Climberism Magazine Issue #12

climberism September | October 2012

THE NORTHEAST CLIMBING M A G A Z I N E

dover island

uncensored

big Northeast

+

SHOES, SHOES, AND MORE SHOES | MRS. CRUSHING CHAREST |

Alpine Climbs

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER

inside the mag //

Contents

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Peter Kamitses crushing another ADK project: Oppositional Defiance Disorder

CLIMBING LOGIC // The Art of Technical Descent

By Silas RossI - Alpine Logic Guides

32

NOVA SCOTIA GRANITE // Maine’s Finest Rock

By Aidas Rygelis

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LOCAL LEGEND // Andrea Charest Chalked up with Mrs. Chrushing Charest

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GEAR REVIEW // Shoes Technical climbing shoes and new releases

18

BIG NE ALPINE ROUTES // Discover Northeast alpine Did you know about these fine routes? Go explore!

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THE LIBRARY // North Conway Rock Climbs

ON THE COVER: Northeast Climbers can only be truly limited by their own creativity. Here, Tim Keenan colors outside the lines on Sensitive Indian, 5.12b, one of the few established DWS lines someplace in Massachusetts.

The rock is rife with new lines awaiting the scribbs of the next artist.

contributors //

climberism THE NORTHEAST CLIMB ING

MAGAZINE

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER issue Editorial Director

WORDS FROM THE LOCALS...

David Crothers Assistant Editor

Jarred Cobb graphic design

Ray Kania intern

Katie Williamson advertise

advertise@climberism.com contribute

submissions@climberism.com

Aidas Rygelis Aidas Rygelis is a Canadian climber, photographer, and writer currently based in Toronto where he lives with his wife Meagan and their dog Brittany. Previously he resided in Halifax, NS where he earned a Bachelors degree in fine art with a photography major from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.

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climberism.com/new-subscribers/ headquarters

Climberism Magazine P. O. Box 4563 Burlington, VT 05406 contact us

info@Climberism.com

Katie Williamson Katie is a boulderer. There’s not much else to her than that, other than the fact that she loves beer. And writing. And more beer. The first place she ever climbed was in Squamish, BC and she continues to work the street corner until she can afford a ticket back.

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.

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editor’s note // David Crothers

I

was going to write about the weather, fading and diminishing leaves, and fall project sends but that seemed too cliche. Instead, I started to think about how I stay so psyched on climbing, writing about it, photographing it and running Climberism.

NEW

Advance Tech HX

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PN 154900

The SMC Advance Tech HX Pulley is a double pulley with an integrated cam that provides immediate progress capture without the need of prussik loops. The all in one frame and cam design presents a compact form factor. Stainless pins retain the rope when a rigged system is packed so that system can be pulled out and used immediately. Manufactured from high quality aluminum and anodized to help prevent corrosion. The Advance Tech HX is the most advanced pulley of its kind on the market today. The Advance Tech HX will support ropes diameters from 7mm up to 12.5mm. The Advance Tech HX is ideal for all rescue applications where a small mechanical advantage system is being utilized.

For more information visit SMC on the web at www.SMCgear.com or your local PMI Dealer.

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I believe the biggest reason I stay so psyched on climbing is because I am always evolving as a climber.

When I started to climb in college, the only thing I new about climbing was that you had to put on a harness, tie a figure-eight knot, wear shoes that hurt your feet and tried to climb as high as you could.

Before I knew it, I was watching Big Up Productions and Chris Sharma climb one of the most beautiful lines I have ever seen, Dreamcatcher. At that point it was essentially game on. I started collecting draws, better shoes and climbing as much as I could. Sport climbing and bouldering were the only two things that made any sense, “forget ice climbing, that shit is deadly” I would tell myself. I traveled around Colorado and the west a bit, getting to know climbing and its community. Then I moved back east and things started to change. I started ice climbing and I found myself at the Gunks plugging cams, something I had done very little of; I was curious and wanted to see how far I could go with it.

Like most things in my life, I got consumed and couldn’t stop. At this point in my climbing “career” if you want to call it that, I find myself venturing further and further, pushing myself on harder and harder trad lines. I am extremely psyched on long alpine routes and have visited all the areas mentioned in this issue’s feature on Big Northeast Alpine Routes.

This is also what keeps me psyched on the continued Climberism adventure. What I do with Climberism doesn’t make some people happy, namely big publication editors, but that is fine by me, they can click unsubscribe at any moment. I work hard at keeping Climberism lively, true and evolving, and as long as readers are psyched, Climberism isn’t going anywhere.

With that, I hope you enjoy this bit of Northeast climbing I am psyched on.

JEAN-PIERRE

OUELLET

Jean-Pierre “Peewee” Ouellet making it look easy on Le Toit de Ben, 5.13a, while getting a belay from Sonnie Trotter, in Val-David, Quebec. Andrew Burr photo

fusion

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ion2

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submission deadline - OCT 9TH, 2012 • send entries to SUBMISSIONS@CLIMBERISM.COM • for more information and rules - WWW.CLIMBERISM.COM/VIDEO-CONTEST

Endeez

LOGIC // THEARTOFTECHNICALDESCENT CLIMBING 1700 feet above the glacier on the East face of Mt Dickey we had finally admitted to ourselves that it just wasn’t our day. It was time to go down. We were exhausted, moving slowly, and bad weather was closing in. We barely spoke as we re-racked and did our best to stomach the disappointment that admitting defeat often brings. But the day was far from over and the seriousness of where we were soon brought the task at hand back into focus. Hundreds of vertical feet of uncharted territory lay between us and the security and comfort of base camp. I slotted the #11 Stopper deep in the crack, sacrificed a single non-locker to clip in the rap ropes, backed it all up loosely with the belay anchor and made my way down the face, scouting a place to build the next rap anchor.

