Badass Arete Project

Have spent the last two sessions working on the "badass arete" project at Fort Amherst. I tried this project last year and it felt nearly impossible. After getting back on it on Sunday, and once I remembered how to do the move's up to last years high point, the problem felt much more likely.

Today's session resulted in slapping just slightly closer to an out of reach hold... but it was enough progress to give me the confidence that the line will go down.

Now it's just a matter of time.

Flatrock Topo

The Trailer Boulders

1. Nice Arete, V0 - Layback up the arete keeping your feet on the face.

2. The Bundaberg Arete, V7 - Sit start with a big low side-pull for your right hand and a thin seam for your right. Pull up onto your feet and move left hand to a crimp and right hand to a notch on the arete. Do the big crux move to the slopey side pull then top out. (FA Dave Stack, 04)

3. Un-Named, V2 - Sit start on the obvious hold, traverse using heel hooks left as far as you can then top out. Bit of a struggle to keep your butt off the ground.

4. Nosferatu, V5 - Sit start with your left hand on the arete and your right on a crimpy sidepull notch. Heel hook to get to better holds on the arete, pull up and over the bulge to top out. Has had some controversy over what is the natural line, just have fun. (FA Greg Foote 01)

5. Addiction, VH - Thought to have still been a project this steep line was climbed by Tim Doyle during a short visit. (FA Tim Doyle)

6. Nazis and Their Chickens, V3 - Sit start on the big ledge, pull up to a pinch right on the arete with your right hand and then a left hand sidepull above it, top out straight up. Alternate beta uses a small undercling instead of the pinch.

7. Pinch Problem, V2 - Sit start a little futher right on the same ledge, push out to a cool pinch with your right hand, heel hook and get a crimp on the face with your left, stand up and top out.

8. Sloper Slab, V1 - Climb the mostly blank slab to cool slopey holds higher up.

9. Un-named, V0 - Climb the slabby face using good holds and cracks.

Description: Due to their easy access and proximity to Flatrock's Main Face these boulders have probably seen more traffic than any other on the island. Whether it's your first time bouldering or you have all the problems dialled there is something for everyone here.

Directions: From St. John's head out Torbay road, just past the town of Torbay turn right onto Windgap Rd. Follow the road into the town of Flatrock, turn onto the wharf just past Wade's lane, park at the end of the wharf and walk straight up the hill, you will see the Trailer very quickly. The owners of the trailer have asked us to not cross over their land, walk past the trailer until you are at the boulder which has the unfortunate "dick munch" grafitti, turn right and walk uphill here, you should see a worn down trail PLEAE STICK TO THE TRAIL to avoid making new ones.

Redpath Boulder

Directions: Head straight out the path on the beamer past the trailer boulders. This boulder is a lone boulder almost hidden in some bushes before you get to the much more obvious "Two Boulders"

1. Redpath Productions V1 - Start low on the ride side, climb up and left to top out at the peak.

Two Boulders

Directions: Hard to miss. Just head straight out the path on the beamer till you come face to face with these two boulders sitting right in the centre of the beamer.

Left Boulder

1. Two Boulder's Slab, V0 - Climb up the centre of the big slab. (can be done hands free with a running start...)

2. High Steppin, V0 - Climb up the big ledges to the top

Right Boulder (aka Triangle Boulder)

1. A-Team left, V0 - Climb the left arete to the top.

2. Triangle Face, V1 - Sit start then climb straight up the face on cool holds.

3. A-Team right, V0 - Climb the right arete to the top.

Left Boulder (back)

1. Bitch Slappin', V4 -  Sit start with your left hand low on a sloper and right hand on a crimp. Do a hard slap with the left hand to a better sloper then continue up the blocky feature. Often unclimbable due to a large puddle. The big flat block to the left is considered "out".

The Crabhouse

Directions: Just past the two boulders head to the right as you walk down the beamer make your way slightly down hill and around the corner to find this tall vertical face.

1.  Bulge problem, V0 - Climb the obvious bulge feature.

2. Corner Problem, V0 - An easy climb straight up the corner.

3. Catch Me Quicker, V2 -  From standing on the large protrusion climb of a series of thin crimps to reach a large horizontal crack, then reach right to get into the name inspiring committing top out. Very fun.

4. Crabhouse Crack, V1 - Climb the obvious wide crack.

5. Meat Popsicle, V3 - Start in the vertical crack then climb up to two shallow parallel cracks to gain the top.

The Beamer

"Mordor"

Directions: Head straight down from the trailer boulders to the water and this area should be pretty easy to spot.

1. 60 Second Abs, V4 - Start way in the back of a crack and use the crack/ledge to climb out and then up the vertical crack.

2. The Wire, V8 - Start with both hands on the obvious ledge, throw up a heel then do some powerful moves to get into easier climbing in the crack above.

