Top 25 Climbing Blogs of 2021

Hawaii Girl Adventures Blog has been selected as the Top 25 Climbing Blogs of 2021 by The Adventure Junkies! Thank you TAJ and congratulations to the other climbing blogs that made the list!

Evening Blues - Multi Pitch Rock Climbing

Met up with Nuno for some fall climbing at Longstack Precipice in Alton, NH. Nuno lead P1 of Evening Blues (5.7) and I finished up by leading P2. At the top of P2 of Evening Blues I met and spoke with guide Jonathan Fouser. 

Onto Coyote Rain, Nuno lead P1. On my turn to climb, I couldn't make it over the roof. When I did this climb 5 years ago with Kevin D. leading, I had no problems getting over that roof. It was fun and easy. But nowadays, I don't care for roofs and overhangs....getting old! LOL! So Nuno lowered me and we called it a day! Such a beautiful day for climbing with amazing fall foliage views. Enjoy some photos of our day.

At 1.5 miles of Rines Road in Alton, drive through the first gate and sign for the Knight’s Pond Conservation Area. Go to the very end and park in the parking lot with a kiosk. Large boulders border the parking lot. Between two boulders is a shortcut path. This is the climber's path to the Longstack area.

Take the half-mile path to the intersection of the dirt logging road. Follow for a few minutes and on your left a “climbers path” is marked with a cairn - there may be some overgrowth near the start of this path but there is def a path here. Follow this well-worn path to the base of the Indigenous Wall.

Great lead by Nuno!
P1 of Evening Blues

Looking up at P2 from the P1 belay

of Evening Blues

Bringing Nuno up P2 of Evening Blues

Before we left I got a photo of Louisa
bringing Dan up P1 of Evening Blues

Buffalo Corral - Rock Climbing

 

Top of Stampede (5.8)

Met up with Nuno at the Buffalo Corral in Rumney, NH for some crag climbing! What a great morning - a bit chilly but it warmed up nicely as the day went on. Worked our way from right to left of the Slab Wall and finished off at the Book Of Sins on the Small Wall. 

Looking down from the top of Ghost Pine (5.6)

Nuno at the top of Bison Burger (5.7)

Nuno at the top of Stampede (5.8)

Our last leads at the Corral was on the Book Of Sins, 5.5 (below). Fun leading this way-too-short route. And today it wasn't as dirty, wet, and mossy like it was back in July 2019!

Redrocks Gloucester - Rock Climbing

The Masters Wall

Spent the morning climbing at Redrocks with Jeni. We had planned to climb at the "Down Under Wall" but couldn't find it, so we headed to the Main Wall. We started by each leading Roll The Bones 5.6, a sport route on the left side of the Main Wall. Since it was Jeni's first time at Redrocks, I wanted to set up a top rope on the center of the Main wall, particularly The Zipper. But a party of 7 was already setup, complete with two hammocks. :) So we climbed Luck Of The Irish 5.8 and The Vatican 5.7 on the Masters Wall. Then finish on The Pink Floyd Wall climbing Meddle 5.6, And I gave the Unnamed Bolted Face 5.10 a try but could only get up to its first bolt.

Jeni on Meddle (5.6)

2020 Labor Day Weekend Climbing

Part of the Main wall at Redrocks, Gloucester

 

It was a fun and chill Labor Day weekend of climbing! Enjoy some candid shots of our day!

Met up with Jen & Ben, and Spider on Saturday to climb at Rumney Rocks, NH. 

Then climbed with Nuno on Monday at Redrocks in Gloucester, MA. Kailani was brought along to the crag by other climbers, but I had to get a photo of her, she's so cute!

Lost In The Sun - Multi Pitch Rock Climbing

Main Wall, Dorset Street Crag - Rock Climbing

From the top of the Dorset Street Crag 

The bolted anchors are just above the "Deception" route

Another adventure with Iskuhi! We finally got out to the Dorset Street Crag near Annisquam, MA. We decided to park off North Bennett Street so we could just hike to the top of the crag and drop top ropes. We found the parking along North Bennett street, but we couldn't find a trail from the street. However, further up the street, we did find a trail that went down to Dorset Drive. On Dorset Drive, we walked towards Washington Street and saw the crag on our left. If there was a trail to the crag from Washington Street we didn't find it. So we just bushwhacked in from Dorset Drive.