While not every bailing scenario is as intense as this, rappelling in less traveled areas is a necessary and fundamental skill to develop as a climber. Having the option to not only go up, but also descend from almost anywhere gives us much more flexibility in making decisions. In turn, this allows for a higher margin of safety while in the mountains or even at your local crag. Feeling committed to completing a route or pitch before descending can often put us in dangerous situations.

Most climbers will admit to having rappelled from an anchor that they were less than 100 percent psyched with. However, before committing to that rat’s nest of ancient webbing it would be smart to give yourself some guarantee of staying attached to the mountain prior to weighting the rope.

CONTINUED ON PAGE: 51

The Endeez rope end-icator was designed to aid climbers with a quick physical means of identifying their rope ends as they are rappelling, belaying, climbing or handling rope.

Ideal for use as a back-up knot while climbing, providing quick identification of rope ends or as a physical marker while working on or with rope.

Endeez provide users with exceptional performance in the simplest form as a physical link between the rope and the climber.

For more information visit www.SMCGEAR.net climberism | MAGAZINE 7 or call 360.366.5534

local legend // ANDREA CHAREST KATIE WILLIAMSON

A

t first glance, Andrea Charest does not look intimidating. In fact, sitting across from me with her cutesy little side braid and striped Patagonia dress, she looks like she wants to offer me some Girl Scout cookies, but then she puts on a harness and the jig is up. Ice, rock, plastic, dry tooling, nothing stands a chance, this chick can crush. I sat down with the new co-owner of Petra Cliffs Climbing and Mountaineering Center on the floor of her office, on top of an American Alpine Club banner, in true climber style, to discuss her achievements as a mountain guide as well as badass climber chick.

You are officially Co-Owner of Petra Cliffs Climbing Center, how does that feel?

Good. It’s been a really whirlwind couple months, almost three months now. But, awesome! [laughs] What kind of climbing do you think best suits your style?

Anything, except bouldering.

I just died inside...

I loved bouldering at The Spot, in Boulder, last month. It was pretty cool, it’s like a bouldering outside, only your 8

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in the gym and that was fun, but everybody made fun of me because I down climbed everything. I hate landing!

violently and landed full weight on the side of my ankle, damaged the ligaments and stuff.

Oh that’s rough.

That’s true, lots of people sprain ankles.

I wrecked myself pretty good like six years ago and my ankle’s still not onehundred percent.

What happened there?

I was in the bouldering cave upstairs, a foot off the ground, I popped off

It wasn’t broken that’s all I knew. I mean I love long, challenging, but not terrifying trad routes.

Usually challenging and terrifying go hand in hand, especially with trad.

Yeah, they make you think, but they don’t like…they don’t make you poop

|

MAY JUNE 2012

ANDREA CHAREST // local legend

What are some of your favorite climbs in the Northeast?

I love ice climbing, so anything at Lake Willoughby is awesome, Glass Menagerie is a super awesome climb... I don’t know, I still have more to explore. Fastest Gun at Poke-O is very fun. I love EVERYTHING at the Web! Any climbing rituals that keep you psyched?

Ooh, climbing rituals, I always put my left shoe on first…that’s a ritual right?

sport. I’d like to do more female mentorship too, I saw this awesome video when I was out in Boulder last Oh, I think only eighteen days... month and I heard Lynn Hill speak at a local mountaineering shop, she showed What about no sleep? a video of taking two really strong I’m very good at sleeping… I mean, I’ve had alpine starts getting up at 2 or 3 a.m. female boulderers out. I’d definitely like to do, more female mentorship in the and then finishing the day at 10 but, yeah, future.

Longest you’ve gone without a shower?

I try and get some sleep.

Any climbing inspirations, like people or places?

Yeah, definitely a lot of the legends, Lynn Hill is super inspiring, a lot of the females too because it’s definitely been a male dominated

Left: Andrea doing what she does best, smiling at life.

This page: Mrs. Charest, crushed the Rose (5.10a) twice for this sweet picture.

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northeast newswire // http://www.climberism.com/ new-gym-in-nyc-the-cliffs-l-i-c/ Mike Wolfert, owner of The Cliffs in Valhalla has partnered with big wig climbing company Walltopia to create a new gym for Long Island City in Queens; The Cliffs L.I.C. The new gym will feature 30,000 square feet of climbing surface including 134 top rope stations, lead walls with 60’ of climbing and a giant top out boulder putting it in contest with gyms across the country as one of America’s largest. Brooklyn Boulders among a few other gyms around the city, have nothing to worry about, BKB constantly has a full shop, often times with lines waiting to get on routes, so this is a much needed addition to the NYC area. http://www.climberism.com/ another-hard-adk-route-forpeter-kamitses/ Peter Kamitses completed another of his projects in the Adirondacks, a typical PK route, pumpy, runout, and 5.13R . Still unnamed, the route is located in the Silver Lake area of the Adirondacks and Peter managed to send in the most heinous of conditions, 80 degrees and sunny, sweat pouring out of his hands like a champ. The climb includes a techy layback, shitty nonslopers, and a thrutchy deadpoint, sounds fun don’t it?

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persuade private landowners to open their lands to climbing.

Access Fund NH Regional Coordinator Erik Eisele was essential in rallying climbers, as was Tim Kemple Sr. who provided the testimony and avocation for the amendment.

