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Connecticut sport climbing on the cover of Rock&Ice???

Original Post
M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911

first the boulder chipping in the Gunks and now this?

Is Jesus happy or sad?

nick manning · · superior,az · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 0

isn't that the state that has that douche bag that chops rumney every now and then?

M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911

there is a whole posse of douche supporters so its not just one guy really

mitchy B · · nunya gotdamn business. · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 0

I thought it was only K N. I didn't realize there are other like minded people out there. it's kinda funny, i went to a local crag near my house back in the fall for a little top rope solo and when i got to the base of the crag i saw bolts drilled into the rock.. i haven't been to this spot in about 3 years or so and thought it was a secret. When i found it there was zero evidence of anybody climbing there. i just set up climbed and never mentioned it to anyone, didn't wanna get someones hard work chopped.

jim.dangle · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 5,882

Did Ken Nichol's ever actually chop Rumney?

Jim

Marc H · · Longmont, CO · Joined May 2007 · Points: 265
jim.dangle wrote:Did Ken Nichol's ever actually chop Rumney? Jim
Yes. He also made it all the way up to the Camden area of Maine and chopped an entire cliff called "The Verticals."
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
jim.dangle wrote:Did Ken Nichol's ever actually chop Rumney? Jim
I've always heard that he did early on - if Mark is still around he'll know.
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
TRmasta wrote:first the boulder chipping in the Gunks and now this? Is Jesus happy or sad?
So I take it the article is now out? This is going to be great for CT... Oh wait, shhhhhhiiiiiit......
Johnny Nubbins · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 0
CaptainMo wrote: So I take it the article is now out? This is going to be great for CT... Oh wait, shhhhhhiiiiiit......
Well, they were fun while they lasted.
Rock Cricket · · Norfolk, CT · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 30

Of the areas mentioned in the article I had only heard of three (West Rock, Fire Wall, Chatfield Hollow) previously. Guess that's what happens when you stick to CT's nether regions hahaha. As for Nichols in my neck of the woods, think he was the one who chopped some bolts on the cliffs at The Res in GB. A Shame, looked like they woulda been some nice sport and mixed lines. I wonder if some bolts will reemerge if him and his minions are easing off these days.

Brian · · North Kingstown, RI · Joined Sep 2001 · Points: 804
CaptainMo wrote: I've always heard that he did early on - if Mark is still around he'll know.
Nichols chopped Rumney in 1990 and admitted to it in a May 1991 interview in Rock and Ice.
M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911

Its nice to see CT partially come out of the dark ages.
I wouldnt ever say any of these crags are destinations but at least the locals have a choice now, 5-6 years ago if you wanted to clip a bolt you had to drive for hours.

Michael C · · New Jersey · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 340

Interested in reading this article.

I consider myself to be a trad climber but I can't say that I don't like clipping a bolt (especially on a belay ledge or rappel station).

Would I ever drill a bolt? I don't know. I haven't developed any areas or put up any routes yet. I guess if I had to, I would.

Would I ever chop a bolt? No. Once the damage is done, it's done. I think chopping bolts is just as bad (if not worse) as drilling them.

Just thinking out loud.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
CJC wrote:great article. says even some old trad lines are being bolted.
I think there's a is a bit of a grey area in that statement...
M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911
CaptainMo wrote: I think there's a is a bit of a grey area in that statement...
a large gray area. I am 100% certain no cracks have bolts on them and many of the routes are mixed since there was good gear to be had.
Joe M · · MA and NH · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 11,725

Really curious to see if this brings Ken and/or his minions out of the woodwork with their tools (they can probably buy Ivan's on ebay if they need new ones)... I really hope not, but the history in CT is hard to ignore.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
CJC wrote: I have the article right here. "The route Fresh Bag (5.8) was bolted over a former trad line called Forest Fire (5.8), and bolts also appeared on the trad line Smoke Out (5.7)." where is the grey area??
The grey area that we are talking about are the bolts which were added to the line depicted below in black, while Smoke out is the dotted line on the right. Smoke Out as depicted doesn't have ANY bolts right now (I was last there in Nov). The black solid line is a mixed line that requires gear to prevent a possible ground fall and from what I can tell it's not the same as Forest Fire. Brian is using 1 mixed route that was bolted and claiming two different trad routes were bolted... which IMO neither was.

Also important but not directly relevant to this is that these are not traditional trad climbs these are face climbs (no cracks and 60ft) with one horizontal 30ft off the ground.

M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911
CJC wrote: so the article is wrong then? considering the controversial nature of bolting in CT in general, and bolting trad routes in particular you'd hope the author would get it absolutely right.
the line drawing is not quite right, Fresh Bag (AKA Mobes Route) shares a start with Smoke Out but in no way is the same route after that.

so yeah, its wrong.
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945

Given that, I think 1 bolt was added to the start of smoke out... So that makes sense - Brian got that right.

nick manning · · superior,az · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 0

That guy is lucky i don't live in that state or there would be a bolt rebellion. I'd bolt up whatever area he frequents and then some. At least you guys have bolted some stuff despite this douche.

I've been to Rumney and loved it, I can't even fathom someone chopping that place.

M Mobley · · Bar Harbor, ME · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 911
CaptainMo wrote:Given that, I think 1 bolt was added to the start of smoke out... So that makes sense - Brian got that right.
sharing a start is a BIG difference from bolting over a crack. when I do Fresh Bag I look over to the right at that manky dirt and grass filled crack that hasnt seen an ascent in 20+ years and think "wow, how come none of the trad climbers that CT is known for ever do this" and then I pull the roof over a piece of gear and forget all about it every time. Of course not finding a place to actually protect the first half of Smoke Out might deter the average 5.7 climber from wanting to do the climb.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northeastern States
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