Gnarnia and Climb for a Cause

Despite the snow, Ben, Spook, Aaron, Tyler and I went up North for a little exploring and to show Ben and Tyler Gnarnia. We took a back road that ran behind the mountain Gnarnia is on to check out a spot I had seen in Google Maps -> Terrain. We were discouraged by posted signs, but encouraged by a seasonal use road that seemed to run directly under the spot I was interested in, guess it'll have to wait for the Spring.

At Gnarnia, the psych level went up quickly as Ben (the most Anti-Exploring member of our crew) scoped out the many lines on the 1st boulder. Obviously it was too snowy to climb, but the number of possible lines on that boulder is obvious.

We continued to show Gnarnia to our friends, and with every boulder, psych grew. We reached the Gnarwhal, a huge, 25 foot, 30 degree wall with distinct, hard lines on it, and began discussing how to maybe build a platform to cover the terrifying talus below the right end of the wall. Next, we cleaned off the bottoms of the problems, as well as the tops (as much as we could) and began scoping out the sequences.

Much of the interest was on the right end, where a rail of sloping crimps leads to a dynamic move and sloping ledges to the top. We tried to unlock the bottom sequence, but it will no doubt be very hard (V10+), the stand start however is a bit less intimidating and might be somewhere in the V7 - V9 spectrum.

While we were still interested in the Gnarwhal, Aaron rapped down off the top of his little gem. A 30 foot tall zig-zag crack up a slightly overhung wall, with a landing that slopes away slightly, he says it may be V5 due to the lack of holds near the top, we will have to wait and see.

Let it be known that not EVERYTHING at Gnarnia is highball. Just that the Gnarwhal is super impressive and Aaron likes highballs, so thats where we went. The area probably has around 10 - 15 climbable boulders (maybe more) each with at least a few lines. The actual worth of this area will be seen in the spring, when FA's can start to happen.

Before heading home, we stopped in for Climb for a Cause at Rocksport, a fundraiser for Sanfilippo's Disorder. We were impressed by the number of people that came, and the new problems the gym had set up. It was a fun time and they have apparently raised over $1000 towards research for the disease. Sweet.



In other news, snow sucks, that is all.
-WB

Broken Holds, Broken Hearts

This is all I have to say:


As you can clearly see the uber-classic Lynn Hill's Traverse - V8, has broken. As discussed on Bassforyourface, this is just another casualty in a streak of hold breakage on classic problems. Dreamtime, Karma, Witness the Fitness, Sketches of Pain, hide your favorite climb because no boulder is safe!

But on a serious note, this is a huge loss to the Carriage Road, and the classic climb will no doubt be a lot harder without the preciously gigantic starting jug which seemed incredibly solid.

This brings me to another topic, hold chipping. The phenomenon of hold chipping is present at many of our local crags, the classic Slot Machine - V5 at McKenzie Pond has its signature "slot" chipped in, Caressing the Manniquins Leg - V3 at Nine Corners has a chipped hold as well.

I can see the positive side, both problems are incredibly fun and because of their... modifications... seem almost natural. But the cons are obvious, is the destruction of the rock really necessary for our enjoyment? Humans have a funny habit of modifying natural things to their liking, when perhaps they should have just been left alone.

I've climbed the problems listed above, and others, and I loved them, but I don't know if it's the right thing to do. Could these lines have gone without chipping? Probably. So why chip them? Why change the rock just to make things easier instead of rising up to the challenge? To me, it seems like cheating.

-WB

Newz

FIRST OF ALL THE WEATHER IS LOOKING LIKE THIS:

...get psyched.

So... the guidebook.

As some of you know, my friends and I are working towards producing an ADIRONDACK BOULDERING GUIDEBOOK! It's going to take a while, and a lot of things have to happen, but whatever is made will be a labor of love and a product of the adk bouldering community.

I realize bouldering is included in the ADK ROCK book, but there is so much more than is listed in that book, not to mention that that book is a very large expense for someone who only intends to boulder in the dacks.

I'm always open to ideas, so if you have any COMMENT!

Places we plan on including:
- McKenzie Pond
- Snowy Mtn. Boulders
- Nine Corners
- Boulderwoods
- Ensign Pond (SEE adkbouldering.blogspot.com)
- Flatrock (here)
- Gnarnia
- Gore Mtn. Boulders (NEEDS MUCH MORE DEVELOPMENT)
- Stables Boulder
- Potash Boulder

And we're going to be considering a few others and also exploring a few spots.

If you have any suggestions, information on the areas above, have some knowledge of producing a guidebook or just want to help out PLEASE email me:

weekendbouldering@gmail.com

MORE
NEWZ

I've heard rumors that a robot has recently hacked into blogger and began posting under the name... robot. Check out his blog at: RobotClimbing

ALSO were working out some more fun stuff for climbing fun times good and all nice stuff.
MORONTHATLATOR

It's almost March, which means it's almost March 21st, which means its almost Spring.
YEAAAA

-WB

Second Day On

As I left the Gunks Saturday (more on that later) I talked to Tyler.

Tyler was planning on leaving for Florida, but his flight was cancelled, and he offered to go climbing Sunday. Mind you, this is after one of the more brutal Gunks days I have had in a while, and my tips were nice and red.

Of course, in the most appropriate weekendbouldering fashion, I said yes. After a night of finding homemade remedies to my fingertip pain (I settled on Aloe leaves my mom had conveniently been growing... kinda weird actually). I headed out to good 'ol Great Barrington for a day of sending.


We started at the probe and warmed up on the crimpy traverse featured in Gravity Sucks and a V2 arete thing. After warming up we started work on The Probe - V9. Tyler and I made quick progress, and we both reached a highpoint crux of matching the namesake hold. Sick problem that I want to come back to.

