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With 4 inches of snow on the ground in New Hampshire, Brian and I decided our best bet for today was Lincoln Woods in Rhode Island. Many New Englanders have told us that it is not really worth a visit, however, I was psyched on the history of the area and psyched to try and climb a V10 in Rhode Island. It seemed that Pawtuckaway and Rumney were probably snowed in.
The first area we went to was the Pond Cave, which has many steep, hard lines. We spent the first part of our day there.

Brian Capps sends the Pond Cave Traverse V4

I managed to climb the two V10s (Hueco Nightmares and Gravity Hits) in the roof and finish up with the short but fun Who Needs Hueco V8. I also did a low and long traverse into Gravity Hits called Under the Big Top V11. It was a nice way to start out the day.

Brian was happy to hike up the hill and check out Whitey’s Hard One V9. This problem is mentioned in John Sherman’s Stone Crusade. Its a hard move off of two small crimps. Brian and I both did this quickly as well, and then we both fired the sit-start Corner the Market V10 in a few tries.
Here is a quick video of a couple problems from the Woods.

One final stop was made at Try Again V5. I think this problem is a classic Lincoln Woods testpiece and Brian and I both flashed it. “I kept my foot on”

We had a great day today and it was really fun running around and just enjoying the freedom one has being on the road. It never got above freezing, but we laughed and joked and pulled down hard. An awesome day and while the lines weren’t spectacular and the problems weren’t amazing, today’s stop was worth our time.
For more info, check out Tim Kemple’s Bouldering Guide to New England or http://www.lincolnwoodsbouldering.com

Here is a quick video of our sending on Sunday. Two rest days and tomorrow we head to Lincoln Woods as it is the only dry area in the region. Enjoy!

Brian and I arrived in New Hampshire last Monday in a driving rain storm. Tuesday everthing was soaking wet, but we hiked around and saw some really nice things. Pawtuckaway is the largest bouldering area in New England and it is very pretty. There are two main areas, Boulder Natural, where the rock is plentiful but sharp, and Blair Woods, where the boulders are smaller but the granite is immaculate. Erratics are scattered everywhere, leading one to think that next best thing must be lurking in the forest.

Boulder Natural

We decided to meet our friend Max Zolotuhkin on Wed. I felt exceptionally flat and climbed really poorly. I did manage all the moves on a classic V11 called Halycon.

Max on Halcyon V11

Our skin was trashed and we rested on Thursday.
Friday the weather was sunny and cold. We headed back to Halycon and I coudn’t seem to put it together. I felt very tired and it always seems to take me a few days to get used to a new environment. I tried a bunch of problems in an attempt to regain fitness from the time off over Thanksgiving but only climbed a couple of dumpy V8s.
Friday we decided to head up the road and check out Rumney. The high on Friday was 16 degrees and I’m not sure Brian and I sersiously considered climbing. Rumney is world reknown for its roped climbing but there are some classic boulders at the base of the cliff. We literally ran down the road with our pads in an effort to warm up. It was the coldest conditions I had ever climbed in, and Brian agreed. I can’t emphasize how bone chilling it really was. We just starting trying Satan’s Choice V11 and I sent it after a few tries.

Satan’s Choice V11, Rumney

This was a really fun problem and I was psyched to send. The rock in Rumney is very similar to the rock in RMNP in many respects and this problem was no different. A nice pocket and a small intermediate lead to a big move to a good edge.

The next day was much warmer (25 degrees) and we went back to Pawtuckaway, this time to the Blair Woods. I was psyched to try Child of the Storm but a split tip on my right hand would need to heel for that to happen. Sit and Deliver V12 is on the same boulder and a classic line. I did the moves very quickly and started trying from the start. Two mess up burns followed and I rested for a bit. Conditions were perfect! The next go I did the first move and went to the top. This is one of the best problems I have climbed in a while and I was really psyched to do it so quickly. Brian did the stand start Stand and Deliver V11 soon afterwords.

