SUMMER | 2013
LOCALS
ISSUE MARK MESCHINELLI
RESURRECTS THE WORN AND WEATHERED
ROCK & SNOW FROM ASHES TO ANNEX
THE NORTHEAST CLIMBING MAGAZINE
SUMMER | 2013
Contents
6 9 12 18 32 34
EDITOR’S NOTE // Our Locals By David Crothers UP AND COMING // NYC Bouldering Guidebook By Vicky Arthur LOCAL LEGEND // Mark Meschinelli By David Crothers LOCALS // By Our Locals ROCK & SNOW // From Ashes to Anne By Taylor VanRoekel FOCUSED // Image Gallery
Taylor VanRoekel rappells the very underappreciated Marshfield Corners (5.10b). // DAVID CROTHERS
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ON THE COVER: A smiling Joe Szot drying his toes in triumph on the south side of Mt. Robson after climbing the Wishbone Arête in August, 1999. Though he authored scores of new routes, Joe loved repeating classic lines above all. He was honestly humble; absent in him was the false humility often found in this game. He was gratefully astounded when “a couple of shoemakers like us” could manage to walk in the footsteps of the greats. His unadulterated love for climbing was rare, precious and infectious. His inspiration lives on for all who knew him. // WILL MAYO Most of the activities depicted in this magazine carry significant amounts of risk with the potential for serious injury or death. We do not recommend you try or participate in any of the activities depicted within this publication. Seek professional guidance or help from someone of expertise. You assume all risks associated with your decision. Copyright Climberism. All Rights Reserved. No material in this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent.
Contributors Ryan Stefiuk is a climbing guide residing in Northampton, Massachusetts. The consumate tinkerer and gearhead, Ryan can be found tweaking websites, Android devices, and climbing gear in his spare time. He is the owner of Valley Vertical Adventures and blogs regularly at bigfootmountainguides.com
Before he had spent a rain-soaked spring in Vermont, Taylor VanRoekel lovingly considered New England to be some sort of Shangri-La. Wide-eyed and hopeful, he moved to the Green Mountains in the summer of ’12 with a car full of skis and shelves. Three jobs and four Craigslist rentals later, he can still be found hoofing around north of I-89 with his friends who sometimes call him to go rock climbing.
Cannon is in full swing as summer seems to finally be drying things out. // DAVID CROTHERS
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EDITOR’S NOTE //
THE LOCALS AMONG US It’s unfortunate that I haven’t met some of the climbers that fill the pages of the locals feature. But it makes sense. Unlike most of the names that fill up the climbing news we consume, our locals, the ones the make up the Northeast climbing community, have real jobs. They’re busy doing real life things. In a time where competition climbing is exploding, the world’s hardest sport climb has been done and another proposed V16 was climbed, it’s easy to let all that excitement overshadow what is going on so close to home. The idea behind the Local’s Issue isn’t to classify the rest of the climbing world as unimportant. The idea is to shine some light on those who make up the unique climbing community in the Northeast. It’s important to recognize the work of those who put the time into developing routes, protecting access, creating programs, offering free climbing clinics and much more. When I started Climberism in 2009 my relationship with many of the local icons in the Northeast was nothing more than a few sentences I could string together on a computer. Today I consider a lot of them friends and climbing partners that always extend an open invitation to go climbing. And if I am lucky, and
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don’t smell too bad, I have a place to crash with them, share a few beers and exchange stories when the day is over. The thought of shaking hands, laughing and trading pitches with some of the locals listed never crossed my mind when Climberism was in its infancy. “They’re too good,” I thought. “They don’t climb with people like me.” But that wasn’t, and isn’t, true. Most of these folks are psyched to just to get out. You might even find some of them lingering around the bottom of a cliff waiting to hand you a rack and say, “you lead.” The thing about this small area of the nation, or even the world, is that most of the climbers in this Local’s Issue are big-timers flying under the radar. And most of them would probably like to keep it that way. If they were actors in Hollywood, you’d see their faces all over the television. But they’re not in Hollywood. And the only way for anyone to know just how badass they are is to know them personally or read an occasional news article. So without further adieu, I’d like to present Climberism’s Local’s Issue, filled with stories, news and the climbers that make up our community. —Dave
Sharing drinks, music and stories during the 2011 Boulderfest // DAVID CROTHERS
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UP AND COMING // NYC BOULDERING GUIDEBOOK Phil Schaal climbing Yoyo Jiminy (V11) on the Hepatitis Boulder in New York City’s Central Park. // FRANÇOIS LEBEAU
NEW YORK CITY IS RENOWN FOR A LOT OF THINGS. Street
food, art and big buildings all help define the Big Apple as one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the country. Amenities and attractions aside, Manhattan is also home to some of the more uniquely located bouldering problems that most climbers will ever lay rubber to. But when UK Climber Gareth Leah moved to NYC, he quickly realized that it was hard to find any decent information about the supposed bouldering opportunities that existed in the city. So with no route beta readily available, Leah hit the streets. His mission was simple: dig up as much beta on the local Manhattan climbing scene, and write a comprehensive guidebook that will become a Bible for area boulderers. But Leah quickly discovered that although climbers were aware of some bouldering problems, the beta wasn’t readily available. Climbing websites were either inadequate or hadn’t been recently updated. However, Leah wasn’t out of options. By utilizing the connections that he had within the NYC climbing community, Leah hit the ground running. Through his work with Professional Climbers International (PCI) and The Cliffs of Long Island City, Leah gained access to a network of climbers that only strengthened his mission.
Leah worked closely with a number of local hardmen, but Bill Piehl— who has been climbing in the area for twenty years—helped Leah explore the city and check out the potential. After about five months, the team sniffed out every rock imaginable in Manhattan and started documenting the problems. After about 12 months, the topos were finally complete and the guide grew from 40 routes to over 300. Despite being relatively developed, the Manhatten bouldering scene is still growing. There are still many open projects in the V13/14 range that have seen attempts from the likes of Kevin Jorgeson, Daniel Woods and a few other hardmen. Many of these boulders are found deep inside parks where most climbers likely wouldn’t think to look. Although there haven’t been any access issues yet, the Access Fund will be receiving part of the proceeds earned from the guidebook with the hope that in the long run, people will always be able to climb in the city. Though Leah doesn’t expect to make much money from the guidebook, he’s really enjoyed the project and emersing himself in the New York City Climbing Community. The New York City Bouldering Guide is rumored to hit the shelves midJuly for $19.95. —Vicky Arthur climberism | MAGAZINE
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NORTHEAST NEWSWIRE // REGIONAL CLIMBING RECAP
Adirondack Bouldering Guidebook Recently, Justin Sanford noticed that some of the more promising boulders in the Adirondack Park’s Nine Corners Lake region, like Optimus Prime, were receiving very little attention. So Sanford started developing a bouldering guidebook for the area. With a new guidebook, Sanford hopes to expose NCL bouldering to a whole new audience. Sanford’s guide is still a work in progess. No completion date at this time.
moisture in. Most of Black Diamond’s apparel line will be available this fall.
May caused the upper rock corner to fall, affecting both routes. Although the tree and roots above the rock fall are still intact, both Dolt and Jolt at the Hinterlands are considered unsafe to climb until further notice.
