Climbing and bouldering in Alabama - Nov 26-27

So my weekend of adventure with Super Hung and his sidekick Eric the Draw Monkey started on Wednesday night. I picked up Eric from DC around 7:30 pm and we made the long ass drive to Atlanta. Roughly ten hours later we arrived at Hung's brother in law's house, and crashed in their entertainment room. That house is huuuuge! I didn't know before but Hung's relatives are pretty wealthy. We woke up around 9 or 10, went to another one of Hung's in law's house for lunch (pho noodles), then left to go climbing at Boat Rock, which is an Atlanta urban bouldering area only 15 minutes away from Hung's in laws. I warmed up on a V1, flailed on a few different problems, sent a short powerful V4, and never quite getting this V3(?) with a slopey mantel topout. I blame it on the weather because it was in the 60s, and my palms were greasing off the mantel. The rock is granite, so our finger tips were already missing one layer of skin on the first day. That night we had a good Thanksgiving meal at Hung's in law's house.

Hung bouldering at Boat Rock, Atlanta

The next day we woke up at 5:30 to make the 2-hour drive to Horse Pen 40 in Alabama. When we got to HP40, the temperature was just hovering above freezing. We warmed up on some V1s, then we flailed on this "V2" called "Sandbox" (change the "ox" to "ag" then it's an appropriate name). Only Hung was able to sent it, and this was after he had failed two years ago. Terence had told me that "you gotta try Mortal Combat (V3) and Pope in a Cowboy Hat (V4)!", so we went over to check them out. One look and I decided that Terence was trying to get me killed. Mortal Combat was a sharp clean arete that's about 15 feet high with bad landing, and Pope in a Cowboy Hat was a high slab with no hand holds and equally bad landing. I decided to try a lowball V2 double arete next to them instead, and sent it after a few tries. Meanwhile an army of boulderers showed up to try Mortal Combat, with lots of pads and spotters, Hung and Eric both gave Mortal Combat a try, Eric was only able to get two moves off the ground. Hung got half way up the arete before he was sketched and jumped down.

I think Terence earned penalty slack next time I climb with him.

We moved to Turtle Head area and had a lunch break. Hung tried a V7 and Eric tried a V5, but neither got very far. I flashed Turtle Head (V2, which is on this rock formation that looked like - surprise - a turtle head) after getting some beta on where the route REALLY went (I was going in the wrong direction and making it way too hard). We then tried what we dubbed Turtle Neck (not in the guidebook, probably V3), the route stayed underneath the turtle head formation, hugging the turtle's neck, move both hands in turtle's mouth, then slap for the top of turtle's head for a mantle top out. I never did manage the top out, but I came really close. It was a really fun route, I'm surprised that it was not in the guidebook.

Doing what I do best: making a V2 into a V4

Photo: Eric Stemer

In another area, we tried Crisifix (apt named V5), a low roof that involved a long reach behind you for a gaston, crossing over hands, then throw for crimpers over the lip and mantel top out. It was painful and terrible on the shoulders, only Eric was able to sent it with his longer reach. We went to another area so Hung could work on one of his projects, Hammer Head (V5), which climbs an overhang with a thin flake and some big pockets on the side. The first move was a left hand/heelhook match, a hell of a move, neither Eric and I were even able to make that heelhook stay. Hung was the only one who sent it. That was the end of the day for us, my record was one V1 and two V2s, not really good.

Eric feeling the pain on Crisifix

That night we went with Hung's in laws to a sushi restaurant some of their relatives co-owned. Hung said it was one of the best sushi restaurant in Atlanta, and it was very very good. Both Eric and I stuffed ourselves, and later when I found out how expensive the whole meal was ($900!! for 14 adults) I almost had a heart attack. It was Hung's in law's treat, but I felt kind of bad (I think Eric and I ate a third of the food).

