Mt Tam Bouldering - Winter 2012

Some new areas and new boulder problems;
Mt Tam Bouldering - Winter 2012

Mt Tamalpais - Rattlesnake Creek Boulders (Bootjack / Ravine) 2012

PHOTOS: Martin Elzingre on Sammy's Throne Boulder, the newly developed Engine Bloc at the Lower Ravine and the Hobo Boulders at the Upper Ravine.



Bootjack Boulders (aka Intuition Boulders)
Bootjack Boulder (aka Intuition Boulder) [right to left]
1 "Bootjack Arete V2***** stand V3***** sit - right arete FA=CS / V7*** low sit FA=RA/BS
2 "Instinct" V4*** stand V5*** sit - right variation to the more direct classic Intuition FA=CS
3 "Intuition" V4***** stand V5***** sit - the direct classic line up center of steep face! FA=CS
4 "Between the Uprights" V3*** stand V4*** sit - highball left arete between trees FA=KA
5 "Bootjack Traverse" V5**** sit start left traverse low and right into right arete FA=CS / or "!?" V8!? low sit Bootjack Arete then traverse left into Between The Uprights - open project!

Cheech and Choss Boulder  [right to left]
6 V0* short face on far right FA=CS
7 "Cheech Marin" V1*** right stand start to Dave's Not Here FA=CS
8 "Dave's Not Here" V2*** stand start center face then up and right FA=CS / V6*** sit FA=FO
9 "Chong's Bong" V2** stand / V6**? sit start Dave's Not Here traverse up left into left arete FA=CS
10 "Bitches n Gravy" V3**? link up from left arete low sit up right into Dave's Not Here FA=CS
11 "Cheech and Choss Arete" V0*** stand V1*** sit V2*** low sit - left arete FA=CS
12 "Cheech and Choss Traverse" V4*** from left arete low sit high and right into V0 on far right FA=CS / or V!? low traverse project!?


Upper Ravine (aka Hobo Boulders)
? Boulder
13 "?" V4** stand/sit center face FA=KA
14 "Hobo Wreckless" V6** sit left traverse up right along low lip FA=RA/BS

Hobo Boulder
15 "Hobo Boulder" ?
16 "Hobo Boulder" ?

Small Slab
17 slab?


The Ravine
Ravine Boulder [left to right]
18 "Crumble Mumble" V6*** sit start with left hand notch and right hand undercling then go up over short bulge on far left side - V3** stand start FA=CS19 "Mt Tamil Tiger Turd" V8*** low sit start to #1 - same start as Bonum Vitae on low rail
FA = Max Zolotukhin 2012
20 "Locked Keys" V4** stand start center roof between #1 and #3 FA=CS / V!? sit start project!?
21 "Wicked" V9**** sit start at base of diagonal rail (low left side) same as #4 up right before turning left at the stand start then passing a w-shaped Vulcan grip then up left to top - stand start V4**** FA = Brett Shingu 2012
22 "Bonum Vitae" V7***** sit start at base of diagonal rail (low and left side) then crank past sloper rail moves angling up right into stand start crack top out - stand start V1*** 
FA = Reid Augustino 2012
23 "White Knuckles" V7**** mid sit start on right hand slot pocket and low left hand undercling then angle up left into Wicked FA=CS / or V8***? from the low sit start (often over/under water or on branches) - open project!
24 "Tender Vittles" V5*** low sit start then up left into Bonum Vitae stand start or V2*** left mid sit start and go up into the stand start of Bonum Vitae FA=CS
25 V!? project - low sit start White Knuckles/Tender Vittles (on far right) then traverse down left :-/ across Bonum Vitae into the low sit start of Mt Tamil Tiger Turd (on far left) to finish!?
scrunchy and lame butt hard!!


Lower Ravine  {wet in winter}
Sammy's Throne Boulder (right to left)
26 V!? stand start right face direct? / V!? sit project! 
27 "Sammy's Throne" V5/6**** stand start left hand arete/face FA=KA/SB / V!? sit project!
28 "Centerline" V4**** low sit V3**** sit V2*** stand right hand arete/face FA=CS
29 V1/2** stand start center face FA=KA
30 "Flowmax" V4*** low sit V3*** low stand FA=CS

Crack Rock
31 high crack(s)!?
32 ?