MetroRock Burlington
BD Launches Apparel Line Black Diamond Equipment has announced a partnership with Schoeller textiles, a Swiss company, for thier new apparel line. Black Diamond is set to utilize Schoeller’s c_change fabric, which not only repels dirt, oil and water but also actively responds to your body temperature by allowing the jacket’s pores to open and close. This lets heat out without letting
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Rumney Rockfall Warning The popular Rumney climbs Dolt (5.10) and Jolt (5.10) were seriously affected by recent heavy rainfall in New England. All the moisture in mid-
The Boston area’s MetroRock has announced that it will be adding a third gym to its network of facilities. This time construction will happen in the Burlington, Vt. area. This gym will feature 50-foot walls for top rope and lead climbing, a bouldering area, ropes courses, fitness and yoga rooms, event rooms and a full service gear shop. Additionally, Burlington could potentially host one of MetroRock’s Dark Horse series competitions in the future. The gym is expected to open in late 2013.
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// LOCAL LEGEND
MARK MESCHINELLI RESURRECTING THE WORN AND WEATHERED AT THE PLATTSBURGH SHOE HOSPITAL by David Crothers
M
ARK MESCHINELLI IS AN ALCHEMIST. BUT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO TURN ROCKS INTO GOLD OR CONCOCT THE FABLED ELIXIR OF LIFE, HE SPENDS HIS TIME PRACTICING THE SORCERY OF REVIVING OLD CLIMBING SHOES.
Nika-girl guarding her post outside the shop. // DAVID CROTHERS
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A
on the keys occupies the majority of the counter space. “It’s been here as along as I’ve been around,” Mark says. “And it’s probably been here since my grandfather opened the place in 1936.”
The inside of his shop is relatively unassuming—there aren’t any flashes of lightning, no crazy solutions boiling on the shelves and no Igor shuffling around. Instead, the shop looks as if it hasn’t changed since the day it opened: antique tools hang on the walls, old forgotten shoes line the racks and an antique register with hand written notes
Grabbing a pair of climbing shoes from a rack behind the counter, Mark heads into his laboratory. One of the shoes has the typical hole in the big toe area. “This one will need a toe cap,” he says standing in front of the sanding wheel that will grind away the sole of the shoes. He grabs a roll of sandpaper and fits it to the wheel that resembles a bench grinder. “I like to keep my paper sharp,” he says. “It cuts down on the heat from the friction and won’t damage the rand.”
S THE OWNER OF THE PLATTSBURGH SHOE HOSPITAL, Mark is the guy responsible for resoling your beat-up climbing shoes, many of which arrive pretty tattered. When his work is done, a shoe that most people would toss away ends up back in someone’s pack and at the crag climbing again.
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Aside from resoling climbing shoes, Mark also replaces the rubber on approach shoes. // DAVID CROTHERS
“IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE IF IT WEREN’T FOR RESOLING CLIMBING SHOES WE WOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS. CLIMBING SAVED OUR SHOP.”
Without hesitating, he flips the machine’s switch and carefully puts the sole of the shoe to the sandpaper. Within seconds the rubber sole becomes a pile of chips. I ask Mark if he can reuse the rubber. “I have heated it up and turned it into a ball before,” Mark replies as he continues his work on the shoe. “You can’t really do much with it, though.” He works the shoe for about fifteen minutes before tracing the area where he needs to cut, heat and strip the rubber away. The process for resoling and recapping a climbing shoe, Mark says, takes roughly 48 hours. Most of that time is spent waiting for the glue to dry.
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Mark grabs a thick pad of rubber from the shelf in the front room and cuts a small piece from it that will go over the shoe’s toe. “So, how do you get that piece of rubber on the shoe? Melt it?” I ask. “No, no,” he laughs. “First I have to put the toe patch on and let that sit overnight. I’ll then trace out the sole, rough it up and put a bit of glue on it.” He turns to me pointing at the bottom of the shoe and says, “From there I’ll put it in the press and crush it down, making sure there is a good bond all around it. The shoe sits overnight and ships the next day.” Almost on que, the mailman walks through the door with a package under his arm. “More climbing shoes,” Mark says before greeting the carrier by his first name. It takes 24 hours to resole one pair of shoes at $37. It takes 48 hours to resole and cap a shoe with a worn out toe at $47 ($10 extra per toe cap per shoe). So when Mark does the math, his margin isn’t very high for a specialized handcrafted resole. It’s a labor of love. For the most part, Mark works pretty quickly if he isn’t out climbing. “Closed two weeks out of the year,” his website reads. “Gone climbing!” Mark is a small guy with toned biceps that look like they could crush my head with a flex. His hands are as thick as the leather on the shoes he repairs. He’s the real deal. Born and raised in Plattsburgh, you’ll likely find him in his Adirondack playground when he has free time. During the 70’s, he played a big role in developing routes at Poke-o-Moonshine and was a part of 50 plus first ascents in the area—C-tips (5.10c) and Son of Slime (5.10a) to name a couple classics. “I never worked full time,” smiles Mark. “My father would always give me grief. He would say, ‘What is climbing going to do for you?’ and ‘How is climbing going to support you?’ It’s funny because if it weren’t for resoling climbing shoes we would be out of business. Climbing saved our shop.” The shop has been at the same downtown City Hall Place location since it opened in 1934. In fact, many of the tools Mark uses at the Shoe Hospital today are the same tools his grandfather used when he opened the doors. If you’re thinking about getting your shoes resoled, get in touch with Mark at the Plattsburgh Shoe Hospital. And if you want your shoes to last longer next time, Mark says, “Get better at your footwork and if you notice your shoes are getting worn out, send them in sooner than later. It’s easier for me to fix them and it is cheaper for you.” z Mark Meschinelli www.plattsburghshoehospital.com (518) 561-2580
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Mark Meschinelli working his magic on a familiar pair of climbing shoes he resoled last year. // DAVID CROTHERS
Jim Surrette and Rick Wilcox //Mark Richie
THE LOCALS AMONG US
T
he Northeast can be characterized in many ways, but I think we can all agree that it’s cold, wet, humid, buggy and can sometimes be all of these things at once. For the many of that call this place home, we’re ok with it. We have a special kind of affection for the torment that Mother Nature puts us through. It’s why so many hardmen from the Northeast have become world-class climbers and crush routes when they travel; everything just seems like a bigger version of home. And if we can survive the conditions at here, we can survive just about anything. Proving that are the men and women that make up the names highlighted in this Issue. We probed, surveyed and collected as many of the top climbers in the region and whittled it down to the legends we find among us. These are the folks we need to celebrate. The list of names we’ve compiled here is far from complete and we know that. But if we missed someone you feel strongly about, please send a letter to info@climberism.com.
