Closure

While some stay put, rooted to the place they sprouted eager and green into the world, never straying from the same and deriving pleasure in making it feel different, others seek out a more turbulent path. To these anxious and capricious wandering souls, the world appears vast and ripe, and to live without experiencing the different contexts and settings one may exist within would be simply unacceptable. Such desires may spawn from a connection with nature, and so it follows that many climbers take the latter path. Zigging and zagging and exploring endlessly, tasting the culture, the scenery, and of course the rock at each stop on their chaotic journey.

This August I will be leaving my home in New York for a dorm in Boulder, Colorado. Things are going to move and change very quickly in the upcoming months, and with any massive change one begins to consider the things they'll leave behind. As a climber, my mind drifted to a number of projects scattered about the Northeast. I started my life as a climbing here six years ago. From those early days in Electric City Rock Gym, I've come quite a ways. I can say I am more than familiar with all of the major and lesser known crags of the area. Contributing when I could, my friends and I even managed to develop a few of our own, an effort that continues daily (check out the new cliff at Pinnacle courtesy of The Verticalife). I guess my point is that although I am ecstatic to begin another chapter in my life, I'm going to miss it here. I'm going to miss all the shitty weather, all the black flies, all the chosspiles. I'm going to miss fall conditions too, and the amazing people I've met.

But now I suppose I've gotten off track a bit from my intentions for this post. This past weekend, Tyler and I arranged to go to McKenzie Pond. Followers of this blog know that McKenzie has always been one of my  favorite Adirondack haunts, and my friends know that I've had a mild obsession with one particular problem there...

The past few years, battling awful Summer temps and a severe mental block, I have been working Flux Capacitor - V8. Excellent weather and a longing to climb on the giant glacial erratics drew me back to the pond, and upon waking quickly and pleasantly at 7:00am, I knew the day would hold great things (I rarely wake pleasantly, especially at seven in the morning).

On the drive up, I spoke with Tyler about the future a bit. Tyler is due for quite a bit of change himself as he is getting married soon, and moving to Massachusetts. Due to the timing of things, Tyler will return to Mass. from his travels just in time for me to depart for Boulder, and that sucks. I suddenly understood that this trip may be one of the last times him and I get to climb together. Silently, we let this notion settle in, not letting it ruin our psyche and instead turning into even more reason to make the day awesome.

And it was. An hour into the day, I found myself sitting on top of Flux Capacitor. I was hot, spent, bleeding from three fingers and experiencing something I hadn't felt yet in climbing. I spent more time projecting Flux than any other boulder problem in my career as a climber, and to finally have the days of hard work behind me... well, it felt good, to say the least. I took it all in for a few minutes on top of that boulder, I thought hard about where my life was going, and what would be happening in the next few months. The notion of being completely displaced is intimidating and jarring, but exciting as well, and I can happily say that I have no idea where I'll go or what will happen.

Here are some pictures from the past few weeks.
Thanks, as always, for reading.

French Canadian friend entering the top, V4 section of Flux Capacitor - V8

JP on the crux move.

Sticking the crimp.

Squeezing on Slobodon - V5

Not the best terrain for a new pair of dragons...

Checking out the battle scars from Flux

 Paid a short visit to Rumney with Jaysen, Ryan and Casey, a new friend from the gym. It was certainly a humbling experience, but I walked away with a better head and understanding of roped climbing, and the confidence to continue trying to build my endurance.

Shaking out on the crux holds of Waimea - 5.10d

Ryan styling the massive layback flake on The Man with a Hueco in his Tights - 5.11b

Jaysen, chillin' hard between burns.

-WB

Three from Hogwarts

The first video is of the following problems:

The Goblet of Fire - V7 (FA)
The Seeker - V6
The Sorcerer's Stone - V9 (FA)

iMovie messed up the quality a lot (and was an overall nightmare to work with) but fear not! Soon, my friends, quality footage will run free throughout this blog.

The second is a FULL QUALITY (1080p DESTINY) video of Murph on the FA of Snitch - V8.

In other news, I take my road test on FRIDAY.

Free at last! Free at last!

