Easier Problems at Tahawus

Finally I found some easier problems at Tahawus, there is two boulders ion this small spot, the other is directly left of this one just out of the photo, but that one is really mossy and would take some serious cleaning. The one in the photo has three lines, starting from the right is a nice v0 warm up problem, and they get harder as you go left. The center one I havn't done, because I couldn't reach the middle area to get some moss off of a couple key holds. It looks really easy too though, maybe v1 because the feet are really small to start. Then the third on the left is a really fun problem that starts in the middle, then you hit two sidepulls and make your way up on some ledges to a slopey top out. It wasn't too hard either v1 or 2. In total I've found five nice boulders now, and have cleaned three of them. I like this area.

Gnarnia!

Two days ago I got to adventure down a bit to the Brant Lake area, and even though the new gnarnia area only has maybe 8 or so good boulders, those boulders are really good. The big one that the platform was built for looks especially good, I cant wait to try it once I can get some more people out there with me. I got to work on one of the other boulders, a clean tall beauty that has some amazing lines on it.

The arete in this top picture is a nice thin line with a tough first couple moves. It reminded me a lot of colorful corners down in Coopers, with the one tiny start hold that looks like a joke but actually works nice. After that I get a nice high step on a big ledge, bump my hand to another mystery hold, then up the the slighty bigger ones. It had some chalk on it, so I'm pretty sure someone else has done it, but it was a fun one for sure.

This photo shows a wicked fun slab line that is right next to the arete. It starts on that hanging fin while stemming off to the side. then goes up crimps that get worse and worse the higher you get. It looks like it finishes up the thin diagonal crack in the middle of the boulder. I havn't done it yet, the landing isn't that great, and the slab is scary at the top, so it's another one I am excited to try with some spotters. Not sure if anyone has done this one, there wasn't and chalk that I could see and I cleaned to the top out, but if anyone else knows then let me know.

New Problem at Tahawus

Yesterday was a good day for the Tahawus area I have been playing around in lately. At first I thought there wouldn't be much more than the one gigantic boulder I found, everything else seemed too mossy. But I found another fun problem just a few feet from the big one, it's another really hard one though. I cleaned it off and gave it several attempts, but it started to get late and it was feeling really tough. Everything I have been finding so far seems above v5 at least, and the rock is really sharp, but nonetheless I am having a blast and here is the new boulder.

It is a heel hooking traverse that starts on a good ledge, then gets incredibly hard as it goes left, then has a nice jug finish. It seems fun, I just hope next time i get it. But wait, there is still more good news, I found two more boulders nearby this one, and although I didn't get a good look, they seem to have great potential. Next time I head there I hope to add at least three new problems to the area. For now, it's time to head off to Gnarnia and try and get some FA's.

Mckenzie Wilderness Trail Boulder

We found a great boulder all by it's lonesome on the Mckenzie Pond Wilderness trail, which is about a ten or fifteen minute drive from the actual Mckenzie Pond Bouldering area. It is right off the trail after about a fifteen minute walk. The most impressive feature is the obvious half a foot wide crack going up most of the boulder. The problem starts on the bottom left of the crack, then follows it up to the top. Get ready to have some sore elbows and arms though, cause there are some rough arm jams we used to get up the wide top of the crack. It was definitely a super fun project though, V4 once you find the secret holds way back in the crack. Andrew got the first ascent and we dubbed it, "There's Something In Your Mustache."

The Cave Boulder

We went to Snowy Mountain again last week, I really like the rock there. These first pictures are from the Cave Boulder, the top most boulder in the set. It has some really fun warm ups, Hammerhead and Buzzed, as well as some harder stuff. The top photo is of Andrew making his way over the lip on Buzzed. In the picture you can see the chalk marks for a problem I made up that starts on the arete to the left of it. It wasn't in the book, but it flowed so nice that I'm sure someone has done it before.

The right side of the Cave Boulder has the harder stuff, The sickness V6, The Cure V8, and the The Fin V6. We were focused on the The Cure, which is a super fun jug haul up to a scary top out on a slopes. Switching the last big hold before the top ledge to an undercling was the beta that made it easy to get up there. There is also a sideways crimp on top, and a little crescent heel hook spot. But the top holds are sloping so much that it's definitely still real rough.