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

Mamavation TV’s Next Guest is…

In the News.
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(***For those of you on my email subscriber list – I apologize for the email mix-up this morning.  A post that was planned for later in the week accidentally got published this morning instead of this one…but its been taken down, so if you already clicked on it you just got a sneak preview of whats coming later on in the week 🙂 )  But here’s the intended post for today…

…ME!!!  Who would have thought?!?  A few weeks ago I was contacted by the producer of Mamavation TV, a program/webchat that airs live on Monday nights on Mingle TV (internet TV network) from 10:00-11:00 EST.  From what I can gather its sort of a talk show/webcast hybrid.  Basically the host, Leah Segedie, will discuss through various talking points with me about camping with infants, toddlers, and young children, as well as tips for moms that are inexperienced with camping and the outdoors but would like to learn more.  I was told that I will be on for about 15-20 minutes, and afterwards will be available virtually in a chatroom to answer any further viewer questions.

I had never heard of Mamavation until I was contacted, but apparently its an online entity with a fairly large following that is dedicated to supporting moms that are making comittments to healthy lifestyles.  Their website has all sorts of resources for weight loss, fitness, and healthy eating tips, as well as a host of opportunities for connecting with other like-minded individuals that want to support each other through social media outlets such as twitter and facebook.  Its a rather interesting concept actually, and it certainly seems like the folks involved have seen dramatic results on both the inside and out.

Mamavation

So anyway, I’m going to be on their program tonight (September 26) at 10:00 EST, so if you are curious, feel free to stop by and check it out on Mingle TV Network.  Here’s the kinda weird thing – since the whole network is powered by Stickam, a live interactive video community, anyone that wants to view the program needs to have a Stickam account in order to log in.  If you are interested, you can get your free Stickam account by clicking here, and then clicking on the word “Join” at the top right of the screen.  Once you have an account, you can LOG IN (by clicking “Login” right beside where you clicked to join), then head back over to Mingle TV Network’s Mamavation page, where the show will automatically start playing at 10:00 EST.

A lot of red tape, I know.  But if you find yourself at your computer tonight looking for something to do around 10:00, I’d love for your to stop by (or not…to be honest I’m a little nervous about it and I’m not sure knowing all my friends/family/followers are tuning in will make my nerves better or worse…)  Regardless though, I’m excited to have the opportunity and exposure, so I’m sure it will bring about positive things! Oh yeah, and if you log on be sure to say hi in the chat room after my segment is complete!  (Just no embarassing stories please… 🙂 )

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To Stick or Not to Stick (Clip)…

Gear Reviews.
15 Comments.

What is long, collapsible, assembled from a seemingly random assortment of items from the local Home Depot, and always within arm’s reach of most bolt-clipping sport monkeys?  If you answered stick clip, you’d be mostly correct…add in the word MACK-DADDY and you’d be right on!  For my non-climber readers who think I’m talking about a strange way to interact with zoo animals, here’s a quick primer in Sport Climbing 101…

C still thinks the old stick clip is tastier...

A route is designated as “sport” if the line is protected by bolts every so many feet all the way to the top.  The first climber (leader) ties into the rope at the base, and climbs the route, clipping their rope into the bolt via a removable quickdraw that the leader also carries with him/her.  If said climber falls, the highest bolt clipped will serve as an anchor by which the belayer is able to “catch” the falling climber.  Until the leader reaches the 1st bolt of a climb, there is no established anchor point, and therefore any fall would be a groundfall.  Usually the first bolt is in the vicinity of 12-15 feet off the ground – not death-defying territory by any means, but depending on the difficulty of the moves to reach the bolt as well as the landing zone at the base, a poorly timed fall could very easily result in broken ankles, wrists, tailbones, etc.

That’s where the stick-clip comes into play.  This nifty apparatus does the dirty work of clipping the first bolt for you.  Though some (usually trash-talking novices or hard-core trad climbers) might scoff at the stick clip and call it cheating, most climbers are in agreement that the stick clip is an easy and convenient way to mitigate risk.

The lucky Crag-Daddy had an eager assistant to help with assembly.

For a long time we used the Epic Sport stick clip.  The great thing about it was that it was made out of tent poles, so it was not only lightweight, but was collapsible enough to slide into one of the outside pockets on my hubby’s pack.  The downside however was that it was made out of tent poles…so when fully extended to use for a really high bolt, it would bend and wobble all over the place, often causing frustration for the end user as well as a few laughs from those watching (which in turn usually brought about more frustration for the end user…).

We were the envy of our friends at the crag – no matter where we were climbing, we always had a stick clip ready and available.  However, in recent months, Steve and I started to become increasingly annoyed at our compact pole’s limitations.  Some areas in the Southeast (particularly the rare breed of bolted routes you occasionally find in North Carolina), are known for having insanely high first bolts – this past spring it seemed like every thing we wanted to hop on has had 1st bolts in the 20-30 foot range.  So this summer we gave in and made our own mack-daddy stick clip – forever outing ourselves as bolt-clipping junkies to anyone within miles of our gigantic pole.

