Summit or Plummet

Saturday, February 27, 2016

My Best First Ascents - Roped (top 55 of ~100+ sport, trad, tr)

Judge Dredd 5.13b - sport-lead - Sea Crag
Troubled Water 5.13a - sport-lead - Limestone Natural Bridge
Dry Line 5.12d - sport-lead - Schoolhouse (Mt St Helena area)
Toll Taker 5.12c - sport-lead - Schoolhouse (Mt St Helena area)
The Bird Is The Werd 5.12c - sport-lead - Schoolhouse (Mt St Helena area)
Pinch Hitter 5.12b/c - sport-lead - Limestone Natural Bridge
Joint Effort 5.12b - sport-lead - Untamed Rocks
Don't Call Me Squaw 5.12b - sport-lead - Frog Woman Rock (aka Squaw Rock)
Witch Doctor 5.12b - sport-lead - Limestone Natural Bridge
Dark Christal 5.12b - tr - Dos Rios
Borg 5.12a/b - solo+lead - {Area 52 - Topo Secret}
Firewater 5.12a - sport-lead - Limestone Natural Bridge
Hard To Swallow 5.12a - sport-lead - Dos Rios
Climestone Cowboy 5.12a - sport-lead - Rhinecastle

Resurrection 5.12a - sport-lead - Frog Woman Rock (aka Squaw Rock)
On A Wing And A Prayer 5.12a - sport-lead - Untamed Rocks
Fuck Face 5.12a/V4 - tr/boulder - {Low Gap - Topo Secret}
Sucka Fish 5.12a - sport-lead - Sea Crag
Liquid Fire 5.12a - sport-lead - Dos Rios
Ancient Aliens 5.11d/12a - sport-lead - {Area 52 - Topo Secret}

Burning Spear 5.11d - sport-lead - Limestone Natural Bridge
Snakecharmer 5.11 - trad-lead - Dos Rios
Synchronicity 5.11 - sport-lead - Far Side/Mt St Helena
P.E. 5.11 - sport-lead - Schoolhouse (Mt St Helena area)
Off The Wall 5.11 - sport-lead - Schoolhouse (Mt St Helena area)
Bearclaw 5.11 - sport-lead - The Bear/Mt St Helena
Sandy Squirrel 5.11 - sport-lead - Secrets

Sandy Rails 5.11 - tr - The Playground/Salt Point

The Nautilus 5.11 - sport-lead - The Playground/Salt Point
Bar Fight 5.10/11 - sport-lead - The Bar
Bar Fly 5.10/11 - sport-lead - The Bar
The Cup Holder (aka The Beer Holder) 5.10/11 - tr - Dos Rios
Calamari 5.10/11 - sport-lead - Twin Coves
Sunrise 5.10/11 - tr - Sunrise Rocks/Sugarloaf
Porn Star 5.10/11 - sport-lead - Shredding
Black Hole Sun 5.10 - sport-lead - The Bear/Mt St Helena
Wake And Bake 5.10 - sport-lead - Limestone Natural Bridge
Blue Heron 5.10 - sport-lead - Twin Coves
Sea Snake 5.10 - sport-lead - Fisk Mill Cove/Salt Point
Lost At Sea 5.10 - sport-lead - Fisk Mill Cove/Salt Point
Free Willy 5.10 - sport-lead - Fisk Mill Cove/Salt Point
Conch Crack 5.10 - trad-lead - The Playground/Salt Point
Rock Candy 5.10 - sport-lead - Shredding
Skaliwag 5.10 - sport-lead - Fisk Mill Cove/Salt Point
Alien 5.10 - sport-lead - {Area 52 - Topo Secret}

Bam Bam 5.9/10 - tr - Rhinecastle
Ewok 5.9/10 - sport-lead - {Topo Secret}
Jack of all Trades 5.9 - trad-lead - The Playground/Salt Point
Lichen It 5.9 - sport-lead - Far Side/Mt St Helena
Dreamland 5.9 - trad-lead - {Area 52 - Topo Secret}
Kola 5.9 - sport-lead - Far Side/Mt St Helena
Horseshoe Crack 5.9 - trad-lead - Secrets
Horseshoe Point 5.9 - sport-lead - Secrets
Log Jam 5.8/9 - trad-lead - The Playground/Salt Point
The Black Pearl 5.8 - tr - Fisk Mill Cove/Salt Point

~50 more 3rd/4th class-5.6/7ish FA.

