Enlightened Chuffer

Career Ender

2010-04-17T00:10:00.002-06:00

March 7, 2010: Justin Jaeger on Career Ender in The Amphitheater, Flagstaff Mountain. Although Mongolian Cosmonaut, Overhanging Hand Traverse, Gill Direct and Sandpaper Ledge get all the attention and traffic on the front side of the Amphitheater, there is another nice problem that gets almost no traffic. JJ made the topout more complicated than necessary on this moist morning, but who am I to tell him? The name for this one scares most folks away, but the real nightmare in this area is Jonathan Thesenga's problem Deathfuck 5000 that starts and climbs straight up a few feet to the left.

pleasant surprise

2010-03-26T05:03:00.003-06:00

March 17, 2010: Daniel Woods almost resurrecting what remains of Skip Guerin's Direct Just Right. Formerly V9 and thought to have been repeated by only Ben Moon before breaking, the sit-start to Holloway's classic Just Right has eluded the grasp of some big guns since the mid 1990's when a couple of flakes/edges above the sloper rail broke. A lot of sequences have been tried since then, but Daniel has cracked the code ... doing all the moves and doing the problem in two pieces. All that is left is linking it. As for how hard this newer version of Direct Just Right will be, let's just say I noted that he could not do THE MOVE on command in isolation last week and when probed, Daniel commented it's got to be the hardest problem on Flagstaff Mountain. Since he's done Trice V12 and Epochalypse V13, that gives you an idea what we're talking about. Fresh off recent sends of Hueco Tanks' Terremer V15 and Desperanza V15 (FA) and Boulder Canyon's The Game V16 (FA), DW may be the strongest climber on the planet right now, so one inevitably has to wonder where this one will end up in the grand scheme of things. Daniel is moving into a place in Boulder this week, so Flagstaff Mountain will be ultra-convenient for him. Keep your eyes open on Flag, history may be happening ...

traverses

2010-03-21T14:36:00.003-06:00

January 26, 2010: Ken "Old Man" Gibson on Skunk Rub Traverse, Carter Lake, CO. If you know me, you know that I generally dislike traverses, with lip traverses receiving a special level of disdain. Maybe it was my year away from climbing that has softened my stance on this issue, but I've decided to be open to climbing traverses again - if nothing else - for the fitness benefits. Carter Lake is not known for it's traverses, but the Skunk Rub Traverse along with Sgt. Woody's Traverse and Traverse do Jour are nice ones.

Also, I'm back in CO. I just couldn't stay away for long. It was a long year on the East Coast, with too much working and too little climbing. I'm trying to rectify that, but being in the worst shape of my life is a long process to come back from. Slowly, but surely.

Changes

2009-10-30T17:43:00.031-06:00

September 25, 2009: Kevin Cropp on nice and tall warmup on the Black Slab Boulder at Rumbling Bald. Kevin was scheduled to have his osteoarthritic elbow cleaned out yesterday in an almost unbelievable surgery called the Outerbridge-Kashiwagi Procedure (OK-Procedure) where they open your arm up from your tricep to your forearm and clean the whole freakin' thing up (glass, bone spurs, etc.). Unfortunately, as the docs attempted to gave him his nerve block, they also punctured his lung upon which he developed a pneumothorax and his condition spiraled. His lung collapsed a second time 2 days later. Heal up strong my man and goodluck with the surgery next time!

In other - and better - news, I'm returning to Colorado soon!

More bad news from China

2009-06-08T20:50:00.006-06:00

It's been ruminated over a million times ... climbing is both meaningless, yet so fulfilling. It is a hobby, a pasttime, a pursuit, a lifestyle. Your best friends are climbers, your vacations are planned around or involving climbing, treks to visit friends and family are coordinated with quick visits to out-of-the-way crags, we try to live close to good climbing, etc. Somehow, Wade Johnson's parents understood this and found the words to express it. Behold:

As parents, we are devastated by the loss of our son Wade. Our grief is profound as the reality of his loss sweeps over us. Yet he was a boundless joy for us as his parents. We are comforted by the fact that Wade lived and died doing the things that he loved. It has been transformative to experience the out pouring of support and love from literally all corners of the world. Every request for assistance from friends, colleagues, business associates, and government officials from both the U.S. and Chinese was granted. We are amazed by the number of people Wade touched in his too short life. But the reciprocal is true – many wonderful people touched and formed him into the summit-seeker that he was. Key among those who shaped Wade was his older sister, Kara, who influenced him in countless ways to become the well rounded man he was. Wade’s life may have been short, but it was a life that was lived to the fullest. It was filled with fun, adventure, excitement and love. Some say that the loss of a child is the worst thing that can happen to parents. But Wade’s death was not the worst thing that could happen. The worst thing would have been if he died because of anger or hurt. He died as all should live – with joy, purpose and meaning. Our hearts go out to the friends and families of Micah Dash and Jonny Copp. We want to specially thank Senator Amy Klobuchar and her staff, Terry Carlson, Robb Shurr and the wonderful people at Sender Films. As Wade’s parents, we were already prepared to pass Wade on to the people who were to be foremost in his future, his best friend Greg Larsen and his soul-mate and true love, Erin Addison. Their loss is the greatest.For the media in general: As a family, we would prefer not to meet with or be interviewed by reporters at this time. We are sure that you can understand that this is an unusually challenging time for us given the complicated nature of the circumstances surrounding Wade’s death.

—Bruce and Susan Johnson

CO dreamin' ...

2008-12-04T22:45:00.008-07:00

My last FA in the Mount Evans Wilderness Area for awhile.

September 6, 2008: Me on the FA of Bridge Builders, Mount Evans Wilderness Area. After rebuilding the bridge crossing to Area A in August, situner, SNeel, TJ, Cam, the Old Man and myself dragged ass up to Area C. This fun, tension-rich and moderate arete is located about 100 feet from The Headache. Fun for warming up, warming down or clearing your foggy oxygen-deprived head. Lots of rain my first two months in DC has put the kabosh on most of my climbing forays. I'll try again this weekend. Of course, it looks like I could be back in CO in a couple years, so enough with the drama queen weather-related bitchin'.

Hound Ears excursion

2008-11-23T22:08:00.004-07:00

So I made an effort to go climbing a couple weeks back. My good friend Kevin rented his wife's family's cabin for a 3-day weekend and we chilled out BIG TIME. Unfortunately, it was cold and rainy most of the weekend, so my climbing time was limited. We watched movies, made great dinners, had some drinks, hung out in Boone and walked his cool Chesapeake Retriever a lot around Hound Ears. We drove around between Banner Elk, Boone, Blowing Rock, Grandmother and Grandfather Mountain, trying to get my bearings. Getting used to the disorienting nature of windy roads in the smaller mountains of the East again won't be easy.

...

I did get to finally climb on Sunday although it was a whopping 27 degrees when I got out of the car at the Hound Ears garden dedicated just after the Triple Crown Event held there a few weeks back. I'm not sure how many resident/property owners in Hounds Ears will ever know about the climbing community's contribution, but there is a engraved tombstone-looking plaque commemorating the event. I managed to do 4 moderate problems on one block before the bone-chilling humid coldness got the best of me.

...

If you haven't been there, the rock at Hound Ears looks like eastern granite, but it's really quartzite. Think Skyland with a bit of Ibex/Black Hills quality friction, and you've got it. The bouldering area is a small tightly-knit boulderfield at the top of the Hound Ears enclave. Most of the landings are decent. There is a selection of short, medium and highball problems. One resource I saw says there are 200 problems, but on first glance that appears to be overstating it. From what I saw, something closer to 100 decent lines and variations appears like a reasonable assessment. I look to forward to getting back soon to sample more of the goods.

...
Unfortunately, I took no pictures all weekend. The rain, the cold, the 6 hour drives to & fro, blah blah blah ...

the next President of the USA

2008-11-03T22:59:00.003-07:00

It is time for REAL change. It is time for every American to have REAL access to health care. It is time for the securities, financial, insurance, mortgage and investment banking industries to be subject to REAL regulations again. It is time for American corporations to be encouraged to keep REAL jobs for American workers in America. It is time for capital gains to be taxed again. They are REAL income you know? A small shift in our progressive tax policy is not socialism, communism or anything else the GOP would have you believe. It is time for energy companies to further develop and invest in clean fuel technologies as well as wind, solar and nuclear power. It is time for this war in Iraq that costs $3 billion per week to end. We've spent more than a trillion dollars in Iraq. That is more than enough. It way past time that we turned our attention to hunting down OBL and his lieutenants. It is time for the division between races in this country to heal once and for all. It is time for change in Washington and in the United States of America.

This is going to be a landslide. WOOT WOOT!

Farewell Colorado ...

2008-10-21T00:03:00.003-06:00

I leave today for a fresh start in Virginia. Thanks for all the memories! To all my friends and family, thanks for your support, love and friendship. It's been a wonderful time in my life. One I will always treasure. This isn't goodbye though, I'll be just down the road checking some East Coast boulders out ... w3rd.

Nine years later

2008-10-12T22:55:00.008-06:00

Thanksgiving Day 1999 ... That's when I arrived in Colorado. Fresh out of law school, I had always wanted to give it a go and try to make Colorado my permanent home. Let's back up though:

...

My entire life has been one giant relocation project. Growing up in a military family and continuing this same nomadic lifestyle, I have lived all over the country, spending time in Arkansas, California (2X), Colorado (3X), Michigan, North Carolina (2X), Ohio and Texas. In 12 days, I will need to add Virginia to the above list, as I will be leaving Colorado for a dream job, one I started thinking about in 1996 as I was finishing up graduate school in Cleveland, applying to law schools and continued to think about and plan for while in law school. The new gig is one that I half-heartedly applied for numerous times over the years since 1998. I say half-heartedly, because - for a devoted climber - living in metropolitan D.C. is far from ideal.