JP trying to stick the slopey name-sake hold on The Probe - V9

We worked on a highball crack near the probe that probably goes at like V3, but it was fun and made for good pictures:

Next, we made our way to the Spack boulder to work on Tyler's proj, The Bump. He worked it for a while, but was unable to send, and the rock was cold. So we moved on up to the Snooze Button. While Aaron worked Kim Novak - V8, Tyler and I went and explored. We found stuff, GOOD, undone stuff, but it's a secret.

We came back from exploring to find Aaron at Fen Fen - V7. After working Fen Fen for a while, Tyler and Aaron started to work Echo - V9. They made some good progress and are psyched to get back to this testy piece of stone. Finally we ended the day at Speed boulder, and then moved on to Azteca for some delicious burritos.

Also, the guidebook secret will be revealed soon.

-WB

SHUPER SHECRET GUYSH

Okay, so I gots an assignment for you that will aid in... well we can talk about that later.


I need you to tell me in the comments:

A. Your favorite guidebook, why it was so awesome.
B. Something you wish there was in guidebooks
C. Something you hate about guidebooks

That is all,
-WB

Cold Winter Dayz

Aaron on Ricans and White-Boys - V7

The Gunks, sometimes it can be a winter sanctuary, the sun-shining, open air and exposed rock of the wonderfully warm Carraige Path. Other times it can be a harsh, windy ice box of death and sadness and frozen extremities. The past few visits it has been the latter...

BUT DESPITE the cold weather we've been having lately, the psych level has not gone down and the crew has been hittin' up old projects on the road for quite some time now. A week ago Tyler (the new blog photog), Ryan (From Night Bouldering at Nine) and I hit up the road on the promising looking sunny Sunday.

Ryan thrutching on a V2 dyno

Although it was cold, the sun helped tremendously, and the wind factor was minimal. Once again, as usual, we stopped at Black Boulder after I stated we "would not stop at black boulder" several times on the ride down. Fortunately our visit paid off, on my second go I stuck the personal crux sloper and fell on the top out. A few goes later I was on top of the boulder screaming "I AM THE MASTER OF MY OWN DESTINY!!!" (Points if you can tell me what thats from).

Finally.

Ryan throwing the key heel on Andrew's Boulder Problem - V4

Shortly after we were at the next set of projects. Tyler's long standing nemesis The Buddha - V7 had rendered him injured on his last visit and has been a personal battle ever since. Today, after developing new beta followed by new new newer beta, Tyler found himself at a highpoint. Effort increased, screaming commenced (on his part and ours) and a group of terrified walkers began to speed up their stride as they walked past the screaming man halfway up the boulder.

It was epic

JP on Boxcar Traverse - V4

Next it was on to the Following cave, a spot Tyler hadn't seen yet. He was psyched on the awesome looking wall, and after a few quick goes we decided it would have to wait for another day.

We worked some other stuff, but were way too tired and cold, so we called it a day. A good day though.

DAY 2

Yesterday, Tyler, Aaron, Spook, Ben, Kyle and I headed to the road again.

It was cold.
Really cold.
And windy.
:[

We started our day at boxcar, Spook has put a couple days on this ultra-classic V8 arete, and thought today was the send. After falling from the sloper numerous times, and reaching a new highpoint just inches from the lip, he walked away without a send. Next time.

Ben and Aaron went up to Venus and had surprisingly good work on the testy V11. SICK.


The rest of us went to the Following, a developing nemesis of mind with a last move sticking point that I have yet to overcome. I have the entire problem on the lock down, but the move to the pebbly gaston ledge keeps shutting me down! Kyle came up with some cool beta that skips the crimpy pinch in the middle of the problem, but was also unable to send.

GRRRAAGRGAHSREARFASKS I hate bouldering.

Aaron setting up on Andrew's Roof - V9

We finished up the day at Andrew's Roof. Where Aaron gave goes at the scary Andrew's Roof - V9, which features and insane looking reach back with the left hand, pushing your whole body onto the huge roof. From there you sag out and catch an okay left hand ledge over the lip, and control a ridiculous swing and try not to fall off the carraige path. Cool.

Aaron stretching on Andrews Roof - V9


PHOTOS BY: Tyler Hogan

Every day is a little closer to Spring.
A little closer.

-WB

Email Update

Check it, if you want to get instant notification everytime I update the blog, I can put you on the email list and Blogger will send you a message each time the blog gets updated! Comment if you want me to add you to the mailing list.

Please note the hit counter

1000+ page views in under two and a half weeks. Good work people.


News and such:

I know the posting level has been kinda low lately, but I promise I'll be hitting you with new stuff soon. I'm psyched to have the incredible photographic skillz of Tyler for posts to come, and I may even have a video somewhere in there.

Ben is living close to home instead of the far away land of New Paltz now and the home wall circuit is in full affect. Spring is just around the corner people, and this little 'ol blog is gonna go places.

PLEASE! Don't forget our "Sick Pics" thing is still good to go! Just email your best pictures to weekendbouldering@gmail.com.

Weather:

I feel that Mother Nature heard my incredibly harsh rant a few posts back, and has let up a lil. It's been cold, but not snowy, and that's how we like it.

This weekend is a toss-up between Gunks, GB and Lincoln. Weather is similar all around, but Lincoln is a little colder (maybe snowy-er) and windier than GB and the Gunks. I'LL LET YOU DECIDE!!!

Another thing I want you to decide is weather or not I should spend my money on a still camera, video camera or organic crash pad. I'm leaning towards the still camera, but I... don't know. PLEASE DISCUSS!

-WB