The South

I spent the past two and a half weeks climbing in the southeast. I spent the majority of my trip at Rocktown, a sandstone area located in northwest Georgia. Rocktown is a maze of sandstone boulders spread out with many quality moderates. There are a lot of roofs at Rocktown and the camping is free. My goal was to finish a cool roof called Tractor Traylor(turns out I was actually climbing the extension). I came close to doing this climb 3 or 4 years ago, but then the jackass southern rain prevented any further efforts. There was a large bucket at the end of the roof, but when I returned this year it had been broken off. I think that it makes the problem significantly harder and more sustained. Every time it rained on this trip I had nightmare flashbacks that I was not going to be able to finish it, but I sent the day after xmas. I couldn't have got a better xmas present than that. I climbed several moderate classics including Rescue 911, Croc Bloc, Spice, The Tooth Problem, Pythagorean Theorem, Triple Slaps, Golden Showers, and Double Trouble.

After Rocktown, I headed back to the Vapor Lock Roof at Dayton Pocket. This area is more or less a perfect example of my ideal climbing area. It's a short hike to the roof, there is a lack of crowds(I didn't see a single person all day), and the roof is massive with cool holds and pumpy climbing. I tried the crux moves of Honeycomb without high expectations, but I was able to do the moves. Apparently Tractor Traylor extension left me in great shape as I was able to do the climb in a few tries. I also did Torpedo which climbs cool rails out to a jug finish.

Photo of Honeycomb from a few years back.

I spent the last 2 days of my trip in the southeast climbing at some spots I had never been to. I visited LRC and climbed on some classic boulder problems. LRC is conveniently located close to Chattanooga and has a short hike. There is a large amount of sandstone boulders that host inspiring lines. The Wave was an awesome feature that started on jugs and climbed out a long sloper rail. Super Mario was another noteworthy problem that had fun movement, cool holds, and pockets! Tennessee Thong is an amazing boulder that has a somewhat blind throw to a massive jug. When I hit the jug my right hand came off and slapped against a wall to stop the barndoor. I haven't done a move as unique as that throw.

I headed south to Alabama to check out HP40. I drove down there after climbing in the morning at LRC, and visited a small area located outside of HP called Sumatanga. There is a good roof problem there called Melodrama that climbs good edges and pockets out the roof. I did this problem, then camped at HP for the night. In the morning, I woke up to the sound of more southern jackass rain. It wasn't raining hard, but it was my last day before heading to Texas. This rain was odd in the sense that it was more of a fog that soaked the trees, which in turn rained on the boulders. Anything that was out in the open was dry, but boulders under trees were wet. It was the strangest form of wet that I've seen. I did a quick session of some of the steeper climbs including Hammerhead, Mulletino, and Short Long.

Long Time

It's been a long time since my last update. I had a busy, but unproductive summer for climbing. I started the summer off in Estes Park working on the tree crew again. Winter had left fuck tons of snow in the high country of RMNP even more so than usual. Condtions were not ideal as there was much rain, snow, and/or 80 degree heat. Not being too thrilled on the hiking for a second summer in a row, I ended up doing more skateboarding during my stay in Colorado. I climbed at Emerald Lake a few times, and I climbed on a roof near Denver called Bambi. Bambi climbs through underclings out a sandstone roof on a cool hillside. I climbed at the Golf Wall near Durango during my vacation in Pagosa Springs. The Golf Wall is a limestone sport climbing cliff north of durango.

After a month of working in Colorado I decided to move back to Flagstaff and found a job as landscape foreman. I set to work on the Super BVB project. Two weeks after my return to Flagstaff I was hit by a car at the bottom of Cherry hill while I was on a skateboard. I tried to avoid the impact by jumping up and still got nailed by the car. I flew and flipped 1o feet through the air and landed on my right shoulder and side, in which I skidded along the pavement for 5 feet until I rolled up a curb into a pile of rocks. I suffered a lot of road rash, a limp on my left leg, and an injured right shoulder. I also got some lacerations above my right eye that scarred. I wasn't able to climb for a month after that. In August my body burnt out from working, and September was busy with the start of school.

