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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 18, 2008 - 07:34pm PT
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With the weather we've had lately, the Northeasterners surely all went outdoors.
What have we got to show for it?
I'd climbed Atlantis, on the S Buttress of Whitehorse, once before -- in 1982.
I remembered it vaguely as one of the valley's best midrange trad climbs.
Last week I finally went back and confirmed that opinion.
Looking up from the base of the route: P1 (5.9) laybacks up the shaded, overhanging
corner in foreground. P4 (5.10b) traverses R beneath the triangular roof near
the top of the cliff, then follows a thin crack to the top.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 18, 2008 - 07:38pm PT
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Lucander leading P1 (5.9):
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TRo
climber
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Oct 18, 2008 - 08:00pm PT
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Thanks for posting those rare NE TR's Chiloe. Keep them coming. I've got one in the bag for Roger's Rock and as soon as my daughter teaches me how I send it along.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2008 - 10:02am PT
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TRo, looking forward to Rogers Rock. I ain't been there yet.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2008 - 10:47am PT
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One cool thing about Atlantis is that it's still honestly trad:
apart from a bolt with a broken wire hanger on P1, there is zero fixed pro.
Lucander on P3, the "wheat thin" layback (5.9).
Fall view towards Echo Lake.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Oct 19, 2008 - 12:02pm PT
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Oooo nice fall colors!
Looks like fun.
All the moss and vegetation gives it that back country feel.
Thanks,
Zander
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2008 - 08:08pm PT
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Looking down P4 ... Lucander breaks down his belay at the base of the chimney:
and sets up for the final crux layback:
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cowpoke
climber
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Oct 20, 2008 - 08:59am PT
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very nice! I've always wanted to try that route...looks like fun. and, beautiful scenery. thanks for sharing the pics, Larry!
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Oct 20, 2008 - 10:18am PT
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Very sweet, Larry! You'd pointed that line out to me before, and looked stellar. Looks even better in the climber's-eye pics. I'm bummed I never got around to trying it.
Thanks for sharing.
GO
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Jim E
climber
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Oct 20, 2008 - 11:56am PT
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"Northeasterners surely all went outdoors."
Unfortunately not. I was the victim of 'weekend warrior' treason. Partner canceled late Friday evening. Too late to form a plan 'B'. Other than medical or family emergency such an act permanently removes the perpetrator from my partner list.
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perswig
climber
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Oct 20, 2008 - 12:47pm PT
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...or the perpetrator's testicles from the rest of him (assuming a dude?).
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2008 - 02:06pm PT
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What with GO gone western, Eric swamped at the office, and Jim's unreliable partner, maybe
fewer folks got outdoors this weekend than I thought. I'm indoors today looking out the
window at more brilliant weather. Tomorrow I'm packing for another non-climbing trip.
(But dammit, I'll pack shoes just in case.)
Atlantis sure was a fun route on which to end the October season.
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Jim E
climber
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Oct 20, 2008 - 02:14pm PT
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" ...or the perpetrator's testicles from the rest of him (assuming a dude?)."
Ovaries in this case.
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looking sketchy there...
Social climber
Latitute 33
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Oct 20, 2008 - 02:20pm PT
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Looks like an excellent climb. The Fall colors back east are incredible. Thanks for posting.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2008 - 04:51pm PT
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Yeah the colors are something. Every year, I'm amazed. For a few weeks, all the light turns gold.
Here's one more shot, a party on the last pitch of Inferno as we started to rap down.
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Oct 20, 2008 - 05:26pm PT
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Chiloe, looks like we took a picture from the same spot, just a week apart.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 20, 2008 - 06:02pm PT
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Yup, Divad, same angle -- you can see the exit crack (my next-to-last pics) at top in yours.
And the trees are about 1 week more colorful in my OP photo.
Looks like somebody's on Inferno. Is that your party?
Lucander and I were commenting on how much we like the S Buttress area.
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Oct 20, 2008 - 07:20pm PT
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Chiloe, yes, that's us, actually me, taken by my son. Yikes!, belaying me and taking pics at the same time.
Here's another similar shot.
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Oct 20, 2008 - 08:31pm PT
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Yeah Tomcat and I were grounded too. It was a kid weekend for us but we did manage to sneak away to Jockey's Cap for an hour or so.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2008 - 07:43am PT
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Take the kids to Jockeys Cap? We had a fun day or two there, when ours were little.
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Oct 21, 2008 - 08:09am PT
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Our at home kids are 11, 13 and 14 and it's like pulling teeth to get them away from the blue screens.
We did drag a few of them to the north end several weeks ago.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 21, 2008 - 05:52pm PT
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OK, it's up to others to add any further TRs for this season. I'm leaving before sunrise
tomorrow, and by the time I get back, gold will have given way to brown.
Driving home after Atlantis, we passed this sunset.
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emac
climber
New Hampshire
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Here is looking up at the crux pitch of Atlantis. Jim_E dispatches in chilly, wet conditions. I bet this route is stellar when dry... or at least warm!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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That is a special shot!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2008 - 09:14am PT
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emac, that's a fine shot of Jim on the crux. It wasn't chilly or wet on our ascent last month,
but still felt pretty exciting up there.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 3, 2008 - 07:06pm PT
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Here's the view looking down on the belayer, standing where emac took the cool photo above.
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perswig
climber
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Surely some ice is being climbed and pics taken in the upper right corner of the country?
Typical NE sport-climber approach; Troy in center
Midway up north side of Grafton
Obligatory foot (feet) shot; (yes, I'm above the belay on a dyneema sling but it's OK. Really.)
Troy 'reracking'; did I mention it was cold? Like minus 25degF wind chill. Brrr - shrinkage.
Maybe time for a different color?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 3, 2009 - 09:04am PT
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Surely some ice is being climbed and pics taken in the upper right corner of the country?
Not by me! I'm glad to see reports by you still-hard-core-enough types, though.
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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"Surely some ice is being climbed and pics taken in the upper right corner of the country?"
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perswig
climber
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Jan 12, 2009 - 06:47am PT
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Slackers.
So after spending Saturday hoping to catch this left-most line in unusually good conditions
and managing only to grunt up turf and rock going about M3 on crap gear (most of which was my fault) only to find the 'ice' slush and no way to link up to the top, Sunday was an local, easy day.
A surprising and pleasant snowstorm left 5 inches on the ground, but despite the road conditions, Alan and I met no fewer than 7 other climbers cragging at the local ice. We started out cold and cloudy and ended sunny and warm. Perfect.
Alan on Everdrip
Alan topping out above the right cataracts as the sun broke out.
Fading to twilight.
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 12, 2009 - 11:26am PT
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Slackers.
Yup, that's us. It seemed like a big effort to wheeze my way through another driveway-shovelling
effort yesterday, although Leslie got out her snowshoes to break the trail for our dog-walks
in the woods.
One of these weeks I might get to the mountains, but in the meantime it's good that somebody
is out there havin' fun.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Jan 12, 2009 - 11:31am PT
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"but in the meantime it's good that somebody
is out there havin' fun. "
That does look fun! A little chilly, but fun.
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perswig
climber
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Jan 15, 2009 - 08:01pm PT
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So I'm not ready to advocate climbing on single-digit days, but when life gives you...blah, blah.
I'm also starting to believe the means justify the ends.
Ben agreed to hike into the Camden hinterland and check out some out-of-the-way spots. (For a respectable professional, Ben's pretty easy to convince to play hooky.)
First flow. Climbed two lines; bullet ice.
Fragile spectator.
Next notch over. Ben finished this after I peeled on the start (wheee!).
And another spectacular day-end (except for the twilight talus slide and hike out).
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 16, 2009 - 08:30am PT
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Was your ice a bit brittle? Minus 18 in bright sun here this morning, felt outdoorsy just
walking the dog.
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perswig
climber
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Jan 16, 2009 - 11:36am PT
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That would be an affirmative, Chiloe. Hard, brittle, plating - climbing seemed like work. (is it supposed to?)
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emac
climber
New Hampshire
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Jan 16, 2009 - 12:56pm PT
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From Omega just before Christmas (Rob Point photo)
And a couple more from Omega that I took...
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perswig
climber
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Jan 16, 2009 - 01:28pm PT
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Ah, nice alpenglow, emac. And Omega - now that's what Larry meant by 'hard-core'. Thanks.
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perswig
climber
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Jan 17, 2009 - 07:43pm PT
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Some pics from today's attempt to not post on the "What's your excuse..." thread.
Back to Everdrip with Troy today. Baking in the sun and not long for this season.
Troy signalling I've taken far too long leading and he now can't feel his hands.
Starting the booming hollow, not-sure-why-its-standing finish. Maybe another week or two left?
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perswig
climber
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Jan 17, 2009 - 08:03pm PT
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Up the carriage trail a little further. Lots of ice here this year. Dragon's Teeth was done last weekend, by some wild-eyed younguns.
We chose Dragon's Butt - fat ice and a 12-15' rock finish.
Troy sweating the finish and swearing at my (almost-fixed) yellow Alien.
No sunset today, but nearing dark as we finished.
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 18, 2009 - 08:52am PT
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Dale appears to be single-handledly maintaining the impression that Northeastern taco
posters still get outdoors sometimes. The rest of us aren't helping.
Cool-looking ice climbs, for sure.
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Jan 18, 2009 - 09:05am PT
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Go Dale ! No piccys but Mike Dube and I had a fine day at Shell Pond yesterday.Minus 16 here at the house,but it warmed to a balmy ten or so,and that place gets sun like crazy.Mike fired an off the couch dead vertical route on the steep wall,while I settled for something more tame,the 200 foot grade 3 flow.
I took some ice to the chin,you know not sure where,no pain,but my soft shell looked like I bit the head off a chicken.
Everything at Shell is as good as I have ever seen it.
Izzat drippy thing In Grafton lad?
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perswig
climber
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Jan 18, 2009 - 09:31am PT
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Hey Tomcat, saw your NEClimbs post and wondered about pics. You're the second to rave about Shell Pond's condition this year. It and Angel Falls are on the do-before-February list; Ben was hankering for Shell Pond earlier but hears the siren song of Cathedral now.
Pics from yesterday are Camden, far left of cataracts and far right of the ramparts, respectively. Ben and Peter apparently found decent conditions at Barrett's, surprising given that sun-exposed ice is sublimating fast around here. Shade ice is fat in Camden and in Grafton.
Heal well (unless Tradchick digs scars?) and take a camera next time, dammit.
Dale
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Jan 18, 2009 - 09:43am PT
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Dale,can do condition pics from last week if you ping me at tstryker@ncia.net.Things are even better now.Tried shootin Mikey leading the five,but could barely breath...lol....
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perswig
climber
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Jan 18, 2009 - 09:56am PT
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I'll tap you, Tomcat. Thanks.
Chiloe, was down for 2-3 weeks with the respiratory grunge, so (over)compensating now. Also, I'm a latecomer to rock and ice and I'm light; my partners (and guys like you, Tomcat, and Wootles) set the bar pretty high.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 18, 2009 - 10:05am PT
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Well, I'm out with that respiratory grunge now. I was hoping just a week, but it's
been 9 days & no end in sight. So I'm taking drugs and watching it snow out
my window, trying to finish up some writing today.
And scanning a few more old slides, just for fun. Here's another Northeasterner,
Cowpoke, feelin' proud in warmer times out west.
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Jan 18, 2009 - 10:27am PT
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Bwahahahahaha.....the artist formerly known as Wootles climbing skillz are so far beyond my own as to defy description.
I'm an aged weekend warrior.The thing Jim and I have most in common is back pain.....lol!!!!
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perswig
climber
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Jan 18, 2009 - 01:11pm PT
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Yep, Jim's an improbable standard. I'm just hoping to stay ahead of his daughter!
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Jan 18, 2009 - 09:26pm PT
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Great pix - thanks for sharing! (BNuts & Pente like the pics as well! :-)
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cowpoke
climber
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Jan 22, 2009 - 06:43pm PT
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ah, Chiloe, memories of warmer times indeed. last weekend, we took the girls out for some cross-country skiing and misc snowy fun in your granite state. saturday morning in woodstock, nh it was minus 20 at 7am (not including wind chill, although not much breeze anyhow) and warmed to a balmy -10 by 10am. weird thing = in the sun, it was darn pleasant. nonetheless, we were all content to hottub it and save skiing for sunday and monday, when it warmed to the mid-20s. and, gosh darn it, it was light until 5pm today...here comes the sun! (get well)
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perswig
climber
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Jan 22, 2009 - 11:24pm PT
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Maybe I shouldn't be an ice climber...?
I seem to be making poor route choices lately.
But for a change it's a nice day, Troy and I both have the day off, and because he and Craig, visiting N. Conway from Scotland, did Hitchcock Gully yesterday, they are interested in doing something more like real ice. (Craig's usual winter sounds like wet hiking, scary rock climbing, suffering, then more wet hiking; screws are apparently a novelty.)
So, because I'm selfish and don't get to Frankenstein that often, I suggest Smear or Pegasus because I haven't done them. OK, then, we'll start with Smear. Grade 3-4, how hard could it be?
The snow at the base is thigh-deep. Hmm, looks like no-one's been up for a while. Makes sense; all the valley hardmen are dry-tooling up to Welcome to the Machine or soloing Dracula in their slippers.
And what's that sound? Dripping water; maybe from that steep column? And that looks to be the crux? Well, whatever.
Take the rock rack? Naw. TONS of ice up there. Screws and slings - have at it.
Steep start - concentrate on feet, ice is hard but takes good sticks. Things ease off but there's an ice crust with 4" loose snow under it. Weird. Stomp and pound down to good ice, up to the next steep section, a nice dihedral of hard ice on left and what's this? - crumbing, aerated chandeliering on the right. Sweet. I sweat up this, thinking - who picked this climb? How long is this taking? Maybe this will be the crux? Finally finish this section and having made it above the treetops, take a minute (OK, a half-hour) to unclamp my tools and look around.
Nope, crux is still ahead, blue-ice column. Directly above is pretty steep - not going there. Let's go left - rising traverse though more eggshell-over-sugar. Stomp, stomp, swear. Place a screw. Hmm, kind of wet here, under this crap. Up and up, onto the left side of the column, where things get ugly.
The entire side of the crux section is running water and knobby chandeliering. WTF - in this cold? I hook tools, step up onto the biggest blob ... and it shears. OK. Back down, look for somewhere for a screw; anywhere. Um, nope. Finally pick the 'best' ice, clean the surface, and run in a 22. Almost no resistance the whole way. Great. Step up onto the knobs again, get a few moves higher and another blob shears. Um, crap.
Now, I'm all for stupid runouts (ask Troy), but looking up I see 15' of this stuff before it gets easy, and I'm not trusting that screw much beyond body-weight. So I think - WWKMD (what would Kevin Mahoney do). Well, he'd probably go up, but I'm not gonna. Down-climb to good ice and rap? Maybe, but I'd rather not leave gear, and now I'm kind of pissed. Looking left, I realize I'm level with the tree used for the second rap. 25-30'. All I've got to do is get there.
