Little Herc
Posted January 1, 2009 by Ken in: Misc • add a commentArticle on Lynn Hill in Dead Point magazine. I love this pic so much!
Save the Glen!!
Posted September 24, 2008 by pjf in: Misc • add a commentPlease take a moment to visit these links, send an email to the NPC (be sure to CC the OAC so we can keep up with who has contact the NPC) and sign the online petition!!
The Niagara Parks Commission has recently released a draft of their Land Management Plan on their website which has a recommendation to eliminate bouldering in the future to reduce environmental impact. http://www.niagaraparksnature.com/Welcome.html
Now is the time, as climbers, to speak up and let the Niagara Parks Commission know that banning bouldering is not the answer. For all those that have had the opportunity to climb at the Glen or wish to in the future, please email your comments or a letter to the following:
Marika Kozachenko, copy to Debra Whitehouse, also please copy us, the OAC
Your comments supporting bouldering must be received before the October 19th, 2008 deadline. Follow the instructions below to use the sample letter. Feel free to include some of your own personal comments. It will only take a few minutes of your time to help preserve access to bouldering at the Glen.
Thanks,
Ontario Access Coalition
Copy and paste the following addresses into your email:
Mail to Marika Kozachenko at: enviro@niagaraparks.com
Copy Debra Whitehouse at: dw@niagaraparks.com
Copy Ontario Access Coalition at: webmaster@ontarioaccesscoalition.com
Copy and paste this into the Subject line of your email:
Concerns about NPC’s Environmental Land Management Plan
Copy and paste the letter below into the body of your email:
Marika Kozachenko
Niagara Parks Commission
P.O.Box 150
Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E 6T2
RE: DRAFT Environmental Land Management Plan
Dear Marika,
I write to state my opposition to the Niagara Park Commission’s proposed “Recommendation 11: Eliminate bouldering activities in the Niagara Glen” outlined in the above draft plan. Like all boulderers, I cherish the unique beauty of the Glen and urge the NPC to implement a creative solution to decrease visitor impact while maintaining the access to the Glen that boulderers have enjoyed for more than forty years.
The NPC should not unilaterally close the Niagara Glen before formally adopting a bouldering management plan. Such action is unrealistic because all visitors scramble to some degree on the hundreds of rocks in the Glen and all visitors equally contribute to trail erosion. Furthermore, boulderers are excellent stewards of the environment. At a minimum, you should explore the less severe climbing management prescriptions that have built positive relationships between climbers and managers in other Ontario parks before you ban bouldering.
I am aware that the NPC is reviewing the management of nature trails at the Niagara Glen to minimize the environmental impact of visitors. Clearly marked trails and the removal of some unsanctioned trails would greatly reduce erosion. Access to boulders that are not on existing sanctioned trails should be clearly marked and restrictions to certain areas could be explored before total closure of this area is considered.
Lastly, as a boulderer and outdoor enthusiast, I strive to be an excellent steward of the environment. I maintain leave no trace when visiting the Niagara Glen and pick up trash left by less conscientious visitors. Understanding that improvements and maintenance to the park are expensive, I would consider a user fee to boulder at the Niagara Glen.
I am adamantly opposed to Recommendation 11’s elimination of bouldering in the Niagara Glen.
Yours truly,
i climbed on granite!
Posted June 30, 2008 by andrurok in: Misc • add a commentWOW. Silvia and I just took the morning off from being parents and actually rock climbed together, and alone for the first time in a LONG time!
even though the rock was a touch moist, it was frikkin’ hot and humid, and the bugs were pretty narsty, it was pretty fun!
The rock at Eardley is pretty good, too bad there isn’t MORE of it! Alas. Nonetheless, I think a climbing weekend HERE sometime would be fun for a little group! Yeah, cause, like we can all stay at my parents’ house (right mom?) and go climbing on some interesting BOULDERING, sport and trad and mixed routes for 2 or 3 days, AND have lots of fun in Ottawa too!
