Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Memorial Day Weekend 2019 Rock Climbing



Magic Helmet (5.10b), Main Cliff Wall, Rumney Rocks, NH, rock climbing


Rattlesnakes. 

That's the theme for this Memorial Day rock climbing, but it wasn't intentional. Spent Saturday hiking and climbing Rattlesnake Rocks at Rattlesnake Hill with Iskuhi. And on Monday Jackie, Andy and I climbed at the Meadows and the Main Cliff of Rumney Rocks on the south face of Rattlesnake Mountain. What fun climbing with great company! 

And thanks, Iskuhi, Jackie & Andy for the photos and your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project! 


Meadows & Main Cliff - Rumney Rocks
Rattlesnake Mountain
Rumney, NH

Deceptively hard. So we were on our way to the Main Cliff from Meadows when at the top of the trail we spotted Magic Helmet. Jackie wondered out loud what grade it was and Andy quickly answered, "a 5.3." We stopped to look at and I decided to lead it. Then Jackie looked it up on MP and said it was a 5.10b. *laughs all around* I got on it to lead anyways. Don't know why, but I find slab starts highly attractive. This slab start to the first bolt was a bit slick. And finding those double jugs to side pull up onto a sloping ledge was super cool! But clipping the 4th bolt from that sloping ledge was insane! After clipping the 4th bolt, I still couldn't figure out the sequence to get around the arete so I lowered and Andy and Jackie gave it a go. I still didn't get it after a second chance so I'll be back - after getting more beta and on it as a first climb of the day. It was frustrating not being able to finish, but I did get to lead Supersize Me. Jackie did a great job of leading Rose Garden (5.7). And we ended the day on Supersize Me (5.6) and Fat Man (5.7)

Jackie leading Rose Garden
rose garden, rock climbing, rumney rocks, NH, sport, lead climbing
Along the trail
Shealyn's Way, Centerfold, rock climbing, sport climbing, Rumney Rocks, NH

supersize me, magic helmet, sport climbing, rock climbing, leading, rumney rocks, NH






Ship's Prow - Rattlesnake Rocks
Blue Hills Reservation
Quincy, MA

Iskuhi and I spent the day hiking and climbing Rattlesnake Rocks in the Blue Hills Reservation. I had winter-hiked there a couple of years ago hoping to find the climbing crags but never did find them. Today we found the crags and also found a closer area to park and hike from. There is off-road parking where the Skyline Trail crosses Wampatuck Road, which shortens the hike from the trailhead of the ice rink. There is a gate but it's locked for access only to emergency vehicles and shouldn't be blocked. But if you travel (southwest) along Wampatuck Road (slightly uphill), you will come to another gate, where no parking is allowed. This is mentioned in the guidebook, but what's not mentioned is the large off-road parking between these two gates. There is a trailhead from this parking area and this is easier access to the crags. Use the sidewalk on the other side of the street.




Anyways, like the Deer Leap climbing a couple of weeks ago, this was a recon to find the crags. We also got in several climbs and rappels - Ship's Prow (5.7), Ship's Prow Starboard (5.4) and the ramp section of Hot Shot - White Face. And there was only one other group of two climbing - they did two routes and left. I didn't find any mention in MP or the guidebook, but if you do any top rope setups, bring a long static line. There are no bolted anchors and some of the solid trees are set back a little ways. So with that, enjoy some photos of our day at Rattlesnake Rocks. 


At the top of The Overlook
The Overlook, rattlesnake rocks, rock climbing, cragging, boston

The Ship's Prow
the shp's prow, rattlesnake rocks, rock climbing, cragging, boston

From the top of Ship's Prow
ship's prow, rattlesnake rocks, rock climbing, cragging, boston

Jams of Joy
jams of joy, rattlesnake rocks, rock climbing, cragging, boston

Lay Back Further & Relax A Bit More
lay back further & relax a bit more, rattlesnake rocks, rock climbing, cragging, boston

Iskuhi checking out The Shield
The Shield, rattlesnake rocks, rock climbing, cragging, boston


Burger Boulder
rock climbing, Ship's Prow, Rattlesnake Rocks, Blue Hills Reservation

Monday, May 13, 2019

Deer Leap - Rock Climbing


On Center Crack (5.7)
My first day out on the rock this season and I met up with Jackie and Noah for some Mother's Day climbing in Killington, VT! This was our first time climbing at this roadside crag and we had it all to ourselves, except for the hikers. We met up in the Long Trail trailhead parking lot just across the street from the Inn at Long Trail. Took the hiker's trail to the top of Deer Leap Mountain, and then hiked down a side trail to the base of the climbs of the Main Cliff - Left End. We set up top rope anchor on a set of anchors at the top of the Toot Route (5.7) and climbed the route-starts off The Monkey (5.8), Center Crack (5.7) and Turkeyland (5.8). The rock felt really good, sticky...even the quartz was sticky! Cool-to-cold temps kept the bugs away and on our way out, we hiked down the climber's trail passing the climbs of the Lower Tier. Enjoy some photos of our day climbing at Deer Leap crag. And thanks, Jackie & Noah for the photos and your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project! 


Jackie on Turkeyland (5.8 PG13)
Noah starting up "The Monkey" and onto "Center Crack"



The Deer Leap Mountain Summit
End of maintained trail - from here we descended to the left

And hiked past this face which I think is the "Upper Tier"

Guidebook


At the base of the Main Cliff - Left End
Looking into "The Pit"
(not really a good photo of the pit)

Start of Off Width (5.6)
The Long Trail trailhead parking lot
from the base of the Main Cliff - Left End


Descending along the Climber's Trail
Yes, it is steep

I think this is the Lower Tier area which is
accessed via the Climber's Trail

The sign at the Deer Leap Overlook Trailhead

YouTube Channel - Hawaii Girl Adventures

Check out my YouTube channel at:  Hawaii Girl Adventures I will eventually be phasing out blog posts and be posting videos of my climbing, h...