4-15-14: Sasquatch

Randy Puro on Sasquatch, v11


Most scientists discount the existence of Bigfoot (Sasquatch) and consider it to be a combination of folklore, misidentification, and hoax rather than a living animal. [wikipedia]

Much like Bigfoot, ascents of Sasquatch are rare as it is one of the hardest pure crack boulder problems around.  Our visits to the valley have been rare as well, after our son was born - but that is a different story.

Randy has been on a tear and sent Sasquatch last December.  It must be hard at his point for home to find established boulder problems that he hasn't done yet. 

If you are feeling like a stone master, go to the back side of the LeConte boulder to test your mettle. 

11-12-07: King Air

Tommy on King Air [v10]

After a full day of bouldering the crew met up with Beth and Tommy for some evening action. We all wanted to try King Air and Tommy had several Mondo pads so the time was right. The first series of moves are harder than you think but if you can get to the ledge you can get a rest (if you have some endurance). After that comes a huge dyno that in the dark is a little deceptive. Tommy ends up going for a slopper that in the light you would obviously skip. Well like I said it was dark and the rest is history. Enjoy!

- TM

11-5-07: Rabbit Habit

Courtney on Rabbit Habit [v8]

As some of you know Courtney is back in Cali after a recent trip back east were she got engaged to one Randy Puro. Now that she is back where else would she rather be then bouldering in Yosemite with her peeps. Here she is sending Rabbit Habit for the first time in supreme style. In typical Yosemite sandbag fashion Courtney thought Rabbit Habit should be downgraded to v6 with the new beta. LOL...

Rabbit Habit is located at the LeConte Cave boulder. The first move involves a huge/cramped 5ft dyno to a slopper. So far shorter people have been stumped until the ladies unlocked a small crimper, which allowed them to readjust their right hand to an undercling and then make the reach. It’s not over after that so don’t give up the ship. The top is tenuous and a little reachy. Good work Courtney!

This is also the finish of Narcissus [v11?]. More can be found on that climb here.
http://betabase.blogspot.com/2006/07/7-22-06-narcissus.html

- TM

10-22-07: Prowess

Lyn on Prowess [v7]

I thought everyone would enjoy this. Lyn nabbed her first send of Prowess Saturday night, that's right in the dark! The top out is super sketchy when there is light so I can only imagine how scared she must have felt in the dark. Reverse isn't an option when Lyn is climbing. Listen to the audio at the end for some good entertainment. It was awesome.

- TM

05-15-07: Chocolate Bunny

Lyn Verinsky on Chocolate Bunny [v6]

Sloper, slopers, and a few more slopers thrown in just for fun. I climbed this insta-classic on the Lifeline boulder on (go figure) Easter Sunday a few weeks ago. The line had remained on the overlooked side of the Lifeline boulder, just to the right of the down climb. Start on a low rail, to the left of the tree, head up slopers and left & up at the lip. A fun mini-slab gets you to the top of the down climbing groove. The character of the climb is much lighter than the tall and proud climbs around to the left, hence the name.


Scott Chandler on Chocolate Bunny [v6]


Lyn Verinsky on Gravitas [v7]

There is another line to the right of the tree. Gravitas [v7] starts on a right-facing hold below the lip, and heads up through a tricky lip encounter. Initially I head far left after tackling the lip, but then Lyn pioneered a better finish that heads straight up on a perfect slab.

Two more problems are just around the corner to the right: an easy but very height dependent ramp to big edge called Super Tramp [v2] and a variation that heads directly left on crimps and then up the lip called Sideways [v8]

To find these problems, head to the Lifeline / Flatline problems and walk around to the right just past the down climb.

-Raza

5-1-07: Holy Crap! (King Air)

Lyn looking at King Air, v10

The first thing most people say when they realize that someone has bouldered the line is: Holy Crap! The word has it that on April 21st, Dean Potter got the FA of a tall & scary line on the LeConte boulder. We were climbing near by and saw the crash pads set up and later found out from Tommy that he had done it that day.

