11-26-08: Coffee Talk

Lyn Verinsky on Coffee Talk [v3]

One last post before Thanksgiving to get everyone psyched for holiday sends.

If you wander over to the Lost Boulders to try plurality, you should also check out Coffee Talk, on a boulder just south of Plurality. Start this fun problem on two edges at head height, and climb into the arete and semi-spicy top-out. As you can see, only one pad is necessary.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Raza

11-24-08: Orange Face

The Orange Face, located at the Bridalveil boulders, is a new line that I climbed last weekend. Monica and I cleaned it earlier in the year and originally thought it would be a moderate. Haha...after trying it for the first time I realized it was in fact going to be quite difficult. The climb is short and powerful followed by a somewhat delicate slopey topout.

Directions: From "Barrel of Laughs" just turn around and you'll see it! From "French Quarter" walk southwest about a hundred yards; it's on the south face of a really large boulder and its orange!

Enjoy!

-Junior

11-17-08: Merganser

The Common Merganser is a large sized duck that, if you are lucky, can be seen surfing the rapids along the Merced river in Yosemite Valley. It is also the name of a a new problem recently climbed by Kevin Cuckavich. The line is striking and tall. It follows the left arete but climbs more like a face problem.

To locate the problem park at the pullout for 'Highway Star' (a 5.10a traditional route) and cross the road. The problem is within spitting distance of the parking area and faces the river. The landing is flat but I'd recommend a few pads due to the height of the crux. Enjoy.


Ingar Shu on Merganser [v6]

-Justin

11-10-08: Cindy

Kevin Cuckavich savoring the slopers

AKA: 'Sydnie' or 'The Elephant's Butt Crack.' This problem was originally climbed by visiting Brit, Sean Myles on top-rope. Sean had sustained a broken leg the year prior and did not have the benefit of using a crash pad, let alone many of them. The problem has been listed in the two versions of Yosemite bouldering guides as 'Sydnie,' but the problem was not often attempted and may not have been repeated...until this October when Randy Puro re-cleaned and climbed the problem sans rope.

Randy was so excited about this problem that he contacted Sean Myles to learn a little more about the history of the problem. This is what Sean had to say:

"Cindy (I believe that was how her name was spelled) was the name of a
bartender in the Mountain Room bar back then. I guess she may still be
around. The naming story went something like this: I'd been trying the
problem and was having trouble sticking the first move where you have
to hit that slot very accurately and I was telling people that the
first move was a bitch. Later the same day I'd tried to get a drink in
the bar without an ID and Cindy had refused to serve me and was
generally, well, a bitch to me about it. So, by loose association, I
named the problem after her. Subsequently I actually told her the same
story which she took very well. I guess she was just having a bad day
that first time."

So 'Sydnie' is actually 'Cindy'[v10], so respect the first ascentionist and get it right from now on!

Cheers,

-Justin

11-9-08: Panic Room

Paul Barraza on Panic Room [v9]

Here is another great line that I realized was not on BetaBase. Last Spring Tim Medina put up a problem just west of the employee housing in Curry Village. Fun dynamic climbing leads into a slopey committing top-out. Good temperatures are key for the finish. Tim did it when the temps weren't all that great, hence the name!

To find the problem, park at the LeConte Memorial and walk towards curry. When you get to the employee housing, head up the hill into the woods and you will find the boulder.

-Raza

11-4-08: SFA

Lyn Verinsky on Scott Frye's Army [v8]

Behind such notable climbs as Hero and Zero, hides another good problem called Scott Frye's Army. It starts on a blunt arete and climbs up a spartan face in classic Yosemite style: crimpy and technical. The first move sets the tone: a desperate slap from two bad side-pull slopers to a good edge. While the hard climbing is mostly in the beginning, it never really lets up, either.

To find the problem, walk around the Hero boulder and it is hard to miss.

-Raza

11-1-08: Cookie Monster

Randy

In late August I found this line not more that 20 feet from the road. It's also not more than 20 feet from the Merced River. The rock is bullet, the landing is pretty good, and the setting is prime. I can't believe there are still unclimbed boulders like this here in Yosemite. The one drawback is that it faces due south, so I waited for cooler temperatures and a few friends to arrive before giving it a try. Kevin Cuckavich nabbed the first ascent and suggested [v6]. I did it shortly afterward using so different beta to avoid a massive reach and I thought it felt a bit harder.

If you are short you may have to do something crazy like this

Kevin topping out the first ascent

-Justin