The Engine Bloc [left to right]
33 "Internal Combustion" V1** stand start steep left face FA=CS or V!? low stand or sit project!
34 "Diesel Arete" V6*** sit V3** mid stand FA=CS
35 ? V? sit Diesel Arete then traverse right into short V0 face on far right (needs cleaning) project!



Mt Tam - Lower Ravine Bouldering 2012  YOUTUBE


All these areas and more will be covered in future editions of;  
Bay Area Bouldering by SUPERTOPO!

Mt Tam Bouldering - Fall 2012

 

!!New Mt Tam Bouldering - Fall 2012 News Flash!!

"The Project" aka Bay View Wall Project on Marin County's Mount Tamalpais was one of the last obvious yet undone, roadside boulder problem test-pieces in the North Bay. Solved on October 30, 2012 by Mark Heal after he had worked it prior. The day he did it he warmed up by flashing "Crumble Mumble" (V6) and "Bonum Vitae" (V7) then sending "Wicked" (V9) 2nd try at the newly developed Ravine. The Bay View Wall Project is now "Tiny Pinches" V11/12 - first ascent = Mark Heal.

The same day I did a fun new link-up on The Ravine Boulder that goes from a sit start on the far right up into the crux and the top out of Wicked. "White Knuckles" (V7) - first ascent = Chris Summit.

About a month earlier in 2012 Max Zolotukhin did first ascent of a great problem to the right of the Bay View Wall Project calling it "Bay View Crimp" V11/12. Since then a crux hold has broken making the problem slightly harder. Mark repeated that problem the day he did Tiny Pinches confirming both at about V11/12. Whether the grades stand or they go up or down a bit Mt Tam is now, officially on the map as one of the best north bay bouldering areas with a full range of grades and styles of bouldering. The views aren't bad either :)

Tam Bouldering - Fall 2012  YOUTUBE

ELEVATION OUTDOORS

Home Turf Sendin
by Chris Van Leuven

http://www.elevationoutdoors.com/blogs/climbing-lifestyle/sendin-with-chris-summit/

Mammoth Bouldering

When it's too hot for bouldering around Bishop then check out Mammoth Bouldering by Charlie Barrett for some of the best High Sierra bouldering;  http://mammothboulderingguidebook.com/ 

Some more info for bouldering in the Mammoth area at Clark Canyon on my blog;
http://summitorplummet.blogspot.com/2011/09/clark-canyon-bouldering.html

and more info about Mammoth Bouldering on DeadpointMagazine.com;
http://www.dpmclimbing.com/climbing-gear/view/new-guidebook-mammoth-bouldering

Mt Tamalpais - The Ravine Boulder

    "Crumble Mumble" FA

            Reid Augustino does a lap on his classic
            "Bonum Vitae"


Some of the newest and possibly some of the last great roadside problems to be done on Tam, as well as some of the hardest problems so far are Reid Augustino’s “Bonum Vitae” (V7) and his friend Brett Shingu’s “Wicked” (V9). Both were just done in 2012 in the creek/ravine below the Bootjack Boulders. They are right off Panorama below one of the hairpins about a half mile before (east of) the Bootjack Picnic Area when coming up from US101.

These problems are on less than perfect rock that has some loose and hollow holds. The creek level also rises up under most of the boulder from fall through spring depending on yearly water levels. The Bootjack Boulders are not affected by the creek - they are found just up the hill from The Ravine, across the rd, above the hairpin turn, left (west) of the creek. Bootjack has the classics "Intuition" (V4 stand V5 sit) and it's right variation "Instinct" as well as the ass kicking good fun "Bootjack Arete" (V2 stand V7 low sit) on the Bootjack Boulder.  On the adjacent Cheech and Choss Boulder there's the slightly chossy but fun "Dave's Not Here" (V2 stand V6 sit) and the long new "Cheech and Choss Traverse" (V4) as well as a few other good moderates.