There's a foot-wide sloping ledge, nicely snow-covered, leading 10' from my stance at the manky screw to ... something better, hopefully. I swing at the styrofoam ice closer to the rock - a microwave-sized chunk goes sailing down. I swing easier, hook, hope and ease onto the ledge. Working my tools across the glaze atop the smooth rock in my face, I shuffle, preferring a fetal position but forced to stand up straight. It turns out less scary than expected, and soon I'm slinging a 1" sapling like it's the best bolt ever. Anything beats that screw.
Wading up powder on 60-degree rock, I find the best horizontal hand crack. Sweet. Where's my rock gear? On the ground in the pack, of course. Dammit. I throw a big overhand on a nylon sling, hammer it into a perfect constriction. It's probably the best pro of the whole friggin' climb. Grunt and mantle over the ledge, tool the tree roots (sorry) and hug that sucker like, well, use your imagination.
By now I realize I've been up here for maybe 10 hours and Troy and Craig (remember them?) have been quiet for quite a while. Maybe they went home? Nope, they're still there, willing to come up. Things proceed: Craig's Ben Nevis skills are evident as he looks right at home on the traverse, but he has the grace to admit he found the ice part challenging.
Out of sight at the start, Troy takes a nice whipper - all of a sudden my groin's crushed to the tree (I'm still hugging it from above); he says he went full-bore, upside-down, grazing the snow at the base. Not insignificantly, he's 225 w/o gear - ouch. He regroups, makes it to the tree and we rap uneventfully.
I kiss the ground, swear off ice climbing, and give my gear away. But then I hear one of the illustrious locals describing having to rap one climb and downclimb another because he ran out of ice and a second pair telling of a screamer-deploying fall off something down toward Dracula and I don't feel so bad. I buy back my gear, Troy and Craig go to have a beer, and I drive home to let the dogs out.
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 23, 2009 - 08:10pm PT
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You persevered, and fortunately your belayers did too. That inverted fall coulda
been nasty...
Our own outings have been even less ambitious than Cowpoke's, who stayed indoors
but at least he went to the mountains. Maybe tomorrow find my snowshoes.
There's a column of ice from our roof to the ground today, I joked it looked climbable.
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perswig
climber
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Jan 23, 2009 - 08:44pm PT
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Will your wife belay?
Hope you're feeling better.
Jim E, how about a TR from Maineline? More pics? Please?
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jan 24, 2009 - 12:59pm PT
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This brings back memories of living in the Northeast... winter climbing = ice climbing, and while I miss those tied off birch anchors (not really, they root in anything, and not deeply) I am forced to climb rock most of the year, ice being hard to come by, locally.
Sounds like you've had an interesting year by your ice description. I always thought the difficulty scale should be something like: Rotten, Plastic, Brittle... but then the ratings would change hourly... which is what they do anyway.
Good TR, thanks from an expat Yankee...
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2009 - 02:45pm PT
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Will your wife belay?
While I climbed an icicle from the roof? She'd never go for that one!
Jim E, how about a TR from Maineline? More pics? Please?
Yeah, we haven't heard from Jim in a while.
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perswig
climber
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Blue Vein Area
Varicose Vein (NEI 3+, 5.4) The thinly iced ramp on the left, exiting right up a steep bulge. (100')
History: FA Dave Getchell, Sr., and Geoff Heath, 1980.
Blue Vein (M5) Follow a tight ice hose up the back of the steep chimney on the right. Additional difficulties come at the two overhanging chockstones; the one at the top rarely has more than verglas for ice tools. Some call this route the best ice climb in Camden, though it does not form often. (If the first chockstone is not ice-covered, expect a real battle at the exit.) Protection, fortunately, is adequate with a full range of rock gear in addition to ice screws. (100')
History: FA Geoff Heath and Dave Getchell, Sr., 1980.
- from Ben Townsend's guide to rock and ice of Camden, ME
Today was an homage to William Murray and his inspiring writings of Scottish climbing.
The ropegun Alan agreed to look at Blue Vein and Varicose Vein, short mixed routes with widely-variable ice conditions and plenty of interesting rock moves. We did them a year or two ago in 'thin' conditions, freaked me the hell out.
Looking up at Blue Vein - although it doesn't look it, the 25' ice hose is fat (good) but overhung slightly at the narrow bit (damn). Alan offers the lead. Haha. I'm not sure I even want to follow.
After that, you negotiate the first chockstone with lots of stemming and some grunting -
wallow up a chute with decent rock gear but some tricky steps and get your first glimpse of the bizness -
a 15' flared chimney, 12in wide ice in back for the first half, then only a thin smear of verglas on the left wall. 'Chockstone' isn't accurate; it's a roof, for god's sake.
I don't get to see Alan until he's whacking the topout turf/snice, but he looks composed. He later says that last time we were out, he aided to reach the exit moves, but today went clean. He got great gear, too, making it a bit more sane. I opted to ditch the tools and found nice rock moves up to a nice back/crampon bridge out and up (channeling my inner Scot) until able to hook the roof edge and highstep the exit. Met this halfway up -
Alan, wicked good lead.
(Edit for route description citation.)
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perswig
climber
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Now, Varicose Vein, I can handle.
Some good ice that leads to rock gear, more verglas and awkward bulges
and then pure ice, which today is steep, syrofoam over brittle/hard, but mercifully always short.
It's only a half-day out, but we both feel worked as we slide down the gully back to the road. It may be the only climbing the routes see this year, but very worthy for a visit, if you're so inclined.
Dale
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perswig
climber
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Feb 14, 2009 - 08:50pm PT
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Before getting to today's low-key TR, I'd encourage anyone interested to check out NEice.com's photo section. Some excellent hard ice being climbed around here this year. Not by me, obviously.
Today, we dug out the skis and headed into the woods.
Three and a half miles of this - frozen washerboard into a headwind,
and we get to this - nice new sign.
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perswig
climber
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Feb 14, 2009 - 08:50pm PT
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Nobody's been up for a while, so we feel around the brook, trying not to swim.
Troy, seeing the falls for the first time: "I thought it would be bigger." (Like I've never heard that before...)
The ice is always unusual here. Often parasols or tufts form. This year it's tufts capped with snice.
We climb, we rap. I toss the rope - it vanishes down this hole. The thing's 30' deep, very odd.
Troy takes a digger heading toward the dog-leg water hazard skiing out. He takes the stroke penalty and walks it. Pussy.
Wind at our back, softened trail and some light powder make the ski out pleasant. More hike than climb, as Troy said, but a nice day, anyway.
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perswig
climber
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Feb 14, 2009 - 08:51pm PT
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Some natural phenomena from the day.
I think the last one's a brookie?
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 15, 2009 - 12:57pm PT
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Looks a bit like Arethusa Falls, which was the high point (and end) of my soloing career.
Dale, you're keepin' the honor of NE TRs alive while lazier folks just go snowshoeing.
I suspect JE has been up to things but is too modest to say. Must be a few others also,
Crawford Notch ice was busy last week.
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Jim E
climber
away
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Hands down the coolest of cool routes I've done in the Northeast in many years.
Foxhole Prayer
Very difficult to do this climb justice with photos. It lives deep inside a wide chimney where it is pasted onto the side of one wall. First pitch ascends one of the craziest ice formations I've ever seen and ends at a comfortable ice ledge. At this ledge is another chimney to one side that cuts in behind the cliff. It's really more of a cave than a chimney as it is fully capped and with a level ice floor. The cave goes on for over 100' and probably more but was filled in by ice at the far end blocking me from further travel. Great exploration potential.
The second pitch climbs out of the chimney in a rather disheartening line. The chimney is capped by a jumble of large blocks and earth.
From the ice ledge, visible at the bottom, you climb almost straight sideways over the abyss and out of the chimney. The pitch is actually reasonably easy. However, from inside the chimney it wasn't possible to see the line of holds due to the extreme back lighting caused by a gorgeous sunny day.
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perswig
climber
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Wootles goes spelunking.
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Jim E
climber
away
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Ice spelunking!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 9, 2009 - 01:33pm PT
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Those photos are great! Where is this thing?
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cowpoke
climber
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that looks/sounds wild!
and named appropriately.
cool share.
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Jim E
climber
away
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"Those photos are great! Where is this thing?"
It's at a crag in very northern NH. It's on a Nature Conservancy preserve so access is delicate. Climbing is fully permitted but with strong restrictions. No bolts or fixed anchors of any kind, no chalk, and no cleaning of routes. Basically a true 'leave no trace' policy.
The 2 hour approach will likely ensure there are no violations. Follow a labyrinth of logging roads and then a convoluted system of snowmobile trails. Once you are certain you are lost begin bushwhacking in circles until you spot the cliff.
I actually went with guys that have the approach fully dialed in so there were no missteps. Tradition dictates that the exact details of the approach only be passed on by word of mouth, trial and error or some combination there of. I was fortunate enough to have guides.
The 2 hour approach time is true only if you know exactly where to go. I've heard from folks who've thrashed around for an entire day and never got to the cliff and others that arrived just as darkness fell upon them.
The first ascent of Foxhole Prayer was done last winter but was mostly a straight rock affair. The second pitch actually climbed through a very narrow passage in the jumble of cap stones. One member of the party was too claustrophobic to follow.
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Jim E
climber
away
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Here's a pic of the top out on the FA.
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cowpoke
climber
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already bumped this once today for JimE's adventure climb, but got to double-down after seeing that last shot -- like looking down the rabbit's hole!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 27, 2009 - 07:56pm PT
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Porkchop_express
Trad climber
the base of the Shawangunk Ridge
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Mar 27, 2009 - 08:11pm PT
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this thread is awesome! I am going to have to remember to bring my camera out so I can represent some gunks love...i always ask my wife if she has it once we are like 10 minutes out from the car, and by that time the juices are flowing and i can't go back...
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perswig
climber
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Mar 28, 2009 - 08:15pm PT
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Sara's home for the weekend and Saturday looks good for a run up to Acadia.
Crossing onto Verona Island, Bucksport; old bridge in background.
Ice climbing got veto'd (looked solid to me)....
....but crampons and an axe would have helped the approach to Otter.
No-one else around, great views...
...but d/t wet walls, climbs vanished from last year's rockfall, and Sara getting mildly freaked by the surf crashing at her feet, we migrated a bit farther south to cosier surroundings.
Short-roping Sara down the descent.
Less threatening water, apparently.
Maybe the next formation to keel over into the sea? I try to belay off to one side without Sara noticing.
Scudding streams of fog, cold hands, and hungry dogs at home create enough reasons to end the day.
A poor excuse for climbing, but an excellent day out - I think of it as part of the 12-step program to let go of ice for the season.
Random sighting; I tried to ignore it but Sara was fascinated. Whatever.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 28, 2009 - 09:17pm PT
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Rockfall at Otter Cliffs? I hadn't heard about that.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Mar 30, 2009 - 04:46pm PT
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My friend Eric leading the crux of Blue Ice Bulge, Smuggs. A week and a half ago.
What a nice sandbag.. its graded 2 to 3 in my Wilcox book. I have led it twice, followed it once and rapped it once decending from Blind Fate. I have yet to find the grade 3 path up P2???
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Mar 30, 2009 - 04:52pm PT
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Nice TRs!
Chiloe - I'm trying (and failing) to guess the base of the cliff at which is that little stream is flowing. Definitely screams "early spring in New England" though!
GO
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 30, 2009 - 05:00pm PT
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Here ya go, GO -- it's New Hampshire's Least TR-Worthy Crag!
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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Mar 30, 2009 - 05:11pm PT
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Where is that? Glad to see other New Hampshirites representing the early season. Larry, what's crag Y like. The descriptions make it sound like a crack paradise, but some verbal descriptions make it sound lacking. What's the real story!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 30, 2009 - 05:26pm PT
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Haven't visited Crag Y in years myself, so it's possible that triffids have reclaimed it. However ...
The best climbs on the Sunkist Wall of Crag Y are, IMO, comparable to the best in their
length and grade on Whitehorse or Cathedral. She-Ra comes to mind; other good ones
include Autobot and Ooh Mow Mao. Beyond that, at least a dozen others seem like they
could be well worth doing if you're up there.
I would bring a bolt kit and think about replacing some of the old fixed pins, one-for-one,
with new bolts if that seems necessary (you'd have my blessing).
Jim E probably has more up-to-date gossip if not firsthand experience of the place.
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Mar 31, 2009 - 12:11am PT
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Parking lot wall at Rumney?
GO
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Aya K
Trad climber
New York
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Mar 31, 2009 - 12:38am PT
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3/15/09
3/17/09
(rope management skills FAIL)
3/19/09
little too slushy so back to the rock!
3/20/09
And no pics from the spiders web on 3/21/09, alas. It was a full on hangover flail and fail day anyway so it's just as well.
Last weekend? My TR would have been photos of me sanding a painting our kitchen. It was ugly and all black before. Now it's clean and girly, all white and light blue gray!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 31, 2009 - 08:08am PT
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GO, you're right, that little stream is just below the Meadows near Parking Lot Wall.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 31, 2009 - 08:09am PT
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Aya, what's the classic-looking climb in your first pic? How was it?
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Aya K
Trad climber
New York
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Mar 31, 2009 - 08:36am PT
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Slim Pickens at the spider's web in the dacks. You can see it as the dark corner in the blur on the cliff behind the last photo. Ultra mega classic by any definition (...and one of the few climbs I'm able to lead at the web. That place is HARD!)
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 31, 2009 - 08:54am PT
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Looks very cool. My total Daks experience = 2 routes, so obviously I've missed something in life.
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Aya K
Trad climber
New York
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Mar 31, 2009 - 12:30pm PT
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If you haven't been to the Spider's Web...
Well, I don't know. I can't come up with anything catchy!!! Ha. It would definitely be worth your time to come back. There is just so much rock EVERYWHERE!
Come over this summer and I'd be happy to take you around!
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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One of my chief regrets is not getting to the Spiders Web before I left the area.
Needless to say, I have no recent pics appropriate for this thread.
Best I can do is one from my very last weekend of climbing before the big move:
That's me fighting the Barndoor on one of the sweetest 5.10 cracks I've seen in Mass. It's at Farley
GO
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 1, 2009 - 01:17pm PT
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I'm starting to think I need to visit Farley sometime.
Northeasterners will appreciate the fine green glaze on the rock in GO's photo.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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bump
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Farley is known for its sport, and the sport is decent. But I think some of the trad is really very good, at least by Mass standards.
Regarding that green glaze: There were several summer days last season when the night before had been quite cold, and the day was hot and humid. You know what happens when you come in from the cold wearing glasses? Well the rock was all dripping until noon. The green glaze must've had a field day on those days!
GO
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Chiloe, you know Jen. Here's another route from that same day, a nice 5.8 named Yosemite Crack.
GO
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 2, 2009 - 01:58pm PT
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Yep, I definitely should visit Farley.
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perswig
climber
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Apr 19, 2009 - 07:38pm PT
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April. Usually a month of transition here, but this year it's been the nicest, driest month - more than any climber could ask for, honestly.
The sheep are just a bonus. Baaa.
So, a small slice of spring in the Northeast, a long weekend in three installments; a tryptich, if you will.
(Hopefully, the arbiters of ST will find this acceptable.)
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Apr 19, 2009 - 07:50pm PT
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Perswig you leave those sheep alone !!
