Bar Harbor!

Just back from an amazing trip to Bar Harbor where we climbed at Precipice cliffs. John Cory, Chris Hennigar, Krissy Lunney, Jennifer Barth, John Bowles, Chris Norfolk, Eric Burley and I all headed down Friday to camp at Clifton and drink our faces off to different degrees. Hangover ridden next morning, we got an alpine start and managed (barely) to keep it in until we got to the cliffs. I have to say that place is amazing. Like a small welsford with better quality rocks and routes, and sooo many crack climbs! Saturday I got on
Old Town 5.7
Gunklandia 5.7 pitch 1-2
Return to Forever 5.9+
Connecticut Cracks 5.11a

This included the Tri-simulclimb of Old Town by Hennigar, Jenn Barth and I. We tied in about five feet apart and climbed in a block. Crazy. I tried to get a quad-simulabseil going at the top, but there were no buyers. Saturday night saw us hit the town, which was pretty cool, but crawling with cops.

After camping out on the side of the road somewhere, we got another alpine start with the help of High octane Gangsta coffee. and headed back to the cliffs. Sunday saw the sending of
Bartelby 5.8
Recollections of Pacifica 5.9-
Wafer Step 5.5
Chicken of the Sea 5.9
Green Mountain Shakedown 5.9+

Back in town, we saw a couple of souped up pickups with hydraulics and dragger bars that would throw out sparks 20 ft behind them! We egged on one guy to give us a show, but the 5-0 were waiting in the bushes and he got nailed and kicked out of town. Brutal! Dinner was then had and we boogied for home late. Great place and I can't wait to get back there soon!
Matthew.

Welsford is back.

The Cochraine lane hiatus is over! Finally climbers are allowed back into (most of) this hallowed NB craig. I finally bit the bullet on Saturday and lead up Pink Panther Direct, which while burley, was not nearly as scary as I had it pegged to be. I do have a thing or two to learn about protecting roofs however.
Minkey was well populated on Saturday by those of us who braved the J Corey hangover to regain the glorious granite, and the peregrine's treated us to quiet the show by turfing a few of the local Vultures who got too close.
Sunday saw bizarre weather and cool climbing conditions. It turns out Its a Way of Life is just as good as it always was, and in the words of Burley "I still have to stop and remember to place pro".
Next week: Bar Harbor or Gumby's Roof? What's it gonna be?
Cheers,
Matthew.
Credits to F. Berube for the picture, until I can upload one of mine.

Gunks 07

Ok, finally back from a long awaited trip to the Gunks in New Paltz, NY. This was my third trip to the craigs, and I'd have to say it was the best yet. Rob, Trace, NoJ Simpson and Jersey Todd and I drove down Saturday, climbed till Thrusday night and left Friday morning. The weather was great save for one evening and morning where we got thundershowered, otherwise we only had to contend with the heat and humidity.
The following lines were climbed by teams I was a part of. *'s are arbitrary:
Rhododendron (5.3)
Betty (5.4)
Horseman (5.5)
Jackie (5.6), Shockley's Roof p1,2&3 (5.6)**, High Exposure p1&2 (5.6)**, Frog's Head p1&2 (5.6-)
Classic p1&2 (5.7)*, Ken's Crack (5.7)***, City Lights p1&2 (5.7)*, Laurel (5.7)*
Son of Easy O p1 (5.8)**,
Directissima p1 (5.9)*, Ant's Line (5.9)***
Retaliation (5.10+)**
Everyone had a great time, and no injurys were incurred. Retaliation was an amazing climb which I want to repeat, and Directissima will certainly see the completion of the top two pitches in my next visit.
Special thanks to Peter and Jason, a couple of locals who showed us all the cool spots and made us feel right at home. Also thanks to the R&S chica for the morale boost and the sweet deal on my nomics. See you all in the fall.

Midnight Rescue!

Ok, before I post my Gunks trip, I had a little outing tonight I thought I should share.
So my brother calls me from a scout camp that he's attending about 30 minutes away and he tells me that he and some fellow scouts decided to rig this crazy incendiary device on a string that would slide down from a tree and ignite the campfire to start this crazy ceremony they were having. In the process, one of the older scouts (20 or so) decides to put on a harness and shimmy up a tree to string up the line. He gets about 20 feet up and freezes, unable to move up or down. He fortunately slings himself to the tree (poorly) and tells my bro the problem. They keep it on the down low until everyone leaves and then he calls me up.
So I have to drive out there in the middle of the night because no-one has anything they can rescue him with. Most un-resourceful scout troop ever. I end up soloing up the tree in my ice gear to rescue the kid, and all ended well. I also got to try out my new axes (hooooooot) and now can't wait for ice season.
Cheers,
Matthew.

Before the Fall

Out last weekend to Welsford before the closeure with Rob, Trace, Mal, Todd and some friends of theirs. I got down to Exfoliated wall where I seldom climb and hit up some of the tough sport routes on the left side. Todd and Trace quickly dispatched Mental Hygene and Fern Gully to warm up, and I was able to follow their good example by putting down The Juggler and Sleeping Beauty. Don, doing an excellent job at photo duty, took some great shots of the climbs, as can be seen at his site http://donricker.smugmug.com/gallery/2947631#P-1-15
Above is me having a crack at The Juggler 5.10a. Also, I'd like to put in a plug for the DMM Revolver, expensive, but awesome.
Gunks next weekend!

Rained out of the White Mountains, NH.

Got CHEWED in New Hampshire last weekend. Lots of cool hiking, but very little climbing. It Rained from start to finish. Team CLIMB FAT lived up to their name with a truely slothful weekend of Shopping and snacking. The only flirting with fitness that occurred was the assault on Tuckerman's Ravine at Mt Washington by Shawn, Denise, Dottie and I. Sub three hours, car to car, topping out just below the bowl. Truely an inspiring spot, I'll have to get back in there in the winter to make the traverse/climb some ice.
Kamouraska tomorrow, Hopefully DK and I will make up for our lackluster weekend in the Whites.
Also, Big shout out to Stef over there in the Gobi, We miss you lots, big guy.

Sweet start to the Season!

The top ten weekends in Welsford list just made some room for a new addition this weekend. DK came up from Hali to rejoin CLIMB FAT team members Rob, Trace and I for a killer weekend.
Saturday saw some sweet climbs up on Mikey, with Dash, 5.8 for style, Salt & Pepper, Warm and Sultry, and Curried Reccolection being led, and Inhuman eraser and Bird of Fire being Topped. Bomber day on warm rock. Got buzzed by the lady Peregrine who was just checking us out. She's beautiful.
Saturday night was cool, but was warmed by good company as a good crew arrived at the base to camp. It's amazing how our little community has changed in the past couple of years, Im not going to be the pup for much longer.
Sunday dawned bright and cool, and after some morning schenaegans Dottie and I hit up the Upper Tier for some sweet leads. Monseur Torpedo, Most Unprecidented and Bombing run (?) got hit first for a stellar morning, with a tribute to trad on Adventure Pedestre after lunch, proving that DK still has what it takes to throw pro. The afternoon culminated in the discovery of the Attic, which I have never been to before, but will soon return to. That wall is amazing, with sustained hard climbing on bomber bolts. Good times were had by all.
New Hampshire next weekend!