“Always charge your expeditions to a credit card, so if you die you don’t have to pay for it.” —Rick Wilcox
ED PALEN Ed Palen is the big kid who never grew up, decided to pursue his climbing ambitions and is definitely happiest on his own when exploring a new cliff, bushwhacking or walking forgotten trails and roads in some remote part of the Adirondacks. He has explored, scrubbed and put up many new routes. He respects the history and the pioneers of climbing in the Adirondacks and always shares his new finds while being modest and humble about his accomplishments. Ed’s most important contribution to the ADK climbing scene is his amazing generosity and devotion to introducing kids to the sport of rock climbing and the outdoors. On top of building an indoor rock (real rock!) wall in one of his buildings at ADK Rock and River, Ed, through his Keene Kids Klimbing Klub, opens his doors to any youth who want to try out climbing. He most recently created the Keene Outdoor Club that gives youth the opportunity to hike, rock and ice climb, canoe, kayak, and much more in the Adirondacks. Ed has created opportunities for kids to explore new sports they normally would not be comfortable with in the outdoors. In many cases these kids have developed self-esteem, confidence, comradely, and the inspiration that frequently comes with the sport of climbing and being in the outdoors. —Vinny McClolland
Rich Romano //Christian Fracchia
RICK WILCOX Ever since Rick Wilcox became the owner of IME in 1979, the shop has been the hub for climbers in Mount Washington Valley. Any climber coming into the shop, from novice to expert, could be assured of Rick’s warm welcome. And if you stay long enough, some route beta from France, Alaska, Nepal, or perhaps a humorous story of climbing in the dark ages with Chouinard, Bragg, Bouchard, or Barber might come out. Rick has always been drawn to the greater ranges of the world and has in-
spired generations of New England climbers to venture out beyond our local crags. In 1982, I started ice climbing at the age of 14. I spent many days after school loitering around IME to soak up Rick’s wild stories. In Rick’s self-deprecating style, he was always singing the praises of others: “Did you hear about the time Mark Richey led the Rhodie Loadies up a new route on Cayhesh?” Some fatherly advice: “As long as you’re good at something, you’ll never go hungry.” And perhaps questionable financial advice: “Always charge your expeditions to a credit card, so if you die you don’t have to pay for it.” In 1991, Rick fulfilled his dream of climbing to the top of the world. The expedition he led to Everest put four climbers on the summit and got them all down safely. This was back before the peak was draped with ropes from base to summit. They had no fixed ropes from the South Col to the Summit and only five other climbers completed the South Col route that year. —Jim Surrette
LINDSAY ROY Ed Palen //David Crothers
Lindsay Roy has done some bold leads for someone who has only been climbing for
five years, notably an on-sight of Carbs & Caffeine (5.11). Quickly working her way through the moderates at the Gunks, she now spends most of her time on harder routes. While she certainly has a natural talent, Lindsay can still get scared while leading. Her secret, she says, is an inner confidence that she can ultimately overcome her fear. Busy in other realms of her life, she doesn’t climb to impress anybody, but instead because it is fun. Lindsay, after all, is just a girl who likes to climb. Given her physical strength, level head and love of the sport, her most impressive climbing may be yet to come. —Jennifer Merriam
RICH ROMANO I believe you can know a climber through his or her routes, like you can know an artist through his or her art. Though I know him personally, it has been through climbing his routes that I have been able to learn about another dimension of Rich. I recently top-rope soloed the unrepeated and virtually unknown 1980 masterpiece Birth of the Blues (5.12 X) at Millbrook. Arriving at the irreversible crux there is nothing but an extremely flared cam placement that serves as the only pro preventing a ground fall. I struggled through the crux only to reach a long section of unprotected sustained 5.11. I muttered to myself the entire time, “I can’t believe he led this. I can’t believe he led this!!!” If his leads had been reckless, Romano would not be alive today, for “Birth of the Blues” is just one of his many bold artistic creations that sit in silence awaiting a second ascent. —Christian Fracchia
To The Shawangunks,” and invited me to help out by climbing and re-climbing every route we could. Thus began my ongoing friendship with Dick and my education about climbing in the Gunks. Very quickly we developed a working relationship. We would climb, trade leads, sit on the GT Ledge or on the ground, and re-write his guidebooks. Months passed, then years. Over time I assumed the role of editorial assistant, and then designer of the guidebooks. Throughout this time Dick would recount at length the technical and social histories of climbing in the Gunks, as well as the climbing friendships he had made and lost. Indeed, as he told of the friends who lost their lives to the sport, or simply to the lives they had led, it was clear their deaths affected him very deeply still. Then, almost without skipping a beat, he would regale me with stories of the muchloved Vulgarians who, more than anything, humanized climbing in a way that makes us smile at the petty larceny found in all of our hearts, and the near-universal desire to poke a finger in the eye of authority and simple human frailty. Just as importantly he reminds me again and again how the Vulgarians valued their beloved cliffs and the stewardship that was required to protect them, from potentates and predators, idiot savants and just plain idiots. At the end of the day it is easy to say what Dick’s role has been, and still is, in the scheme of all things having to do with climbing at the Gunks; he is the embodiment of our collective soul. —Gregory Rukavina
DICK WILLIAMS
RICH GOTTLIEB
I was introduced to Dick Williams in 2003 after I had been climbing in the Gunks for about a year. It was a preposterous meeting, of course, not least because of the great gulf of climbing experiences that separated us. To my great relief, we shared a passion for motorcycle racing as well, and with that I had a refuge for my ego.
Rich is far better known for climbing development down south where he established new routes at Sand Rock, Yellow Creek, Jamestown, Tallulah Gorge, Moore’s Wall, Laurel Knob, and Shortoff Mountain, but he was involved in the first ascents of some amazing new routes in the Gunks as well. His regional influence has much to do with him being the face of Rock and Snow since the early 80s. Rich is one of the most well-respected business owners in the in-
Dick had already begun working on a new edition of his guidebooks, “The Climber’s Guide 22
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dustry with a propensity for cutting through bullshit that is often misinterpreted as him being a hard-ass. In reality, he is one of the most thoughtful, caring, and giving people I’ve ever met. He values business relationships as though they were treasured friendships. I’ve climbed with Rich numerous times and have always felt like the wizard’s apprentice. Rich likes doing Gunks routes in one long pitch if possible and has worked out how to adequately protect routes (for him!) with minimal rope drag. Whenever I’d lead a route, I’d get a string of instructions like “put a 4’ runner on that one” or “run it out to the ledge” which always worked out. —Andrew Zalewski
JEAN-PIERRE OUELLET This past summer I hung from a belay several pitches up a new route on the South Howser Tower in the Bugaboos. Above me, out of sight, JP battled his way up and around a myriad of loose blocks and flakes when all of a sudden I heard a guttural scream. “Are you alright?” I yelled. “Noooo,” came the reply. And then a few moments later: “Watch out it’s a big f@#*er” as the huge door-sized flake flew by me safely to Jean-Pierre Ouellet //Matt McCormick
Ken Murphy //Justin Sanford Collection
the right and exploded several hundred meters on the slabs below. This was my first trip with JP Ouellet. After that somewhat traumatic experience of having the flake slide onto his legs in a chimney, we continued on to establish the “Wandering Direct” a “direct” start to the classic Beckey-Chouinard route. What most Northeasterners don’t know about JP, beyond his hard crack sends, is that he is one of the best “all-around” climbers in the country. This past year alone he red-pointed 13+ cracks in Utah, put up a new route in the Howser Towers of the Bugaboos, made a quick and rare red-point ascent of the Fecalator (two-pitches of trad M8 to M10) in the Adirondacks, and quickly sent numerous 5.13+ sport routes all while holding down a “real” job as a rep with Black Diamond. — Matt McCormick
PETER KAMITSES
persona and constant lecturing about carbon footprints aside, he is one of the best climbing partners one could ask for.
