Breaking the Barrier

Yesterday I got to watch Caleb send his first V10! In a time when V14’s are getting flashed and superhuman feats on the rock seem to happen everyday, sending V10 is still considered the gateway into really difficult climbing. Caleb has been training like a machine for the past five weeks in preparation for a Spring Break trip to Bishop and it was awesome to see his hard work pay off. The problem he sent was Balance of Power at RLC. It was also the first repeat of the problem. So congratulations Caleb!

Here is a video of the send:

Best of the Best

     As I say goodbye to my last fall bouldering season here in the Gunnison Valley I decided to compile a list of the ‘best’ boulder problem for every grade V0-V12 here in The Valley. There are so many good problems it is hard to label just one as the 'best', so I chose problems that are benchmark for the grade, aesthetic, and indicative of the area. Here is what I came up with. This is just my opinion, comments and additions welcome!

THE BEST OF THE BEST

V0 – Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ (Hartmans, The Other Side)

Great movement on a tall boulder, with good holds and plenty of intermediates for shorter folks.

                                                  

Ziggy on Cruisin' for a Bruisin' during the Gunnison Glory

V1 – Gunnison Crack (Hartmans, White Lightning Area)

The classic highball crack boulder problem. A must do for the Gunnison climber, just don’t blow it at the top!

V2 – Canine Levitation (Taylor Canyon, Graveyard)

Have you ever taken a dog across a tyrolean…? Maybe leave the dog at home when you cross the river to get on this classic problem. Awesome edge climbing on amazing rock to a thoughtful topout over a good landing.

Aaron chalking up for Canine Levitation

V3 – Madagascar (Hartmans, The Stash)

Yup, that patina shield looks just like Madagascar. This problem stands out for its rock quality, aesthetics, and uniqueness of movement.

                                     

Madagascar

V4 – Look Ma! (Hartmans, Bambi’s Trail)

Highball. Scary landing. Sharp patina crimping. A little sandbagged. Classic Hartmans.

                                    

Look Ma!

V5 – Center El Skyland (Skyland, High Times)

This is definitely one of my personal favorites and I never leave Skyland without climbing it at least once. It is a direct line on a big boulder with a good landing. A heel hook, a big cross, and subtle body positioning will get this thing done.

                                             

Center El Skyland

V6 – Dirty Business (Skyland, Battleship)

Get yer crimp on with this Skyland classic! Small holds lead to a big finishing move and a fairly tall topout. Get dirty.

V7 – Atomic Tick Fever (Skyland, Hone Stone)

This may be one of the most sought after problems in The Valley. Edge compression straight up an overhanging face on a huge freestanding boulder at the edge of an aspen forest looking down at Crested Butte. What more could you want? A V10 sit start? Yeah, its got that too.

                                   

Getting the ATF sit start done on a perfect fall day.

V8 – Fight Test (Willow Creek, Fight Test Boulder)

Bring your friends…and have them bring their friends, you’re going to want a lot of pads and spotters for this one. To date there have only been two ascents: Chris Lindner’s flash FA, and my repeat directly after with a slightly harder direct finish variation. Topping out at 25+ feet with hard moves all the way to the lip this thing is the full package. How hard are you willing to fight for it?

                                                  

Don't let the lens fool you . . . this thing is TALL

V9 – The Plague (Real Lost Canyon, Damocles Boulders)

This recent addition is a real gem. Tucked away in the mostly chossy boulders of Real Lost Canyon, The Plague stands up as one of the best problems I’ve ever done. You’ll want good friction for this one. If you’re not wearing a jacket it might not be cold enough…

                                                  

Caleb on the 2nd ascent of The Plague

V10 – Supernatural (Skyland, Supernatural Boulder)

Did it get it’s name from the supernatural beauty of the line, the supernatural crimp strength needed to pull it off, or both? I could ramble for pages about how good this thing is, but you really just have to see it for yourself.

                                                   

Roy working out the crux moves on Supernatural

V11 – ??????

If there is a classic problem of this grade in the Gunnison Valley I am currently unaware of it. Though there are certainly some beautiful projects hanging around in that range.

V12 – Stigmata (Taylor Canyon, Graveyard)

A project of mine for years, I finally pulled off the FA this fall. Extremely subtle and extremely powerful compression up an overhanging blade of granite. It could be a grade easier, and it could very possibly be a grade harder. It was a huge mental and physical leap for me so it is hard to assign a grade. This is unrepeated to date.           

                                   

Stigmata

Beta and directions to all of these problems can be found on Mountain Project. Bundle up and go climbing!