Brian Capps about to Stand and Deliver

It has an obvious start, a flat landing, its a nice size, outstanding rock and classic moves. I got the send on video and if things go well, I should have that up in a few days.
Psyched from the energy of the sends I ran a lap on The Rose V7, another classic problem on the same boulder. I then conviced Brian we should head back to Boulder Natural so I could try Halycon again. This time it went down first try from the start. A classic boulder as well. With energy to spare we hiked into the woods and both did the short roof Dome Piece V10 on our second attempts from the start. I finished off the day by climbing Stegasaurus V9. It was good to finally feel strong again, especially on my 3rd day on, and I am looking forward to seeing what else New England has to offer. Unfortunately, this morning we woke up to 6 inches of snow on the ground with more on the way.

Tyler Landman has left his mark again, this time climbing new problem in Boulder Canyon. Ty has spent several days on the line which climbs on a boulder near Castle Rock. This is a classic new problem and I am sure many people will be gunning for the second ascent this winter. The name is Midnight Express and the grade is V14. Well done Ty.

Brian and I have arrived in Raymond, NH to check out Pawtuckaway for the first leg of our New England trip. Everything is soaking wet due to the torrential rains the last few days. We have hiked around and seen everything, and there are several problems that clearly standout. Child of the Storm is very cool, reminiscent of No More Greener Grass, and on the same boulder, Sit and Deliver is outsanding as well. The setting for Pawtuckaway is gorgeous and the weather today was sunny and brisk. More updates will soon follow as things dry out.
Also check out the very nice footage of my ascent of Trice V12 now up on www.momentumvm.com It’s in the free videos.

Friday I arrived in KY after 1300 miles in the car and drove straight to the Cove, a powerband with lots of potential for hard problems. Timy Fairfield was there randomly and was very psyched on the idea of all the hard problems that could be done. My main objective was Ghetto Methods, a V10 put up by Dave Hume many years ago. I have a goal to climb a V10 in as many states as possible and this would fulfill my Kentucky requirement. Not to mention, the Red is a beautiful area and a great place to climb and hang out. It was very humid but I managed to get the send after a few tries. Timy was trying a very crimpy roof on the left side of the band. I tried it briefly before it got too dark. He and his girlfriend Brandi cooked a wonderful fish dinner that night, and I slept like a rock.
The next morning Angela met up with me and we were planning on going sport climbing, that is until we realized we didnt have any quickdraws. Back up to the Cove we hiked. I finished Timy’s problem on my first go and then worked another project to near completion that is probably in the V12 range. I am back home for a few days, and then Monday Brian and I leave for New England. Check out a quick video from the far side of the Nada Tunnel.

Just a quick update. I spent the last two days bouldering in Kentucky with Timy Fairfield on some nice powerband boulders. I sent my first V10 in KY and repeated a new one of Timy’s. Video to come soon.

Also, young Daniel Woods has had what has to be one of the best days of all time. He climbed Dreamtime V14, Shadowfax V13, La Soucoup V12 and Roswell V12 as well as Le Pellier V11 and Serre Moi Fort V11/12. The next day he continued his rampage with Schule des Lebens V13 (2nd try), and No Mystery V12. Any doubts that Woods can hang with the best in the world should now be put to rest. Glad to see the Americans climbing well overseas. Nice job Ddub!

Today was the first day I had off from work, the first day of my extended road trip and my last day in Colorado for a while. We went to Red Feather for a great day of bouldering with some of our Ft. Collins friends. Ben Scott lead the way. We all climbed a bunch of great problems and goofed around with some really fun rock jumps. Angela and I both managed the classic Alfoni Roof V9/10. This was put up by Jeremy Bisher a few years back and lies deep in the woods, well off the established hunting pathways. A great way to start things off right. Here is Angela on the first female ascent.

The Alfoni Roof

Today I went to Flagstaff to try Trice, an unrepeated problem put up by Jim Holloway. I have been trying Trice for a few days this winter. There is alot of controversy surrounding all of the unrepeated Holloway problems and this one is no e