We passed this area on the trail from North Bennet Street to Dorset Drive

We set up a top rope for a couple of climbs on the left side of the Main Wall. It was so hot and humid, and the rock was super slick. But it sure was fun to get out for a couple of morning laps. It was pretty buggy there as well and although I used bug spray, I still got bit. Got sunburn as well and scraped up my right shin pretty good from jamming the crack of Deception, so next time I'll remember to wear long pants. The top of the crag is just 60 feet or so from North Bennett Street so we exited that way, then walked a bit up the road to our cars. We plan to come back in the fall when the temps are cooler - so I took coordinates of the top of the trail at the North Bennett Street using my iPhone's Compass app. Enjoy a few photos taken of our day at the Dorset Street Crag. 

Lots of natural pro for top rope anchors on this ledge

 The Corner (5.10+) in the Quarry area

Daedalus (5.6) in the Slabs area

Chip off the Old Block (5.7) in the Slabs area

Beginner's Route (5.5) on the Main Wall

Rope on Slippery When Wet (5.8+) on the Main Wall

Rope at the top of Deception (5.8+) & Mixed Up (5.8)

Note the broken tree to the left of the rope.

The Main Wall area

Middlesex Fells - Rock Climbing

The left side of Crag 1

Met up with Nuno and we spent the morning climbing at two different crags in the Middlesex Fells. We started at the left side of Crag 1 Pinnacle Rock, and then onto Crag 3. As with our last climb together, in the parking lot, we didn't do any hugs, high-5's, or handshakes, but we never did anyway. We hiked to Crag 1 (Pinnacle Rock) maintaining social distancing and there was no one else on the trail. We were the first two climbers there, but soon after two women showed up. Later, two more guys showed up, and they set up a top rope to the right of us on Fern. Despite being new to outdoor climbing, they were doing great on their own. But one of the women in the other group started spraying beta, poor guys! Even as Nuno and I headed out to Crag 3, she continued loudly spraying her beta - she actually got louder as we walked away. I guess she wanted to make sure Nuno and I knew that she knew what she was talking about. So rude to put others (especially new climbers) in the position to have to say no or to make them feel awkward or uncomfortable for having to listen to unwanted climbing advice.

Nuno at the top of Crag 3

At Crag 3, Nuno and I climbed two routes. It was our first time climbing at Crag 3, it was hot and muggy, but it sure was fun to get back to climbing slabs. And since the slab wasn't under a blanket of trees like Crag 1 Pinnacle, it wasn't as muggy and the rock here wasn't too slick. There were no other climbers there but we did see 3 hikers. 

Nuno brought along this Thermacell Patio Sheild Mosquito Repellent and it worked beautifully! 

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. 

Aloha, My Hiking Cousin, Darrell

Pali Puka Lookout

Cousin Darrell, rest in Aloha.

When I hiked on Oahu,
my cousin Darrell hiked with me to keep me company and look out for me. 

I will miss him and will always remember his quiet confidence.

At the base of Mount Olympus summit

Hanauma Bay Rock Bridge

Peacock Flats hike

Aiea Loop Hike

Descending Pali Puka
(Pali Highway in background)

Mount Olomana 

Mount  Kaala

Lulumahu Falls - testing his underwater SmartPhone

Hike up to the Haiku Stairs via Moanalua Middle Ridge

Haiku Stairs Descent (video)

Here's a list of all the hikes that cousin Darrell and I did. We also had great company with us as well - mahalo to Neil for joining us on these fun hikes.

2014
Manoa Falls
Aiea Loop
Awawaloa (Mt. Olympus, 2,486 ft)
Peacock Flats

2013
Crepes and Lulumahu Falls
Mt. Olomana (1,643 ft) 
Mt. Ka'ala (4,025 ft)
Pali Puka (1,670 ft)
Koko Head/Hanauma Bay Rock Bridge (642 ft) - Views of Hanauma Bay, Portlock, Hawaii Kai, Maunalua Bay, Diamond Head/Koko Crater and Koko Head
Kuli'ou'ou Ridge (2,064 ft) - Views of the back of Diamond Head/Koko Crater and Koko Head and Kuli'ou'ou Valley
Haiku Stairs (2,800 ft) & Pu’u Keahi a Kahoe (2,820 ft) - Extreme ridge hiking  (3 videos)