Redeeming the prize

M and I headed up Saturday afternoon to Stone Ridge for a beautiful late summer weekend of quality time with G and Ariane, arriving just in time for some Canadian craft beers and late afternoon sunlight. Started the weekend off with excellent food at the Red Onion in Woodstock - I have the vague memory of multiple calamari dishes and some tasty steak, but mostly recall being stuffed to the gills.

Of course, the primary goal of the weekend was to get some climbing in, with the added responsibility of showing Nikita (and his wife) the beauty of the great outdoors. In a charity auction, Nikita had won the envious opportunity to climb outdoors under the tutelage of none other than G himself, and we wanted it to be worth his money (price unknown, but I'm sure it was worth it).

Nice leisurely start, relaxed enough for a breakfast of coffee and sandwiches from the deli (mmmm. Mountain Man) eaten at the swankest digs around - the bed of G's new old pickup. With Nikita meeting us later, we packed up and headed in to put up a rope on Herdie Gerdie (5.8). G having climbed it before, I took first lead of the day, though I admit thinking that it was a pretty stiff warm-up climb. The crux is low, situated between the ground and a big ledge 20-25ft off the ground, coming after a right leaning crack peters out. Having stuffed the crack with as many tiny nuts as it would take, negotiating the crux involved getting my feet high up on the greasy ramp and working up to the ledge, with a balancey mantle to surmount the lip. The rest of the climb was straightforward, with plenty of pro available.

The only casualty of the day


With a mind on the first day outside for Nikita and Liuba (and one that was prized!), I took my time and set up a careful, redundant anchor: good tree, girth-hitched rock, and solid cam, all (relatively) equalized. Was pretty proud of myself, until I came down to find that I had kicked down a rock that targeted my phone like a homing pigeon with ill intentions. In any case, G made quick work of the climb on TR and we soon had Nikita tied in and on the rock. Tough intro to the great outdoors, as the crux moves were delicate and crimpy, with crappy feet - determined, he eventually figured out the moves. From the same anchor (though we really should have put in a directional), we next TR'ed Dirty Gerdie (5.8+) immediately to the right. Super fun, with balancey moves and a technical mantle on crappy feet down low - not a lot of pro opportunities till halfway up, can't believe G led it in the past.

Nikita below the crux on Herdie Gerdie



Tricky mantle on Dirty Gerdie





To find something a little more enjoyable, we looked at Double Chin - which was taken - and settled on Boston (5.5). Though the moves are fun, the offwidth moves are not straightforward and the climb is difficult to protect without large gear (#5 or #6 BD), which we didn't have. G did an admirable job with the lead, though I was biting my nails the whole time belaying. He managed to fiddle in a decent amount of smaller pro outside the wide crack (including some ballnuts thrown up to him), but would definitely have benefited from some super small gear. Crux move is high off the deck, involving layback moves to get up and over a small roof near the top - excellent heady lead, toughest 5 I've been on for sure. Both Nikita and Liuba took multiple turns on TR - congrats to N for his first day outside, and L to her first day climbing ever, I think I see a future climbing for those two.

G wishing he were in Boston


Looking for small pro at the crux


First time climbing!




Wrapped up at the crag by 2, was back poolside with the ladies and mojitos by 3. Capped off the weekend with tasty burgers fresh off G's backyard grill. We need to do this again soon...

Why, yes, it's a very nice chair...

Some Canadian craftiness

Gerdies (and another one)

Brad, Amalea, Phil and I headed for the Gunks on Saturday. We expected it to be packed and hot: thus the plan was to hit the Nears. Once we arrived around 8, the parking lot was fairly empty and so we changed plans and headed for the Trapps. We wanted to find climb that I could lead, leave the gear, and have Amalea and Brad lead with the gear in place.

We setup on No Picnic (we were using the Swain guidebook which rates it a 4+). The lead went well (except for the yellow cam I almost lost because I overcammed it), I took my time on the way down to double or change any questionable piece to make sure things were safe for the other leaders. Amalea went second and might have been too comfortable with my pro because she did not stop once to look at it... but she sure made it look easy. Phil went next on TR getting his height jitters out of the way. Brad led it and cleaned it.

Next we did Herdie Gerdie (our guidebook had it at 6+). I led it, I must say I felt some of the pro was small and marginal (I used multiple C3s, including the 000 and one ballnut). At some point (about halfway) I wondered too far right, but I came back on track. The crux was particularly difficult because the feet (friction only) were super greasy. Again, Amalea led it on my pro, then Phil went on TR, and Bradley led it last. Still seemed easy for Amalea and Bradley, but they did not stop much to study the gear placements.

Leaving the anchors in, we TRed the next two. First Dirty Gerdie (rated 8 or 8+ - can't remember - in the guidebook). That is a very interesting climb, involving a balancy mantel about 15 feet off the deck with nothing to grab with your hands until you are completely up (except if you are Amalea, in which case there's a tiny feature you can crimp... nasty I tell you). We all had fun on this one, but Amalea would need to come back later to do it clean.

Finally, we attacked Nurdie Gerdie (5.10+, the new Grey Dick has it 11-). Amalea gave it the first go, fingering out the tricky beta and displaying great footwork. There are at least 3 difficult move, but the 10+ one involves a one finger dish less than half a inch deep (right hand) from which you get your body up (hips in close to the wall) and then explode with the left hand to a ledge. She could not link it on the first go. I went second and had to take one. One of the moves is almost a dyno for me (with very bad feet), which I found quite enjoyable. Bradley tried it but quit when he realized his bad finger tendons might not survive the finger move. Phil went next and did the variation that uses the arete (rated a 9). He really pushed himself hard on this. Quite an impressive send for someone who'e going outside only for the second time. Bradley went back to it, using the arete only at the finger move, I would say that make it a 9+. I was then capable of sending it clean, which really felt great. Amalea did one more time, and then went back to do Dirty Gerdie clean and she cleaned the anchors (something she had never done before).

I am a bit surprised that I had lead Dirty Gerdie a few years ago (see http://www.themonkeyclub.org/2009/04/let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow.html), but I can see why I wrote that I was sketched...

Really a great day, very few people (I guess they were scared of the heat). We followed it by delicious marinated pork chops on the grill and some great local beers.