How do I know this? Well, although I've never lived there, for eight years I was a climber in the Eastern time zone. First, between 1989-92, a fledgling chuffer spent 3 years driving from the sandhills of North Carolina to The New River Gorge for climbing adventures. Over the next 5 years in graduate school in Cleveland, I probably spent close to 140 weekends at "The New" making the 5 1/2 hour pilgrimage as often as I possibly could. I never got all that good at sport climbing, as I suffered and still suffer from a lack of slow-twitch muscle fibers that provide the endurance you need to send the long routes at The New. Nevertheless, the friends I climbed with and the adventures we had at The New remain some of the most memorable of my life.

In 1997, I departed Cleveland, intentionally breaking the rear-view mirror off of my truck on the way out of town in a stupid but symbolic gesture about my disatisfaction with relationships gone awry and the positively-shitty 5-day a week grey skies that messed with my psyche. San Diego promptly cooperated with 170 consecutive rain-free days upon my arrival, which is soooooo important when you're too busy to take full advantage of it - ha! I began my love affair with bouldering in California, although I certainly spent more time sport climbing and doing long trad routes, so I never really emerged from gumby status.

Two years later, as I was about to graduate, my options were essentially unlimited. I had no wife, no girlfriend, a nice resume but no job, the product of a military family who could relocate anywhere, make friends, make climbing friends and enjoy life. I had no constraints. Crash!!! It was at this time that two of the best people that ever graced me with their friendship were in a horrific accident heading back to North Carolina from The New. In short, their Ford Explorer hydroplaned, cartwheeled across the interstate and came to rest upside down. They were OK at this point, but they were sitting in the middle of oncoming traffic and promptly hit by a lady going 70 in a 55 MPH zone being chased by her boyfriend. Jay Binder, M.D.'s last words on this Earth were something to the effect of "it's going to be OK Kevin." Kevin Cropp, the intended recipient of those words, spent close to a year recovering from the physical effects of this devastating accident. Twenty-six broken bones, 3 fused vertebrae, too many surgeries to count later, he did recover and climb again ... often doing long approaches in cowboy boots or heavy leather mountaineering boots to the dismay of everyone present.

Those who know me understand what I did next and why. Shortly thereafter, I graduated and promptly moved to Colorado. I wanted to be close to the mountains and the rocks I like to climb. I wanted the weather to be cooperative most of the time. I wanted to work-to-live, not live-to-work. I wanted climbing/hiking/biking to be a part of my daily life, not an escape reserved for weekends at the end of long drives and return trips that nobody enjoys. Colorado has provided that, although less so over the last couple years as the viability of my insurance company went south with the real estate market and I had to work 2 or 3 jobs just to pay the bills. Before that however, I had plenty of time to become an avid and devoted boulderer. Now, I pretty much only pull out a rope and harness when it's time to clean and rehearse a tall boulder problem. In Colorado, I also found a woman that adores me through thick and thin and I have forged dozens of lasting friendships with like-minded folks.

Accepting this new job will be one of the most bittersweet experience in my life. This job has everything you want in a quality-of-life work environment, allowing me to fully use my scientific background, legal education and challenge myself. Time off, decent pay, federal pension, federal benefits, flex schedules, telecommuting, opportunities to advance, financial incentives for quality work and extra work, etc., etc., etc. The list literally goes on and on. That said, I will always think of Colorado as home. I hate sayings, but they say "home is where the heart is." I must have left mine here during one of about a dozen ski vacations my family took here when I was a kid. Without saying anything about the climbing, it was here that I was introduced to the music of John Denver in 1974. In 1976 and 1978, I saw the legendary Olympic Silver Medalist Billy Kid a couple times while skiing down Heavenly Days (at Steamboat), one of the most magical moderate runs in America. Colorado is where I've been awestruck by sunsets on the Western Slope and the Front Range, enjoyed some of the best single-track riding in America (Roaring Fork Valley) and learned to appreciate an occasional quiet walk with my wife (of course with the binoculars and bird identification book handy). It's where I began climbing in 1989 and learned to appreciate the subtle satisfaction and challenges that moving over stone provides. It's where my mind was opened at a Ziggy Marley/Neville Brothers concert at Red Rocks in 1989 and more recently, rewired, leaving the conservative beliefs and opinions of my parents behind. Go Barack!

So after 9 years, I'm relocating to Northern Virginia, a stones throw from the metrorail into D.C. It's gonna be more diverse. It's going to be crowded. There will be nothing even close to Red Rocks Amphitheater for a Widespread show. There won't be any decent rock within 2 hours. I will have to climb in a gym to stay fit. Parking anything anywhere will suck the big one. I will daydream about quick jaunts up to Flag and the Flatirons. I will long for big days at Evans. I will miss the quality of the stone and the independence of the lines in the Poudre, Eldo and Redcliff. But most of all I will miss my friends and our ability to get out and enjoy each other, if only for a few hours or days a year. Although I've always been blessed with great friends regardless where I've lived, my connection with many of you here on the Front Range of Colorado will be a lasting one that I carry with me. I look forward to hooking up with many of you fools soon, whether it's here or back East on some of the less-prestigious but awesome sandstone.

My wife will be here in Colorado for at least 7 more months, so I plan on spending a lot of that time traveling East Coast weekend-warrior style to bouldering destinations in VA, PA, NC, TN, WV and NY ... getting my bearings and soaking up as much beta as I can absorb. Maybe one of these days I'll be able to show you guys the goods at some of the following locales ... Cooper's, Haycock, Rumbling Bald, 221, Asheboro, Grandmother, Lilly, Gunks, etc.

Thanks for your friendships. You know who you are. Your energy, motivation and psyche has helped me weather some tough times over the past couple years. Hope to see you all soon.

Until then, see you on the intardweb.

-chuffer

Bouldering CO - the worst guidebook in the world

2008-10-03T23:37:00.006-06:00

There are errors of every shape and kind on essentially EVERY page of this atrocity. The author talked to essentially no developers over the years, chose to rename and grade problems and boulders whatever he liked, ignored the precarious issues that jeapordize access to alpine areas, provided descriptions of boulders and problems that are ON private property, provided descriptions of areas that no longer exist (dynamited 7 years ago), etc. The list goes on and on ... I couldn't make this stuff up.

I don't want to sound like an elitest here, but buy and carry this paperweight around at your own peril. You and Bob will be laughed at again and again. Trust in knowing you will be armed with misinformation of the highest order and the most unhelpful guidebook ever to grace the shelves of any climbing shop. A lot of us tried to get Falcon to reconsider publishing it in it's current format, to no avail.

I wish I didn't feel compelled to write this as I am not usually of the anti-guidebook ilk, but I did.

Continue to share good information and history with friends. If you know an area's history and problems really well, put it up on the web for free.

Peace.

Evans & it's moderates

2008-09-12T00:34:00.013-06:00

Add another to the list (see below)!!!

August 26, 2008: Ken Gibson on The Headache, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. And boy did the Old Man have a headache 2 hours before this picture was taken. After our bridge building exercise at Area A and our hike up to C, we all split up. Ken and I didn't feel all that great and priority #1 was getting out of the fucking talus. After eating and drinking Red Bulls, we warmed up on another problem, then we pulled this one down ... Ken actually did it 3 times for fun, a strong indicator of how GOOD it is.

MOUNT EVANS BEST MODERATES (V3 and under)

The Warmup Overhang V0, Switchbacks Talus

Timeline V0, Area A

BS Squared V0/1, Area A

The Warmup Arete V1, Switchbacks Talus

The Bisher Dihedral V1, Roadside Boulders

The Ladder V1 sds, Area A

Last of the Ohitians V1, Area A

The Headache V1, Area C

Ben's Arete V1, Aerials

Broken Crystal V2, The Switchbacks

The Roadside Problem V2 sds, Roadside Boulders

The Roadside Warmup V2 sds, Roadside Boulders

Puddle Jumper V2, Area A

Reality Show V2, West Area B

Buddy Swalsack V3, The Switchbacks

Dark Crystal V3, East Area A

The B Seam V3, Area B

The Magic Bean V3, The Aerials

OMG - The Old Man & Red Bull @ Area C

2008-09-06T03:01:00.006-06:00

He crushed it with his bare hands, no less!!!

Willow Crossing / New Bridge to Area A

2008-08-27T19:25:00.007-06:00

It's never been better.

August 26, 2008: By completely removing both old log jams/beaver dams/bridges to Area A in the Mount Evans Wilderness Area AND rebuiding 2 new ones, I'm hopeful this swampy zone will no longer be a bog. By accumulating water and holding it in the area 24 hours a day for 7 months a year after the April thaw, the boggy mess encouraged folks to leave the main social trail in search of dry footing, resulting in a threadwork of exits from the log jam on the far side. No more. Stay on the main social trail as much as possible here and elsewhere in this sensitive area, as this increases our clout with the wilderness rangers as a responsible user group. And yes, the rangers have said so. There is talk of a designated trail to our precious little rocks which would indefinitely preserve access. Take care of this place people. It's one of the country's best bouldering areas. More about this issue and our day can be seen at www.straightintoyerfacelam.blogspot.com/

we've all been there ...

2008-08-21T02:05:00.013-06:00

High up and nowhere to go but UP.

April 21, 2007: Marcelo Montalva on Therapy Traverse, Lower Fern Canyon, Flatirons, CO. Ok, I'll admit I took these pics from too far away. That said, I was still close enough to sense the tension as Marcelo finished the first 30 feet of the "traverse" and began to slide across the sloping lip towards the perceived topout based on our best guess from Horan's Best of Boulder Bouldering guidebook. From the safety of my perch on a distant boulder, I felt bad for Ashley who was spotting the Meat Missile on a 45 degree slope. He was having enough trouble just standing on the hillside, much less spot the Delo effectively. What may surprise you though is that the sports action at the lip encounter scared even the Delo, if only for a moment. In that moment, he had to fully commit, trust his instincts, his balance, his kinesthetic awareness and to make smart movements that minimized his risk. He uncomfortably had nothing to actually crimp or pull on, just slopers to push down on, miles of air underneath him, a bad landing with a few pads that would have done very little IF he even hit them. The whole thing was a bad idea, but MM worked it out. Like I said, we've all been there ...

it's been awhile ... miss me?