The bill passed with the new amendment July 1st. http://www.climberism.com/ weinberger-gives-the-axe-toice-factors-proposal-for-moranbuilding/ Mayor Miro Weinberger gave the axe to Ice Factor’s indoor ice climbing gym plans. This was the most recent proposal shutdown for the Moran building; among others were a museum, concert hall and waterfront YMCA. Petra Cliffs is happy though, it means no competition for them and they can go back to monopolizing Burlington’s indoor climbing scene.

http://www.climberism.com/ attention-new-hampshireclimbers-you-did-it/ New Hampshire climbers killed it this summer with their efforts to add climbing to House Bill 1551 that explicitly states protection of the landowners whose land we climb on. They were quite successful in amending the bill that would make it easier to

http://www.climberism.com/ video-elusive-trophy-secondascent-by-ken-murphy/ There have been many great first and second ascents in the Adirondacks since the last issue of Climberism, but none such as the long awaited second ascent of Elusive Trophy (5.13a) or Russ Clune’s La Roof . Elusive Trophy was established in 1995 and hadn’t seen a second ascent until Ken Murphy arrived at Lost Hunter’s Cliff in Caragoa Lake, New York and walked right up it. The Adirondack Rock Guidebook describes the climb as “A spectacular and technical face climb, perhaps one of the best hard pitches in the Adirondacks.”La Roof was a Clune route established in 1998, few people even dared attempt it. Murphy win the basass trophy for the year.

FOCUS • Trad climbing versatility • All-day comfort • Abrasion resistant

Alex Honnold, Blockbuster (5.12+), Owens River Gorge, CA. BEN DITTO

• Maximum racking space

BlackDiamondEquipment.com

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Gear review // SHOES MILLET MYO CLIMBING SHOE The Myo (and for those who love to tie things, the lace-up version, the Yalla) is Millet’s current high-end, down turned shoes. As such, the Myo features many of Millet’s new climbing-specific technologies: They’re made of a synthetic micro-fiber upper with a lining in the toe box to maintain its shape.

They feature Millet’s MonoBloc heel, for precise heel work. They also have sticky, 4-Points Grip rubber soles with a unique pattern of cut ridges. These ridges are actually micro-grooves in the rubber that serve to enhance grip. Top it all off with three, opposed Velcro-straps, which Millet calls their Stir Up System, and you have a highly customizable fit.

I tested the Myo in several American rock climbing destinations, from the steep sandstone sport climbing and bouldering of the Obed, Tennessee, to schist sport climbing in VT and NH. I even got to test the Myo out for a few days in the Adirondacks, bouldering at McKenzie pond and plugging widgets at Spider’s Web. The Myo is a down-turned soft shoe. Not surprisingly, they excel on the steep sand stone of the south and the steep technical schist of New England. The Myo’s down-turned toe box, with supper sticky rubber and great sensitivity, allows for precise edging and smearing on the steeps. Add the ease of their on/off, and they are a killer sport climbing tool. www.millet.fr - $128.95

FIVE TEN QUANTUM CLIMBING SHOE I have pretty narrow feet, so the fit was perfect. People that have wider feet might find it hard to feel comfortable at first and might need some time breaking these guys in. The one aspect that most impressed me about the Quantums was how sticky the rubber was. The Stealth Mystique is some of the best rubber I’ve ever seen and climbed with. I had no problem precisely placing my feet where ever they needed to go and felt comfortable knowing that they would stick. This rubber guarantees that the great edging capabilities stick around after countless pitches.

Most people find that down-turned shoes are too aggressive, but the Quantums are not the case. They are aggressive but not so much that it’s uncomfortable.

The upper part stretches making it not as severe as other aggressive shoes. This makes it perfect for overhanging projects and boulder problems but definitely not meant to be worn crack or slab climbing.

There is a slight heel cup, good for heel hooking but they aren’t huge if you’re looking for something more technical. I did find the heel rubbing a bit after wearing them for a few hours though. The one major con is that they are laceups. I am not a fan. Although the ridged laces stay in place and kept the shoe tight while I was climbing, I would have preferred Velcro. Overall, the 5.10 Quatums are a great shoe. They are amazingly comfortable for an aggressive, down-turned shoe and can stay on your feet without complaints. www.fiveten.com - $138.95 12

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Gear review // SHOES LA SPORTIVA FUTURA CLIMBING SHOE The Futura features the “no edge” concept also found on the La Sportiva Speedster. Whereas, I found the Speedster takes some time to break in, but the Futura’s soft synthetic upper allows for a great fit right out of the box.

The Futura utilizes the Fast Lacing System via a hook and loop closure which creates a good fitting shoe, something I wasn’t expecting.

Similar to the La Sportiva Solution, the Futura features the “famous” P3 platform allowing the shoe to maintain the downturned shape over a long period of time. I found that the light-weight nature and the P3 platform created a highly sensitive shoe that was reliable on the steep sport routes in Little River Canyon and the technical bouldering found at Horse Pens 40.

As I had not climbed a great deal in the Speedster, it took some time for me to develop the confidence to truly trust the Futura’s “no edge” concept when not climbing on steep terrain. As I began using the Futura on an array of problems, I found that I enjoyed the increased sensitivity the shoe provides. In fact, by the end of the trip I found myself reaching for the Futuras over the Solutions. lasportiva.com - $169.95

Nik Berry | Aspiring RN | Big Wall Free Climber | Salt Lake City, UT At OR we know finding balance takes hard work. So does Nik Berry, an aspiring RN who traded the nomadic climber’s lifestyle to burn through pre-requisites on his path to nursing school. For a guy who redpointed Yosemite’s “ledge-to-ledge” version of the Salathé Wall as a first “team-free” ascent (VI 5.13d), camping out in a library to study for Anatomy and Physiology midterms was a bit of a mindshift. But the Utah-only limit forced Nik to climb locally, leading to the first free ascent of Wonderboy (5.13c) on Lone Peak and Lunar X (5.13) in Zion.

