Soul Edition of River Blocs

These are some of my favorite problems of the season-

Problem #1 - Hard to grade because it a 1-move wonder. If I had to guess, I would say V6/7. There is a sit down start that adds ~12 feet of dead horizontal climbing that should come in at V11/12.

Problem #2 - The direct start to another line. It suits my style, i.e., crimp & go. V8/9.

Problem #3 - The alternative start/link-up to another line, very nice movement and might be V9. The direct finish is harder.

Do One Thing A Day That Scares You

I couldn't wait for it to be an Ice Bloc.

Halloween Edition of River Blocs

Still knocking down river blocs

Bonus - I cleaned 3 additional lines that will be double digit problems. Real Projects!

Return to the River Blocs of Poudre Canyon

Burr. Yesterday was the coldest (and windiest) day of the season. Despite my recent fling with Red Feather, I still love Poudre Canyon. Baby, please take me back.

Ice Blocs are coming.
Are you ready?

I forgot my waders, so I couldn't get on my current projects (rookie mistake). I used the opportunity to check out a couple of new areas that are on my never-ending-exploration-list. By the end of the day, I put up 8 River Blocs.

Here are the best two -

Bonus - During the process, I found about 20 more projects.

Bachar's Block of Boulder Canyon, CO

I ended up in Boulder Canyon and decided to check out Bachar's Block. I wanted to climb "Stone Master" V11/Project/WTF. I climbed something but exactly sure what.

Here is a video my experience-

On the way to Bachar's Block, I found this gem -

Take the gully to the left of "Law of Physics" Crag until you are parallel with "Mind Shaft Cliff". Make a right, between another abandoned mine shaft and a large pile of rocks, and walk about 200ft. It is directly on the trail. If you hit Bachar Block, you have gone too far.

Guide to Owl Canyon, CO

Owl Canyon is located on Highway 287, approximately 7.8 miles north of the junction with Highway 14 (Ted's Place).

Park in the large pull-out, on the right, .3 miles past CO Rd 72 junction. Walk east on a closed road about 200ft until it is blocked by a barbwire fence. The boulders are located on the opposite side of the ditch to your right. The approach time is ~2 minutes.

The short approach and afternoon shade make it a nice option for an after-work session. The rock is limestone and should clean up with a little traffic.

1, V5 - start sitting, 1 move wonder
2, V0 - low angle
3, V1 - slopers, easier if you stem
4, V1/2 - big feet holds and small hand holds to start, small feet and big hand holds to finish
5, V0 -
6, V1 - wide fist crack or stem
7, V0 -
8, V0 - low angle

The rock band immediately above the boulders has the potential for a long traverse and high-ball problems.
The rock quality is questionable.

Guide to Gateway Natural Area of Poudre Canyon, CO

Gateway Natural Area is located at 5216 Poudre Canyon Highway (Hwy 14). Take Highway 287 to Highway 14 West, then travel 5.2 miles on Hwy 14 West. Gateway Natural Area is on the right side of the road.

Park in the large pull-out just past the entrance. Walk back down the canyon along the guardrail until it ends. This boulder pictured below is located ~100ft downhill. The approach time is less than 1 minute.

This boulder is steep, short, and shady. Those 3 Ss make it perfect for a quick after-work session in the summer. The rock is granite but flaky. That means there are nice incut holds but they can break. It should clean up with more traffic.

1, V4 - start sitting, follow arete to the top
2, V6 - start sitting with hands and feet on a large ledge, a variety of sequences possible
3, V1 - start standing on large rock at the base, falling is not advised
4, V6 - start sitting, follow crack feature
5, V0 - start standing, short and scrappy

Return to Exploring

I'm back to rediscovering lost classics. The area I'm most excited about is a tolerable drive, 45 minutes, and short apoarch, 5 minutes. The rock is excellent granite, vaguely Bishop-esque. There are at least 100 problems, possible double or triple.

Selected Favorites:

The line with chalk on it made my week.

Quality movement on bullet rock.

This inspiring line is a 45 degree featureless prow.

This short test of my training was successful. I'm able to quickly climb everything within current my mental frame. I feel very fit. My frequent nemesis, slopers, is no longer my greatest limiter. I'm moving well. My over-reliance on strength has been mitigated by a focus on quality movement.

The future is now.

