Bouldering?

I don't know, probably not that hard. It is just high with a really awful landing unless built up with snow. It is a little hard for me to tell as I basically haven't been climbing for a few months before last Sunday (finger injury etc) so my fingers are feeling pretty weak. The crux for me seems to be a long barndoory throw for a sidepull and bump that I didn't really get cleanly, but I think I just need to work it a little. I am trying it the easier way coming in using the seams on the right (avoiding the big shelf out right), but starting left of the arete on the curving flake is the obvious harder and cooler way that I originally envisioned. There is a partially cleaned seam further to the left that I have climbed, but only with a rope so far. (same pointy death block landing to deal with) I'd guess that is a 3 or 4. Hopefully it will dry out quickly so I can finish scrubbing it.

From the front - precleaning

Joe M. wrote:You can smell boulders too????

Can't you, after all those years boulder hunting?

Oh yeah, definitely, it drives my wife crazy when we are out hiking and I go running off into the woods looking for rock...

Recon mission to Pawtuckaway today, inspired by mattwallace's rundown of Rumney.

Surprisingly climbable, approach from the Horse Farm is packed down hard too, looks almost like it was plowed.

Most things are climbable at Round Pond with some work, Maxim/High Tech Issues all key holds were 100% dry with the topout doable, The Whip has some ice in the crack at the top, Atlas/Crimp Problem/Gadgetry dry, Dopeman would be fine with a bit of work.

Boulder Natural is still relatively soaked, Hobbit Hole and the Four Hole wall are dry and top-outable, Mr. Natural/Blaow completely dry with top out also dry, Halcyon all key holds are dry and the topout would definitely go with a touch of cleaning.

Devil's Den things like Up In Smoke/Throng would be fine, Leave it to Beaver was surprisingly bone-dry no snow in sight on the topout.

Lower Slabs were a bit iffy.

Trailside boulders (Overlooked, the Arrow, Dome Piece) were perfect.

Upper Cliff Boulders were in very good shape, the Chuckie's Torture(rip) wall was perfect, didn't take a peep at the Font boulder but i'm sure it's all ice.

For Blair, I just checked out the Swirley boulder, the approach is not packed and is knee deep snow, also the road to the boat launch is not drivable so you have to park on the road proper. Uncle Climax/Stand and Deliver/Jon's Arete/Amnesia were the climbable lines on the boulder, with Stand and Deliver being the driest topout.

I legged it around everywhere today, so if there's something i'm not including that you're interested in the conditions of, let me know, I probably took a look at it.

Pics:

overlooked

lower slabs

maxim

halcyon

from halcyon looking at mothra stewart/storm pockets

edit: apologies for the sideways pics, just got a new phone

Thanks. I was just wondering today how things were looking over there. I don't suppose you got over to Area 51 did you? Most of it is on a south facing slope so it looses the snow earlier than many other spots. The approach is longer than many and the dirt track you start on can be like a river in some spots though during the melt.

I am not involved in your local community, but I greatly appreciate this thread. Awesome communication! This is a prime example of playing to these/this forums strength.

I just wanted to point that out because I appreciate community and good communication. Fuckin' rad dudes!

Ian thanks for the Pway run down! I was just starting to wonder what it was like out there! I might head down to blair on monday, if I do I will keep everyone updated!

M Sprague wrote:Thanks. I was just wondering today how things were looking over there. I don't suppose you got over to Area 51 did you? Most of it is on a south facing slope so it looses the snow earlier than many other spots. The approach is longer than many and the dirt track you start on can be like a river in some spots though during the melt.

Unfortunately no, but it sounds like it'd be good to go.

The Stoned Master wrote:I am not involved in your local community, but I greatly appreciate this thread. Awesome communication! This is a prime example of playing to these/this forums strength. I just wanted to point that out because I appreciate community and good communication. Fuckin' rad dudes!

Thanks for the appreciation, a hard winter makes the locals come together like nothing else.

Went to check out Lynn Woods yesterday around the parking lot and golf course. Most of the blocks still had some snow on top and were kind of wet. Knee high snow walking to some of them, but the time is coming!