3. Project -   Start on an undercling with your feet on the big ledge, reach out to some small crimps. I had eyed the project for years but only this year saw that their might actually be enough holds for it to go.

4. Commitment to Quality, V10? - Start underneath the roof then use a toe cam to reach back and get up onto some crimps  then a pinch on the face, do some burly moves with a key pebble to get your feet up then top out. Still awaiting a second ascent.

5. 9 Fingers, V0 - Start under the roof then climb up and right.

Low Tide Area

Directions: A little trickier to give specific directions to. This area is very close to the water basically straight down from just before you reach the two boulders.

1. Project - Start matched on the obvious ledge/seam campus to a crimp with your left hand, drop your right hand in to make room for a hand heel match then crank up to a right hand crimp. Keep going up for what has the potential to be a frightening top out.

2. Dan's Dyno, V4 - Start on the blocky feature, reach up to a good ledge then paste your feet and fire out right to the jug then top out.

3. Calmer Seas, V3 - Start with both hands on a cool quartz hollow feature, using tricky feet and small crimps climb up the face.

Kenmore

Directions: This classic problem is further along the beamer. If you walk straight down from the two boulders then turn right when you get to the water you should find it fairly easily.

1. Making Love to a Kenmore, V4 - Sit start squeezing both sides off this unique feature. Pull your ass off the ground the slap your way up the sides until you can reach a good hold on the face then beach yourself over the top. A classic.

Marine Lab Topo

Marine Lab

1. Seahorse, V0- Climbs the face on good holds, top out straight up using a really cool pocket hold.

2. Cape Horn, V2 - Sit start on the big ledge, lay back up the arete to an easy top out.

3. Into the Deep, V4 - Start on two side pulls climb straight up through slopers and pinches to an undercling on the right side of the top block. (alternate start is on two crimps just right)

4. Nautical Disaster, V6 - Same start as #3 but cross to the really wide pinch with your right Hand and make a big move up to the left of the large block on top. (FA Dave Stack)

5. Poseidon, V6 - Sit start with left hand on a diagonal rail, pull up to a bad slopey crimp for the right, bump left hand out to a good side pull and throw for the big jug, top out straight up. (FA Sean McDowall)

6. Benguala Current, V1 - Climb the face using incut flakes and a large undercling.

7. Seal Tank V2 -Sit start on incuts on top of the bulge, pull to a good incut left hand, post up your feet to do a big reach to a good undercling then top out.

8. Me ol' Cock, V10 - Sit start on the obvious diagonal rail, climb up through a series of sidepulls and underclings to very technical and hard moves to get to the top out. (FA Thomasina Pidgeon)

9. Bali, V3 - Sit start on the large bulge, pull up to a good undercling and then do a big throw out right to a side pull above #8. Was easier before a hold broke.

11. The Plunge V0, Start on a large flat hold, pull to another good hold then reach out to the lip of the move, roll over the lip to top out.

Approach: 10-15 minute drive, under 5 minutes walk.

Description: Steep climbing on red sandstone with interesting features. Bouldering at the marine lab has something to offer for every experience level.

Directions: From St. John's head out Logy Bay road, just past the exit for the outer ring road turn right onto Marine Drive, when you come to a fork keep right to get on Marine Lab Rd. Park in the East Coast Trail Parking lot. There is a trail that leaves the parking lot heading straight for the water, follow this trail until you come to a rocky area. Keep heading down towards the water. The bouldering wall is basically facing the marine lab itself across a little inlet. It's quite steep and obvious though you have to come around a corner to get to it. For those who have not been before it should not take more than a couple minutes of exploration to find it.

There are more problems than are listed here, I will be adding them once I get more photos.

One down...

Keen to get back on the project I headed out to Flatrock after class today. After a quick warm up at the trailer boulders it was time to get down to business. I met up with Kaleb, John and Katie out there so we had tons of pads.

I'd decided to write off the going left hand first to the bottom of the crack method as it seemed to just get me stuck. So I decided to just keep trying the throw with the right hand until it works. Getting the distance is not too hard but actually getting your fingers deep enough in the hold to grab on is the tricky part.

After several attempts and one ripped flapper I eventually managed to stick the hold and keep going to the top.

The send was once again captured by my phone propped up against my shoe so here's a video...

The Wire from Dave Stack on Vimeo.

I named the problem "The Wire" partially after the shape of the crack feature... and partially because I have been watching way too much of that TV show recently.

So that's one project down... now on to the next one.

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.

Barrens Boulder Topo

The Barrens Boulder

1. Boreal Drifter, V2 - Sit start on the far left of the face and traverse the entire lip of the boulder to top out above # 3.

