Rockcastle Bouldering

The directions and topo for existing problems were recently released for a new bouldering spot in Central Kentucky called Rockcastle. Yesterday Sam and I made the hour and 45 minute journey out there to check it out!

The weather was perfect and we had equal proportions of exploring, climbing, and beer to make for an awesome day.
Impressions of Rockcastle:
Rock Quality - some as good as 4/5 but lots of really chossy flake systems on the roofs. There is plenty of good rock waiting to be cleaned and climbed, and almost all of it tops out. For some reason most of the development has been concentrated on roofs, and the aformentioned loose flakes...

Potential - the best and most expansive bouldering I've seen in Kentucky. Could continue to grow and be a quality playground for Kentucky boulderers, but I cant imagine it becoming a "destination".

Problems:

Main Side

Me on "Waiting Room", V4
Quick send but super fun and committing throw to the top!



Sam battling "Red Line", V3, on Boulder 1
Quality rock with fun moves, starts WAY low under the roof.

Other Side

"Gopher It", V4 FA *****

Stone Fort/LRC Update

December 5/6 Stone Fort LRC

Andrew, Hannah, Tim, and I woke up Saturday morning to find the parking field and my tent covered in about 1-2 inches of wet Tennessee snow! We quickly entered the newly opened Urban Rocks climbing gym (which served as Triple Crown headquarters) to find that the competition had been postponed to the following day, and that competitors could boulder at Urban Rocks for half price until the Dyno Comp and party that evening.


We decided some coffee was in order so we headed into downtown Chattanooga for some Chatty's coffee and some pumpkin bread. Then back to Urban Rocks for some awesome indoor top out bouldering (that gym has it goin on!).

The afternoon was spend back in Chattytown running around like hooligans with some buildering and parkour to boot! Then to a local brewery for some fresh beer and some tasty eats!


The night was wasted away watching the dyno comp then to bed early for the comp the next day.

Similar to Horse Pens, no one in our group turned in scorecards at the end of the day. We had a blast though! Some highlights were barefoot climbing, a sweet boulder of highballs, and Andrew nearly sending (and paying the price for not) a V10 called King James.

Stone Fort (LRC), TN this weekend!

Andrew, Hannah, Tim, Tanya, Chris, and I are heading down for the final leg of the Triple Crown of Bouldering this weekend, thought I'd post a video of Jimmy Webb and Brion Voges sampling some of the excellent problems LRC has to offer.

Advanced Circuit - Little Rock City, Tn from Jimmy Webb on Vimeo.

Purgatory

Tyler, Tim, Andrew, and I all are siked on routes at Purgatory. I am working "the castle has fallen", Andrew is getting close on "lucifer", and Tyler and Tim are putting in ever-so-close redpoint burns on "paradise lost"

Movies

Its a gorgeous crag of minimally featured grey rock and hosts 4 of the best and most difficult climbs at the Red all right next to each other. Coming around the corner to see the early morning sunlight illuminating these classics is a sight to behold.

The last few days have held some fun and interesting climbing for me. On Thanksgiving day, Jason, Ben and I went to Muir Valley and warmed up on Preemptive Strike (6b) and Earthsurfer (7a). I sent Earthsurfer second go, it's a interesting climb with fun moves and two hard cruxes, a bulge with a shallow crack that you can suss a finger lock off then make a move to shallow sloping dish, and then hit some jugs. After you gain a breather you can being to pull the second crux, moving moving over another bulge, on small crimpers, make a hard clip and then keep it together on the interesting slab above, palming and making "trust the rubber" moves. It tops out at 100 feet and there is a great view of the Valley, this view alone makes this climb worth doing. After that we went to Midnight Surf and gave Cell Block Six (7b+)some attention and Ben gave Tapeworm (7c)a good burn.

Today, Chase came and woke me up and we headed out to the gorge again. I haven't climbed with Chase for quite some time, and was happy to have some time at the rocks with him. We decided that we were going to go to Foxfire (5.7 R) at Eaglepoint Butress Instead of doing the first pitch on Foxfire, we opted to do Day Dreaming (5.9+). I got the first lead. I headed up the awkward lay back, small hand, and finger crack. Like most "Old School" + rated climbs, it was probably closer to a mid 10 than a 9. I belayed Chase up and we made the traverse across a rat shit covered ledge and built a new anchor on a tree. He led the next pitch, or the actual second pitch of Foxfire, this was the first R rated pitch, it finished on a scary traverse to the the next belay station. I was then on lead, and jumped on the 3rd pitch, again a 5.7 R pitch. I worked up through marginal placments to a roof where I moved onto the face to gain the 3rd belay station. I built an anchor on a tree that would not hold more than a small fall if we were lucky. Chase didn't fall (thank god) and we climbed the last 4o feet of awesome exposer. This is a great route for those who want an adventure. The R rating on all the upper pitches make it spicy!

Paradise Lost (8a)

Overdue Updates

So its been a few weekends without an update but that's because I haven't really been taking many pictures and like to update with pictures and words. Plus, I've been feeling kind of lazy in respect to the blog. However...

Bouldering
Triple Crown, HP40
Had a blast with Andrew G, Tim Black, and Johnny Slice. No one turned in scorecards but that didn't matter! What did matter were the almost sends, boulder hopping expeditions, and bourbon-induced teabagging and shenanigans! Tim and John almost sent Mullentino (V7), and Andrew DID send Green Lantern Low (V8), Skywalker (V8/9), and Consumption (V8). "eh, Good Work.."

Trad
The Learning Curve (5.12a)
Chase and I went to Eastern Skybridge a few weeks ago to try this gem of a line. Only 35 ft long, it amounts to a marginally protectable highball boulder problem that feels maybe V6. The crux is at the very top and is protected by a shallow #000 Black Diamond C3. We chose to suss it out on top rope and I feel confident enough to make a lead attempt next time!

Stucco Nu (5.11+)
Andrew led this adventuresome trad route this past Saturday and entertained all bystanders with an epic full body shake at the very top of the dihedral. The cruxy run to the chains eventually spit him out and left him with a joyous 30ft. whip onto a #2 stopper! He finished the route and I top-roped it. It climbs fantastically and I am planning on going for the lead send next weekend.

Snotrocket (5.12+)
AMAZING ROUTE!!! ONE OF THE BEST CLIMBS EVER! VERY HARD, VERY LONG, WITH AMAZING MOVEMENT! Andrew and I both TR'd it, Andrew plans to be going for the lead send soon, Good Luck!

Goodstone (5.11a)
This thin splitter fingercrack gave me my first trad fall! (11/15/09) 20ft on a #2 Metolius TCU

Sport

So much sport climbing to mention, but I'll stick to what I'm currently siked on. Andrew and I have winter proj's at the Gallery and Purgatory. Mine at least are perhaps way harder than I can pull, but I'm going to put the work in and see if I can do them!

Me - Paradise Lost (8a), Zen and the Art of Masturbation (7c+)
Andrew - The Shocker (8c), Lucifer (8c+)