Tradchick and I left the adolescents to their own devices for a few precious hours at Humphery's.We threw our walkers behind some boulders and had fun in the sun.We saw many friends including the incredible Mr Hurley!He has us all beat...lol !!
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Apr 19, 2009 - 08:16pm PT
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There's climbing at the Spiders Web?
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perswig
climber
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Apr 19, 2009 - 08:51pm PT
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Friday. Took a vacation day.
Recent rain and the constant warm temps meant spring skiing on Mt. Washington would be making it's swan song sooner rather than later. The few days spent on the AT setup reminded me how light my tele rig really is, so I decide to stop at IME and bail it out of the consignment shop for the day.
The three-hour drive gets me to their door when they open; only, for some reason they don't open until 9 today. I grind my teeth, help a couple from PA get oriented for some winter camping and ravine touring, go to my happy place.
I dislike mission creep.
Lots of lenticulars on the drive over.
Gonna be winding up high.
Still wound from the wait, not yet settled by the zen of up, I forget to get a pan shot. This is from last year, a bit more snow than today.
The Inferno is tomorrow. The lot is packed, even by 0920. However, most lemmings head to Tucks. The discerning make for GoS. 2400' give or take to the floor of the gullies.
Tough skinning down low.
But the upper 1/2 or so of the trail is reasonable. I run into a group of guys on AT gear, pace the leaders for a bit and a slide by them when they break for their stragglers. In the groove, into the gulf in just over an hour.
Nobody else in the south snowfields. Get to set a track in rising corn. The snowpack is locked solid, but a few places have deeper boot pen and I saw some point sluffs from the rapid warming yesterday.
Lots of wind topping the ridge, likely gusting 40-50. I grab some grub, but tea from thermos to cup blows horizontal as I pour.
Time for down.
Stiff the first 50', smooth like butter the rest of the way.
Grin to the trail, nod and smile to the latecomers just making it up (everyone's got a silly, smug look today, like you're getting away with something).
Skins stay on for the skinny trail descent.
When the rock-hopping gets ridiculous, the skis go back on the pack and I leaf-and-mud glissade back to the lot.
Three hours and home to feed the dogs.
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Apr 19, 2009 - 08:55pm PT
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Great lenticulars Friday indeed!Looks like you had a fine day on the big hill.What a great time of year to live here.
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perswig
climber
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Apr 19, 2009 - 08:57pm PT
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Ha, Tomcat. It's only a crime if they catch you!
No pics from AARP at Humphry's? Liked your RR stuff - any more?
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Brian
climber
Cali
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Apr 19, 2009 - 09:01pm PT
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I miss New England...
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Apr 19, 2009 - 09:07pm PT
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Alas no pictures Dale.Just a bunch of folks doing alzheimerpoints in the sun.The big hill looked splendid too!
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perswig
climber
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Apr 19, 2009 - 09:26pm PT
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Second day, Saturday.
Sara's home, but torn between climbing with me (I beg, I plead, I bribe) and catching up with her friend Amy. She does both.
We head to the Ramparts in Camden. Trail's dry, sky's overcast but like a lot of spring days on the coast, no rain develops.
We pick the Ramparts for it's great cragging and limited sense of exposure - Amy's pretty a-scared of heights. Despite the cosy nature of the cliffband, I end of breaking the climbs, already short, into halfs and thirds (severely challenging my rope management skills) so Sara can coax and cajole and I can threaten with authority.
Sara coming up.
Sara sweet-talking Amy over the crux, a step over a 25' drop into a short finger crack.
Skeptically approaching the quite wide.
Sara following.
Like schoolgirls in studyhall. Serious inertia sets in. Only a chill in the air gets them moving again.
Pleased with themselves and each other, and rightfully so.
Sara looking more at home.
Short day, but the weather got sunnier, we got some climbing in and that's the point, eh?
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perswig
climber
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Apr 19, 2009 - 10:05pm PT
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Sunday, Acadia with Troy. (Part 3 of 3)
I love the drive to Bar Harbor. Two hours door to cliff, if done correctly. You can wind it up to 75 between the little towns, and some days you know that if the police are out, they'll be where you expect them. Today was such a day.
(Plus, after making the trip a dozen or so times one summer doing fill-in work for one of the island climbing shops, it's hardwired. At least today it was late enough in the day to lessen the moose-collision risk.)
The towns go by, Camden, Belfast, Northport, Lincolnville, Ducktrap (my favorite), East Orland, Bucksport. The ocean ever on your right, sometimes just out of sight, sometimes glinting and distracting. Sure there is increasing kitch to this part of route 1, tourist traps and whathaveyou, but there are also enormous, grand captain's homes, tight little capes with gardens starting to bloom, blueberry burns, horse farms. Of course, famous cat houses.
We start at South Bubble.
Troy heeding the threat, sign on top.
Troy heading up Moroviana P1.
P2.
Troy leaving the belay (note via ferrata) and gaining the crack.
I replace the old rap slings (I think I placed them 4 years ago?), we rap, and then go up the adjoining flared chimney. Gear in back, but better climbed out at the edges. Troy finds this out when he gets his knee stuck at the chockstone.
He eventually opts for the buttress out right.
We hike off and down, I solo up the nice dihedral on the left of the upper slabs, set a TR (oh, the shame), and laugh ourselves off the .10ish slab.
Troy does better than I do, we both do better than expected. Good practice for harder Whitehorse routes.
We bail just as an older guy crashes up the talus (off-trail) carrying a huge pack of gear, two ropes and an Ipod gizmo. He eyes some of the climbs, mumbles something about 'practice', ties both ropes to his harness and starts climbing up toward the starting buttress of Gargoyle, etc. Not sure what his system was going to be. Hoping not to read about him in the news this week.
Plenty of daylight left, but I'm losing steam and the day's cooling off. We run up to the precipice, civilized approach.
Climb Wafer Step (5.5d - sandbagging locals). Troy following.
Good views.
Call it a day. Call it three days. Call it a great spring and a good start to rock. My hands hurt, I'm sunburnt, and I might be ready to go back to work.
Thanks for visiting, and thanks for everyone improving the signal-to-noise ratio lately.
Dale
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Apr 20, 2009 - 08:03am PT
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South Bubble is a crazy experience,nothing like what it appears from the lot.Another wonderous day at Precipice too,methinks Tradchick and I will have to visit again this summer.Some stuff there is too good to be true.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 20, 2009 - 09:25am PT
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Looks like Acadia's season begins earlier than I realized. It's 4 or 5 hours from us, so we
don't get there too often (and when we do it's by freeway, not the scenic route Perswig takes).
But the drives are all part of the experience, aren't they? We drive past Lake Chocorua on
our way home from the Valley, it's often worth a stop for the view or to let the dog swim.
Those lenticular clouds from last Friday (see the Clouds thread) wound down to a mild, pretty
sunset over the lake.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:13am PT
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Bah Haba!!!!!
YAY!!!!
Looks like fun!
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Apr 20, 2009 - 10:15am PT
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Nice stuff. Just when I'm ready to give up, there are neat posts like these!
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perswig
climber
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Apr 20, 2009 - 01:26pm PT
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Chiloe, the Park Loop road just opened this week, so that seems the unofficial start to Acadia climbing. You can get to Otter year-round but it's a hike to Precipice or S. Bubble, etc w/o the road. Like your neck of the woods, everywhere was as dry as I've ever seen it; it felt like fall climbing (except my hands are softer).
Tomcat, it IS amazing what you find at the Bubble. I swear Gargoyle is the hardest .8, and when the flake at the last bit pulls off, it's gonna get much harder, I think.
It's no surprise those MDI climbers are strong. The whole place is STEEP. (Wafer Step 5.5 my ass)
Crimpie, you and Brassnuts are doing a great job keeping TRs alive, and lots of good climbing threads have surfaced lately. Nice to see.
Dale
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Aya K
Trad climber
New York
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Apr 20, 2009 - 07:29pm PT
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Since I put it in the what are you doing this weekend thread but it's mroe appropriate here
Went golfing Friday afternoon.
Saturday we went to Lost City, only ran into a few other climbers, which is one of the nice things about it, and did a bunch of great routes; who knew that there were so many moderates there? (we warmed up on a 3 or 4 of 6-7-8ish things) Then moved on to some routes that were clean, others not so much
and ended the day with a long walk back down to the right end of the cliff to do Evelyn, an offwidthy thing in one of the many cool chasms formed by the broken off fins at Lost City. The best part was the approach, which involved squirming through a hole into a mini talus cave before popping out into the mossy ferny hidden little chasm.
(note the head disappearing into the cave by the packs)
Sunday we checked out Peterskill and I have to say, there are many many ultracool routes their; it's just a shame that they're all waaay too short. Also, the multitudes of topropers are superannoying, not because they're toproping per se, but because they seem to tend to set up like 5 topropes at a time, be annoyed if you want to lead a climb under one that they're not using (can't you just climb when we're done? we're leaving in two hours. How long are you going to take? or when I had to work on cam that got stuck - does it always take this long to climb with gear), and also we found a lot of topropes dangling around for whom we couldn't identify the owners despite asking everyone in the vicinity both on top and bottom (in this instance, out of curiosity - would you go ahead and rap on those ropes, which are occupying the only bolted anchors on the formation? or would you go ahead and take the extra ten minutes to walk off?).
On the other hand, I learned some highly important facts, like that the gunks are 600 feet tall, using a petzl minitraxion to rope solo rather than a belayer to TR a climb is safer (because a belayer can get hit by a rock and get knocked out), and nuts are better than cams because they're cheaper so you can leave them behind.
We also were startled to walk around a corner to see a black vulture warming itself in the sun, clearly pissed off at us. Its nest was in the little talus cave behind it. Good thing we were being good citizens and had the dogs on leashes!!!
I was under the impression that black vultures were still relatively rare around the gunks, but we saw this pair at the nest, and I saw at least one other pair over at lost city.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 26, 2009 - 07:30pm PT
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Beautiful weather downeast this weekend, for climbers and blackflies alike.
Although we missed the big party in California, I imagine a few locals got outdoors.
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Apr 26, 2009 - 09:09pm PT
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We had Cannon all to ourselfs on Friday, 4/24, and did a casual cruise of Whitney Gilman. The descent was sketchy with lots of unpacked snow up top. Sorry, no pics.
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TradIsGood
Chalkless climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Apr 26, 2009 - 10:46pm PT
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Mini TR...
Trapps Friday.
Looks like a bomb hit. Don't go there until further notice. Massive rock fall, (and trees) but they are blaming some poor nesting peregrine pair for this.
Wish I had pictures. Hawk area had a white rock hit the face on the way down that looks like somebody had car-sized can of white spray paint.
We did P1 of Erect Direction because High E was too busy. Hit Keep on Struttin after that. Tossed in Dry Heaves, and P1 of Son of Easy O. The place was too crowded for Friday. Because of closure?
Sat. OK it is 10 degrees warmer than Miami FL here. Got our butts kicked by the sun. Suffered by not running Te-Dum to the top. The hanging belay s*cks. Did run Disneyland to near the top. Funny watching the beached whale moves before we did it. Boy did we feel graceful with heel hook to landing in seated position! Got humbled by crux of Birdland - one hang. Then we moved on to Loosey Goosey (oops ended up doing the 8 variation, unexpected fun).
Either it was the temperature (and first time there this year), or the grades in the Nears are a grade more sand-bagged than Trapps.
Aya, Black Vultures may have been rare in the area, but I saw tons of them this weekend. In fact, one seemed to be waiting for people to die near Balrog/Dry Heaves. He just kept landing in nearby trees or on the ground looking hungry.
They really look kind of cool with those white bands on the wings in flight. Sorry, no pictures, but the hungry fella landed between 10 and 20 feet away several times.
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perswig
climber
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Apr 27, 2009 - 06:51am PT
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Bump - for Chiloe, divad, and TIG getting out - nice weekend but, damn it was warm.
Divad, your soft-snow-baking-on-top-of-slippery-leaves descent sounds like the day's crux?
Climbed in Camden Sat PM and Precipice Sun; not as busy in Acadia as I'd have expected. Fine by me.
Edited to add: the Ewing clan crushing Whitehorse.
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Aya K
Trad climber
New York
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Apr 27, 2009 - 07:27am PT
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It was a pretty slow weekend at the gunks for us, too hot - but despite hitting up the trapps we didn't really hit any crowds, so that was okay. We did Silhouette, Man's Quest for Flight, No Glow and Three Vultures on Saturday, partied hard on Saturday night, and didn't start climbing until shady-time around 2pm on Sunday, and never even made it as far as the Hurdy Gerdie block (Black Fly, Handy Andy, Easy Keyhole and Sh*t or Go Blind). That makes it 9 pitches for the weekend for me; luckily I am not the one trying to get to 1000 pitches in a season. I still hurt all over, though!!!
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Apr 27, 2009 - 07:39am PT
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Tomcat and I hit Cathedral after work Friday and spent Sunday at Whitehorse on Hotter than Hell and Inferno. That crack on Inferno just gets better and better! Unbelievable too, we only saw 1 other party on the south buttress all day.
Sorry no pics...
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Apr 27, 2009 - 09:18am PT
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Izzat Seventh Seal sir? If so,and a trail rope involved,one might think you enjoyed a fine link-up indeed.
I like the rope and feather shot.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 27, 2009 - 10:43am PT
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Good eye, Tom, that is indeed Seventh Seal. We didn't link to Loose Lips, however --
I'm using a rope system of improvised complexity (two ends of my bipattern rope used as
doubles) after stacking a couple of stoppers in a solution hole way off left, just to see
something between me and the ground.
Another climb that day was Ethereal Crack, not in very good style.
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Apr 27, 2009 - 10:59am PT
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My stylin' on Ethereal ebbs and flows too.Some days you get it clean,some days not so,but always worth a burn.It's a good day when my fingers aren't locked in the nut placement I so desperately desire....
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Apr 27, 2009 - 11:16am PT
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It's a better day when that nut isn't in the lock I so desperately need when following....or it comes out on the first try! :)
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Apr 27, 2009 - 11:23am PT
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None of my nuts come out on da first try honey....lol...
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cowpoke
climber
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Apr 27, 2009 - 12:28pm PT
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Tomcat, I'm impressed that your fingers were "locked" at all on Ethereal (I won't dive into the nuts discussion)...having tried it for the first time on Friday, it wasn't until things were less desperate that I got anything that felt like a finger jam. A humbling experience.
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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Apr 27, 2009 - 01:48pm PT
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A smiling Tradchick laughing because her fingers fit the very thing...
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Apr 27, 2009 - 02:04pm PT
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Ha! I'm smiling because I'm not feeling desperate yet since I haven't stepped out of the pod. It's definitely just tips at the beginning for me too.
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cowpoke
climber
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Apr 27, 2009 - 02:26pm PT
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great picture! No smiles for me at that point...just skating feet.
ps nice use of the doubles (could be posted in the ongoing thread).
edit: "I haven't stepped out of the pod" yeah, I guess my feet skating started right after that point.
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Apr 27, 2009 - 02:38pm PT
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For me getting out there is the crux...of course I'm just following. What works the best for me is keeping my feet up under me and almost laying back that crack with just tips in.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 27, 2009 - 06:35pm PT
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I've decided that Friday's problems with EC were my shoes' fault, yeah that's it.
