A chalk bag is a great place to carry emergency essentials when you're climbing. It’s always there, rarely forgotten, and often has room to stash some critical gear. Here’s what I put in mine.
All tagged Climbing
5.10s for Scott
As he continues to develop his resume for a future AMGA Rock Guide Course, Scott recently asked me to share some favorite 5.10s that he could top-rope before leading. Here’s the first five on my list, along with a little beta for each route.
Route Profile: Endeavour, White's Ledge
Tim and I recently climbed Endeavour (5.7, Grade III), a classic route up White’s Ledge in Bartlett, New Hampshire, as part of my 2019 Must-Climb Routes. Although unseasonably warm, we were rewarded with engaging climbing, an alpine-like setting, and an incredible view of the White Mountain National Forest as it transitions into its fall splendor. Since the route is south-facing and warm, there’s still ample time to jump on it this season.
Rediscovering that Rumney Rocks
I’m not sure that I’ll ever be as into training for climbing as I was two years ago, but I have once again made the climbing gym part of my routine. And, after one trip to Rumney, I can say that I’m feeling reasonably strong and confident in my climbing. I even got the bug to climb hard; I took a few burns on a route that I always find difficult, and, after a few tries, I managed to clip the chains with a clean ascent.
Best Easy Trad Climbs in the Boston Area
On the skin up Moosilauke’s Carriage Road a few weeks ago, one of our friends was asking about routes in the 5.5-5.6 range in the Greater Boston area that he could lead in preparation for his upcoming AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Assessment. Here’s Part 1 of the list we put together for him, with a little beta for each route.
Book Report: On the Nose
On the Nose gives a good account of Florine’s ascent from a Yosemite wannabe, who bailed only a few pitches up the Nose on his first attempt, to the modern day guru of how to climb the route fast. It’s through early accounts of his experiences on the route that the reader can see Florine’s passion for the Nose grow. It’s also interesting to watch Florine’s dedication, systems, and strategy grow with each successive trip up the Nose.
Book Report: Alpine Warriors
Alpine Warriors follows the rise of Slovenian alpinism, mostly focused on their achievements in the Himalaya, following it from its rise in the 1960s and into today. Holding the book together are passages pulled from the pages of another book—Pot—authored by the iconic Slovenian alpinist Nejc Zaplotnik. Pot, meaning the way, has served as a bible for generations of Slovenian alpinists and been a defining work for generations fo climbers.