Follow my friends and me as we continually track new bouldering areas in the Adirondack State Park as well as visit top notch bouldering areas all over the northeast
This past Sunday, the crew headed south to New Paltz to revisit an area I hadn't been back to in almost three years...for some of the guys, this would be there first visit to an area known as "Triple Right". I was pretty excited to get back there to repeat some great lines that I had already done previously as well as try some boulder problems that had shut me down beforehand.
It was yet another atypical February day in New Paltz with abundant sunshine, seasonably warm temperatures, and energy levels through the roof. Everyone had an excellent day on the boulders, Pooler exerted more effort than I have ever seen, Banta was on an absolute tear, Sully was straight mean muggin as he wrote off boulder problem after boulder problem, and PT was slowly working through his hangover as the day unfolded. Unfortunately I did not clock any new sends on this trip but progress was made on one of my projects down there called "Didactic Tactics". I spent far too much energy refiguring out the start sequence but am confident that I can send on the next visit.
Watching all the guys absolutely crush and just enjoy the nice weather was pretty invigorating. I am really pumped as spring approaches. There is tons of climbing to be done and lots of new areas to see this year. Good on ya mates....here's to 2012!
Looking out the window, watching winds in excess of 40 mph and fresh snow falling from my sky it's all settling in just how much I miss the sunshine and warm weather I had at Hueco Tanks. I appologize for the delay in the day 5 update from Hueco, but better late than never. Enjoy!
Climberism.com is a Vermont based free online climbing magazine website. From time to time, there is some love given for the local S.A.C. community. Enjoy the links below:
It feels good to be back in Upstate New York. Hueco was an amazing trip filled with good times with friends and lots of hot sending action. It was great to have the opportunity to meet up with Murph and Jobi as they continue to live the dream on an epic cross country climbing trip. To be honest, I am kinda anxious to see just how strong that little fellow gets over the next few months of climbing in some of America's most notorious climbing destinations; good on 'ya mate! Keep killing it out there on the road- "jutjomurph" for life
This past Saturday I took advantage of the beautiful weather and headed south to New Paltz to meet up with some of the O.G.'s on team S.A.C. Banta, Sully, Pooler and I had a great day on the Carriage Road along with some 30 plus other boulderers that day. Actually, the cliffs were getting a bunch of attention as well...hard to believe it is still February!
Looking forward to what 2012 has in store for everyone, psych levels are high and everyone seems to be having a blast getting outside and climbing a bunch.
Everyone in the crew took Wednesday off to rest and recover from all of the bouldering we had been doing in Hueco. Muscles were sore and tired, skin was worn and thin, and mentally everyone just needed some recovery.
Thursday morning we were up early and everyone rendevoued at "The Hueco Hacienda" where Nyle and Cohn had been staying. "The Hueco Hacienda" is a really nice climber's retreat run by an old friend of our's Rocco Bocchicchio and his wife Mary. Murph and I first met Rocco back in 2005 when we traveled to HP40 on our first ever bouldering trip. Rocco took us under his wing back then when we were "the noobs" to the bouldering game and we ended up having a great time climbing with him on the Alabama sandstone.
It is an understatement to say that it was a pleasant surprise to run into him again this year at Hueco. Rocco and Mary were extremely accommodating at their beautiful facility called "The Hueco Hacienda", they took us on guided tours to all of the mountains that were restricted and needed commercial tour guides, they joined us for breakfast and dinner, they caught us when we fell, and most importantly, cheered us on as we struggled through personal bouldering struggles on the trip. I think I speak for everyone in the crew when I say thank you Rocco and Mary! We will definitely be back again next year!!! Here is a link to their website: http://www.huecohacienda.com/index.html
Thursday was back to the unfinished boulder problems we had tried earlier in the week. I had every intention of cleaning up a beautiful V5 called "Jingus Bells" on my first attempt of the day after warming up. Unfortunately, I did not send first go and what I thought would be a quick "clean up" of an excellent boulder problem turned into an epic personal battle. Mike Cohn sent the boulder problem on his second attempt of the day...I was the only one left in the crew who hadn't done the problem...how much longer would it take?