2008-08-20T01:04:00.014-06:00

I've been a little busy with the other blog and hooking up some new employment.

March 26, 2008: SNeel & Andy Raether on Dogwalker and Skywalker, respectively. I'm still taking photos, although most of them have been for the Flagstaff Mountain blog-guide. Nevertheless, I did make a quick trip this spring to check out the Walker Ranch stuff and, although limited, it did not disappoint. Of note, the rock on the Burnout Block looks and feels incredible.

My e-mail to Falcon Guides

2008-08-04T11:12:00.007-06:00

"Dear Sir/Madam –

Your company is preparing to release Bob Horan’s “Bouldering Colorado”, a guidebook aiming to more comprehensively cover the outstanding bouldering opportunities found throughout Colorado. While I applaud the idea, it is with great disappointment that I learned that any of the bouldering contained in The Mount Evans Wilderness Area will be included and I hope Falcon will consider removing the section covering Mount Evans’ Area A or any other area located within the Wilderness Area.

Wilderness Areas are secluded spots, miles from roads and development of any kind. They are a place people go to get away, to enjoy the grandeur of the wild, which isn’t easy to do these days. In addition, the Northern Colorado Climbing Coalition has determined that officials for the management agencies in the Mount Evans drainage were not informed, consulted with or otherwise told of the upcoming guidebook’s release. Finally, access to the bouldering opportunities around Mount Evans is tenuous at best at this time. Local climbers are in the process of building relationships with the aforementioned land managers and release of this guidebook may irreparably damage those efforts. In addition, officials for the Wilderness Area are currently assessing spots already suffering climbing-associated impacts in an effort to get ahead of the curve and begin to assess ways we may give of our time to mitigate and/or reduce those impacts.

According to language contained within The Wilderness Act of 1964, Wilderness Areas “… shall be administered for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such manner that will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness, and so as to provide for the protection of these areas, the preservation of their wilderness character, and for the gathering and dissemination of information regarding their use and enjoyment as wilderness.” Recreation in Wilderness Areas is expected to be wild and dispersed. Release of this guidebook will certainly increase the total number of climber-days spent inside the boundaries of the Mount Evans Wilderness Area. More climber-days each season means more impacts. With a little logic, it’s easy to see that that more impacts means more administration by officials charged with managing the Mount Evans Wilderness Area.

I have spent close to 100 days inside the boundaries of the Mount Evans Wilderness Area - all without a guide - enjoying the bouldering opportunities that exist within its confines. A guide is unnecessary and by bringing more climbers, who will spent time hunting for the areas and problems not covered by Horan’s guide, social trails and other impacts will multiply.

At a minimum, please consider postponing inclusion of any bouldering found within the confines of the Mount Evans Wilderness Area until a later date. The other major publishers (Sharp End & Wolverine) have responsibly passed on their inclusion in upcoming guidebooks and responsible boulderers hope Falcon will do the same. It is the only choice, as closure of the bouldering areas within The Mount Evans Wilderness Area may be the unacceptable consequence of releasing Bouldering Colorado in its current form.

Warm regards,

Chip Phillips

the other blog is like my mistress

2008-03-18T01:57:00.040-06:00

515 problems now up ... ~285 to go.

http://www.flagstaffmountainbouldering.blogspot.com/

it's official: I'm a crusty old chuffer

2008-01-21T05:22:00.000-07:00

40 years young and proud owner of a new TOY.

Thanks for coming over to celebrate my 40th trip around Soleil, otherwise known as our Sun. I suspected Jen might be up to something, but nothing anyone did spoiled the surprise. Jen sends extra special thanks out to The Delo, Fi, Lori, Jennifire and anyone else who helped her out with the final preparations. Jen commented last night after several years of getting to know most of you guys/gals that she has finally begun to understand that part of the allure of rock climbing is the quality of the friendships you develop. She also said that - climbing aside - it is obvious that we genuinely enjoy each other's company. I suspect this is one of the reasons many of us are DRAWN to bouldering and it's social nature. Anyway, thanks for making it an awesome and very memorable birfday!!! You guys rock.

afternoons on Flag

2007-12-28T23:15:00.001-07:00

It won't be long.

June 22, 2006 & March 5, 2006: Scott Neel & Justin Jaeger on The Face & The Rib, respectively, 3 of a Kind Wall, Flagstaff Mountain, CO. I've been finally working to get my guide to Flagstaff Mountain bouldering online a lot recently, so thought I would put a couple Flag problems up. Right next to each other, one is a well-known classic and one is a Greg Johnson nightmare done only a few times by a few folks. Both are classic examples of highball Flagstaff. If you want to check out what I've put online so far, check it out ...

www.flagstaffmountainbouldering.blogspot.com/

oft-photographed classics vol. II

2007-12-19T01:47:00.000-07:00

37 seconds dancing in the shadows.

October 30, 2007: Ken Gibson on Short Chubby Demon, Poudre Canyon, CO. Just another Poudre classic the Old Man has on lockdown, SCD possesses impeccable granite and is considered one of the best for the grade in Colorado. If it were only taller ...

I want you ...

2007-11-21T01:42:00.000-07:00

... to show me the way.

November 18, 2007: Matthew Karasik on the presumed FA of Smokejumper, Sinus Block, Eldorado Canyon State Park, CO. We've been eyeing this one for years, looking for traces of chalk/cleaned holds and inspecting the topout. We've also asked almost everyone we can think of. Nope. Nope! Nope. NOPE!!! Well, Matty finally and properly cleaned the topout and last Sunday we had an appointment with this problem in perfect early morning conditions. It was initially frustrating determining the sequence, as we got sidetracked away from the proper beta again and again. Thanks for showing me the way Matty. Your beta was ALMOST perfect.

Trice B2+

2007-11-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

B3 is overrated anyway.

November 14, 2007: Jamie Emerson on Jim Holloway's Trice, Cloudshadow Wall, Flagstaff Mountain, CO. Very cool and inspiring evening and a nice way to start off your roadtrip JE!

A few thoughts: Both Jamie Emerson and Carlo Traversi topped it out last night under perfect conditions in the 4 o'clock hour. It was Carlo's 7th day on the problem and it was about Jamie's 10th. Both documented their sends with video and you can see them front and center at http://www.b3bouldering.com/ and http://www.climbingbum.blogspot.com/ right now. Impressive work was put in by P-Rob as well, who looked poised to send Trice on what I believe was his 2nd day on the problem, but just didn't quite stick the crux move amongst all the chaos going on around him. In addition, P-Rob did all but the uninspiring topout on AKR on his first try (dropping from the jug). Had you tried this before Paul, as that certainly would have been a nice flash? Both Carlo and Jamie used the high perching toe on Trice to make the crux reach to the bad crimp. For now, both rated it 8a+ (or V12 for those of you who refuse to become part of the http://www.8a.nu/ community or learn the Font System), but that's surely only under ideal conditions for folks who have spent some time learning the moves and how to properly grip the pocket, perch on the toe and snag the bad edge. Whatever the grade, it's been fun to witness a little of Colorado's history being rewritten and - from what I've been told - Jim is psyched that some folks are finding some merit in his historical testpieces. So ... there I was at Cloudshadow Wall when two people did Trice, another got close, CG rolled up with his dogs as the light was fading and Jim Holloway was on the phone to clarify the starting holds. All in all, a normal day in Boulder Colorado. Andy Mann will probably have some better pics up in the next few days at http://www.dropkneeclimbing.blogspot.com/, but I thought i would go ahead and put some of my thoughts out there.

And a couple more: Certainly not meaning to start anything, but as usual with historical lines with confusing histories about where they start, finish, climb, what's on and off, etc. ... there was a small issue as Carlo started on the LH sidepull + RH crimp next to it (as opposed to starting with your RH on the lower undercling). I just missed the send, but apparently he was late for something and had to cruise out of there in a hurry and I did not get a chance to ask him about it. The first move certainly isn't the crux, so in the end it probably doesn't matter anyway. Carlo has some interesting thoughts about his future plans up on his aforementioned blog. I do wonder if he'll come back to try Trice from the LH sidepull + RH undercling that Jim Holloway again informed us tonight he started on, or ... hell, start with a double undercling. I know we all climb for the fun of it and have our own motivations, but with a problem with a long and sorted history like Trice, I felt it was worth at least bringing up. Peace to all.

to dyno or not to dyno ...

2007-11-14T01:26:00.000-07:00

This is not a question.

March 25, 2007: Scott Neel and Alden Short on Sir Arthur's Lunge and "Sir Arthur's Gastons", Arthur's Rock, Lory State Park, CO. Not sure which way is easier or harder, but the static version avoids the 6.5' foot dyno via a long surf move from a good but slick gaston to a thin gaston in a seam and a bit of a bump to the top. Both ways are an interesting challenge worth trying on your way up to the classics.

long time comin'

2007-11-13T02:55:00.000-07:00

The send and the overdue photosequence.

March 25, 2007: Justin Jaeger on Childbirth, Arthur's Rock, Lory State Park, CO. I was there the first time JJ looked at and briefly tried this problem in 2002. I'm pretty sure he'd been daydreaming about Childbirth ever since. To satiate those demons, we finally got back with the appropriate number of pads, nice temps and a psyched crew this past March. Four tries later, he was standing on top of a problem that sat near the top of his ticklist for close to 5 years. Noice jorb there sockhands! Sorry for the delay in this post JJ, but believe it or not it was very hard to narrow the photosequence down to 9 shots from the 40+ I took that day. On the other hand, I'm sure there are some uber-camera snobs out there who think I posted 9 shots too many. Oh well.