+over 1000 bouldering first ascents.

:)

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Bay Area Climbing/Bouldering NEWS 2015/16

Sonoma Coast Crags TITANIUM REBOLT {Sea Crag and Salt Point - Sonoma Coast}

Super THANKS to Jim Thornburg et al.. !! :)

Sugarloaf Ridge Park ~75 new problems/200+ total! {Mayacama Mountains - Sonoma County}

About 50 new boulder problems found, cleaned and climbed in summer/fall/winter of 2015/16 in the lush Sonoma Creek Canyon off of Canyon Trail and out 25 new boulder problems at the awesome new/old Sunrise Rocks as well as a few more at a few other cool spots around the beautiful park. My friends and I established about 75 new boulder problems total from VB to V7/8 and found a lot of harder projects for the future.

FA's: DW, CS, GR, AC, GZ, OG, RT, LB, A?

"Grand Jury" 5.14a {Sea Crag - Sonoma Coast}

The hardest climb in Sonoma County and one of the hardest in the Bay Area and CA!

FA - TR: MN? / FA - lead: Steven Roth.

"El Sabroso" 5.13c {Salt Point - Sonoma Coast}

Tied with it's neighbor "Jury Duty" and topo-secret "Yoda Direct" for second hardest climb in Sonoma County and one of the hardest in the Bay Area!

FA - TR: MN? / FA - lead: Steven Roth.

"Stigmata" V13 (was V11 - hold broke ~2015) {topo-secret}

Tied with G's 2 other Sonoma County V13's (the neighboring "Adrift" and the Sonoma Coasts hardest problem/test-piece "High Tide Low Tide") for hardest boulder problem(s) in Sonoma County and some of the hardest in the Bay Area!

FA - original V11: Kevin Jorgeson / FA - new V13: Giovanni "G" Traversi

"High Tide Low Tide" V13 {Salt Point - Sonoma Coast}

Roof to arete/prow bulge face!

FA: Giovanni "G" Traversi

"Biddles Platinum" V4 stand V5 sit and "Biddles Steel" V5 stand and "Blue Steel" V7 sit {Biddles - Castle Rock}

The classic test-pieces on the main face of Biddles Tower at the new-ish Biddles area south of CRSP.

Biddles Platinum V4 stand FA: Clay Breitweiser and V5 sit FA: Chris Summit / Biddles Steel V5 stand FA - Clay Breitweiser and Blue Steel V7 sit FA: Mike Donovan

"Bushwhacker Roof" V8 and "Bushwhacker Roof Direct" V9 {Indian Joe Caves - Sunol}

Mike D sparks new bouldering stoke at an old Bay Area top rope zone!

FA's: Mike Donovan

"Aloha Patrol" 5.11 (5.11b start) - zone 3 solo! {Table Rock - Napa County}

FSA (First Solo Ascent): Damon "Nomad" Monjure

The Cascade Boulders {Berkeley - East Bay}

Newly found and established fun little bouldering spot in the rocky and scenic Berkeley hills.

FA's: Garrett "G-Raw" Rawlins

____________________________________________________

*Random Bay Area Climbing/Bouldering NEWS prior to ~2015:

Kimball Canyon, Black Tower, Wappo, Table etc.. {Mt St Helena - Napa County}

Many new climbs at many amazing new and "new-ish" areas with many old/new routes put up all over the Mt St Helena/Table Rock/Palisades area with more potential still up there! ~5.6-5.12+!?