I fell maybe 12 times on the last dyno move on "Jingus Bells" that morning...I threw my beanie, I cursed, I threw my chalk bag at least twice...I guess you could say that I had a mini melt down from the frustration of failing over and over again. My mind started to play games with me...was I jumping too hard, was I not focused enough, did I need more rest, was I using the right footholds, could I do this problem on this trip? After about an hour of failing over and over again, I finally stuck the last dyno move and was successfully topping out one of the best boulder problems I had ever been on. Instantly I was filled with happiness...I had stuck a move that had shut me down all morning as well as two days prior.
I felt bad about how much valuable time I had taken from my friends who waited patiently for me to work out my personal flaws and finally send the boulder problem. Looking back at the videos from that day and hearing the excitement in their voices as I finally stuck the last move, I realized yet again how great the bouldering game is and how great the people are that we play this game with. Thanks guys, it meant the world to me!
After the "Jingus Bells" dibacle at The East Spur Maze", Rocco gave us a quick tour over to West Mountain to show us one of his faverite V7's, "Crash Test Dummies". The line was distinct...a series of pinches and huecos out of a short overhang and up a nice featured arete. Murph, Rocco, and Nyle all sent, Cohn, Jobi and I worked out some pretty good beta but had to leave this one undone for now.
After West Mountain and "Crash Test Dummies", we were on the move again over to East Mountain and some dramatic overhanging pieces of rock. I was completely taken back when I first saw the "Moonshine Roof" and the "Meddle Detector" boulder. Hueco has some incredible pieces of stone, you never know what to expect when you turn another corner. Cohn and I flashed "Moonshine Roof"- V4 and Rocco and Murph showed us all how to get it done on "Meddle Detector"- V6/7....one of the hardest and longest boulder problems I have ever seen at the grade.
Media Update:
Jingus Bells
Meddle Detector
Moonshine Roof
Rocco and Nyle underneath "Crash Test Dummies"
Pocketed Face near the "Starry-Eyed Man" Painting
"Starry-Eyed Man" painted by natives circa 1000 AD
We lined up a guided tour with Rocco and Mary for Tuesday to head into the East Spur and East Spur Maze to see some highly recommended boulder problems. I felt good at the start of the morning as we warmed up around 9:30 am at a highly concentrated area in the East Spur. Everyone in the group went up a high quality highball boulder problem to help focus the mind for the rest of the day. I still had a bunch of skin after the first two consecutive days and was only feeling minor soreness in some of the larger "pull" muscles.
After waming up we headed over to a boulder problem known as "Jigsaw" which was a slightly overhanging V5 traverse on iconic "jigsaw" puzzle looking holds...I was blown away by the appearance and feel of the holds and definately plan on carving a few climbing holds sets to replicate this unique Hueco boulder problem. Nyle and Cohn both flashed the line and I wasn't able to top the boulder out. As I worked through the sequence, my hands were slowly unwinding as I tried to move through the climb. It was clear that the first two days of climbing consecutively had completely drained my strength...it was going to be a long day in a new bouldering area knowing that the body desperately needed more rest.
After failing on "Jigsaw", we moved over to another classic V5 known as "Jingus Bells". This line was more straight up and down on decent edges and crimps, requiring less strength than the previous overhanging traverse. The movements looked pretty sick as you climbed out of a lower den area and gradually moved slightly right for about 20 feet of climbing until you are forced to dyno off of two crimps to the lip. If there wasn't a boulder protecting the dyno to the lip, this line would probably be a classic V7 due to the insecurity of the last dyno move and the inability to try it in isolation. Cohn and I both got to the dyno moves numerous times from the start but were unable to send the line. It was the most eye catching line I had seen yet in Hueco and unfortunately I had drained my bodies energy and strength levels and was forced to walk away. I figured I would rest for the remainder of the day and just spot and hang out with the crew.
For the remainder of the guided tour, I saw classic boulder problem after classic boulder and wasn't able to attempt them knowing that I just didn't have what was needed on this particular day to send. I kept the psych level high as everyone was putting down some pretty sick boulder problems. I was able to send "New Religion" which is a nice overhanging V7 on perfectly sculpted incuts with a dyno to a hueco.
