Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

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Hidden Wall: Where the Party’s At…

Hidden Wall: Where the Party’s At…

A lot of folks climb for years at Crowders Mountain without ever venturing over to the “dark side.”  Accessed from a completely different parking lot than the Main Area, Hidden wall is a small sport crag with a handful of short, classic lines, along with about a dozen link-ups and variations.  Most of the routes feature bouldery cruxes with long, burly moves on barely-there feet.  Local developer Wade Parker likes to refer to these scrappy grunt-fests as “blue-collar routes” – ie, for the working man (or woman 😉 ).  No room for dainty, tiptoe-ing technique – you’ve gotta be willing to fight for a…Read the rest of this entry →

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Keeping Your Toddler Warm on Winter Climbing Trips

Keeping Your Toddler Warm on Winter Climbing Trips

Compared to other parts of the country, a winter day in North Carolina is generally rather mild, especially if the sun’s out.  But just because our highs are generally above freezing doesn’t mean your kiddo can hang out all day at the crag in a light jacket.  In fact, your toddler is actually much more likely to get cold at the crag than you are.  Think about it – You warm up pretty fast hiking in to the crag with a big pack, while the only effort your child is expending is craning around in a carrier to make you…Read the rest of this entry →

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Birdseed Wreath: Wintry Decor for your Feathered Friends!

Birdseed Wreath: Wintry Decor for your Feathered Friends!

Just before Christmas I wrote about “5 Homemade Ornament Ideas for Outdoor Trees.”  Most of the ideas also doubled as a holiday treat for the birds and squirrels (or in our case…deer.)  One of the ideas listed was a Birdseed Wreath, and at the time I posted we hadn’t had a chance to make one yet.  Well, eventually we got around to it, and after a lot of trial and error experimenting with various online “recipes,” we ended up with a beautiful wreath that was too awesome not to share!  In fact, it was so simple (once we figured it…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Steady-Eddy” Ramirez and The Crowders Project

“Steady-Eddy” Ramirez and The Crowders Project

 As many of you know, my work on the Central Piedmont climbing guidebook I’ve been slaving over for the past year and a half is drawing to a close.  Almost all of the writing is in the publisher’s hands at this point, who is now working feverishly on the layout with the guy making the topo maps.  That being said, I just wrapped up the a final interview that will be featured in the Crowders section.  It’s an interview with a local climber who is wrapping up an inspiring endeavor, and since it had been a while since I’d posted an interview…Read the rest of this entry →

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3 Ways to TRY HARDER So You Can CLIMB HARDER!

3 Ways to TRY HARDER So You Can CLIMB HARDER!

This just in: If you try harder, you can climb harder!  At first glance, this might seem glaringly obvious, but it was rather eye-opening for me a few weeks ago after my hubby (tactfully) pointed out that it looked like I “gave up before I even tried” on a route that was giving me trouble at the New River Gorge.  That statement prompted a very reflective and enlightening discussion on the drive home that caused me to develop a new mantra for pushing my limits on the rock.  And though simple, I’ve already seen improvements from it, so it seemed worth sharing!  Basically it all boils down to the mantra of…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN