Sunday, October 18, 2009

Kamouraska

I went to Kamouraska, Quebec for the first time yesterday. It was a one day trip with John, Shawn, and Liam. I can't believe that I had not been to this place before. It's got fantastic climbing, enough to keep you busy for a few weeks, and it's close to home.

We drove down Friday night, and stayed in a motel for the night. In the morning, the general consensus was that it was cold. However, since we love suffering, it was perfect. The first few climbs of the day were brutally cold, with insanely numb fingers. Luckily, things started to warm up later in the day and everything became progressively better. There were certainly highlights for everybody. Shawn redpointed a 5.11d in good style, in only a few tries. Liam gave everything he had on every route he got on, refusing to give up. I managed to onsight a 12a and experience a place I had never been to before.

The trip was well worth it, and the company was fantastic. I'm looking forward to many more.

Monday, September 28, 2009

overdue

Haven't had much time to update the blog recently. My life is consumed by school, homework, and climbing (mostly climbing). I haven't accomplished a lot over the past few weeks, but there have been some memorable moments.

just yesterday, i got on Solstice (5.13a) and got hardcore shut down near the crux. However, it's a fantastic route, and I will send it in the spring.

Cory and I also put up a new variation to catholic girls yesterday. I am tentatively giving it the name protestant gentleman. It goes at 5.11d (unconfirmed, im the only one to climb it yet). It will need 1 bolt to make it safe, which we will install next weekend. It's a fantastic variation, and with some scrubbing it will probably be the more popular way of doing catholic girls.

On that same note, I led Catholic girls for the first time yesterday. A little bit spicy, but not too bad.

To finish off the day, I led up waterwalk, cory continued up Astroboy, and then I leapfrogged on to DDT (5.9) . DDT is as new route put up by Fred a few weeks ago. It's a little contrived, but on the whole its quite fun, and gets you to a spectacular spot in welsford.

On the rap down, our ropes got stuck, so Aimen and I tried to walk around a free them. We were unable to make it to the rap station, so we had to go back down. Cory jugged up the ropes and used a different rap station, and the ropes were free.

A few weeks ago I got on Serenity (5.13a) for the first time. This route is HARD. Harder than 5.13a for sure. This one doesn't inspire me like Solstice, but regardless I will send it by the spring.

That's all I can think of for now, just letting you know I'm still alive, just nothing major to report.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Pat and jack's pinnacle and buffet brutality

Author: Peter Adamson

Moved down to Camp 4 today. Our sitemates consist of two older hippy-type folks, and a father/daughter group. We just finished teaching them how to play cribbage.

After we finished the move, it was time for a reconnaissance missio
n. We headed up to the parking area at the longest tunnel on highway 20, looking for a climb known as seperate reality, given a grade of 5.12a. It is a 20 foot roof crack which goes from hands to fingers. We think we found the top of it, but we aren't sure.

Next, we went to a cliff known as Pat and Jack's pinnacle. It is characterized by large knobs sticking out of the cliff. First, Dad led a bolted 5.10b near the right of the cliff. I also led it. Dad then toproped it again to clean it, and to train.

We then moved one climb to the left. It was all trad. It started out in a 20 foot layback corner, then traversed underneath a roof, and finished up an easy corner to a tree. I'm not sure what the grade or name was, but I would give it 5.10a.

Luckily, we met some really nice French guys from France, who lent me some big gear, and some extra small gear for this climb.


Dad then followed the climb without any difficulty at all.

It was then time for some easier climbs. We moved 40 feet to the right, to a bolted 5.5. Both Dad and I led it.

Then along came some guys from SAR (search and rescue). We chatted with them for a while. One of them had broken his ankle 6 weeks earlier and was just starting to climb again.

Climbing time again, one route to the right. I led the first pitch, which was 5.8. I couldn't link the pitches since I didn't have enough draws. Dad cleaned th
e draws and I headed up onto the second, 5.10 pitch.

I was under the impression that the second pitch was entirely bolted, but as it turns out, you are supposed to place a piece between every bolt. Since I only had quickdraws with me, it meant I was in for some massive runouts.