I have been fortunate to know and climb with Peter Kamitses for a number of years. In the last decade he has climbed test-pieces across the country and has developed astonishing new hard routes throughout the Northeast. While his ticklist is impressive, he is not driven by “first-ascentitis” like many other egotistical douche-bags that we often see within the climbing community. Peter is driven to climb and develop routes, not based on the grades, but how inspiring he finds them. In the simplest of terms, Peter enjoys being in the mountains and spending time with like-minded climbers. However, climbing with Peter isn’t all roses and pearls. Peter can be needy. You often have to drive hours out of the way to get bottled water that has been treated by reverse osmosis. His food (besides being organic) can not be grown or packaged by migrant workers not earning a livable wage, and forget bringing food near the van that has dyes in it. If you can put his hippy
After climbing and establishing 14’s for over a decade, it seems as though old age, weak fingers, and osteoporosis are finally taking its toll on Peter’s body. The days are quickly nearing when he will have to settle for climbing highend 13’s and only bouldering v11. Though, in all honesty, the best of Peter has nothing to do with climbing at all. He’s deeply committed to bettering his community, thinking about how his actions effect the environment and those around him, and continually trying to better himself. He is one of the raddest cats I know—the true definition of a friend, and I feel privileged that I get to spend time with him. —Jon Strazza
KEN MURPHY
Referred to by many as “The Kid,” Ken Murphy started climbing nine years ago when I first brought him climbing on the short cliffs of climberism | MAGAZINE
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Doug Millen and Alan Cattabriga //Alan Cattabriga
Moss Island in Little Falls, NY. We didn’t have climbing shoes, chalk bags or even a general concept of anything technical related to rock climbing. We simply knew we enjoyed what we were doing and the rush of adrenaline was more than enough to keep us coming back. After the initial few climbing sessions where we barely walked away unscathed, we were fortunate enough to run into some of the development crew working on new climbing areas around Caroga Lake in the southern portion of the Adirondack Park. These new areas were closer to home and quickly became the stomping grounds for “The Kid.” He quickly repeated some of the best and hardest climbs around. Developing new climbing areas and putting up the best lines he could find became a driving force in his life. “The Kid” hasn’t looked back since. Climbing became more than a recreational pursuit; it became his lifestyle. Now when I get calls from Ken Murphy it’s on his rest days, or when the weather is too poor to rock climb as he travels the states on his mini road trips with his sponsor and partner, Jobi. We’re all living vicariously through The Kid. —Justin Sanford
TED HAMMOND In my eyes, the one person who has had more impact on the course of things to come in climbing is Ted Hammond. Ted wrote the original Rumney guide, which came out in the second edition of Ed Webster’s guidebook in 1987. This brought Team Tough, their drills and all of their inexhaustible cliff cleaning, trail building energy to the scene. The Three Amigos were soon to follow and the course of hard sport climbing in the Notheast was forever redefined. Back in the day, Rumney had its share of bold climbs. These climbs were quite different from the well-bolted routes complete with in-situ draws that we find today. Hearing stories of Ted on an early ascent of Flyin’ Hawaiian, hammering in pitons on the lead, made my palms sweat as I sketched my way up it, never more than a few feet from the safety of a shiny bolt. The first time I found myself dejectedly hanging in the crux of Technosurfing, Jim Shimnerg reminded me of a time when the crux was protected with pins. He also reminded me of a time when Ted took a gear-ripping winger that nearly put him on the deck. He got back up there, placed the pin by hand and fired it.
Ted displayed ideals that became the main reasons I was drawn to climbing minimalism, autonomy and a sense of adventure. These have stuck with me and have helped mold me into the person and climber that I am. —Tim Deroehn
DOUG MILLEN When most people think of Doug Millen they think of two things: NEIce.com and the delicious soup he brings to every ice fest in the Northeast. I see far more than NEIce and soup when I think of Doug. I see an excellent climber, and a man that loves being outdoors. Be it the vertical ice of New England, Quebec or the Canadian Rockies. Whether it’s multiple gullies on the mountains of New Hampshire, the long, cold climbs of Katahdin, or summertime offtrail drainage hikes, Doug is always psyched to be out. His enthusiasm is contagious. I can recall bushwhacking after a climb through the upper wooded slopes of a mountain one winter. With darkness coming, a friend that had just met Doug that day asked which way he should go. In a booming Schwarzenegger like voice I heard “UP! You go UP! Always UP!” I’m pretty sure I pissed my pants laughing as my friend plunged upward into the snow covered spruce. From that day forward, “UP!” has
been the NEIce battle cry. I have spent many days and nights with Doug in almost every condition. We think alike and are truly brothers. It has been an honor to join him in every adventure. —Alan Cattabriga
respect for him fast. His repeat of Jaws with the two broken holds was super badass to me. I like the dude for who he is. He is a smart, focused cat that can climb wicked hard as well. Good guy. —Joe Kinder
VASYA PETER VORORNIKOV DOUCETTE I remember Vasya as the young kid with the really round head. I would always say that he had a head that looked like a bowling ball, and when he would climb, everyone would get all psyched. I was a Manchester kid and he was a young kid from Nashua, but everyone knew him. He always stood out because he was stronger than everyone! HA! Then... he grew, got an idea of what he was capable of and really started to go for it. When he started repeating some of our routes at Rumney, and boulder problems at Pawtuckaway, we gained
Phil Schaal //Dan Yagmin
Peter is a rare breed of modern climbers that is comfortable and capable climbing on virtually every medium. In a word, he is solid. Across the board. Whether on rock, ice, glaciers, or an alpine peak, Peter is reliably successful. You can count on him to be thoughtful and measured in his approach, while also bringing to the table an exceptional level head and almost mutant strength. When the going gets tough he capitalizes on the resources he has and keeps going up. Add to these qualities the background and training of being an IFMGA
mountain guide and you have one of the most well rounded individuals in the game today. But you don’t need to take my word for it. Peter’s list of FA’s from New England to Alaska speaks for itself. —Silas Rossi
PHIL SCHAAL Phil Schaal and I have been climbing with one another for over the past 15 years, and in many ways he has been like a younger (sometimes pesky) brother to me. We have made multiple cross country journeys together, traveled through Europe and South East Asia together, and along the way there have been very few dull moments to say the least. Phil is a tremendously talented, as well as driven climber, and is he is as equally stubborn and pushy as a friend. There have been numerous times in the past when I was sure that I was having a rest day in order to work on schoolwork or to take care of some other
Joe Szot //Will Mayo
sort of commitments. These rest days were often cut short after being harassed by the eager Phil Schaal who just couldn’t understand why I would pass up such perfect climbing conditions. Reluctantly, I would pack up my crash pad and head out to the boulders with Phil and more often than not would end up having a stellar day. Many of these days resulted in projects being sent, and new boulders being added to the circuit, which in many cases would not have been the case if it were not for Phil being Phil. He’s now “settling down” as head route setter at Brooklyn Boulders. —Dan Yagmin
ART MOONEY Art Mooney arrived in New Hampshire after high school. It was perfect timing as the climbing scene was beginning to blossom in the Rumney area. Art spent much of his rope time on Cannon Cliff, climbing nearly every route from end to end. Then in the early 90’s sport climbing exploded in the Rumney area. Although Art says humbly, “I climbed a couple of new routes,” he owned a bolt gun and was hanging out with and becoming one of the local hard men. By this time, climbing had become life to Art and he made the decision to pursue a career in guiding. By 2001, Art received his IFMGA Pin, becoming an internationally certified mountain guide. It was during this chapter of his life
that Art’s influence in the climbing community began to grow. He has been a mentor to many, modeling professionalism, expertise in guiding, and what is possible with hard work and dedication. He is responsible for teaching and molding many of the young professional guides around the country. Today, Art runs a successful guide business, Mooney Mountain Guides, and continues to climb hard. If you see him, be sure to say hello. You will be glad you did. —Alex Teixiera
PETE CLARK Pete Clark is the epitome of a Northeast hard man. He excels at bouldering (Poorly/ Mainly Chipped V9/10 R/X), trad (Darkstar, 5.13b/c), conservation (Western Mass Climbers Coalition), and developing (countless FAs at Farley, Frost Giants, Rose Ledge, etc). But what he is best at is sarcastic sartorial realism. With his planned journey of girdle traversing the entirety of Farley (King Snake, The Eternal Mystery, proposed traverse route name), he not only will be climbing at his absolute limit, but also pushing the boundaries of pure, unadulterated comic absurdity. That is what we cherish the most in the Northeast and Pete Clark is at the pinnacle of that art. —Tim Keenan
KEN NICHOLS Ken often gets a bad rap, blamed for every piece of fixed hardware that goes missing. But nobody can dispute his impact on Connecticut climbing. He’s developed and documented just about every inch of our Traprock ridges. He’s responsible for cleaning and developing some of the proudest lines in the Nutmeg State, and a few of the worst—often in bold, rope-solo style. Unfortunately, he’ll most likely be remembered for his damage and bolt chopping work. —Nate McKenzie
MATT MCCORMICK The first story that pops into mind was our first trip to the Canadian Rockies together Jay Harrison //Todd Paris
Travis Peckham //David Crothers
to climb ice. It had to be 10 or 12 years ago when Matt was just a pup. I think it was our first climb of the trip, and probably of the season, and we had the bright idea to go do French Reality (WI6 5.8). I sketched my way up the mixed bit then Matt took over for the ice pitch, a real pitch of Grade 6. Turns out Matt had never even led WI5 at that point. He smoked the pitch, which just shows the talent he has. What made the day memorable for me was teaching Matt how to rap off the end of your rope and still retrieve them. Advanced AMGA shit for sure. Of course we were rapping in the dark because we were slow and we had one headlamp because Matt would always leave his in his backpack. On the last rap, I saw the ground five meters below and zipped off the ropes. Matt comes down and I’m trying to explain tohim that the ropes don’t reach and what he has to do while shining our sole headlamp up at him. In his classic McCormickini, Grover-esq voice, Matt says “I-I don’t know about this....” and then the last inch of rope he was clutching for dear life slipped through his gloves. I tackled Matt as he hit the snow bench so we wouldn’t drop over the next cliff-band and get bombarded by 60m of free-falling ropes. —Josh Hurst
JOE SZOT Joe Szot gave as much to Northeast climbing as anyone. He established some of the most difficult and classic ice and traditional mixed climbs in the Adirondacks. Joe was a great climber, but there are many of those. There was only one Joe Szot. Much of what made him such a pillar in the climbing community was not about climbing but about Joe’s integrity as a person and the respect and fairness with which he treated other people. Joe was modest. He climbed the first free ascent of Green Beer on the Washbowl, formerly rated 5.8 A2. He rated it 5.8. To understand the hilarity of this gesture is to go far to understanding Joe Szot. He was old school when it came to ratings, never believing what he was climbing was significant enough to be rated hard or cutting edge. He would always dress me down when I would propose rating something WI6. A Joe Szot WI5+ was truly a rare feat to repeat.