FA's: Jerry Dodrill, Darren Wiemeyer, Sourigno Outsama, Tim Terry, Dave Stallard, Jim Thornburg, Aaron Rough, ?? etc..

Biddles Boulders + many more new spots! {Skyline - Castle Rock}

The awesome new Biddles area and many other new sandstone bouldering areas similar to Castle Rock discovered and many new classics established in recent years by visionary first ascent pioneer Clay Breitweiser and a few other inspired locals in the Castle Rock/Skyline zone!

FA's: Clay Breitweiser, Mike Donovan, Joe Huras, Gustav Zacharias, Daniel Miller, Chris Zenardi, Kalen Glenn, CS, ??

The Bar and "Bat Karma" 5.13a {Mammoth Bar/Auburn Limestone Quarry - Auburn}

New and old lead and TR climbs brought back to life and some new first ascents and more potential at The Bar on the Middle Fork of the American River at Mammoth Bar Park ~5.8-5.12!? At the nearby Auburn Limestone Quarry one of the best lines finally got established, "Bat Karma" 5.13a FA Jim Thornburg is the single most newsworthy hard new first ascent route at The Limestone Quarry.

FA - Quarry: Jim Thornburg / FA - The Bar: CS + ??

KcKee Park Boulders and Three Rocks {Potter Valley - Mendocino County}

Old bouldering area brought back to life with many new classic problems and potential for more! Also some DWS / Deep Water Solo mixed with "shallow water solo" - R rated highballs!

FA's: CS, RT, JA, AC, SR

"Ghost Dance" V11r and Twin Peaks DWS! {Untamed Rocks - Mendocino County}

Highball arete/prow right off the hwy/US101!

FA - V11r: Giovanni "G" Traversi / FA - DWS: Steven Wheeler (V0/1-V4/5.11+!?) + CS (VB/V0)

"Swallow Crack" 5.10 + new start to Green/Black Slab {Swallow Rock - Mendocino County}

First ascent - Mendo mega classic TR splitter dihedral/corner crack or gear swallowing trad lead!

FA's + 2nd ascents/recleaning/rebirthing: CS, Matt Suddock, John Gruey, Covelo Crew etc..!?

The Sweet Boulder {topo-secret}

Since the neighboring and amazing Sweet Boulders have been closed :( due to a house being built next to them this fun overlooked old boulder was brought to life by awesome inspired local first ascentionist pioneer Travis Lombardo (author of the classic "Cave Spider" on Dutch Bill Boulder)!

FA's: Travis Lombardo, CS, G, ??

"Pipedream Sit" ~V7/8/9ish!? {topo-secret / near Sugarloaf Ridge}

Long standing low sit local dream project over a drainage pipe alongside a dirt road with a view!

FA: Gustav Zacharias

The Chatterbox and Big Pyramid Boulder and others! {Sugarloaf Ridge - Sonoma County}

Newly discovered boulders at Sugarloaf Ridge bring new life back to the park! The new line "Favors Undertakings" V1/2 up the center dihedral of the Big Pyramid is an instant classic!

FA's: Darren "Splitclimber" Wiemeyer

Lake Berryessa / Pope Valley / Knoxville {Lake, Napa, Yolo Counties}

A lot of new and some old boulder problems have been found and brought to life or brought back to life around the Lake Berryessa / Pope Valley / Knoxville areas.

FA's: CS, SB, ??

The Preserve {topo-secret}
A lot of new schist boulders with many classic new highball boulder problems have been found deep in the private nature preserves in West Sonoma Counties lush redwood forests.

FA's: Zach Anaya, Jason Kevin Moehlman, Ashley Freeman, CS, TL, GT, ??

South Bay Area / Big Sur Bouldering! {Santa Cruz/Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur}

A lot of new and some old bouldering areas have been found and brought to life or brought back to life around the Santa Cruz/Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur areas.

FA's: Sharma, AC, ??