This dual focused lifestyle has given him a new appreciation for time on the rock, and a flexible profession he can take from town to town. Learn more at outdoorresearch.com.

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© Keith Ladzinski (all)

to air is

human

to send

divine

Sasha DiGiulian becoming the first American woman to climb 5.14d with Pure Imagination.

When you’re pushing your limits, taking falls is part of the game. That’s why Sasha ties in with Petzl ropes for routes like Pure Imagination, in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky.

FUSE 9.4mm

www.petzl.com

Gear NEW // NEW & UP-AND-COMING

SALEWA WILDFIRE APPROACH SHOE Approach shoe meets climbing shoe. That is the idea behind Salewa’s Wildfire. They wanted a shoe that could be the best of both worlds.

It has a GORE-TEX liner so you can expect it to be waterproof and still vent well. It is also made with a ballistic mesh upper so you can expected a pretty rugged shoe. I’m anxious to see how these fare on some NE moderates.

DIRTBAG AWARD WINNER

EVOLV ASTROMAN CLIMBING SHOE The Astroman climbing shoe appears to be the next big thing for climbers into big difficult alpine routes. Mr. Peter Croft himself helped shape and design this shoe. Retail is $145 and should be available for Spring 2013. What’s cool about these shoes is that Evolv seems to be reapproaching the hightop design that faded away for a while. There have been a few companies that have introduced and then stopped producing this same style. It certainly is not the mainstream shoe, but from what I can tell, there is a market for it and being a trad climber, I can certainly see the benefits of using a hightop shoe.

SCARPA INSTINCT VS CLIMBING SHOE SCARPA is introducing a new and updated Instinct VS, featuring a single velcro strap and a bit more rubber on the toe-box. It comes with Lorica uppers and a Vibram XS Edge sole. These pups will be available in 2013, so keep an eye out.

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GEAR TALK// The access Page

Ragged Mountain Foundation

C3PA Climbing Conservency of Central Pennsylvania

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BIG

NORTHEAST ALPINE ROUTES THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT BEING WAY UP, ABOVE IT ALL, JUST YOU AND A FRIEND -- IT IS AN UNEXPLAINABLE FEELING OF FREEDOM. EVERY MOVE UPWARD YOU’RE RETRACING THE FOOTSTEPS OF NORTHEAST LEGENDS.

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Hals Und Bein Bruch 5.8 II MONT GROS BRAS, PARC DES LES GRAND JARDINS, QUEBEC First Ascent: Claude Bérubé, Léopold Nadeau et J.-L. Pittion, 1973 Claude Bérubé, Léopold Nadeau and J.-L. Pittion were silently putting up ground-breaking first ascents without getting much attention in the 60’s and 70’s. There is so much history following these guys, it would be impossible to paraphrase it here. Each climber has left their own climbing legacy in Quebec. Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering is a good place to start catching up on them.

Quebec is often overlooked when planning a climbing trip but after intense research and exploring, I can attest that the region is full of amazing climbing, including the picturesque Parc des Les Grand Jardins region. The area is full of dome-like granite hills and slabs, one might feel like their in Yosemite if they imagine hard enough. WIth a long list of moderate to difficult climbs, this area shouldn’t not be missed.

Hals Und Bein Bruch, which is the German expression for break a leg and literally means break your leg and neck is probably Quebec’s most classic route and grading in at only 5.8.

The perfect granite, good gear and amazing scenery make this a must-do for anyone looking for an alpine climbing adventure off the been path.

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Photo By: Patrick Cadieux Étienne Roy, following high above the Parc floor. The views are amazing.

PHOTO

?

Most climbers venturing up north will likely find the best beta online as most of the guidebooks and local information on the climbing the the Parc Des Les Jardins is written in French. The interwebs is your best source if info for the English version of everything. Think Google Translate...

BETA climberism | MAGAZINE

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MOBY GRAPE 5.8 III CANNON CLIFF, NEW HAMPSHIRE First Ascent: Joe Cote & Roger Martin July, 1972

When most people think about alpine climbing in the Northeast, the first thing that pops into their mind is probably Cannon Cliff, for good reason too. The cliff towers over Franchonia notch with sheer beauty but gives even the most veteraned climber butterflies in their stomach. Cannon can be both humbling and rewarding, just make sure you know where you’re going and what you’re doing, the exposure alone keeps some climbers away.

Moby Grape is a combination of various sections of Conncourse, a route established by Herb and Jan Conn, in 1945 armed with sneaker, borrowed gear, and one 120-foot rope. The duo were cousins and at the time inexperienced climbers, a 500 page book could be written about these two alone. Unfortunately, their route was essentially destroyed by rock fall several years later, leading the way for Moby Grape’s discovery and Whaleback Crack, a Henry Barber classic.

Moby Grape is likely the second most popular route on the cliff, behind the Whitney-Gilman Ridge. The typical start today is Reppy’s Crack, the obvious splitter in the area, much of the route requires climbers to be comfortable with climbing alpine style 5.8 and sometimes difficult route finding. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself climbing some kind of hard variation, cursing the world around you at the same time.

Photo By: Corey Hebert Lee Hansche on the Reppy’s Crack start to Moby Grape

PHOTO

?

Jon Sykes guidebook, Secrets Of The Notch, your best source if beta. You might also check out mountainproject.com for a detailed pitch by pitch.