2. Unnamed, V2 - Sit start with a high right hand gaston and a left hand crimp, pull to a blocky undercling for the left hand then shoot for the top. (FA Greg Foote 01)

3. At Play in the Fields of a Warlord, V9 - Sit start on two obvious good crimps. Climb straight up the face using small spaced out crimps. Steep crimpy fun at it's best. (FA Sean McDowall-05)

4. Finger Fried, V6 - Same start as "warlord". Head right off the start for an incut right hand crimp. Sort your feet out to move your left hand to a sidepull on the arete, move right hand to a pocket, bump the left on the arete then fire for a hidden crimp on the face, big move with the left hand to a good hold then go for the top. One of the best problems in Newfoundland. A must climb. (FA Greg Foote 01)

5. Left Side Dominate, V5 - Sit start with left hand on the arete and right hand on a bad low crimp. Go for a good right hand and move your left hand along the arete to get up to better holds above. Low and a bit silly. (FA Shane Dooley 03)

6. Right Side, V0 - Sit start at the base of the arete and traverse up and left to top out. (FA Greg Foote 01)

Description: Though a bit of a trek to get to the barrens boulder has some of the best problems on the avalon in beautiful scenery. However there are not many problems in the easier range so it is not an ideal novice destination.

Approach: 25 minutes Drive, 20 minute walk

Directions: Again this is a tricky boulder to give directions for. Head west along the TCH from St. John's. About 5 minutes past the entrance to Butter pot park there is a new blue sign that says "Witless Bay sea Bird Ecological reserve 20 km on route 13" Park just past this sign right in front of a small wooden sign that says "provincial park no cutting no hunting". Cross the ditch where it is worn down and you should be right on a trail you will follow most of the way to the boulder. After a short while (2-3 minutes) you should walk past a low boulder surrounded by Juniper trees. This is the Prostitute boulder it has the V2 Roxanne and a couple other problems on it. Keep going along the trail until you have to cross a marshy section (water proof boots recommended) Just after crossing the marshy section head left off the trail to cross the stream where it is smallest. Head straight across the stream and up the hill behind it, you will be facing a pond, the barrens boulder is on the far side of the bond. Go left and follow the edge of the pond until you come to a steep hill, head up the hill and follow along its plateau until you can see the boulder and then head down.

Mandolin Boulder Topo

Mandolin Boulder Topo

1. INXS, V4 - Sit start with right hand in a small low sidepull and left hand on a large sidepull, climb through some pinches and up the arete. (FA Sean Mcdowall-03)

2. Rock, Chalk and Two Smoking Holds, V4- Start low on two awkward notches, go up and right to a flake then over to a big jug, dyno straight up from the jug to a flat sloper. Very fun. (FA Dan Fost 04)

3. The Mandolin, V9? (unrepeated) - Same start as #2 but from the jug continue right to a large flat hold, then do a big move to a small left hand crimp and top out on bad slopers to the right. (FA Sean McDowall)

4. PROJECT - Sit start on two side pulls then climb straight up to the top out of # 3.

5. Finger Pickin' V5 - Sit start with a good left side pull and right hand on the arete, bump right hand to the good hold on the arete then reach up left to a one finger/thumb pinch from here hop out left to a jug and top out. Or skip the "finger pickin" hold and just dyno to the jug if you have enough hops. (FA Shane Dooley 03)

6. Banjo Chase Music, V1 - Sit start just around the corner from #5 make your way up a series of good holds for a very fun warm up. (FA Sean McDowall 03)

7. Banjo Remix, V0 - Sit start and make your way up the diagonal crack for a considerably less fun warm up. (FA Shane Dooley 03)

Description: A classic example of Newfoundland highway bouldering. The mandolin boulder has some of the best moderate problems around. The high quality V1 and burly test pieces mean there is something for everyone.

Directions: Directions are a bit tricky for this boulder but I will try my best to make it clear. From St. John's head out the TCH west and turn around at the Holyrood access road. Come back east until you come to a large green highway sign for "EXIT 37, Witless bay line, bay bulls, trepassey" There is also a new blue sign next to it. There is a guard rail next to these signs. Park at the end of the guard rail at the base of a small hill.

Walk to the top of the hill crossing over thick bushes and a rocky area. There is a faint moose trail that leads down the far side of the hill, this trail will lead most of the way to the boulder but is very easy to lose even after you find it. Try to follow the trail across a small valley until you go up another incline with some small boulders continue through some small trees keeping some small ponds on your left, once you come to a highpoint you should be able to see the Mandolin Boulder in the distance. The entire walk to the boulder takes about 10-15 minutes. The boulder should be visible in well under 10 minutes.

If you have any questions or if any information provided appears to be incorrect feel free to let me know.

