Snow already!!! Good thing I climbed more outside in the last 2 months (in Minnesota) than I ever have cumulatively in the last 2 years.
I only made it up to Sawmill once this year, but I got out to Taylors Falls 3 times, and I have lost track of the number of trips I made to Sandstone this Fall. Many climbers sent their projects and are getting stronger as I type this. There are some really hard problems in b2: perfect for winter training in the gym.
Some highlights of the fall season -
Multiple people are working on the Cave Traverse at Taylors Falls. Jacob Gerber has been making good progress on it, as well as Beck Kloss. Beck's first day working the Cave was very impressive to say the least.
Nic Oklobzija FA'ed The Turnstile Project up at Sawmill calling it the Veyron Arete and grading it V10.
Victoria working the Cave
I wrapped up an old project at Sandstone. The 30 Degree Stand is only a few moves, but it is a devious, delicate problem. I had a hard time grading it because it didn't feel all that bad when I actually sent it. My estimate is V7/8, it is fairly height dependent I suppose.
Anyway....
Just last week I was able to pull a white rabbit out of a black hat and topout Pocket Hercules at Sandstone. I'm very pleased that I can let my mind rest in peace during the winter.
Pocket Hercules
What is the secret to getting stronger and being able to flash every V5 in existence?
I went up to Sandstone on Sunday September 5 with Conor Hesch and Brandal Raymond. It was reminiscent of the Dagobah System (the planet Yoda lived on): swampy again, and an inconceivable number of mosquitoes.
On another note, I have gotten back into the repetitious nature of icing the tendons every night. After 2 weeks of icing, I still felt as if it weren't propelling my recovery adequately. I have turned to other means of coping. My aunt suffers from arthritic type pains and told me about a topical ointment that reduces inflammation, it is called Traumeel. I have applied this a few times and within an hour or so the fingers feel much more limber.
I am adding moderate servings of ginger (usually pickled) and Turmeric into my diet. Both contain natural, potent anti-inflammatory agents. I have a feeling I'm the only climber going to this extreme....
Ginger, customarily served with Sushi
Turmeric, primarily used in Indian cuisine
One last thing.... The Reel Rock Film Tour is coming to Minneapolis September 23rd and 24th. Go buy tickets at Midwest Mountaineering. Here is the trailer
Upon returning from New Jersey, I have climbed outside once each weekend. The tick situation at Sandstone is sooo much better now, however, it is a total swamp and if you want to go, prepare to bush whack your way around. The past three weeks have been quite humid with cooler temps approaching. I have projects to work on, but I have no idea how long it will take for my tendons to reach full strength again, if ever....
Sunday August 15, Sandstone: kinda warm, good day of climbing
Repeats of All for V4, Best Problem in Minnesota V5, and came very close on the 30 Degree Wall Stand V7/8 (7B) [depending on who you ask]. Tried Pocket Hercules. Crimpy and core intensive, bad for weak tendons currently
Andrew Nguyen on The Best Problem in Minnesota V5
Liz Horn on the 30 Degree Wall V7/8 (Stand to The RavenV12 FA Nic Oklobzija)
Sunday August 22, Sandstone: humid, total swamp, zero climbing, o well...
Sunday August 29, Taylors Falls: quite hot, made due
Repeat of B2 Bomber V4 (Such a classic!) anybody that boulders in MN has to get on it Repeat of Lunge or Plunge V4/V5 (another great problem) Stack those pads, stack em stack em both are great quality problems on the Minnesota side of Interstate Park, GO CLIMB THEM NOW Conor Hesch exploring the slippery nature of B2 Bomber V4
I almost forgot that I have a blog. I have been in Utah for 3 weeks and I fly back to New Jersey for at least another three weeks. Utah has been awesome. I have been able to make it out to Little Cottonwood Canyon 4 times, the Uintas, American Fork Canyon, and Momentum gym twice. Most of these outings were thanks to Ben Bodenhammer (now living in SLC). I got a Canon Rebel T1i and have been snapping some photos here and there. Before coming to Utah, I let my "injured" tendons rest for more than 2 months, and now I can climb 5.10-5.11 without much pain or worry of severe inflammation afterward. My recovery plan revolves around gradually increasing the strength of my feeble tendons by sport climbing.