3rd ascent of A.K.R.

2007-11-07T02:49:00.000-07:00

Trice's evil twin.

November 5, 2007: Jamie Emerson on A.K.R., Flagstaff Mountain, CO. Karn ... Moon ... Emerson. That's a pretty nice list to be on 19 years after the FA. Good on ya!!! Now let's get back up there and seal the rest of the deal. More soon.

still B3 ...

2007-11-06T01:31:00.001-07:00

... these things take time.

November 5, 2007: Jamie Emerson on Trice, Cloudshadow Wall, Flagstaff Mountain, CO. His best day yet on Trice. He gave it 8-10 tries from the start after taking 2 days off. Temps started in the lower 40's and ended in the 30's, so it was perfect. Four of his 10 tries were really good goes. On three of them, his left foot excused itself prematurely as he reached for or tried to grab the edge. The other time it stayed ... but he came up JUST short (see above photo). He's pysched. He seems really psyched. Jamie then switched it up - going left hand into the shallow pocket - and nabbed what is thought to be the 3rd ascent of Jim Karn's AKR. Established in 1988, only Ben Moon is thought to have previously repeated it, doing so during his Colorado visit in the early 1990's. AKR took Jamie all of 30 minutes and he figures V11. We all know what's next. Stay tuned.

exacting revenge ...

2007-11-05T15:19:00.000-07:00

... so sweet.

September 9, 2007: Me on Tendon Productions, Mount Evans Wilderness Area. This problem is one of the first you will come to when approaching the Aerials. I've had to live with the memory of flaming out at the topout 3 seasons ago, mostly because I was totally throttled from from the hike in. I remember JJ and I being infinitely psyched that day. It was no different a few weeks ago when Matty K and I made an end of the season trip and I was able to put this one away. Thanks for taking the photos Matty!!!

refining beta with help

2007-11-01T23:17:00.000-06:00

Do not doubt the value of taking weight while working things out.

November 1, 2007: Jamie Emerson (with a little assistance from Angie) on Trice, Cloud Shadow Wall, Flagstaff Mountain, CO. Shortly after Jamie utilized Angie's weight-bearing services to help him efficiently refine his beta, I watched Jamie do all the moves on Trice, a problem that has sat unrepeated for 32 years. He has 2 1/2 weeks before he leaves on a 6 month roadtrip. He looks really fit and seems really motivated to do it, so everybody look the fuck out.

"ready to send"

2007-11-01T05:37:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you just know OR a jedi mind trick?

October 30, 2007: Mike Feinberg on Divergence, 420's Boulders, Poudre Canyon, CO. My introduction to Mike Feinberg was serendipitous. For the umpteenth time, I couldn't locate the obscure problem Green Thumb which is somewhere back near Cloudwalker. Thus, I stumbled back to Divergence trying to come up with an alternative end-of-the-day plan. At this point - and with Pinto's moral support - Mike had refined his beta and I got to witness and shoot a relatively rare ascent of Divergence, a problem that has given many a Poudre regular fits for the 6 years that have elapsed since Solutions introduced us to the problem. NOTE: a useful foothold did break shortly after the filming, at least partially explaining the infrequency. Anyway, once Mike resigned himself to crossover to the gaston undercling and gave it a couple tries, he announced something like he was "ready to send." He then graciously waited for Pinto and I to grab our respective cameras and sent. I must try this "ready to send" approach. "Worked like a charm it did (Yoda-speak)."

P.S. By the way, where the hell is Green Thumb again? Anyone?

the one that got away

2007-10-27T02:18:00.000-06:00

Most of us have our own Canopener.

Sometime in 2002 or 2003: Justin Jaeger on Canopener, Poudre Canyon, CO. He was sooooo close, sooooo many times in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 ... Then he decided the risk to his left knee wasn't worth it and he's pretty much left alone since. I don't blame him. After tearing my LCL in June 2006, I can't even bear to watch folks utilize heel-toe locks or outside edge rockovers. He'll be along any minute now to tell us how Canopener is his favorite problem to explodimicate in his dreams and whatnot, but secretly, deep down, he waits ... Here's to everyone rededicating themselves and finally sending their own Canopener this winter.

going exploring

2007-10-22T20:35:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite parts of the climbing experience.

April 22, 2007: Ken Gibson on Locked and Loaded, Lost Lake, Red Feather Lakes, CO. There is something to be said about not having any specific goals or even an itinerary for the day in our hectic fast-paced lives that are seemingly always packed full of tasks and to-do lists. RFL is a great place to go exploring. There are dozens if not a hundred square miles of virgin rock in and around Red Feather Lakes worthy of exploration. Pretty much walk far enough in any direction once you are in this zone of crags and rock-covered hillsides and valleys and you will find rock worth climbing. You never know what you'll find. We did not find a ton in this zone on this day, but the rock was "choice" and is definitely worthy of further exploration.

current highball project ...

2007-10-16T23:54:00.000-06:00

... minus the rope.

October 11, 2007: Ashley Overton on the Northwest Face of Pumpkin Rock, Flagstaff Mountain, CO. It has been awhile since I've done it, but self-belaying yourself up a line that is just too tall to work from the ground up without a ton of pads is a useful way to find out if you are up for the challenge. In my experience, self-belaying usually adds 2 V grades. Thus, a line should feel much easier once you lose the rope ... provided you are mentally ready as well. I'm not sure why I'm gravitating towards this old aid and toprope route at this time, but my approach on this ~32 to 33 foot problem is pretty straightforward:

1. Inspect and clean it

2. Become familiar with all its useful holds and features

3. Climb it on self-belay, eliminating tangential sequences/moves

4. Start bouldering the first half ... REALLY suss it out

5. Fine tune beta on self-belay until entire sequence is wired

6. Boulder it out when ready BECAUSE it will be fun OR walk away

After spending one day last week exclusively on a fixed line, I jumped on it ropeless a few times yesterday. I cruised to the 20 foot mark without any issues ... but then downclimbed. A couple of insecure moves reside in those last 12-13 feet, so I think I need to spend at least one more day on a rope locking down my beta on the upper half in order to commit and actually enjoy the experience. I will report back soon.

boni amici

2007-10-16T14:10:00.003-06:00

That's latin for "good friends."

July 22, 2007: Matt Karasik on the presumed FA of Boni Amici, Mount Evans, CO. I began eyeing this problem on my first walk through the Switchbacks, but nobody seemed all that interested, so I never stopped. I thought this problem remained unclimbed until this past summer. I'm not sure why it didn't get more traffic, as it looks good and climbs well and starts off the social trail. A few folks might have passed on it because it looks easier than it is. Surprisingly, it has no easy moves. Anyway, Matty K liked the look of it and I was happy to show it to him and have him get the presumed FA a session before me. Good jorb dood!

POSTSCRIPT

Per Jason Tarry, Matty's FA was a sds to an established stand-up problem put up by Jeremy Bisher ... K9 Love.

focusing your efforts with limited time

2007-09-13T18:24:00.000-06:00

You aren't going to do many satisfying lines at an area if you don't put in a little time.

March 25, 2007: Matt Karasik warming up on Big Ball Sports Arete, Arthur's Rock, Lory State Park, CO. Arthur's is home to a nice concentration of really good problems in the V4 to V8 range. There are a few harder lines ... for example: Vice, 4 Dollar Arete and The Blue Streak all look very worthwhile, but the vast majority of the brilliant problems like Voodoo Lady, Big Ball Sports, Sir Arthur's Lunge, Godzilla, Mainstreet, Last Resort, Clutch, Enchanting Wizard of Rhythm, Syringe, Ode to Failure, Shotput, The Snake and the Skewer, what we call The Icicle, Childbirth, etc. are all close to - if not within - my price range. I've done a few of these, but over the past several years I've only managed to slog up the hill once a year and my ticklist from Arthur's evidences this. This year will hopefully be different. Those of you on my call list, expect to be lobbied hard and often for day trips to Arthur's this fall and winter.

changing seasons: a double edged sword

2007-09-12T17:42:00.000-06:00

The temps are getting good, yet time is running short.

June 25, 2005 and August 19, 2007: Me and TJ Burchfield on a lingering project, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Summer has come and gone. The days are getting shorter. Time is precious. A lot of strong folks will visit this season. It is THAT time. You've had all summer to shed a few pounds off last winter's coat and whip yourself into alpine shape. You've spent the whole summer hiking in 3 or 4 miles at altitude to climb all day. It's time to get serious for a last few sends. The snow will be flying soon. Bring fly-paper finger tips and mad lip-turning skills for this undone gem.

not out of season ... YET

2007-09-11T17:30:00.000-06:00

Hanging on by a thread.

September 9, 2007: Matt Karasik making his first approach to and exit from The Aerials, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. The approach to The Aerials is a little longer this time of year due to the road closure. Fortunately, not much is added in terms of difficulty ... 2 additional miles of relatively flat hiking for a round trip of about 7-8 miles with ~1,500 feet of elevation regained during the exit. The weather threatened at times, but never affected the day. If your climbing experience is about more than just climbing, this place is definitely special.

slappin' slopas

2007-09-07T17:19:00.001-06:00

So fun.

July 24, 2007: Jason Tarry on Lip Trick, Mount Evans, CO. What boulderer doesn't like campusing up to and furiously slapping their entire hand down onto a distant/not-so-distant sloper? Nobody I tell you and anyone who says so is lying. Are we all closet-masochists?

all your battery are choss

2007-09-05T19:48:00.000-06:00

All two of the photos taken this day are in this post.