On Saturday we woke up at 5:30 again for the 2-hour drive to Sandrock, Alabama. But we had some problems with starting the car (an almost empty gas tank and highly inclined driveway do not mix very well), so we arrived about half an hour late. David from DC and his sister Stephanie were already there waiting for us. We started in an area called Holiday Blocks to warm up on some easier routes. The temperature was just as cold as on Saturday, so we were all reluctant to get on a route. Eventually we talked Eric into hanging up all the draws on a 5.8, I lead it after Eric, and David toproped it. Meanwhile Hung warmed up on a route next to us with unknown rating (we didn't have a guidebook, only some vague online printouts). He onsighted it, but he did have some trouble getting to the fourth bolt. Stephanie tried to toprope it, but since she's a pretty new climber, she didn't get very far. Eric then led it, he also had some trouble getting to the fourth bolt, but with his reach he was able to grap a higher hold. I tried to lead it as well, and was totally shut down by the move getting to the fourth bolt. The moves were very sequency and felt like 5.10 moves, but some other guy in the same area were telling us that it was a 5.9 route. I tried a few times to pull the move using the sequence Eric was shouting up to me (laybacking on a very bad crimper), but just couldn't do it. It wasn't possible to layback on a rounded crimper you can barely get the first joint of three fingers on it. I got fed up and asked to be lowered. Hung went up to clean the route, and he also couldn't do the move using the sequence I was trying (now I don't feel so bad). We decided that Eric was giving me wrong beta, so from now on I will never listen to his beta anymore. But we still don't think that route is a 5.9 though.

While I was trying that "5.9", David led his first 5.8 on the warm up we did. He set up to let Stephanie to toprope it, and we walked around the corner to an overhanging line that looked very good. We didn't know the rating, so we convinced Eric to climb it. He did it with a few falls and a few takes, and he thought it was a 5.11d. But some locals said it was a 5.11b. It looked overhanging and juggy, with safe falls except the first three bolts. I decided to give it a shot, but I was a bit nervous. The start was quite bouldery and a little reachy, I had to do a deadpoint between the first and second bolt, another deadpoint between the second and third, then a third deadpoint pulling over the small roof at the third bolt. I hangdogged the route to the maximum, hanging off the first three bolts. But eventually I made it to the top. The only thing was that I asked for a lot more takes on this route than I should have, since most of the falls are pretty clean. Oh well, my first 5.11 on lead, can't ask too much. Hung went up after me and flashed the route without much trouble.

After Hung cleaned and we had a bit to eat, we moved over to the Sun Wall, and talked Eric into leading another unknown route. This route goes up a slightly overhanging orange face, and there was a quicklink on the third bolt. Eric got to the third bolt without much trouble, then he took and fell a few times trying to get to the fourth bolt. Finally he gave up because his strength is waning and his hands were all teared up. I went up for a try, got to the third bolt, took a bunch of times, going above it involved a long throw for a sloper from a bad knob and a small crimper and bad feet. It was beyond me. So I got lowered, and Hung went up. He had the same problem: couldn't reach the next sloper. He tried a few times, finally he gave up as well, and bailed from the same quicklink. I guess that was there for a good reason.

The route we had to bail from: Super Grover (5.11c)

Eric was pretty much done with climbing by now. I had the choice of lead some routes, or try some Sandrock bouldering. I saw a big cave on the way to the Sun Wall that I wanted to play in, so I put on my beanie (actually I never took it off) and took out the crashpad, and did some monkey bar type of stuff in the cave. Hung and Eric weren't as fond of caves as I was, so they did a V1 slab and worked on this V3 arete. Hung came really close to sending it, but the sun was getting low in the sky, and we were all missing two layers of skin on our finger tips by now. We decided to call it a day, said goodbye to David and Stephanie, and drove back to Atlanta.

That night we made summer rolls for dinner, which was unfortunate for Eric, whose hands were in the worst condition out of the three of us. It was painful for us to roll the summer rolls, but it was a good meal nontheless.