Looking forward to being back in the game. Progression? Maybe next year..
I am starting to get stir crazy living in a hotel. I want to climb. I am waiting to get a credit card so that I can secure a rental car. This will open up my weekend possibilities quite a bit. A few people I work with venture off to Atlantic City, but it would be risky for me to go every weekend.
As far as climbing options are concerned, there are actually quite a few areas worth consideration within a reasonable distance. Allamuchy State Park is only one mile away from the hotel and has trad climbs 5.2-5.11d up to 80 feet in height. While exploring, I found a few boulders, that if cleaned, could reveal lines ranging from V4 to V8. Surfing around mountain project, I found a picture of a boulder at Pyramid Mountain, which is about 20 miles away. The only problem with finding the boulder is that the people that know where it is will not divulge the beta online.
My mortgage advising friend Conor told me that I should watch the television show Jersey Shore because it is now a part of my life. Now, I don't think that I will stoop to that level, but I hope to spend a weekend exploring the coastline.
I have a few things to mention since my last post.
Sunday April 11
Jacob Gerber and I went up to Sawmill Creek Dome to make a day trip out of it. Climbing up around the North Shore area is great and after my trip to Bishop, I was enjoying the sharpness of the rock. Bishop turned me into a masochist? Anyway, my tendons were feeling better than expected so I quickly finished up my old project Jaws after climbing Lukewarm Persistence. Jacob had tried Payback earlier in the week and some newb on Mountainproject was whining about an exorbitant amount of chalk on the start hold for the foot.... haha what a lame boy. Channeling his anger, Jacob slapped his way through the crux, held position while moving his foot with his paint-chipping muscles, and sent! Made props and pshhhkooor! Video of the trip:
Saturday April 17
I headed up to Sandstone with my friend Tyler Olsen and met up with Jim, Nic, and Kris. After removing tick after tick (I hate ticks), we started warming up on the river boulder and I climbed "The Best Problem in Minnesota" for a repeat and still needed two tries. Paul Robinson can be seen campusing the first few moves in the video below.
Later in the day we decided it was time to pay Tengo De La Muerte V10 a visit. I had the opportunity to try it for the first time and see if it felt possible. With my fingers quite injured the bottom roof part felt super hard. If my fingers were in top form it would still probably not go for me. This is not just the next level for me, it is slightly beyond that. Maybe with a handful of real sessions and optimal conditions I may have a small chance. Good thing I was there with the one and only Jim Merli because he snatched the third ascent. Tengo De La Muerte is a hard problem to film and I was super lazy on Saturday and didn't take any video.
Dan Kolar thowing for the top on Tengo De La Muerte
Local strongman Jim Merli nearing the crux
Jim Merli is Dancing La "Tengo De La Muerte" V10
Photos taken by Mike Simon
Tuesday April 20
I got a job offer from Rudolph Technologies. Their HQ is located in New Jersey and that is where I will spend about 3 months for training. I will probably have some time in June to come back to Minnesota for a brief visit and then early August I will be working at the branch in Bloomington which will thereafter be my home base indefinitely. New Jersey should give my tendons adequate time to heal. I am really psyched for fall climbing already!
Not only do I climb on rocks, but I enjoy drinking good beer on occasion (when things are going financially well). Now, I don't consider myself a beer connoisseur, but I have tasted a lot of different beers compared to typical poor frat boys. If you haven't already heard, it is Schell's 150th Anniversary and they have brewed a real treat: Schell's Hopfenmalz. Go buy a case asap.
I met up with my good friends Justin Evidon and Luke Haun at Taylors Falls on Sunday with the intent of finishing up some business. I have been working the Cave Traverse on and off for the past two and a half years. It has been my nemesis and I have tried it approximately thirty times. The rock was quite cold, but the temps were great. I had a few really bad burns before I started to warm up. At the point things were starting to improve, I made a few minor errors and was losing power. My foot popped while trying to lock-off the last hard move and crimping with the right hand was straining my tendons, which were inflamed. Coming off a week long trip to Bishop, I was feeling mentally strong, and just as I was about to give up on the Cave Traverse, I gave it one last go and magically pulled through the crux only to greet the welcoming jugs to finish this classic test piece.