I woulda cruised if I just had my smearing shoes on instead of edging. ;-)
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perswig
climber
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Apr 27, 2009 - 06:42pm PT
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GREAT pic, Tomcat.
Could be famous - submit to Mr. Handren for the new guidebook? I see it as a perfect backcover teaser.
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 27, 2009 - 06:46pm PT
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Ran into Jerry at Cathedral on Saturday, shooting pics of The Possessed.
It oughta be another great guidebook. Then we all need to buy copies.
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Apr 27, 2009 - 07:36pm PT
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Chiloe: Too funny, lately I've been blaming missed footholds on face climbs on my aging eyes.
We saw Jerry late Friday at Cathedral. Think he was shooting a few locals on Camber and Reverse Camber....we were down on the Saigons so had a good vantage point.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 4, 2009 - 07:51am PT
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A mini bolt war happened recently at Humphreys Ledge.
See New Rock Routes, "Heroes and Thieves" on NEclimbs.com.
Found this relic from that war yesterday, had to look it up to find out what was the story.
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cowpoke
climber
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and, Chiloe, had you gone to swing a lap before the chopping or other objectives? thanks for the link...a familiar name in the mix, eh?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 5, 2009 - 09:32am PT
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Even reading the NEclimbs.com thread, it's tough to get a clear picture of what happened
when you live this far from North Conway.
We didn't try Heroes and Thieves since it seemed to be missing, but did climb a couple
of nondescript newish bolted routes farther left. Later I tried to make sense of the old
route descriptions in Webster's guidebook, and have to believe these were written without
going up there to check out where routes are in relation to one another. As it is, inaccurate
guidebook descriptions add to the confusion (and possible motives for chopping).
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redpt
Trad climber
nj
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Gunks - Cybernetic Wall
Here's a route with a thin history going back over 20 years and only a handful of leads in that time. There's talk of an additional ascent or two... post up if you've got details.
A bit of history and video
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cowpoke
climber
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May 21, 2009 - 12:06pm PT
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Yesterday was just one of those days.
“You’re going to Cannon?! There is no way you’ll be back by 5, Eric.”
I reassured her with the facts: “(a) it’s only a two-hour drive, (b) we’re getting an early start, (c) we’re climbing a route I’ve done before (Vertigo), and (d) I super-promise I’ll be home to watch the kids so you won’t miss your super-important meeting.”
With the hour late start and a couple stops we aren’t at the parking lot until 11:30am, and before we can set off, I get a random gusher of a nose bleed.
Baby wipe shoved up nose and beginning to wonder:
Bloodynose and all, if we hustle up the approach, we’re fine, right? Maybe, but Ken’s idea of hustling is losing the entire contents of his pack to the bowels of the talus field.
Ken searching, while I periodically ask, “You find everything?”:
At the base of the climb, I’m now resigned to climbing the first two pitches (at least getting that cool finger crack pitch) when Ken realizes that he lost his iPhone during the pack incident. And, of course, despite the rest of New England enjoying a beautiful sunny day, it starts to sprinkle.
But, gosh-darnit, we did finally start climbing. Me on that 2nd pitch:
Heading back down the talus at 3:30pm with “there is no way you are going to be back by 5, Eric” echoing with every step, I find Ken’s phone! iNeedle in a freaking haystack of talus and a moment of joy before visions of the doghouse return.
Back at the car, tail between legs, I’m dialing to call Kelly and tell her that I’ll be late. But, she calls me. Uggh.
“Where are you guys?” “Um, just leaving.” “Well, I was just calling to say I got that job interview.” Good enough news to keep me out of the doghouse…just one of those days.
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perswig
climber
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May 21, 2009 - 09:09pm PT
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Please tell us you didn't get a speeding ticket on the way home?
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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May 21, 2009 - 11:14pm PT
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Ethereal, Seventh Seal! That brings back some memories!
Speaking of thin cracks, can anyone ID this? One hint (probably not needed) - it's not in North Cornflake, but it there's a recent pic on this thread taken not 100 yards from this climb.
GO
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perswig
climber
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May 22, 2009 - 06:55am PT
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Connecticut Cracks.
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cowpoke
climber
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May 22, 2009 - 07:12am PT
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Please tell us you didn't get a speeding ticket on the way home?
Ha! Luckily, no, perswig. I learned my lesson a few years back. Shortly after moving from NH to MA, I got stopped a couple times for driving speeds I had always driven with my NH plates. Suspecting that my new residence might be the problem, I casually dropped the hint to the second trooper that I had just moved from Dover to Boston, but was a granite-stater at heart. The result? A warning. I try not to drive above about 71-2 on 93, now.
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ice cowboy
Trad climber
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May 22, 2009 - 07:21am PT
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CT Cracks, entering the 1 5.11 move. The Bitch is in the background.
Hard to miss that pink granite, nothing else like it.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2009 - 07:49am PT
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Cowpoke, sounds like the talus ate your day! After all that, did you get farther up the route
or have to bail? Good luck to K on the interview.
There's a lot of entertainment in re-doing routes you've done before, especially if you wait
long enough to forget all the beta. GO's pic and perswig's upthread remind me I need to go
back to Acadia this year.
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cowpoke
climber
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May 22, 2009 - 08:35am PT
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Good luck to K on the interview.
I'll pass it along.
After all that, did you get farther up the route
or have to bail?
Bailed at the end of the 2nd pitch, which means our ratio of climbing time to driving/approach/jicky-jacking time was about 1/3.
There's a lot of entertainment in re-doing routes you've done before, especially if you wait long enough to forget all the beta.
Yeah, like forgetting that it's kinda an "entertaining" anchor to rap off at the end of pitch two. One good bolt, but silly pieces of metal otherwise.
Family fun in/around N. Conway this weekend. Let me know if you guys will be up north...maybe meet the new pup?!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 22, 2009 - 03:20pm PT
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Sunday's possible, we'll get in touch.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 22, 2009 - 04:59pm PT
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Drew on the uberclassic 5.9 Pit and The Pendulum. last week DeersleapVT
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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May 22, 2009 - 05:32pm PT
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Rockit' Drew !!!
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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May 22, 2009 - 05:46pm PT
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perswig and ice-cowboy, right on.
Hard to miss that pink granite, nothing else like it.
Exactly! Sweet stuff it is!
GO
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2009 - 07:29pm PT
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When we got out of the car below Whitehorse late this morning, it was looking like this.
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cowpoke
climber
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May 24, 2009 - 08:11pm PT
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a few minutes before Chiloe's picture was taken, the family was headed up the slabs (beginner's route):
but then the rains came and things got a bit slicker:
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perswig
climber
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May 24, 2009 - 09:57pm PT
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Cowpoke, was it your Reverso gone walkabout?
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cowpoke
climber
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May 25, 2009 - 06:22am PT
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nah, I bet it was the party's who you can see in Chiloe's pic still rapping -- they dropped something after they were a couple pitches up. they seemed to be having an "exciting" morning, also having a bit of an epic with a young one stuck mid-pitch during the hardest rains.
how about you? get any climbing in before the rain? pretty funny that you recognized the famous dogs: Jack and Sophie!
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perswig
climber
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May 25, 2009 - 07:50am PT
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To be honest, I recognized Jack and Mrs. Chiloe (the more photographed members of the fam) first and screwed up Sophie's name to boot!
Yep, guy with a blue helmet and a passel of little ones was getting them back to the Launch Pad; had dropped it a few pitches up?
We got 2/3 up P2 of Children's Crusade before the slabs turned to skating rink. We executed a reasonable retreat with the party ahead of us, shared some ropes, good times.
Think I have some more pics of the changable weather to post - kind of weird day all 'round.
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 25, 2009 - 08:26am PT
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Perswig recognized Jack right away and figured things out quickly from there. Funny how
Internet fame works :-)
And speaking of which I got a nice pic of Cowpoke's wet family after their stormy retreat.
Later the sun came out and we all had a picnic. "Now you've got a story!" I told the girls, who
might or might not have seen that as a plus.
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perswig
climber
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May 25, 2009 - 10:01am PT
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0800, not esp ominous
kid's or climber's artwork (is there a difference?)
Reverso-less party, resolving their epic
Driving out, of course it's clearing
Consolation for driving 6 hours for 1.66 pitches of Whitehorse was 3 pitches of beautiful Camden rock after dinner with Alan. And the sunset.
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cowpoke
climber
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May 25, 2009 - 11:30am PT
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perswig, that last picture is awesome...glad you ended the day right.
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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May 25, 2009 - 01:26pm PT
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If it's any consolation, it's been raining for days and days here on the front range. Yesterday it looked nice in the AM, so Allison and I gave it a shot - only to hit massive thunderstorms just in time to scurry back to the car and head for home.
Apparently things aren't so different here than there.
GO
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MH2
climber
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May 27, 2009 - 01:07am PT
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Ah, I remember the North East. Mostly the Gunks but other bits, too.
For a couple of summers I worked not far from Deer’s Leap, Vermont.
This was quite a while ago and our climbing photography was not up to current standards.
We did at that time have climbing shoes that could support your weight on eensy edges and double as steel-toed work boots, and we had rockets that could fly a human from Earth to Moon and back.
I learned a lot as a summer camp counselor. Never take a group of 10 year old boys to the top of a cliff.
One of the campers had already taken up climbing after seeing a demonstration of rappelling put on by the US Army. He brought to camp with him a collection of aids and techniques we had heard of at the Gunks but had seldom (in my case never) seen. This youngster tied me a set aiders which I still have. We took this gear to boulders behind the camp. The kid had a little metal hook and a pin the size of a postage stamp. He demonstrated to me how you could place these on and in the rock, then support yourself on them quite comfortably before a slight shift of weight sent everything into a heap below.
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perswig
climber
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May 27, 2009 - 06:51am PT
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Waiting to see if Nick can tell what route your climber's on?
Had forgotten in all the rain-induced excitement (and pale in comparison to the Hamilton posse sighting :)), but rounding one of the Whitehorse road bends I got to see a momma black bear and her cub go lumbering across the road. Too fast into the woods again to grab the camera.
Like I said, kind of a weird day...
Dale
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 27, 2009 - 08:36am PT
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Looks like monkey direct. Probobly called it a 5.9 back then, It's a 10 now:)
You worked at farm ane Wilderness? I went to Sam in 75
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MH2
climber
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May 27, 2009 - 08:49am PT
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I went to Sam in 75
Were they using lake ice/sawdust for refrigeration, then?
I was at TL in '69 and '71.
Great times but the 24-hour responsibility was trying.
We had no idea what we were climbing at the Leap.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 28, 2009 - 06:58am PT
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Yea, they were still useing ice for refrigeration and walking arround naked with the 5th freedom. I was one of the few local kids who got a scolarship to the camps.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 28, 2009 - 01:55pm PT
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Isa on the climb we put up last year for her 50th Bday 50 Lentze (50 years)
We must have been climbing pretty strong as neither one of us could free it on sunday. We need a 2nd opinoion on the grade please. Of course it is now raining cats and dogs and this one takes awhile to dry after a heavy rain...
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 28, 2009 - 02:03pm PT
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Annother shot of Drew on the Pit & pendulum last week
If you find the harder finish up high on the left this is definatly 5 star climb.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2009 - 12:27pm PT
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No action on this thread in a month, that's a fair reflection of our weather. The Globe sez we're
on track for the cloudiest June on record, and with clouds have come sogginess in all its wet
forms.
While the Avatar Formerly Known as Wootles basks under Rocky Mountain skies out in Idaho,
I'm pretty sure other Northeasterners have dashed out to climb something between rains.
Here's Cowpoke out at Farley last week:
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2009 - 12:32pm PT
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Cowpoke at Farley:
Lucander scopes out Carbs and Caffeine, from the traverse on Airy Aria in the Gunks:
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Jun 26, 2009 - 01:08pm PT
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Ah, so Larry, you finally got to Farley! What did you think of it? Did you happen to wander up to look at the trad cracks on the upper tier?
GO
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Jun 26, 2009 - 01:10pm PT
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Hi Chiloe, Wish I'd known you were heading to Farley, I would have introduced myself. Hope you enjoyed it. That face always dries quickly after rain, but is an oven in the summer morning heat. The route in the first photo is Ladybuggery, in the second is Salty Dog---both good routes. I particularly like the trad top of Salty.... Alan
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cowpoke
climber
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Jun 26, 2009 - 01:38pm PT
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ugghh = just checked the 10 day forecast...rain, rain, and...wait, wait, don't tell me...thunderstorms.
I'm actually missing the black flies. And, REALLY looking forward to travels later this summer.
I wondered how things went at the gunks, Chiloe. Looks positive!
wander up to look at the trad cracks on the upper tier?
yosemite crack etc. = rivers of seepage that day (and probably most days, these days)
That face always dries quickly after rain, but is an oven in the summer morning heat.
yeah, really is an oven, but: dry.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2009 - 02:19pm PT
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Al, while we've got you on the line -- what's the name of that route just left of Lady Buggery?
Starts with a crux overhang right off the ground, then easier face to the top.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Jun 26, 2009 - 03:26pm PT
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Hi Chiloe, Sorry, I was off for awhile---work, you know, always gets in the way!!! The route left of Ladybuggery has 2 starts and 2 names. The start over the overhang is Stinger---for the reason a fellow who used the slot left of the second bolt learned a couple of weeks ago---joining a long line of victims. The start up the easy corner to the left is called Madame Butterfly. They join at about 1/3 height and share the 5.9 finish. The Stinger start is mid-10ish, or, better, V1. When you come back--hopefully in drier conditions--if they ever arrive again--it is really worth checking out the routes on the upper tier--shorter but high quality. The other buttress all have worthwhile routes as well especially after the bird ban is lifted in mid-July, but it really helps to have a "tour guide". Let me know when you are coming again and I'll gladly show you around.And then Rose Ledge, just around the corner,is really my favorite local crag, and also well worth a visit, as is Mormon Hollow near by. I'm off to the UK for a couple of weeks on Tues.--family trip but hopefully I'll get in a few days climbing, but after that I'll pretty much be around.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2009 - 03:37pm PT
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Thanks, Al. It was a long drive for us, but a nice change from the soggy New Hampshire conditions.
I'm hoping our northern crags will dry out sometime this summer, but right now it looks like more
rain. So we might visit Farley again!
We didn't know we should be wary on Stinger.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Jun 26, 2009 - 03:56pm PT
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Hi again Chiloe, Like your PIX---what are you shooting with? See my digital camera help post on here. I've got to get a camera before my trip next week, never used digital, total tech-incompetent. Any thoughts?
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Jun 26, 2009 - 03:58pm PT
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>> Did you wander up to look at the trad cracks on the upper tier?
> yosemite crack etc. = rivers of seepage that day (and probably most days, these days)
Ah, too bad. Not surprising, though. Maybe you'll get luckier next time. They're really very nice.
GO
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2009 - 04:10pm PT
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Gabe, I'll definitely look at those upper crack climbs if we go back in cool dry weather sometime.
Al, most of my recent photos are super low tech -- a Canon Powershot SD880 or similar. Fits in
pocket, takes much abuse, one-hand operation while the climber still thinks he's on belay.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Jun 26, 2009 - 10:22pm PT
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Dittoi on the digital point and shoot for climbing photos poweshot A640. awsome day Up at the Leap yesterday, Jeff and Erica? made it over from NH and did a bunch of fine climbs. the batteries in my P&S were dead so no pictures ;( The lens was open when i took the camera out of the case so suspect that it got turned on somewhow ?? Oh Well....
