Frog's Head

I had the day off yesterday, but Matt only had a three hour window between a morning shift and an afternoon shift. So of course we went climbing. We got on Frog's Head (5.6-) which is just one of the coolest climbs. It's normally broken up into two pitches, each 80 feet, but we linked them up. Great idea. Really good, fun, interesting climbing for 160 feet in a row. Perfect rest day climb. We got up and down in less than an hour, which is a good thing, because otherwise we would have gotten rained on!

Bouldering

After our mileage day, Matt and I went out for a day of bouldering. The weather was pretty sketchy -- a morning thunderstorm had already graced us with its presence, but we decided to go for it anyway. Peter's Kill closes in December and doesn't up again until April, so neither of us had been there for a while, and they do have sick bouldering. So we went there. Straight to the Outbreak boulder.

We warmed up on VD which is a fun little V3 dyno problem. Certainly some hero pulling: you can't help but feel like a hero. After that we worked $5 Traverse, which goes at V5. It basically follows a thin horizontal from one side of the boulder to the other. At the crux the seem is tiny, the holds are far away, and you don't really have any feet. Really cool. I think it could go with a few more days of work. Lots of stemming and reaching and coolness. We worked that problem for probably 20 or 30 minutes, and then we went over and did Tree-Bola Direct-Direct which is a V1, which we both onsighted. Super fun moves.

Last year we had noticed a problem called Mentos (V4) that follows this really sharp, overhung arete. It looked like it involved lots of heel hooking, and meat hooking and other various sick hooks. We sat down on it and within half a dozen tries, I sent it! Matt got it the time after I did. I even got the repeat. Definitely a really awesome climb with an opportunity for some sick photos. I liked it so much, I did it twice in a row. Woo-hoo!

And guess what else we did. We went for a run. I probably haven't run in like 3 years. My legs hurt right now, but it felt really good to run again. I guess we are going to try and run like three times a week, which I think is a really good idea. I'm excited to get sick-nasty strong this summer. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

A day at the Nears

A bunch of news to report. First and foremost, I've been promoted at My Hero. No longer am I a lowly peon, for I have been given the rank of Pizza Maker. I start training on Friday, and soon I will have my own shifts. Yay!

In other news, Matt and I have been climbing some more. (Go figure.) I've been working four days a week as of late, and so Tuesday was the beginning of my weekend. The weather was a little iffy, but thankfully it held (for the most part). We went off to the Near Trapps, and did quite a few climbs, actually.

Late last fall when Duncan and I went out and did Gelsa, Ian and Matt did a climb called Inverted Layback (5.9) It's a classic climb, and I had never done it, so Matt recommended we do it -- and he gave me the lead. The beginning of the climb follows a crack that is pretty vertical. The climbing isn't too hard though -- maybe 5.8 or so. Then, you eventually get up to this big roof that is separated from the face. So there is like a foot and a half gap between this roof and the rock. You traverse with some underclings and just smearing with your feet on the wall. Right before that I placed a green C4, a blue C4 and clipped a piton, but it took some serious convincing to actually get up into this thing. Very committing.

After walking off the backside of the cliff and getting back to our bags, we decided a short walk was in order. Two climbs over is another classic called Grand Central (5.9). The first pitch is a coasting pitch, with nothing but fun easy climbing. It follows twin cracks and so I tried to lead it with nothing but nuts. I did place lots of them, but cams sure are friendly. The second Pitch was were the meat was. Matt got on the sharp end and started up the climb. The climb traverses around the nose of an arete and then goes up a steep face. He got around the nose no problem, and then at the crux he had to think about it just for a second. After getting in a few micro nuts (a new purchase right before Morocco -- starting to like them a lot), he pulled the crux no problem. And followed up and led the last pitch, which has two roofs in a row. Upside down at 5.8 -- gotta love the Gunks.

The next climb we did was called Roseland which is another classic 5.9 in the Nears. Matt had lead it before, but I had never climbed it, so he gave me the lead. It follows a beautiful open-book, with a crack in it, and then traverses under a roof, exiting it at the easiest spot. What a wonderful climb. Lots of stemming, lot of palm down moves, high steps and also great protection (even got to place a few more micro-nuts). There are second and third pitches to it, but we only did the first one. Matt followed it cleanly, and we set up a top rope on a 5.10R climb called Shitface. Very cool climb. So cool, I did it twice!

So with the official start of the summer season, Matt and I did 8 pitches of climbing. That's what I'm talkin-bout.

Todra Gorge

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.