I did get to the top clean, but only after scaring myself witless doing 5.10 mantles 15/20 feet above my last bolt.

Dad followed the pitch.


Then the intensity level was turned up a notch (not by choice). We decided to do a route named knucklehead, 5.10b.

The guidebook said that this climb was a little runout, and had spit off 5.12 climbers. However, I figured it would be fine. I was wrong.

The third bolt was placed 10 feet to the right of where the actual climbing went, with a hard move with huge pendulum potential into a ledge.

Once you got 5 feet above the third bolt, you had to pull an extremely hard mantle, with a ledge to hit if you blow it.

The climbing then becomes better protected until the end, where there is a 30 foot runout. It remains consistently hard. I will not get on this one again. Dad followed it.

To add insult to injury, this 5.10b is more like 5.11c.

Two climbs to the left of this climb are beautiful twin cracks, given 5.,10a, but more like 5.10d.

I ended up aiding and leapfrogging gear through parts, since I did not have the gear to safely free it. Next time I will take up a double rack (only one set of nuts). Dad followed and cleaned it, nearly getting the climb clean, only falling once at the crux.

The day was ended by going to the buffet at Curry Village. I ate too much and suffered for it dearly.

I ran into the guy that we met at Bishop's Terrace yesterday, this morning. He was headed off to do the East Buttress of El Cap. I will have to find him and see what he thought of it.

Sorry, no pictures from this day either, but here's a view of the valley.


The valley, as seen from 300ft up on glacier point apron

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Knobby Wall/church bowl

Author : Peter Adamson

We are currently in Tuolumne, getting ready to move down to yosemite valley. We have been staying at yosemite creek campground. Tomorrow we will go to camp 4.

Today we climbed and chilled in the valley. We woke up early, in order to ensure that we would get a spot in camp 4.

We met a great group of people while in line for our site. One couple was 6 weeks into an 8 week road trip. They started in Massachusetts and had driven to Yosemite. Another father and son team were up from Southern California, and were goin
g to hike up half dome.

Then it was time to climb. I found an area in the guidebook known as Knobby wall. It was described as very steep and very hard. Perfect.

It turned out to be a bit difficult to find. we drove up and down highway 140 trying to find it, to no avail. By pure chance we stumbled upon a traveling hermit climber named Joey.

Joey was indeed a character. A very odd, but very nice guy, h
e showed us the way to knobby wall. It was everything i had hoped for. Ridiculously overhanging and hard.

I decided to warm up on one of the easier routes there, a 5.12a known as Shaft of the Penetrator. After 3 tries, I pulled off the redpoint. Dad also tried it, and could redpoint it with a little work.

I then moved one route to the right, an unnamed 5.12a. A few hard moves led to a huge rest jug. I then moved up and back down to the jug a few times finally committing to the moves. Another series of hard moves followed, but I pulled through, and got my second 5.12 onsight. Once again, Dad could get the route with a lit
tle work.

The next climb we tried was supposedly a 5.12b, but it was harder than Access Denied, 5.13a. That route didn't go so well for us. I think it was called something like Hastings hole.

After that, we tried another, slightly easier 5.12b, although I didn't get this one either, due to an unnerving runout at the end. I think it was named Chongos Cabrones.

We said goodbye to Joey, and went to do some laundry. Armed with an arsenal of clean clothes, it was off to Church bowl for more climbing.


Dad recalled a very nice "5.8" crack, known as Bishop's Terrace that he had climbed 20 years previous. After a rock, Paper, Scissors war, I won the right to lead. I would later wish I had lost.

The first bit was tame enough. 5.6 jugs and crack led to a slightly harder, but still not bad 5.7 corner. At the end of this corner lay a gorgeous 5.7 finger crack for 60 feet, which took bomber pro the whole way. Naturally, I chose to step right at the top of the corner instead, into a 5.8/9 offwidth variation, rather than take the beautiful
finger crack.

Unfortunately the crack was at least 7'" wide, and my biggest piece of protection was 3" wide. I stuffed a tipped out #3 camalot in at the bottom, and that was all I would get for the next 50 feet.

After groveling up 20 feet, looking down at my last piece a long ways away, I was feeling a little scared. Luckily, the crux was still ahead of me. Oh, joy.