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Jun 29, 2009 - 11:49am PT
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A nice trundle after A 2HR bushwhack!
The point and shoot is lousy for this kind of shot. My 1D Mrk ll n would have been the bomb. I should have shot video with the point and shoot but don't know how to do anything with the video after I shoot it. tried putting one up on youtoub but it was going to take 10hrs.........
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 29, 2009 - 02:20pm PT
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So your routes, are they worth that 2-hour bushwhacking approach?
Or is the trundling its own reward? Northeastern crag development tactics would outrage
the Californians, if they knew. ;-)
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Jun 29, 2009 - 07:43pm PT
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Eric just pushed that thing off with his foot! Lets just say it has potentual but its a scary place to climb.
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Jun 29, 2009 - 07:50pm PT
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Another Farley route, Eye Opener
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Jun 30, 2009 - 10:13am PT
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Actually Dave (or Div), You've got 5 Farley routes in that photo---Eyeopener is the arete, for those who are interested. I'll also take this opportunity to suggest to all Northeastern Supertopians to mark the weekend of Sept. 26/27 on your calendars as the Western Mass Climber's Coalition will be hosting a Climbing Fest at Wendell State Forest--with camping, food, family activities, and, of course, plenty of climbing---including tours of several of our "little-known but deserve to be better-known" crags and boulders. Details are still being worked out but it is sure to be a fun event. Hope to see you all there.
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Jun 30, 2009 - 04:11pm PT
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Thanks Al. Are you going to be around this weekend?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 30, 2009 - 05:24pm PT
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OK, noted that on my calendar.
One more pic with a western-Mass theme (Stinger):
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2009 - 07:31pm PT
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The Impermanence of Man's Designs, Part I.
How could they ever have thought this would hold?
Found this 1979 shot in my slide collection the other day.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2009 - 07:32pm PT
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The Impermanence of Man's Designs, Part II.
From this weekend:
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perswig
climber
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Jul 28, 2009 - 07:48pm PT
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Kinda hate when that happens.
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Jul 28, 2009 - 08:54pm PT
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At least the rope is still above.
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perswig
climber
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I'd just like to thank whatever butterfly flapped its wings over the Adriatic for the stretch of magnificent weather we've had here in the NE.
Dale
Edit: Windfall, Chiloe?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2009 - 08:12am PT
|
Right on.
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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|
Stone House is now open! Been out during the week the past couple weeks after work and it's been great. Going out tonight as well.Besides the people I regularly climb with, I haven't seen signs of or heard of anybody else out there again. Of course local kids swiming and having fires! I had forgotten how much high quality climbing is there, great face routes, great cracks. And all about 15 minutes from my house.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2009 - 09:13am PT
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That's happy news, meclimber. Any restrictions, new beta or rules we should know about?
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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I just read part of the management plan but it was the glossy version so not much of the nitty gritty (new hardware, hardware replacement, ice, trails, etc. It didn't list any restrictions beyond the obvious; no camping, fires, booze (sigh), atvs. We've been there till about 10-10:30 most nights so I don't think that there is a curfew. I triend to call the local PD to see if I could find out any more info. I do need to pump Joe T's mind for what all of the routes are and what there REAL grades are. But I will continue to post any new info that I get.
-Jon
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2009 - 11:33am PT
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Good eye, Perswig, that's Cowpoke on Windfall above.
The holds on that route have got smaller, and the pro farther apart, since the last time
I climbed it. Funny how that keeps happening.
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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Nice eye Dale, I didn't see it.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2009 - 01:52pm PT
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Here's Cowpoke's shot looking up, climber almost exactly the same place.
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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Now I see it.
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perswig
climber
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"The holds on that route have got smaller, and the pro farther apart, since the last time
I climbed it."
Well, it IS almost a sport route...
Ha.
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perswig
climber
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The route
Party in front of us at the start
The party in front was 4 on 2 ropes, 2 very green climbers in the bunch. We did some interesting variations to try to stay out of their way, and they let us pass at the crux, leading to a spicy section of face moves right trying to gain the already-awkward laybacks. From below, I always think "what's with all the pins" and when I'm making the moves, I'm clipping and tying them off left and right.
Troy exiting the crux
"Fairy wall" on the left. I never remember to look for the entry down low, except for on my first trip up, when I was too gripped by the whole situation to want to make the committing but 5.6 moves out onto the face.
Belaying the last section
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perswig
climber
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Troy at the top (but not the summit by a long shot)
The way off and down
No, wait, this way down
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perswig
climber
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Some views from the day
Some drama on the slabs. No injury, but gripped in place for a bit
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perswig
climber
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Thanks for stopping
Dale
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perswig
climber
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Looking at the pics, I think I can see the intimation of fall. It certainly felt and smelled like it Saturday.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 6, 2009 - 08:01pm PT
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Fine weather up high, eh? Glad you brought back some photos.
So what's the story of drama on the slabs?
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perswig
climber
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Not sure what was going on. A hiker did not budge from his/her spread-eagle spot through three of our short upper pitches; finally, 2 hikers from above, maybe part of the same party?, came down and the two lower hikers made it up and they talked and/or yarded the 'fixed' one into the shrubbery and relative safety.
At about the same time, two other potential (minor) epics could have been occurring.
The leader of the group we passed had made it through the crux and set up his anchor, but after a short period of his second following was seen to rig a haul setup. While we were still behind them, I had done some coaching from below for the second at the first dihedral and at the 'beached-whale' mantle, so the crux was likely to be pretty intimidating from him. We waited at a discreet distance but within earshot for a reasonable time to see if consult/assistance was needed, but things stayed quiet.
As we were nearing the finish, we also heard another party - either way below us, or on Mechanic's, or over on Henderson - with the leader yelling "Jorg...", pause, "Jorg...", pause, "Jorg...", pause for what seemed like 5 minutes, then yelling "Give me some god-damn fuking slack, now." for a bit.
Eventually the shouting stopped, so some progress up or down was made.
Surprisingly quiet crowd-wise on the garden as we walked off. No complaints from me.
Now I want to hear about meclimber's day on Cannon.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 7, 2009 - 10:36am PT
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Dale, I haven't done that Huntington Ravine trail, but have heard it called the hardest
hike in NH. From your photo, I can see what the problem is.
Only been up the Pinnacle Ridge once, years ago. Like you, we had perfect weather.
Now I want to hear about meclimber's day on Cannon.
Do tell.
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Dale: Looks like Troy and you had a perfect day! Nice job and great pics.
It was beautiful in Crawford notch too and my first time on this climb. I'm sure Chiloe will recognize it..
The crux pitch:
the 4th pitch:
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 7, 2009 - 06:32pm PT
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I'm sure Chiloe will recognize it..
I surely do. Two falls ago that route inspired the original Northeastern edition TRs thread.
So how'd ya like it?
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perswig
climber
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^^Ha, the thread that outed Larry as bionic.
Tradchick, glad you got some good vista climbing in. These are the days to be venturing a bit afield. Short days and variable wx will be coming soon enough.
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Across the Universe...a climb that I'd wanted to do for a long time and it lived up to it's reputation.
A great view, nice slab/face climbing on beautiful rock and was going wooohooo after the crux! A little runout but my chicken self didn't lead any of the climb either.
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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Beautiful day on cannon yesterday. With the exception of all the excitment to climb a new route for me on cannon I neglected to read the route description, for that fact I don't think I have ever read it. I knew whereabouts the climb started and I knew where the climb ended. And in between was anybody's guess. The original plan was to climb weissners dike, but apparently we only made it as far as weissners butress. Fun climbing past some relics brought us to a belay on a nice comfy ledge, this is where things got interesting. I could see a dike, the dike above us shooting out left. So with the original plan of following the dike my partner climbed up and left. I don't know how the climbing was because I had to hide behind our backpack on the belay as to avoid the copious amounts of rocks coming down on me. My partner had only done Moby before and really wasn't too familar with cannon. As a result of this he had climbed up into 'the zone' directly under the remains of whaleback crack. An easy 4th class traverse brough us back to the top of the old mans dog and a chance to unrope for lunch. At this point we could see the classic corner so we thought it was in the bag. And it was, another random pitch and half eventually brought us to climbing I recognized and to the archival flake and the corner. We met some people coming up weissners dike proper, about 250' to our climbers right, one of them being a cannon pioneer. And they asked us what route we where, of course I responded the dike, still thinking that where we were. And he responded with, no they were on the dike, he didn't know where we were. All in all fun adventure climbing that I would do again in a heartbeat.
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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Nice TradChick, the universe's are great. The Milkyway is a great pitch. Did you guys finish with End of the universe?
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tradchick
Trad climber
White Mountains
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Meclimber: The Milkway pitch is stellar! We bailed after that pitch as 2 of us had family commitments.
Sounds like you had quite the experience on Cannon. Cannon is always an adventure and one of my favorite places to climb.
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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Cannon's great. Willard is tons of fun too, I think that there are a couple newerish routes 100' to the left of ATU that go to the traverse ledge. A buddy climbed one of them the last time we went up the universe. Great pics. You'll have to tell me how to post pictures here and NEclimbs, kinda techno-retarded.
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perswig
climber
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Sep 19, 2009 - 09:12pm PT
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Where were we?
The drive in.
End of the approach, talus and riprap turning to kittylitter.
Holds from pitch 1 (source of the kittylitter).
Going up.
Looking down.
Across which notch?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 20, 2009 - 09:25am PT
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Dale, is that one of them newfangled routes on Mt Webster?
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perswig
climber
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Sep 20, 2009 - 08:30pm PT
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Bing! Correct, Chiloe.
I think they're billed as 'adventure/sport' - some commitment, very little gear required. If you do all variations available (minus Bore Tide for us), it makes for a fun day out. Closest I've ever been to a sport route, I think.
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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Sep 21, 2009 - 10:41am PT
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I had a friend on lost in the sun on sunday, did you see a guy and girl up there? I've wanted to explore up at the top of central couloir, ice climbing up there I've scooped lots of potential. Whatdyasay dale?
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cowpoke
climber
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Sep 21, 2009 - 12:13pm PT
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that climbing looks fun and pretty "adventuresome" for sport (i.e., low-lying clouds and rope trailing away), perswig!
you've been getting out to some interesting spots...thanks for posting up the reports!
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perswig
climber
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Sep 22, 2009 - 01:01pm PT
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Cowpoke, just kidding a bit about the 'sport' thing; bolted, but not a clipup area at all. In fact, I was brashly thinking as we looked up from the toe of the slab that it might be a good place to do some soloing, but now I'm not so sure. More than once I thought "5.6?" and had to pay more attention than I would have expected. We also sought out some of the more sustained steep slab, and it was as good as the best WH.
Jon, you know it! Lots of rock up there. Looking up from our high point on the slab, we could see a large band of blocking-looking cliff, with a deep Black Dike-like feature in the middle. It looks a bit loose, but knowing your penchant for Cannon, you'd be right at home. Let me know if you're up for some recon - I'd be glad to poke around up there before things get too chilly.
Edit: We were up on Thursday, so saw a different party (in one of the pics), Jon. It's been getting a fair bit of traffic, it seems.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Sep 22, 2009 - 03:57pm PT
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Just a reminder to all you Northeast folks that this coming Sat.--Sept. 26 (rain date on Sun.) is the Western Mass. Climber's Rendezvous in Wendell State Forest, Wendell, Mass.--just south of Route 2 about 10 miles east of exit 25 (Route 2 east)on I-91. Registration starts at 8am, there is free breakfast, tours of some of our crags--Farley and Rose Ledges, Mormon Hollow--with choices of sport, trad, top-roping and bouldering, a "fun-bouldering comp." on a newly-cleaned circuit in the State Forest(extra charge), a kids top-roping crag--real rock, family activities, bouldering-pad jousting, dinner(extra charge), and the New England premiere (I think)of this year's Reel Rock Tour in the evening.It should be a great time. Event camping is available in the State Forest.This is a fund-raiser for the Western Mass Climber's Coalition to help pay off our debt for the parking lot we purchased at Farley. Check the WMCC website for more details.
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perswig
climber
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So things looked bleak for climbing this weekend, so I braced myself for 2 days of trying to avoid chores. That is, until Sara reminded me of her birthday present.
Having literally grown up in an amusement park, I've got a soft spot for midways and their ilk; knowing this, every time I ask Sara what she wants for her birthday, she says "Take me to the fair."
Lots of kids.
And kids.
After watching some 4H horse classes, we wandered down to the herding trials.
"That'll do."
When in Rome ... eat like a fiend.
and
hot pretzels,
cotton candy,
caramel corn,
doughboys,
and funnel cakes.
(urp)
We managed to find the right arena in time to catch a tense and well-battled Junior Goat Fitting and Showmanship class. The Champion Junior Showman(woman) totally earned her bitchin' award mug.
Lots of cattle, all looking good.
(check out the bling)
Some porcine participants.
Where I come from, we call this 'side by each'. Some might say 'cheek by jowl'.
Boar'd yet? He is.
Of course, the rides. Just hearing them, smelling them, strikes a chord.
And despite all the machinery, all the bright colors, some kids prefer nature's amusements.
We had a great time.
No sh#t.
End of good day. Maybe not climbing, but nonetheless...
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perswig
climber
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Oct 20, 2009 - 09:00am PT
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This week in the northeast may be nature's apology for her bad behavior this spring.
Get out and get you some, folks.
Dale
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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Oct 20, 2009 - 09:51am PT
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Dale, I love the TR. The Fryeburg Fair is almost as classic as standard rt. I would love to get up and explore on webster. I started up lost in the sun or some other route once and got rained off. In the winter I've been up in the greens chasm/cental coloir area a few times. My guess is the black dike looking thing is greens, pretty impressive up there. Brad white earlier this year led a route on the headwall up there. There is a beautiful OW up there and some incredible stuff(maybe) on the walls of greens. I'll pm you and maybe in the begining of november we can try to sneak up.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 26, 2009 - 09:55pm PT
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I hope some of you northern folks got out on the last few brilliant days.
I went down south to the Gunks, myself.
Lucander photo credit
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cowpoke
climber
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Oct 27, 2009 - 10:06am PT
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^^^great picture! hope the slideshow was fun.
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richross
Trad climber
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Oct 27, 2009 - 10:34am PT
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Yesterday at Lost City.
Ian bouldering.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 27, 2009 - 11:09am PT
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Cowpoke, the slide show went well despite pouring rain. Quite a few Northeastern climbers
have an interest in Red Rock, it seems. And in old stories, though I jumped around some in time.
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lucander
Trad climber
New England
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Oct 27, 2009 - 06:08pm PT
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I've almost never seen such terrible weather but life has been so brilliant at the Gunks. Chiloe's slideshow Saturday was great, gettign wouth with Larry Sunday was a blast, and onsighting Fat City today was even better. I'm pouring a glass of Maker's Mark tonight!
DL
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Gatineau Climber
Trad climber
Ottawa, Ontario
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Nov 20, 2009 - 05:51pm PT
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So after lurking for a while I decided to create an account. It appears there aren't many pictures of the Adirondacks on this forum, so I thought I would share a few.