-WB

The Dark Lord has Returned! Hogwarts is No Longer Safe!

He-who-shall-not-be-named topping out a new, incredible V7.

News from the Pottersville spot is grim this week. Several verified reports have confirmed that he-who-shall-not-be-named has returned to Hogwarts! Yes, the Dark Lord himself arrived in the forest last Sunday,  taking with him on his visit the elusive and prized Sorcerers Stone Project. As well as the Golden Snitch and a few other problems that had remained uncleaned and unclimbed until his evil brushes and chalk met their sculpted holds.

Eyewitnesses captured pictures and videos of this horrible event. Despite his return, Dumbledore refuses to cancel classes for this year, stating that there are still several gems to be picked from the mess of boulders... and perhaps some incredible destiny hidden deep in that forest... only time will tell.

The List of Problems at Hogwarts so far is as follows:
*bold problems are of particular quality

Hagrid - V2
Delicate moves up a dirty, mossy slab. Fun, but needs a bit more cleaning.


The Deathly Hallows - V6
SDS just right of Goblet on a left hand sidepull and right hand sloping edge, move up through sculpted crimps and slopers to a top-out directly above.

The Goblet of Fire - V6
SDS left of Hallows, just around the corner from Sorcerer's Stone. Dynamic moves straight up through perfect, textured slopers lead to an amazing finish directly above and left.

The Sorcerer's Stone - V9
Stand start at patina jug on the obvious, tallest face of the boulder. Move right and straight up through sidepulls and crimps. Burly!

Sorting Hat - V1
A fun, delicate arete behind Sorcerer's Stone.

Degnoming - V4

Dirty Thirty - V8
Above and right of the Stone, but below Truffle Shuffle. Look for a low roof with blocky sidepulls. Compression climbing using the arete and these sidepulls brings you to the lip and a tricky top-out. Photos here.

Truffle Shuffle - V5
SDS with right hand on the right sloping arete and left hand on sidepulls on the face. Quality.

Squibs Stand - V3
A great warm-up. Stand start at obvious jug at about head height. Move directly up and left to a sick mantle press top-out.

Squibs - V6
Squat down in the roof with hands in the jug slot and a thin undercling. Utilizing a key heel, make powerful, dynamic moves out the roof and finish as Squibs.

Squibs Right - V8/9
Start as for Squibs, but after reaching the jug, make a big move out right to the sloping gaston rail. Finish above the stepped landing.

Unknown
Facing Squibs, go left around the corner until your are facing a right-rising sloping lip with crimps in a thin seam at head height. Starting on the large, left-most sloper, traverse the lip.

The Golden Snitch - V8
Crimpy! SDS with hands on right-rising crimp seem. The flake is on for feet. Lock off moves through crimps lead to a delicate top-out.

The Seeker - V5/6
Starting with right hand on a thin pinch below the obvious large pinch, and right hand on the large sidepull, work your way directly up.

Nimbus 2000 - V6/7
SDS at right rising crimp seem. Thin moves up the right side of The Seeker follow.

Dementor - V6
SDS with hands on shallow crimps, move left towards the obvious rail and up to the infamous smile. Utilize the arete to reach the top.

The Hills Have Eyes - V5
Walking up and left from dementor, look for a prominent blocky overhang perched upon a smaller boulder, start sitting on this boulder and make fun compression moves out the overhang to a dicey and a bit dirty top-out. Quality line, needs a bit more love.

The Dark Lord using some black magic to de-moss some rocks.

Sussing out beta on Sorcerer's Stone - V9

Ben Horgen tries to steal the Sorcerer's Stone

The Dark Lord and his evil grin show NO MERCY

On the FA of Sorcerer's Stone

The Dark Lord chillin' with his friend the Dementor - V6

The life-sucking crimps of the Dementor

Will his reign ever end!? Will he leave any boulders for the rest of us!? Will this Hogwarts joke thing ever stop being funny!? WHO KNOWS!!!!!!

Video by the end of this weekend featuring Murph on The Goblet of Fire, The Seeker, The Golden Snitch, and Sorcerer's Stone.

-WB