Long time no see...

WOW, I can't believe it has been over a year since I posted here last.  It hasn't been a year since I've been out climbing or hiking, but I'll get back to regular updates again now that I'm back in NH.  Tomorrow, I'll post some pics of climbing in Pawtuckaway on Wednesday.  Yep, I got in a climbing day just before we are forecast to receive a foot of snow.  It has started snowing already, so it looks like the forecast will be right.  Come on Spring!!

Route Map

Here is an updated photo of the cliff we climbed last week.  I've added the routes and names of the two routes we did in a day.  There is another line that looks really sweet that follows the first pitch of 'Claro que no' and then follows the line to the left.  We want to call it 'Claro que si' but we'll have to send it first!

Two in a Day!

Ha! Take that T.C.! You're not the only one who can do two routes in a day!

Yesterday, Jeremy and I had a great long day, racking up about 450' vertical, all trad, all gear belays. (OK so we're only about 5,550' and about 4 number grades lower than what T.C. does, but it was still wicked fun, and the first time we've been able to do more than one route at Aldamaga.

We left the car right at about noon, and had a hot hike in the blazing sun. Fortunately we only had to wait about 20 minutes for the shade to cover the route. We were racked up and ready to go and left tierra firma as soon as the shade allowed.

First up was T-Rex, 230' and just as fierce as the last time I tried and bruised my heels in a fall from the crux. We're figuring the pitches are 5.10 a/b and 5.9 respectively. After topping out, we walked back down the 'gulley of doom' where Jeremy managed to have a rock fall on his ankel and open up a nice gash. Though not as nice, (or as bloody) as the gash from our last trip out.

We chugged a bunch of water, gatoraid, and ate some oranges before starting up Claro Que No! A very nice 5.8 entry pitch to a somewhat scarry hanging belay 80' up. The second pitch is amazing... about 140' up a excellent and sustained 5.9. There are a few very exposed and insecure moves traversing from one crack system to another. Full Value!

We topped out around 7:00 pm just as the sun was going down, and as we made our second trip of the day down the 'gulley of doom' we were able to bask in our accomplishment, enjoy the view of the sun setting on the mountian ridge across the valley, and watch the moon rise.

The desert is an amazing place to climb, and as we had a celebratory smoke while packing for the hike to the van, I'd say I experienced a moment of grace... One of those moments when you know God is giving you an amazing gift, simply because you're His child, and beloved.

Congrats Jeremy, thanks Lord...

How about three...?!?

Return to Majalca

We really like going out to Majalca when we can.  It is a great escape from the city and gives us a chance to breathe fresh air and stretch our legs on something softer than concrete.

Here is a shot from the road into the park, you can see the road snaking through the valley.

Once we get up into the park we are around 7000 feet elevation and the road drops into the riverbed and winds through the canyon.
Here is a shot of me on one of the boulders we found at the far end of the camping area in the park.  You could call this a highball, we haven't topped it out yet - it is a bit scary when you get up that high.

Majalca Rocks!

We went out to Majalca with the Worleys last weekend and got in a little good climbing.  Here I am cleaning 'Circus Ride' on a tower near our campsite.   More importantly, while we were helping get a truck unstuck from the creek, we noticed a few nice boulders that we hadn't seen before.  Looks like a half-dozen decent overhanging boulder problems that top out at close to 9 or 10 feet up.
Right around the corner from these boulders was a nice looking bolted route that is very high, maybe 15 bolts, and further downstream a few sweet looking cracks.  We didn't have our gear with us at this time because we went downstream to help some guys get their truck out, but next time we know where to go.

Aldama - Part III - B12

This past Saturday we had the opportunity to put down another untouched trad climb just outside of Aldama Mexico, here it is!

The picture below is of us finally reaching the starting point of the first pitch. It took us a good 20 minute walk from Suburban to base in a less then ideal hiking area. Sharp desert plants, tons and tons of loose rocks, and straight up hill while in the sun. Needless to say we were glad for a small rest in the shade before we began the accent.

See the main dirt road? Just below that is another dirt road, although not used as much, or as big. Near that is where the Black Suburban that we hiked from is.

Mike on the first section of the climb.

Top out pics! It was a great climb that was relentless and had a couple of challenging sections. By the end of the 250 ft. our muscels were exhausted and my finger tips were thrashed. Being the first accent of this climb we named it;

B-12

The name comes from the vitaman supplement I had with me that we took, before we arrived to the climb.

Till the next time, climb hard, be safe, and "thank" the God of creation for the adventures we can have in what He has made!

Back to Aldama

We went back to the crag past Aldama last week for the express purpose of learning to communicate in Spanish while climbing. Here are a few pics of Mike leading a nice multi-pitch crack there. We ended up topping out another nice two-pitch crack together off to the right of this one and we hope to go back to finish this route another time.

New Mexico Rocks

On a quick trip up to Albuquerque, Mike and I had a chance to do a little bouldering. Here's some pics of a line we named Relief Supplies. FA by Mike Kelly.

New Crag Circa Aldama

On a tip from a friend, Mike and I went out exploring yesterday to see if we could find this crag off the highway near the town of Aldama. We'd been told about the two-hundred foot splitter cracks just a half hour from the city and with only a five minute walk-up. We almost turned around before we found it because it was really more like 45 minutes out, and it was a 15 minute walk up to the nearest end of the cliff-band. But once we were there, it was great. There's nothing like a little adventure climbing to get you rejuvinated. Click on the images below to see a large version of each one.


Here, Mike is ready to begin the onsight, FA (as far as we know). The first placement is well off ground level, relative to the ranch down below so the whole thing felt pretty exposed. The pic on the right is of us at the top of the climb.