Hiking uphill to the right of Bootjack and left of the creek you will find a new problem called "Hobo Wreckless" (V6 sit low traverse lip) and an older V4 up problem both on the boulder next to the boulder with a hobo shelter built against. This new/old area is now being called The Upper Ravine and it has potential for a few more new low-balls.  It will be small but fun when complete as well as a nice addition to the rest of The Ravine areas. Bootjacks have about 5 other good problems in the V1-V7 range and also potential for a few more new link-ups or low-balls. Overall The Ravine areas (Bootjack, Upper, Main and Lower Ravines) have about 35 mostly new problems from about V0-V9! Look for all the new problems in the next edition of Bay Area Bouldering by SUPERTOPO due out in a few years - but for now this blog is the best source of info :) The other bouldering areas are higher up the mountain and offer many more classics on generally better rock along with the world class views Tam is known for. Kenny Ariza, Elliot Carlsen and myself have developed most of the new stuff but a few problems had been established for many years.
 
>>NEWS FLASH!! I just heard through the grapevine (Sendage.com) that super strong Bay Area local rock star Natasha Barnes just repeated both of the new problems at The Ravine. I also read on her blog that Max Zolotukhin did the low sit start to the original problem "Crumble Mumble" (V6) calling it "Mount Tamil Tiger Turd" (V8)<<


The Ravine Boulder (left to right)
{1-5 *star}

>1 "Crumble Mumble" V6** sit start with left hand notch and right hand undercling then go up over short bulge on far left side - V3** stand start.
FA = Chris Summit 2008

or "Mount Tamil Tiger Turd" V8** low sit start to #1 - same start as Bonum Vitae on low rail.
FA = Max Zolotukhin 2012

>2  "Locked Keys" V4** stand start center roof between #1 and #3 - sit start?!
FA = Chris Summit 2012

>3 "Wicked" V9*** sit start at base of diagonal rail (low left side) same as #4 up right before turning left at the stand start then passing a w-shaped Vulcan grip then up left to top - stand start V4***
FA = Brett Shingu 2012

>4 "Bonum Vitae" V7*** sit start at base of diagonal rail (low and left side) then crank past sloper rail moves angling up right into stand start crack top out - stand start V1***
FA = Reid Augustino 2012

>5 "White Knuckles" V7*** mid sit start (same as Tender Vittles) on good right hand slot pocket and low left hand undercling then angle up left into Wicked or V8**? from the low sit start (in winter-spring it is often over/under water - stacking logs/branches helps) - or
"Tender Vittles" V2** mid sit start and go up into the stand start of Bonum Vitae or V5** low sit start (often under/over water in winter-spring) then up left into stand start of Bonum Vitae.
FA = Chris Summit 2012


    The Ravine Boulder



*Get more info on Mt Tam Bouldering in Bay Area Bouldering and Northern California Bouldering and get more cragging info for Tam in Bay Area Top Ropes - all by SUPERTOPO.

Mt Tam Bouldering Fall 2012 - YOUTUBE 

"Wicked" V9 FA The Ravine - YOUTUBE

The Swamp Meadow Boulders

                       The Swamp Meadow - PHOTO: Richard Newton          



The Swamp Meadow Boulders
Blue Lakes, Tahoe, CA.

I've been healing an injured finger for the last couple months from crimping and I've just started pulling on jugs again. This is my first day back pushing myself a bit on real stone so I decided to find some new boulders with first ascents and go at it! The best of them was "Snake Eyes" V4 FA which felt a bit harder than it should have but it was totally worth it. These problems may not be that hard but they are on rare pocketed granite right off the side of the road in a gorgeous setting :)

1 "Snake Eyes" V4 stand start on side by side pockets and go up right over sloper lip.
2 "Swamp Pockets" V2 sit start left bulge/face with cool pockets - VB stand start.
3 "Swamp Face" V0 stand V1 sit - center of juggy face - good warmup.
4 "Swamp Traverse" V4 start on far right and traverse left into #3 to finish. (or - same start then up?)
5 VB easy way up/downclimb.
6 "Swamp Crack" VB
7 "Swamped" V2 stand start arete.
8 Crack!?
9 VB small boulder with jugs.
10 Arete!?
11 Slab face left of Swamp Crack with diagonal undercling?
12 Start left of Snake Eyes?

Swamp Meadow Boulders HD Video - YOUTUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYi8irTdx3w&list=UUvX88R-kTddUoFjC2Ob902w&index=1&feature=plcp