~A lot more went down than this recently in the Bay Area climbing scene but it was either at very secret/private areas or was not quite as cool, I forgot or I don't care :) I'm not getting paid for this so you get what you get - enjoy!

Friday, February 5, 2016

UIAA Safety Standards Update - Bouldering Crash Pads

http://www.theuiaa.org/news-348-UIAA-Safety-Standards-Update-Crash-Pads.html

Sunday, January 17, 2016

My Top 15 Bouldering First Ascents of 2015

"Vortex" V3r/dws - Potter Valley/Three Rocks

"Sasquatch" V4 - Wildwood/Bridge Gulch

"Piano Man" V6/7 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Canyon Trail

"Tower Of Power" V7/8 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Canyon Trail

"Rosacrucian" V4 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Canyon Trail

"The Alchemist" V5 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Canyon Trail

"Illuminaughty" V4 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Canyon Trail

"Pyramid Arete Sit" V4 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Canyon Trail

"Heavens Gate" V3 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Canyon Trail

"Resolution Arete" V3 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Sunrise Rocks

"Sungazer" V6 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Sunrise Rocks

"Solar Wind" V4 - Sugarloaf Ridge/Sunrise Rocks

"Tall Drunk Monkey" V6 - Castle Rock/Sunnyvale Park

"Lager" V5 - The Preserve/Lumberjack Boulder

"Redemption" V4 - Pope Valley/Pope Creek

Friday, January 15, 2016

Testpiece Boulder Problems + Projects at "The Loaf" Sugarloaf Ridge Park

The Top 25 Testpiece Boulder Problems + Projects at The Loaf as of January 2016:
{*= ok *****= world classic}

Testpieces:
"Pipedream Sit" V8**** unrepeated? - low sit - FA: GZ (Adobe Canyon Boulder - out of park)
"Tower Of Power" V7/8*** unrepeated? - center sit into left crimp face traverse - FA: CS
"Four Ferns" V7** lowball sit sharp right crimp - FA: GZ
"Milky Way Traverse" V7*** unrepeated? - lip traverse (not climbable ~ tree fall) - FA: CS
"Piano Man" V7**** center sit into right arete slab traverse - FA: CS
"Neptune" V6/7*** left mega sloper arete - FA: RE
"Neptune Direct" V6/7**** direct/right overhang - FA: RT
"Sungazer Sit" V6**** unrepeated? - low crimpy sit into fun stand - FA: CS
"White Fang" V6*** low sit overhang - FA: CS
"White Fang Direct" low sit overhang direct - V6*** FA: RT
"All Rise" V6*** direct face sit / no right arete - FA: AC
"Dry Hump" V6** unrepeated? - low sit short steep lip mantle - FA: CS
"Trailblazer Traverse" V6** traverse low into or out of Trailblazer - FA: CS

"Solar Wind Traverse" V6*** traverse left to right into Solar Wind - FA: CS

"Booger Eater" V6*** unrepeated? - low sit up left on back of Booger Boulder - FA: CS

"The Gypsy Traverse" V6** unrepeated? - traverse lip up right from The Gypsy - FA: CS
"Hips Don't Lie Sit" V5/6**** high face - FA: GR

Projects!?

Sungazer Boulder East Face - center left or center right!!??

Sunrise Rock Direct Main Face - TR or highball!?

Sunrise Traverse - full traverse uphill / right to left!?

Tower Of Power Direct - straight up between Tower Of Power and Piano Man!?

From Dawn to Dusk - up right side of steep overhang in lower creek above waterfall!?

Pinball Wizard - wide double arete compression highball in upper creek!?

Black Mirror - sit to Heavens Gate!?

The Student - low sit!?

Monday, January 11, 2016

Friday, January 1, 2016

The Sunrise Rocks - Sugarloaf Ridge Park CA.

Sunrise Rocks
*=ok *****=world classic

Main Rock
Southwest Face - left to right:

1 VB easy way up down or V0 low start - or direct low face/arete? FA=?

2 !? right arete on separate detached block face over rocky landing? FA=!?

