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Updated 9/4/00

Bouldering News-May 2000

5/22/00 Australia
     Fred Nicole has been bouldering in Australia for Uncarved Block's latest video "EOS 2" (go here to purchase the superb first video EOS). The 6 week trip got started in the Hollow Mountain cave where he immediately set to work on Cave Rave, 8b+ (V14). Cave Rave is more like a route, starting half way along the cave, it snakes horizontally 30 moves to top-out around the caves lip. On his first attempt he flashed the first stage Cave Man, V10, and fell at the crux of Dead Can't Dance, V12, for very nearly a V14 onsight! After figuring out the moves of Dead Can't Dance and sending it in just a few goes he set back to work on the entire Cave Rave which follows Cave Man to the crux of Dead Can't Dance and finishes up the "easier" post-crux Rave Heart, V8. Several more attempts found him falling frustratingly at the same place. Returning a few days later in decidedly greasier conditions, he again fell at the same place and for a change of scenery, he sent Extended World, V11, in a few goes.
     Bouyed by this great start he set to work on the polar opposite of the 30 move Cave Rave with the Grampians other V14, the 10 move power fest which is Ammagamma. This problem is the quintisential power problem which follows a direct line up a steep overhanging face of a boulder and tops out via a desperate mantle which stands at V8 by itself! Inspired by it's beauty and obvious dynamic nature, Fred fell off approaching the problems scary mantle on his third try with his left hand already in the good pocket near the lip and it took several more attempts spread over 2 hours to nab the problems second ascent. Thereby accomplishing the first one day ascent of a V14! To give you an idea of the magnitude of this achievement, it took Klem Loskot 5 days to open Ammagamma and no other V14 has been sent in less than 3 days.
     Finally, on a particularly cold and windy day, he sent Cave Rave for his second V14 of the trip. In a particularly productive mood, he then turned his attention to the attempted harder finish to Cave Rave that finishes up the entire Dead Can't Dance instead of taking the "easier" Rave Heart after the Dead Can't Dance crux. He fired the project on his first shot as well to create Eve Rêve, V14 (sounds like Ev Rev when pronounced in French). His 3rd V14 for the trip! For more on Fred's exploits in Australia check out Tim O'Neill's excellent website.

     According to Tim, the route "starts out with moderate 5.9 climbing to the 15 foot level where you place two small brass nuts. From here, the crux begins with a big move to a slopey horizontal, slopey traverse to a desperate dyno almost 30ft off the deck... the wires being the only gear thus far, do the math i guess. I fell here twice, once I broke both of the wires and decked, see photo above, the other time I came to a screaming halt a couple of feet off the ground and severely bashed my ankle. Today, however, we didn't fall. After the dyno you place a #4 friend in this flaring thing, it will hold a short fall. Twenty more feet of tick-tacky type 5.11/5.12- climbing leads into the don't fall zone and soon the top. A fall from the dyno to the horizontal, the red point crux, will almost definitely result in groundfall or injury or both." Tim and Peter are heading out to Yosemite next week to put their trad climbing skills to the test on the Salathe Wall. Newenglandbouldering.com wishes them the best of luck.

5/9/00 Ragged Mountain, CT
     Armed with a brand new Cordless Evel crashpad, Mike G. and John Lavin put up a new highball at Ragged Mountain. After miming, cleaning off the low holds and arguing over the sequence for a minute or two, the first ascent race was on. Mike, on his first attempt, fell low and commented on how sweet the new Evel was. John spotted this nasty crimp that was about 12 feet off the deck, then to a undercling with a way-high foot to a really bad, big sloper that you have to match, then move to another sloper, even worse then the first, finally up to the top. He hopped on and felt strong, the spotters thought he was going to flash it, but the first sloper spit him off when he matched on it - with his feet about 18 feet off the ground. John fell onto the stack-o-pads and christened the Evel with its first big fall. Mike gave it another burn, armed with the new beta and the spotter's yells, he sent it in two more tries. The John got on it and sent it right after Mike. The problem's top-out is about 24 feet and its name is High Head Blues. John and Mike think it is about V5 or 6, but will wait to find someone with balls to second it. Stay tuned for photos and more beta on bouldering at Ragged.

5/9/00 Shagg Crag, ME reported by Greg Shyloski
     At Shagg Crag, Nate Kimball, the manager and route setter for the Maine Rock Gym, sent his 5.13 project called Diesel. The slightly overhanging route goes up the cliff's best white granite, starting up the 5.9 Short Shagg to technical and beautiful face climbing above that short route. The route's crux is two powerful moves off very poor crimps. The route has yet to see a second ascent, though Dave Graham gave it a try late in the day after Kimball made his redpoint as did Eric Mushial. The route is probably Maine's most classic 5.13 featuring interesting moves, perfect rock, and a stunning setting right up the middle of Maine's best sport crag. As far as grade, the only concensus has been classic 5.13.

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