Blogging about my journey in rock & ice climbing. And inspiring other women to climb, no matter what age!!
Thursday, September 1, 2022
YouTube Channel - Hawaii Girl Adventures
Monday, February 28, 2022
The Railroad Cut - Mixed/Steep Ice Climbing
Met up with some folks for the Mixed/Steep Ice Climbing Clinic put on by the AMC-NH Mountaineering group.
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
The Railroad Cut - Ice Climbing
Checking out the ice for climbing. Photo by @nunofsantos |
It was a cold morning but good for getting some laps in while there's still ice in the area. For the most part, the ice here is still holding up. But some of the routes are baked/delaminated in the areas that get sun and hard and brittle in the shaded areas.
Saturday, February 5, 2022
Purgatory Falls - Ice Climbing
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Flume Gorge - Ice Climbing
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Saturday, May 1, 2021
My Decade of Climbing
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
I wanted to post this last year, but I held off until now with everything going on with Covid. May 2020 marked 10 years of climbing for me. It's not a very long time, but long enough to have some experiences I'd like to share.
The Good - It started as a bucket list. I had only heard of rock climbing after receiving mail from my local YMCA advertising climbing classes. Not knowing what to expect, I signed up for 6 private 1-hour lessons for $99. That was May 2010 and by August, my instructor had brought me to Rumney Rocks in NH where I lead some easy sport routes on the Venus Wall. After my 6-private lessons, my instructor suggested I look into joining some climbing meetup groups and try out MetroRock in Newburyport. I joined 3 climbing meetup groups, two of which were run by women. It was such a good experience climbing in the two meetup groups run by women, I have met some amazing people and have experienced so many fun and challenging climbing sessions I will never forget. But unfortunately, these two women's meetup groups closed down and it was too bad because they were ahead of their time! And after almost 8 years, I left the third climbing meetup group.
The Bad - The third meetup group was run by a guy and most of its members were men. Eventually, I came to realize that if I stayed in this meetup group, there was a good chance I wouldn't gain any leading experience like some of the other men in the group were afforded - especially after the organizer told me that I was only good enough for organizing indoor meetups. I even tried setting up climbing with him several times so I could demonstrate that I could be a safe partner, but I was always turned down. I didn't want to waste any more of my time waiting for the organizer to decide for me when I was going to lead outdoors, so I moved on and found other folks/groups to climb with. Once I moved on, I was able to lead and have been so much happier!
The Ugly - When there is drama from an insecure spouse/significant other/partner of a climbing partner, then it's splitsville for me. I never dreamed this would happen to me and was totally caught off-guard. I had never done any alpine-type ice climbing and TJ was willing to bring me up as his second. I was pretty stoked about getting out on routes I had never climbed. But apparently, his girlfriend wasn't too happy about it. My being happily married didn't matter either, it didn't prevent jealousy from his insecure girlfriend. Since insecurity can't be fixed by anyone else except for the person who is feeling it, I stopped climbing with TJ. I didn't want to have to deal with his girlfriend's drama and I wanted her creepy emails to stop. And it wasn't my job to make his girlfriend feel secure. My guess is that she probably didn't have any problems with his male climbing friends.
As I said, I haven't been climbing for very long, but over the years I've seen that climbing has evolved. I see more women and people of color out climbing. And because of this, it's been easier for me to find other climbers that I can relate to.
Through the years, I've also learned important qualities when choosing my climbing partners. Most importantly, to be a good climbing partner to my partners - and for me, that means being an attentive belayer, prioritizing safety, and being a reliable partner. I've sifted through people and many experiences to get where I now have climbing partners that I feel safe with, am comfortable with, and whose company I genuinely enjoy.
So there it is! Just a few of my experiences since I started climbing in 2010 that I wanted to share! I can't wait to see what the next 10 will bring!
Thursday, April 1, 2021
Turning 60 & Climbing About It!
60 Pitches and Counting!
# of Pitches - Route/Crag - Location - Type - Date
1 - Trestle Slab, Frankenstein Cliffs, Ice Climbing - 1.7.2019
2 - Moss Slab, Stonehouse Pond, Ice Climbing - 1.11.2019
4 - Moss Slab, Stonehouse Pond, Ice Climbing - 1.13.2019
2 - Moss Slab, Stonehouse Pond, Ice Climbing - 1.26.2019
4 - Leprechaun's Lement, Kinsman Notch, Ice Climbing - 2.17.2019
4 - North End Pillars, Cathedral Ledge, Ice Climbing - 2.25.2019
3 - Parking Lot Wall, Rumney, Ice Climbing - 3.2.2019
7 - Moss Slab, Stonehouse Pond, Ice Climbing - 3.3.2019
1 - North End Slab, Cathedral Ledges, Ice Climbing - 3.11.2019
5 - Lost In The Forest, Frankenstein Cliffs, Ice Climbing - 3.17.2019
2 - Parasol Gully, Dixville Notch, Ice Climbing - 4.14.2019
3 - Deer Leap, Rock Climbing, Killington, VT - 5.12.2019
2 - Ship's Prow, Rattlesnake Rocks, MA, Rock Climbing - 5.25.2019
3 - Main Cliff & Meadows, Rumney Rocks, NH - 5.27.2019
5 - Rattlesnake Rocks, MA Rock Climbing, - 6.1.2019
6 - Buffalo Corral, Rumney Rocks, NH - 6.9.2019
4 - Mt. Forist, Rock Climbing, Berlin, NH - 6.22.2019
6 - DLM Memorial - Multi-Pitch Rock Climbing, Mt. Forist, Berlin, NH - 7.4.2019
5 - Buffalo Pit & Buffalo Corral, Rumney Rocks, NH - 7.6.2019
2 - Redrocks, Gloucester, MA - 7.14.2019
4 - Parking Lot Wall, Rumney Rocks, NH - 8.3.2019
1 - Marlow, NH - 8.11.2019
2 - Farley Ledges, MA - 9.28.2019
2 - Thin Air, Cathedral Ledge, NH - 9.29.2019
3 - Ice Cream Parlor, UT - 10.26.2019
4 - Parking Lot Wall & Meadows, Rumney Rocks, NH - 11.1.2019
2 - Leprechaun's Lement, Kinsman Notch, Ice Climbing - 12.22.2019
Monday, January 18, 2021
Top 25 Climbing Blogs of 2021
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Monday, December 23, 2019
Leprechaun's Lement - Ice Climbing
Thank you, Jeni and Ken for your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project! With today’s climbing, I’m at 87 pitches!
