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So here we are in one of those rainy patterns that I guess we'd all hoped wouldn't happen this Spring. An afternoon rain, clear morning, day of rain, evening clear, rainy morning, clear afternoon...rinse repeat. Not so bad for gardens and lawns or for cycling, if you can get out on a moment's notice, but not all that good for climbing - unless you are good in the Cathedral Cave. [wry grin] It just stays too damp. So what to do, what to do?
Well I used up one of the rainy days earlier in the week to make the switch in my gear room from winter to summer. You know the routine - put away the ice tools, mountaineering boots, GoreTex bibs and the like and switch the draws from screamers to slings. In the process I usually check the state of my screws and figure how many need to be sharpened or replaces and evaluate the state of my biners and the like. It's also a good time to check out my rock rack to see if there is anything missing or in need of repair. Every year I need to get another locking biner or two, replace a nut or so and clean my cams. This year I had to replace a couple of wires on my red and blue Camelots. What a pain those are! But it's better than buying new ones every year or so.
The other thing I always notice is how much old gear I have laying around on the shelves in my basement. Many many old biners, sets of hexes, tons of runners, sport draws, rigid Friends, weird nuts, harnesses. 2 or three old helmets and stacks of ropes, not to mention multiple pair of gloves in various states of disrepair. I know why I keep the old pair of EB's around, but not why 4 pair of Aces! Go figure...
So here's the real question. What do you do with this stuff? It's definitely in the way, but for some reason I simply can't bring myself to get rid of it. I feel like I'm like one of those 90 year olds who has a 40 years of old newspapers and magazine's in the basement. I should make a big list and put it up on NEClimbs in the classifieds section or take it over to IME and put in consignment, but who would want it and it's such a pain in the butt to do. I gotta figure that every climber that's been in the game for a while is in the same position. It's not exactly like you can donate it to the Salvation Army like an old couch. Maybe the thing to do is just put it in our yard sale and hope for the best! What do you do with your old stuff? Or are you a packrat like me?
Ice Conditions Report:
Selected Ice Conditions effective April 24, 2024
It's all over for 2023/2024.
Huntington Ravine
OUT
Repentance
OUT
Standard Route
OUT
Dracula
OUT
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
Bug Report:
So far the bugs haven't taken over, and that's been surprising. Even out in the deeper woods I haven't experienced the agony that I would expect. Especially from the reports I've been hearing from our friends further south. Perhaps it's because of the cooler nights, I'm not sure. But I'll take it... That said, my wife was out in the garden planting peas on Saturday and found the season's first tick! Be aware....
Rockin' Wolfboro:
Well it's the second Friday of the month, and that means that Sounds Clever will be at 51 Mill Street in Wolfboro. There isn't all that much to do in Wolfboro and Mill Street is a great place for food, drink and good music. We start at 8 and the party goes 'till 11. It's a good time and I hope to see some of you there.
Mobile Version Of NEClimbs:
Up on one of the Mount Washington Valley's finest crags and want to know what that climb you're looking at is? Or maybe you're on your way up from Boston and want to check out the Ice Report for your upcoming weekend plans. Or more likely, you're at work just want to daydream about your next adventure. Well if you have a smart phone handy, you can get to NEClimbs from anywhere you have cell service. While it doesn't offer every single feature of the site and it's not an "app", in mobile form, it does do a whole lot and is very useful. Here is the live link to the mobile version of NEClimbs:
Check it out and if you have issues on your specific phone, please feel free to let me know.
NEClimbs & White Mountain Report On Facebook:
Join us and LIKE us on Facebook. I'll try and post interesting pix every Thursday and the latest Ice Report in the season, tho certainly not the whole Report. Here's where you can check it out:
Climbing is a very dangerous sport. You can get hurt or even kill yourself. When you go climbing, you do so of your own free will. Everything on this site is to be taken with a grain of salt. Don't blame us if you get up some totally heinous route, in over your head and fall and hurt yourself.
