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It's been a darn nice spring so far, tho we can certainly use some more rain. I know that's not the most popular thing to say, but it's true. Altho we are no longer in an actual drought, everything is VERY dry. If nothing else some rain would knock the pollen back and make the trails a little less dusty.
I got out on Sunday with my friend Jeff Lea and hit Chris Gram & Bob Ahearn's new route on Whitehorse, "Creepy Cowboy". This was Jeff's first climb on his new knee, so I led it all. It starts at a tree about ~30' right of Beginner's Route. You climb a somewhat clean slab up to a medium crack, following it to the end and to a large tree with slings on the right. From there you step out left, climb to a nice hand crack and pad up the slab (crux) to a bolt below a small overlap. Continue up and left to the tree belay.
The route is rated 5.7, but I think it's a little harder than that & probably not something for your basic 5.7 leader. It's a pretty good distance between the top of the crack on P2 and the bolt, and the moves IMO are a bit harder than the crux moves on Wedge which is also rated 5.7. The gear is OK, but somewhat sparse in places and if you have a second .75 Camelot it could be useful on P1.
I liked the climb and it's a nice addition to Whitehorse. FWIW if you continue up to the next tree ledge, there is another beautiful short hand-crack that's worth doing. It's easy, but I've climbed it several times for fun.
PS - According to Jeff the new knee worked admirably! [wry grin]
CATHEDRAL LEDGE ROAD:
I mentioned recently that the NH DOT is going to be repaving the Cathedral Ledge Road this summer. Starting at the curve by the first kiosk, the road is closed for prep work. This will likely go on for about a week. PLEASE DO NOT park in the subdivision or on their roads and you may get towed! THANKS...
ALISON OSIUS:
Great Op Ed by Alison, and well worth thinking about...
https://www.climbing.com/people/dangers-free-soloing-someone-who-regrets-it/
INSTANT BUG REPORT:
Things are ramping up for sure. I would say that in most places it's a solid 2, but occasionally a 3 and the Blackflys just started to bite on occasion!
WOOD:
I've mentioned before that I've been scavenging firewood for the past couple of years. I went through all what I had done last year, and since then I've picked up a lot more. I ordered up a splitter delivery for Monday and that was the day to split all I'd accumulated. Even with the machine, it was nice to have a couple of friends come by to help out. Thanks to Jeff Lea and Phil Ostroski for their help. You know we're talking over 220 years of experience there. Priceless...
http://www.neclimbs.com/wmr_pix/20210520/split.jpg
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
SOME LOCAL/NATIONAL PANDEMIC THOUGHTS:
Although the mask mandate has changed in many places, I'm still wearing mine. In addition I've decided that I'm only going to work with and hang with people that are fully vaccinated. I know people who have no underlying conditions and yet have decided not to get vaccinated. It's something that I personally don't understand. I'm not masking when I'm wandering around outside, or getting together with friends who are vaccinated. But when I go into stores or crowded spaces, I absolutely do. Up here in the Valley most stores and restaurants are still requiring them. Like The Frontside, Lowe's, Levitt's and the Village bakeries, and most restaurants. I'm not eating inside restaurants, but I have gone to places where I can sit outside. Frankly it's just not worth the risk. Shucks, even up here the numbers fluctuate enough to make many of us concerned. Several area schools have had to go back to virtual classes for a few days to a week because of outbreaks. If nothing else tho, I haven't had a cold in the past year, and that's enough to keep me masking and washing my hands!
Thank you...
New Hampshire:
1 new death reported
149 new cases reported
1,086 Active cases
53 patients are currently hospitalized
1,341 total deaths
I find JHU's Daily COVID-19 Data in Motion report to be very informative. It shares critical data on COVID-19 from the last 24 hours in a short 1 minute animated video format.
PLEASE - GET VACCINATED, WEAR A MASK, WASH YOUR HANDS, BE NICE!
REMEMBER - WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
VALLEY CYCLING:
A few days ago I met up with a couple of friends at the Coos Trails in Gorham, right off Rt 2 before you get to Gorham Hill. There are a ton of very nice MTB singletrack trails next to and above the airport that are well worth riding. We've all been there before, but there is new stuff that's pretty cool. You can easily spend a hald day there, not to mention all the other stuff at Moose Brook State Park and Power Island. All the skinny is here:
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.