Climbing at Franklin and Seneca - Nov 18-20

Spent the weekend climbing in Franklin/Seneca. Friday we left Lexington Park around 7:30 am, arrived in Franklin at noon, had enough time to do Castaways (5.8), Aqualung (5.9+), and hangdog Super Amazing Sea Monkeys (5.10d). Saturday we went back to Franklin at 10:30, I warmed up Aloha (5.9), hangdogged Birchman's Beach (5.10a), and finally redpointed Blood, Sweat, and Chalk (5.9+). Sunday I took Miranda on her first multi-pitch trad climb at Seneca, we did P1 of Skyline Traverse (5.3), P1 of Kauffman Cardon (5.4), Cardon's Rib (5.4R), then Gunsight to South Peak Direct (5.4). The weather was great all weekend, sunny and calm. All the south facing routes at Franklin were pleasant to climb on, and on Sunday it was even a bit warm in the sun. I kept pushing into leading 5.10s on sport, and finally climbed something I couldn't climb clean on toprope a little more than a year ago. It was a good weekend.

Climbing at Cotton Hill - Day 3 of 3

I spent quite a bit of time and typed up a nice long account of our third day at the New, then my computer crashed and needless to say I lost all of it. I'm feeling a bit disgruntled, and really don't feel like retyping everything. So here's a short account of our third day:

All of us decided to go to Upper Cotton Hill, some went bouldering, most climbed routes. The first wall we came upon had three routes, we didn't know the name nor the grade of the routes, but we climbed it anyway, and agreed that they were 5.10b, 5.10d, and 5.10a from left to right. I led the 5.10a as a warm up, as a continuation of yesterdays good style, never asked for take and just climbed till I was too pumped, took a 10-footer above the last bolt. I toproped the 5.10d in the middle, then led the 5.10b on the left. The technical crux was getting past the first bolt, it took me two tries to get the move. I fell twice more, but eventually got to the anchor, cleaned the route, and we all packed up for the long drive home.

The end.

Fighting hard to staying on the 5.10a

Photo: Eric Stemer

Climbing at Summersville - Day 2 of 3

Hung felt that we didn't get enough climbing yesterday because we got up late, so today we woke up at 7, and left the campground by 8 o'clock, along with Eric and Rob, who arrived late the previous night. We planned to go back to Summersville so Hung can work on some of his projects, and also so I can get on some 5.10s. I was skeptical about me getting on any 5.10s, but I went along. The rest of the group, by now a fairly large group, was heading to Bubba City for some easy climbs.

We were again the first to arrive at Summersville. Eric went up Jeff's Bunny Hop (5.8) while Rob led Sniff the Drill (5.8) as warm ups. After Eric and Hung were sufficiently warmed up, they left so Eric can get on Narcissus (5.12a). I led and cleaned Sniff the Drill, which I have done over a year ago, but I still felt kind of sketched on it. Rob and I both led another easy route - That Eight (5.7) to continue our warm up, and that 5.7 didn't feel any easier than the 5.8. I was really doubting my lead head at this point.

We moved to where Hung and Eric were and watched Eric put up a great fight on Narcissus. The route looked very overhanging and fun, I thought about getting on it on a toprope, but I also didn't want to spend another day just toproping. So Rob got on it on toprope after Eric finished leading, Hung and I left to look for a 5.10 that I can get on.

Hung belaying Eric's shadow on Narcissus (5.12a)

The Long Wall has a 5.9, two 5.10b, a 5.10d, and a bunch of 5.11s. Hung wanted to put me on the 5.9 or one of the 5.10b, but there was a large group there who had a toprope on all the easier routes. So we decided to let Hung get on Flirting with E (5.11d) and come back later when that group is done toproping. Flirting with E looked like a fun route, thin face moves, a deadpoint, and some funky traverse moves. Hung didn't get it clean the first time, got lowered, and redpointed it later.

