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.

Pushin the envelope!!

WE both have been feeling really good about our leading recently, so Matt and I decided to try to break into the next grade. We started the day with a beautiful 5.8 called Son of Easy O and it's definitely one of my favorites in the Gunks. I led the first pitch, which follows this thin crack, up about 80 feet. It is pretty facey, and the crux is low and pretty spicy.
Matt led the next pitch, which goes through a series of roofs. Pretty pumpy, way fun.

It was so freakin hot in the sun on those two pitches, that Matt and I decided to look for a climb in the shade. And there just happened to be a perfect 5.9 in the shade for me to lead -- Ant's Line. Ant's Line is, as you can see in the picture, a perfect crack that goes straight up a dihedral. The climb is pretty vertical, and so it's pretty pumpy. Luckily, the pro is really really good. I sank in so many good cams that I felt fine climbing above my gear. It would have been a clean fall if "anything happened." In the picture, I'm just before the crux. I struggled at the crux for a while, trying to get in a good piece of gear. I had a piece in a few feet under the roof, but I wanted something directly under the roof. I fooled around for to long up there, and decided to leave what I had in there (a very marginal alien), and go for the crux move. Pulled up over the roof, and into the sunlight. It was smooth sailing from there. Woo-hoo!!

Over the summer I had heard from a guy that Wegetables was a good 10 to break into the grade with. I mentioned that to Matt, and we decided to go check it out. It's waaaaaay at the far end of the cliff, which was pretty cool. It's a whole different place down there. So Wegetables is a climb that works up face with little pro, and then immediately goes through two big roofs. There is a pretty bomber hand jam through one of them, which is always fun. Matt worked through the beginning part with no problems (I think he must have just reached through everything, because it was harder for me). He got up past the first roof well, and then got up to the second one and was trying to get in a piece of gear. He struggled for a minute, and then just went for the move. He pulled up over the roof, and finished the climb with no problem. Even though this climb is only 50 feet, it's pumpy and fun.




Here is a way cool climbing picture of Matt and me at the top of Son of Easy O

A need to update...

I have to tell you all about the last two days of climbing. But I'm tired, and haven't done it yet. Stay tuned. On Sunday we did Asphodel, Overhanging Layback, Anguish, and Matt and Fraser climbed Ken's Crack.

Today Matt took it easy and climbed V-3 and some of Han's Puss, and something else we aren't quite sure. It's a good story. I'll tell you about it later.

Commenting...

is cool. Like climbing. You should do it. Every day.

Pulling harder and harder.

MATT didn't have work yesterday, so we decided to try to get in a nice full day of climbing. We ended up getting on Something Interesting/The Dangler, Keep on Struttin, and Double Crack, all of which were just absolutely amazing climbs.

Something Interesting and the Dangler is a link-up that Ian and I did last Friday, and I was super excited to have Matt try the Dangler. I feel like it is a pretty good head-game test-piece. You are out over nothing, upside down with one hand and one heel on, try to place gear and clip a rope. It really is a super heady climb, not for the weak hearted. And Something Interesting is a real nice, long warm up with two thoughtful cruxes. Matt really enjoyed leading Something Interesting, and did it with no problems. He also did a great job on the Dangler, which goes at 10a (it's still mind-boggling that it has been called a 5.8). I asked him if he wanted beta, and he said no -- "Only if I scream 'Beta! Beta!'" It didn't come to that, although he did hang several times. I think he was slightly disappointed with his performance on it, but, I mean really, it is a really hard lead, and I certainly am in no position to be leading it right now. I barely seconded it clean (although I did -- woohoo!), and it was my second time climbing it in a week!

After that we headed on down the crag and got on Keep on Struttin' 5.9 The first pitch, which is 150 feet long, goes at 5.8, and so I got to lead it. The start is nice and facey, and the crux is pretty low. After that, it's still facey and a little run out, but good fun climbing nonetheless. It was also filled with lichen, which at first I was put off by, but after thinking about it, it was nice to not have every hold all chalked up. It was almost a little more adventuresome. The next to pitches are each pretty short, but there is some fuuuuuun moves in them. They both have their own roof, and they are both pretty different. The crux on the last pitch felt like I was being birthed, and I got to do a heel-hook mantel, which was pretty sweet. We hung out at the top for a while and talked with a local guy who was belaying his friend -- he gave us some pretty good beta on the Lost City. "Don't expect much under 5.10" was the long and short of the Lost City. Good to keep in mind for next year.