September 2, 2007: Me on Sidecar Left, Pierson Park, CO. So, there I was ... warming up on the stellar moderates The Sidecar is adorned with. I pulled the camera out, handed it to Jen and asked her to "just start snapping photos." Within 30 seconds, I heard the familiar ... vzzzzzzzrrrrrmmm. The trick with rechargeable batteries is actually remembering to charge them. Instead of having to take of bunch of photos, Jen happily returned to reading her book. Instead of trying to take get decent shots, I could commence with "sending the sidecar." More photos next time ... maybe.

moisture ... friend or enemy?

2007-09-04T20:01:00.000-06:00

A little bit of both.

August 19, 2007: TJ Burchfield on The B Seam, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. TJ was all set to flash this gem of a line UNTIL he hit a seeping often-wet spot that stopped him dead in his tracks. We frustratingly tried to dry the hold to no avail (although TJ returned a week later to find it dry and sent). Obviously, we want dry conditions and low humidity when we're out at the boulders and it's frustrating when it's not PERFECT, but next time it starts raining or snowing (or a problem is seeping), remember that without the water ... our precious little boulders would not exist. In our obsession to send, it seems we sometimes forget that water is responsible for the carving of mountains, gorges and canyons, the erosion of hillsides, the fracturing of cliffs and the release of portions of those cliffs into free-standing boulders and talus fields. And don't forget about the creation of cracks and pockets of every shape and size, the shaping, reshaping and eventual breaking of every hold and feature we use when climbing as well as the one's we don't use. Of course, now that I've given this lecture, I will be the first one to look skywards the next time it rains and scream "WHY NOW DAMNIT???!!!11!!!?"

impurities

2007-08-28T20:01:00.000-06:00

Sometimes variations muddy the waters and other times they are nice additions/distractions.

July 16, 2006: Tony Yao, Seth Sanford and Justin Jaeger during the FA session on Rawhide, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. All Dogs Go to Evans is a fairly obvious line that surfs left along the low arete on the east face of the Seurat Boulder to a jug under the roof, then continues up and left across the face to the apex of the boulder. JJ thought it would be a grand idea to add an alternate finish to ADGTE that pulled onto the slab from the jug, then cruised to the top. It sounded easy enough, but - after spending an hour or more cleaning it up - it turned out to be quite a technical nightmare to turn the lip and establish on the exit slab. And once you've turned the lip, you've still got 15 more feet of thin sketchyness to contend with. Thinking back, this problem throws a lot of monkey business at you and I'm pretty sure JJ sandbagged us with his favorite grade ... V7. Maybe this photosequence will help Rawhide see a few repeats.

midsummer dreams ...

2007-08-27T21:28:00.000-06:00

Projects provide a unique mix of frustration and satisfaction. They are why many of us love climbing the way we do.

June 30, 2007 and July 4, 2007: Eliott Morris on Bierstadt, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Bierstadt is a boulder problem that most of us mortals need to work at. It requires patience, time and dedication to ascertain your beta, because it's technical and everyone seems to climb it a little differently. Although only about 10 moves long, no move is truly easy and a couple of those moves are low-percentage slaps and stabs. It is one of those great problems that never lets up and is "not over 'til it's over." In the first few photos (purple shirt), it was obvious Eliott had already put in some time on the problem. He had the lower section wired. He looked strong and it seemed he would send, but - in typical Bierstadt fashion - the top continued to frustrate him ... eventually wearing him out. Four days later (brown shirt), he dialed in his finishing sequence, but fell off the lip too many times to count. Two days later (no photos), he put it all together. w3rd.

ladies installment numero quatre

2007-08-24T16:14:00.000-06:00

Seeing more ladies cranking at Evans this year = a good thing.

August 19, 2007: Stephanie Marvez on Crossfire, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. When we arrived in Area A after our morning session, 6 of our ladyfriends were getting started on this fun little crimpy line. Before moving on, I snapped a few shots of Stephanie avoiding all 3 of the crossovers used on the FA a few years ago. I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but it's been cool to see so many folks of the female persuasion up there this season pulling down and motivating one another.

unlocking sequences ...

2007-08-21T17:53:00.000-06:00

... occasionally requires whack-assed beta.

August 19, 2007: TJ Burchfield on the FA of Magical Mystery Tour, Mount Evans, CO. One of the joys of the bouldering experience is unlocking sequences, solving cruxy puzzles and figuring out the easiest way to the top, etc. We exhausted lots of other possibilities on this one, then tried the old one-finger one-joint sideways finger lock crossover dyno. There may be other ways to surmount this bulge, but this turned out to be disturbingly fun, far easier than the other possibilities and the send train showed up for us as soon as we tried this ridiculous maneuver.

rest day shenanigans ...

2007-08-14T17:44:00.000-06:00

... it doesn't take much to entertain climbers.

August 11, 2007: The Delo, Situner, K-Diggity, Fi, Kevin and Thomas on the rope swing over Clear Creek in downtown Golden, CO. I needed really good material for my first non-climbing post and this stuff hits the mark. If you venture there, bring your bathing suit, shoes and your climber/farmer tan. Hope for HOT temperatures but expect cold water and you will be rewarded with a few moments of anxiety, terror, laughter, joy, child-like wonder, pure bliss, buffoonery, brilliance, regret and satisfaction all rolled into one great idea for a rest day activity out with friends.

4 & 5 star moderate gems

2007-08-09T19:52:00.000-06:00

Here's pics of one from Evans maybe you haven't seen.

August 5, 2007: Justin Jaeger on Buddy Swalsack, Mount Evans, CO. I suppose moderate means different things to different people, so I've arbitrarily cut this list off at V3. Lots of you have seen pictures of or maybe you've climbed some of these lines which include Dark Crystal, Timeline, The Ladder, BS Squared, Puddle Jumper, Angular Momentum, The Magic Bean, etc., among maybe a few others. Here's another line to add to that exclusive list. The perfect layaways in a crack that narrows to fingers bust out a Yosemite-like overhang, then widen to bomber hands/fists as you turn onto the slab. Unlike anything I've seen anywhere in Colorado, you can definitely add this to my list of 4 & 5 star moderates in the Mount Evans area.

don't make excuses

2007-08-07T01:08:00.000-06:00

Just send.

July 1, 2006: Sander Pick on No More Greener Grass, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. I've heard this referred to as one of Colorado's toughest and best V12s. If not for the one really sharp crimp, it might universally be considered the best. I believe Sander told me he had previously hiked into Evans "about 10 days" in order to put this one together. In fact, he told me NMGG was pretty much the only problem he had climbed at Evans other than The Dali as his "warm-up." Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating on this day and a torrential downpour put a damper on everyone's spirits and slowed the climbing to a crawl. Sander just bided his time rolling smokes while the 3 of us fooled around on a damp Dali.

Nobody else hiked into Evans that day and for 3 to 4 hours, it was downright dismal. The rain did eventually stop and - as the minutes turned into hours - the humidity began to drop. Although the topout remained soaking wet, this was a minor detail in the grand scheme of things. Sander did The Dali to warm-up (maybe twice), brushed the holds under the lip and was ready, just hoping to have to contend with the wet topout when he got there. After 2 tries, it was obvious he was ready to send. I got the camera out in piss-poor lighting conditions, then proceeded to shoot one of the raddest most clutch sends I've ever witnessed. Watching him try to rock over at the lip on wet holds was painful, but he somehow got 'er done under the worst of conditions. He never once cursed the rain or bitched about the conditions. He was there to send, accepted the day's conditions for what they were and made the magic happen in spite of them. Mad props.

stand-up versions of problems

2007-08-02T18:50:00.000-06:00

What's all the fuss about?

August 29, 2004: Scott Hahn on The Hume Problem (stand), Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Usually, problems are originally done from a stand-start, then harder sit-starts are added and people universally agree that there are 2 or more separate, albeit overlapping, problems. The Dali and The Hume Problem, however, were originally done from low sit-starts. As a result, some have reasoned that there is only one problem known as The Dali and The Hume Problem and they begin from a sit on the matched sloper (The Dali) and the undercling (The Hume Problem), respectively.

I understand this point of view, as it raises the question of when do you draw the line on higher starts? Still, I must disagree as long as folks who do the higher and easier starts are not misrepresenting what they did or did not do. In addition, the higher starts on The Dali and The Hume Problem are pretty obvious places to pull on. Most importantly, why should anyone worry at all about what others are doing at the boulders? In the end, issues like: (1) being friendly and respectful to other user groups and land managers; and (2) helping take care of and preserve our wild places seem so much more worthy of our attention and debate.

nemesis problem volume 2

2007-08-01T17:28:00.000-06:00

Before you finish one project, you've got another. Is this a common problem?

July 18, 2007 and July 24, 2007: Andy Mann and Matt Karasik on Carpet Cove, Mount Evans, CO. These are just two of the folks I've tried this Jason Tarry problem with recently and it's so fun. Not sure I'm close to linking but I've done all the moves. Maybe soon. Maybe Sunday. Of course, Jason surprisingly strolled through the other day and managed to repeat it for us with our fully tricked-out beta in about 5 minutes. Inspiring and humbling all rolled into one.

newness in the talus

2007-07-31T18:48:00.000-06:00

There continues to be more to Evans.

July 4, 2007: Eliott Morris on The Gambler, Mount Evans, CO. Bouldering in the talus has never been my favorite, but this line is really nice. Good one Eliott.

evening sessions

2007-07-31T18:14:00.000-06:00

For lots of reasons, I like them alot.

July 28, 2007: Ashley Overton on Blue-Eyed Baby, Mount Evans, CO. As day turns into evening, the temps improve dramatically, the biting bugs go into hiding, everybody else is long gone and you've got the place to yourself. Bring a headlamp.

unknown names ... help

2007-07-30T21:33:00.000-06:00

The people ... not the problems.