Smearing my right foot on the edge of the offwidth, I tentatively stood up to a small left hand crimp on the face. I smeared my left foot above my right.
Very scared now. I reach up and up, waiting for my feet to skate out from under me, sending me for a career-ending 50+ foot fall.

Instead, my hand latched onto a jug. I pulled up and slotted in a #5 black diamond stopper at the first opportunity. Safe, at least for now. Near the top, I started to run low on pro, but no problem because it was easy right? I put in a tipped out #1 camalot, my only piece for a long ways. Also, the last piece of protection I would get until the top, 30 feet away. Luckily, the jams were solid. Not quite so lucky, fate had another twist in store for me.

15 feet above the cam, I put in a jam with my right hand. As I went to weight it, I felt a pop from my fingers, which sent extreme pain throughout my hand. I unweighted the jam, and something popped back into place. The pain was blinding now
.

Somehow, I made it to the anchor, and clipped myself in. At this point I had broken into a cold sweat, and all I could see were stars. The pain started to subside, and I belayed dad up using my ATC-guide in auto-blocking mode in case my hand stopped working.

Once down at the bottom, we met another climber. We didn't get his name, but we chatted and swapped stories for a while. We may meet him again in camp 4.

I put 5.8 in quotations, since it was really more like 5.9 or 5.10. However, it was still phenomenal, and I would do it again, but without the offwidth.


Sorry
, no pictures from today, but here's a great view of el cap.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Charlotte dome fiasco

Author : Steve Adamson

The campsite that we stayed at the first night in the high sierras was also the trailhead for Charlotte Dome, which was one of the climbs we had on our 'to do' list. Therefore, we decided to head into the backcountry and try this climb rather than go into Whitney.

At the trailhead

The guidebook listed the approach time as 6 to 9 hours. It is a 13 mile hike that goes from 8,000' over a pass at 11, 700' and back down to 10,000'. We later figured out that approach times are for someone with a climbing pack only. If you have camping gear & supplies you should double these times.

The hike into the dome was beautiful. The High Sierras have some magnificent lakes and meadows. The climb to the pass was long and hot, but we reached 11,000+ feet in good time. The rest of the hike was downhill.
At the kearsarge pass
Just after the pass we were hit by a thunder storm. The clouds were very black and the temperature dropped. Luckily we were not on a high point at the time. It started to rain, and at one point we were hit by hail stones. One cut Peter on his knuckle.

After about 1 hour the storm passed and it cleared up again. We kept on trekking and trekking.


We reached charlotte lake; A beautiful deep blue
lake that was too far from the climb to stay at.

According to the guide book there was a perfect campsite near the dome. We followed the directions, and we know we were close. However, the directions were not very specific, and we were sore and tired. We found our own spot and set up camp. We were in bear country so we had to take precautions to save our food.

That evening our shoulders were in agony. Carrying heavy packs without any training was not a good idea. We had also seriously miscalculated how far it was to the climb. We had originally planned on climbing and hiking out the next day. However, we realized that was not realistic. We changed our plans to climbing the next day, and hiking out the day after. Unfortunately, we did not bring food for 3 days.

Big packs
We reorganized our food allotment, and figured we could squeak it out for an extra day. One supper consisted of a pop tart each and a granola bar. We slept painfully that night as the body ached every time we turned over.

We woke at 6 a.m. and had a quick breakfast before heading to the climb. It was another 1 hour hike to the climb with some scrambling over slabs to find the start. We located the start of the climb, roped up and started at 8 a.m. The climb is 12 pitches at 5.8
approach
Peter started up the first pitch, and I leap frogged through. The climbing was straight forward, although we had to be careful with the route finding. I was not feeling great. We were at 10,000' in elevation, and the hike the day before was brutal. However, I kept quiet and we continued to climb.
Charlotte Dome
Pitch 5 put us just below the crux of the climb, and this was the last chance we would have to retreat. I had led the last pitch, and when Peter reached me, he said he did not feel too good. When I suggested we retreat he agreed. The retreat was not straight forward since there were no fixed anchors.