I started climbing in the gym last year as a fun form of exercise while doing an internship in California. A few of the other interns and I decided to go to Yosemite for a weekend to do some hiking. I was amazed at all the massive walls and couldn't believe they were climbed. The day after I got back from the trip, I went to the local library and picked up John Long's How to Rock Climb book.
I've been hooked ever since and I picked up a few other books. After getting back to Ottawa, my friend joined my obsession and we decided to take the lead climbing course at the local gym. We climbed inside all winter and at the beginning of spring, we set up some top ropes at the local crags at Gatineau Park in Quebec and did some sport climbs.
By April we had both read Craig Luebben's anchors book several times and decided we needed to learn trad right away. Equipped with some nuts and hexes we started doing some trad leads. Eventually we got some cams and continued to climb outside as much as possible.
When the summer months came around, I had to go back to school in Southern Ontario, getting in very little climbing. My friend and I decided that we needed to go on a climbing trip as soon as exams were over to get our fix. We decided on going to the Adirondacks for a few days to do some multipitch trad.
I got back to Ottawa when exams finished and practiced some self-rescue at home. The next day we drove to Keene, set up camp, and started off the trip with some crack climbs at Creature Wall. We did a couple of 5.7's and a 5.8 crack climb that were a lot of fun.
The next day, we did our first multipitch climbing on Chapel Pond Slab, doing Empress and Regular Route on the same day. Run out slab climbing sure is fun.
On the third day we rested a bit, only doing two climbs at the Beer Walls. Rockaholics, a great 5.8 finger crack Adirondack classic, was one of them.
On the fourth day we did Weisner Route on Upper Washbowl, a 4 pitch 5.6 with great views. After that climb, we drove quickly to Poke-O-Moonshine Slab to do Catharsis, a really fun 4 pitch 5.5 slab.
We drove back on the 5th day, fitting in a The Great Chimney at Pitchoff Cliff, which a 3 pitch climb and our first chimney climb ever.
Definitely a great trip and we'll have to go back next Spring.
I've added some pictures below.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2009 - 06:28pm PT
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Nice slide show, I hope you'll bring more.
The hills don't look like that now!
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richross
Trad climber
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Nov 20, 2009 - 06:45pm PT
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Today at Bonticou Crag,Gunks.
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adam d
climber
closer to waves than rock
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Nov 20, 2009 - 07:02pm PT
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Love the daks!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 21, 2009 - 04:40pm PT
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I like seeing Cannon from that angle.
Decent forecast for tomorrow, considering ... high of 46!
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richross
Trad climber
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Nov 21, 2009 - 04:50pm PT
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Shadow making fun.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 21, 2009 - 04:57pm PT
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Pate:
This was from some summit as I was completing the 48, I can't remember which- can you tell?
Lafayette, I think, one of the state's finest peaks.
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adamiata
Ice climber
Candia, NH
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Nov 30, 2009 - 06:53pm PT
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Had a good day soloing the Prow on Cathedral yesterday. My wife took pictures from below.
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perswig
climber
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Weird. Finally got up to MW to find some winter (barely) and now it's snowing at home, 5" predicted. Might get to use the new Dynafits before January after all.
Trail conditions were dismal, lots of blowdowns and widowmakers from Thursday's wind and rain.
Little avi danger, unless a huge hunk of consolidated snow goes to the ground (but with streaming water on rock everywhere, not impossible.)
Odell's had the most ice, but warm weather had it crashing. Saw climbers headed up it anyway - yikes.
By midday, fog rolled in, followed by a nice little snowfall, temps barely cold enough, no wind. Yale (and Diagonal) and Damnation.
Pinnacle from Yale slab, pretty wet.
Looking down and out midway up Yale.
After a thought-provoking exit (sloughing ice, and rock, with going all the way to the Fan if I blow it), admiring the views and trying not to vomit.
Tucks, mostly crappy ice but some snow filling in Left Gully
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 5, 2009 - 10:38pm PT
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That should confirm everyone's worst (but accurate) perceptions of New England off-season conditions!
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perswig
climber
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Apr 15, 2010 - 10:25pm PT
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Spotted a living legend at our local crag today, getting on a few of the favorites between hail episodes. Any guesses?
Edit:
Funny, Todd.
SterlingJim: think 'stash and swami.
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Jim E
climber
away
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Apr 15, 2010 - 10:33pm PT
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E.W.?
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Apr 15, 2010 - 10:44pm PT
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George Leigh Mallory?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 15, 2010 - 11:29pm PT
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'ot 'enry?
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Apr 15, 2010 - 11:36pm PT
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No doubt Ho Hen, no swami...
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perswig
climber
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Apr 16, 2010 - 07:54am PT
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Yep, Mr. Barber hisself.
Last time I met him, we were sharing the HR trail as he and his partner were heading to do Mechanic's and we Pinn Butt.
Chiloe - yeah, not a commonly-discussed route and as I was driving home I kicked myself for not asking him more about their day. However, my natural reticence, a bit of awe, and his curmudgeonly reputation, clearly mellowing, kept us at the banter level. He did, however, assume some blame for the hail that fell between cool but bluebird spells; said he liked 'full-condition' cragging.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 16, 2010 - 08:38am PT
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How did Mechanic's go for HH? That's a route you don't hear much about.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2010 - 07:03pm PT
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In penance for bumping yet again the ot climate thread (can't help myself!) here's a
recent on-topic photo of a popular NH route that nobody will recognize (I could be wrong).
Anyway, cheers to all of you who, unlike me, *did* get to the hills on this lovely weekend.
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tradchick
Trad climber
Vermont
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May 23, 2010 - 07:20pm PT
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Chiloe: You're right, I can't place that shot.
Here's a few from my weekend. The first 2 are from Vermont:
These 2 are from a route on Cathedral, one looking down and one up from the last belay.
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perswig
climber
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May 23, 2010 - 07:38pm PT
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Not a clue where Chiloe was.
Tradchick, looks like you've been out a lot already; better be spending time on the sharp end, ma'am.
I got bouted by both Diedre and Windfall on Saturday; certainly my worst climbing day ever.
I'm still in a foul mood when I think about it. Grr.
Thanks for the nice pics, though.
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2010 - 07:42pm PT
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I didn't know Vermont even had granite like that. But all I've seen is Willoughby and Smuggs.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2010 - 08:22pm PT
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Oh, the mystery photo upthread is from Lost Horizon. Punk Rock might be the route name.
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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May 23, 2010 - 08:27pm PT
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Tradchick:
How about your last picture in that last post?
Diedre corner, Cathedral right end ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Post edit:
OMG I just looked at an old pic I have of the corner I was thinking of on Diedre. I was wrong.
But then I realized I would'a been better of guessing Recompense, last pitch?
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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May 23, 2010 - 08:42pm PT
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Diedre corner pitch.
(umm prolly '78/9)
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cowpoke
climber
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May 23, 2010 - 09:09pm PT
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I've never been to Lost Horizon, Chiloe, but that rock looks great.
Got up to Franconia Notch this weekend...I was thinking of you guys.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 23, 2010 - 09:10pm PT
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Profile Cliff?
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cowpoke
climber
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May 23, 2010 - 09:15pm PT
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yep. on saturday. goofed off at echo for a couple hours this morning.
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tradchick
Trad climber
Vermont
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May 24, 2010 - 07:11am PT
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Perswig: Hahah! I have not been on the sharp end yet but almost there. Don't feel bad about Deidre...I've been shut down 3 times on that roof move. We need to climb!
Trundlebum: Yep Recompense. Good day for it as only the first pitch was in the sun.
Chiloe: I was surprised to find a cliff like that in Vermont too! That's Wheeler which you can see from the top of Willoughby. The climb we were on is the Great Corner, 3 pitches, corner pitch is 11a. 2nd pitch is scary, 10b slab and deserves it's R rating.
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Ricardo Cabeza
climber
All Over.
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May 24, 2010 - 08:03am PT
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There's solid rock in VT? Cool.
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tradchick
Trad climber
Vermont
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May 24, 2010 - 08:09am PT
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Wheeler is huge and reminds me of Whitehorse. Wheeler has about 80 routes on it.
There's also a crag in Marshfield, very similar to Whitehorse. It is surrounded by a bog so don't think I'm going back until the fall.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 24, 2010 - 09:45am PT
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Wheeler rocks!! But its top secret. Over 100rts and i only know about 6 of them. the rest are all on the top secret topo that they only give to hot chicks....
Birdseye on the other hand is a lot steeper but a complete chosspile. I did spend the better part of last summers free time cleaning, trundeling and ground up drilling a 3 pitch climb that is now good climbing though still a bit alpine on the 3rd pitch.
Photos are me @ the top of P3 and Isa at the hanging belay at the top of P2 yesterday.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 24, 2010 - 10:11am PT
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Isa on P2 of Isabella 5.9 Bird Mountain Ira VT 5-23-10
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Ricardo Cabeza
climber
All Over.
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May 24, 2010 - 10:17am PT
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I'll enter my plea again.
Any east coasters want to get out and climb?
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 24, 2010 - 10:20am PT
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Where are you?
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cowpoke
climber
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May 24, 2010 - 10:37am PT
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sent you an email, Ricardo.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 24, 2010 - 12:48pm PT
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Les, who did you do the Great Corner with?
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tradchick
Trad climber
Vermont
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May 24, 2010 - 12:54pm PT
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Nick, with a friend from Warren VT.
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Ricardo Cabeza
climber
All Over.
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May 24, 2010 - 12:58pm PT
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I've got family in Warren, nice place. My Grandpa was one of two guys who started Stowe after their time in the tenth mtn. division.
Let's go climbing.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 24, 2010 - 01:01pm PT
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Wicked cool climb! wondered if Tomcat had been up there?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 24, 2010 - 01:50pm PT
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Over 100rts and i only know about 6 of them. the rest are all on the top secret topo that they only give to hot chicks....
Ah, that would explain why I don't know about this cliff!
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meclimber
Trad climber
Dover, NH
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May 24, 2010 - 06:11pm PT
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A friend put up some new routes over by pitman arch that I checked out on Sunday, a couple sort .10's and a short nice .12. Then over to humphreys for laps oncastaways. Short weekend and off to supertopo land on Friday! Woo Hoo!
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slabbo
Trad climber
fort garland, colo
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May 24, 2010 - 07:33pm PT
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I think Webster freed the corner around '81 ? I did maybe the third ascent and I know we wore EB's. Very nice climb, 10c ? HA HA HA
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Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
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May 24, 2010 - 08:38pm PT
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Tradchick and I scoped it out a few weeks ago Nick,but,sorry to say we have since parted company.Looks like she got a crack at the Big Corner route,which I know she was wanting to do.We were both very impressed with it.Great cliff.
Good to see you and Isa are getting after it.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 24, 2010 - 10:44pm PT
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OOps, sorry about that.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 24, 2010 - 11:20pm PT
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Chiloe. It is a 500ft tall granit dome about 15 min by dirt road from lake willoughby. Good rock quality for the most part. The great Corner was an old AMC aid line back in the day. You can see the vicious pin scars from the ground.. I have a 1981 Mountain magazine with Ed getting the FFA and calling it 11a I think its a bit easier than that as I can not climb 5.11
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perswig
climber
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Mar 27, 2011 - 08:48pm PT
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"shoulder" season in the NE
Dale
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Aya K
Trad climber
New York
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Mar 28, 2011 - 08:14am PT
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It's definitely still winter in my neck of the woods. There's all kinds of ice formed up right now that hasn't been there all season. It's all very strange. Anyway, on Saturday I slept in, and so we decided to just do a more or less roadside peak - Giant Mountain, about a 3 mile hike in and 3 miles back out... but with two cars we did a big loop so it was nice. Apart from my IT band flaring up it was a beautiful day!
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perswig
climber
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What's in the box?
Hester, our orphaned foster from the winter.
Today was her release day, somewhat arbitrarily decided by schedules, weather, and her increasingly frentic behavior inside. She knew it was spring.
We elected to let her go on some property adjoining Sara's horse's barn. It's pros include tons of oaks, a brook and great terrain, and an existing but not overwhelming squirrel posse. It's key drawback is going to be a raptor population that includes eagles, hawks, and osprey. We tried to work on "Incoming! Hit the deck!" over the winter, but she never really got it.
After spending an hour or so watching her check out her new digs and head into the nearest tree, we left a stash of grub and headed out.
Early evening I went back to check on her progress. Surprised to see her still up the original tree, just hanging out. I climbed up (see, on topic) to see if she was freaked out and frozen in place. Nope, she bopped around, nibbled some buds. Probably instinct to lay low, or high, mid-day and not attract predator attention.
We're planning to maintain a food cache for the rest of the spring, based on the liklihood that her natural gathering skills are pretty underdeveloped. Hopefully she doesn't get eaten right away and can hone her sylvan chops a bit.
I'm glad to have my office back, but I foresee some worried nights in the future.
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 10, 2011 - 08:51pm PT
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Today from the Department of Not Very Popular Routes, Three Wogs.
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perswig
climber
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Sep 10, 2011 - 09:04pm PT
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Wicked pendulum potential there, Dr. Hamilton.
Dale
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Sep 10, 2011 - 10:13pm PT
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Nice, Larry.
Enjoyed meeting you at Old Chicago this year.
Hope to climb together sometime.
Rick
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 11, 2011 - 09:48am PT
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Wicked pendulum potential there
Fortunately that's the easy pitch. The hard pitch looks much easier and it doesn't have a scare rating, but you surely would get hurt if you slipped off at the crux.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 11, 2011 - 09:51am PT
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Enjoyed meeting you at Old Chicago this year.
Yes that was a fun gathering. Odds are good that I'll be back Boulder way sometime this winter.
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steve shea
climber
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Sep 11, 2011 - 11:18am PT
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NH trad climbers I'm putting a new roof on my folks house in Franconia. I'll be there from about 10/1 to 10/12 or so. Anybody who would like to climb in the Notch or wherever get in touch. Place to stay 10 min from the notch, 2 min from Polly's Pancakes in Sugar Hill NH. I can probably do 5.8/5.9. Will try to follow anything, used to be good at offwidths. I'm an over the hill alpinist but still into it. PM for contact. Steve
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cowpoke
climber
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Sep 11, 2011 - 05:26pm PT
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"doesn't have a scare rating"
Great phrase.
Beautiful pics, too. Really like that second. This is high time for northeastern climbing...way to get it done.
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lucander
Trad climber
New England
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Sep 12, 2011 - 05:43am PT
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Great job on Three Wogs, I bailed off the first move on that a couple springs ago.
No pictures on my TR, but just had two great days at Poke-O one some of the best new routes I've done this season. Cooney-Norton and Cosmopolitan Wall are both full-value harder and better than they looks 130+ foot trad climbs, each involving all kinds of intricacy and trickery. We also did The popular Sting, PR Corner (whoa, felt like 5.9+), tr Macho, and wrapped up on Ukia - a 40 foot bolted face that would get *** if it was half a rope length and at Joshua Tree (micro edges, bumps for feet, slabby, golden orange rock).
DL
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 12, 2011 - 09:09am PT
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I bailed off the first move on that a couple springs ago.
