A few weeks ago, when I posted The Best of Horsetooth Reservoir Bouldering to YouTube. A DVD extras section I'd made wound up on my computer with it. Stuck at home on this rainy day, I decided to post it.
Before I started blogging, I recorded bouldering ascents on my video camera. This video includes some favorite lines from Vedauwoo, RMNP, Carter Lake, The Flatirons, Morrison, Red Feather, Arthurs Rock, Poudre Canyon, Eldorado Canyon, and Horsetooth climbed by people much younger than they are today. Most ascents are by Ashley and me when we were still in our twenties. The soundtrack is composed of my favorite alternative music from the late nineties and early aughts.
Enjoy!
Or just skip it if you aren't in the mood for thirty-five minutes of Front Range bouldering from over a decade ago.
Showing posts with label Arthur's Rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arthur's Rock. Show all posts
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Childbirth Day 1
Once again, not everything went as planned. I tried to get a crew together for a Saturday session at Arthur's. My hope was that with enough people and pads I could try "Childbirth" in relative safety and Ashley might top out some tallish problems like "Godzilla" or "Syringe." I'd take photos and then put a huge headline on the blog that read "Ashley Climbs Highballs!" There'd be tons of comments, and it would all be a lot of fun.
We woke up to a cold, cloudy, humid morning. At the parking area, Ashley checked out the weather, and declared it a gym day. The weather felt alright to me, and Chase was coming out, so I decided to give the day a shot. Ashley said "Have fun in the land of highballs and sharpness." and drove away. I hiked up hoping it wouldn't rain.
It felt a bit like winter, but there were small signs of spring.
Chase arrived, but a couple other friends who said they might make it, didn't. While we warmed up, it looked like it would be just Chase and I and our two pads, but then two guys arrived carrying five large pads. One looked familiar to me, and introduced himself as Bart. The other boulderer is on a trip from Poland, and his name is Maciek. He pointed at the warm-up wall and said in a most sincere accented voice "I came 9000 miles to climb this problem." His sense of humor and timing was spot on for the rest of the day. I asked what they were planning to get on with all the pads. When Bart mentioned "Childbirth" I couldn't believe our luck. Chase and I headed up to start working out the opening moves. "Childbirth" isn't quite as tall as I expected, but the landing slopes away making it feel airy and sketchy once you begin climbing. I couldn't start the problem using the standard method I watched in "Solutions" the night before. The first foot was too high, and I'm not very flexible. I figured out a jumpstart that is pretty difficult for me, reminiscent of the first move of Pinch overhang. Since no other solution will work, I start on the first holds, and I'm not stacking pads, I think the jumpstart is legit. In this case, I climb right to switch hands before heading back left so I use all the holds.
I got the traverse wired, but wouldn't make the move to the crimp with only two pads under me.
Then Maciek arrived with two more pads. He said "Guidebooks should have pad ratings so you know how many to bring." Sounds like a good idea to me. Most ratings are subjective, but with this rating scale the first ascensionist could just say how many pads he used and then a consensus could build over time with subsequent ascents. With two pads, Chase swung past and hit bare ground once, and I just barely threw the pad under him in time when he took two more swinging falls. With four pads he worked his way up to the crimp pretty quickly. Two more pads changed the game significantly, for us both.
Maciek told us that in Poland people spot by just taking a step back, and smoking a cigarette. "I'm not joking. I have pictures." Most of his finger tips were covered in tape. He said it was because the rock hurt so much. Bart asked "Do your tips have holes?" Maciek removed some tape, looked at his fingers and said "It seems like such a simple question, but it's really hard to tell."
Chase getting up to the crimp.
With four pads I was able to do two more moves. So according to the logic of mathematics, with six pads I should be able to finish the problem. The first jug looked far away, but I ran into Andre and now I have the beta I need for trip two.
Feeling a bit worked, but not yet done, we walked down to "Shot Put." I was getting the feel for it, and having some lunch between attempts. I pulled into the crux and the main foothold exploded off the rock. I hit the pads hard. We were bummed, but instantly started looking for new beta. On my next attempt I broke a low right foot hold. Maciek discovered a new sequence using a crystal out left. I tried it, and that crystal broke. Chase said "I'm never showing you a problem I like again." We laughed, and I grabbed my sandwich. As soon as I took a bite, Maciek looked straight at me and commanded with a strong accent "Stop eating." I laughed so hard I almost chocked. Not much got sent, but we made a lot of progress, laughed a lot, and had great weather by the end of the session. I love this sport.