Regardless of where you get your info. The climbing is good and gives you a chance at practicing your alpine and route finding skills.

BETA climberism | MAGAZINE

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LEVIATHAN 5.12a V DEVIL’S BAY, NEWFOUNDLAND

First Ascent: Joe Terravecchia, Karin Bates & Casey Shaw September 1995

It didn’t take much for Joe Terravecchia to get psyched on Devil’s Bay, Newfoundland. Story has it that Joe first read about the area in Cruising World Magazine, a sailing publication. Fixated on Blow-Me-Down, the 1200 foot granite cliff illustrated in the article that shoots straight out of the water, logistics begun shortly after to get up there and start exploring. The route was finally established in 1995 after their 1994 attempt was thwarted by weather.

Getting to Devil’s Bay is no easy task and takes an adventurous soul. Roughly two to three days of traveling by car and boat will get you to one the most remote climbing area the Northeast has to offer. Solid granite, great views, big walls and a list of moderate to hard climbing to be had is all at your disposal.

As a forewarning, the weather is a major hurdle when planning a trip to the Devil’s Bay area. Expect bad weather and make sure you allot enough time to wait out systems that might hinder your climbing for a few days at a time.

Photo By: Andrew Growt Nick enjoying the view, good weather and superb granite at Blow-Me-Down.

PHOTO

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Your best bet at finding information on Newfoundland climbing is to start with the Newfoundland Climbing Guide. From there I would ask around some forums and talk with folks who have been to the area before. I highly doubt you will regret a visit, regardless of the weather. It’s about adventure!

BETA 24

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THE DIAGONAL 5.8 III

WALLFACE, ADIRONDACKS First Ascent: Joseph Rutledge and Tom and Jane Morgan 1962

Almost twenty years after Rutledge’s first attempt in 1946 to solo the Diagonal on Wallface, did he finally complete the mission, but not after a bivy on top of pitch five. It took Rutledge three attempts to finish the route, it only took Don Mellor and Jeff Edwards three hours and fourteen minutes car-to-car from the Adirondack Loj during their kids nap time, according to Adirondack Rock.

A very impressive record that will likely not be broken for some time, if ever.

A truly remote climb, Wallface can be approached two ways, 6 miles from the Adirondack Loj or 4.4 mils from Upper Works. Upper Works is a shorter and easier approach but a longer drive, the Adirondack Loj is often the side most climbers take.

A true Wallface experience would be to camp for a couple days and enjoy the quiet area. You’ll likely be the only party climbing. The Diagonal is in the sun for most of the day so fall climbing is your best season, but if you don’t mind the heat, it’s good all year.

Photo By: Jesse Williams The Diagonal pitch, one of the coolest routes in the Adirondacks.

Cloudsplitterguides.com

PHOTO

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The infamous approach to the DIagonal has turned around many climbers.

Bushwhacking and getting lost is what its all about when trying to find your way around Wallface, it’s worth it though. Adirondack Rock is your best source of information, and I recommend approaching from Upper Works.

BETA climberism | MAGAZINE

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GANESH 5.11d III

SMUGGLERS’ NOTCH, VERMONT First Ascent: Travis Peckham, Paul Hansen & Derek Doucet 2003

And you thought Vermont was full of Rednecks and big trucks, well, think again! With the recent release of Tough Schist, the first climbing guidebook to Northern Vermont, all the goods are waiting to be had, Ganesh being one of them.

Ganesh initially saw activity back in the early 70’s when the infamous John Bouchard solo aided the line. It wasn’t until 2002 that the line received its first free ascent by Travis Peckham (Tough Schist guidebook author) Paul Hansen and Derek Doucet. The party of climbers split the third pitch into two pitches which was linked into one pitch by local hardman Peter Kamitses, in 2003.

The route is everything you would expect from Smugglers Notch. It is high up on the Elephant Head Buttress giving climbers a full on exposed ride. The climbing is overhanging and sustained so be prepared for and intense experience. However, it is likely one of Vermont’s best hard climbs and will not let you down if you’re up for the challenge.

Photo By: Alden Pellett Paul Hansen stemming up the second pitch of Ganesh.

PHOTO

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Travis Peckham’s Tough Schist is going to be your bible for the Smugglers Notch area and any area in the Northern part of Vermont. His descriptions are meticulous and well written, no wonder it took him three years to finally publish the book. Ganesh is located on the climbers right of Elephants head Gully.

BETA 28

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ARMADILLO 5.8 IV

BAXTER STATE PARK, MAINE First Ascent: Herbert Towle and company, 1935

The Armadillo is one of those infamous climbs everyone talks about, it is remote, exposed, and requires some logistical planning to make the climb possible. In 1935, Herbert Towle led five Appilation Mountain Club members up the route. Today, the route is coveted as being one the best alpine routes in the Northeast.

Following the first ascent by Towle and company, Roger Wolcott led twelve climbers up the Armadillo the following day. Among those climbers were four women, ultimately achieving the first female ascents. Pretty impressive and bold for the era.

The 5.7 crack above the detached flake - also known as the shield or coyote - wasn’t climbed until the 1950’s by and unknown duo. However, what is known, is that nobody else climbed the grade until late in the 1950’s.

Many climbers visit the Armadillo each year, but you’ll be lucky if you find another climbing party there the same time your are. That is what makes the area so great, you’re following in the footsteps of legends with no one around but you and your partner.

Photo By: David Crothers Jarred Cobb enjoying the loose and blocky ridge that connects the climb to the curious hikers.

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Most climbers venturing up north will likely find the best beta online as most of the guidebooks and local information on the climbing the the Parc Des Les Jardins is written in French. The interwebs is your best source if info for the English version of everything. Think Google Translate...

