Learning to crack climb!

Crack climbing is hard. 😄 I took private lessons from Tino and it was both fun and hard learning how to crack climb on the 5.9 Crack at the Salt Pump Climbing Gym. I love climbing at Salt Pump - thanks to Noreen for the belay and video of my practice climbs.

Turning 60 & Climbing About It!

It's 2019 and it's the big 6-0 this year! Yes, I turn 60 July 10th and what better way to celebrate than to climb, climb, climb throughout the entire year! My big 60 goal would be to make 60 outdoor climbing pitches by the end of 2019! All disciplines (except bouldering...weeellllll....maybe bouldering!), either on top rope or on lead. I've enlisted the help of my climbing friends and I'm also looking for more to help me on my climbing journey. Follow along on my blog or let's get out to climb!

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

Black & White Rocks - Rock Climbing

Climbing Beginner's Class with Iskuhi on my belay

Nuno, Iskuhi, and I met up for some climbing at Middlesex Fells. We all live in Massachusetts and when we meet up to climb, we usually head north to places like Rumney, New Hampshire to climb. But with the pandemic, Rumney and many of our favorite climbing crags in New Hampshire are closed. So we met up to do some climbing at Pinnacle Rock, in the Black & White Rocks crag. In the parking lot, we didn't do any hugs, high-5's, or handshakes, but we never did anyways. We hiked to Crag 1 (Pinnacle Rock) maintaining social distancing and there was no one else on the trail. We purposely chose to climb on a weekday because it would be less crowded as the weekends here are mobbed by hikers and climbers.

I'm sure Nuno and Iskuhi came prepared, but in case they didn't, I had extra facemasks, hand wipes, and hand sanitizer - which I also carry in my truck, golf bag, and hiking backpack. 

At the crag, we were the only climbers, and the only other people we saw that day was a group of 6 hikers on the main trail. I bought my trad rack with the intention of doing some trad leading but decided not to because the rock felt really slick and I personally don't like the idea of leading in muggy weather - I have a fear of slipping off the rock in muggy weather. After two hours of climbing, we called it quits because it just got way too muggy. Enjoy some photos of our day of climbing. 

September Weekend Climbing

Farley Ledge
Met up with Iskuhi, Danica, and Jen at Farley Ledge. A bit crowded (a group of 13 at one area!) and managed to get in a lead and some climbs. Also met a bunch of really nice climbers (and dogs) as well. Super fun day! 

Thin Air, Cathedral Ledge
Jackie and I met up in the Cathedral Ledge parking lot. At the base of Thin Air. Jackie lead the first pitch and brought me up. I hemmed and hawed and finally decided to lead the second pitch. Everything was going great until I reached a really sketchy section and realized I didn't have the cam I needed. I knew right off the bat..." that crack was a #2 because that's my hand jam size." The feet at this particular section was sketchy, but I had to make sure. So I tried a #0.75 and #1, but both were too small. And the #3 and it was too big. I came back down to the little ledge and looked back at Jackie at the belay. I had both number 2's already placed. And why the hell did I place that #1 so closely to the second #2.......WTF Lovena? With no #2 to place, I had two choices. Climb through the section that sketched me out or bail. I bailed and back climbed to Jackie at the belay and she finished up leading the traverse. We rapped after the second pitch. Back down on the ground, I had a really good cry to get it out of my system. I don't know why, but I was really off today and crying was out of frustration and to vent. It felt good - time to move on! 

Parking Lot Wall - Rock Climbing

Leading Cafe au Lait (5.6)

Another mellow day of climbing! So nice to be climbing without the humidity, but the place was a bit crowded! :) Iskuhi, Nuno and I headed out to Rumney for a quick climbing day. Also bumped into Kyle who was there climbing with James. And we met Pia, the cutest little crag dog ever! Thank you Iskuhi and Nuno, for your photos and your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project!  With today’s climbing, I’m at  28 leads of 75 pitches! Enjoy some photos taken of our day.

Redrocks - Rock Climbing

Leading Roll The Bones (5.5)

Don't like the humidity and heat, but love climbing more! This morning, Nuno and I met up at Redrocks in Gloucester, MA. to get in a couple laps of climbing. Started on the Main Crag warming up on High Me (5.7), then getting a short sport lead in on Roll The Bones (5.5). Afterwards, we moved onto the Pink Floyd Wall crag. By noon it was so, so humid and the wall was super slippery. So slippery I couldn't even finish Atom Heart Mother (5.6). And I attempted Meddle (5.6) but my hand jams kept slipping out - even with my Ocun crack gloves on! I really wanted to just try and get into the crack up to the midpoint, but I couldn't keep my hand jammed. I'd love to get back to give the Pink Floyd Wall a try again but when it isn't so humid. Thank you Nuno, for your photos and your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project!  With today’s climbing, I’m at  27 leads of 71 pitches! Enjoy some photos taken of our day.

Nuno leading Roll The Bones (5.5)

Animals (5.5) on the 

Pink Floyd Wall

Left side of the Pink Floyd Wall

The second bolt of Atom Heart Mother and 

the first bolt of Unnamed Bolted Face are rusty.

Meddle (5.6)

Nuno at the anchors of Pink Floyd Wall

Route 128 in the background thru trees

Ummagumma (V0+)

Reuse, Repurpose & Recycle

Memorial Day Weekend 2019 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

Along the trail

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 Ship's Prow

From the top of Ship's Prow

Jams of Joy

Lay Back Further & Relax A Bit More

Iskuhi checking out The Shield

Burger Boulder

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

Stonehouse Pond - Ice Climbing

Moss Slab Wall

Can't believe its been 5 years since I last ice climbed here! Joined Phil for some cragging at Stonehouse Pond in Barrington, NH. The place has changed but for the better! Phil pointed out that several new trails were put in. Besides reducing impact, these trails keep hikers and climbers off of the private properties of the surrounding residents. The parking is at the new Kiosk at the second pullout on the left. The approach from the parking lot starts through a gate and the hike is a scenic walk through the woods, taking you along the edge of the pond. There are trail markers on some of the trees and the elevation gain is mellow. Today's temps were in the teen's and as the day wore on, the rope iced up. But it was a good day for swinging and kicking laps and getting outdoors. And thanks Phil for your help and support for my "Turning 60 and Climbing About It" project! Enjoy a few photos taken of our day. 

Along the trail

Phil taking some practice swings and kicks

The Dome, Pawtuckaway - Rock Climbing

Dome Face Right (5.8)

Another stellar day for climbing! This morning Noreen, Nuno and I headed out to The Dome at Pawtuckaway State Park. At first the weather didn't look promising, but forecasts called for afternoon sun. The morning fog did eventually burn off and blue skies warmed up the slab quickly. It was peaceful and we had this crag all to ourselves. 

Nuno setting up top rope

Nuno start, Another Face (5.7)

Noreen on the Pine Tree Crack (5.5)

This crag is perfect for a hammock!

Left: Start on the Half Moon Crack (5.7)

Right: Making my way up the crack in the short corner.

Looking down from the finish, Dome Face Right

The Dome overlooks the marsh that feeds Round Pond