Rob and Eric also came over, and Rob decided to try Maximum Overdrive (5.11c). Meanwhile, the group that was toproping around the corner showed no sign that they were leaving. The only two routes that were open were a 5.10b and a 5.11d. I decided to try the 4-bolt 5.10b called For What?, but only if Hung clipped the high first bolt for me. He did it without complain, then I went up. The route climbs a smooth face that was slightly overhanging. The holds were incut, and sometimes a bit reachy. I really wanted to work on my lead head, get over the fear of falling, so from the beginning I decided that I wasn't going to ask for take. I tried to shake out whenever I had a pretty decent stance, but the angle of the climb make it impossible to depump completely. Soon I was pumped and shaking because of the lactic acid in my system, but I fought on. I climbed until the third bolt was 6 feet or so below my waist, but I was so pumped that I couldn't hold on to the jugs anymore. I yelled "falling!" and just let go. It was a nice, clean 15 feet fall. I came to a slow stop, and I wasn't freaked out at all, unlike when I was in RRG. I batman up to the third bolt, rested for a bit, then climbed on. I took another short fall above the fourth bolt going for a deadpoint, but I made it to the anchor without much difficulty, and more importantly, I didn't freak out taking the falls. I did what I wanted to do: break the mental barrier I had of taking lead falls, and climb until I fall instead of asking for take.

I got lowered, then belayed Hung on Flirting with E again for his redpoint. I was pretty happy at this point, I completely my goal for the day: to get on a 5.10 on lead. The day was growing short, Hung still wanted to try Mutiny - a climb you can only get on in winter when the water level is low, so I opted not to toprope Flirting with E. Rob toproped it, then belayed Eric as Eric tried to lead it. Eric wasn't able to get to the top because he was just trashed, so Hung led it a final time and cleaned the route.

The big group that was toproping around the corner was finally ready to pull their gear. Rob decided to lead Chewy (5.10b) on their pre-placed draws, and clean the anchor for them. Unfortunately the crux for Chewy was getting off the ground. After many tries, Rob eventually gave up. I didn't intend to climb Chewy, but all the sudden it seemed like I should, otherwise we'll have to ask either Eric or Hung to clean the route. So I asked Hung the Human Stick Clip to clip the first bolt for me, then I tried to get on it... which proved to be harder than I thought. After many false starts, and some beta from people, I made a desperate lunge for a jug, and finally was able to get myself off the ground. The rest of the route was no where as hard as the start, but it was pumpy. I messed up the sequence on a move, got my body in a weird position and couldn't reach the next hold, and peeled off for my third lead fall of the day. But it was a short one, and after some rest, I was able to complete the route.

But finishing Chewy really took some time, by now the sun was dipping close to the western horizon, and it doesn't seem like we have enough time to try Mutiny. Hung had already led another 5.11b called Spice while I was hangdogging Chewy, Rob gave it a go on toprope, and we packed up to leave.

On the way back to the parking lot, we stopped by the Coliseum where many of the hardest routes at Summersville is located, and watched for a while a young girl working Apollo Reed (5.13a). It was really impressive to watch.

Back to the campground for dinner, the rest of the group arrived at about the same time. They also had a pretty good day out, it was crowded where they were, but they climbed a lot of routes. After Terence cooked up a huge spaghetti and meatball dinner, Hung had the brilliant idea of going climbing under the bright moonlight. Not one to pass up on an opportunity to be totally hardcore, I agreed to go with him. He wanted to lead Mutiny, I told him the route would be in the shadows until early morning, so we settled for night bouldering instead. Ocean, being a hardcore boulderer, was not too hard to convince into going with us. The rest of the group thought we were nuts.

We drove over to Lower Cotton Hill, where the boulders were only a 2 minute approach from the parking lot. First Ocean put us on this V3 problem that starts with a dyno. We worked on it for a long time, each of us got the dyno move at one point, but none of us was able to top out. Then we moved on, did a couple easier problems, then got on a short V4 that involved slopers and an ugly top out. My elbows were starting to hurt at this point, but I gave it a shot anyway, and topped out when I said, "this is the last time I'm going to try it". By now it's about 10 o'clock, we went back to camp, and scattered to our individual tents.