3 "Sunlight Arete" V0** far left arete or "Sunlight Corner" V0/1** direct face/corner right of arete. FA=CS

4 "Direct Sunlight" V0*** stand or V0/1*** sit - face right of corner. FA=DW

5 "Synchrodipity" V2**** sit or V1*** stand. FA=CS/LB

6 "Sundial" V3**** corner/face up left into #5 or direct up right V2/3** - start on jug chunk. FA=CS

7 V1R*** or 5.10*** TR high face just right of #6 and left of #8 - highball/TR!? FA=HH/RT

8 V1/2R*** or 5.10/11*** TR high face/prow - stand start or V5*** steep face or arete sit!? - highball/TR!? FA=HH/RT

9 "Sunrise Traverse" V4** stand or V5** sit or V7*** from #8 sit on steep arete - or ~V8!? from #14 traverse face left around arete into V7 start up into #3. FA=CS

10 ? black streak - highball/TR!? FA=?

11 "Succulent Savior" 5.10**** classic corner/crack/face - avoid/don't hurt the succulents :) highball/TR!? FA=CS

12 steep bulge - start on#13 - mega highball project/TR!? FA=?

13 "Sol Rebel" V5/6*** sit start same as #15 drop from jug match or "?" V5 start on #14 and angle/traverse up left into Sol Rebel or V6** start #11 traverse up right into #13. FA=CS/AC

14 "Sol" V1/2**** start on big undercling up into #13 arete then traverse far right up into #18 VB/0*** arete - or "?" V2/3** direct low sit. FA=CS/EB

15 "Solar Wind" V4/5*** low start on edges in center of face traverse right to big undercling up into #14 - or "Solar Wind Traverse" V6** left sit start same as #11 then traverse right into #15 - or "Savasana" V6*** same low sit start then traverse high right into #14 arete staying above the big undercling (or V5** stand start) - or "Savasana Traverse" V7***? sit start #11 into Savasana. FA=CS

16 "East Arete?" 5.8/9**TR or V0**R/X high left face/arete over rock chasm! FA=DW?

17 "The Chasm?" 5.7/8*TR? or VB/0*R high right face over rock chasm! FA=DW?

North Face - left to right:
18 VB/0*** high easy arete on backside of main face up to the top of the main Sunrise Rock. FA=CS

19 "Stashbox" V1/2** left slab face traverse in corridor up into fun V0/1* slab arete. FA=CS

20 "Matchbox" V5/6** right face in tight corridor sit start matched in far back or V3/4** mid sit into V2/3** arete sit start to V0/1** slab stand start. FA=CS

Short Man Boulder
21 "Short Man Complex" V2/3/4* low direct sit or V1/2* lip traverse left or right sit - short boulder opposite #14-16. FA=CS/RT

Dawn Boulder
Southwest Face - left to right:
22 "Common Ground" V6*** center/left slab face. V4 left stand start. FA=CS/AC

23 "Free Dawn Wall Memorial Boulder Problem" V1/2*** high right hand arete/face over creek! FA=DW

24 "New Dawn Arete" V2** start #23 then traverse up right around arete over creek into #25 top out. FA=CS

Southeast Face:
25 "The Student" V5/6*** mid sit or V6/7!? low sit or V1/2* stand - downclimb V0 right. FA=CS/A

Mini Boulder
26 "Mini Face" VB/0 short kids climb face - next to trail uphill from #25. FA=CS

Sungazer Boulder
Southwest Face - right to left:
27 "Sunnyside Traverse" V1** right to left from #28 into #33. FA=CS

28 "Heliacal" V1** face left of arete and tree. FA=DW

29 "Empyreal" V0** center/left face sit or traverse. FA=DW

30 VB/0* easy bulge face direct into #31 top out. FA=DW

31 VB** easy main groove - fun up/down-climb. FA=CS

32 "Sunnyside Up Traverse" V0/1** far left traverse into VB/0* short left bulge face. FA=CS

33 "Sunnyside Up" V0** low sit up bulge next to down-climb. FA=CS

Southeast Face - left to right:
34 "Resolution Arete" V3**** sit start high face/arete right side right of tree (V2** stand start) FA=CS - or V2** sit start up into left arete/face exit (V1/2** stand start into left exit). FA=DW?