We woke up to a cold, cloudy, humid morning. At the parking area, Ashley checked out the weather, and declared it a gym day. The weather felt alright to me, and Chase was coming out, so I decided to give the day a shot. Ashley said "Have fun in the land of highballs and sharpness." and drove away. I hiked up hoping it wouldn't rain.
It felt a bit like winter, but there were small signs of spring.
Chase arrived, but a couple other friends who said they might make it, didn't. While we warmed up, it looked like it would be just Chase and I and our two pads, but then two guys arrived carrying five large pads. One looked familiar to me, and introduced himself as Bart. The other boulderer is on a trip from Poland, and his name is Maciek. He pointed at the warm-up wall and said in a most sincere accented voice "I came 9000 miles to climb this problem." His sense of humor and timing was spot on for the rest of the day. I asked what they were planning to get on with all the pads. When Bart mentioned "Childbirth" I couldn't believe our luck. Chase and I headed up to start working out the opening moves. "Childbirth" isn't quite as tall as I expected, but the landing slopes away making it feel airy and sketchy once you begin climbing. I couldn't start the problem using the standard method I watched in "Solutions" the night before. The first foot was too high, and I'm not very flexible. I figured out a jumpstart that is pretty difficult for me, reminiscent of the first move of Pinch overhang. Since no other solution will work, I start on the first holds, and I'm not stacking pads, I think the jumpstart is legit. In this case, I climb right to switch hands before heading back left so I use all the holds.
I got the traverse wired, but wouldn't make the move to the crimp with only two pads under me.
Then Maciek arrived with two more pads. He said "Guidebooks should have pad ratings so you know how many to bring." Sounds like a good idea to me. Most ratings are subjective, but with this rating scale the first ascensionist could just say how many pads he used and then a consensus could build over time with subsequent ascents. With two pads, Chase swung past and hit bare ground once, and I just barely threw the pad under him in time when he took two more swinging falls. With four pads he worked his way up to the crimp pretty quickly. Two more pads changed the game significantly, for us both.
Maciek told us that in Poland people spot by just taking a step back, and smoking a cigarette. "I'm not joking. I have pictures." Most of his finger tips were covered in tape. He said it was because the rock hurt so much. Bart asked "Do your tips have holes?" Maciek removed some tape, looked at his fingers and said "It seems like such a simple question, but it's really hard to tell."
Chase getting up to the crimp.
With four pads I was able to do two more moves. So according to the logic of mathematics, with six pads I should be able to finish the problem. The first jug looked far away, but I ran into Andre and now I have the beta I need for trip two.
Feeling a bit worked, but not yet done, we walked down to "Shot Put." I was getting the feel for it, and having some lunch between attempts. I pulled into the crux and the main foothold exploded off the rock. I hit the pads hard. We were bummed, but instantly started looking for new beta. On my next attempt I broke a low right foot hold. Maciek discovered a new sequence using a crystal out left. I tried it, and that crystal broke. Chase said "I'm never showing you a problem I like again." We laughed, and I grabbed my sandwich. As soon as I took a bite, Maciek looked straight at me and commanded with a strong accent "Stop eating." I laughed so hard I almost chocked. Not much got sent, but we made a lot of progress, laughed a lot, and had great weather by the end of the session. I love this sport.
Monday, February 23, 2009
A Couple Fun Sessions at Arthur's and Carter
Ashley and I had a three day weekend, but the girls had school on Friday. A perfect opportunity to go climbing without the girls. The day was windy so we decided to go to Arthur's. Sheltered from the brunt of the wind, conditions were quite nice.
Some may complain that the rock at Arthur's is sharp, but no one says the boulders are too small.
After warming up, I sent the "Snake and the Skewer." I've spent a lot of days on this problem, but it didn't feel as hard as I expected it to on Friday. The top-out holds are surprisingly good, and someone has removed the sharp dead "skewer" branch from the tree that inspired the problem's name. I have mixed feelings about it. The problem might be safer now, but it was probably safe before and would have felt more committing. It's a beautiful line with really good movement, and two very sharp holds.
Ashley worked "Mole People," and we repeated some problems to finish off the session. Here's Ashley climbing a problem we call "Joe's Arete." It sit starts low, matched on the lowest decent hold.
On Sunday, we went to Carter with Brandon and Amanda. One of the keys to climbing with kids is making it fun. We brought balloons, and they had a "Ballerina Picnic."
Ashley used her traverse endurance to send "Sergeant Woody," and the rest of us spent the afternoon pumping out on it. It's a bit harder since a jug broke off it a few years ago. Here is Amanda having a go.
A couple problems got sent, everyone made progress, and the weather was perfect.
Here's Brandon contemplating the meaning of a "Rocky Top" ascent.
Some may complain that the rock at Arthur's is sharp, but no one says the boulders are too small.