Beach Bouldering, Kelligrews

So with sending new projects as the goal for september, I went to the Beach Boulder in Kelligrews yesterday with Jamie and DAVID BRUNEAU! (Caps lock = excitement)
There is a project on this boulder that I had done all the moves on previously but never linked the whole problem so I was stoked to get back on it.

We did a quick warm up and then got on the highball I did a couple years ago, which I think I called "The Party Bus" at the time because we had a going away/ birthday party for Liam on the party bus the day we climbed it.

The moves are not really hard on this problem at all... but it is really quite high and the top-out is the hardest par by far. Jamie showed no fear whatsoever as he got to the top out on his first go then dropped off... while me and Bruneau were dropping off without even getting up to the top out...

Then on just his second attempt on the problem Jamie sent the whole thing, with far fewer pads than when the problem was first climbed.

Here's a video of Jamie's Send.

Kelligrews High-Balling from Dave Stack on Vimeo.

Once Jamie sent me and Bruneau decided we would rather work on the new project... which definitely had nothing to do with being scared of the highball..... cough...

So we got to work on the project. It took me a little while to remember the moves, and they felt just as hard as they had last time, but I was confident the problem would go quickly, if not in that day then in just a couple sessions.

Bruneau developed his own tall person beta involving a big reach off a hard lock off, while me and Jamie tried to heel hook and squeeze our way up.

The individual moves all went with both versions of the sequence and soon we were all stoked we could send it and were competing for the first ascent.

A couple of split tips took Jamie out of the game early and it was down to me and Bruneau. Bruneau had stuck his big reach move from a stand start but was having trouble sticking it after doing the first moves. But he was getting closer every attempt.

After going back and forth coming close Jamie said he had to leave in order to make it back to work, so we had one more go each. Bruneau came agonizingly close to sticking his crux move but didnt quite make it. Then I managed to pull through and stick my version of the crux move... and after a slight dilemma where I could not find a hold to help with the easy top out moves I eventually managed to make it to the top for the first ascent.

We named the problem "It's always sunny in CBS" because as we were driving out of St. John's in pouring rain we kept saying "sure it's rainging here but it's always sunny in CBS." Half joking and half hoping that if we said it enough it would be true... and sure enough when we got out there the rock was dry and the sun even managed to part the clouds a few times.

It's Always Sunny in CBS from Dave Stack on Vimeo.

So two days into September that's one project down, hopefully it's a sign of things to come.

End of August

Monday was forecast to be the last dry day of august before we got the tail end of hurricane irene, so it was now or never to ticking problems of the summer sendage list.

I started the day by heading out to try and finish off Warlord, which I had felt super close on last session before I had to go to the wedding.

Unfortunately the tropical winds blowing up from the hurricane meant it was one of the most humid days I've ever seen in Newfoundland.

Already sweating from the walk in I tried to do a little warm up and found myself struggling on the warm up problems.... which was not a good sign.

When it came time to actually try the problem... I couldn't even stick the first move... which normally I never fall on...

I tried it for a solid hour, but the best I could do was trying my absolute hardest and still only getting a couple moves into the problem and not even reaching the crux.

So I had to pack it in, but before leaving the highway I made a quick run in to the Mandolin Boulder and ran up "Banjo Chase Music" V1 for a quick tick off the send list... I also eyed a potential new line I have not tried before and there is another project on the boulder so I am stoked go head back there soon.

In the afternoon I was joined by Jamie and Giz and we went down to Freshwater bay because there are 4 problems on the tick list down there.

We got down in the woods and got on "Treacherous Snake Woman" which at V5 is the easiest problem on the list from Freshwater Bay. Unfortunately as humid as it was out on the highway it felt even worse sheltered in the woods. The problem relies on using some really friction dependant slopers and in the humidity they felt like they were seeping grease.

"Treacherous Snake Woman" V5

So after an extended falling session on that we decided there was not much point in trying to climb in the woods... so we skipped the other two problems there and did the walk down to "the wooly wolf" which is out in the open down by the water so we were hoping to get a bit of a breeze.

I was also stoked to get on it because it is one of only two problems on the list I had not sent previously.

Conditions down by the water felt a lot better and after sorting out the beta the problem went fairly quickly. I was really impressed by the problem; the moves are super fun and it's a really nice line. It felt pretty low end for v6 but it is fairly height dependant.

Jamie sent shortly after me and after an otherwise frustrating day of climbing we hiked out as it got dark satisfied to have sent an excellent problem which really saved the day.

A video of the sends.

The Wooly Wolf from Dave Stack on Vimeo.

So with august done the tick list is over, I ended with 17 out of 25 problems done in a month. The goal I set for myself was 20/25 so I was a bit short of that, but happy it was still good enough to win me some shoes.

Now that the list is done its time to start focussing on sending new projects instead of just repeating problems. I'm looking forward to a good fall of bouldering.