At the end of the day, everyone involved decided to take the following day off as well to fully recover. A day and a half off in a row was something I definately didn't want to do on such a short trip; but watching my hands slowly unwrap off of classic boulder problem after classic boulder problem was killing me inside. I knew that will adequate rest I could do these problems...so rest day here I come!
Thursday we are going back to East Spur Maze to get back on "Jingus Bells" first thing in the morning, then over to yet another new mountain for me, "West Mountain" where Rocco assures me that there is the best V7 in the entire park. So Psyched!
Media Update:
The puzzle pieces on "Jigsaw"- V5
The approach to East Spur Maze
Boulders in the East Spur Maze
Boulders in the East Spur Maze
Entering "The Maze"
Mike Cohn on a classic highball warm-up
Jobi on a nice overhanging arete with perfect huecos
Murph working "Long Haul"
"The Flame" boulder
This massive outcrop had lots of paintings from previous inhabitants
Traveling to Hueco Tanks, I had set a goal to climb "See Spot Run"...actually my goal was to flash the boulder problem which I failed to do but was able to top out this beautiful highball on my second attempt, so psyched! With "See Spot Run", "Guns of Navarone" and "Baby Face" completed, my skin was still in great shape so I felt okay to climb a second day in a row.
The goal for Day Two was to see all new rock on North Mountain and to try some of the moderate classics. My thought was that Day Two could be used as an "active rest" day, allowing me to climb some boulder problems while not completely pumping myself out for later in the week.
Nyle and Mike were taking rest days but still wanted to get out and see everyone climb. The group split up for the beginning of the day; Nyle and Murph took a guided tour to East Mountain so Murph could get back on "Full Service". Mike, Jobi and I headed back to North Mountain to run a nice bouldering circuit. Here is how the day unfolded...
Boulder Problems done on Day Two:
JuJu Wall- V0
Dumbo- V0
The Backstratcher- V0
The Butter Dish- V2
The Melon Patch- V0 (Highball)
Shaved Pits- V2
Five O'clock Shadow- V2
7-10 Split- V0 (Highball)
Split Decisions- V3 (Highball)
Orifice Affair- V1
Hard Again- V3
Coffee Achiever- V5
T-Bone Shuffle- V4
Bloody Flapper- V4
Limitations: 70 passes per day for hikers/climbers to use the park. Those without a day use pass can pay for a guided climbing tour or sign up for a volunteer climbing tour set up by the Texas State Parks service. The crew only had two day use passes (one for Kennith D. Murphy, the other for Nyle T. Baker). We had to wait momentarily at the entrance gate until the park rangers verified that not all of the reserved day use passes had been spoken for.
Finally by 9:30 am we were granted access to the infamous North Mountain. The only mountain in the park permitting climbers to roam free without guided tours. Psych level was high, depite the strong winds which lasted all day and the abnormally cold conditions.
On the hike into the "warm up" area, it didn't take long for me to touch the first piece of rock that I encountered to initiate the sensory overload that I was about to experience. Massive boulders on top of massive boulders, steep overhangs, caves, and roofs everywhere. I was finally there, I was finally going to boulder at Hueco Tanks.
Boulder Problems done on Day One:
Potato Chip Man- V1
Cast Iron- V2
Nobody Gets Out of Here Alive- V2
Baby Face- V7
Guns of Navaron- V6
See Spot Run- V6
Lobster Claw- V5
Media Update:
Hueco "Rock Ranch", my home away from home for the week
The view from the front door of the Rock Ranch...my first visual cue of what was to come
Kennith D Murphy sporting that million dollar smile
Nyle Baker on a nice warm up roof known as "Nobody Gets Out of Here Alive"
Rocco's wife Mary on "Guns of Navaron"...note the safety line holding Nyle in place
A landscape similar in appearance to Mars
More Sick features around every corner
The proud arete known as "Baby Face"
Rocco at the base of "See Spot Run"...I was pumped that it was shorter than I had envisioned
