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All the weather reports were for a wet week, but it really didn't turn out that way. I woke up every day to mornings that were totally cloudless. Clouds would build in through the afternoon, but here in the Valley we got no rain at all. I still had to water the garden every day. That is until yesterday (Wednesday)! Starting around noon it kept getting more and more humid/ As I was coming back from a MTB ride on some trails in the hills up off East Conway Road, we saw the clouds building and started hearing rumbles of thunder. The clouds darkened and thickened all afternoon and right at supper time, fortunately just after I took the burgers and grilled squash off the grill, the skies opened up. It's rained off and on all night, but the predictions are only for a "chance of showers". That's a good thing, since I'm supposed to help guide a big school group today! I have my fingers crossed.
Recently I mentioned some of the new routes at Humphrey's. The name for the then-unnamed route on the Geriatric Walls is now The Silent Treatment. Thanks to David Ianman for the suggestion. Joe Perez sent me the "official" descriptions of the two new routes around the right side of Humphrey's. I posted them in the Routes section on NEClimbs.com and here they are:
Ice Conditions Report:
Selected Ice Conditions effective March 21, 2024
I can't actually say that there is nothing out there that can't be climbed. That would be foolish. But for the average, or a little above average climber, that's probably correct. That said, I did hear that there is climbable ice on Parasol in Dixville Notch. Not sure how that will be after we get a foot of heavy wet snow on Saturday. Regardless, here's a few pix I took today just to document things.
Huntington Ravine
AVALANCHE
Repentance
OUT
Standard Route
OUT
Dracula
OUT
For the full current conditions report, CLICK
HERE
--> Rope - 5.9
Directions: This climb is located about 240 feet to the right of the Wiessner route in a corner above a large flake leaning on a fallen tree. Just follow the trail around the cliff band, ducking under a large fallen tree and staying about 20' below the cliff. The flake is right where the trail joins the cliff and before it goes around a buttress.
Description: This route goes up the prominent dihedral above the oak tree.
Pitch 1: Climb small ledges to a short chimney below a large oak. A # 1 Friend can be used in the chimney. Climb to a ledge above the base of the oak. Continue up the arête and dihedral to a two bolt anchor. 80 feet.
Gear: Small cam and draws
Descent: Rappel the route
History: Joe Perez, Judy Perez and Al Hospers. August 20, 2013
--> Even the Rain 5.8
Directions: This climb is located about 240 feet to the right of the Wiessner route in a corner above a large flake leaning on a fallen tree. Just follow the trail around the cliff band, ducking under a large fallen tree and staying about 20' below the cliff. The flake is right where the trail joins the cliff and before it goes around a buttress.
Description: Delicate lay-backing and careful foot work makes this an interesting climb. The upper crack in the dihedral requires small gear. At the second bolt look right and note the large area of rock that is a lighter color. If you look down you can see one of the flakes that came off the cliff from this area.
Ptich1: Climb ledges to a short chimney below a large oak. Climb to a ledge above the oak and traverse to the right . Follow bolts to the crack and dihedral. Climb the dihedral to a comfortable ledge with a two bolt anchor. 80 feet.
Gear: Normal rack
Descent: Rappel the route
History: Joe Perez, Al Hospers and Judy Perez. May 2013
NOTE - We'd all really like it if folks would climb these routes to confirm the grades.
Incorrectly Assembling Quickdraws:
You will remember the recent death of 12 year old Tito Traversa in Italy in July. Investigators have confirmed that it was due to using sport-draws that were incorrectly assembled. There is a lawsuit taking place and apparently manslaughter charges are being brought in the case! It's hard to understand manslaughter charges, but these are litigious days. Here is some info on the state of things -
IMPORTANT - At this time we DO NOT know what brand of draws and biners were used, and there is no indication that the accident was due to failure of the actual equipment.
Cathedral Craggin' Classic:
It's back! The second annual Cathedral Craggin' Classic is coming up this September 13-15, 2013. This year the headquarters of the festival is the Glen Ellis Campground (http://www.glenelliscampground.com/), just up the road from Cathedral and Whitehorse, where all event activities — camping, slide shows, demo gear, vendor village, pig roast, and more — can happen all in one place.
Check out the AAC Craggin' Classic page for more details on the event. (http://americanalpineclub.org/p/craggin-classic##northeast)
Reserve your tickets for the weekend now at the AAC online shop. (http://shop.americanalpineclub.org/products/second-annual-cathedral-ledge-craggin-classic)
Hope to see you in North Conway this September!
Best wishes,
Sarah
Sarah Garlick
Northeast Regional Coordinator
The American Alpine Club
Instant Bug Report - BugCON 2:
Hardly any bugs out there right now unless it's in the evening or deep woods - maybe both. The BugCON rating stays at a tolerable 2. Enjoy it...
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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.
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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.
