Projects, projects, projects...

As you can tell from the last couple posts I've started working on putting up a bit of an online guide for some of the bouldering around here. Sean McDowall did a limited run of a print guide a few years back, but copies have become somewhat hard to find, and there has been a lot of development since then.What goes up here will be pretty simple. Whenever I visit an area I will take a few pictures to serve as a topo. Then put up descriptions of the problems and how to get to the areas. Should be more than enough info for people to find and climb the problems I think. A list of the areas I've put up will be on the right side of the blog page.

The topo photos are coming out really small right now when I upload them. Even though I selected the largest size format. I feel like combined with the descriptions it should be good enough that you can figure the problems out but if I can figure out a way to keep the pictures bigger I will.

So that's one project I am working on, the others are far more exciting (for me at least).

I said I wanted to spend the fall trying to climb new projects and other than the line on the Kelligrew's boulder "trying" has definitely been the key word.

There are three main projects I have been working on that I am excited about. All three are hard but feel possible. It feels like any one of them could go either next session or take many more sessions to sort out. What's certain is that they will go... sooner or later.

The Dreamworld Project

The Dreamworld boulder has a huge steep face that has not had a single line put up it yet, the only problems that have been managed on the boulder go along the aretes or up another side. There are holds on the face but they tend to start really high up and be spaced far apart. Aside from the project we are working on now there are many other ha

rder lines to be done.

The line we are working now seems like the most probable line up the main face, it starts on a couple good sidepulls, goes to a right hand gaston, then has a very shoulder intensive move to try and gain a small seam with the left hand. That's the move we are working on now. There is a small pocket in the seam that has so far been just out of reach, but I think with a bit of work will be reachable. What happens after that remains to be seen.

Jamie trying to harness the gaston.

Trying to reach into the seam.

The Mandolin Boulder Project

The project on the mandolin boulder is short and simple, a couple moderate moves on sidepulls gets you up into the crux. You've got a good left hand and no feet and have to clear a large distance to reach a bad sloper. The beta we've been trying keeps switching back between a hand heel match to try to rock over and up to the sloper. Or squeezing the heel on lower on a near vertical ramp that only becomes a foothold due to opposition with the left hand. We've been slapping the top sloper with both methods but neither feels quite there yet. Maybe if the temperature drops a couple more degrees we'll be more likely to stick it.

Kaleb trying the hand-heel beta

Flatrock Project

This project at Flatrock is just to the left of commitment to quality... so it's in a location I have spent my fair share of time projecting. It's a really obvious and attractive line that I have been eyeing for years. It starts on a jug underneath a bit of a roof, then does some burly moves to come out onto the face where you try to gain access to a large crack. I managed once to reach the bottom of the crack with my left hand, but found myself in a position where I was unable to keep going. I think to finish the problem you'll have to reach the bottom of the crack with your right hand. Which is either going to bean chucking, or doing some very serious bearing down on a bad crimp. Whichever way it goes I am looking forward to finding out and have a feeling it won't take long.

Jamie coming out from under the roof.

Coming close trying to throw with the right hand.

Tyler nearly reaching with the left hand first beta.