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 rock climbing
Belays and Brews: Rattlesnake Rocks
Rattlesnake Rocks has some of the best single pitch climbing in Greater Boston. While we’ve already written about some of the area’s best easy trad climbs, here is a six-pack of enjoyable routes that are worth checking out if you are in the vicinity as well as a pro tip on where to kick back after a fun day 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.
No Gym—No Problem
With the current situation involving the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become impossible or a poor idea to gym climb unless you have a personal home gym. That can be a bit of a drag for many of us, however, we can turn that situation around to take care of ourselves and hit the upcoming rock season even stronger. Below I lay out some ideas to kick start your at-home training so you get stronger during this situation.
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.
Route Profile: Lakeview, Cannon
Scott and I recently climbed Lakeview (5.6, Grade III, 7 pitches) on Cannon as part of my 2019 Must-Climb Routes. It was awesome, although at times a little intimidating. It was also, in keeping with Cannon’s reputation, a bit loose.
Beginner's Guide to Personal Climbing Kit
So you finally have a weekend to join your friends on a trip to Rumney and you’re excited to climb outside for the first time. All that time learning to climb in the gym has prepared you for the physical aspects of the upcoming climbs, but not necessarily the personal gear you need to send the transition from gym to crag. Here’s my recommendation for a streamlined and highly versatile kit.
Granite City Climbing
Climbing season is in full swing in Greater Boston and I’ve been psyched to get out to Quincy Quarries with Luke, Mickey, and the Ski Patrol Guys several times over the last few weeks. Getting back on real rock has been fantastic after a winter in the gym, and Luke’s captured the transition perfectly with the camera. Here's my favorites of his recent climbing pics, along with my description.
2019's Must-Climb Routes
I climbed so many outstanding pitches in 2018. With rock season now upon us, I’ve been thinking a lot about routes that I’d like to climb this year. So without further ado, here’s five new-to-me rock routes in the Northeast that are on my “to-do” list for 2019.
Quincy Quarries Bouldering Project: O Wall
This installment of the Quincy Quarries bouldering project covers the climbs found on O wall.
Quincy Quarry Bouldering Project
When I started rock climbing, my gear consisted of a pair purple 5.10 Spires. Eager to climb, but lacking any other equipment, I bouldered. My first “real” problem: a 50 foot traverse from a small but solid stance in a cave on what I later learned was Quincy Quarry’s “N Wall.”
Red Rock Reflections, Part 2
I wrote the other day about what we climbed during a recent trip to Red Rock. With the climbing summarized, here are a few more post-trip reflections.
Red Rock Reflections, Part 1
I recently returned from a fantastic 5-day climbing trip to Red Rock with my friend Josh, who I met during the AMGA Rock Guide Course in North Conway in September. Here’s a quick rundown of what we climbed.
Tulip Knows Best
At Little Elephant Head in Tompson Street Reservation on Cape Ann, the 5 feels like a 7, the 6 starts like an 8, and the best 7 climbs like a 5. And as Nick and I discovered last weekend when we set off to climb at this obscure Red-Rock-alternative, the routes themselves are really hard to find.
My Favorite Pitches of 2018 (So Far)
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about my favorite pitches that I’ve lead in 2018 (so far). There were a bunch of candidates and it was a fun process to whittle down the list. Here’s my top 5, with a few honorable mentions for good measure.
Book Report: Valley Walls—A Memoir of Climbing & Living in Yosemite
Valley Walls: A Memoir of Climbing & Living in Yosemite is more of a collection of short stories than it is a single narrative, which makes it an easy to pick up and put down. It also makes it a quick read. So if you’re looking to learn more about the roots of Yosemite climbing give Glen Denny’s Valley Walls: A Memoir of Climbing & Living in Yosemite a read.
Whitehorse & Cathedral in a Day
Tim, Scott, and I recently had a great day climbing on Whitehorse and Cathedral Ledge. We climbed two classic routes—Sliding Board on Whitehorse and Thin Air on Cathedral—in good time, then enjoyed some parking lot beers. While I loved the climbing, I’m pretty sure the post-climb Trilliums made Tim’s day.
My Go-To Climbing Gear
Between multiple trips to the Gunks, days clipping bolts at Rumney, and many outings to crag at various cliffs in New Hampshire (Whitehorse, Longstack Precipice, Square Ledge, Echo Crag, and Artists Bluff), Greater Boston (Quincy Quarries, Rattlesnake Rocks, Hammond Pond, and Crow Hill), and Connecticut (Chatfield Hollow), I’ve been climbing a lot this season. Here’s some of the gear that keeps finding its way into my kit no matter the outing.
How to Wash a Climbing Rope
The last several weeks at Tuesday Night Climbing, I’ve gotten an earful about how “dirty” my climbing ropes are. Of course, the earfuls were well-deserved as my ropes were, to put it mildly, dirty. The key word there, though, is were, as earlier this week I decided to solve the problem. I washed the ropes. In case you’ve never done it, here’s how to wash a climbing rope in 7 easy steps.
Building a Better Boulderer, Not Person
Over the years, I have sporadically thought about that day with Ron, and I still marvel at the nonchalant way in which he climbed a problem that eludes me to this day. Because Ron seemed so familiar with Pawtcukaway, it has always surprised me that I never ran into him again—that is until I started going to a new climbing gym and saw the familiar beard, ponytail, and effortless style from across the bouldering cave.