B3bouldering.com

Mt. Evans

B3 — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:37:33 +0000

Just a bit of news from Lincoln Lake. We had a great day yesterday as the temperatures finally dropped. Snow has already fallen on the summit and it has brought with it crisp conditions! It was probably in the upper 30s in the parking lot but warmed considerably as we got down to the lake. I had my best day yet on Evil Backwards V14 and am hoping I can put this together before the road closes. I am always surprised that even after ten days or so of working on this problem, I am still figuring out and refining beta. Brian got really close on another great project as well. This new one could be V11 or V12. Dave had a great day as well, climbing Let the Right One In V14, Small Arms V11 and the FA of Little House on The Prairie V13. The later was referred to as the Alma Blanca Project. Nick Duttle added a new problem Jamie Emerson V11. What can I do? It’s a worthwhile problem and I am psyched to get back there as soon as possible.

Women in Climbing

B3 — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:04:00 +0000

A while back I wrote about women in climbing and the general lack of development on their part, in terms of first ascents. This summer a “new” bouldering area was discovered, or at least re-discovered and I have spent much of my free time there. I have put up a couple of problems and repeated a few more. Dave and Daniel, Chad Greedy and Luke Parady have lead the way by establishing a ton of amazing new hard problems, including Daniel’s recent FA of The Wall Project, which is now known as Let the Right One In V14. Jon Glassberg, Kevin Jorgeson, and Ryan Silven have also added their own this year. Absent from the list of developers are any females, and so as sort of update to my previous post I want to know why that is? Lincoln Lake represents the case in point. A new area is found and publicized, just an hour or so from Denver, with tons of rock and many moderates to climb, yet as far as I know there haven’t been any significant contributions from women. If there have been I would love to hear about them. Most of the women I see bouldering at Lincoln Lake are trying to repeat The Idiot, Chalk on Rock or Unshackled. I would love it if some women out there were preparing and climbing new problems, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Perhaps I am wrong? Or perhaps there just aren’t that many women visiting the area? I don’t know the answer and I am not blaming them for not doing it, as I am sure some will try to read into this. I am simply interested in why it hasn’t happened. My previous post was the most commented on post I have written, it seems to be an interesting subject matter and I wondered if the re-discovery of this area has changed anything. Thoughts?

Payne continues crushing

B3 — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:34:02 +0000

Angie Payne made the FFA of Small Arms, a classic V11 at Lincoln Lake.

Mt. Evans

B3 — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:14:25 +0000

“Wolverineland” has been such a source of motivation, inspiration and psyche this summer. Climbing on a regular basis with Dave Graham, Daniel Woods, Brian Capps, Luke Parady and Chad Greedy has been great. All of these individuals exemplify a commitment to putting up new problems, a seeming lifelong devotion to bouldering, and an infectious psyche. After climbing we walk over to Dave’s place and discuss the days events, talk about new problems, new beta and get motivated for the next session. It really is a perfect situation and I am very fortunate to be a part of such a good group. While the bickering on the internet continues elsewhere, I went back to Lincoln Lake with this great group yesterday. Dave finished off Stuntin’ Season V13 and we had a good session on Evil Backwards V14. The tundra is becoming red and orange ever so slowly. We walked out with no headlamps, above the trees, and the dramatic landscape was draped in the pale moonlight from a full moon. The summit of Evans itself was ensconced in ghostly clouds. Enough to give any climber a moment of pause.
There are still a bunch of hard projects waiting to be climbed. At the top of the list are The Wall Project, The Alma Blanca Project, The Project Left of Small Arms, a crimpy line up from Small Arms, The Black Roof, a steep line near Exfoliator, and most importantly an amazing new roof near KJ’s highball arete. This new roof is four hard moves on perfect rock. A sick new power probem that looks to be at least V14. It really is unbelievable.
I will be back in MI this weekend, and perhaps I will get out, or perhaps I will just rest up for the coming fall.

Capps on Bebe Wolverine

Lincoln Lake, still as glass in the evening.

Wolverineland

B3 — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:07:40 +0000

Friday I forget my camera but it was an amazing day of bouldering in the mountains with great friends. It just reminds me of how much fun we’ve been having out there. I checked out Dave Graham’s new V13, Clan of the Cave Bears. I didn’t try it, but it looks sick! I also spotted some other lines that were chalked and cleaned. It is hard to believe how many good hard problems are still being climbed! I tried my now familiar project Evil Backwards V14 and yesterday I linked the second half of the problem. I have now done it in two parts. Daniel and Dave did all the moves on the “Wall Project”, just around the corner from Evil Backwards, and Dave remarked they thought it could be hard V14. Conditions were still a bit warm, but the tundra is starting to turn red with the approaching fall. I also tried a great crimping project cleaned up by Justin Jaeger. I didn’t do all the moves, but we ran out of daylight. Hiking up the hill in the pale moonlight was as amazing as always.

Angie Payne climbs the Automator V13, RMNP

B3 — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:54:23 +0000

Does anything more need to be said?

Wolverineland

B3 — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:24:52 +0000

My friend Chad Greedy has put together a bit of footage, for your enjoyment, of the goings on near Mt. Evans. My flash of Unshackled V10, Daniel Woods FA of The Death Trout V14, and Dave’s second ascent. Enjoy!

Wolverine LAnd from chad greedy on Vimeo.

Mt. Evans

B3 — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:40:33 +0000

Just a quick update from Wolverineland. Carlo Traversi and James Litz made repeats of Daniel Woods’ The Exfoliator, and it seems that this problem will settle at V13. Litz also repeated Small Arms V11 and Phobos V11. Dave Graham continues his rampage by putting up an amazing compression climb Clan of the Cave Bears V13. I tried another project yesterday that is probably at least V11. There is no other area in Colorado that has so many difficult problems. I am very busy lately with guidebook work but will have some more updates soon!

Wolverineland

B3 — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:17:43 +0000

Dave Graham has climbed the FA of a very amazing line at Wolverineland. I think he will suggest V14. This is very much Dave’s style, with a very hard toe hook move and a huge reach to a terrible sloper. Here is a photo from a few days ago when we worked out some of the initial moves. No word yet on a name, but this is the 4th problem suggested to be V14 in the area, and a classic one at that. Nice effort!

Wolverineland

B3 — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 02:52:17 +0000

Friday I went to Wolverineland with Chad Greedy, Luke Parady, George Capps and others. It was another great day in the mountains. We all went to work on Phobos V12, a new steep problem Dave Graham put up right before he left town for the trade show. The others had been working on it for a bit, and had some really good beta figured out. This is another problem that is destined to become popular. The holds are great and the moves are gymnastic and unique. Motivation was high for all. It was the great kind of session where every climber is just hungry to pull on and go for it. I fell once off the tricky mantel topout, a bit pumped, and climbed it a few tries later. I’m not sure if this will hold at V12, I think it could be V11, but it’s a great problem nonetheless.
Luke Parady on Phobos V12

I have also been trying Evil Backwords V14. This is such a cool roof and I feel that deep motivation again to try very hard. The weather ever so slightly hinted at the coming fall, and I look forward to the cool temps, dry air, and the turning colors of the tundra.
A wolverines eye view of the boulders at Lincoln Lake. A keen eye will spy two climbers near Phobos, which will put things into perspective.