-Will Anglin

RLC Resurgence

People have been climbing at Real Lost Canyon (RLC) for decades. There is however a lack of accessible, reliable information about the existing routes and boulder problems. A number of weeks ago Aaron and I headed out to RLC on a rest day to try and track down some boulders that might be accessible through the winter months. At first RLC looks like it could be the most concentrated bouldering area in the valley, surpassing even the Skyland Boulders at the base of Mt. Crested Butte. Unfortunately the rock quality leaves something to be desired. The sandstone here is very brittle. I would describe it like an egg. A very hard outer patina shell that, when broken, reveals the soft, white, sandy center. Some of the rock is mind-blowing choss, but tucked away in these boulders are some of the best problems I have ever climbed! So there is the disclaimer…all nay saying about the rock quality aside, RLC has some of the best moderately hard (V8-9) boulder problems in the valley. The rock seems to be very conducive to these grades. Mainly because all the big holds break, and what you are left with are beautiful steep lines with small holds, slopers, thoughtful movement, and great texture. I am very excited about this “rediscovery” of RLC. To put it into perspective…I have spent 5 years actively developing bouldering at Hartmans, and have only just started finding good problems there in the V8-V10+ range. After only two days at RLC I was able to put up two V8’s and a V9, all three are CLASSIC, and there are multiple projects that could be harder and just as quality. Over the past few weeks a crew of dedicated Gunni climbers have been bundling up, braving the cold, and putting in the hard work of finding and cleaning new problems for what is sure to become a great resource for bouldering in the Gunnison Valley.

I want to mention: Aaron, Caleb, Alek, Kyle, Roy, Spenser, and Pat. All of these guys have been instrumental in helping to get this area off to a good start.

Anyone interested in getting in on the action, feel free to shoot me an email: wlanglin@comcast.net

For some absolutely amazing photos of RLC check out Spenser Li’s Flickr account:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20673597@N04/

Climb Safe,

Will Anglin

Here is a short film of some of the most classic lines at RLC:

Get more beta HERE

Hartmans Update

Some new problems have gone up recently at Hartmans! Caleb Justice sent his project Pride Rock (V7-) at The Far Side, Alek Pouliopolis nabbed the 2^nd ascent of this gem shortly after. This might be the best problem of the grade in all of Hartmans. Really cool movement on an overhanging refrigerator block of really high quality stone. Get out there and climb it! Also new at Hartmans is The Contortionist (V8+) at The Stash. I got the FA of this short, but powerful problem today after a great session of repeating a lot of classics in the area. The Stash has a high concentration of GREAT problems! Everyone should get out there. The problems Madagascar (V3), Straight Razor (V3), Birdman (V4+ HB), Africa VIP (V4), and The Contortionist (V8+) are some of the best problems anywhere around Gunnison. I was also able to get the 2^nd ascent of Caleb’s core-tension testpiece Attack of The Bongos (V9-). There has been some speculation that the absence of a thumbcatch that was present at the first ascent has upped the grade. Having not tried the problem before the break, I can’t say whether it has gotten harder, but I feel confident that the grade now is solid in the easy V9 range. Attack of The Bongos is definitely one of Hartmans best and hardest problems. Big props to Caleb for unlocking the beta and putting up this amazing problem! There is so much rock at Hartmans! If anyone is interested in doing some development let me know, I can point you towards some great boulders. Get out and explore too! If you think you’ve put up some new boulders, log into www.mountainproject.com and update the Hartmans bouldering page.

- Will Anglin

Here are some sweet Hartmans pics to get you excited…

Aaron sticking the crux on Jenny V6-

Photo: W. Anglin

Will on the FA of The Contortionist (V8+)

Photo: C. Justice

Elyssa on Magic Shoes (V2+)

Photo: A. Newell

Caleb on Pride Rock (V7-)

Photo: W. Anglin

The Graveyard Boulders

To get to the Graveyard Boulders from Gunni you drive up to Almont and take a right into Taylor Canyon. Drive past first and second buttress to mile marker 10 (or just look across the river for the Coffin Cracks), park at the lot on the right before the cabin. Now comes the fun part… to get to the boulders you walk about 30-40m upriver, strip down to your undies, hike the crashpads as high up on you back as they can go and walk across the river. “Walk” is slightly misleading, more like “struggle to stay standing in waist deep, fast moving water”.

Will and Roy crossing the Taylor (Photo: A. Newell)

After surviving the river, head down stream about 200m and the first boulder you’ll probably notice is the looming Fuzzy Bottom Boulder right off of the trail. The 20ft. super crimpy line up the center of the boulder is the classic face climbing test-piece, Flatline (V8), established by local Taylor Canyon resident Duffy Hutchins. One of the best moderates ever is on the same boulder just around to the right; Canine Levitation (V2) sit starts on a nice angled rail and makes some awesome moves to an easy top out. Next you can test your mettle against the arête climb to the left of Flatline, called, Like a Boss(V2). This climb boasts a much spicier topout than Canine Levitation. If you cruise “Like a Boss” then you can truly test your mental game on the newly established Murderball (V5) on the crimpy face just leftof Canine Levitation, but make sure you’ve got a lot of pads because a fall off the crux could really ruin your season.

Caleb on the 2nd ascent of Murderball V5 (Photo: W. Anglin)

If you crossed the river for more moderate problems then you can head up the hill and get some burns in on the Umbrella Boulder with the lowballs Pimp Smack (V4-5) and Mary Poppins (V4). You could also sneak through a hole to the right and try the powerful and technical, Flightless Bird (V5).

Aaron sending Flightless Bird (Photo: W. Anglin)

Think you’re good at crimps…then wander back upriver to check out Will Anglin’s recently established, Stigmata (V12?).

Even if you’re not going to try the problem, just feeling the holds will be a humbling experience. Overall, The Graveyard Boulders are home to some of the best boulder problems in the valley, and there is still a ton of development to be done. For more information, check out: www.mountainproject.com.

- Aaron Newell