Joe had an unparalleled work ethic. He was always working on his properties. So many nights I would show up late to his house after having driven from Vermont, pull into the driveway well after midnight and find him pounding nails on the roof under the glow of construction halogen lights. So many times he would look at me with that giant Joe grin and shout, “You can sleep when you’re dead!” Now he’s sleeping, finally, getting some well deserved rest. So many times since his passing I think of him and I find myself smiling. All I can say is, “What a life.” —Will Mayo
TRAVIS PECKHAM As a native Vermonter, I spent some time living in southern New England before moving back north to the Burlington area. I spent my winters climbing ice in Vermont, but for summer, rock climbing weekends were spent generally climbing in NH and NY. I was unaware of the great resources right at my fingertips. After I met Travis, he really opened my eyes to the potential in our own Green Mountains for new routes. I’ve taken his unbridled motivation for climbing as an inspiring example of how to continue to climb hard and develop new routes while holding down a 45+ hour a week job and raising two great kids. I continue to be impressed with how solid he is on the rock and the fantastic routes he continues to uncover. —Seth Maciejowski
JAY HARRISON Jay is the unofficial Mayor of Crane Mountain climbing. The mountain sits in his backyard and on any given day he can be found exploring its hidden gems. When I first met him, there were only a handful of documented routes on Crane Mountain and 99% of them had Jay’s name on them. He began to realize that there was way more climbing on Crane then he could possibly get to in his lifetime so he decide to share it. I figured that the only new routes left in the Adirondacks were 5.13 aid routes waiting to be freed. Jay taught me that that was not the case. A while back I attended the yearly Rumney Ruckus. It was a casual gathering of climbers who climbed together during the day then hung out around the fire at night. I suggested to Jay that we should do something like that in the Southern Adirondacks to share the goodness that was being unearthed. From that conversation we started the Southern Adirondack Rock Climbing Festival. The gathering started with six climbers the first year and has now grown to host over 100 the past couple years. Jay will climb with anybody, anywhere, any time, in any climbing discipline. As the owner of the local guide service Mountainside Adventures, Jay’s job is to take people climbing. The only problem is, once you climb with Jay, you are a friend, and Jay doesn’t charge his friends to go climbing. —Todd Paris
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BEN SMITH Ben Smith, a.k.a ‘Smizzle’ will be remembered as a legend in the Nova Scotia climbing community. He is always looking to get outside and climb projects, often going to great lengths. He once slept under a rock for a couple of days with nothing more than mere kipper snacks and a loaf of bread to keep him company.
While Bayard goes on trips befitting his diverse range of skills, his heart lies in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where he climbs year round with unparalleled virtuosity, ferreting out new routes and possibilities where others see blank walls, impossibly thin mixed lines, or mossy grunge. His brilliant, Scottish-style route Deadalus, completed on Cannon Cliff last winter with Elliot Gaddy, is likely the venue’s hardest mixed route, established ground-up and free. It always makes me happy to see Bayard’s Nissan truck nestled
Ben has been involved in every aspect of climbing in NS. He has done extensive development on rope and boulders, has worked with many day camps introducing kids to climbing and demonstrating safe techniques. He Don Mellor //Bill Dodd is also former president of the province’s climbing organization, Climb Nova Scotia. Ben is the type of guy who will help you find your true potential. I don’t know how he does it, but when you climb with Ben you often find yourself executing moves you never thought possible. —Scott Richardson
Watching Bayard get ready for a climb reminds me of a classic Vaudeville act. He’ll trip over a rope, forget to tie his shoe, drop an ice tool, or make some self-deprecating quip. But viewers beware: these are the practiced machinations of a master of deception. Just when he’s lured you into thinking you’re belaying a train wreck, his demeanor changes, and he launches upwards with focus and immense drive, swinging through terrain with exhilarating ease.
Andy Salo has been bouldering since the 1990’s. He’s done first ascents all around the country, from Colorado to Tennessee to New York. He’s the cover photo for Chapter Seven in John Sherman’s Better Bouldering. He’s done hundreds of double-digit boulder problems around the world and has countless first ascents to his name. If you have ever bouldered in the outlying zones in the Gunks, you’ve probably been on an Andy Salo FA. And to top it all off, he has one thick mane of hair. When I asked him about his hard sends, he had this to say: “It’s not always the hardest ones I am proud of. I like to find and do problems that get other people psyched.” Andy’s activity in the Gunks isn’t always with climbing shoes on. In 2010 he joined the Gunks Climbers’ Coalition to help secure access and fundraise for an area called Waterworks. They have already raised half of their $50,000 pledge to the Mohonk Preserve for Waterworks and have accomplished several other projects as well. —Jesse Littleton
BAYARD RUSSELL When I first moved to North Conway four years ago, I was amazed at the stuff he and a cadre of close friends were putting up, and I figured I had no business even talking to them. Fortunately, Bayard doesn’t see it that way; he’s far more interested in having fun with friends than how hard they’re climbing. He embodies the laid back, enjoyable attitude I love about the tightknit community here.