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UNLOCKING NOVA Photos and words by: Aidas Rygelis

Michelle Leblanc catching sunset psych on Hoofmaker V6. Photo By: Aidas Rygelis 32

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SCOTIA GRAN ITE

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ince the mid nineties there has been steady development of climbing in Nova Scotia resulting in hundreds of unique problems and routes. The areas that have been developed offer both quality and volume. Early developers included Sean Therrien, Todd Foster, and John Graham who are credited with a large part of the discovery and development of popular bouldering areas such as the infamous, “Land of Confusion”. As climbing standards changed over the coming several years, the difficulty of the bouldering in Nova Scotia rose steadily with multiple problems pushing into the double digits.

In 2000 Ghislain Losier relocated

to Halifax and initiated a wave of development and pushed the difficulty bar higher than ever.

Later that year, climber Nick Sagar returned to Halifax. Together, Losier and Sagar continued pushing difficulty all over the province while establishing lines like The Grind V12, The Fine Line V12, Gun Control V13, and Grizzly V13, all of which have seen few, if any, repeats. Many underground guidebooks for bouldering exist, but Ghislain Losier’s, “Halifax Bouldering” was the first publicly available. While bouldering was being developed, so were routes throughout the province. The first known guidebook for routes, “Climb Cape Breaton”, was published in 1976 and documented 33 routes at 19 different crags on Cape Breton Island. A subsequent

guidebook would not be produced until 1994, when “Climb Nova Scotia” was published, follow by “Just Climb” in 1998, and finally Sean Cassidy’s “Nova Scotia Rock” in 2002 which describes over 330 routes over 26 different areas throughout the province.

The climbing around Halifax is underrated. While it may not be as impressive as the Chief or the Rockies, the east coast of Canada is a worthwhile destination, and a particularly interesting one at that. It has something to offer for everybody, weather you want to challenge yourself on routes and boulders, or enjoy moderate climbing in a beautiful setting. Its infamy has emerged as a product of people visiting the most popular and well climberism | MAGAZINE

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know bouldering destinations. Stories of notoriously sharp rock and desperately sloping features cause people to cringe, but upon spending a bit of time there and getting past the acclimatization period, they are rewarded with excellent and unique climbing. The climbing style has evolved completely around the rock. Much of the bouldering requires incredible compression strength on improbable holds and features, depending largely on friction to execute movements with confidence. To gain optimal conditions many climb only at night or in the very early morning. While there are hundreds of developed routes and blocs, there still remains enormous amounts of undeveloped rock throughout the province.

The access coalition of the area, Climb Nova Scotia (CNS), works hard to maintain access to established areas, and promotes responsible development of new areas. From the start CNS has been focused on facilitating access to climbing areas in the province but over the years it has grown with the climbing community into something much more. Today CNS works with schools, climbing gyms, and other provincial recreation organizations to bring climbing to a wider audience that better represents the diverse population of our province. CNS has held the famous Boulderfest climbing weekend on Dover Island for the last 11 years and organizes an annual ice climbing festival on the shores of the Bay of Fundy where they make ice tools, crampons, helmets and boots available to members. They also host a Monday Night Bouldering series, movie nights and the Reel Rock Tour, sponsor the Tour De Bloc competition circuit and local athletes who travel to attend comps elsewhere, organize seasonal trail maintenance, and conduct Clean N’ Climb days to rejuvenate overgrown routes and restore the natural beauty of Nova Scotia’s crags. CNS has funds available for route development and subsidizes the cost of hardware, as well as loaning their drill out in some cases for bolting. Most recently CNS funded the development of the G-Spot sport crag which saw more than 20 lines established in two years and has become the destination for gym climbers transitioning to outdoor leading.

With the exception of Boulderfest, all of Climb Nova Scotia’s events and activities are free of charge for members.

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This years Boulderfest was a great success for CNS, marking the 11th year of the festival. CNS takes on the arduous task of facilitating this wonderful event and making sure that everyone gets to the island, is well fed, and has a great weekend of climbing. Dover Island is home to hundreds of problems ranging from V0 to V-hard. At the end of the day, weary climbers return to their tents and are fed a healthy dinner by CNS volunteers while a donated keg from Halifax’s Propeller Brewery helps with relaxation. Dinner is followed by a prize draw from the event sponsors including: The North Face Maritime Summit Shop, The Trail Shop, Evolve Climbing, Ground Zero Climbing Gym, Propeller Brewing, Organic Bouldering Mats, Canadian Ski Patrol, Blank Slate Climbing, Nova Shores Kayak Tours, Pete’s Frootique, and of course the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness. After darkness falls, the night sessions begin.. From the tops of the boulders you can look back and see the spectacular fireworks display put on by CNS volunteers. The following morning, climbers slowly crawl out of their tents to eat the CNS breakfast and make their way back to take care of any unfinished projects. Some stay and climb all day, while others are ferried back to the mainland to tend their brutalized fingers until next year. A wonderful event made possible by all the sponsors and most of all, Climb Nova Scotia.

Thanks largely to the efforts of the CNS executive board members and a strong roster of volunteers the event went very smoothly.

The cliffs and boulders of the Halifax area are generally not easy to find. For the most part they are hidden deep in the woods, or rise out of lakes or the ocean. It is common when heading out for a day of climbing to not encounter any other parties. This alone should make the trip worthwhile. Within an hour’s drive from Halifax, there are over a dozen bouldering areas and crags. CNS has recently spearheaded the CNS MoBeta project (cnsmobeta.ca, an online index complete with GPS coordinates, video beta for problems, color photos to help climbers find the areas they’re looking for.