Return to Poudre Canyon, CO

I exploited the break in the summer heat with a quick trip up to boulders across from the Big Bend Campground in the Poudre Canyon, CO. I was planning to repeat the published problems but I got sidetracked by other blocs (as always). This sector looks to have at least 30 problems in it.

Beware all who enter the Critical Mass Cave

The line to the left of the last one in the video is hard, high, and scary.

Time to train!

GC & C Tour, Stop 6 : Lake Tahoe

I simply love Tahoe. There is so much high quality rock. Posting up in a cabin is always rad. There was snow everywhere forcing us to climb at the Donner Lake State Park on the first day, not ideal but acceptable. The second day we stayed closer to home and developed a boulder about 100ft from the cabin.

Warming up a solid line

Surfing the Arete

The Peloton

One of My All-Time Favorite Slabs

Playing with Fat Boy

V11, but kinda lame

Open

Closed

Alex on The Prancing Lion

A Leo Prancing

Day 1
Location: State Park

Sent:
Unnamed, V5, redpoint (split rock far half #16, 1st try today)
Unnamed, V1, flash (split rock near half, #8)
Bear Hug, V4, redpoint (1st go once I know where the holds where)
Bear Hug, V7, sds, redpoint (2nd try from the sit)

Location: Memorial Boulder
Tried:
Fat Boy, V11 (contrived but worked it for training proposes)
V10 (no clue?)

Day 2

Location: Classified

The Lion Boulder

Left to Right
Lion Cub, VB (downclimb arete)
Declawed, V1 (arete, contrived)
Mane Attraction, V1/2 (short but engaging heel hook)
The Prancing Lion, V0 (arete right to left)
Wrestling with a Lion, V1 (blunt arete)
Little Paw, V3 (sds to slopers)

GC & C Tour, Stop 4 : Priest Draw

Day 1

I thought Priest Draw as going to be the high point of the trip. My plan was to dominate the gymnastic climbing on pockets. The first setback was only having a sketchy internet guidebook. Not good but better than nothing. The second setback was realizing I've no idea how to climb outside roofs. I didn't send anything after some random warm-ups. DAMN!

Beware of Priest Draw locals. They are honemasters. They know micro-tricks that I would not thought possible.

Day 2

I returned with a new frame, have fun and learn. I would look for good lines and try climb outside my box. I was sending-in-a-day the grade I typically flash. In the end, it was an enjoyable day in the forest. It would be awesome if they place had a decent guidebook.

Alex on the incredible warm-up boulder

Mono!!!

GC & C Tour, Stop 3 : Cibola National forest

While traveling through the wastelaste of eastern New Mexico, Alex and I stumbled upon Cibola National forest just outside of Galup, NM. It has miles of seemingly untouched sandstone.

Enjoy:

Green Chili & Pockets Tour, Stop 1: Taos, NM

I set off to enjoy the last bit of the spring season by touring the Southwest.

This sign begs many questions.

The first stop is a personal favorite - Taos, NM.

Do You Hear the Taos Hum?

After a burrito smoothed in green chili sauce, Alex and I heading out to the pilar boulders. It is a nice volcanic set of boulders adjunct to the Rio Grande. I was running around warming up and flashed Surf Report, V3. I noticed a logical sit-down start. It starts lower on the same fin featured. A off balance start move leads to tension match and then a fun throw out to the stand start. I'm probably not the first to do it, but it is not listed anywhere. I also noticed a slab then a sit down start. After I cleaned an inch of lichen off my chosen foot holds, it went. It was easy but exciting, a possibility to windmill off and roll down and off an adjunct boulder.

Surf Report SDS, Green, V6 - sds on fin, join Surf Report
"Charlie Don't Surf", Pink, V4 - sds on jug, bust right to arete, keep it together on the slab
Project - sds on CDS jug, bust left into Surf Report, contrived

I moved over to the C3P0 boulder. Last I was there I noticed some logical sit-down starts to the moderates. While I was there I got a better sense of the boulder and realized that guidebook is unclear/completely wrong. What I thought was C3P0 (V10) is actually Cousin Chewie (V7/8). I guess I haven't climbed a v10. Hopefully this picture clears things up.

Cousin Chewie, Blue, V7/8 - sds traverse right around arete
C3P0, Pink, V10 - stand start on small holds with miserable feet
Green, Project - sds to V2 arete, one hard move wonder

One of the many harder projects, just feet from the road:

Green, Project - sds to arete, hard compression climbing

I decided to share on Mountain Project - link.