We asked the guy up at the top of Keep on Struttin' for a good 5.8 or 5.9 and he sent us to Double Crack. "It's a 5.8, but it's really pumpy. Don't worry, it sucks up gear too." That sounded good to me, because I was kind of in the mood to get a full workout in. It was also pretty cool to get way down at the other end of the crag. We passed a bunch of 11s and 12s on the way that looked haaaaaard.

So, double crack is a vertical crack that runs 160 feet up, and it's best to do in one pitch. The crux is low to the ground, but, as mountainproject.com says, by the time you get to the end of the climb, every move feels like the crux because you are so pumped. MP also said (which I agree with) that there is no single move easier than 5.7 and no single move harder than 5.8. It's up there with one of my favorite climbs in the gunks (so far). I handled it pretty well, although it was on this climb that I have come the closest to taking my first trad fall. It was at the crux, I was above gear, trying to get in a red cam, and was having trouble holding on. Not to mention I was sweating buckets, I didn't have any right foot at all (I was smearing pretty hard, and it kept slipping -- Matt thought for sure that I was coming down), and I spent a lot of time trying first to get in a yellow cam before realizing the red was a better option. It was an awesome climb in the end. I placed 17 pieces of gear, and we had to rapp of a somewhat sketch chockstone that had only one sling and two rapp rings on it. Out of three stars I would give this climb 3+. Great stuff.

More 5.8s...

ANOTHER beautiful day, more awesome climbing. Matt and I got up early again, and went out to do Three Doves (5.8+) and Annie Oh!(5.8). We have been recently using the stairmaster, which isn't even too bad, and it saves a bunch of time.

We got to the parking lot, which was empty, walked up to the carriage road, and found our trail to the cliff no problem -- as if we were locals or something. We didn't even have to use the guide book! Woohoo! The pitches for Three Doves, which we decided to get on first, are 5.8- and 5.8+, and so I led the first pitch, and Matt led the second. It had nice fun sustained climbing the whole way with a somewhat spicey crux. I felt totally comfortable on it the whole way, which is really encouraging to me. I've also noticed that I am getting much better at knowing what piece of pro can go where. Instead of spending eons on a hold, trying to figure out how I can protect my moves, it's more that I am climbing, seeing a good spot to place gear, placing it quickly, and moving on. Very exciting.

Matt's pitch was really really good too. One of the better pitches we have climbed so far I would say. It starts off somewhat gentle, but then it turns into a nice facey, delicate climb the moves up under a roof and has a nice traverse. Really good climbing for sure.

Since Annie Oh! is right next to Three Doves, we were just going to do that right after. But, someone had started to climb it while we were on Three Doves. No worries though, there are lots of cool climbs in the Gunks. We decided to do CCK Direct, via Erect Direction.

Erect Direction goes at 5.10c, but the first pitch is a 5.8. It is a really cool and unique Gunks pitch. It has a vertical crack that goes all the way up, and it is also quite vertical. It's a 5.8, but it is pumpy. I got through it no problem, using all the draws I brought up, and placing almost all my gear too. I had a really good time on that pitch. Yay suns out guns out.

Matt's lead of CCK Direct (5.9) went beautifully. It is one of my favorite climbs that I have done in the Gunks so far, and he handled it with no problems. The only hitch was about three-fourths the way up he had placed a yellow alien, and started to climb above it. Neither of us know how, but somehow it popped out very soon after the put it in. This left him like 20 or more feet above his last piece. He placed another alien in another crack, and things were smooth again. Very fun climb!

5.8 Onsight

THIS week, Matt Way's work schedule seems to be very conducive to climbing, so we have been doing a lot of it. Yesterday we got up kind of early and went out and did a climb called Snooky's Return 5.8 PG. But before we did that, we stopped at the local gear shop, Rock and Snow, and got 50ft of webbing, and now we have a slackline in our back yard. Yay! (We bought it with money we got from returning beer bottles. Also yay!)

Matt and I had been talking the night before about me maybe leading the 5.8 pitch, and when we got to the climb yesterday morning, we didn't even really talk about it -- it was just assumed that I was gonna lead the harder pitch (the other two go at 5.7). The climb starts on this beautiful long crack that runs up about 100 feet. On either side of the crack the rock is somewhat smooth, so feet are sometimes hard. Matt led it no problem. Great pitch.

I led the second pitch after that, which goes up a ways (without gear for a while -- scary), and then it traverses slightly left. After the traverse is the crux. Just before the crux I put in a marginal .75 cam, and I started to climb above it. The holds to get to the crux are a tiny crimper, and a three finger sloping pocket, and then a big horizontal crack. I was pretty scared to make the move, and started to make it several times, backing off with timidity every time. I wasn't sure of my feet, my hands my gear -- anything. I looked around for a while, and found that I could get in a bomber #3 nut in a horizontal if I slotted it right. After I got that guy in I was much more confident with my gear, and pulled the crux no problem. Wooohooo.

