Saharan Sands

State-side

I've made my way back to New Paltz after a long journey homeward. (What an outstanding vacation.) New Paltz has exploded into greenery, along with tourists as well. The cliff is as beautiful as ever, and of course, that means time to climb! Charlie, who will be moving in with us in June, came to visit this weekend and on Saturday we got out to do a climb. We were going to do Le Teton, but the cliff was a little crowded so we did Grimace Face (5.9+).

I had done the climb late last fall with Ian and since it's just so fun, I suggested it to Charlie. There are three pitches, 5.8, 5.8+, and 5.9+, which was good for getting warmed up and back in the trad game again. The first pitch has a nice 5.7R section, and some so-so pro with a slung horn and nice face climbing. The second pitch is a bit of a one move wonder, but it's a really fun move through a roof (next time I'll have to remember to save a green c4 for the crux). The last pitch is awesome -- a full body-length roof, with holds that aren't quite jugs. And a legitimate, needed heel hook! Woohoo. This is definitely a three star climb.

It's nice to be back in the gunks.

The long trip is near an end.

I´ve been out of the states now for like three and a half weeks, and we are leaving for home on Monday. The trip is been amazing. Absolutely amazing. I´m planning on doing a big write-up when i get back. Stay tuned for pictures and storries!

El Chorro, Spain

So Kasia and I did a couple of scouting dayins in El Chorro. Siiiiiiiiiick limestone climbs ranging from slab, to vertical, to overhaning tufas, to monsterous caves and roofs. We checked out two crags, and did some good sending. Kasia worked a route for a while, taking a couple of nice falls (in the 10ft range -- first falls ever above a bolt!) There are supposedly over 1000 climbs here, and I wouldn´t doubt it for a second. A definite place to come back to.

climbing done

We did a big route in Tafroute today. This marks the end of climbing in Morocco. To the coast we go.

Escalade du Todra Gorge

Go to Morocco. The climbing is awesome.

So, we've been climbing in the gorge now for several days. It has been the sick nasty. I've never seen so much rock in my entire life. Everything from sweet boulders to sick, hard single pitch climbs, and awesome 300m climbs. The rock here is some sort if limestone (I think), and it ranges from plentiful pockets to sharp sharp sharp crimps.

The first day we were here, we met a local guy named Hassan. In fact, we were introduced to him right away. Turns out he is the local bad-ass and he wrote the guide book. We of course bought one, and then he walked us through the book, pointing out the good climbs. Then, he took us to the crags and showed us the sweet climbs.

We got on a bunch of climbs ranging from 4+ to 6a+. All good. Next Matt and I did an eight pitch climb which was one of the greatest climbing moments of my life. Pictures to come. Tomorrow (in'shallah) we will do another 300m climb with Kasia. Word. Time for mint tea.

Hello Morocco

So, made it to Morocco. Matt, Kasia and I made it to Lisbon no problems. After passing through two countries, many train rides (including an overnight train), some busses, and a boat, we arrived in Marrakesh. So far, no hitches. Tomorrow we are headed to Todra gorge and climbing. The country is beautiful, the people are friendly travel and communication is easy, and the food is great. Oh and so is the weather. Climbing to come.

Kentucky -- the round-up

Kentucky was the sickness. So so so so much fun to sport climb. It's amazing how much harder you can climb with bolts below you. My focus was so much more on the movement on the rock as opposed to the line as a whole. That is to say, sport climbing felt more like bouldering than trad climbing Clipping the bolt was only a minor part of the climb on the whole. In trad climbing, protection is everything. If you aren't in the process of placing gear, and thinking about a particular placement, you are getting ready for the next one, or maybe thinking about how good the last one is. Trad is about placing gear, and climbing in between placements -- sport is about climbing, and clipping bolts periodically. That said, had a lot of fun. Here is a list of the crags and climbs I did (or at least got up). A starred climb indicates I did it clean -- no takes, no falls.

Monday afternoon

Roadside crag:
Trouble Clef (5.9-) *
Ro Shampo (5.12a)

Tuesday

Tectonic and Johnny's Walls:
Plate Tectonics (5.9+) *
Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky (5.10b) *
Spinner (5.10b) *
Mancala (5.10a) *
The Great Wall
Mamma Cindy (5.11c) *
The Solarium
Manifest Destiny (5.12a)
Air-ride Equipped (5.11a) *

Wednesday

Raaaaiiiiinnnnnnn
(Tried Recoil (5.11d) at Torrent in the late afternoon)

Thursday

Torrent Falls
Wadcutter (5.9+) *
Bandolier (5.11a)
Recoil (5.11d) *

Military Wall
Jungle Beat (5.9+) * [Trad climb; two pitches]

Friday

Funk Rock City
Rite of Passage (5.9+) * [Trad climb]
Eye of the Needle (5.11b) *
Go Easy Billy Clyde (5.12a)
Cruising Lane (5.10a) * [Tope rop]

Greetings from old Kentucky

ALTHOUGH it is raining very hard right this moment, yesterday was an awesome day of climbing. Atma and I drove down here to the Red River Gorge after I got done with work on Sunday night. After 12 hours of driving and a few of napping, we pulled into Miguel's and quickly decided to go up to the roadside crag and do some climbing. I climbed a 9 with no problems, and the hopped on Ro Sham Po, a super classic 5.12a. I took a fall at the crux, and one more a little higher up. Not a bad first day.

Yeterday we met up with a bunch of the St. Lawrence kids, and headed off early to Muir Valley. Ended up getting pn 7 climbs, ranging from 5.9 to 12a. Some of the more fun climbs we did were Getting Lucky in Kentucky (5.10b), Air-ride Equipped (5.11a), Mamma Cindy (5.11c), and another 5.12a. Mamma Cindy and Air-ride Equipped were probable my favorite.

Today is wet, so we are resting, but tomarrow we are planning on going to the Military Wall. Woo-hoo Kentucky!

Winter's Agony...

Just because it is winter, doesn't mean there hasn't been sending. There have been many-a-day since my last post that I have been out at the cliff climbing. I suppose it would be appropriate to do some updating. Probably the proudest sends I have had recently have been the Andrew's Problem (V4), Black Boulder Problem (V5) and Winter's Agony (V6). All three sends came within rapid fire of each other -- Andrew's and the Black Boulder came in the same week, and Winter's Agony came the week after that.

The weather this winter has been strange. Today, for instance, it was like 60 degrees, but for the rest of the week it is supposed to be in the 30s. That said, the climbing has been sporadic. One day it will be 40 degrees and sunny -- great climbing weather -- and then next it will be 34 and raining. One must be extremely opportunistic to climb this winter. Take what you can get, and be happy with it.

Andrew's problem is on the same boulder as the Buddha (which will be a serious summer project this year). There is a long traverse in the begining, but I skipped that part, as it just drains some energy, and it isn't particularly hard. The start then, is a jump up to a hugu horizontal hold, which you then heel hook at the same time. (Yeah, that's right, three points of contact all on the same hold.) Then you move off left onto these small sloping crimps. Then, big move to the top, and your in. I'd like to just add that Ian onsighted this problem. No beta, no practicing it, just sending. Classic.

The Black Boulder Problem is a classic V5 that invloves lots of slapping and on greasy slopey holds. You start with a heel hook and a slap, then another heel and another slap, then a throw, balance yourself, far toe and move out right and up and out. I first tried the problem in the summer, and really couldn't do any of the moves. After practicing my slopers on some souther sandstone (stay tuned for more), I really started to put the problem together in early January. On the same day that I did Andrew, I sent the Black Problem too. Not too bad of a day. Three days later I went back and did the problem three times in a row with no falls.

Winter's Agony is a face with a jug for hand holds at the start, followed by three progessively worse crimps that are super reachy, and then a sloping side-pull that is miles away, and then one last reach to a jug. The crux is definitely throwing out to the side-pull. The crimp for your right hand is so sharp, and so tiny -- it's just positive enough, but you really have to grit down on it. When I sent the problem, I really had to bear down and pull hard on the crimp. I probably tried this problem less than 15 tries, and it went. That is pretty encouraging for next season.

I really can't wait for this snow to go away.

(Morocco in 48 days.)

Thought of the day...

The slacking blogger will not reap fruitful rewards.

Au natural...

THE vulgarians where a group of climbers in the 1960s who climbed hard and partied hard. Dick Williams was the founder of Rock and Snow and he also wrote the guidebook. There is a particular picture of Dick Williams on a climb called Shockley's Ceiling in his guidebook. In it, he is au natural, (as in butt naked) pulling over a big roof. I guess since the 60s, this climb has had a tradition of being done naked. As Williams put it, "In 1964 there was a Vulgarian, all-nude, male ascent which attracted quite a bit of attention at the hairpin turn. Apparently there is a tradition amongst a few, who climb this nude, male and female." Obviously Matt and I were going to climb this climb naked.

So, after we got our pictures from CCK, we decided that since it was such a beautiful day, that it would be perfect to do Shockley's. We hiked over to the climb, got all ready, stripped down naked, except for a harness, shoes, and a chalk bag, and started to climb up. I climbed first and climbed all the way to the GT Ledge (meanwhile, Matt had to talk to all the people that walked by). Matt followed, and when he got to the belay, we realized that we were on the wrong climb! We couldn't even find Shockley's Ceiling from where we were. And so we decided to bail, but we had no idea if the rappel station we were on was going to get us to the ground. Luckily everything worked out, but it sure was fun doing some adventure climbing naked.

Maybe next time we try it, we will actually be on the right climb.

A beautiful fall day.

IT'S that magical time of year when all the leaves start to change color. (It's also that magical time of year when all the leafers come from the city to take in the site -- argh!) Matt and I decided to get on Cascading Crystal Kaleidescope (CCK) this morning and take some sweet pictures. I led the first pitch, and he led the second. I did the third pitch traverse with the direct finish, which, in my opinion, is the best way to do it. Anyways, here are some pictures:

Doubleissima/Lakatakissima are hard...

THERE comes a time in a trad climber's life where one loses his or her grip, or, maybe he gets pumped and can't hold on any more, or, maybe even the hold she goes for isn't as good as she thought, and -pop- of they come, falling in the air, hoping that last piece of gear was as good as it looked. I learned that first hand yesterday. So did Matt.

I've been kind of pushing Matt a little, and I convinced him to get on Directississima (or as it is sometimes called, Doubleissima). It's a 10b right next to High Exposure on steep rock and little holds. Super good climb. I led the first pitch, which goes at 5.8. It is a short guy that just gets you ready for the meat pitch. I led it no problems, and built a belay. Matt started up the second pitch, and was able to plug lots of gear in real low. He had some trouble almost right away and did some hanging. He eventually worked up to a ceiling, and got a good nut in, started to climb up over and was half way over and tried to place a cam. His hold wasn't very good, and so he quickly clipped the cam he was trying to place back on his harness, and almost at that exact moment popped off the climb. The nut held, I got pulled up a little bit, and in the end everything was good. It was probably a seven foot fall or so, so not too bad. He tried the move again and this time was successful. After that he cranked to the top. Aside from getting super pumped, I followed with no problems.

We decided to finish on Lakatakissima, which is a 5.8 pitch just to the right of the third pitch of Doubleissima. It's a finger crack that pulls through a roof. It has a great gear rating, and it nice and steep. I rested a bit after the pump from Doubleissima, and then started up. I got up to the roof no problems, and got in a marginal .4 cam. I started to pull up over the roof and slammed in a .5 cam right above the roof. I started to pull the roof, and I was on horrible holds, and I just popped off. I knew an instant before it was going to happen that it actually was going to happen, so I yelled 'Falling!' The cam held, and Matt caught me no problems. The experience wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. One minute I was on the rock and the next I was hanging from the rope on a cam. The second time I tried to pull the move I found an awesome hold that made the move almost easy. After that it was smooth sailing.

Three cheers for the gear actually working! Who woulda though?!

A hiatus...

IT's been like, what, a week since I've climbed? What a travesty! No worries though, Matt and I got out yesterday for a couple of climbs. It was super packed with tourists and out-of-towners yesterday, so Matt and I headed for the Nears. We did two climbs -- Fat Stick (5.8), and Birdcage (5.10)

Matt led the first pitch of Fat Stick, which is the crux pitch. It works up under this roof, and then you have to work up into this open book sort of thing. Awkward, but fun awkward. I led the second pitch, which has a nice delicate traverse in it. Matt led the last pitch, and it was sort of Hans' Puss-like, super exposed but with buckets to hold on to. Great climb.

We then headed over to Birdcage, which is a totally beautiful line. It works up this dihedral that has a thin crack the whole way up. It is one of those climbs where every single move is awesome. So you work up the dihedral, and then you are under a pretty big roof. There is a hard, delicate traverse and then up pull of up over the roof. That crux move was AWESOME. You are like 60 feet up, there is nothing below you, your feet cut, and then you throw a heal up and reach for a tiny crimper. Just an awesome climb. I then led the second pitch of Birdland, which goes at 5.8. It reminded me a lot of Son of Easy O, except it was a little more sustained.

Oh, and by the way, I got a job! Woohoo. If you ever want some delivery pizza, call My Hero Pizzas and Subs 255-1010.

Sending 10a!!

MARC and I climbed yesterday, as Matt had to work the morning and afternoon shifts. The cliff was fairly crowded, so we went over to the nears and did some climbs.

First, we jumped on a climb called Broken Sling, which goes at 5.8. Marc lead the first pitch, and the start is real burly. This climb was put up back when 5.8 actually meant something, and I'd say the start is much harder than 5.8. I led the second pitch, which was super awesome too. I didn't have my guide book, and so I didn't really have a pitch description, so I kinda just went straight up through some big roofs. I looked at the guide book when I got home, and I'm pretty sure I did the 5.9+ variation, maybe even the 5.10 variation. I'm not too sure -- I'll have to take Matt back and check it out to see what I did. It certainly was not the 5.8 pitch.

I was feeling really good and strong after that lead, and Marc pointed out a 5.10 climb just next to Broken Sling. It's called Criss Cross Direct. Short and sweet, good and hard. It starts in with this overhang with a crack through it, so it involves some hand jams and some high feet. It was so freakin' hot and humid out, that I almost greased off at the crux (which is like the first 4 or 5 moves, well protected though). Right when I thought I was coming off, I went for the big "thank-God-hold" and pulled over the crux. Woohoo. After that there are some reaches, and a nice pinch move too. Good stuff.

It was totally casual and unexpected that I was going to lead a 10 on Friday, but it just kind of happened. It feels good to have lead it. I think though, that I'll probably stick to mostly the 5.9 range for now, maybe dabbling with a few more 10s -- we'll see.

Craggin'

ON such a hot day, it's hard to sit on a belay ledge in the baking sun. So Matt and I decided to do some single pitch climbs today, or, at least the first pitch of a lot of climbs. We started on a 5.9- pitch called Higher Standard. I led it, and boy was it fun. It is pretty facey, and lots of crimping, with some exciting runouts. Also, the crux, I felt, was really beta intensive. I tried so many different variations of pulling it, and I couldn't seem to figure it out. I had really good gear, but I was still really nervous to take a fall. After getting completely pumped, I had Matt take. I didn't want to do it, but I just had to. After resting, I tried a different sequence, and pulled it with relative easy. I just had to have the right feet and right hands. Really cool climb.

After that, we met up with Matt's friend from Mohonk, Marc, And Matt led MF, which is THE 5.9 Gunks standard. He looked really good on lead. Pulled the crux with no problems. I followed him, and actually didn't pull the crux. I got up too high into the roof, and couldn't reach the sidepull, and fell off. I went back to below the crux, and pulled it on the second try. Marc went up third and pulled it with no problems.

After that, Marc led a the first pitch of Birdie Party, which goes at 5.8+. The crux is real close to the bottom, and is really fun. Marc had a bunch of Micro BD cams, so it was fun to see those in action. (I want some.) I followed it and it was a really fun climb. So fun, that I actually decided to let the rope get half way pulled through the chains, with a knot in the end. I got to re-lead the bottom part of the climb. That crux is spicy on lead. Woo hoo!

After that Marc suggested a climb called The Spring. Matt lead the first pitch, which goes at 5.9. He led it with ease, and Marc and I toproped it. After that I clipped a directional and we toproped a climb called The Fall, which goes at 5.11a. I went straight from The Spring onto the Fall, so I could get a nice pump, and sent it, no takes, no falls. Yeheah!! Awesome day of climbing.

Climbing with Wendy!!

MATT had to work the morning shift this morning, along with the afternoon shift, so I couldn't climb with him today. But Wendy is still in town and we climbed all day today.

We started this morning on a nice 5.8- called City Lights. I led the first pitch and it's a great face climb on the first pitch, with a pretty thoughtful crux. The second pitch has some pretty good moves over a small roof. After that we walked down the cliff a little further and did Bloody Mary. It's a nice 5.7 with some really cool moves on the first pitch, and a real airy traverse, which Wendy led quite well.

I wanted to give Wendy a really good last few climbs, so I took her down to Double Crack. I lead it last week, and I thought she'd really like it. She got to the same cruxy spot that I did, and struggled for a minute, and then got right on through it. She definitely handled it better than I did. I followed her, trailing my rope so we could rappel all the way down, and thought it was a great climb on toprope as well as on lead. Three star climb in my book.

After that, we wanted to do one more really good climb. We were going to do Ursula, which is a three star 5.5, but there were some people on it. We then thought about doing Airy Aria, but, I thought it would be cool to do CCK. We were worried about light, so I led the first pitch quickly. Wendy led the second pitch, and by the time I got up there, we decided it was too dark to climb. We rapped down do the GT Ledge, and realized that my rope wasn't long enough to get us to the ground in one rap, and there weren't any rapp stations around. So I rappelled down my rope on a single rope, and then when I got down, I tied Wendy's rope to mine, and she pulled it up, and we she was able to come down. Yay problem solving!!

Awesome day of climbing.

Shut down...

TODAY was the first day I wasn't able to finish a climb. But let's start at the beginning. Matt and Ian and I went to meet up with Wendy (Matt's friend from the Petrero) at around 9 this morning. We headed over to the Ant's Line area and did a climb there called Sleepwalk. I led the first pitch (5.7) with no problem; there was a nice runout near the bottom too. Ian led the second pitch, which goes at 5.8 and is actually called Cool Hand Dukes. It's a nice overhanging jug hall, and actually really fun. It would be a great second pitch for Ant's Line. Matt and Wendy did Lichen 40 Winks 5.7+ and said it was fun.

Since we were in the area, we just stepped left a few feet and jumped on Insuhlation, which goes at 5.9. I led the first pitch, which is basically worthless except that it gets you to the real climbing. It goes at 5.4 and I placed one pink tri-cam and one green C4. Good stuff. Ian led the next pitch which is where the meat of the climbing is. It was really fun steep climbing. I think I got to use a two-finger pocket. Lot's of fun climbing.

We rapped down to the ledge where Insuhlation starts and on the way down I noticed a cool looking climb off to the left of Insuhlation. We looked in the guide book and it was another 5.9 called Obstacle Delusion. It looked really good so I decided I would try to lead it. I climbed up a way, and got up to the first little roof. I put in two small Alien-type pieces (not sure what they were, they were Ian's), and made the first move out. It was hard, but I was doing ok with it. I got up to the next horizontal, and I was pretty pumped -- the climb is really steep. I slammed in two purple cams, and had Ian take. I need to rest. That was the first time I ever weighted my gear before -- it was quite the feeling. I rested for a minute and then went up higher. All the moves where pretty tough, I'd say that bottom part was the crux. I started to move up higher and higher, with pretty good gear bellow me, and the wall was getting steeper and steeper. It was definitely overhanging. I got up to a point and put in a cam that was pretty good (I wished I had had another one to back it up though), and started to climb above it. I was holding on to a small crimp, and and side pull, with one high foot and another tenuous foot, and I got scared to make the next move. I down climbed and thought about it, and decided I was too pumped to try it. Ian lowered me, and then he finished the climb.

It was a good experience to get shut down. It means that I am pushing harder. Now I have a climb that I can try again later and see if I do any better one it. Woohoo!!

Pebble Wraaastlin'

THIS past weekend, Hattie and I went up to New Hampshire. Her parent's were having their 20th anniversary celebration of the Top of the Field Party. I actually got to spend a few hours with my cousins in Boston too, and I stopped in Lenox and saw Winstanely too.

I just got home tonight, and there was about an hour left of daylight, so I obviously went out bouldering for a little while. There was really only one problem on my mind -- The Lorax(V4) -- and I really wanted to send. I sat down and just gave it a whirl. I actually stuck the pinch first try, which was a little surprising. After that I figured out the top part and started to do the problem from the middle, just practicing the moves. After I rested a little bit more, I sat down at the bottom holds, and did the bottom from beginning to end. It felt really good. I knew I had it in me.