June 26, 2004 and September 11, 2004: Unknown #1 on Ben's Arete and Unknown #2 on Random Progression, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. As boulderers, so many folks come and go in this most social of climbing's disciplines. Nevertheless, it's a small circle of folks that we tend to see out there at the boulders, but none of us knows everyone's name. Please respond if you know who these folks are. My memory is apparently going, going, gone.

ladies installment numero trois

2007-07-27T22:46:00.000-06:00

Yep ... the ladies hang out there too.

July 9, 2005: Holly Tarry on Merry Muse, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. I interrupted the privacy of this testosterone-free session just long enough to snap a couple photos of Holly working on this sweet and tricky little line. Epic weekend!

short but still sweet

2007-07-27T22:14:00.000-06:00

Not everything at the Aerials is highball.

July 9, 2005 and June 19, 2005: Sue Scott and myself on Poop Jugs, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. A short but sweet moderate a mere stone's throw from several of the most beautiful highball lines in CO.

ladies installment numero deux

2007-07-25T15:48:00.000-06:00

The ladies try hard too.

July 22, 2007: Stephanie Foster on The Ludders' Pinch, Mount Evans Wilderness Area. As an end of the day afterthought, Steph worked to sort out her beta for this subtle and powerful problem. After multiple good goes from the start, she found herself attempting to sort out the topout on link, got pumped and couldn't get back up there. It's "in the satch" ... next time ... for sure. It also looked like Amy has it in the bag too. Next time ladies ... the story of my life.

wish you were here

2007-07-24T17:02:00.000-06:00

'Twas a glorious 2:00 PM "sunset."

July 22, 2007: Jason Tarry on Sunset, Mount Evans, CO. Another rarely-seen and climbed classic established in the early days by David Ludders. After I spied a possible 2-3 move sds and suggested "JJ will be all over that when he sees it," Jason came down, scrubbed it clean and added the sds first try.

poking around ...

2007-07-20T19:40:00.000-06:00

and still putting up new lines.

July 4, 2007: Eliott Morris on his problem The Flying Dutchman, Mount Evans, CO. Although many, if not most, come to the various areas around Mount Evans to climb/project the 4 and 5 star lines, the regulars are still spending some time poking around putting up problems like this one on impeccable stone.

proof man was meant to climb ... vol. 2

2007-07-19T18:02:00.000-06:00

Yes indeed.

June 24, 2006: Ashley Overton on BS Squared, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Know this ... Ben Scott's Black Streak = Vfun for the whole family.

proof positive that human beings ...

2007-07-19T16:39:00.000-06:00

... were meant to get some air under our feet and feel the unbridaled joy of moving over stone.

June 30, 2007: Eliott Morris on Timeline, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Chuck a lap on this Veasy line and you'll agree. Counterarguments? Pfffffffft ... there are none.

one filmmaker filming another ...

2007-07-18T15:21:00.000-06:00

and another new line at Mount Evans.

June 30, 2007: Charles Fryberger filming Bennett Scott on the FA of Peasants Into Leaders, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. This boulder problem was a 4 year dream of Bennett's to climb. In the last 2 weeks, it's seen a couple of repeats. However, to have the vision and boldness to go first on problems this tall is special. This is merely a glimpse of one problem you will see in an upcoming 2-part piece from Chuck that should appear on http://www.momentumvm.com/ in the coming months. His impressive film and music production resume continues to grow and it will be interesting to watch where his talents take him in the coming years. YEAH Chuck and nice send Tendon!!!

"holy crap" ...

2007-07-11T16:23:00.000-06:00

That's exactly what I said the first time I set eyes upon this problem.

June 19, 2005: Bennett Scott on Angular Momentum, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Two years later, I'm still blown away. 'Nuff said.

looks can be deceiving ...

2007-07-10T17:12:00.000-06:00

Indeed!

June 25, 2005: Justin Jaeger on Broken Crystal Wall, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. This almost vertical line will challenge you to stay engaged to the rock long enough to toss/swing and latch the lip. For a good time, check it out next time you hike up to Area B. If you're disappointed, it's on you. The discerning sock hands and I both gave it 3 stars.

photos of mind-blowing boulders

2007-07-09T20:43:00.000-06:00

They keep us psyched on our days away from the rocks.

June 19, 2005: Bennett Scott and Jason Tarry on a project, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Just left of one of the most ridiculous-looking moderates in the world, the arete problem Angular Momentum, is this line ... which makes my palms sweat and want to go climbing somewhere good ... like ... right now!!!11!! In the end, it just seemed that Ben and Jason weren't all that psyched on topping the project out, as they were avoiding the obvious, but difficult, starting sequence with the use of a cheaterstone. Anyway, sometimes the weekends won't get here soon enough, so we post photos that we know will inspire and keep the juices flowing. These are hopefully some of those photos. Enjoy and everybody stay psyched!!!

I'm sorry to interrupt ...

2007-07-06T14:07:00.000-06:00

... your regularly scheduled Mount Evans installment for this important message.

April 1, 2007: Marcelo Montalva on the FA of Pebbles Flintstone, Dinosaur Mountain, Flatirons, CO. Another problem destined for Flatirons Classic status, for sure!!! Flashing back to April Fool's Day, the crew from Paradise, myself, Andy and John all did a couple fun established problems to warm up, then ventured further uphill, got psyched on FAs and managed a few of them, three of which remain unrepeated (as far as I know) including this one. There's a ridiculous low-percentage low start to this rig that begins with a huge dyno that The Delo is really close to sticking as well. Stay tuned to this and other local stations for updates this fall.

freedom isn't free ...

2007-07-03T20:29:00.000-06:00

It costs $10 to get there. Lincoln would not be impressed.

July 4, 2006: Josh Cothren on Emancipation Right, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Neither the $10 fee to drive up the Mount Evans Byway nor the proud 45 minutes of pouring rain we endured at The Strikezone Area huddled under overhanging boulders that were too small to shield our posse from the deluge (rain at 12,000 feet is not fun) stopped us from continuing down the hill for more fun cleaning and sending as the rock dried out and having one of the most memorable July 4ths EVAR!!!

4 score and a few brazillion years ago ...

2007-06-29T17:01:00.000-06:00

... granite boulders rained down upon every valley and chasm in this great wilderness.

July 4, 2006: Me on Strikezone Roof, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. The Strikezone is the first area you will come to during the approach and it has a number of nice moderates, this being one of them. I spent last Independence Day up there and may do it again this year.

after multiple days in the willows

2007-06-29T00:24:00.000-06:00

I finally sent and JJ was "allowed" to get a quick repeat.

July 16, 2006: Justin Jaeger on Prehistoric Bird, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. On the second boulder in the willows as you walk into Area A are 3 lines. The other two went down fairly quickly 2 years earlier ... but this one did not. On four prior occasions spread out over 2 years, I looked at or got on this line at the very end of a long day, sometimes with people eagerly waiting to head home - sorry Ashley, Ted and anyone else I'm forgetting. Tired and rushed on those days, I failed to get anywhere. Hell, I never even got it cleaned sufficiently for sending. On this day, I started my day in the willows, cleaned it up proper style and finally put it away via a couple of clutch snags, hence the name. JJ then got the OK and swooped in for a quick repeat. Maybe I can get one of you foolfaces to repeat it for the camera, without all the totally superfluous FA-session chalk this time, eh?

BONUS BETA

The Second Willow Boulder sports 3 obvious problems on it's east side. The thin and tricky SE arete on the left is Sacred Stones and the NE arete on the right with the somewhat despo "army-crawl" (JJ's words) topout is The Last Drag. Prehistoric Bird ascends the vertical face between them just left of a thin seam. After you negotiate your way through the willows, all 3 problems are fun for a change of pace, to warm up or to try something else up at Big E in the V2 to V7 range. No hard and fast grades are given. We're all grownups and can decide for ourselves, right?

a step away from obscurity

2007-06-21T20:11:00.000-06:00

I am hoping to coax Tendon into finally name this gem.

June 24, 2006: Mike Greenfield on another currently-unnamed Tendon FA, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. This line has everything you want in a warm-up ... obviousness, independence, small but reasonable holds to a topout that will have your attention with lots of air under your feet. But, to date it remains unnamed. Hopefully, some of the early developers will agree to name some of the the really good unnamed lines (most of them beings moderates) this year. Are you with me on this???!!1111!??

POSTSCRIPT

July 6, 2007: Tendon has relented. In exchange for a few photos, Bennett has agreed to name this problem ... Dark Crystal. It's a great tall warm-up, so check it out if you haven't already. The alternative name he proposed was Demands From Chuffer - ha!

your first time ...

2007-06-20T19:48:00.000-06:00

You want the really good stuff.

July 1, 2006: Ted Lanzano on The Ladder, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Everybody loves this problem ... as a warm-up or just for fun as an intro to the area. It's obvious why, whether you are a beginner or strongmo. This along with Right el Skyland are strong candidates for the best easy moderates in CO. Next weekend, I will be getting back up there for the first visit of the season. Way psyched ... and hope to see you out there.

whacked-out bizarro beta

2007-06-19T21:40:00.000-06:00

If it exists, I will find it.

April 14, 2007: Me on Born Defeated, the low sds into The Zoller Bulge, Bulge Boulder, East Skunk Canyon, Flatirons, CO. Because I win no battles based solely on strength or talent, I typically have to find most efficient and least-taxing sequence. For this one, the key is in the start. Begin sitting down, facing right, matched on a terrible crimp and a sidepull that don't seem good enough to do much of anything. Putting your right heel in the obvious heel-lock-of-doom out right seemed helpful but wasn't quite what I needed. On a whim, I tried the left heel ... EUREKA!!! The second move is a real doozy as well, with a wild campus crossover to the obvious jug in the photo, but no photo-beta is required to describe that madness. The rest of the problem is obvious, sliding slightly back to the right to matching sloper crimps, then straight out the high bulge directly above me.

getting out with a good crew

2007-06-19T19:27:00.000-06:00

Priceless.