After warming up, I sent the "Snake and the Skewer." I've spent a lot of days on this problem, but it didn't feel as hard as I expected it to on Friday. The top-out holds are surprisingly good, and someone has removed the sharp dead "skewer" branch from the tree that inspired the problem's name. I have mixed feelings about it. The problem might be safer now, but it was probably safe before and would have felt more committing. It's a beautiful line with really good movement, and two very sharp holds.
Ashley worked "Mole People," and we repeated some problems to finish off the session. Here's Ashley climbing a problem we call "Joe's Arete." It sit starts low, matched on the lowest decent hold.
On Sunday, we went to Carter with Brandon and Amanda. One of the keys to climbing with kids is making it fun. We brought balloons, and they had a "Ballerina Picnic."
Ashley used her traverse endurance to send "Sergeant Woody," and the rest of us spent the afternoon pumping out on it. It's a bit harder since a jug broke off it a few years ago. Here is Amanda having a go.
A couple problems got sent, everyone made progress, and the weather was perfect.
Here's Brandon contemplating the meaning of a "Rocky Top" ascent.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Spring Conditions at Arthur's Rock
Monday was warm and sunny, but the wind was brutal. To get out of it, we went up to Arthur's Rock.
We said the wind wouldn't be a problem. Amanda and Brandon trusted us and brought their new baby along.
At the parking area our pads almost blew away, but we were sheltered as soon as we entered the canyon. When we got to the rock, conditions were almost too warm. The wind blowing through the trees on the ridge above sounded like a waterfall, but we were completely protected. It was Brandon and Amanda's first trip to Arthur's. We enjoyed showing them problems we hadn't climbed in years. Most felt easier, which always feels good, and we were so busy climbing I didn't get out the camera till late in the session.
Ashley climbing "Last Resort." Some of the best rock, and movement at Arthur's.
We made progress on a couple long term projects. I'm working "Clutch", and Ashley came very close to climbing "Mole People."
It feels like spring is already here.
We said the wind wouldn't be a problem. Amanda and Brandon trusted us and brought their new baby along.
At the parking area our pads almost blew away, but we were sheltered as soon as we entered the canyon. When we got to the rock, conditions were almost too warm. The wind blowing through the trees on the ridge above sounded like a waterfall, but we were completely protected. It was Brandon and Amanda's first trip to Arthur's. We enjoyed showing them problems we hadn't climbed in years. Most felt easier, which always feels good, and we were so busy climbing I didn't get out the camera till late in the session.
Ashley climbing "Last Resort." Some of the best rock, and movement at Arthur's.
We made progress on a couple long term projects. I'm working "Clutch", and Ashley came very close to climbing "Mole People."
It feels like spring is already here.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Bouldering at Arthur's Rock
We went to Arthur's on Saturday.
A new sign suggests that bouldering is recognized by park staff as legitimate recreation.
We warmed up, then jumped on Beast House.
It's short, sharp, and stupidly difficult. Three moves long, only if you include matching as a move, over maybe five feet of rock. Ashley tried it on our first climbing trip to Arthur's approximately 8 years ago. Ashley's tried it a few times over the years since then, but never sent it until yesterday. It's hard to rate a problem like this. I'd estimate V8/9. I can do the first and last move, but haven't unlocked the match yet. Here is the video.
We moved on up the trail to Shot Put. I had never been on this problem before, and I was very impressed. It's a beautiful problem that has some very fun moves. I haven't worked out the top yet, and will definitely be heading back. The last problem we worked on was Snake and Skewer. I've been told this is V6, but the same source once told me Vice is V6. We worked out most of it, but didn't top out. It's a sharp, uncomfortable problem, but I've put enough time into it now that I want to finish it off.
A new sign suggests that bouldering is recognized by park staff as legitimate recreation.
We warmed up, then jumped on Beast House.
It's short, sharp, and stupidly difficult. Three moves long, only if you include matching as a move, over maybe five feet of rock. Ashley tried it on our first climbing trip to Arthur's approximately 8 years ago. Ashley's tried it a few times over the years since then, but never sent it until yesterday. It's hard to rate a problem like this. I'd estimate V8/9. I can do the first and last move, but haven't unlocked the match yet. Here is the video.
We moved on up the trail to Shot Put. I had never been on this problem before, and I was very impressed. It's a beautiful problem that has some very fun moves. I haven't worked out the top yet, and will definitely be heading back. The last problem we worked on was Snake and Skewer. I've been told this is V6, but the same source once told me Vice is V6. We worked out most of it, but didn't top out. It's a sharp, uncomfortable problem, but I've put enough time into it now that I want to finish it off.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)