MoBeta is specifically designed for use on smart phones while en route to an area, or while at a climbing area.

Nathan Benjamin working another piece of Nova Scotia’s granite Photo By: Aidas Rygelis climberism | MAGAZINE

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Craig Stamp on Mega Man V6. Located on the Mega Boulder, Land Of Confusion Photo By: Aidas Rygelis 36

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Sean Cassidy on Mea Culpa 5.12a. Located at First Face. Photo By: Aidas Rygelis

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Ryan MacLeod topping out The Bear (V4) Dover Island, Nova Scotia Photo By: David Crothers

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Mick Levin. getting airy on Hummingbird Boogie, 5.11c at Sorrow’s End. Photo By: Aidas Rygelis 40

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South of Halifax, the most popular bouldering area for locals and visiting climbers in the Land of Confusion (LOC). The LOC offers a massive amount of bouldering spread over a mix of low bush forest, swamps, lakes, and hardwood forest covering an enormous area of land. There are currently there are 26 developed areas in the LOC which vary between cliff bands and free standing boulders. Most of the approaches are relatively short, ranging from 5 minutes to 30 minutes, and it is easy to make a circuit of boulders to visit when feeling ambitions. The LOC’s popularity is a result of it being an easy to get to destination for after work sessions, and the sheer volume of problems within close proximity to one another. The problems in the LOC predominantly range from V0-V8, with a handful of problems moving into the double digits.

To this day, new boulders are still being discovered as climbers trek deeper and deeper into the woods. And as difficulty standards are raised by dedicated local climbers, new lines continue to be established on long known about boulders. Classic problems of the area for visiting climbers include Resurrection V10 and Captain Hook V5 on the Corn boulder, Joe Boxer V6 on the Bung boulder, Bop Gun V5 on the Scoop boulder, and Terminal Velocity V5 in the Polly’s Cove proper area.

Not far from the LOC lies Terrance Bay. Terrance Bay offers excellent rope climbing and is situated about 30 minutes south of Halifax. There are 4 crags all of which are inland so the best time to climb is anytime except June and July when the humidity and black flies are particularly bothersome. By far the most popular area is Sorrows End. Offering both sport and traditional climbing in a very scenic setting on a small lake, this makes an excellent destination for an afternoon or a weekend. The approach is about 20 minutes following a relatively confusing network of ATV trails. If possible, being escorted by locals will make the approach a lot more timely. All off the sport routes are well bolted with anchors and range in grades from 5.10 to 5.13, the trad routes start at 5.7 G and max out at 5.11c R. A standard rack will be more than sufficient for most routes and the easier routes offer an excellent first lead on gear. Must do routes include See With Joy 5.8 G, All The Rage 5.10a/b, and the seldom repeated but excellent, Transformer 5.12c.

Terrance Bay is also home to a host of bouldering areas divided into 4 main sectors: Main, Grover, Peninsula,

and the Lake Boulders. There are roughly 80 established problems with grades ranging from V0 to V12.

Moving closer to Halifax is lies several more accessible bouldering areas such as Chebucto Head in Herring Cove. This area is an excellent coastal bouldering area only about 20 minutes away from Halifax. Though the problems are easier to find than the LOC, Chebucto Head does not come close on volume. There are however 6 different sectors in the area with about 70 probems ranging from V0 to V11. Must do problems include: Tough Sailors V7, Adrenaline Junkie V6, The Slot Problem V2, Tall Guy V4, and Fynnished V10.

If you have your heart set on roped climbing during your visit to Halifax, then you will certainly want to head north of the city towards Musquodoboit. Around this small town are several of Nova Scotia’s tallest developed crags. Off of HWY 357, about 5km north of HWY 7 lies Paces Lake on which three cliffs are found.

First Face is the nearest to the highway and offers a about 20 developed and routes with grades ranging from 5.5 to 5.12a both on gear and on bolts. Although the quantity of routes may be low, the quality is high on this 30m quartzite cliff with several classic routes like Mea Culpa 5.12a, and Pyramid 5.10d.

Further along the shore of paces lake, lies Main Face.

Main Face is 70m at its high point and offers about 70 developed routes with potential for more among unexplored walls and abandoned projects. With grades ranging from 5.5 to 5.13, Main Face has a lot to offers visiting climbers. The cliff is broken into several gullies and ledge systems which can all be reached by rappel or decent trails on either side of the cliff. Must do routes include: Popcorn 5.6 G, Black Rose 5.10d G, and Enervator 5.12b.

Along HWY 357 are several smaller cliffs such as Skull Rock, Ship Rock, Columbus Wall, Railway Crag, and a few others. Each offer good climbing and are worth checking out if you have some extra time.

These areas are the only a fraction of the most recently documented climbs that Nova Scotia has to offer. It truly is a climbers destination where there are good people, great climbing, beautiful landscapes, fresh seafood, local beer, and perhaps most importantly, copious amounts of rock.

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Andrea Charest, owner of Petra Cliffs in Burlington, Vermont, psyched on the power of the Unicorn.

Determination // The Wandering Direct I remember the first 5.11 I climbed, I was as giddy as a little school girl on her first day back to school, it was a big deal. Though, in the big scheme of things my accomplishment was pretty miniscule. The route is climbed and repeated many times a day by climbers much stronger than I am. The first ascentionist was Ward Smith during the days when he slaughtered everything Rumney, still does too. Tropicana is well protected, straightforward and you don’t need to do any route finding because every hold has a layer of chalk on it.

required route finding; it was not well protected and in some places, runout and extremely chossy. The Wandering Direct (V 5.11R) starts at the base of the South Howser Tower and eventually meets up with the classic BeckeyChouinard 5.10 route established in 1961.