The first rappel was from a single nut jammed in a crack. It was a solid piece, but rappeling off a single piece, 500' above the ground is quite exciting. We finished the rappels only losing 3 slings and 2 nuts. We made our way back to camp for a cup of tea and a granola bar.

Sicne it was still early in the day, Peter wanted to start the hike out and possibly get over the pass before night fall. This would make the next day all downhill. We packed up camp and started off. The hike was a constant game to try and minimize the pain on the shoulders and back from carrying the packs. We again encountered a thunderstorm just before the pass, but we decided it was not too bad so continued on. We pushed on until 7:30 p.m when we arrived at a small lake. Again, our shoulders and back were in agony.

The next morning we slept in til 7 a.m. It was a great location for breakfast; A package of oatmeal each. That was the end of our food with the exception of a few gummy worms found in the bottom of the pack.

Even though it was downhill back to the car, it was a tough trek. We finally reach the trailhead at noon. Sore, tired, but we had a good adventure. We did not reach the top of the cimb, however we had retreated in good style. After a quick change of clothes, we drove down to 100 degree heat in Lone Pine where there was a subway.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Leaving

Author : Steve Adamson

How many times have I been in this situation, sitting at an airport waiting for a plane to arrive? Peter (my son) and I are waiting to see if our plane will be able to land given that it is very foggy.

We are hoping to fly to Toronto
and then onto Los Angeles. We plan to climb in the High Sierras for a week and then onto Yosemite for a week.

Back to my first question, I think the number of times I have been sitting, waiting at an airport hundreds of times. This is tough part of any trip. We have the apprehension of starting a new trip; Will we lose our baggage, will we make the connection, will the weather be good or bad, so many questions waiting to be a
nswered.

Peter is now 17 years old, and climbing much harder than me. We are hoping to climb long routes in the High Sierras. 1000' 5.8's that top out at 14,000'. We will definitely feel the altitude, but the climbing difficulty should not be a problem. Peter just red pointed a 5.13 the other day, and I have climbed many mountain routes.

We are hoping to try the Nose route on El Cap in Yosemite. This is a 3000' route that will take 4 days to climb. This route should be more of a challenge, especially if the weather is hot. We will be hauling 8 gallons of water up the route, along with sleeping bags and climbing gear.

10 minutes until the plane is scheduled to land. If it can
land, then it will be no problem for it to take off again. Here's hoping.

The past year has been a good one for climbing trips. At christmas 2008 Darlene, Jon, PJ, and I went to Las Vegas and climbed at Red Rocks.

Then at March break 2008 we flew to Joshua Tree.

Then in June 2008 PJ and I took my Mum and Dad to Yosemite. We climbed and hiked while Mum and Dad explored.

Then for March break 2009 Jon, Pj, myself, and 18 others went back to Joshua Tree.

-5 mintues till the plane arrives!

These trips were possible because I was working 2 jobs. 1 at Pt. Lepreau nuclear plant, and 1 at the community college. The extra income paid for the trips. However, I am now back to 1 job (at the college) so this may be the last trip for a while, especially considering that Peter is going to UNB in the fall.

For the nose route we have 2 haul bags, 1 large and 1 small.

-The plane landed, so it looks good for getting out to Toronto.

-Toronto Airport. We made it this far. Saw our bags at customs, so hopefully they will make it to L.A. We split the gear between the bags so that we would not be screwed if one of them does not make it.Starting out

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Access Granted

What an amazing day! I completed my long time project, Access Denied (5.13a), and put my first 5.13 under my belt. My first try of the day, I pulled through the crux, but made a dumb mistake and peeled off. The second try I fell at the crux. The third try i fumbled a clip and lost my position. But finally, on the fourth try, everything clicked, and the redpoint was born.

I can finally stop torturing myself on the crimpy heinousness that is Access Denied. Now It's time to find something new to torture myself on. Suggestions?


