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Bouldering
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4/30/01 Rumney, NH
Vadim Vinokur sent Parallel Universe, 5.14a,
this weekend at Rumney. After working on it last year, he sent the route
second try. First try didn't involve too much rubber contact, but the second
try was super technique, fine power, and some real determination not to fall
at the high crimp. There, he fired for it and fell back onto the bird beak,
recovered, grit his teeth, bore down, and sent to the summit. Some other
noteworthy sends at Rumney this spring include Justin Hayes and Dan Nugyen
sending The Mushroom Planet, 5.13a and Miklos Sarvary sent
Kundalini, 5.13a. Justin also has sent a string of 5.13b's this spring.
Joe Kinder did the second ascent of Mr. Gerbick, 5.13d, a face route
that has impeccable water-stained Rumney stone, and Luke Parady did
the second ascent of Flying Fish, 5.13c. Dead deer at the base of
Orange Crush and Triple Corners are making climbing difficult at these areas,
you may want to bring a gas mask if you plan on climbing at either of these
cliffs. |
4/28/01 Rumney, NH
After warming up on Technosurfing, 5.12b,
John Mallory sent Urban Surfer, 5.13d, first try today, and followed
it up with redpoints of Coral Seas, 5.13b, and Butt Bongo Fiesta,
5.13a. No weight on the rope on this stellar low gravity day with temps in
the 50s and humidity below 30%. After two months of ice climbing without
touching rock (or gym), John had been training up at Waimea for the past
6 weeks in cold, snow, and seeping wetness. Urban went on the 13th linkage
burn past the crux (V8) up to the 12c pinch (redpoint crux) over about 6
days. This stopper move boils down to to wrestling your thumb onto the pinch
so you can pull into the rest.
After bolting the route on the lead over several years
(problems with death blocks that had to be pried off), John worked the route
for around TEN years and came pretty close during several seasons
before the weather deteriorated (too cold or too hot). But, linkage followed
from some key beta changes from Dave, Luke, and Joe along with some serious
and sustained headbanging (and lots of flight time) this spring. 20+ footers
are standard if you fail to make it through the crux or you fail to make
it to the rest after the crux. Headbanging burns involve doing the 13a approach
with soaking wet 5.12d sections and still making it past the crux only to
wing off a move below the "in-the-bag" rest. Obstacles included iced up starts
requiring more difficult variations, or slapping up for a blind sloper only
to find it completely verglassed, slapping around to more ice, and then flying
off. In other words, you either have to be a mutant on growth hormones or
really want it. This ascent was made possible by Bjorn Andreas, John's
enthusiastic and tough-as-nails climbing partner this Spring, as well many
other erstwhile Rumney locals. Their motto is: "Bad conditions is no excuse;
they just make for better training." |
4/27/01 Rumney, NH
Luke Parady has been climbing very strong lately,
sending The Mandala in Bishop and Steady Slobbin at Rumney
last week (see below), but now he has taken it to the next level. Luke sent
The Fly, 5.14d, today at Waimea at Rumney, NH, the short, powerful
route's second ascent. Luke said this is definitely the hardest route or
boulder problem he has ever done, and that if felt like a V13 or 14 boulder
problem, and therefore was likely 5.14d. He added that it took him four days
this spring to send it, but that he had worked on the route last year with
Dave Graham. Luke used different beta on the last moves, which became more
difficult when a key foothold broke. |
4/26/01 Bishop, CA and Western
Massachusetts
After recovering from a sprained wrist at the
Phoenix Bouldering Contest, Josh Spear headed to Bishop where he sent
America's Fit Homeless, V9, Junior's Achievement, V8, and
Gleaning the Cube, V8, among many other problems. Feeling strong,
he headed home to Great Barrington where he added a sit start to
Fotowa which bumps the grade up to V10 (video footage coming
soon). |
4/24/01 Western Massachusetts
After over a year on the couch, Ken Majka seems
to finally be hitting his stride. Fully recovered from arthroscopic surgery
on both his shoulder and knee, Ken has put together an impressive string
of sends since his mid-winter bout with The Machine. At Great Barrington,
he did Brett Myers (maybe someone else's?) stand-up problem to the right
of Fotowa V7/8, as well as the insane dyno that won Jay Brereton the
spotter of the month, K-Why? V8. On this last problem, missing the
finishing jug means flying backwards in a reverse superman position at ~14ft.
