Thanksgiving Weekend

Here's a photo from last Sunday; Sophia on her first boulder problem, on some granite blocks on Flagstaff Mountain's summit that we visited last week. We had a lot of fun just walking and looking at things on a beautiful afternoon.












This weekend, I was hit by some strange virus and felt terrible Friday afternoon and night. I did some Boulder Canyon research and photography anyway. Saturday I felt better. Maybe climbing tomorrow, though probably not outside, as we received an inch or two of snow overnight.

Both Graham Aretes in One Session

I went up to the Graham Boulder this afternoon hoping to do the Left Graham Arete. The weather was dry and cool and pretty much perfect. I warmed up pretty quickly thanks to a fingerboard session at home. Ryan Silven showed up at the same time with the same problem in mind and he showed me the other beta that exists for the problem.

I hopped on the problem for a get re-acquainted session and strangely enough did it first try! After a short rest I worked the Right Graham Arete and after a few tries literally scraped up it. This is the first time I have done two double-digit problems in the same session. Here's the video of the Left Arete.

Needless to say I was very psyched and hope to get on some more local V11 and up testpieces over the winter. Training on the fingerboard has been very helpful as well as just getting out there as often as possible. Even at 44 years old, I feel I can climb a lot harder. Also I should add that the V10 Dragons, while not designed as an edging shoe, worked perfectly on the literally dime edges of the Left Graham Arete.

Boulder Canyon on Saturday

I got out for a few hours on Saturday and did some problem research on Cob Rock. The creek is surprisingly high right now and crossing was pesky but I got across and looked around. There is some really good rock up in the talus but RMNP style landings abound. Pride of place has to go to Sleepy Hollow V9, a tall pillar with great rock and holds. The Hug V11 looks very hard. Both have plenty of awkwardly placed boulders at the base. I am updating my Boulder Canyon Bouldering Blog to include these problems.

I went upstream to try the Graham Aretes which I haven't done in about 4 years. I met up with Alex Manikowski, a young boulderer who hails originally from Florida and has some done some hard stuff recently including the Hug. Using his beta, I did the Fields problem which is certainly not V5 or 6, more like 7 or 8. We checked out the Capps Problem which is nowhere near V9 in difficulty, closer to V10 or V11. After he left I worked on the R arete doing all the moves but not sticking the move to the crimp on the go, which is silly considering it's the second move on the problem. Then I worked on the L arete, getting very very close. I have wanted to do a V11 for a long while and this one seems very feasible. If possible, I want to get up to the Poudre to check out Castaway, one of the classic V11s in the state and pretty much my style. A little extra free time for Thanksgiving week may prove helpful in escaping Flagstaff for a while.

The real project is installing the wall in the cellar. I'm not exactly Mr. Handyman but I think I can figure this one out. The fingerboard is great. I did 20 pull-ups on the big rung and 2 or three front levers on the small. Pictures of the latter forthcoming.

Open Air Repeated by Adam Ondra

I mentioned below my belief that Alexander Huber is probably the best all-around climber in the history of the sport. 8a.nu reports that Adam Ondra has repeated Open Air, a route from over 10 years ago and confirmed at 9a+ (5.15a), taking 5 days to complete it. Typically 8c+ takes him a couple of tries. Om, a 1992 route, is the next on the list of Huber desperates to go. What is interesting about this is the extent to which the historical record is distorted by publicity and promotion. Alex climbed Open Air before the age of widespread video and internet information so he operated almost in a vacuum and the route was ignored despite the obvious difficulty of the moves. Sharma's efforts on Realization were extensively documented and the ascent was promoted extensively so in many people's minds that route was the first 5.15. Whether the other contenders such as Akira or Chilam-Balam are legit is still contested.

(Thanks to Climbing Magazine for this link to an interview with Ondra about the climb.

Another interview with Ondra is at Planet Mountain.)

Home Improvement

Since CATS remodeled, there has not been a decent finger/hangboard in any of the local gyms for a while. So I am finally installing some finger edges in the cellar. I am also putting plans together to make a small bouldering wall so I don't have to travel in town if I don't need to. Any suggestions are welcome.

I spent some time Saturday afternoon working the V10 R to L traverse on Red Wall. All the moves are done and I think I can link it next visit. It's a good challenge. Very crimpy in the first half, then great holds and followed by a testy finish. A really worthy testpiece and a good job by Ted Lanzano.

Here's a video from Switzerland that is quite good:

Don't Touch the Glass V7/8 Video

Here's a video of a problem I did recently called Don't Touch the Glass on the East Face of Nook's Rock at Flagstaff. Will Lemaire did the FA of this short but high quality line. It's very hard to grade and conditions can make a big difference.