I bailed off a couple or three decades ago, for some reason I thought it might have got easier. Glad to scratch through this time, but I don't think I'll lead that again.
Sounds like a great trip to Poko.
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perswig
climber
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Sep 12, 2011 - 08:54pm PT
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The anti-Band M.
Where were we?
Great area for beginners and rookie leaders.
Giveaway feature, and giveaway view.
Built this waiting for turn in the 'chimney'.
Proud first-lead wounds.
Dale
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Sep 12, 2011 - 10:31pm PT
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911
« on: Today at 09:14:51 PM »
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove
Ten years ago yesterday Isa and I left her cabin in VT and drove to cannon cliff. It was dark, misty, windy and threatening foul weather for the first 4 pitches of Moby Grape. It felt so alpine. It was the first time I had been on moby and Isa has a poor memory at times so it was a grand adventure for us both. The cliff was almost deserted. Peter Dowd was on lakeview for a bit with his girlfriend but they were gone early. The canon parking lot was empty. I was sitting at belay just below the fickle Finger of fate when the sky started to clear. That perfect crystal clear colbalt blue sky that we would all see for the rest of out lives as the planes hit the towers had finaly arrived at cannon cliff on the stiff wind that was buffeting us up high above a deserted Rt 93. There was still few high clouds moveing fast against that deep blue. A single police crusier with lights and siren passed southbound. I ate my coconut candybar alone on the cliff, Isa coming up 100ft below me, a flight of military jets were the only planes we had seen all day. I had a sudden premonition that our world was fragile and oue existance on it threatened. Isa arrived and up we went. Lunch on the ledge above the finger, we topped out and then missed the good trail down enduring a henious spruce thrash. It was well after dark when we got back to the cabin. Panicked calls from family in europe prompted us to turn on the TV just as a re run of the impact was playing. We both cried knowing that our world would never be the same......
Yesterday we woke up in the van a few miles from the cliff. Cooked breakfast in the dark and hiked up to moby. A super nice couple that had bivyed there let us go first.. We had the rout to ourselfs again but were well aware of the crowd chomping at our heels. Fourtunatly us old farts were able to get some distance and keep it. able to finish up the climb in solitude and not worried about being passed. it was wind, cold and alpin again but the cliff was crawling with human ants. There was a flag flying atop the remants of the old man. Rt 93was super busy, the Canon parking lot was mobbed and it all felt pretty darn normal despite the fact that our country has streatched its self way too thin and turned way too angry from fear....
Isa following P3
Us at the top of Moby Grape..
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 12, 2011 - 11:01pm PT
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Dale, I know that cliff, home to New Hampster's most photogenic short 10a. But we can't tell anyone else.
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steve shea
climber
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Sep 13, 2011 - 08:57am PT
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It's right across the road from Pinkham Notch parking area.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 13, 2011 - 09:04am PT
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Well, yeah, that's no reason to distract folks from Rumney.
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steve shea
climber
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Sep 13, 2011 - 09:36am PT
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I live in Wy,. Rumney is a long way besides there aren't many bolts. When I was in NH this summer I saw a 600'/700' crag nw of Berlin! Any info on that? Also, Chiloe or anyone I'll be in Franconia in Oct., wanna climb? Contact via pm. SS
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cowpoke
climber
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Sep 13, 2011 - 11:41am PT
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Dale, that little stick person with the basket of berries is awesome.
edit to add a super-mini-northeast TR: Took my 14-yr-old nephew for his first day of climbing, a couple weeks ago. Really fun to see his eyes get big and round with that unmistakeable look of "I never knew this much fun existed!"
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Sep 13, 2011 - 12:16pm PT
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Steve, Is the crag you mentioned a slabby dome basically above the town of Berlin? If so, I remember eye-balling it several decades ago, but not being too impressed as it seemed low-angle and somewhat broken-up. However the main problem, and the prime reason that I never returned, was the overwhelming stench from the paper plant below. I'm sure that the locals were so used to it, that they didn't notice, but it sure chased away us outsiders. I believe that the paper plant is either no longer functioning or has cleaned-up it's act, so it may be much more tolerable there days. Undoubtedly routes have been done on that piece of rock over the years, but it is unlikely that it has seen any serious development. It is just one of many reasonably accessible but little developed crags in northern and eastern New England--just that bit too far from "civilization".
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Sep 13, 2011 - 12:27pm PT
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Nice all! Thanks for sharing!
Perswig, what ever happened to your adopted (and released) varmint?
GO
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OldEric
Trad climber
Westboro, MA
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Sep 13, 2011 - 12:39pm PT
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The paper mill was defunct for a few years but I believe it is being reborn as some sort of alternative energy power plant.
I bet Chuck Woodman and Jack Dorsey (North Woodstock) know all about the routes there. Ty neclimbs if you want the 411.
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steve shea
climber
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Sep 13, 2011 - 12:50pm PT
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Al, no. But I know both the crag and the smell you speak of. The smell is gone with the demise of the mills. The crag I saw is maybe 10 or 15 miles nw out of Berlin. I can't remember the route #. It looked really clean and south se facing. I started to hike up but the bugs were really bad that day and did not have my stuff anyway. I grew up in Franconia and finally did climb on the crags at the top of Lost River pass. Really good! hope I'm not giving away any one's secret crag but it is good. I can't find any info on that either. Al, wanto to climb in Oct? SS
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slabbo
Trad climber
fort garland, colo
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Sep 13, 2011 - 01:12pm PT
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Steve- you need to get in touch with Bayard Russell, maybe through cathedralstyle, his blog
He did a really sweet looking 11 out in the woods near berlin. Also tons of stuff off Sucess pond road 500-600'
You could even go to some spots in western maine.
Square ledge is pretty good with an easy walk in
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Sep 13, 2011 - 02:54pm PT
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Hi Steve, In that case I'm not sure of the formation you noticed, but as John/Slabbo said there are plenty of little-known but interesting options not far from the North Conway "honeypot". I remember climbing a couple of good routes a few years ago with Steve Angelini (not FAs--they were already established)on a dome not far over the state line in western Maine---3 pitches each IIRC. I'm likely to be pretty tied up in Oct., Steve, but there is always the possibility that my schedule could open up for a day and I could do something spontaneously. Try me again when the dates get closer. Alan
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slabbo
Trad climber
fort garland, colo
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Sep 13, 2011 - 06:55pm PT
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THE Steve Shea ??? Supecouluir BITD ?
You need to check out the Captain, off Saywer river roadin crawford Notch
It's SO awesome, trust me 600' and so good. not many routes 3-6 pitch 5.8 and 11a a3 hour in
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steve shea
climber
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Sep 13, 2011 - 07:43pm PT
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Slabbo, the Supercouloir was a long time ago. I was by sawyer rd a lot this summer. How do you get to the crag? It sounds great. Thanks. SS
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perswig
climber
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Sep 13, 2011 - 07:53pm PT
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Cowpoke, that's a pretty little buttress; looks great for a first outdoor climb or lead. This season's been pretty low-key, but I agree, introducing a new climber to our world is fun, too.
GO, our food stash for Hester failed to dwindle after the first several days, so either she eloped with a smooth-talking dirtbag boy squirrel with his own supply of organic, free-range, MSG-free granola ... or she entered the food chain prematurely. I kinda wish I had notched her ear as a wee thing to at least try to ID her when I've been out there since.
Chiloe, great shot of the arete. I led that several years ago before I realized how soft I really am and have always found an excuse not to do it again.
Nick, nice memories and pics. Isa's a babe, too.
Dale
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 13, 2011 - 08:04pm PT
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For nor'eastern types, the new Climbing has a nice photo section on NE 5.10s. Some of my favorites are there (great shot of Atlantisf), and prolly some of yours too.
Wallface and Moby Grape make appearances too in a separate article about long 5.8s.
I'm realizing that the art of climbing photography is to make things look harder than they are, instead of looking easier than they are in the typical belayer's-eye-view up or down shots that I take.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 13, 2011 - 07:19pm PT
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Indian summer weather in the NE last weekend, I'm sure just about everyone got out. Here we see Cowpoke and JimE on the Gallery Arete.
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lucander
Trad climber
New England
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Oct 14, 2011 - 12:15am PT
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Been good here in the Gunks, still climbing in a tank-top on classics like Bonnie's Roof and Ant's Line, as well as not-so classics like Amber Waves of Pain and On Any Monday.
For the hell of it, here's a shot from a recent trip to West Virginia. Climbed 20 pitches, highlighted by The Undeserved - which was arguably one of the best single-pitch trad routes I've been on. Here's a picture on a less exciting climb, Strike a Scowl.
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cowpoke
climber
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Oct 14, 2011 - 07:28am PT
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Another highlight from that beautiful weekend: Chiloe leading to the top-out at Great Head.
(not pictured: JimE being eaten at the belay by hungry flies)
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GOclimb
Trad climber
Boston, MA
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Oct 14, 2011 - 10:49am PT
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Nice pics. Thanks for helping to scratch the itch a little.
GO
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perswig
climber
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Jul 24, 2012 - 11:34pm PT
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Decided to put this here, a cul-de-sac of a thread, visited mostly by locals. If you've stumbled in by mistake, thanks for stopping by.
Friday took the dogs for a mud run...
and then strolled out the Rockland Breakwater.
Finished in 1899, cost $750,000.
700K tons of granite, 43 feet wide on top, 175 feet wide at the sea floor beneath the lighthouse. 4300 feet long!
Saturday, Troy and I headed up Pinnacle Buttress, a tradition we missed the last 2 years.
Girl's socks, check.
An intimation of tomorrow - a glider cirling Mt. Washington in the clouds.
Sunday, spent the morning at the Owl's Head Transportation Museum.
Truck and Tractor Day.
I'm not a gearhead, internal combustion's alchemy to me.
But, man, I love details.
Personal responsibility.
Sometimes things are better a little offset.
Just before I left, I looked and saw another silent coasting ghost. A pilot doing a dead-stick approach and landing, 270 degrees of course correction and a beautiful touchdown. Hope it was a drill.
Dale
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cowpoke
climber
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Jul 25, 2012 - 07:52am PT
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Right on, Dale. Nice bump of our local thread with an excellent addition!
I've never (hiding eyes shamefully) done the Pinnacle Buttress -- looks fun.
Hoping to get out today...with the low humidity, almost feels like fall this morning.
Cheers!
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perswig
climber
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Jul 25, 2012 - 08:47am PT
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It DOES feel like fall.
And the gravity feels low. Hope you take advantage!
Dale
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TrundleBum
Trad climber
Las Vegas
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Jul 25, 2012 - 12:36pm PT
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@ perswig:
Being a Marblehead, wharf rat, kid, I like your shot of the break water.
Is that 'Rockland' ME ?
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perswig
climber
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Jul 25, 2012 - 01:26pm PT
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Ayuh, TB, that would be Rockland, Maine; if you haven't been, it's a pretty harbor, has a ferry terminal to serve Vinalhaven and Northhaven, and this cool breakwater.
Rockland's got a reputation as a small drinking town with a large fishing problem, although you've got those in your neck of the woods, too...
A short story about the breakwater.
Many years ago I bought a 20' retractable-keel Macgregor and decided to keep it in Rockland. Kind of a wallowing pig of a sailboat, but cheap, had a little v-berth, good for daysailing and occasional gunkholing, I thought.
Now, my experience at that time was limited to ponds and lakes, but how hard could coastal sailing be, right?
So, my first few forays are short affairs, around the horn to Owl's Head, out to the closer islands, easy-peasy.
Then I get too big for my britches and take her up to Rockport and Camden and come back much later that day. The sailing's great, the weather's beautiful, and barring the appearance of a pea-soup fog getting home's a cinch.
Until I get to the breakwater.
And realize that the wind has shifted off-shore.
And has built.
And the tide is at full dump, being squeezed between the lee shore and the breakwater.
I'm screwed.
This boat had a tiny sail area, tiny keel mass, could not point to save my life in the BEST of circumstances. And given my limited finances (and more limited foresight) I had only installed an electric trolling motor as a kicker to help negotiate the marina to and from the slip, counting on my nautical prowess to handle all other eventualities.
Screwed.
I spend the better part of four hours "tacking" into that wind, with the troller running full-bore hot and the battery draining by the second, and seeing my reference point on the breakwater barely move a micrometer in all that time.
After what seemed forever, after adrenaline was waning and fatigue kicking in, and as it was getting dark (not sure if I had wired the running lights, even), the tide ebbed, the wind ebbed, and we limped into the moorings and floats with a massive respect for natural phenomena, prior planning, and appropriate horsepower.
It took me many days later to realize the smart money, once in the predicament in the first place, would have been to swing round the break, anchor and wait - still be late getting in, but all that energy expended saved for another day's adventure. Tunnel vision, stubborn streak, dumb - or all of the above.
I still have mixed feelings about that breakwater.
Dale
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cowpoke
climber
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Jul 25, 2012 - 04:01pm PT
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wow = great story, Dale! very glad that all ended ok.
Just back from a half-day at Cape Ann with Sammy. Not much worth driving more than 30 minutes for, but quickly becoming my favorite greater Boston spot. Several moderate cracks that remind me of the precipice at Acadia, albeit much shorter...probably high-balls for the braver of heart than me.
"Dad, I hate this helmet..."
"I know, but check out those jams, eh?"
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 25, 2012 - 04:28pm PT
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Nice, guys. I have yet to make one Northeastern climb in 2012, but maybe that should come some day soon.
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cowpoke
climber
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Jul 25, 2012 - 04:48pm PT
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looking stormy for a few days, but let me know, Chiloe...I'd love to get together if the forecast improves or after it improves
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perswig
climber
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Jul 25, 2012 - 09:27pm PT
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Sammy clearly found a no-hands rest!
Dale
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jul 26, 2012 - 10:45am PT
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I have yet to make one Northeastern climb in 2012
Your rack and rope are barking to be taken out for a walk!
Get thee to the hills, pronto.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jul 26, 2012 - 10:50am PT
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*perswig: nice job reporting back on truck and tractor day.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 26, 2012 - 01:45pm PT
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Your rack and rope are barking to be taken out for a walk!
Get thee to the hills, pronto.
It's even worse than that. I have a couple of brand new ropes bought last fall that have not yet seen the outdoors.
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cowpoke
climber
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It's hot (again) today, but Tuesday = perfect day for a stroll up Cathedral with two teenagers.
Teenagers on ledges:
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Starman
Trad climber
Sterling, MA
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Aug 10, 2012 - 11:26am PT
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Hey cowpoke,
Just updated a right coast thread on Tuesday at N Conway with my daughter, Sammy, and nephew, Jake. Strictly speaking, I guess that doesn't really count as 'round these parts.
Lately, closer to home, we have been spending half-days up at the north shore/Cape Ann with a couple Farley trips sprinkled into the mix.
And, you?
Nice shots! Looks like a fun day -- Funhouse (maybe) to Upper Refuse? Great for the Smaller People. Enjoy those sweet times while they last -- once their off to college (if they go) things change a lot. But the bonds are formed strongly on the rocks, IMHO.
And, ya... NC/NH environs (even Maine and NY/CT etc.) count as local to me :)
Live 12 minutes from Crow Hill but hardly ever go there over the past few years. Recently bought a Micro Traxion and started going solo to CH at fringes of day. Liking it a lot! May get out to Farley (SSSHHHHH) this Sunday??