Ocean going for the dyno

Climbing at Summersville - Day 1 of 3

Went to the New River Gorge for some sport climbing this Veteran's Day weekend. I carpooled with Hung after work on Thursday, and we got to the Chestnut Creek campground at half past midnight.

Summersville Lake in summer and in winter

Friday morning, the few of us that were there went to Summersville Lake - Hung, Terence, Jeff, Abby, Nate, Steph, and myself. Hung warmed up on (5.10b) at Orange Oswald Wall, while Jeff led Orange Dihedral (5.9), and Terence led an Unnamed 5.6 trad route. While Abby, Steph, and Nate toproped these routes, Terence also led and cleaned Chunko Goes Bowling (5.9). My lead head was not in place that day, plus the fact that Abby, Nate, and Steph were all not experienced in cleaning anchors, so I volunteered to be the cleaning boy, and toprope both Orange Dihedral and the Unnamed 5.6 to clean the anchors.

By the time I finished cleaning Terence's 4-piece gear anchor, traversed over to a bolted belay, and rapped down ("Dude! Just clip the bolted anchor next time!"), Hung had redpointed Simple Minds (5.12a). Hung was cleaning the route when I walked over there, and he promptly talked me into trying it on toprope. The route followed the overhanging arete formed by a 45-degree overhang and a vertical face. The crux was getting to the second bolt, a very bouldery start. It was like working a V3 on a toprope. It took me many tries, but I finally managed to pull myself up to the second bolt, after that the route became a 5.10 according to Hung, but it was still technical and very balancy. I got rapidly pumped and fell off the face, and since all the draws above me have been cleaned, I swung out into space and was not able to get back on the wall. I got lowered, then Hung talked Terence and Nate into trying the route as well. Hung was very impressed when Terence demostrated how to clip the rope into the first draw with a stick clip.

Nate sticking the deadpoint on Simple Minds (5.12a)

While Terence and Nate worked on Simple Minds, Abby and Steph toproped Jeff's Bunny Hop (5.8). When Hung, Terence, and Nate pulled the rope so Terence can try Satisfaction Guaranteed (5.11b), I stayed behind to see if the others needed me to clean the anchor, it turned out that Abby made it to the top of Jeff's Bunny Hop nicely. After she cleaned the anchor, we walked over to Satisfaction Guaranteed and listened to Terence complain loadly from above, "You've got to be kidding me", "I have to pull on THAT?!" "There's no way, man!" But after much beta from Hung ("Go up!"), Terence made it up the thin slab, pulled the roof, and got to the anchor. When he was lowered, he said he is very satisfied. Awesome lead, Terence!

Nate was sent up to clean the route, I was feeling quite sub par for the day, so I just played around on the "bouldering start" of Satisfaction Guaranteed. It was actually a pretty cool bouldering problem by itself, I'd say V3-V4ish, requiring lots of body tension. I worked out the individual moves, but I'd like a pad to cover the pointy rock at the bottom before trying to link up all the moves.

After Nate cleaned the anchor, the sun was already touching the tree tops to our west. We packed up the gear and went back to camp. All in all, an ok day for me, a great day for most.

Bouldering at Coopers - Nov 5-6

Spent another weekend bouldering at Coopers. More people around this time, and it was warmer. I bouldered with Alyce, Gabe, David, Nathan from the DCORC, Miranda, Grant, Andy, and Mike from St. Mary's College. The autumn colors were at the peak this weekend, it was great to be out. Linked all the moves on the Bully (V3) at Anti-Elvis area, but still left with many unfinished problems.

Autumn color at Coopers

Nathan on Moby Dick, with Miranda, Alyce, and David watching