35 "The Dirty Joke"? bulge/face project!? FA=?

36 "Sun God" V7**** low left arete sit traverse #34 up right into V6**** stand start bulge/face right side FA=CS - or "Sun God Direct" V10**** {Sugarloaf Ridge Testpiece} direct right low sit (or V9*** sit) FA: KJ 1-16-17 - or "Sun God Traverse"? V9/10? same low start as #36 traverse right into #37/38!? FA: ??

37 "Sungazer" V6*** sit start on tiny right and left hand crimps up into V3**** stand start on perfect campus board size edges or "Sungazer Traverse" V6/7*** same sit then traverse edges right into jug chunk top out on #40 or "Sungazer Traverse Direct" V7** direct/no jug chunk - "Sunblazer Traverse" V5** sit start #40 traverse edges left into Sungazer stand - or "Sol Gazer" V6/7*** mid start direct on prow left of #37 stand start and right of #38 up into #37 top out. FA=CS

38 "Sungazer Direct" V9*** direct low sit (V8*** sit) up right into V7** mid start (V5/6*** stand start) direct out prow or top out right up into #37. FA: KJ

39 "Finger Slayer" V4*** sit start sharp right hand sugar-cube crimp up into campus edges then right into #40 or "Finger Slayer Direct" V4/5** direct up face (jug on #40 to right is off) FA=EB - or "Finger Slayer Traverse" V5/6** same sit then traverse left across edges (same as Sunblazer Traverse) into #37 top out. FA=CS

40 "The Chunk" V1/2** low sit start below jug chunks on far right - V0* stand start. FA=CS

Sunshine Boulder
Southwest Face - left to right:
41 "?" V2/3**? far left compression sit or V0 stand. FA=CS?

42 VB* very easy left face(s). FA=CS

43 "Sunshine Slab" VB/0*** fun easy center slab face. FA=CS

44 "Sunshine Face" V2** sit start center/right bulge face - or V1** stand start. FA=CS

45 "Sunshine Arete" V1/2** sit start right face/arete - or V0/1** stand. FA=CS

46 "Dark Star Arete" V2/3** far right - short left hand arete sit - top out or traverse off right. FA=CS

47 "Dark Star" V3*** far right face direct (no arete) sit - top out direct or traverse off right. FA=CS - or "Prodigal Sun" V4*** low left sit same as #46 go right and up direct into #47 no left arete. FA=TC

48 "Sunshine Traverse"? V4/5? full traverse FA=? - sit #41 traverse right into #46/47 traverse finish!?
- or "Stupid Cupid" V4** sit start #44 then up right around arete #45 into #46/47 traverse finish. FA=CS

49 "Sol Train" V3** stand or V4** sit start - slab/face traverse low and left below line of good edges. FA=CS

Dwarf Star Boulder
South Face - left to right:
50 "Dwarf Star" V3*** low funky sit start in left/center of steep face up over left lip arete top out. FA=CS

51 "Scrunch n Munch" V3/4* low sit start right side to overhung mantle - V2* mid start to mantle. FA=CS

52 "Dwarf Star Arete" V1** sit start left arete traverse right into #50 top out or V2* into #51 mantle. FA=CS

53 V3* sit #51 and traverse left into easier top out on #50 - V1/2* mid start. FA=CS

54 V3/4* link #50 sit into #51 mantle finish. FA=CS

55 "Dwarf Toss" V4/5** dyno! sit low holds center steep face skip all upper face holds lunge to lip! FA=CS