steepest 1mi sections of the AT. got back to camp, grabbed the trad rack... did a quick 5.5 and 5.8 i had wanted to lead for a while.
Kate came up fri night and climbed with us saturday and sunday. weather report must have scared most folks away because everything except stuff near the road was not busy at all. Amy finished up her trip TRing the sharpest 10b i am aware of :) she said she wanted to leave with no fingerprints so I made sure of it. Kate and I did a few more routes at 5.8 crag before eating lunch and breaking down camp. Made it just in time before the skies opened up on the drive home.
found a few routes I want to work on. need to get into the gym and boulder a whole bunch and get ready for the fall season.
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darkgift06
Aug 22, 2011, 8:21 PM
Post #731 of 1159
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Finally made it back to Yak Peak, I lead the first 2 pitch's & my partner lead the next 2. by that point the exposure & leading was getting to my partner so I lead the next 7 pitch's & he lead the last 5.0 scramble finish. All in all it was a great day, a little slow as there were 9 groups on the wall at one point but it was super sunny (got the tan lines to prove it) and not rushing gave us time to enjoy our climb. Pics/video to come
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Gmburns2000
Aug 29, 2011, 2:16 AM
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Made it outside the city since I arrived last Monday on a beautiful day in Brasil. My girlfriend needed some time to work so her friend took me out to one of the local climbing spots and we went on a scouting mission. The rock at this place (Anhangava) was of the very sticky granite type (and sharp, too). We saw a para-sailor (sp?) take off and play around the top of the mountain, and we had fun doing a little bit of bouldering and hiking, too.
It's mostly sport here (even some of the cracks), but that's probably a function of the fact that climbing is a fairly young sport in Brazil (i.e. - it's cheaper for climbing companies to donate bolts to get the masses interested in climbing over getting them to buy expensive trad gear. And for perspective, a BD ATC runs about US$60 <-- no, that's not a typo).
In any case, not a lot of climbing done, but it was a beautiful day in Southern Brasil and I'm pretty damn happy to have some eager friends down here who have strong connections to the climbing world. Hopefully they'll be more of these going forward.
The crag as seen from below:
My friend Isa working on the start of a highball boulder problem:
Clouds over the valley mean that it's time to go home in case it rains:
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gblauer
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Sep 5, 2011, 10:07 PM
Post #735 of 1159
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Looks very beautiful Greg. Looking forward to hearing about your climbing adventures.
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gblauer
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Sep 5, 2011, 10:19 PM
Post #736 of 1159
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Wow, that looks like a great climb. Looks like you guys had a lot of fun.
Did you rent that camper?
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Gmburns2000
Sep 5, 2011, 10:45 PM
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gblauer wrote: Looks very beautiful Greg. Looking forward to hearing about your climbing adventures.
I'm hoping to get the next post up this week (gotta go through MOUNDS of teaching english texts this week, though). I went back to actually climb there on Sunday.
Did we ever get a Squamish write-up?
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blueeyedclimber
Sep 5, 2011, 11:07 PM
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We had another great Labor Day weekend in Acadia. We spent Saturday and Sunday at the Precipice.
Both Tiff and I took falls this weekend. Mine came on High Wire on a thin crack layback with bad feet. I took 3 falls on a small nut that is now part of the climb. I don't usually leave gear but I couldn't get that sucker out.
I also fell off the top of Dynamo Hum on Sunday. Tiff took a fall off the crux of Green Mt. Breakdown.
We finished up the weekend today doing a classic moderate that neither of us have ever done, Gargoyle.
I heart Acadia!
Josh
Edited to add: that Tiff did get the rp of Emigrant Crack
(This post was edited by blueeyedclimber on Sep 5, 2011, 11:25 PM)
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gblauer
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Sep 5, 2011, 11:34 PM
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Squamish...yes, I need to write it up. It was a wonderful trip.
I secretly wished for rain this weekend. So...all of you gunks climbers...you can blame me.