April 1, 2007: John Peske, Dave Wahl, TJ and The Delo sorting out what would (minutes later) become Ankylosaurus, Dinosaur Mountain, Flatirons, CO. The energy was insane after Andy took us up to this boulder and we proceeded to establish I Heart Jugs, Littlefoot, and Pebbles Flintstone on the right side of the boulder. Good friends, positive energy, glorious temps, the winter-from-hell was finally over, everyone was psyched ... and it was a GLORIOUS day in the Flatirons. Unfortunately, I got no photos of The Delo's send, so you'll have to live without the beta for the last 2-3 moves.

POSTSCRIPT

Oh yeah, a week later, The Delo came back and climbed the line to the left ... a line Andy had cleaned and tried last fall. He dubbed it Supersaurus, presumably because it was sooooooooooo freakin' super. Supersaurus begins from a sit start on obvious holds 5 or 6 feet left of Ankylosaurus and moves straight up past obvious sidepulls to some subtleties at 10-12 feet before getting into the high seam and the thin topout. Supersaurus climbs really well and with a little traffic should become a Flatirons classic.

obvious. enticing. brilliant.

2007-06-18T16:45:00.000-06:00

All are common themes at Big E.

June 24, 2006: Ashley Overton on Pink Fink, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. More Evans photos to come all summer long.

over 7 years ago ...

2007-06-18T16:07:00.000-06:00

This was among the 1st problems I did when I moved to CO.

April 10, 2007: Mike Banuelos on Major Tom, Satellite Boulders, Flatirons, CO. The Satellites, along with Flagstaff and Carter Lake were among the first zones of blocks that permanently sold me on bouldering and thankfully got me to put the ropes, gear, drill away after 11 years. The Satellites possess some of the best stone in the Flatirons and a perfect 25-30 minute warm-up hike that keeps the lazy-ass roadside boulderers away. These blocks, along with those on Flagstaff Mountain and at Carter Lake were the blocks that transformed me from a full-time chuffer into the enlightened chuffer that I profess to be today. Although I prefer bouldering on granite, I will always have a soft spot for Fountain sandstone.

more from the Feather

2007-06-14T17:05:00.000-06:00

As always, there's more where this came from.

March 4, 2007: Grant Ortman on In the Meantime, Ceremonies, Red Feather Lakes, CO. This problem is in the Ceremonies, but reminiscent of the Black Hills, hike far enough in any direction off any road in the area and you will find climbable rock. Folks will be putting new lines in there for years to come.

moderate newness & funness

2007-06-12T19:00:00.000-06:00

Can you dig it?

June 10, 2007: Matt Karasik on Back Door Out of Life, Eldorado Mountain, CO. Good crimps, pinches and pockets - on rock that was meant to be climbed - that allow for interesting yet mellow moves up to a monster jug finish at 16-17 feet. Good for warming or warming down, moving fluidly over rock is almost always underrated AND often forgotten in our numbers-obsessed minds and climbing culture. Oh, and on the other side of this block is one of top 25 lines I've ever seen anywhere. I'll leave to the film makers for Rocky Mountain Highball to blow your mind with that one.

getting down ...

2007-06-11T19:08:00.000-06:00

... is sometimes the sketchiest part.

June 10, 2007: Me contemplating the descent off of a new boulder problem Matty and I dubbed Sticks and Stones, Eldorado Mountain, CO. If I don't look happy up there, I'm not.

it's getting to be that time of year ...

2007-06-08T17:56:00.000-06:00

The snow's melting, the temps are righteous, the scenery is beautiful, the boulders are unreal in a Swiss Alps sort-of-way and the majority of the problems are straight-up brilliant.

June 24, 2006: Ashley Overton on The Minds of Goldfish, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Thanks for doing this line again and again for the camera Ashley. Words do not do the place justice, so just look at the pics again, put your tick-list together and have some big days out with friends.

good boulders

2007-06-07T18:29:00.000-06:00

... are hard to find.

September 25, 2005: Ken Gibson on the FA of The Ebbing Tide, Streambed Boulder, Young's Gulch, Poudre Canyon, CO. Among the best problems in Young's Gulch and one of the best for the grade in the entire canyon. After putting up Salsa Brava (Photo 1 below) during a prior visit, this was the second line to go in on this boulder. Doing The Ebbing Tide opened our eyes to putting up two lines just to the left, Crimson Tide (Photo 2 below) and Hasta en Fuego (Photo 3 below) as well as the obvious blunt arete to the right Mardi Gras (not pictured) on subsequent visits. One of the best single boulders in the entire canyon for problems in the V2-V7 range.

SUPPLEMENTAL PHOTOS

Photo 1: Adam Maers on Salsa Brava

Photo 2: Scott Neel on Crimson Tide

Photo 3: Ken Gibson on Hasta en Fuego

Mardi Gras (not yet pictured - but stay tuned)

whacked out beta ...

2007-06-07T17:54:00.000-06:00

... can make for good photos.

May 6, 2006: Scott Neel on "Jousting Direct", 420s, Poudre Canyon, CO. This problem moves straight up from the start of Jousting at Windmills, hence the moniker. Nice edges and movement on impeccable stone. Everyone else did this problem a little more traditionally, but Scott insisted on reverse underclinging at the crux, which was sick beta that we tried and immediately dismissed as "whack.". Was he hamming it up for the camera? Maybe, but using this beta is NOT recommended if you like your shoulders the way they are.

project mode 5

2007-06-06T17:45:00.000-06:00

Hey strongmos ...

June 2007: Andy Mann on a project, Green Slab Boulder, Burn Zone, Gross Reservoir, CO. A couple of low underclings in a seam on the face were clean, yet it was immediately clear to us that nobody has gotten up this rig. After violently cleaning a series of lichen-inundated slopers on the ramp with the angry brush, unearthing and subsequently peeling off almost every imperfection that would have been useful as a hand or foothold on the face, we each managed the first move a few times, but neither of us got any further. The thing is ... there are a series of very enticing finishing JUGS that start at about 8 1/2 feet. So, take advantage of this newly cleaned impeccable granite, get up there and add a new problem to the repertoire of fun stuff up there already.

ladies installment numero un

2007-06-04T19:39:00.000-06:00

Ladies ... they certainly have style.

June 1, 2007: Naomi Guy on Dawn of the Buffalo, Eldorado Mountain, CO. This problem took some time to clean and sort out. Naomi sorted out most of the beta, then Andy sorted out the topout, then I swooped in Minnesota-style with perfect beta for the flash. Thanks for doing all the hard work guys!

project mode 4

2007-06-04T19:16:00.000-06:00

Eldorado Canyon ... still not even close to being tapped out.

June, 2007: Andy Mann on a new project, Eldorado Mountain, CO. Three goes at the end of a long day has him really excited. Get your right foot to stay for this move and it will get interesting. My project zooms up the face just to the right. Three goes at the end of a long day has me really excited too. Jumping on these lines fresh will help.

diminutive problems ...

2007-05-31T22:56:00.000-06:00

... can still be pretty damn brilliant.

May 27, 2007: Scott Neel on Left Angry Man, Lumpy Ridge, CO. In less than optimal conditions requiring some patience including fashioning a "sloper-shade" out a shirt and 2 stick brushes, waiting for the sun to go over the other side of the boulder and then getting a cool breeze and a little cloud cover, Scott got down to business ... and quick and stylish business is what it was. This send was sponsored by Skoal Pouches and Planters mixed nuts.

the top of my ticklist ...

2007-05-25T16:24:00.000-06:00

... and for good reason.

August 3, 2006: Me on The Dali (low sds), Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. Grades aside, this is one of the best lines in CO. I was happy to do the matched stand start and the matched crimper sds in prior years as I tried to see and get up every moderate line at Evans the past 3 years, but this year the full line from the low sds will receive special attention. I rarely force myself to spend exhorbitant amounts of time just to send one line, but for this one, I'm going to make an exception. In 2006, I felt like I was close to doing the low sds, but my days up there kept coinciding with rain and humidity. Fortunately, if you hike up to Evans enough, your body has no choice but to get fit and light. See you clowns up there early and often. Thanks for taking the photo SNeel!

pissing on home area classics

2007-05-21T21:55:00.001-06:00

Figuratively ... not literally.

May 13, 2007: Ken Gibson on Hank's Lunge, Hank's Boulder, 420s, Poudre Canyon, CO. The best problem on indisputably one of the best boulders in Colorado. The problem is pure, the rock quality doesn't get any better anywhere and the setting is perfect, etc., etc., etc. The old man has this rig sooooooo wired, but I suppose I'm easily impressed. Anyway, effortless sends are always inspiring to watch and I had a birds eye view for this one.

going to the Poudre this weekend

2007-05-11T18:48:00.000-06:00

This is one problem we won't be getting on.

April 2, 2005: Me on "The Lake Problem", The Bog, Poudre Canyon, CO. Sitting above the water, this moderate is about as condition-dependent as it gets. While condition-dependent problems usually require cold temperatures to send, this one requires a lengthy period of cold-temperatures so the ice will reach a sufficient depth so we can even access the problems safely. So there I was ... climbing in shorts above a frozen lake. Actually, not sure it's fair to call it a lake, but whatever ... it's a really nice problem. There are 3 more really fun and somewhat harder problems further around to the right. Thanks for taking the photo SHahn!

not this time ... OR ... aayyyhhhhhhh!!!!111!!

2007-05-08T20:43:00.000-06:00

Which is good, because there wasn't enough room for both of us up there anyway.

April 29, 2007: Matt Miller on Aretial Dysfunction, Dinosaur Mountain, Flatirons, CO. If we floated to the top every time we got on a new boulder problem, climbing wouldn't be a challenge. Fear of twisting falls above suspect landings keeps us on our toes and trying hard. Of course, we had enough pads for twisting falls above suspect landings. That's how we roll. Everyone in our crew sorted this good-times-fun problem out in short order. Thanks go out to Andy Mann and John Peske, who spotted and cleaned this tall funky tension-rich arete near The Land Before Time Boulder a couple weeks earlier. Good eyes doodz!