ANDY SALO
DON MELLOR
among the pine needles at Cathedral Ledge. Then, I can take solace in several certainties. Something pretty hard is getting climbed up there, for one. But more importantly, I know that once everyone’s back at the parking lot, I’ll be greeted with a slap on the back, a big smile, a cold Pabst Blue Ribbon, and a good story or two. And that’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it? —Michael Wejchert
Don was one of the first climbers I met when I moved to the Adirondacks 30 years ago. I ran into him at the Beer Walls. It was the start of a long friendship and climbing partnership that took us on a lot of adventures over the years. Don had just published his first Adirondack climbing guide and his goal was to climb as many of the routes he hadn’t climbed as he could and establish new routes and develop new cliffs in the process. He also had a small guiding business that he needed occasional help with and that started my guiding career here. One of my favorite adventures with Don involved hauling an inflatable boat as well as our climbing gear up to Avalanche Lake where we paddled across the lake to established a route
Andrea Charest //David Crothers
called the Poseidon Adventure; a great route with fairly easy climbing on knobby rock to a wet and mossy 5.8 finger crack at the top. We walked a ledge towards the pass and rapped to dry ground at the east end of the lake. Unfortunately, the boat was still tied up at the base of the rock. I swam out to get it only to find that the wind bouncing the boat around had abraded a few holes in the boat. I ended up rowing a partially deflated boat back across the
Ben Blakney //Krissy Blakney
lake. Don ended up having to return the damaged boat to the climbing shop he borrowed it from with a meek “sorry.” —Bill Dodd
ANDREA CHAREST Over the past 14 years, the Petra Cliffs’ coowner/CRAG-VT treasurer/NEIce female
Vermont ambassador, Andrea Charest, has drawn blood on, cursed at, smiled from, and brutally wired some of the finest routes on many of the consummate hunks of stone we New Englanders have on our dinner table, but she certainly wouldn’t admit to it—no. In fact, you’d probably never know unless you shared a rope with her; a fact that speaks not of how guarded she is, but of how her authentic magnamity far exceeds her steepening reputation as a local climbing hero—she is a bona fide altruist of North Country rock craft. There is a training adage that goes something like this: The best way to get better at climbing is to go climbing. Well, her cultivation into a solid climbing multi-disciplinarian is due greatly in part to her proximity to one of Vermont’s sleepy, yet stiff little crags—Upper West Bolton—home to one of the East’s finest cracks, The Rose (5.10), as well as a rapidly multiplying number of sport and modern mixed test pieces. Unbelievably, this crag and the 70-foot overhanging fist crack gem sit conveniently in her backyard, literally. Though she has instant access to dozens of routes at Upper West Bolton, Andrea names Poke-Oclimberism | MAGAZINE
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Moonshine and Cannon Cliff as her two favorite North Country cliffs, because both afford her the opportunity to crack climb high off the deck. When asked what advice she’d offer the young climbers of today, she ponderously frames her answer, “Don’t be afraid to talk with the older climbers...having knowledgeable climbing mentors is key to growing as a climber.” —Chris Duca
BEN BLAKNEY Ben Blakney is the strong, silent type. Without fanfare I’ve seen Ben throw down on first ascents of double digit boulder problems and make them look easy: so easy they look like they should actually be whatever sandbag grade he gave them. Given how much trash talking there usually is in climbing, it’s refreshing to find someone as talented as Blakney who lets his tick list speak for itself. Nova Scotia climbing is a small scene and we were sad to lose the Blakneys when they moved out west, but I’m excited to see what next level projects he crushes out in the Rockies. —Mick Levin
KEVIN MAHONEY Kevin Mahoney is a goddamn animal. Climbing with him has opened my eyes to the possibilities of what a man can do with just the barest suggestion of climbable ice and the overriding desire to be standing at the top of a climb rather than at the bottom of it. More than once in the early stages of climbing with him I would look up at some glaze of ice and not see any possibility, only to have him grab the rack and charge up while I was getting ready to rappel. I have undoubtedly become a better climber simply by sharing a rope with him. I can always look up at a climb and see the real potential of ascent. I think one good example of this psyche level is when we went to do the first winter free ascent of the Ghost of Cannon Cliff. We showed up late at the cliff to a blazing sun but the ice looked so good
we just had to go check it out. The post-holing through the breakable ice crust became absolutely unbearable, but instead of deciding to turn around Kevin lead the bushwhack up to the talus field on our hands and knees so we wouldn’t break through anymore. We baby-crawled through the woods to one of the best ice climbs I have ever done. One hell of a climbing partner. —Elliot Gaddy
DEREK DOUCET When I first moved back to the area, I was working over in the Adirondacks a lot. One day at Poke-o-Moonshine I noticed a guy climbing The Sting (5.8). It’s not a hard route, but this guy was just swimming up it the way only someone who’s climbed a lot of cracks can. He was climbing that crack the way I wanted to be able to.
ALDEN PELLETT With solo ascents of routes like Called On Account of Rains (WI5+, 550’) and Mindbender (WI5+) at Lake Willoughby, Alden has established himself as one of North America’s great ice soloists. Having Alden as a winter climbing partner is like carrying a secret weapon on the other end of the rope. Of all the ice climbing partners I’ve shared a rope with, Alden has the coolest head for leading ice. He’s never the strongest climber in the bunch, or the prettiest dancer on ice, but he is always the most solid. When you’re tired, or the climbing gets tough and protection is nowhere to be found, you can count on Alden to keep his head together. Whether it’s a single X-rated WI5 pitch in Smugglers’ Notch or a 1000’ WI6 in remote fjords in Newfoundland, Alden will get up the pitch quickly and safely. You really can’t ask for much more in a partner. —Ryan Stefiuk Scot Carpenter //Justin Samford Collection
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Boulderwoods, and Round Pond. His drive to find new bouldering spots is relentless. We would spend entire days driving back roads and hiking in the woods because he saw a shadow while searching for rock on Google Earth. The majority of the time we would come up empty-handed but Kippy’s psych for finding new boulders would never diminish. He is just as happy to spend the entire day out spotting as he is actually climbing. Besides open-handing every single grip, his technique is only rivaled by Salo. He has climbed the majority of the classics at just about every area in the Northeast and typically climbs the problems in a couple of attempts—it is frustrtating and inspiring at the same time. Kippy is one of the nicest dudes out there and one of my best friends. If you see him at the boulders, say hello. He will provide you with one of the best spots you will ever get and an endless amount of psych and beta (if you are interested). You don’t have to worry about getting burned off anymore due to three shoulder surgeries or that could be some spray coming from the king of No Rope trolling. —Jon Strazza
Justin Sanford //Justin Samford Collection
One memorable trip with Derek involved a desperate attempt to entertain ourselves on a nasty weekend in early November. Since the weather was so bad we decided that concocting a hair-brained aid route up the biggest section of Mt. Pisgah and spending the night in portaledges with some friends would be a “good idea.” After humping an ungodly amount of gear to the base of the route, we realized that our planned line wasn’t nearly as clear as it had been in our minds. We headed up the likeliest option following a line of bolts and homemade hangers from some unknown route. Above the ledge, what looked like cracks turned out to be typically unreceptive to any of our gear, and after the first 15 feet of closed seams, it started snowing great big wet snowflakes. Hard. After five or six inches of snow had collected on the ledge, everyone was soaked and it was getting dark. We decided to bail. My memory is a bit hazy, but as I recall Derek and I sat in the back seat with the haul bag on the drive home and drank most of the beer we’d brought for the route. —Dave Furman
SCOT CARPENTER
CHRIS BEAUCHAMP
“Hey, do you mind if I give that a try?” Do you happen to know what this problem is called?” I was new to climbing and standing under Ian’s Favorite Problem at Mackenzie Pond. Having printed off the online guide that pictured a scary looking dude in a white tank, I knew I was being questioned by one of the authors. I also knew what was about to happen—I was about to get burned off. That was my first interaction and certainly not the last time I was burned off by Scot Carpenter, better known in the climbing community as Kippy.