Super BVB Roof

Result of getting hit by a car.

In rOctober I finally returned to consistent full time climbing. I've been climbing on the Choss Roof lately which is a massive limestone roof that climbs a refrigerator compression block out a 2o foot roof. Winter seems to be descending on Flagstaff at the moment, so it may have to wait until spring. Here's a video of Matt Gentile climbing Choss Roof. Additionally, Matt climbed the first ascent of the Super BVB Roof amongst a host of other hard roofs in Northern Arizona this fall. I'm heading out on a month long road trip to Rocktown and ATX in two weeks.

I took a climbing trip over Thanksgiving. I went to Moe's Valley in southern Utah for the first time. The bouldering sits in a valley littered with sandstone boulders with a variety of problems ranging from roofs to crimps to sloper problems. I did many quality moderates as well as the Lindy Roof.

In honor of Coop being done with his "Therapeutic Presence" work at the Rehab center, I'd like to post the following image:

super bvb roof

matt working the project



coop giving it a burn..

super bvb roof project.

updated the treasure map.. it's color coded by type of stone and most areas have photos, also couple spots are sporting topo directions

Sam, Matt, and myself went to Cherry Canyon around 9:00 AM Saturday morning. I warmed up slowly, by doing the long traverse on the right side of the Bulge two or three times, and doing the long move at the end of Truffle Shuffle. After my warm up, I rested for a while, and watched Matt work on Dain’s Bulge, which he was getting very close on.

Eventually, I moved the pads under Uptown Vandal, and in a now familiar pattern, brushed all of the holds, set up my camera, and put my climbing shoes on. I felt remarkably calm as I settled under the start holds, and then my mind shut off, everything clicked, and I climbed to the top of the wall. In two minutes, I had concluded the process that began eight months ago.

This is by far the longest I have ever worked a boulder problem, and I am very glad I finally finished it off. I thought I could put Uptown Vandal together in a few weeks, or at least by the end of the Fall season, and it was frustrating when I was unable to do so. My window of opportunity for this Spring was rapidly closing, due to my returning home to Colorado on this coming Friday. Needless to say, I am beyond psyched that Uptown Vandal won’t be looming in the back of my mind all Summer.

Flagstaff Sports Action

BvB r00f

Robbie killin it

Robbie bombing cherry hill

Cherry Canyon

Went to Cherry Canyon with Noah and Sam yesterday. I haven’t been there since November, when the Forest Service locked the gates. Noah and I both worked on Uptown Vandal, and it felt just as good as it did back in the Fall. I repeated all of the moves first try, except the strange lock off to the crimp-pocket on the face, which is still elusive. My body positioning must not be correct, as everyone else can do it easily.

The big event of the day, however, was Sam’s final attempt to repeat “Don’t Peace Me Out, Yo Matt Birch”. After doing the first move up to the the left hand crimp, the right hand gaston exploded off of the wall, most likely rendering the problem unclimbable. Upon further inspection, none of us could figure out how the hold had managed to stay on the wall for as long as it had, as there was a layer of dirt and mud left behind. Unfortunately, this effectively renders the low start improbably difficult, and most likely impossible.

Sam Tingey reaching for the now broken hold from the sit start…

I Win!!

Recent Happenings

Flailure on Full Service again in 80 degree weather.

Aubrey flashing the Dark Heart Crack.

The winter in Flagstaff has been optimal for rock climbing compared to last winter. There has not been much snow, and when it has snowed it melted quick. I've been climbing at Priest Draw, Buffalo Park, and Grasshopper Point. I have repeated a few new link-ups at the draw on the Puzzle Box roof including Rise of the Phoenix(aka Phoenix Sucks #1), Huffalufafish(aka Phoenix Sucks #2), Cosmic Phoenix(aka Phoenix Sucks #3), and Sufferfish(aka Phoenix Sucks #4). I am astounded that people drive 2 1/2 hrs from Phoenix to climb on link-ups and "revitalize the draw with new boulder problems." Sorry to say, but climbing link-ups does not revitalize the draw Phoenicians. The original classic and uncontrived boulder problems were done decades ago by climbers who are humble and keep their mouths shut. I also did the new low left version to Floor Pie which is an outstanding line that is better than the original with compression style climbing out the roof. A few days ago I did The Beast From The East at Grasshopper Point which has unique moves on sandstone. Here is a video of Noah Rayburn crushing the line:
beast from the east. from Noah Rayburn on Vimeo.