'nuther wicked classic put up by U-NO-WHO

2007-05-03T17:06:00.000-06:00

... and if you don't know who ... you SHOULD.

October 11, 2003: Justin Jaeger on The Scab, Needles Area, Custer State Park, Black Hills, SD. Just a short jaunt downhill from John Gill's 1961 masterpiece The Thimble is The Scab, another Gill classic established in 1963 that inspired a generation of boulderers ... as the photo of him clinging to the overhnaging portion of The Scab appeared in numerous climbing publications over the years as well as Master of Rock. One of the world's first V7's, it is hard to imagine Mr. Gill holding onto those razor-sharp crystals with HEAVY boots on his feet. Anyway, too bad I ran out of film on this sequence, because JJ's problems on this problem were not quite over. Wicked indeed.

problems do not have grades ...

2007-04-30T19:15:00.000-06:00

... until we try to give them one.

April 10, 2007: Andy Mann on Balance in Nature, Satellites, Flatirons, CO. Everybody seems to do this problem a little differently, ie: using any of several very bad left footholds or opting for a better foothold out left and an extra hand move or two, dynoing from lower and better feet because you are tall and have a nice wingspan, crimping the bad further left crimp because it positions you closer to the good high edge or going up and right using the flake in the dihedral. There is also the double undercling start that maybe adds a tensiony first move. If you've been on this problem, you know what I'm talking about. This problem is a perfect example why "hard and fast" guidebook grades are bunk and merely confuse the issue which is this: PURE BOULDER PROBLEMS ARE THE SHIT regardless how easy or difficult the line is. Very crisp temps on an April afternoon (sneel's birfday) were a perfect opportunity for Andy to finally put this problem away while having a couple beers ... and he did!!!!!!!11111!!! A few good warm-up goes - of course diverted for a few tries by the beta of others - and Andy sent using a nickle-width left foothold that my brain never even considered perching on for the dynamic move. Nice!

saving the hardest for last?!!!!!11???

2007-04-25T17:21:00.000-06:00

A sending technique I'm unfamiliar with.

August 13, 2006: Justin Jaeger on Supernatural Ice, Skyland, Crested Butte, CO. After throwing himself at every problem we walked by for 2 days at Skyland (15+ hrs on Saturday starting at 4:30 AM and 9+ hours on Sunday), Justin agreed with us that we should DEFINITELY visit the small northwest zone of rock at Skyland before walking out. While the rest of us were wiped out and struggled to the top of moderate problems like The Hueco Problem, Justin set his sights on Supernatural Ice. Initially steep and powerful, then techy and sequential on perfect slopers and polished crimps, his effort was focused and resulted in an impressive end-of-the-trip send.

flashbacks and winter daydreams

2007-04-13T20:02:00.000-06:00

Daydreaming about the lines you want to finish ... this keeps me motivated.

November 26, 2006: Bennett Scott on Pinhead, Ceremonies, Red Feather Lakes, CO. Long approaches into the wild with good friends to boulders sporting pure lines at all the grades. Here, Bennett makes faces at Pinhead until the problem succumbs to his will. This is a technique I must try on my next visit, which I hope will be soon as warmer temps are almost upon us. A really fun problem to try, but SOOOOOOOOOOO much harder than it looks at first glance.

Matt just nabbed his first FA ...

2007-04-02T20:14:00.000-06:00

... be psyched for him.

April 1, 2007: Matt Miller on the FA of Little Foot, Dinosaur Mountain, Flatirons, CO. The line was obvious to me. As soon as I saw this overhanging boulder, I immediately gravitated to the starting holds, neither one of them very good, but together with what little footholds existed on the wall ... there should be enough to generate for the sidepull jug near the lip. Everyone else was psyched on other things on the wall, taller things with more moves and more consistent climbing, but Matt stayed close while I inspected the starting holds, scrubbed the sloping pinch oh so gingerly and then violently went to work on the somewhat chossy pocket, dislodging pebbles with every stroke. When every pebble inside the pocket that might dislodge had, and the topout had been scrubbed sufficiently, the problem was ready. While I struggled to sort out the first move, Matt did the first move really quickly. Sweet!!! In fact, he did it a couple of times ... before he managed the second move, a weird match inside the sidepull which you have to accomplish before you melt out of it. A cobrastrike to a good rail and two easy long pulls and Matt was the first one to top it out. Good work on the first of what I'm sure will be many FAs for you!!!

And oh yeah, all that damn time I spent up on the slab trying to get rid of dead branches and they're still in my fuckin' way. Damnit.

<3 slab!!!11!!!!!

2007-03-22T23:28:00.000-06:00

... at least when they are pure lines.

August 12, 2006: Andy Mann on Slabs Kick Ass & Justin Jaeger on Slab Master of the Universe, The Slab, Skyland Boulders, CO. These side-by-side slab lines grabbed some of our crew's attention for a few minutes until we could chuck a fun lap. Like virtually every problem at Skyland, both lines scream at you to climb them. We complied ... zw3rd.

project mode 3

2007-03-20T19:42:00.000-06:00

Progress is sometimes slow, but half of the battle is just believing.

March 2007: Ted Lanzano and Marcelo Montalva on a new project, Dinosaur Mountain, Flatirons, CO. Extensive cleaning of the lower part of the wall transformed a forgettable and somewhat chossy lowball seam into a hard, clean and worthy project. It's not all that long, but it's WAAAAAAY OBVIOUS. One of you tards that frequent this blog get psyched and send this rig from the lowest holds. It will go!!!!!111!!

once you start, you can't stop ...

2007-03-14T18:37:00.000-06:00

... or at least I can't.

April 23, 2006: Ken Gibson on The Maine Line, XXXs, Poudre Canyon, CO. A recent addition to the ultraclassics in Poudre Canyon, this technical problem zooms up sloping "just good enough" crimps on a 10 degree overhanging shallow dihedral to an interesting crux attaining the lip. JJ and Ken dug deep for 2nd and 3rd ascents of the line on this day. Nice work guys!

speaking of the Poudre ...

2007-03-12T20:19:00.000-06:00

Minus the first couple moves, here's another problem we put up in YG last season.

June 17, 2006: Scott Neel on The First Thing, Young's Gulch, Poudre Canyon, CO. For whatever reason, all the other Poudre regulars have passed on developing problems in Young's Gulch. As of now, we've put in some 40-50 problems in Young's Gulch, a few of which are definitely worth the approach, especially if you are looking to get some mileage on Poudre granite in the moderate range or if the weather's crappy up canyon. As far as we've hiked in, we've found climbable boulders lurking in the bottom of the gulch and up on its slopes, so keep on hiking and poking around. Who knows what you'll find?!!!11!??111?

back in the poudre AT LAST

2007-03-07T23:40:00.000-07:00

After a long, depressing and Poudreless winter, I finally got up there again.

March 4, 2007: Me on Shooting Gallery Overhang Right, The Shooting Gallery, Poudre Canyon, CO. We visited the Ceremonies up at Red Feather in the morning and followed that up with an afternoon in full sun at The Shooting Gallery. Brilliant movement over impeccable stone in a breathtaking setting ... as you all know, that is what you get when you venture up the Cache la Poudre. The only thing the two problems on this boulder lack are 5 to 10 more feet of height and better names. Oh well. Thanks for taking the photo Ken!

Big E

2007-03-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

Where almost every problem deserves three stars.

June 26, 2004: Mike Hickey on Ben's Arete, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. This problem gets *** in my book, no doubt about it. Anyway, what else can I possibly say about a day at Big E. Get up early. Drive an hour plus to Echo Lake Parking Lot. Hike 1 hour plus through spectacular scenery to some of the most inspiring boulders in America. Climb all day, hike out in the dark, drive home satisfied and worn out. Even when you have a project you are working on (and there are lots of lines worth seriously projecting), it's hard not to stop and try other things JUST BECAUSE. Words are getting in the way of what I'm trying to say, for real. In any event, here's Hickey and his individual sense of climbing fashion on another classic problem put up by Tendon.

days in the woods alone

2007-03-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

As much as I enjoy bouldering with good friends, many of my most memorable climbing moments have been spent bouldering alone.

November 11, 2006: Me on It Ain't No Layup, Dinosaur Mountain, Flatirons, CO. After being shown this problem 3 weeks earlier by the first ascentionist, Will LeMaire, I had to come back for more. I had only a half day to get out, so I skipped out on joining everyone else. After warming up down-trail, tweaking the landing a bit, thoroughly recleaning the candidate holds and scoping the topout, the best sequence of moves (for me) became obvious. I tossed aside Will's beta and began my efforts to dyno for the top from lower holds. It took me awhile to fully commit to the big dyno, jumping harder and harder with each successive try. I took a couple bad/awkward falls along the way, which were mental setbacks. Nobody else would have had the patience to put up with how slow my progress was, but I enjoyed the 2+ hours I spent warming my mind up for the dyno and "palming the basketball." Obviously, these pictures were taken on a return visit, but the real treat was solving this problem all by myself on a very quiet and centering day up in the Flatirons. Thanks for taking the pics Scott!

bouldering vs. soloing

2007-02-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

It's easy to blur the lines between the two at The Aerials.

July 9, 2005: David Ludders on Inquiries From Within, Mount Evans Wilderness Area, CO. The crux on this Cameron Cross "problem" is up high and goes on for a few moves. I found it terrifying, yet I was neither climbing nor spotting. The 14 crashpads strewn about the bouldery landing would have done little in the event of a fall from up high. Proud repeat, but not too sure this problem will be done all that many more times. There are few other problems at the Aerials that are equally committing. Anyway, bring brass balls when you hike into the Aerials and have large lungs ready for the hike out.