My wife and I opened a skatepark in Connecticut, and in the process have met a ton of awesome people. As a park owner you see a lot of talent and they tend to stand out. Chris on the other hand was a regular fixture on the smallest ramp we built in the park, the kiddy ramp as we called it. It was fun, but for most it was the means to take it to the next level. Not Chris though, he was scared of anything bigger than the baby ramp. We became friends nonetheless and the more I attempted to get him to play with the big ramps the more he whimpered. He kept trying to get me to come out climbing with him. I had climbed a bit in the past and agreed to join him on a trip to the Adirondacks to climb ice. I must admit, my expectations were not high—I had him pegged for a pansy. I quickly realized that his fear of anything over 3’ abruptly ended after he left our skatepark. —Rick Kraft
Kippy’s dedication to climbing and developing new areas is unmatched by anyone in the Adirondacks ( Jut and Murph have certainly been putting in a lot of work the last few years). Kippy has developed and written the first guides to Mackenzie Pond, 9 Corners, Snowy Mountain,
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Jeff Squire //David Crothers
JUSTIN SANFORD I have known and had the opportunity to climb with Justin Sanford, a.k.a The Commander, for close to a decade. Over the last few years he has spent countless hours trekking through the woods searching for new boulders and cliffs. He has developed and participated in the development of the majority of new climbing spots found within the Adirondacks in recent years. What I really like about Jut, is that he is not driven by having his name in a guidebook under “FA” but on sharing his new bouldering spots with all his friends and anyone interested in climbing. Jut’s passion for climbing is infectious to say the least. During the week, he will often drive a couple hours and boulder far into the night via lights and a generator only to have to get up at 5 a.m. for work. On weekends, he is climbing most days by 8 a.m. and will set up the lights if people are motivated to keep the session going. If you have a good attitude and willing32
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ness to put in the work, Jut will happily spend the entire day out climbing and spotting you on your projects whether you climb V1 or V4+(BFYF). His obsession with climbing does not center around grades but on spending time at the cliffs or boulders with like-minded people who love climbing. Besides spending countless hours searching the woods for boulders, Jut creates indoor climbing holds, is writing a new comprehensive bouldering guide to the Adirondacks, and keeps a pretty consistently updated blog about his adventures: southernadirondackclimber.blogspot.com. He is one of the best dudes out there and is a wonderful climbing partner. When you see him, thank him for everything he has done for climbing in the Dacks. Deet! —Jon Strazza
RUSS CLUNE Russ is such a fixture among Northeast climbers that it’s almost easy to overlook him. In 2007, shortly after guiding became available on a limited basis at Skytop, I went climbing there with him. I knew that Russ had climbed
very extensively in the Gunks: any climber who’s perused a Gunks guidebook quickly realizes that he was one of the climbers that helped bring 5.12 and 5.13 to the Gunks during the 80’s. However, it was only after spending some time with him that I realized the full magnitude of his rock climbing experiences. Not only has he climbed nearly all the routes in the Gunks, he’s climbed big walls, hard free trad routes, radically overhanging sport routes, and bouldered. He’s done it all, and at a very high grade. At the Red River Gorge and the New River Gorge alone he’s climbed nearly 1000 routes. He is perhaps the most prolific northeastern rock climber. For more than 35 years, longer than many us have been alive, Russ has been cranking hard and traveling the globe to climb. —Ryan Stefiuk
JEFF SQUIRE Here’s something nobody knows about Jeff Squire: He has the FA of what may be the hardest boulder problem at Farley. True, Jeff isn’t a boulderer and true, he only put three tries into it, but one day when I was working on Bustin Mad Rhymes (V8) with a friend, Jeff rolled up and in three tries put a sit start
on the thing. To my knowledge it remains unrepeated. It’s not exactly a modern classic, but the raw difficulty of the thing is undeniable and when Jeff is at his best he is a truly spectacular rock climber. I’d be fascinated to see a repeat one day. Personally, I have a dollar that says it’s no less than V12. So it turns out that Jeff isn’t just a mastermind defending the climbing of Western Mass, he’s the real deal when put to it himself as well. —Pete Ward
IAN OSTEYEE
Pulling off proud first ascents in the modern day Northeast means leaving a drill at home, and bringing your mental game. Few know that better than Northeast local and Adirondack native Ian Osteyee. As a former U.S. Recon Marine, he brings his experience to those thin ice lines for bold ground-up first ascents like Simian (WI5+, R/X, 500’) at Poke-O-Moonshine, climbed with Bill Simes in 2011. It’s clear talking with Osteyee that esthetics and the classic nature of a line make up a big
Freddie Wilkinson //Pat Bagley
part of what makes a route important to him. His excitement for ice climbing is evident whether he’s talking about a classic 100-foot line near Chapel Pond or a challenging 2000foot line in Nepal.
me to do better in team sports throughout high school, Freddie has inspired me not only to become a better climber but also a better person. He’s a guy that can teach you something and make you laugh at the same time.
As an AMGA guide, he offers this advice to new ice climbers: “Make certain as best you can that the person teaching you is showing you good technique. Because ice climbing is very equipment oriented, having the best equipment makes a big difference. The right boots with a good fit, and superior tools will have you climbing better right away.” —Alden Pellett
Recently, he finished off his long-standing Tooth Traverse project with Renan Ozturk and also received the prestigious Piolet d’Or in 2012 for his first ascent of Saser Kangri II. His energy and excitement for life and climbing is motivating to say the least. Janet, Freddie’s wife, is just as inspiring. She endures just as many cold nights out “in it” as Freddie does, and she pushes herself just as hard. She’s climbed El Cap in 16 hours, put up first ascents in the Karakoram and Newfoundland and has climbed tons of hard pitches at Cathedral. I am honored to have shared beers with her. The most inspiring thing about these two is that they not only share a home together, but they’ve also established new routes together as well. I hope to share a few pitches with both of them someday and possibly get another look at that shark book. —David Crothers
FREDDIE & JANET WILKINSON
There was a time when I was obsessed with collecting Charles Barkley’s basketball cards and Rickey Henderson’s baseball cards. If there were something similar to sport cards for climbing, I would most likely try and collect all of Freddie’s. Much like how Barkley and Henderson inspired
Silas Rossi //Peter Doucette
SILAS ROSSI I think Silas brings a lot to the Northeast as a professional IFMGA guide. He’s done a ton to work and climbing in his home state of Maine. He recently relocated to the Gunks and is psyched to be building his business , Alpine Logic, there.