Recent empty-nester's just getting free again; spending time at Rumney so the Lady can get back on the sharp end (and it's coming back for her now...) Also checking out "other" crags in NH this summer, such as Humphries and Attitash, etc. Nice to see new lines, without the waiting lines lol! Handren's new guide is the inspiration.
Have climbed all over NE in all seasons :)
Take care man!
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perswig
climber
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Sep 22, 2012 - 02:30pm PT
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The four horsemen of the climbing Apocalypse (work, injury, weather, domestic turbulence) have conspired to make this a lousy rock season, but a bright spot yesterday...
Dale
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Sep 22, 2012 - 06:00pm PT
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Dale. where is that?
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cowpoke
climber
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Sep 22, 2012 - 06:02pm PT
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Right on, Dale! Beautiful fall weather has arrived!
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perswig
climber
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Sep 22, 2012 - 07:19pm PT
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where is that?
Only hot chicks get the topo.
Dale
Tumbledown, Mt. Blue State Park, ME
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Sep 22, 2012 - 07:44pm PT
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Looks awsome! Didn't know i was a hot chick?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 19, 2013 - 09:59pm PT
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It was a nice day to go Across the Universe. I swear there used to be more holds:
Cowpoke on our off-route version of Pitch 3:
Back on route after some shenanigans (my fault), Jim E leads the Milky Way:
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 19, 2013 - 10:01pm PT
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Great views down the Notch:
But something new has befallen the tracks:
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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May 19, 2013 - 10:02pm PT
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nice trip report...
hey, that rope looks familiar... though mine seems smurf bluer
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wilbeer
Mountain climber
honeoye falls,ny.greeneck alleghenys
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May 19, 2013 - 10:06pm PT
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Very nice ,Chiloe
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 19, 2013 - 10:27pm PT
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Nice! that is one of the hardest 10a moves i have ever failed on;)
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 19, 2013 - 10:28pm PT
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How were the bugs. they were awsome @ my special crag yesterday!
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - May 20, 2013 - 08:54am PT
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hey, that rope looks familiar... though mine seems smurf bluer
Hope it's luckier than the pink!
It does seem the blue or purple hold up best. I've got one, although this baby is Jim's.
How were the bugs. they were awsome @ my special crag yesterday!
No bugs until the breeze died in late afternoon, as we were sitting on a ledge at the top & discussing the universe. A few black flies reminded us then it was time for a brewpub.
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slabbo
Trad climber
fort garland, colo
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May 20, 2013 - 09:53am PT
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trad- is that a slingshot or a lobster ?! Damn.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 20, 2013 - 10:34am PT
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I have gotten masacred on that grassy ledge belay just below the milky way by black flies. you should head up to the upper cliff. Just left of End of the Universe Is a KB and 2 or 3 bolts to a watergroove to a hand crack that turns into a #4 chimny . 180ft super cool pitch to bolted anchor then a 60ft 10a sport climb from there to a second anchor. very cool climb.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 22, 2013 - 08:44pm PT
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Followed my friend Alex up this cool little spire in VT. Lead retro bolted my 5.7X climb on the east face of it's sister spire. It's a really fun place despite the henious bushwhack and relativly short climbs.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 23, 2013 - 05:37pm PT
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Not bad for a rainy day @ deer Leap in Killington. I led The Hard Way and the Monkey but no pictures of me....
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perswig
climber
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Sep 20, 2014 - 07:35am PT
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fetch \ˈfech\
a : the distance along open water or land over which the wind blows
b : the distance traversed by waves without obstruction
Fetch kicked my ass this week.
Fall's breathing down my neck and the difficulty of juggling time off, a good wx window, and the need for a shuttle drop-off was making an Allagash trip unlikely this year, so I cast about for another, albeit lesser objective. Settled on the Moose River Bow trip, which has the unique attraction of bringing you back to your put-in; its negatives were blissfully blurred by time since my last visit and I somewhat hastily threw gear together and got out the door by noon on Sunday, headed to Jackman.
Three-ish hours later, I'm shooting the breeze with caretaker/master guide Karl at the Attean launch, commiserating about the influx of Mass "bobber-fisherman", the introduction of bass into this formerly pristine chain of lakes, and the likelihood of rough water since the wind is already pitching the treetops. I see absolutely no-one else on the water, which suits me just fine (but which may have been another sign of what's to come), push out and paddle round the lee shore.
cat's-paw noun \ˈkats-ˌpȯ\
a light air that ruffles the surface of the water in irregular patches during a calm
Nope.
salmon chop
Nope.
comber noun \ˈkō-mər\
a long curling wave of the sea
Yep. Swells of a foot-and-a-half, creaming tops, the whole deal.
A steady west-to-east breeze, an east-to-west march, and two 'ponds' and surrounding topography perfectly funneling down onto your little boat.
I gave up trying to take pics, gave up trolling line after attempts to retrieve the two small salmon my streamer attracted nearly got me broadside and broached. Focused on steerage and advancement, experimented with tacking to switch up sides but settled on a steady pry stroke just off-wind. Wore a groove in my paddle from the gunnel. Bitch about the oarlocks in my way (mounted for rowing the long parts of the Allagash). Went backwards once or twice.
Fun, but reminiscent of ice climbing in full conditions. That kind of fun, you know?
Toward dusk, the wind finally settled, the rise between the two ponds offered some protection, and the portage materialized. Four miles, damn near four hours. I'm light...
I suspect the Attean/Holeb portage, at 1.25mi, is a deal-breaker for some, but it's pretty well-maintained, pretty flat, and, well, pretty.
However, I'm still buzzing a bit from the recent push, somewhat disappointed to run into another party mid-way through their haul, and starting to feel mission-creep with the slow start and my sorta-tight time schedule for this whole evolution.
I hump my gear, jog back, and heft the pig.
por tage noun \ˈpȯr-tij\
a : the carrying of boats or goods overland from one body of water to another or around an obstacle (as a rapids)
b : the route followed in making such a transfer
Which sucks.
Now, I love this canoe. Why, I'm not exactly sure, as it has no rocker and has a huge waist, making it less than nimble in whitewater; it has no keel, so it tracks like a drunken sailor without constant tending. But it is indestructible, and packs gear like nobody's business.
But it's a tank. It goes nigh on 90 pounds, and this trip requires several "Indian rests" before I'm back out onto Holeb, in the dark.
I'm reluctant to share the obvious site with the other party, so I push out in the gloom, feel my way to the next and finally unpack and relax.
Up with the dawn, admire my surroundings.
Cast a bit, unsuccessfully. Pack up, and just as the sun's rising ... the wind picks up. Goddamnit.
Groundhog Day see 'Bill Murray'
Not as bad as yesterday, but pretty close. It's a smaller pond, probably 3 miles end-to-end, and it's not quite as choppy, but I'm making up no time, find myself going backwards at a few points and have to make myself work into a groove, enjoy the process, Namaste, Namaste, Namaste.
Have to laugh when the west end comes into view. No mistake putting those there, now is there?
hu·bris noun \ˈhyü-brəs\
: a great or foolish amount of pride or confidence
Now being the stubborn sort I am, and memory being what it is, I seem to recall finding the head of the Moose a tricky thing last trip, but I'm fairly confident about where I ultimately stumbled into it.
Well, either I don't know what the hell I'm talking about (likely) or the lower water level has made the rabbit-warren of marsh even more prone to cul-de-sac and reversing passages (also likely, and an explanation easier on my ego).
I paddle and pole and swear for at least an hour.
Maybe two.
Finally go back onto the open water, reconsider, head south, and Bob's yer uncle, find an outflow wide as a barn. Goddamnit.
Under an old railway trestle, and onto the Moose River.
Which starts out pretty shallow, narrow, and scrappy, dominated by trees felled by erosion and blow-downs, as well as enormous beaver action (and not the Quebecois stripclub kind).
ox·bow noun \ˈäks-ˌbō\
: something (as a bend in a river) resembling an oxbow
Implied somewhat by the DeLorme map, visible much better in aerial photos, one of the most recognizable characteristics of the Moose is its sinuous path. At this end and again through several lowland sections, it is not uncommon to find your compass bearing change greater than 180 degrees in the span of a couple minutes. And this seems to go on and on and on. And on.
And as if that's not enough, the river is basically flat-water paddling, essentially a long series of skinny ponds between ledges and Holeb Falls.
Looming cloud cover and the sun's downward path reawaken my haste. I'm planning to be off this rig by mid-day tomorrow and have the entire length of the river and then a couple miles of Attean to traverse before then. Hmmm ... wind-prone lakes, portages, flatwater paddling - mebbe I shoulda picked a different objective for a time-sensitive trip.
It's midafternoon and I dig in, again. This is a lot like work. Truthfully, though, I really enjoy paddling, much like an uphill ski track. It's honest labor, an end as well as a means. When the wind dies down, I shift from the center seat to the stern, decrease drag and lock into a rhythm, pushed by infantry cadences, dirty limericks, whatever. Eventually, the river takes on the mien expected of a signature Maine waterway. Mud and silt give way to rock and boulder; with the entrance of Barrett Brook she widens and imperceptibly quickens, and my mood lightens.
And then, that quickly, the roar of Holeb Falls can be heard, and felt, around the bend.
pokelogan regionalism, an branch or parallel waterway, also a 'bogan'
Convenient signage directs you left and then quickly right onto a side stream, through some massive erratics and to the mother of all strainers.
Yer walking again, yessir.
Having NO recollection of this part of the trip from two decades ago, my optimistic mind suggests it can't be too long or hard, right? Well, not so fast. In truth, it IS shorter than the last, but what it lacks in distance is made up in elevation gain and loss. My shoulders, recalling two days of upwind grind, one long carry, that root under the bivy sack last night, and that tree at Mad River Glen long ago, say together "Screw you".
tump·line noun \ˈtəmp-ˌlīn\
a sling formed by a strap slung over the forehead or chest and used for carrying or helping to support a pack on the back or in hauling loads
A quick hike out to see the falls (30 feet or so of drop) ...
... and back onto some of the nicest sections of the river.
[Now here it gets a bit embarrassing. Lining the canoe down a step-ledge (low water throughout has made the rips and falls pretty bony), I ship some water. NBD, as the kids say, except the camera ends up floating in the bow until I unload the gear to bail. Blot dry, blow out the batt and card, depress power button > fizzle. Sigh.]
It's getting late. Instead of setting up shop at Holeb Falls, I press to Spencer Rips, another hour or so downriver. The one site here is already occupied, so I burrow into the woodline next to the river, make a quick dinner and crash, finally feeling relaxed about my timeline and hoping to sleep the sleep of the just and righteous.
Except ... apparently, I'm next to a game trail. And throughout the night comes the 'tick, tick, tick' of deer hooves on gravel, then they stop, wait, catch my scent or hear the bivy sack rustle and either 'tick, tick, tick' away or give a big warning snort and crash into the bush.
Other than putting a kibosh on my expectations of a good night's sleep, this isn't too distressing. However, the thought of a moose coming down the same path and either blundering over me to get to the river or more scary, being startled to find me in the way and deciding to stomp me to death in anger, kinda keeps me on edge. It doesn't help that, being an, ahem, 'active' sleeper, I stake my bivy down most of the time. Encased in a mummy and then pegged to the ground like Gulliver is not conducive to a quick getaway, and it takes a while before these thoughts are crowded out by unconsciousness.
Of course, nothing happened. I woke up, probably around 0400 by habit, waited until the false dawn made an appearance, and got grub and some fishing in. The camera, having spent the night in the bag with me, proved to be sporadically working, so I limited its use and vowed to keep it dry the rest of the trip.
And the trip was nearly over. It started drizzling by sunrise and continued until I was out on Attean again.
But the paddling was less frenzied, mission creep had been negated, and despite the lean conditions, Attean Falls, at the end of the Moose - a series of two drops of 50 yards each, were runnable in the unloaded canoe, making for the only real whitewater of the trip. I did end up wading out to a couple high-sided in their Tripper to pull them off and get the rig straight for the next bit, and caught a few small trout below the falls.
A quiet and mercifully calm paddle across the east end of Attean got me back to the car. Said hi and thanks to Karl, packed up, and grabbed a greasy meal in Jackman. Drove home pleasantly tired, picking up a through-hiker redolent of trail and resin for a short bit before dropping him off at 16 along his way up to Baxter.
Car-to-car: 44hr
Distance: crow flies, 18mi; actual travel, 34mi or so
Birds: heron, eagles, osprey, red-tail, flickers (many!), scrub jays, bank swallows, crows, raven, various sparrows, red-head and downy woodpeckers, Canada geese, loons, red-wings, and a bunch of waterfowl I need to look up
Other critters: beaver, beaver, beaver, beaver, beaver, the eponymous ungulate (a cow moose making her requisite appearance), beaver, beaver, beaver. Last trip out I also had a bear cub in camp one morning and saw the aurora - YMMV.
This is a great trip, especially for a 3-4 day timeframe and for folks not looking for fast water. I prefer the Allagash, Aroostook, and Penobscot rivers, but for solo travel, with no shuttle needed, it's hard to beat.
Thanks for playing.
Dale
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Sep 20, 2014 - 05:33pm PT
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WOW! super cool!
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Sep 20, 2014 - 05:44pm PT
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Agree-Super!
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wilbeer
Mountain climber
Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,
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Sep 20, 2014 - 05:53pm PT
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Excellent Perswig.
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 21, 2014 - 07:28am PT
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This rainy Sunday I can look back on sunnier days of summer. Nothing epic but lots of fun visiting uncrowded crags. Here is cowpoke on The Arete (5.8+) at Longstack, back in July.
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perswig
climber
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Sep 22, 2014 - 03:34pm PT
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Nice features on Mad Man, Trad. One of your routes?
You keeping track of your days out this year - must be a bunch by now; I'm envious!
Dale
edit: yep, I'd have taken a few days off, too.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Sep 22, 2014 - 04:08pm PT
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Mad man is a was GU FA. still need to finish P2.. only 65 days out. i took a bit of a break from climbing after the Cleaver fell....
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perswig
climber
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ESAW 2015
Backside of the Washing Machine
Program was strong again this year, I thought the best yet.
Sam Colbeck always amazes. Even his shortest answers to questions contained more physics than should be allowed.
Bruce is the man, of course.
This year he got us thinking about short-term near-surface warming issues, the lack of predictability. Pay attention to aspect. Pay attention large temp flux. Esp with loose/dry (like we even know what that is here in the NE...)
A little guy dressed in pastels and skinny jeans turned out to be Rudi Mair.
An interesting perspective by Jerry Isaak about 'bros with Go-pros' (not his title but how social connectivity is affecting heuristics of BC travel and risk calculus.
My favorite this year was Don Sharaf.
Smart discussion of how to present forecast and risk info to various types of consumers to maximize absorption and utility. Perspective as a forecaster for Valdez Heli guides and pilots. He briefly mentioned, and I wish he had had time to expand or present more examples of, using photo manips to enhance/highlight features from the day's sometimes flat tour pics and allow predictions for the next day (cornice growth, WS, etc).
Anyway, good conference, well-attended.
Dale
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