Climbing this Sunday Morning! (8/24/2009)

I will be climbing this Sunday morning and setting up at lease one rope on a really easy climb, as one of my work mates might be dropping by to watch, but I'm sure I can convince him to give it a try!

The weekend promises to be some great weather, so get out of the house and do something FUN!

Today's picture... A great view from the top of Seneca, taken by Deb Fraser

http://wildmountain.net/climbing/senecarocks_2003-07-26/

Last Weekend - No Climbing :(

Alas, no time to climb last weekend (8/17) …

But, here is a nice map of the Carderock Area curtusy of the DC Grotto!

Late Trip Report for Sunday 8/8/2008

Man, what a couple of weeks it has been!
Don't you just hate it when work grabs hold of you and does not let go for a while.

Enough whining on to the trip report...



My climbing partner Joe (last name not included to protect the innocent) met me at Carderock where I had set up my ropes on two of my favorite climbs out there:

Trudies Terror (5.4) and Triple A (5.7)











Trudie's is a great finger-jam crack in an inside corner that is pretty steep (nearly vertical) and just the right width for some good finger-jamming. A very fun climb!

Here are a couple of not very good pictures looking up from the bottom...

I also use Trudies as a training climb for teaching people how to lead. It's actually easy to protect, has plenty of placements available using nuts and hexcentrics, and since it is so steep and pretty short (~40 feet) it is a great first lead.

I usually let them lead it, while on top rope, and then we both rappel down afterwards and inspect the placements and critique the lead. Do this once or twice, and then let them lead it for real.

Triple A is a much different climb... I don't have any pictures to post, as I was having too much fun! Actually, I am still trying to recover my technique after being away from climbing for a bit too long.

Anyway, if you start to the left of the flake that leads up and away towards Trudies, and instead work on the climb pretty much following the little ledge at about 7 feet, and then work the 3 flakes and head up, you will be at the base of the overhanging bulge about 25 feet off the ground. From there head up and over and top out!

The lower part is very smooth, while the overhang is really sharp on the fingers from all of the quartz inclusions... If you save your strength and climb the lower efficiently, you will have plenty left to pull the over hang :)

All for now!

Climbing this Sunday Morning! (8/10/2009)

I am planning on climbing this Sunday at Carderock, and will setup about 7:30, then start bouldering to warm up a bit... Not planning anything too tough, some easy to moderate climbing, working on building up endurance.

I have created a distribution list, so if you are interested just send me an e-mail and I will add you to it!

Today's picture is looking up a route called Butterfly. The photo is from the flicker site, and was taken by Angeli in October 2007. Another reason why I love climbing in the fall and winter.

Hope you get a chance to climb this weekend!

No Climbing this Past Weekend :(

Well, had to work on some projects around the house (I.Hate.Drywall.Whine) and we helped out with the Metro Ferals of MD clinic up in Eldersburg (more about our Ferals later in a new blog...)

But, will be out climbing this coming weekend early on Sunday morning (0800 - 1200 am)
Anyone interested let me know, or just drop on by!

Have a good week, and today's link is to the climbing shop in Seneca called The Gendarme.
A great climbing shop in a great climbing area (stay tune for a climbing trip in late September or early October!!)



Seneca West Virgina, from Seneca Shadows State Campground. Photographer Unknown.

Setting Goals

Well, Joe and I made it out again this last Sunday morning...

I set up two ropes, one on Sterlings Crack (5.7), one of my favorite climbs at Carderock and another to the left of The Diamond (5.8)

It's been awhile since I have been climbing (a few reasons and a lot of excuses!) and so, my goal for the day was to get to the key hold at the crux. The good news was I reached my goal, the bad news, I ran out of steam (was kind of expecting that...)

This was Joe's first go on this climb and he made it to the crux, got his right foot up onto a sloping hold on the left and he spent a little too much time trying to find a better set of handholds (it's a CRACK climb, get your hands back into the CRACK!) before he also ran out of steam.

Joe moved up to the crux pretty smoothly, starting to show some technique.
My technique was left in the back of my car...

I forgot to take pictures?!! Aaargh! Have to remember my new phone (Blackjack II) has a camera.

So the following picture is courtesy of RockClimbing.com
Title: Net working Sterling Crack, 5.7, Carderock, MD (Photo by: Honeywell) )

My Notes: The picture does not really do the steepness of the climb justice. It's about 15 degrees off vertical, and then steepens into a slightly bludging overhang.

Caleb's Intro to Climbing

Last Sunday (7/20) I took a good friend's nephew climbing at Carderock, MD.

My climbing partner Joe and his son (Sam) and their dog "Zippo" met us there also.
We started him off on Beginners Crack (5.3)

That's him just past the crux.







Caleb has just about topped out!


















This last picture was posed for his aunt.
We thought she would get a kick out of it!












She did not...

I really liked what he did with his right leg.

Zippo looked like he was trying to remember if the kid's name was Timmy? And isn't there supposed to be a well around here?

Well we ended the day teaching Caleb, Robin (Joe's friend), and Sam to rappel from the top of Nubble Face (5.4)

I was busy teaching and forgot to take any pictures with my cell-phone camera. Just as well since I was belaying, and we did not want any unposed crater pictures!