We climbed the last pitch too, which is a 5.7, but kind of a one move wonder over a roof. Even though the roof is fun, I wouldn't recommend the last pitch.

We had a little bit of time before Matt needed to be at work, and I sort of got onto this bouldering kick recently, so I suggested checking out the boulders at the Near Trapps. From the small amount of exploring we did, the boulders looked really cool. We worked to V3s for a while, and both sent one of them within a few tries. The one we didn't get was a cool dihedral facey thing that I definitely want to go and try again. We also sent a V2 with a nice little dyno in it. Fun stuff.

Modern Times and Bonnie's Roof

TODAY we did two ultra classic climbs. Modern Times goes at 5.8+ and Bonnie's is a 5.9. Luckily for me, they both have a 5.7 pitches, so I got to lead a pitch in both climbs.

Modern Times has this facey start, and goes way up to the GT ledge, pulling a roof for it's crux. The entire pitch is like 150 feet, and the crux is right near the top of the pitch. I had the crux move protected with a marginal .3 BD cam, which I wasn't too excited about -- pulled the move no problem though. Pitch two was super exciting. It's somewhat of a one move wonder, and many would argue that it is really sandbagged. Matt led it though, and did a pretty good job -- although I think he could do it much smoother with the beta he has now. I followed it and got two bomber knee-bars up in the huge roofy section.

Looking at Bonnie's Roof from the ground is really intimidating. You look up and see, for 130 feet, these awesome stacked/tiered roofs. It works up this nice crack that follows the roofs up. Matt led the 5.9 pitch, and his second, third and fourth pieces of pro were the #13, #12, and #11 nuts. Super cool. Other than dropping some gear, he did a great job on the 9 pitch.

The second pitch was fun too. It traverses out to an arete, and then pulls up to the top. On the traverse there are all sorts of loose rocks and flakes, and it's super exposed with real delicate hands (all the feet are there). Very exciting climb with nothing below you for a long, long way.

Dan Ellis learns to boulder

TOOK a trip up to Peterskill today to practice some cruxes. There are some cool problems up there that I've been working and I wanted to get Dan on some real boulders. The only other time he's been able to do any other climbing with me was on some lame boulders in Central Park.

We went over to a place that I'd been to before -- a section called Terror Dome, and I sent a V2 called Lotsa Matzo that I had worked a couple of months ago and had gotten no where on. This time I just cruised it, no problem. I can definitely tell that I'm starting to get stronger, which is really exciting. Dan worked about half way up the boulder, which is about where I got last time I tried it. Not bad for his first time out!

We went over to the Outbreak Boulder after that and I worked on VD, which is a V3 with a really burly dyno way high up. Sent it on my second try. Yay! And I also got the first move of Midget Maker too! Double yay! Today was a day for sending -- not pretending. Can't wait to send some V4s!

Katie Spring comes for a visit

THIS weekend, we have had all sorts of visitors. Katie Spring was visiting from SLU, Hattie's sister is in from California, and Dan Ellis and Amber came up from the city. What a full house!

So anyways, Katie came in on friday, and we just kind of chilled. It was just me, Matt and Katie in the house on friday (everyone else came on Saturday), so we just kind of chilled. But we made some sweet plans to go to the cliff on saturday morning. Unfortunately, the weather didn't really want to cooperate. But, luckily, the cliff seems to dry out pretty quickly, and even though it rained until like 9 or 10, we were able to get up to the cliff around noon and start climbing.

We had some great plans to get on a climb called Sixish, but the cliff was more crowded than I have ever seen. There were a bunch of morons all over the place hiking around on closed trails and just doing stupid things. But, c'est la vie. After looking for a while for a climb to do, we decided on doing Wrist, a 5.6 (we had already done the second via Arch). I lead the first pitch, which was really cool, despite there being some loose rock about half way up. The first part has a nice crack that you climb up, and then the second part has a nice off-width crack. Got to place the #4 cam which is pretty exciting.

Katie hadn't really done much climbing before, but she handled the fist pitch like a champ. Matt and I were familiar with the second pitch, which has a big ol' roof in it, and we were fairly confident that Katie could handle it. Matt lead the pitch, and then Katie went up with me close behind her. She got up to the roof and almost pulled the crux on her first try, and then came off. We had a hell of a time getting her back on, but after some creative gear use (she stepped into a sling I put on my rope), she got up there. We got to do a nice long rapp because we had both ropes, which is always exciting.




I had to leave quickly after that to go get Dan and Amber, but Matt and Katie stayed and did Dennis, which they said was pretty good.