K. Bye.
Rock and ripples
Posted June 18, 2008 by pjf in: Misc • add a commentA long time ago I went to the NRG with Linx and Monica. I finally put the photos up so check ‘em out if ya want…
The Left Side vs. Yen&Em
Posted June 14, 2008 by yenners in: Misc • 6 commentsRecently, my friend Em convinces me that I should try the Left Side. After reading the guidebook blurb, I start scrounging for beta from friends who have climbed it. They all tell me what an awesome line it is, fill me in on the crux section - where the crack goes from fingers to hands and then dish out the gear beta. I need everything from RPs (yikes) to #5 camalot (omg) and doubles from #1 - #4 (I only have one). Upon reflection, I’m not sure why I thought it was a good idea to do an offwidth of this size. It’s definitely not my forte. In fact, my #5 has only been placed on one route ever and my #4 is not part of my standard rack.
In any case, the agreed upon date arrives and the top of the Chief is hidden under the grey cloud cover. And we agree to go for it. When we get to the base of Mercy Me, I feel great. I run up this without that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that this pitch typical inspires in me. I take that to be a good sign. Em styles the traverse pitch to the next station. And there we are - looking up at the awesomeness that is the Left Side.
The day is still grey and the wind has picked up. The sunshine that was forecasted has not yet appeared. We wait for a guided party to climb past us into the Split so I don’t fall on them during the initial sequence. I try to stay warm and think positive thoughts.
The moves off the anchor are 10ish crimpy face moves which spit me off the first time. After the fall, my head clears and I pull up to the stance where I will place my first pieces of gear. I slot a temporary green alien off right because I’ve never placed RPs before and I wanted to be protected as I did so. I place 2 very small nuts, equalize them, move up a bit and place 2 even smaller nuts and do the same. Apparently now, I’m into the 11ish part. Glancing repeatedly at my gear and then scanning the rock for features, I take a deep breath and try to figure out the next move. In the end, I aid up and place another piece. I do end up slipping and falling shortly after and only the first nut came out. (Big sigh of relief)
The moves just before the crux are fun - a green alien sized undercling with smeary feet. But it gets tricky as I try to move from this around to start of the main crack. A red alien gets thrown in blind and I try not to barn door. I try this move many, many times. Again, I have to aid through. (Guess all this falling and aiding killed my onsight attempt 
The off fingers (#0.75) to fists section (#3) is pretty straight up jamming which thanks to my recent Creek trip, I now know how to do. But as I look up at the rest of the crack, it looks quite intimidating. It’s quite a ways still and I only have two pieces that will fit in it. (If you have the Select book, it’s on p. 75 and I was probably a bit higher than the dude in the photo. I actually think that if I had seen this photo before going up, I might not have attempted it!)
Anyhow, this section was terrifying for me. I put the #4 in, climbed a bit, pushed it up, climbed a bit. I started muttering to myself. I took. I hung there. I called down to Em a lot apologizing for taking so long. I got a bit higher. Got the #5 stuck because I got scared. Almost cried. Didn’t. Got the #5 out. Took some more. Apologized more. Hung there some more. Considered what to do if I couldn’t get up the rest of this route. Decided to suck it up and try to keep going. I jammed my feet, my knee and tried some weird armbar things and I finally get the #5 up as high as it will go before I have to run it out.
I take two upside down falls trying to do the next section. My left foot jammed in the crack both times and I am thankful that I had a solid belayer and that the big purple cam didn’t move. After shaking out my head, I layback up a bit and literally throw myself into the massive offwidth. Terrified, I jam half my body into it and realize that I am safe. After some calming breaths, I also realize that I am stuck. I stick my right arm out and try to skim the rock for holds. I try to move my left leg up in the crack. My right leg is on the other side trying to get purchase on the granite. Basically, I am humping the rock and getting no love.