Another summit victory photo. This cliff-band faces east so we were climbing in the shade all afternoon. But once on the top, we were back in the sun. The pic on the right is of Mike checking out other lines to the right of the line we climbed. You can see our line, the wide dihedral crack, off to the left. The hardest part, mentally of the whole climb, was topping out the pillar and then stepping back onto the face for the last fifteen feet. Talk about feeling exposed! Up til then we'd had the dihedral to work with on two sides, sometimes even cramming ourselves into the chimney for a bit. Then we got to the top of the pillar and we were back onto a normal face climb with 180 degrees of exposure.


On the top we found ourselves in an untouched 'forest' of ocotillo and cactus. It was really cool to see the land the way it would be without the imprint of humanity on it. Definitely a landscape that was unfamiliar to me, but I was glad I was wearing sneakers and not my tevas.

Split Rock Topout Flashback

Last summer Mike and I found a tough boulder in the woods at Mt. Major State Park in Alton, NH. The toughest part of this short boulder was the topout, which was mostly blank while the face was slightly overhanging and while we tried in vain to hold onto the tiny holds on the top, gravity kept pulling us back off the lip and onto the ground again. The lip is only about eight-and-a-half feet off the ground so the fall wasn't bad but the video from the top ended up being rather comical watching us fall over and over again.

More Pics

Teamwork

This is what we call teamwork. Now no one can say we don't work like a team. I don't know if this will count for the tick list, but you do what you gotta do.This is at a new area Mike found over the weekend. We have affectionately named it the Toilet Bowl Area because of the wind and water worn bowls shaped into the hills. Better rock quality than the Men at Work area but just as much sun. This was at about 3 pm - the rocks all face west. Fortunately today topped out at about 75 degrees, tomorrow is forecast to reach 85 degrees or higher.

Men At Work

I've finally been able to get back out rock climbing! If I were still in NH there wouldn't be any climbing going on, unless I wanted to take up ice climbing. But I'm in Mexico now and Mike Kelly, Ryan Worley and our friend Sergio have found something worth tearing up our hands right here near where we live. Granted, rock climbing isn't as common or popular here as in NH so the local "crags" are untouched, loose, crumbly and dirty. Some might be tempted to call it choss, but it's what we've got close to home and it'll do. It's actually pretty good once you get it cleaned, which is an ordeal but totally worth it to be climbing again.

This crack is on a bluff out behind the hospital, and today it was sunny, hot and windy. We haven't given this a name yet, we're saving that for the first ascensionist, but I suggested "Men At Work" due to the dangerous nature of the falling rocks and the necessity of a helmet. And, this has worked us all over for two days of climbing so "Men At Work" is appropo.

The Chisel

Just before Ben left for the long trip out to the west coast, we got to climb at Whiteface Mt one last time. I got this video at one of my favorites on the mountain. The Chisel is a great short climb that consists of a bunch of hold that feel like someone chiseled them into the side of the cliff. This is unadulterated rock, its the way God made it, no one has chiseled the holds. That's just the best way to describe it. A good pumpy climb that is always worth doing.

Happy Days are Here Again!

Went back to Whiteface Mt last week with Tony and Ben. Ben never thought he'd like climbing but now he's into it. He's pretty good too, has some really natural talent, and he's 6'4" with an unreal wingspan. He can reach off the ground some holds that are two moves up for me.

The Other Side of Split Rock Boulder

This is what you couldn't see in my last video post. The backside of the Split Rock Boulder, overhanging slightly, hard on the fingers, and the top-out is nearly blank.

Almost too hot for climbing

I went back to Bob's Boulders at Whiteface Mt yesterday afternoon. In the middle of the day on a true summer's day here in NH, it's just plain hot and humid. We tramped around in the woods for a while looking at some other lesser developed cliffs on the mountain and by the time we came back to Bob's Boulders my shirt was soaked. We climbed 'The Nose' and 'Left-wing Extremist' and could barely keep chalk on our hands. It was fun though and my brother-in-law, Ben Kane, came with me for the first time and really enjoyed it. Hopefully we get some better, drier weather later this week and we'll go again.

Split Rock Boulder, Mt. Major

Mike Kelly and I work the top-out moves on the Split Rock Boulder at Mt. Major, Alton, NH. We still haven't linked the bottom with the top-out. The bottom is overhangy and the top-out is nearly blank so it works out to be a fun problem.

Not too hot for climbing!

I had two opportunities to go climbing again at Whiteface Mt in Gilmanton, NH this week. Monday I went with a couple of guys from New Jersey, one of them being an exchange student from Belgium. This is Ray, a retired prison guard from NJ.

Jon and Angie Button are back in NH to finish up their partnership development before joining us in Brazil for language study. Jon was able to come with me on Wednesday.

Sam Huggard is the pastor at BeFree Community - Alton, the new church in town that meets at the High School. Sam was an outdoor education major at UNH back in the day. Sam was able to come with us on Wednesday too.
Tony Kappes has been my constant climbing partner and I will miss climbing with him. We went to Whiteface Mt every Wednesday morning all fall-winter.
Here's a picture of me on 'Right-wing Extremist', a route that I projected for several months worth of Wednesday mornings before I sent it on lead. The crux is right at the bottom, the first three or four moves off the ground. Then it is a slightly overhanging jug-haul with a mono on the top-out. My trouble with it was the endurance part. I always expended so much energy on the first part that I didn't have enough left to finish out the top. I always pumped out after the third-of-four bolts. I have been training specifically for it, and though I have already sent it this past spring, I did it two more times this week just because it still gets my blood pumping.

May in NH

I took the family and the Kappes family to Whiteface Mountain in Gilmanton, NH a week and a half ago to do some climbing on the Bob's Boulders Crag. I had just picked up a Black Diamond Whiz Kid harness and wanted to have the kids try it out. In the end we got everyone but little Joseph up on the wall and we had a great day.