At Farley, Ken did the FA of the classic low-ball, Low Rider V8 which
involves two of the coolest slopers at Farley, The Slab Prolem V8,
Wet Banana V8/9, and most impressively grabbed the second ascent of
Scarub V10 as a warm up (he had worked it previously). Indeed, it
appears that Ken has healed up nicely. Just in time for bug season. |
4/24/01 Gunks, NY
Middlebury College students Dan Knights and
Matt Wilder have been bouldering strong in the gunks lately. Both sent
Khadeja, V10, and Dan just sent Carajo, V11. |
4/23/01 Rumney, NH
Following in the footsteps of his compadre,
Joe Kinder redpointed Steady Slobbin calling the route his hardest
to date (pictures coming soon). |
4/19/01 Rumney, NH
Now that the ice has melted, things are starting
to heat up at Rumney. Tim Kemple sent Riviera, 5.13d, Jon Dickey
sent Big Kahuna, 5.12d, and Dave Sharatt sent Feeding Frenzy,
5.13c/d. Finally, Luke Parady did the second ascent of Steady
Slobbin, 5.14b.
Luke Parady on the second ascent of Steady Slobbin, 5.14b,
at Rumney.
Photograph by Tim Kemple. |
4/19/01 Borderland State Park, MA
For a little over a year now, I've heard Joe
McLoughlin mumble about his desire to do a project on a boulder at Borderland
State Park. During that time I've also heard about him moving up in his job
(including getting a company truck and losing the tiny kelly green Neon),
having his first child (well his wife having a baby, him coaching her along),
and having sleepless nights filled with bottles, diapers, and a baby's tears.
Despite all of this madness, including running everything to do with
newenglandbouldering.com and boulderdashmag.com, last weekend Joe McLoughlin
sent his first V9 by means of the FA of this crazy problem he'd been talking
about for so long.
Hardly Working, V9, took Joe over 12 days dispersed over a year to send.
Climbing an overhanging prow on a boulder that is near the intersection of
the West Side and French Trails, six powerful moves on clean edges and flakes
lead to the summit. This, "is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done"
said Joe to me the other day. Although I couldn't see him in person i could
see his big gaping smile and sleepless eyes on his face as he chatted away.
I just wanted to let everyone know what the webmaster here has been up to.
Joe provides all of us with one of the best climbing resources on the web,
and I really want to thank him for that. Even more important than this, however,
is the friendship he has shared with so many of us, its truly great. The
fact that you can stay motivated despite all of the other crazy things in
your life is inspirational, thanks Joe, and WAY TO GO!
Thanks - Tim Kemple -
timk@newenglandbouldering.com |
4/19/01 Great Barrington, MA
Spring has brought some new problems to the
boulders of Great Barrington. On the Satelite boulder two new problems have
been added. Space, V3, is a sweet, tall problem with an airy topout,
followed by Drop Zone, V6, a thugish feature over a cresting roof
with long moves full of squeezin and pimpin. The grade is unclear because
no one else has done the problem but many have tried. Uphill above the Phen-fen
boulder is the Egyptian Equarium where local have added 6 to 8 easy problems
including Angel Fish, V3, Blow Fish, V4, and Sous Chef,
V0. Pete Ward and John LaValley came over for a beautiful spring day sampling
the old and the new probs. Pete repeated The Bump, V8 making the fourth
ascent overall.
Chris Folwer on the first ascent of The
Voluptuous Bootie, V6, at a new group
of boulders in Great Barrington, MA. Photograph by Matt Stark. |
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Disclaimer
Bouldering is dangerous. You could be
seriously injured or killed. Do not attempt any of the problems described
in this web page unless you have the expertise to do so. NewEnglandBouldering.com
does not assume any liability for your safety or well
being. |
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