Monday, March 18, 2019
Lost In The Forest, Frankenstein Cliff - Ice Climbing
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
North End Slab, Cathedral Ledge - Ice Climbing
Met up with Brandie to climb at the North End of Cathedral today. We parked at the intersection of Cathedral Ledge and Chapel roads and walked in. We got up to the base of Thresher with the intent for me to lead a quick climb. But with too much fresh snow, I bailed after placing the first piece of pro - so much work clearing the snow in order to look for a good placement. There was a guide and his group of clients at the North End Slab so we headed over. They had just finished up and was climbing at the Pillars. There was a lot of snow on the slab, but I knew there was a trail where the guide and his clients went up so I could follow. I got up about 4 feet past my first piece of pro when I realized that my right crampon had popped off. I'm all about downclimbing but when I placed my crampon-less foot in a pocket it slipped out. I looked over at Brandie and said: "I'm going to fall if I continue to downclimb." So I put in a piece of pro and had Brandie lower me so I could put my crampon back on and continue climbing. So much snow, but it was such a gorgeous day! Afterward, Brandie and I had (Poke) lunch at Delaney's Hole In the Wall.
Thanks, Brandie for the photos and your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project! ❤️
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Weekend Ice Climbing
On Sunday I met up with Adam and Kyle at Stonehouse Pond. They each brought two others who were new to ice climbing. The new climbers were having a great time learning. Eric and I paired up to climb and it was fun to give him some beta about climbing and ice screws as well. Happy to get in some laps and a small lead as well! ❤️
Thanks to all your help and support this weekend in my "Turning 60 & Climbing About It" project! 27 pitches down, 33 left to go!
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
North End Pillars Cathedral Ledge - Ice Climbing
It was Brandie's first time on ice this season and her first time ice climbing at Cathedral Ledge. We parked at the intersection of Cathedral Ledge and Sanctuary Roads and walked in. I was going to lead Brandie up the North End Slab but there were two guides with their clients. So instead, I set up a top rope anchor and we did laps on the North End Pillars. It was super windy on the drive up to North Conway, but being well-sheltered, the North End was free of wind. It was also quite warm, perfect! A mellow, relaxing day for getting in some ice climbing laps. Thanks, Brandie for your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project! ❤️
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Leprechaun's Lement (WI2-3) - Ice Climbing
Leprechaun's Lement (WI2-3)
Kinsman Notch, NH
Ice climbed at Kinsman Notch today. Only our group of 5 and another group of 5 climbing here today and after leading Leprechaun's Lement, I know why - super.hard.ice. It took me several extra swings and kicks to get a good purchase, and I had difficulty removing my tools from the ice. Gotta admit it was work and a lot harder to lead than I expected. But it was still a stellar day to be outdoors and climbing. It was good to finally meet up and climb with Catherine, Kristen, and Steve! And thanks Jeni for your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project! ❤️
1 lead and 3 top ropes down today....47 more pitches to go!
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Vermont Weekend - Climbing & Skiing
ENT Gully can be reached by hiking to the top of the notch on route 108 from either the south end in Stowe, or the north end in Jeffersonville. There is an outhouse (brown building with several toilets/urinals) and coming from the south end we hiked past this building on our left. Just beyond it and on our left, we headed up to the base of ENT Gully. You can see the ENT Gully area from the road. Not surprised that there weren't a lot of climbers out today, since the ice was so hard. But there were many hikers, snowboarders, skiers and dogs too...lots of folks out hiking and skiing with their dogs. On our way out, there were several groups of AVI training courses.
The next day I tried out my new-to-me skis and ski boots at Jay Peak Resort. My skis just got a stone grind tune up and they're super slick, but I love them. It snowed the day before so there was plenty of soft snow! Usually the trails at Jay Peak are dead on Super Bowl Sundays, but since it snowed the day before, everyone wanted to get out and the trails were busy. Jackie and Noah are volunteers on the Ski Patrol and at lunch we met up for a delicious bowl of hot Ramen noodles from Miso Hungry Tramside!
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...
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Shaka from the top of Wiessner's Slab Ragged Mountain, Connecticut Spent the Memorial Day weekend with Nicole and climbing in ...
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South Moat Mountain (2,760ft) Trail: Moat Mountain Trail Elevation Gain: 2,200ft Miles: 5.4 miles roundtrip Duration: 3.5 hrs...
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Just a few photos of some short hikes on a weekday. Spent the day at some mellow waterfalls and at the top of Cathedral Ledge. The trai...