10-10-07: Castle Dyno

Raza on a fun dyno at the Castle Boulder

I'm mainly putting this post up to try out the new video feature that is available for the blog. I don't shoot that many videos, but it will be fun to mix things up a bit.

-Raza

10-7-07: Fort Ross / Salt Point

The view of the ocean from the Ft. Ross Boulder

Before we got fully into Valley season, I wanted to put a post from a summer trip up the coast. I hadn't been to the Fort Ross Boulder in about 10 years. It was fun to hang out at the beach and climb on a great boulder. Every problem is good! It can't hurt that you're hanging out at a beautiful beach the whole time. We spent the day climbing with Tim, Patti and Ethan.



Ethan on Waterfall Crack [v3r] and Lyn on the cool problem left of Waterfall crack [v6]

We later headed up the road to check out Salt Point. Ethan hiked the low (?) start to the Waterfall Crack, which is graded v3r. I'm guessing the 'r' comes from the swamp foot you'll get if you fall in the water!

The unnamed arete to the left is also super classic. You kinda think you'd fall off the cliff to the left, but that fall never materializes. The rock in this area seemed to be very grit stone-like, not that I've ever been to the Peak District...

-Raza

9-10-07: The Castle Update

The Castle Boulder posting has been expanded significantly, check it out:

http://betabase.blogspot.com/2005/02/castle-boulder.html

-Raza

6-23-07: Linear

Paul Barraza on Linear [V9?]


If bearing down on painful, razor-like crimps is your cup of tea, then don't miss Linear, the problem that climbs the left side of the big face on the aptly named Ahwahnee boulder. Located amidst the warm-up problems in the Ahwahnee area, it's a line that has often been attempted given its obvious and cool start holds. Interest wanes, however, once we're reminded once again of the grievous and nearly non-existent nature of the holds following the start. Despite this, on a warm day last March, Paul figured out a sequence that hits the left arete after some hard crimp moves. The climb finishes by following the arete and some poor right hand-holds to the highest point of the boulder. The line heading straight up the face to the highest point, remains a project. Excellent skin and strong fingers will be prerequisites for sending the straight-up version. Oh yes, and good footwork wouldn't hurt, either.

-Lyn

06-23-07: Luna Lovegood

Luna Lovegood [v4-6?]

For some reason, Paul got all up in arms when Randy chose to name this boulder problem Luna Lovegood. Perhaps it was the Harry Potter reference that offended or it may have been the fact that the name really doesn't make any sense, which actually makes it the perfect name for this rather odd boulder problem. Situated in the heart of Camp 4, a stone's throw away from the Dominator, this problem came into existence as a bit of a joke. The start holds on the right side of the boulder are quite obvious and large, but the line forces you up and left over a very unappetizing landing and a potential fall into a tree. Of course, given these qualities, Randy couldn't wait to climb it. After some preliminary attempts that went something like this: "crap, who cleaned this thing! It's totally dirty up here! I'm coming down - do you have me?" we were inspired to scramble to the top via the slab and give it a proper cleaning. Once that was done, everyone scampered to the top with a minimum of cursing.

This problem is really quite fun, with friendly holds (granite slopers!) and a little spice. The very top is relatively easy, especially for Yosemite, but a few large pads and some good spotters go a long way to improve one's confidence. (Start standing on the right side of the boulder on the right side of the arete, climb up and left. You will end up on the left side of the arete, topping out by squeezing between the big boulder to your right and the tree to your left. Now, doesn't that sound like a good time?)-Lyn

11-9-15 UPDATE:
Here is a photo of Randy on it this weekend after cleaning off the accumulated pine needles.  

05-08-07: Step-Child

Randy Puro on Step Child [v10]

Since summer is just around the corner, it's time to post about this sit-start to Gym Fag Jiggle (a truly awful name). Situated on the right side of the White Lines boulder, Step Child starts on a bad right hand crimp and a left hand sprag that's worse. Try really hard and you might be able to pull off the ground. If you are having a really good day, you might hit the "decent" edge up and left. Paul did this problem in October of '05 while he very patiently waited for me to get my butt up the problem to the left. Of course, it very well may have been done before then, so please write in if you know this problem under a different name.

-Lyn

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

5-7-07: Bonobo Hello

Scott Chandler swinging like an ape on Bonobo Hello [v7/8]

This would be a boulder problem that you would file under "incredible lone boulder". Located between the the John Muir trail head parking and Glacier Point, this boulder problem leaves you wondering how it ended up here all by itself.

Bonobo Hello starts on two good hold under the lip and heads straight for a triangular jug. After some ape-like swinging, good holds and a very slopey top-out await. Another variation (called Pimp Chimp) starts at the good hold on the face that is down and right of the triangle hold (behind the tree in the picture) and goes at around v5.

To get to the problem, park as close as you can to Glacier Point Apron in the John Muir trail head parking lot. Head straight towards the apron and you can't miss the problem. This area, incidentally, is also where the Fire Falls used to land.

-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!

4-11-07: Sidewinder

Raza on Sidewinder [v7]

Junior (aka Scott Chandler) has been actively searching out new boulders and he found a gem over in Curry Village. I though it was more like v8/9 but maybe I'm just old. It's one of those problems where all the holds are facing left and you are doing everything you can do to go right. The footholds are basically the spots of granite that were cleaned off, so trying to use your feet is tricky as well. To top it of there is a hard mantel at the top. Normally you might throw a heel over, but the landing makes that way too scary. I ended up using Junior's beta: a no foot mantle and dyno right hand back to a jug! A crazy finish to a crazy cool problem.

The problem lies in Curry Village 'West'. Park as west a possible and follow these GPS coordinates:

37º 44.183 N, 119º 34.445 W

-Raza