Apparently I was quite happy.
Click on the following link to view a facebook video of my send:
I left for Bishop on March 19th with Liz and Ross to experience bouldering at its finest for six days. The drive was pretty epic: approximately 28 hours if you don't speed like a mad man. We arrived at the Buttermilks Saturday (March 20th) evening and it was very cold. Upon waking up we were finally able to look around and realize how amazing the surroundings were. At ~6,600 feet, the Buttermilks is cluttered with gigantic, proud, free-standing boulders as far as the eye can see, not to mention the snowy-capped 13,000+ ft. peaks looking over the boulders.
Pollen Grains Overview
Day 1 We took it pretty easy in the Pollen Grains area in order to give our puerile skin adequate time to adjust to the sharpness of the quartz monzonite. We warmed up on The Original Route V0, not only for our muscle's sake, but to get our head into the highball mental game. Then we headed over to the classic highball Jedi Mind Tricks V4, a must do for any climber; again, more mental preparation. The remainder of the day consisted of the group trying Suspended in Silence V5, Drone Militia V6, and The Beekeeper's Apprentice V5/ The Beekeeper V6. Suspended in Silence is a problem featured in King Lines where Chris Sharma does a double-hand dyno. I was fortunate enough to stick the hold with one hand and then hold the swing to pull off the flash..... super psyched.
Day 2 We tried some problems on the Green Wall, located in the Buttermilks main, and I was happy to flash the notoriously difficult Green Wall Essential V2 thanks to my reach. Most of our group was hoping to get on High Plains Drifter V7, possibly one of the most famous boulder problems graded V7 in the world. Surprise! Another four star line in my opinion..... Bishop owns.
High Plains Drifter V7
I kept falling on the "drifter move" after a decent flash go and then joined by a bunch of annoying Californians. I totally lost my mojo and sat on my crash pad for an hour soaking up the sun. Jonathan P. Williams observed I was going for the wrong part of the last "bad" hold. Two days later when we came back to the Buttermilks I knew exactly how I wanted to sequence High Plains Drifter and sent first go of the day.
On top of the Drifter Boulder
Day 3 A break from the Buttermilks at the Sad Boulders. I had not heard of any of the problems in the Sads except for Anti-Hero so I was not quite sure what I wanted to try. Damon and Jon were syked on Pow Pow V8. I immediately dismissed this problem because it didn't look close to my preferred style of climbing (Yes, I am slowly becoming a rock snob). I tried campusing the crux move for fun and surprisingly stuck the hold. Five tries and ten minutes later I found myself topping the boulder. A very pleasant surprise indeed. Pow Pow V8
Day 4 And back to the glorious Buttermilks. This was an amazing day for me!
Howard Carter Sit V6 Second Go
Flyboy Stand V6 Second Go
High Plains Drifter V7 First go of the day
Flyboy Sit V8 Second Go
Flyboy Sit V8
Day 5 In the Happy Boulders, known for The Hulk V6, Morning Dove White V7, Red Rum V6, Acid Wash V10, Atari V6, and the list goes on, I was very pleased to make quick work of Morning Dove White. Following the send, I proceeded to waste a lot of time on Toxic Avenger V9. At the end of the day, I unexpectedly flashed Action Figure V6 and did not have nearly enough power to give Cholos V9 any serious attempts.
Atari V6
Day 6 The final day of bouldering. Checkerboard V8 was the main goal of the day. I came close to sending Checkerboard multiple times, but did quite have enough gusto to send it. My skin was in decent shape, however, I had no energy (a slight problem when bouldering). After Damon sent Soul Slinger V9 (I envy his strength), I took a nap in the middle of the day to recuperate. As the Sun started to set, I worked on projecting Stained Glass V10 with Dr. Jon. I didn't think I would be able to do any of the moves, but I felt stronger on the dime-thin edges than previously imagined. After a session of four goes, I called it a day. Stained Glass has me motivated to become a better climber. Even though I didn't end the trip with any noteworthy ascents, renewed motivation will have to suffice. Here is a time capsule video I put together of the trip:
Victoria working the Cave
Turmeric, primarily used in Indian cuisine
