I spent the past two weeks climbing in Jasper, Arkansas, with Tommy and Tristan. Despite rain followed by sub-zero temperatures, difficulty finding gas stations at 3 a.m., and having entire walls missing from the guidebook, we managed to tick off a few of the over 400 routes. Welcome to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch (HCR) where camping…
Tag: bouldering
The Climber’s Twelve Days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas my partner sent to me: A Golden Retriever puppy On the second day of Christmas my partner sent to me: Two portaledges And a Golden Retriever puppy On the third day of Christmas my partner sent to me: Three rope bags Two portaledges And a Golden Retriever puppy On the fourth day of Christmas my partner sent to me: Four ATCs Three rope bags Two portal edges A Golden Retriever…
Fall 2014 Season Recap
It’s officially winter according to the calendar (and has been since before Thanksgiving according to the number of layers I’ve been wearing), so I figured I’d give a fall season recap before kicking off the winter season with a two-week trip south. First off, here are some notable sends by (every-man) people that are not me…
Many Thanks for Climbing
First there’s the obvious: I am thankful I started climbing. I’m thankful that my friends brought me to our local gym a few times the summer I started college; I’m thankful the UNH climbing team doesn’t cut kids who project V0; I’m thankful to have met some of the right, and best, people to help foster my love…
Climbing in the Cold
It’s November, which means only the oak trees still have leaves, it gets dark at 4:30 p.m., and everyone gets excited about eating pumpkin pie with their relatives. It also means it’s cold, with air and rock temperatures routinely dipping into the 30s. Sure this supposedly makes crimps “sticky,” but it also makes my hands…
Climbers and Their Hands
For many things it’s an accomplishment to have your fingers bleed. If a pop-rock artist sings that he played his guitar, “’till my fingers bled,” he is seen as dedicated. If you hammer nails, rake leaves, or chop wood till your blisters bleed, you’re hardworking and should invest in better gloves. If you’re a small child,…
Snapshots of Some Climbing Friends
Erin is one of the few girls I climb with, and she’s awesome. She reminds me to eat, is encouraging and supportive even when I’m unnecessarily hangdogging, and is always down for a good Pawtuckaway night bouldering session. What makes Erin unique is her refusal to climb routes she’s not enjoying. If she’s not having fun,…
A Lincoln Woods Adventure
A wise man from the documentary “180 Degrees South” once said: “The word adventure has gotten overused. For me, when everything goes wrong – that’s when adventure starts.” -Yvon Chouinard By that definition, Lincoln Woods was a small adventure. “Or we could go tonight,” was Tommy’s response to my reiterating our plan to spend the…
In the Beginning
The transition from gym to outdoor climbing can be a difficult and an unfortunately seldom one for new climbers first introduced to gym culture. I admit, I started out as a gym rat, dragging myself up indoor V0s after joining the University of New Hampshire climbing team on a whim. I wasn’t fast enough to run Division…
Coffee. Tape. Climb. 