Cabin Boulder Weekend 10/26 - 10/28 2007

Headed up with Nic and Eric J. on Friday morning to Eric's cabin in northern MN. On Friday afternoon, we stopped to check out the Myrtle Lake boulder that Eric, Chad and Nic had briefly looked at early this spring and seen potential. We also checked out a second, smaller boulder on the hike in to the larger, Myrtle Lake boulder:

The smaller boulder was kind of cool and would have a couple of crimpy face climbs on it. We quickly left it for the bigger boulder. This was the first time I'd seen this boulder and I was quite impressed. It's not quite as big as the boulder at Eric's cabin -- but it's close. Probably 10 or so decent lines on it and a few gems.

The best line on the boulder starts on an arete and climbs up this overhanging, featured prow and tops out on some bad slopers. Nic went to work on it and after awhile sent the thing and called it V8 or V9 "Significant Other":

He also added a variation that exits left onto a slab and called it "Insignificant Other". And the video:


Later that night Scott Ferris and Kris and Lynn Johnson joined us and the next day we went out to the Big Swirly Cabin Boulder. A great session as usual. Fun to see the jaw-dropped looks on Scott, Kris and Lynn's faces as this was their first time seeing this boulder. 5 new lines ended up going up to bring the total to 15 I believe. The 2 super-projects remain. Scott managed to climb 11 of them on Saturday including 2 new lines. "Squeaky Clean" is a highball, scary arete that starts on the back side of the boulder and finishes up inside the slot and "Mr. Clean" climbs the other, shorter arete on the back side. The other new lines were "Sneaky Pete" - a short crimpy problem on the backside to the left of Pendulum, "Coffee and Cocaine" - the highball slab to the left of The Sycamore that was named because Nic said it makes you jittery from the scare factor, and "Carpe Diem" - a 3rd line to go up in the slot. Kris did Dragon Fruit V7 and made it look easy.
Lynn sent 10th Plague (check out http://minnesotaskin.blogspot.com/ for her report of the weekend along w/ videos of her on The 10th Plague and The Sycamore):




Here's a video of a few of the days sends:
1) Kris does Dragon Fruit V7
2) Nic does Coffee and Cocaine V4
3) Nic trying the crux of the "Understudy" project

Climbing Trip!

I'm heading up north tomorrow to the cabin/Big Swirly boulder for the weekend (goal: the super crimpy problem Dragon Fruit) and once I get back am leaving the next day to head down south with Nic to hit up Southern Illinois, Rocktown GA, and Horsepens 40 for 2 weeks! I'm sure I'll keep the blog posted as I find coffee shops with internet..

Sawmill Creek Dome - 10/20/2007

I drove up to Sawmill again yesterday. Got there and the rain stayed away and enjoyed a beautiful fall day. After warming up I first tried Lukewarm Persistence V7 and after a few tries did it.. The problem starts sitting with two slots for your hands and a micro-edge left foot. You pop a left hand up to a sloper with a divot in it and do a big move up again to a good hold. Then match, get a heel hook and do a pretty hard top out on slopers up and left. After this I still had lots of energy so I then did Jaws V7 in a few tries as well. Jaws starts the same but after the match you traverse a few moves right along a seam and then do a scary top-out on a bulge with small crimps and slopers. I really like both of these problems - a lot of fun to climb. This would technically be me best day ever -- never done 2 V7's in a day.

After this Nic went to try the project on the arete to the right of Counselor Moon. This is a pretty scary line as there's a big chasm beneath it that you would fall into. But fortunately he didn't fall from the scary points but sent the project and called it Pitfall - probably a V7. You can see me being really nervous in the video and spotting quite close and trying not to fall into the chasm at the same time myself..

Here's the video of the day -- it's me doing Lukewarm, then Nic doing Jaws and then Pitfall complete with overdramatic music:

M7Bouldering.com

I've been working lately on a website with Nic Oklobzija called M7Bouldering.com. We have launched it today. It's a guide and media viewer for Minnesota bouldering as well as a place for Nic's blog. Right now we've got two Taylors Falls areas on there - The Cave Area below the road on the WI side and The Boneyards on the MN side. Each area has a video as well.

We're going to release new areas every week until the site becomes the place to find what you need for MN bouldering destinations. Next week will be an area of Sawmill Creek Dome and in the months to come you can expect other areas as well.

Check it out!
http://www.m7bouldering.com

Let us know how you like it and if you find it useful..

Sawmill Creek Dome season continues..

The alarm went off this morning at 6:30 am and I shortly thereafter met up with Nic O., Jim M., Scott F. and made the drive up to Sawmill. We finally made it to the boulders by 1:00 pm or so. The hike was particularly interesting today as we all took turns hauling a ladder up to help with some filming attempts:


After warming up and doing some spotting for Scott who re-did Counselor Moon for the filming I started trying my project Sticky Icky. I was really hoping to do it in 1 or 2 tries as I felt really close last time. I did get to my previous high point on my first go but screwed my feet up and fell off. After blowing the starting moves for the next 4 or 5 tries I finally did it - felt great doing another MN project of mine done this season.
I didn't get any pictures or video of this problem today but here's a shot of the problem from 2005:



After this, I joined Nic and Scott who were working on The Onion. Nic ended up doing it. I feel like I'm pretty close on it but really have to figure out my body positioning on one move that is currently shutting me down.

After The Onion I went over to another line I've tried a few times before but never done - My Stereo. This problem is basically a one-move wonder dyno off a big rail to a sloper then a few more moderate moves to the end. Took me about 8 tries today to figure out how to do the jump move but finally stuck the 2nd hold and topped out the problem.

All in all a beautiful day at Sawmill and I hope to get back up a few more times this season. I plan on working Lukewarm Persistence and Jaws Sit Start next as well as Counselor Moon and Payback as well. Sorry for slacking on pictures lately -- spent too much time climbing today I guess :). Here's one of Nic, however, working what I believe is a project on the arete to the right on Counselor Moon:

TF Update

Scott Ferris just did Oxygen Cocktail V9 today at Taylors Falls. Nice job Scott!

The temps have finally gotten good after the terrible heat last week.. So get out there and take advantage..