Saturday, June 27, 2009

Teenage Arete

Here's a video from my recent redpoint of Teenage Arete (5.12d). Not bad for something I threw together in 5 minutes ;)



Also Went out today to practice some aid systems. Worked on lowering out to clean a pendulum/traverse, which went pretty smoothly. Then practiced some aiding (didn't go so smoothly) and figured out some haul systems. It was wet, humid, and buggy. what more can you ask for? :)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Great Weekend/weekday

I had a few awesome days this week. Saturday My brother, Tom, Aaron and I went up to St. George to scout out some new rock, and new rock we found. Overhanging, featured granite for 120 feet. Solid. It quite literally blew my mind. It has huge potential for 5.12, 5.13, and maybe even 5.14 routes.

There are a few problems however. The first is how to bolt the damn thing. It's so overhanging that a tensioned line seems impossible, and aiding it would be bold. Any ideas?

Also, there are the ever-present access issues. While we were at the cliff, the landowner, eric, meandered up to meet us. He didn't seem overly happy to see us there, but he wasn't mean. Access is unknown.

Now onto today. Cory and I headed out to Minkey wall at Cochrane lane for some stiff trad. We warmed up on the super chill Smoking Crack (5.8). Then it was time for business. We racked up, and I started to lead up Bird of Fire (5.10 PG). I knew this climb was going to be a bit runout, but it was much more than I expected. I found myself 80 feet off the deck, 15 feet out from my last decent cam (A 0.5 Camalot in a horizontal), staring at a tipped out #1 mastercam in front of my face behind a thin, crumbling flake, and about to pull the crux. I gathered my courage and started into the sequence. A series of insecure laybacks off of flakes for 10 feet led to the final move of the crux. My feet were smeared to my left, my handholds facing right. I desperately stab to a horizontal, not knowing whether it is positive or not. My feet skate out from underneath me. If I fall here, I'm looking at a minimum 50 foot fall. My hand hits the horizontal. Slopey, shit. I hold on with all I can, and stab to a higher horizontal. Jug, thank god. I continue 15 more feet to the top, clip the bolt anchors and breathe. That was a tough one.

We continue on. Cory leads up the equally bold Bolts are for Kids (5.10 PG). Cory then leads Cry of the Redtail (5.10 PG). See a pattern? I finish off the day with an attempt on Reno Dyhedro (5.11). I don't quite get the sequence right on the onsight attempt, and take a 15 footer at the crux. I go back up, try it again, fail again, another 15 footer. Go back up, look around......nothing....nothing......AN UNDERCLING! With this previously uknown undercling now in existance, I pull the crux and head to the top. A great day. Since there were no pictures however, I'll leave you with a random picture from rumney.


Me falling off of Payment Plan (5.12)

Monday, June 8, 2009

Weekend June 6th - 7th

This weekend was my first step into the real world. Saturday morning I went up to UNBF to register for my courses for next year. They took us on a tour of Head Hall (Engineering building) and grouped us up for a series of engineering challenges. Our group managed to complete 4 out of the 5 tasks assigned to us.
After registering and completing the activities, we headed back up to the SUB. I had my photo taken for m
y student ID, then headed to Mconnell Hall for lunch.
After lunch I took a stroll around the campus, getting a sense of the layout of things, and enjoying the beautiful sunny day. A big part of me wanted to be out hiking and climbing, but at least I still had the chance to enjoy the day.

Sunday it was time for some real fun. My fat
her, brother and I went out to Bald Hill to do some climbing and bolting. We warmed up on Neopolitan (5.10c), a great 5 bolt line through a series of edges. I then onsighted Rocky Road (5.11c), which ascends through a series of overhanging bulges and sloping horizontals.
After that, it was off to put up a new line. Naturally, this involved some trundling and cleaning. Unfortunately, we stirred the ground up, which in turn brought the black flies out.
We put in an anchor and 3 bolts on Deception Dike (5.11 to the anchors, 5.13 top out). It still needs another 3 bolts, since our drill died halfway.

To finish off the day we climbed Face the pockets (5.10), a tricky little climb that goes up an easy slab, to a tricky step left, which puts you underneath an overhang. You are then forced to blindly pull the overhang, and haul yourself up over a bulge, with bad feet by your chest. Easier climbing then takes you to the top.
We had a nice sunset hike back out to end the day. We'll do it all over again next weekend.
Taking a pause before the crux on face the pockets
Climber:Peter Adamson
Photographer:Steve Adamson