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I’ve climbed with Silas for more than 10 years, in the Northeast, Cascades, Sierras and the Alaska Range. He’s a solid partner and friend and is always ready to work hard at whatever he’s doing. His enthusiasm and practical skill are obvious to anyone he works or climbs with as a guide and as a climbing partner. —Peter Doucette
JESSE WILLIAMS Jesse is a real pro, a real guide. When I started “guiding” more than 30 yrs ago, I felt uneasy with the term. To me “guide” was a mountaineer with a full range of skills. I saw the rest of us mainly as rock climbing instructors. Jesse
is a “guide” - really smart and really skilled at that full set of skills. He’s worked hard to boost the profession. I could take you up Marcy Jesse could take you up Denali. —Don Mellor
exist, but it may take the offer of a few bottles of craft beer to get them out of Joe. Caution though if you get an invite to train in the Garage: all bets are off in there. — Brian Cowles
JOE MARC MCLOUGHLIN CHAUVIN He’ll never be known as the first boulderer at Lincoln Woods. Or the strongest. Or the oldest, which is surprising given his tendency to forget the grades in his own guidebook. But thanks in large part to many of his efforts, including lobbying the Rhode Island state legislation to ease access for climbers on state lands across the state, organizing early park clean-up days which later won recognition from the Access Fund, curating the original NewEnglandBouldering.com, and writing the first published bouldering guide for Lincoln Woods, he won’t be the last. Joe McLoughlin has become synonymous with bouldering in this most unique of northeast urban climbing locales. Regardless of whether or not you find him running a quick circuit during a lunch break or working a project with his gang of merry men on the weekend, Joe is always a welcoming local, a reliable spotter and will be more than happy to share beta, if requested. Hang around long enough and you may just be treated to a tour of some of the lesser known gems at the Woods. Or beyond. Yes, they do
Marc Chauvin has been climbing and guiding in mountains around the world for longer than many of us have been alive, dedicating the last 40 years of his life to being an expert in the many facets of mountain travel. Marc’s resume reads like a modern mountaineer’s tick list, with expeditions to many of the great ranges of the world. The difference, of course, is the fact that when Marc first reached these summits 20+ years ago the mountains were just a bit more wild, the logistics a tad more complicated, and the summits less “in vogue” than they are today. While every New Englander should know, and climb, the classic “Chauvin-Cole” to a wintery summit of Katahdin, perhaps Marc’s greatest contribution to the climbing world lies in his commitment to the development of mountain guiding as a true profession here in the United States. Since becoming one of the first American guides to be licensed as an international mountain guide (IFMGA), Marc has
continued to develop industry standards and curriculum for guide training and certification in the US. He is currently the Vice President of the American Mountain Guides Association, is the Alpine Discipline Coordinator, and is an instructor and mentor for many aspiring guides. He is also a full time mountain guide and owner of Chauvin Guides International, LLC. Each of these points exemplify Marc’s ability to constantly be at the cutting edge of what ever he chooses to pursue, while his life-long pursuit of excellence in the mountains, both personally and professionally, is an example and inspiration to us all.—Silas Rossi
RAY RICE
Ray Rice is like erosion—enduring, inevitable, constant. But rather than wear mountains down, Ray Rice puts routes up. Perpetually. Summer or winter, on Cathedral, Sundown, cliffs off the Kancamaugus Highway or in Evans Notch, Ray is always working something. His drill and cleaning kit are part of his regular climbing rack, and his energy and drive are infectious. Whatever it is he’s working on, you want to be working it on too. Ray is a craftsman. His routes are immaculately considered, his own pieces of art. There are no superfluous bolts, no squeezed lines. He finds an unclimbed line, an undeveloped crag, and like a sculptor he gently wipes away the excess, revealing the inherent beauty beneath. Nothing is forced on a Ray Rice route, and nothing is missing. When a route is done (if it is ever done—Ray is always reexamining his creations), he wants you to climb it. He needs you to climb it. He’ll hike for hours just to give you a belay. Not so he can hear you rave about his work, but so you can experience a piece of the joy he found in crafting it. The most beautiful houses are still meant to be lived in. The most ornately carved thrones are still meant to be seats. Ray Rice’s routes are meant to be climbed. —Erik Eisele
Ray Rice //Erik Eisele
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From left to right: Andrew Zalewski, Rich Gottlieb, Mendy Taylor and Matt Way.
ROCK AND SNOW FROM ASHES TO ANNEX
Words by Taylor VanRoekel Photos by Andrew Zalewski
NEW PALTZ, NEW YORK’S MAIN street is
a lesson in Americana. Diners and antiques line the avenue, couched in old facades and brick walls. Walk down the street and you’ll find Rock and Snow, the area’s premier gear shop. The store’s entryway is framed by a museum display of rusty pitons and timeweathered photos that lean on the panes of their glass cases. “We went on a tear and accumulated a lot of that stuff recently,” says 36
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Andrew Zalewski, store manger, referring to the shop’s collection of antiques. “But we like it, it tells a really important story.” It’s a story that isn’t easily removed from that of climbing itself. And despite changes in the sport, gear and outdoor culture, Rock and Snow is adapting to a shifting climate. Rock and Snow was incorporated by preeminent Gunks godfather Dick Williams.
Perhaps best known for penning the “lovingly-crafted” Climber’s Guide to the Shawangunks, Williams played an integral role in the local climbing scene, “but founding Rock and Snow is as much of an achievement,” says Zalewski. Indeed, Williams’ love affair with the Gunks would produce a number of great climbs and important preservation projects, but Williams had identified a gap: Great climbing towns without great gear
shops are rare. With seed money from the likes of Hans Kraus, Jim McCarthy, Richard Goldstone, Dave Craft, and Raymond Schragg, Williams would take his idea live in 1969. Although climbing would soon grow in popularity, Rock and Snow would need some warming up. “It took a while for word to get out that there was a climbing shop in New Paltz,” says Zalewski. “The Gunks in 1970 were not quite as busy as they are today.” Indeed, according to The Climber’s Guide to the Shawangunks, “the new decade began with the lowest level of climbing since the 1950’s,” coinciding with Rock and Snow’s slow start. A scant six routes were established in 1970, none of them free. But in 1972, Williams would publish his first guidebook, and interest was on the rise again. Good news for the young Rock and Snow. “The shop continued to grow into the 80’s, until a fire in 1990 burned the original location to the ground,” says Zalewski. Ironically, according to Williams’ guide, “new route activity slowed dramatically” again in the 1990’s. After the fire, Dick Williams and Gunks buddy Rich Gottlieb became full partners in the business. A legend in his own right, Gottlieb helped develop classic southeast areas like Jamestown, and Yellow Creek. “Rich began working here in the early 80’s and became more involved in management
leading up to the fire,” says Zalewski. Under Gottlieb, the shop would expand in 1996 with an addition to the new, post-fire storefront. The late 90’s also saw the birth of gunks.com and a handful of preservation and access projects, many of which
“WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE LOVE: SERVING THE OUTDOOR RECREATION NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY” Williams had a hand in, including the construction of the infamous 200+ stone East Trapps Connector “Stairmaster” Trail. Fast-forward a couple decades, and Rock and Snow is making strides. This May, Rock and Snow opened a gear consignment “annex” down the street, a la Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, Vt. Now, custom-
ers can “breath new life into stuff that’s been sitting in their closet for years,” says Zalewski. Combined with a new e-commerce website, the annex constitutes a new look for the decades old Rock and Snow. Area climbers can “buy local” from the comfort of their couch, recycle old gear, and upgrade existing quivers. It’s a concept that’s taking this historical shop, and pointing it forward. Now, Rock and Snow is settling into its appointed role in the climbing community. A portion of proceeds goes to local preservation efforts, and the store hosts the occasional slideshow. “For a very small shop, Rock and Snow is extremely proud of how much we are able to give back to the community,” Andrew says. “We are proud supporters of the Mohonk Preserve, where most of the climbing is, so we’re involved.” Indeed, Rock and Snow is invested in New Paltz. “The ability to thrive for 43 years in a small town instills in us a strong sense that we have a responsibility to the entire community, and not just the climbing community,” says Zalewski. To be sure, Rock and Snow has established itself as an irreplaceable facet of the Gunks climbing scene. Although the photos on display in the shop’s entryway are curling at the edges, Rock and Snow is just as relevant as it’s ever been. “We want to continue to do what we love: serving the outdoor recreation needs of our community,” says Zalewski. It’s as simple as that.
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FOCUSED
PHOTO // DAVID CROTHERS Peter Kamitses on A Sword of Damocles (5.13R) Mud Pond, Adirondacks
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PHOTO // JUSTIN SANFORD David Buzzelli Nine Corners Lake Adirondacks, NY
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PHOTO // TAYLOR VANROEKEL A common belay stance on the GT Ledge below High E. Gunks, NY
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AROUND TOWN // CLASSIFIEDS
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(518)569-8910
CLIMBERISM MAGAZINE Shooting spud guns on Dover Island is a good way to end a day of climbing ocean-side granite. // DAVID CROTHERS