I made a trip down to Hueco near the end of February with a crew from Flagtown. I flailed on my project as usual, but this season's failure has increased my motivation to get stronger for next year. This season was a reminder that climbing should not be taken too seriously, after all I don't get paid to climb. Rock climbing is all about the fun. It was good to see many of my friends who stay the winter there or were passing through. I started working a new project the last day of my trip called Eckagrata, also known as the Wellsite Dyno. Eckagrata starts on two small pockets, then moves up to a good right hand pocket and a poor left hand pocket to a massive crux lunge.

Last week I made a trip to Joe's Valley for some classy sandstone bouldering. I spent my short trip climbing on a few projects in the Left Fork. I worked out the beta to the crux of Strongbad, but did not have enough time to send. I also made it across the river and slogged uphill across an epic muddy and snowy slope to try the Masterpiece. The Masterpiece is an amazing roof climb that follows a seam after a crimpy crux with a strange toe hook to a tall prow finish. Props to James for having the vision to make this line a reality. This climb is badass, big, and proud. I would say that if the BLIMP roof is a 5 on the proud scale, then this climb is a 4, but the difficulty of the two problems is comparable. My trip to Joe's caused me to realize two of my main weaknesses: crimping and big dynamic moves. The style of climbing here does not suit me well, but I am glad that I have come to the realization of my weaknesses which will allow me to improve as a climber.

On a side note I would like to welcome 2 new contributors to the site: Pat Fitts and Sam Tingey, and as always BLIMP4LYFE bitches.

Hueco Tanks... and sNOOOOOOOOOOOw?!

This past weekend a crew of climbers drove down to Hueco Tanks for the long weekend. There were seven of us staying at the Wagon Wheel campground, which is certainly much more laid back and relaxed than the Rock Ranch. Climbing wise, not much happened. Tyler and Derek sent New Religion and a few other classics on their first trip to the Tanks, and I spent most of the weekend cruising around on moderates. Cooper got close on Full Service. I treated it as a vacation, and just enjoyed the warm weather (mid-60s) and good food (El Pasito & the Vista). As per usual, I chalked up and put tick marks on the "Moonshine Roof Project"... Its up there just WAITING to be climbed... Start on either the right side of the roof, or the standard start, and do some heinous hard compression moves to gain a rad pinch, and then go to the lip a few feet right of "Moonshine Right".

Much to our horror, however, Flagstaff had been buried by a foot of snow while we were enjoying the desert paradise. I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to deal with any until the alpine season… But alas, Noah and I trudged out to Middle Elden and cleaned off the topout of Broken Symmetry today. Just in time for more snow this coming weekend.

Pat

The Dab.

You Bitches need to stop dabbing. Invalid. Drop Immediately.

Full Service from Phillip Schaal on Vimeo.

Starting one move in and dabbing the spotter= FAIL.

Formula 50, Brad. Formula 500, Dustin from Lostall on Vimeo.

Dab on Formula 500. Don't tell me to shut up, it is invalid bitches.

Drop Force from Justin Bowen on Vimeo.

Dab. Keys on the belt loop Dab. Choss Dab.

Untitled from Ian Dory on Vimeo.

This looks like a dab at the end. We need uncut footage with sound to confirm.


Dab at 0:31. Invalid. No First Ascent.

Hueco

Photo: Sammy D

Photos: Steve Townshend

Another good trip to Hueco Tanks. I didn't send any of my projects, but I had a good time hanging out in the desert paradise with friends. Maybe Serves You Right will go down next time. It is my longest standing project to date, I've been working on the climb since I was in high school.