Roadtrip Questions

Why aren't there wiki guidebooks, sponsored by climbing book publishers, for climbing areas?

Why doesn't 8a.nu require a photo (or better yet, a video) for a claimed first ascent?

How about a database the combines the information on 8a.nu and mountainproject.com?

Why is vimeo.com and youtube.com not linked to Google Earth?

Do you have answers?

Do you have questions?

Ouzel & YGT Boulders

I set out after a less than solid 1/2 day of work to explore Poudre Canyon. I knew what I was getting into and stick to the lower canyon. I wrestled with some boulders at the Ouzel pull-out. The rocks were short but one made up for it with high quality river polished granite.


Blue, V1 - sds on slopers, blind throw to jug
Green, V5 - sds with LH on a sloper ball and RH on sidpull, traverse up and left
Pink, V1/2 - sds, slopey jugs

Green, V3 - sds, a long pull to good holds, chossy rock

I finished the outside portion of my day by running a circuit, ~15 problems, on the YGT boulders. It was an idyllic experience, moving over the relatively well-featured granite with perfect landings in a field of flowers. The only sounds supplied by a babbling brook.

Some YGT boulders:

Bonus Flower

JUAPOC Area

I was only able to get out for a quick session before work, which was better since it is getting warmer. This sector is close to my house but the rock is friable, similar to The Palace. This boulder in particular might have been climbed on before. There was evidence of "gardening" near the base but could use more love/traffic.

Left to Right

#1, V1 - start on lip and edge to nice mantle
#2, V3 - start on slopey pinch, punch it to the top
#3, V5 - sds on triangle feature, move to arete, best problem on the boulder, great movement
#4, V2 - start on two crimps move to lip

#4, V2 - start on two crimps move to lip
#5, V? - possible hard dead vertical line on flaky holds
#6, V4 - sds on arete traverse up and left on embedded rocks, V2 from stand

#7, V2/3 - sds climb arete via positive but slopey holds
#8, V1/2 - sds fun slopers
#9, V0 - start just right of dead tree

These are just my interpretations of the rock. Given the nature of the rock, other ones are possible. There are ~20+ boulders in this area. The potential climbing within 30 minutes of my house still astounds me.

A nice day to be on the river

Spring is here

Homestead Boulder

I hike around a lot and have a virtually unlimited list of potential climbing. This bloc was always on the top of my list. I had to wait over a year for the right confluence of events, relatively warm day and low river level, before I could climb on it. Today was my lucky day. My nickname for this boulder is the "Homestead Boulder." It composed of very solid red granite. However because of its location there was about an inch of lichen on it.

Here is what I ended up with after I busted out my rope and brush -

Yellow, V? - Lots of options, none of them good

Green Solid, V? - stand start on two jug sidepulls, tricky moves to tricker top-out

Green Dotted, V? - same start as Green Solid, traverse on slopers and jugs to join Yellow line

Pink, V? - same start as Green Solid, traverse to sloper and exit directly, looks very hard

Blue, V1 - Grab large plate feature, mantle, grab lip, mantle again, easy but committing

There are 2 Vos, not pictured, bookending the aforementioned climbing.

Mixed Bouldering Anyone?

Fun With Nature

5FHAR, A Couple of Lines and A Project

I started my river bloc exploration by trying to add a sds to the middle line on the warm-up boulder, but it proved to be too crimpy and hard for me today. After I made my way ~1/4 mile downstream to a couple of problems in a cove.

Pink, V2 - sds, follow blunt steps, not the best rock

Blue, V3 - sds, climb dihedral, topout via white crystal dike ladder

Green, V5 - sds, compression start yields to arete, good rock

Yellow, V2 - sds, undercling to crack with gratuitou kneebar

White Crystal Dike Ladder

About 100 yards downstream is this finger of rock-

V6 - sds, gymnastic moves to gain arete

I've been keeping my nicknames for climbs private,

but this is good one -

Continental Clean, aka Put Some Belly Into It

The other side of the rock-

V5 - sds, desperate moves before a glory knife-edge arete

This rock is about 100ft downstream-

Blue, V3 - stand start on large sloper

Green Solid, V2 - stand start

Green Dotted, ? - sds follow lip, I couldn't even get established!

Pink, V0 - featured but slick slab, brilliant but scary

This rock is the most river polished stone I have climbed on, think textured glass. Every problem is great because the rock is so unique. The Green Dotted line is futurist.

A bird nest in the middle of the river

The Crafty Nest Maker

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