Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Cold Day in the Gunks

After a few days up North skiing, and a few weeks off the rock, I was dying to get back out. Although the weather report looked grim, with temperatures dropping as often as the snow, I texted Spook with desperate want to get out there.

We decided to get our first wintry day in the Gunks, and hit up some projects we had left on our ticks. Upon stepping out of the car, we were hit by crazy gusts of wind that cut through our layers and made us a tad uneasy about the climbing ahead. Fortunately, the wind was only in the pass and the rest of the trapps were nice and warm, baking in the midday sun.

We began at Black Boulder - V5. I had worked this problem a lot since my first outing to the Gunks and something about this strange and fun piece of rock has shut me down ever since. Today was not any different. Adam and I quickly lost our psyche and went on down the road.

Next stop: The Following - V6. Adam sent this sick problem on our last trip to the gunks and I had made some excellent progress. We came up with some creative pad placements to compensate for the lack thereof, but the sketch factor was high! I've got the bottom locked down, but the crux move to a huge textured gaston has yet to go.

Next we hit up Marrakesh Express - V6, a long standing project of Spooky's. After a couple goes he stuck the crazy ninja cross over, hiked the high foot and began the long traverse to the top. Since we hadn't brushed it off, Adam jumped off before the finish. SICK PROGRESS!!!

Finally we went to Near Trapps to work The Pearl - V8. Notorious among our crew for being soft for the grade, and four our single arete beta that is supposedly harder, the pearl had yet to go for me. I came SUPER close, but need to stick the little hop to the big, good sloper. Should clean it up next time.


ANYWAYS.


Ben is crrruussshhing sending v10's second time and flashing mad moderates over in Arkansas. Yeah that's right, Arkansas, that place in those Dosage movies with all the sickness and what not. He's coming back this week with a bunch of videos for teh blog. So get psyched people.

Yeah. Well. Bye.

-WB

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