Lyn Verinsky on Liceberg [v7]
In the warm up area of the Ahwahnee's there are a number of fun problems. You can start on heinous slopers to start the easy dihedral that you can see to the right (that's called Iceberg). Or you can tackle the bulge which is called Liceberg (for Left Iceberg and a pun on the classic traverse in Font called l'iceberg). It's silly but fun.
Finding the problem is easy. It's just to the right of Funky Chicken in the Ahwahnee's.
-Raza
Tommy Caldwell on Downpressor [v10] (wtf?)
Behind the 2x4 boulder in the Ahwahnee's is a steep face with crazy slopers. A number of us have been looking at this line but it was Randy who took the initiative to clean the problem and work the moves. While most of us thought there wasn't much hope, he kept pressing on until we had a late night session in the rain where we (mostly Randy) started to unlock the puzzle. He sent on his first trip back to the problem, after most of the snow had melted away.
Downpressor tackles the right side of the boulder and starts on two flat edges below the lip. It heads up and left to a good edge and through an easy but puckery top-out. Randy swears it's only v10 but until there is a second ascent, I will remain skeptical.
-Raza
On December 3rd, I did the dumbest thing I've done in a long time. I left my climbing bag, with all my shoes, in the parking lot across from Yabo's Roof (also known as Tommy's Roof). After realized this, we raced back the next morning to try to retrieve the bag but it was gone.
I filed a lost & found report with NPS & DNC, but haven't had any luck yet. I'm hoping that somebody knows what happened to my bag and send me an email. Most of my gear and shoes is labeled "RAZA" with a sharpie.
Bag contents:
2 pair Scarpa Vortex, size 41.5 (purple slippers)
1 pair Scarpa Dominators, size 42.5 (orange velcros)
1 pair Scarpa Vision, size 43.5 (red & white lace-ups)
Garmin GPS 12, (all my boulder GPS data is gone!)
Grey Mountain Hardwear rain shell
-Raza
Randy Puro on Motorcade [v9]
On the same boulder as Feet Don't Fail Me Now, is an arete right next to the horse trail. This cool angular problem starts on an obvious edge just below the lip and heads up and right through 3 angled sloper rails, with a sidepull thrown in just for fun. Getting to the middle rail is probably the crux, but don't give up the ship, because the upper rail ain't very good. A couple of serious sloper moves gets you over the lip and an easy & fun slab finishes the problem.
To find this boulder problem, hike from the Happy Isles Nature Center on the Horse trail up the Merced River. Motorcade is facing the trail on the first big boulder on you left.
Randy Puro on the FA of The Shield [v11]
A tall, intimidating but very proud boulder problem lies facing the road just up from the LeConte boulder. Randy had his eye on this potential line but nobody could make much headway - that is everyone except for Randy.
Starting at the lip on two opposing slopers, a number of physical moves gets you to the shield feature. Getting on top of the shield feature is the tricky part however because it's not quite a slab and not quite a face. Once you get your feet on top of the shield, a few thin moves lead to better holds and a tall top-out.
Raza on Feet Don't Fail Me Now [v3]
Every once and a while I'll see a line that looks awesome, but just doesn't seem possible. And even some that you think are possible seem too damn scary to even attempt. But on a hot summer's day I got on a rope to check out the line and try to find some holds - and much to my nervous excitement, I found some. The main question was, would I have the cajones to try a boulder problem where the delicate crux is about 20' off the ground? If it got difficult, would there be a way to bail off?
Normally, if such questions were raised, I would just pass on the problem - I never feel the need to cheat death. But the moves on this problem were just too good not to try. Near the end of the day in late October, I dragged the crew out there. The problem turned out to be not that hard, thank god, but the moves and rock were just a good as I had anticipated.
To find this boulder problem, hike from the Happy Isles Nature Center on the Horse trail up the Merced River. Feet Don't Fail Me Now is on the first big boulder on you left.
-Raza
Courtney Hemphill on Team America [v5]
On the right side of the same boulder with Six Degrees sits another cool arete line. It's much easier than Six Degrees but just as fun. Start low and right on some slopes and climb the arete/lip. There is a bail out half way up on a big shelf. The problem keeps climbing left at that point until you are pretty high up and the arete is vertical.
To find this problem, walk behind the Cocaine Corner boulder and you will see the boulder facing you, just up the hill.
-Raza