I was sooo tired from my work travel and various personal events that I couldn't even drive to my beloved Gunks (and husband who was already up there) on Thursday. (I flew into PHL from BOS, arrived early on Thursday evening, but, I couldn't get myself into the car.) I drove up on Friday and climbed with my friend Bett. Honestly, I didn't even want to leave the ground. We did some moderates, nothing much, we started late and she needed to get home to her beloved. So, I think we did 4 pitches; Betty, Raubenheimers and Boston. I was glad that she had to leave early, I was tuckered out from the cumulative effects of weeks and weeks of travel.
Saturday dawned early, but MItch and I were very leisurely in our departure from the house. I think we got to the Trapps lot at 1030 and Rich waved us on, we were shut out. (very unusual for us, I always have "parking karma" and we usually find a slot even when it's full.) We ended up at the stairmaster and this tired body actually enjoyed the hike, it got my blood moving and my new pack felt almost weightless (not really, but, it is a heck of a lot better than my old pack.) We continued up the Strictly's trail and happily, a party had just finished the first pitch of Oscar's. That was my destination and we negotiated with the party heading up Strictly's (they went first, we would follow from the Oscar tree).
Still tired, (have I mentioned that I haven't had a full nights sleep in days and days? Damn hormones.) I didn't even want to leave the ground, let alone on lead. Yet, up I went and I sewed up the crux (small 5.7 bulge, feels harder to me), pulled it, surprised Mitch by placing the "4" and easily finished the climb. I brought Mitch up and we waited for a bit while our neighbors finished Strictly's. It was a beautiful day I wasn't complaining about the rest spot. Then I realized there were actually three folks ahead of me at the Strictly's belay so I needed to wait for at least one of them to leave. More delay, but, again, I was happy to rest. Finally, I moved up through the Strictly roof, got to the belay and waited will the next leader started up P2. She was a new leader and very tentative. That said, she picked her way up in fine form and finished the climb. I brought Mitch up and he agreed to lead P2. He is just back into leading and he too is a bit tentative. His wrist is not right and he has to adapt his climbing style to accommodate the new "normal". He did a great job and felt good about his onsight.
I needed to keep it super mellow so I lead Arch to the GT ledge (rope drag was crazy) and Mitch took the last pitch. There is a fixed tricam on the start of P2 if you feel like working on it. We did not. There is also a fixed cam on the second pitch of Wrist. I thought about heading up Wrist to see if I could wrestle the cam loose, but, then I remembered I would have to climb the route. Nah...let MItch lead Arch, he needs the practice.
Not ready to quit, but, thoroughly spent, I ran up Rusty Trifle, Mitch lead the last pitch. Next time I am going to traverse right and pull the Uncle Rudy roof instead of heading up the face.
We were done for the day and I was grateful for the short walk down the stairmaster to the truck. I practically fell asleep as we sat by the fire on Saturday night.
I knew that I could not climb on Sunday, I needed a rest day. Our plan was to bike to New Paltz, have lunch and bike home (14 miles total). Alas, we got off to a late start running errands (Mitch is working on the house up here, he put in an outdoor shower this past week.) and we changed our plans. We rode 7 miles down the railtrail, away from New Paltz (we had never been that direction on the trail). We got home, showered and headed to a friend's birthday party. I was too tired to enjoy the company and I was getting mauled by mosquitos. We left early, made a fire and enjoyed Rebecca's (granitegrl) company.
I secretly hoped for rain on Monday and at 2AM my prayers were answered with a huge crack of thunder. It has been raining ever since. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I think I will go to my client in Northern NJ for the day (if it's not raining, Bett and I will hike the Millbrook trail in the early AM) and then to my house in Wayne, PA. Wednesday to DC, Thursday to NYC and that evening I will board the bus to New Paltz and enjoy my weekend at the gunks. I am hoping that I am fully recovered by next Friday.
I have to figure out how to get some gym climbing in, I need to get back into sport climbing shape as Mitch and I are headed to EPC on November 1st.
(This post was edited by gblauer on Sep 5, 2011, 11:41 PM)
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Gmburns2000
Sep 5, 2011, 11:35 PM
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blueeyedclimber wrote: We had another great Labor Day weekend in Acadia. We spent Saturday and Sunday at the Precipice. Both Tiff and I took falls this weekend. Mine came on High Wire on a thin crack layback with bad feet. I took 3 falls on a small nut that is now part of the climb. I don't usually leave gear but I couldn't get that sucker out. I also fell off the top of Dynamo Hum on Sunday. Tiff took a fall off the crux of Green Mt. Breakdown. We finished up the weekend today doing a classic moderate that neither of us have ever done, Gargoyle. I heart Acadia! Josh Edited to add: that Tiff did get the rp of Emigrant Crack
gargolye is a great climb. I absolutely love it.