Guessing from the chalk and tick marks, the line starts to the right of Lyn on a shelf and climbs up and left, finishing up pretty much right above Lyn's head (just a little to the left.) He called it King Air and I believe graded it v10, but you can correct me on that.

-Raza

P.S. There are two aid climbs (bolt ladders) that people learn to aid on. This boulder problem is TALLER than both of them!

11-14-06: Torque

Tim Medina on Torque [v7]

Another problem on the LeConte cave with fun, interesting, moves not typically found on granite. This problem is on the same boulder as Narcissus.

Start on obvious flat starting jug and climb up steep, subtle dihedral. It tops out up the crack and right. While it is a little puckery, the landing is flat and with a few spotters and pads - not too bad. There theoretically could be a low start (the same start as Narcissus) but it would be damn hard. Maybe v13/14? Can you say Sharma?

-Raza

10-26-06: Flatline

Tim Medina on Flatline [v9]

The first thing I thought of when I saw the line that would eventually become Flatline was, "Holy crap!" The line is tall, proud and a tad clenchy. We weren't quite sure if it would even go because the top section looked pretty thin. Tim found a sequence for the upper section and he got the FA of the problem this last spring - with only one spotter!

The problem is on the same boulder as Lifeline, adjacent to the Athletes Die Young boulder near the LeConte Memorial. Start on the thin crimps and work your way up to the 'nose' feature in the dihedral. Finish up and right on the technical face, which is probably v5/6 in it's own right. If you want to do the scariest v6 in the valley you can start to the right on underclings and climb your way into the finish of Lifeline. That start is called Heart Attack. Hmm....

-Raza

8-11-05: Prototype arete

Prototype Arete [v7]

I have to give Scott Frye credit for sniffing out this line. I looked at it for a minute but it was his stubborn optimism that kept him searching for holds. Eventually, he sucked me into looking for holds and amazingly enough... we found a climb. It's called the prototype arete because it was the first time Scott got to use his prototype - a can of compressed air (think computer duster) attached to a pole with a string hanging down to control the air. A true Frye invention.

This boulder is just below the newly discovered LeConte cave and starts on a good right facing sidepull. Pull up and navigate through some slopers and edges up to the top. The moves are dependent on your body being in just the right position - if you're body is off just a little bit, the moves feel impossible. If you in the right position, it feels easy!

-Raza

8-5-06: Lifeline

Tim Medina on Lifeline [v7]

Another boulder, near the LeConte Memorial, is tall and gigantic. Heading straight up the middle would be death-defying. Luckily, the is a line on the left side with a lower top out. There is a large rock in the landing area, but it actually makes it easier to spot the top out. The slope of the rock actually makes the pads into something like a slide.

Tim got the first ascent with an amazing night ascent. While most of us were thinking about steak and salad, Tim strapped on the headlamp and climbed the damn thing.

The line has cool steep climbing with interesting moves. You're not pulling straight down hardly at all. Start in the "cave" with hands at head height and climb up an slightly right. Finish in the "V" notch rocking up and left and avoiding the adjacent boulder to your left. A thrilling finish to a fun problem. There is also a lower start called "Lifeline Low" strangely enough that starts on a flat bar and climbs up into Lifeline. That starts goes at v10.

-Raza

7-22-06: Narcissus

Randy Puro on the first ascent of Narcissus [v11?]

The last snow storm of the very wet spring season fell on April 17th. The Yosemite bouldering crew was beginning to look like caged rats on a sinking ship. From the end of April to the beginning of June, our short season exploded at a frantic pace. It started with problems like Pin Ball Wizard, which was brushed while it was still raining.

One of the best finds of the season was a cool cave behind and just a little to the right of the LeConte Memorial. The LeConte Cave has four main lines, two of which can be done from a low start deep in the cave that Randy pioneered. A third could be done from the low start, but it would be damn hard (v13/14?).

Narcissus starts low and links into Rabbit Habit, the crux of which is a 5 foot dyno. On May 13th, Randy got the first acent. It not only looks good, it's a great problem too!

-Raza