In mid July, Vermont climber, Matt McCormick, and French-Canadian climber, Jean-Pierre Ouellet, added a new line to the Northwest face of the South Howser Tower in the Bugaboos of British Colombia. Their holds were not chalked for them; the route wandered and

Both routes are completely different styles of climbing, but the more I think about the sport and the adventures that are being had in areas like the Bugaboos, the less I am clipping bolts and the more I am plugging gear and finding a true adventure.

“The route features about a 90/10 ratio of 5-star to horrifying death choss with one pitch that shed two door-size blocks with Peewee on the lead. He did an awesome job of hanging in through the choss and getting the rope to the top.”

Matt McCormick and Jean-Pierre Ouellet’s new route "Wandering Direct" Photo By: Matt McCormick

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Search for your next route by custom criteria such as difficulty, stars, conditions, area, route name, etc.

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Elias Peirce, 18, a climber from Portland, Maine bouldering on a cool spring day near Buckfield, Maine Photo By: Charlotte McLaughry

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Peter Kamitses completing his latest Adirondack project in less than ideal conditions Photo by: David Crothers climberism | MAGAZINE

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The Library // NORTH CONWAY ROCK CLIMBS

NORTH CONWAY ROCK CLIMBS Jerry Handren’s I like my guidebooks to be easy reads. I like to know where I’m going, how I’m going to get there and exactly what’s going to be there when I arrive. Spending valuable climbing time trying to find routes because your guidebook reads like a Tibetan bus map can be a major bummer to a day/ weekend/dirt bag lifestyle of climbing.

Enter Jerry Handren’s newest climbing guide North Conway Rock Climbs. This 368 full-color guidebook to local crags centered around North Conway, New Hampshire includes gems such as Cathedral Ledge, Whitehorse, and the infamous Shagg Crag. Open to the introduction and you’ll receive a synopsis of how Handren wrote the book; how he got his information, and his idea of creating a guide that would become the only book a climber needed for the area.

“This is not a compilation of descriptions from other sources, rather, the information included in this book relies as much as possible, on firsthand experience, with descriptions having been completely rewritten and rechecked.”

Read a little further and you’ll find yourself in one of the best parts of this book where Handren takes the time to describe the kind of rock you’re going to find in the North Conway area, the weather you are most likely to encounter and most importantly, how to read his guidebook. It’s simple.

Route number followed by route name, length, grade, and quality rating. Underneath that, you get the name of the first ascentionist, gear needed and then a brief route description. He also labels the route number in red for sport routes so you don’t go looking for Looney Tunes* with a bunch of cams.

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Beyond the book’s first few pages you are met with color photo upon color photo of every route imaginable around North Conway. Each area gives the reader a brief introduction to that area including detailed topos and pictures of each crag with routes labeled.

Climbing Logic // continued The principle for safely rappelling from untested or questionable anchors is simple. Start by building a (or use an existing) primary anchor that is simple, but bomber, and back it up loosely with a secondary anchor. Have the heaviest person descend first carrying the biggest pack to test the anchor. The first person should put the anchor through the wringer, bouncing hard on the anchor while close to it in order to test the system with as much force as possible.

Once the first person has descended, the second climber removes the back-up anchor and descends solely on the primary anchor.

Existing Anchors: Inspect, confirm, and back it up!

If you’re using an existing anchor, be certain of what you are looking at. Is that really a double fisherman’s knot? Is the material continuous and free of nicks and cuts? Is that wrapped horn actually part of the cliff or just a detached block? What is the original strength of the material used and how old does it look? Is that a Fixe rapid link or a rolled (hollow) rap ring? Are the tree roots exposed? We often “see” things as we expect them to be, so be diligent in your inspection of the details!

Since not every rap anchor out there is made of stainless steel chain attached to a pair of shiny 3/8” bolts you should take an extra 2 minutes to back-up that rainbow of ancient webbing with a good piece (or two) of gear while the first person raps.

Building Rappel Anchors: When to conserve and when to go big.

Two bomber nuts, a sling, and a couple of carabiners can often be adequate for rappelling if you’re in a pinch. Get creative in how you configure the master point (where you’ll hang the rope). Two nuts equalized with a “Magic X’d” 24 inch sling is an efficient way to create a bomber and redundant (in anchor points) rap anchor. By using 1 or 2 piece artificial anchors or natural anchors (threads, pinches, chockstones, and trees) you’ll be able to make more anchors, getting you closer to the ground, then 3 or 4 piece anchors. That being said, it’s also important to keep in mind the bigger picture of where you are. On an alpine face in Pakistan you can likely justify leaving pretty minimal anchors to get your butt down.

However, if you’re climbing in a popular area, such as the Gunk’s, you should consider that many others will likely use your anchor after you. In high traffic areas a cordellette or webbing with no rap rings or rapid link will wear out quickly and unpredictably as people repeatedly pull ropes through the masterpoint. The more likely your anchor is to get used repeatedly, the more sustainable your construction should be.

Regardless of where you are descending from following these simple principles will ensure that you and your partners not only get down efficiently, but that you will be back fighting gravity again soon.

Silas Rossi is a climber and IFMGA mountain guide based in New Paltz, NY. You can contact him at Silas@Alpine-Logic.com or by going to www.Alpine-Logic.com

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Climberism Magazine BRENDAN O’BRIEN SEARCHING FOR HIDDEN HOLDS MARSHFIELD, VERMONT 52 climberism | MAGAZINE