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There's only a handful of times over the course of a year that I simply can't manage to get out for some amount of climbing every week. Sometimes I can get in 3+ days, some only 1, but usually I can manage something - even if it's only bouldering at Humphrey's, playing on the Thin Air/Saigon's face or rope soloing the first couple of pitches of Beginner's Route. This week was pretty much a bust for me, at least as far as climbing goes. [sigh]
That's because this week was one of the rainiest ones we've had this summer. We got 2 inches last Friday, and then it's been off and on rain showers or thunderstorms pretty much every day since. There were only a handful of times when the weather cooperated. I've had contractors in my house every day this week working on expanding my son's bedroom so I've only had a few hours here and there to be able to get out to do something, and the available schedule and the rain schedule just wouldn't match up. It was even hard to get in a couple of bike rides in between the showers. My frustration level reached a point on Tuesday where I just went out on the mountain bike in the rain, something I rarely do. I don't mind getting wet once I'm out there, but it's tough to get motivated when it's raining as you leave.
The regional TV weather prognosticator on WMUR talked about Wednesday being generally OK, but apparently he was really talking about southern NH 'cause it rained off and on up here in the Valley. I had to take the car into the tire place to get a nail pulled out around 3 and fortunately I was able to get in an hour ride up Passaconaway and down the Kanc while they were futzing with it. Just as I got back to the car another small shower blow through so I was happy for what I could manage. I woke up this morning at 5 to the sound of thunder and a pretty good downpour that's been continuing off and on ever since. In fact we've gotten almost 7/10 inches in the past couple of hours, plus a short power outage! [YOW] At least it looks as if the weekend should be a whole lot better. I have my fingers crossed since, with only one gig on Saturday, I have Saturday and Sunday off for climbing.
When GPS Leads To SOS:
Local climber, alpinist and writer Freddie Wilkinson posted the following ilnk on his FB page. It's a very interesting OP-Ed by David Roberts about "the proliferation of cellphones, satellite phones, emergency locator devices, GPS, and similar technology…" and what it means to the ethics of climbing and outdoors activities as an adventure.
For those of you who want to know more about the SPOT and PLG devices, here is a link to the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group web site with a primer on the devices.
Here's a quote from the site which I found particularly interesting - "As with any equipment you trust your life to, take the time to learn about any device, and how to use it expertly. These devices should not be viewed as a license to make poor decisions in the wilderness. They may assist rescuers in reaching you, hopefully before it is too late."
This is a hot topic that's been raging since cell phones began to proliferate in the mountains. (Anybody remember Dr Bernie Dahl?) I tend to think that the very least, easy availability of rescue insurance like what the American Alpine Club offers would be a good thing. What's your take on this?
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
2012 American Alpine Club Northeast Craggin' Classic:
A three-day festival of climbing, camping, slide shows, crag stewardship,
dancing, and fun on Sept. 21-23 in North Conway, New Hampshire.
Registration is now open: festival tickets, clinic spots, and campground reservations are now available at Brown Paper Tickets.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:
Friday, September 21
* All-day guided climbs available at discounted rates from EMS,
IMCS, Winkler Mountain Guide, and Synnott Mountain Guides
* Post-climbing slacklining, snacks, and beverages at the beach in
Echo Lake State Park
* Evening slide shows at Zip's Pub, Cranmore Mountain Resort
* Mark Synnott and Ed Webster talk about what makes Cathedral Ledge
one of the best cliffs in the world.
* Jason Kruk, a young rising star in rock climbing and alpinism
circles, talks about his home granite in Squamish, adventures in
the Canadian Rockies, and the first "fair means" ascent of the
Southeast Ridge of Cerro Torre with the subsequent removal of the
controversial Maestri bolts
* Camping at Echo Lake State Park (campsites limited, ]pre-registration required)
Saturday, September 22
* Morning gear demos, coffee, and beach yoga at Echo Lake
* Stewardship trail-building project with the NH State Parks
* Half-day skills clinics: Self-rescue, Anchors 101, Rappelling
Systems, Multi-pitch Systems (pre-registration required)
* Post-climbing slacklining, tug-of-war contest, and beverages at the
beach in Echo Lake State Park
* Evening slide show and dance party at Zip's Pub
* Doug Scott, the legendary British climber known for pioneering
big-wall and high-altitude ascents, presents his show: Big Wall
Climbing Around the World
* DJ Mon Voyage Neon returns to North Conway to spin dance tunes
after the show
* Camping at Echo Lake State Park (campsites limited, pre-registration required)
Sunday, September 23
* Morning gear demos, coffee, and beach yoga at Echo Lake
* Kismet Cliff Run: one of New England's toughest & most
beautiful trail runs
* Half-day skills clinics: Self-rescue, Anchors 101, Rappelling
Systems, Multi-pitch Systems (pre-registration required)
4th Annual Kismet Cliff Run:
The Kismet Cliff Run is one of New England's toughest and most beautiful trail runs! Enjoy twisting singletrack, brutal climbs and swooping down hills around the soaring cliffs and granite boulders of North Conway, New Hampshire. Choose the classic 5 mile course, or new this year, the 14 mile "Beast of the East" course which summits majestic North Moat Mountain.
The KCR is now a part of The American Alpine Club's "Craggin' Classic" series. Based in Echo Lake State Park, come join fellow climbers and trail runners with fun events all weekend long!
When:Sunday, September 23, 2012
To register and FMI: www.kismetcliffrun.org
Instant Bug Report:
Once again I'm leaving the BugCON at a 3. For the most part bugs aren't much of a problem right now.
Peregrine Notes:
All the various seasonal climbing closures implemented for the 2012 peregrine falcon breeding season in New Hampshire have now been removed. You may climb anywhere you like.
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.