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gblauer
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Sep 5, 2011, 11:35 PM
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Sounds like fun. Too bad about the gear.
Did you guys have good weather?
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blueeyedclimber
Sep 5, 2011, 11:45 PM
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Gmburns2000 wrote: blueeyedclimber wrote: We had another great Labor Day weekend in Acadia. We spent Saturday and Sunday at the Precipice. Both Tiff and I took falls this weekend. Mine came on High Wire on a thin crack layback with bad feet. I took 3 falls on a small nut that is now part of the climb. I don't usually leave gear but I couldn't get that sucker out. I also fell off the top of Dynamo Hum on Sunday. Tiff took a fall off the crux of Green Mt. Breakdown. We finished up the weekend today doing a classic moderate that neither of us have ever done, Gargoyle. I heart Acadia! Josh Edited to add: that Tiff did get the rp of Emigrant Crack gargolye is a great climb. I absolutely love it.
Yeah, it's good but too short. The only other time I have been up there is when we took Dakotah up to toprope the slabs. That was 7 years ago. I remember it being taller. In fact, when I looked it up in the guide book this morning, I was surprised that it was only one pitch.
Josh
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blueeyedclimber
Sep 5, 2011, 11:46 PM
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gblauer wrote: Sounds like fun. Too bad about the gear. Did you guys have good weather?
Mix of sun and clouds. We started the drive back to Boston before it started raining.
Josh
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dagibbs
Sep 7, 2011, 3:35 AM
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The weekend up here was, unfortunately, rainy. But I bummed off work today and got out climbing -- another day one the new climbs at Lac Sam.
With some more looking at maps, and talking about hiking trails, I found what looked like it would be a far easier approach, from the other side. It would lead to the top of the cliffs, rather than the bottom -- but for climbing the upper bands, where most of the face was, this could actually be better. It worked out to be a fairly easy 15-minute hike in.
We did 4 new routes up the cliff -- 3 on top-rope and one which I lead.
I also got hit be a piece of falling rock -- a bit bigger than a salad plate, and about 1/2 inch thick falling from about 6-8' up. It was dislodged by the rope, and clipped my left arm on the way by. I expect I'm going to have quite the bruise.
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Gmburns2000
Sep 7, 2011, 4:22 AM
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Bummer you got hit, but I guess that's what happens with FAs?
Still, I'd take four new routes after a 15min approach, too.
My newest post is up: First Time Out in Brasil
Short with some nice pics. I have a feeling I'm going to be getting some sweet photos for the blog going forward. I'm friends with a few good photographers, one professional and two who are getting into the game.
All in all, it was a good day out.
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dagibbs
Sep 7, 2011, 2:12 PM
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Gmburns2000 wrote: Bummer you got hit, but I guess that's what happens with FAs? Still, I'd take four new routes after a 15min approach, too.
Yes, falling rock seems to be one of the things that happens with FAs. The other things seem to be getting really grubby and inhaling lichen.
But, as you say, 4 new routes with a 15 minute approach is well worth it.
Sounds like you have some good climbing down there, too. But... "All of it sticky granite, solid as a, um, rock." I've just been doing FAs in a place with winter-freeze climate. Rock is NOT solid. ;)
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Gmburns2000
Sep 7, 2011, 3:26 PM
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dagibbs wrote: Gmburns2000 wrote: Bummer you got hit, but I guess that's what happens with FAs? Still, I'd take four new routes after a 15min approach, too. Yes, falling rock seems to be one of the things that happens with FAs. The other things seem to be getting really grubby and inhaling lichen. But, as you say, 4 new routes with a 15 minute approach is well worth it. Sounds like you have some good climbing down there, too. But... "All of it sticky granite, solid as a, um, rock." I've just been doing FAs in a place with winter-freeze climate. Rock is NOT solid. ;)
hehehehehe...yeah, they haven't seen snow here in this region for about 36 years. Rain erosion on the other hand...