Starting to shovel things out in central VT - still 3ft of compacted snow in the woods, tops are deep, faces are clean.

Lincoln woods is good to go. Walking to the boulders is still kind of crappy as the packed snow is slick. I ended up walking on unpacked snow next to the trails. A few tops are still snowy, but everything I saw (Warm Up, Heart, Yosemite, Barbed Wire, and Sit Down) was good to go.

What's the status of the reservation road approach/drive into pway?

caesar.salad wrote:What's the status of the reservation road approach/drive into pway?

Reservation Rd access probably won't be open until after mud season, the last week of May give or take. There's still a ton of snow out there

Ian McAfee wrote:Recon mission to Pawtuckaway today, inspired by mattwallace's rundown of Rumney. Surprisingly climbable, approach from the Horse Farm is packed down hard too, looks almost like it was plowed. Most things are climbable at Round Pond with some work, Maxim/High Tech Issues all key holds were 100% dry with the topout doable, The Whip has some ice in the crack at the top, Atlas/Crimp Problem/Gadgetry dry, Dopeman would be fine with a bit of work. Boulder Natural is still relatively soaked, Hobbit Hole and the Four Hole wall are dry and top-outable, Mr. Natural/Blaow completely dry with top out also dry, Halcyon all key holds are dry and the topout would definitely go with a touch of cleaning. Devil's Den things like Up In Smoke/Throng would be fine, Leave it to Beaver was surprisingly bone-dry no snow in sight on the topout. Lower Slabs were a bit iffy. Trailside boulders (Overlooked, the Arrow, Dome Piece) were perfect. Upper Cliff Boulders were in very good shape, the Chuckie's Torture(rip) wall was perfect, didn't take a peep at the Font boulder but i'm sure it's all ice. For Blair, I just checked out the Swirley boulder, the approach is not packed and is knee deep snow, also the road to the boat launch is not drivable so you have to park on the road proper. Uncle Climax/Stand and Deliver/Jon's Arete/Amnesia were the climbable lines on the boulder, with Stand and Deliver being the driest topout. I legged it around everywhere today, so if there's something i'm not including that you're interested in the conditions of, let me know, I probably took a look at it. Pics: edit: apologies for the sideways pics, just got a new phone

How deep was the snow on the Blair Woods road? A bunch of us are heading out there this weekend and we were aiming for Blair. Has the area seen much traffic? I'm just thinking about the approach and how much snow may have melted between when you were there and this weekend.

caesar.salad wrote: How deep was the snow on the Blair Woods road? A bunch of us are heading out there this weekend and we were aiming for Blair. Has the area seen much traffic? I'm just thinking about the approach and how much snow may have melted between when you were there and this weekend.

I don't know whats it been like out there but if its going to be like VT this week down there then there should be a good amount of snow melt going on in the next 2 days.

caesar.salad wrote: How deep was the snow on the Blair Woods road? A bunch of us are heading out there this weekend and we were aiming for Blair. Has the area seen much traffic? I'm just thinking about the approach and how much snow may have melted between when you were there and this weekend.

It's been pretty cold the past week, so I don't think there have been any huge snow melts, the hike in will be deep and most likely not well-traveled, but we stomped down the loop a bit more than a week ago. I've been in Arizona for the last week so I haven't been out, but you could definitely find lots of things to climb, and with some work the majority of things could probably be dried off.

A buddy of mine shoveled off some of the warm up boulders, and the gran torino boulder, and a bit of the method boulder. Weather permitting I'll probably head out there later this week when I get back from Arizona.

Good luck!

Any word on Farley lately? Hoping it's good to go for the weekend, especially with the 40s/50s expected for the next few days.

Farley sounds ok these days. Here's a comment from NEClimbs that suggests you can have a good day there.

Lanky wrote:Farley sounds ok these days. Here's a comment from NEClimbs that suggests you can have a good day there.

Make note of the post mentioning the regular parking was snowed in, so you have to walk a bit more.