An eternity passes and somehow I find in me strength I didn’t know I still had and grovel up to some handholds. Throwing in some small gear (green C3, black alien, red C3) into the horizontal crack, I sense that the end is near. The crack up above me looks mellow in comparison to what I just went through, #2 all the way to the chains. I don’t need to look at my harness to know that I don’t have any left.
So close and yet so far.
I have 2 choices: run it out or lower to collect my cams from lower down the route. I opt for the latter. It’s a long way to that section and climbing/jugging up again saps most of my remaining energy. Jamming through the upper section and clipping the chains was unbelievably satisfying. The sun is out and I am so happy to be there on that ledge looking out at the sound.
We’re soon running out of daylight though (my fault) so Em seconds up fairly quickly (the laybacking queen!) and leads the way on the raps down. At this point, I am fried and glad that she’s guiding us. Touching down, taking off my shoes and harness felt so incredible.
I am covered in bruises from the battle. Clearly this was a bit beyond me at this point in the season but we got up and down safely. We’ll battle again sometime this summer and next time, we’ll do better.
Ethics and the grade
Posted March 26, 2008 by LINX in: Misc • 15 commentsSomething occurred over the weekend in Kentucky and I`d like your input on this. One of my current projects is Table of Colours: it has two cruxes… the lower one is the toughie but the upper one is definitely a blowout redpoint crux. I met these guys at Muir the next day and they were talking about a way to avoid that second crux entirely by going driectly up to a gaston crimp and avoid the heinous traverse along some small holds and so cuts out several moves which eliminates the pump crux. Now I`m old school in more ways than one — I believe in climbing the route as intended.
Now I`m not talking about finding a different sequence through the crux holds or using intermediate holds etc. — to each his own according to the gifts he or she has. I`m talking about avoiding the intended crux entirely by going “off-route“ or some such thing. And what about dyno beasts who can avoid a crux by just dynoing past it? Surely that takes away from the complexity and richness of the climb if you can avoid the challenging/crucial/interesting moves?
And if you did avoid the route as intended, it still is a send; however, I think it can’t be called a send at the listed grade. I`ve encountered this a couple of times now and I`ve opted to do the crux even if that means not sending. And if I can’t do it, I can’t. Yes I want to send a certain grade of difficulty, but I’d feel that I’d cheated it if I avoided the cruxes.
What are your thoughts on this?
Lincoln
easter climbin’
Posted March 9, 2008 by yenners in: Misc • 2 commentsHey gang,
I’m heading to Smith Rocks from Mar 21 - 30 with a fun crew. If anyone is going to be on this side of the continent around that time and want to join in the crankfest, drop a line.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Green route goes down!
Posted February 5, 2008 by Ken in: Misc • 2 commentsLast week I finally managed to send the elusive green route at Rock Oasis! Take that Mr. 2-day RRG Trip!
My lack of climbing news is depressing.
Is anybody out there?
Posted February 4, 2008 by LINX in: Misc • 7 commentsHmmmm… Where are the posts from you guys? More plaver is needed urgently.
Linx
RRG redux
Posted December 1, 2007 by LINX in: Misc • 3 commentsSame old.
2 days of brilliant weather (for this time of year). Then tomorrow rain — boo hoo.
Day one: Getting lost at Sky Bridge (remember that Andrew?). Sooooo… tired. Usually I get more hours of nappy time before hitting the road for an all night drive but not this time. Therefore, day one was tooouuuugggghh. But we got on a few good trad routes.
Imagine, Monica had nearly zero sleep and she was wired up on caffeine all the way down doing homework most of the night in the passenger seat. Crazy!
Day two: Kyle sent a pumpy 10d at Indy Wall, Muir valley. Mike went up Jesus Wept twice — he must work this one in the future fer sure cause it’s so doable for him! I one Sat Prometheus Unbound — I was hoping to 2-sit it this time so it was definitely a bonus day.
Now at the cabin hostel sipping Black Label Jim Bean ( much smoother than the white label — but a bargain at duty free).
Linx