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Gmburns2000
Sep 7, 2011, 3:46 PM
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Nice couple of stories there. I really liked the first one and how it ended. Nice touch.
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donald949
Sep 7, 2011, 9:59 PM
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Weekend Warrior Update from the West Coast.
We were out camping in Mammoth area for a couple of weeks, and we got out for a couple days of climbing over Labor day weekend.
Fri I meet up with a co worker and his wife. They were doing some TR on Horseshoe Slabs, as its been a while since they have been on the rock. He had set up an anchor over an 8 and a 10. I gave the 8, “Wrangler” a go, but was spying the bolted lead climb to the left. Four bolts up to a chain anchor, rated 8 also, but looked rather easy. I jump on, he belays, and I make progress up to the 1st bolt, good amount of exposure over a slabby bottom, that would twist an ankle. Climb up past the second bolt into a nice dish stance. The moves out were not so straight forward. Some vertical dikes for pinching and foot holds. I try straight up, but the next moves are not there. Then off to the right, no. Off to the left, no. Up and down into the dish. Then after working through it, I find the sequence, kind of just left of center, and clip the bolt mid crux. Ahhhhhh. Grab the bomber holds above, crank the feet off the slopers, and mantle up. Sweet. Couple easy moves to the last bolt, then the anchors.
I set up the TR for the wife and kids. Jake makes quick work of it, although his foot work is really sloppy. I let it pass and he down climb lowers. Barb and Mark, the climbing technique is better, but they don’t have the same head for it. I talk them through the lowering.
“D Top Rope” 5.8. 65 feet, mostly easy 5th, with the crux sequence moving through the 3rd bolt.
Saturday my other partner got in late the Fri night, and we talked about climbing on Sun. He had wanted to show his family around and take them fishing. Late Sun morning we load up the families into the trucks, and all head out to Clark Canyon. The drive out there is as nice as the climbing itself. If you have a high clearance truck. If not, not so much. Sure there were some lower clearance passenger cars, but they were on the leery side as they drove up the road. The hike up the canyon was sunny and a bit hot, but once at the rock the trees shaded us and we cooled off.
The rock, Area 13, itself was fairly crowded, and we started by looking at a couple more 8’s. “J” was more inclined towards some 7’s, but they were all busy. One group pointed out a 6, and we set up and hauled the families over. “J” and I have climbed several times together in the Alabama Hills, and I know he likes the lead. He wanted it today and I let him rope up. He gets above the second bolt, but starts not feeling it. Down climbs, looks around, starts thinking too much, and asks if I’m inclined to take the lead. I lower him and tie in. He assures me the rock is fine, really 5.6 like the guide says, just he hasn’t been out since March. I get to the 2nd bolt look around, no issues here, climb to the 3rd, so far so good. From there, the route goes up, around, and over several caves. Interesting climbing, don’t fall, it won’t be clean. Get the 5 bolt, and can’t see the 6th or the anchor. Call down where to go? Try up at the little stance 10 feet above you. OK. Get to within sight, nothing. Look to my right. Bingo 6th bolt around the corner. From there the moves are thin, but very doable at 5.6 to the anchors. Couple opens shuts and an old oval on a chain. Weird, these old sport anchors. I rig it and lower, leaving the draws as directionals.
We only let the kids climb to the 3rd bolt, since going above that would require lowering through the caves overhangs. Again Jake climbs well, but this time the foot placements are good. “J’s” daughter also climbs it really well, but is a little nervous at 6 yo. “J’s” boy doesn’t want to climb, but agrees to practice lowering and swinging about 10 feet off the deck. My two boys like that idea and do that also. “J’s” wife climbs the whole route clean, and lowers reclipping the draws. “J” climbs, cleans, and raps.
“So It Goes” 5.6, 85 feet. Despite being easy, not recommended as a beginner lead due to the awkward fall potential.
It’s after 6 by the time we get back to camp, and I suggest Grumpy’s for dinner, as we’re all a little beat. A good day at the rock with our families, even if we only got one route in.
Don
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