Stick clips also double as trekking poles.

Our new pole reaches a whopping 16 feet at full extension, with no bend or sway.  Add that to my hubby’s 6’1” frame and +3 ape index, and we like to joke that we could go around setting up topropes if we wanted to.  The pole is made from 3 collapsible parts, so it packs down to 6 feet in length.  This is still reasonable to carry around, and doesn’t cause issue fitting into most cars.

Once we found the extension pole that we liked, we had to equip it to handle the rope/quickdraws.  Trango makes an attachment for that very purpose called the Squid, which some folks swear by.  Another popular one is the SuperClip.  We found them both to be rather expensive with quite a learning curve to use.  We opted for the ghetto dirtbag climber version…the alligator clamp.  Overall, we’ve been really happy with it, and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to make one.

Advantages to our Set-Up –
– Cheap – We got the whole shabbang for around $30.
– Sturdy and Cragbaby-proof – C loves playing with sticks/poles/etc, and almost broke our friend’s Squid one day.
– Multi-functional – Not only can this set-up hang draws, it can also hang a rope into a pre-existing draw, as well as take a quickdraw down.  It is also easy to pull the rope for the next leader while keeping the 1st bolt clipped by hooking the clamp handle onto the rope above the 1st bolt.  (Stay tuned for a later post with detailed instructions/photos on how to do all of the above…)

Disadvantages to our Set-Up –
– The clamp is big, and sometimes its hard for my small hands to open it with one hand while putting in the quickdraw with the other hand.  Once its open, I can easily hold it that way with one hand though, so worst case?  I open it with both hands and then have my belayer hand me the quickdraw.
– We had a few problems in the beginning with the rubber tips popping off of our clamp handles – nothing a little glue couldn’t fix.

Steve in action on Aesthetica at the New River Gorge.

Another action shot on a particularly high bolt in Tennessee.

Not being home improvement aficionados, it took a bit of perusing to find exactly what we needed (telling the average Home Depot employee you are looking to make a stick clip probably won’t yield that much help).  So for those in the market or looking to upgrade their stick clip, here’s a list of what you need verbatim, in official hardware terms.

Extension Pole – Numerous different lengths available.
Spring Clamp – Commonly known as Alligator Clamps, they come in several sizes.  We opted for 5 inches long with a 2 inch opening – the bigger size makes removing the quickdraw from the bolt, and putting the rope in a pre-hung draw much easier.
Hose Repair Clamps – You’ll need three of these little guys to attach the spring  clamp to your extension pole.

Anyone else have this set up or a different one?  Love it?  Hate it?  Discuss…

 

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Morning Drizzles in the Highlands: AKA Life in the Clouds

Climbing. Other.
3 Comments.

Steve gets the day started on Cherokee Dihedral (V1+)

From wallowing in the sunny, upper 90’s of the Obed a mere 3 weeks ago to bundling up with foggy mornings in the 40’s at Grayson Highlands this past weekend, one would think we skipped over autumn altogether and moved straight into early winter.  Though the forecast across the Southeast was looking pretty grim, it appeared as though a lone bright spot was hanging over Grayson Highlands State Park with a mere 20% chance of morning drizzles.  However,we soon learned that a lack of actual rain doesn’t necessarily equal dry conditions.  It seemed as though the higher we drove in altitude, the lower the clouds got.

We spent a good bit of time throughout the weekend trying to decide whether it was raining, misting, foggy, or a strange combination of all three.  Regardless of what we ended up calling it, the wet weather did limit our options considerably, although we weren’t about to let nature dictate whether or not we had a good time.

We headed to the Picnic Area first, seeing that the 30 second approach made it worth checking out the Rock House Boulder.  We were pleasantly surprised to find everything dry except for a little bit of grime on the topouts, which were quickly remedied with a towel, chalk, and Matt B.’s unmatched drying skills.

Cragbaby hard at work on his own projects

C flashing his "sending smile

Cherokee Dihedral (V1+)
Papoose’s Rain Dance (V3/4) – We worked a new line that followed the right trending ramp over on the left side of the boulder.  It took me a few tries to figure out the start, but once I did, I sent the the rest of the problem without issue.  It started on some pretty small crimps and a high foot, then bumped and crossed its way along the ramp until reaching a heart-shaped flake that looks like its about to fall off (but passed all of our rigorous testing).  From there, the problem continues up and right and tops out just left of Indian Outlaw.  I did it twice, topping out slightly different each time, but neither seemed to affect the grade.  I’m bad at grading problems…its somewhere in the neighborhood of V3/4, but I would love feedback from anyone headed up there in the near future.  The starting crimps aren’t painfully sharp, but they are really small (which is the only reason I might give it a 4), and the only high foot makes for a powerful, compact start (the crux by far).  The next couple of moves are balancy and technical, and once you hit the flake, the rest is pretty straightforward and easy.  I’ve been wanting to name a problem after Cragbaby, and all the other problems on the Rock House Boulder have Native American names – hence the Papoose.  The Rain Dance is in keeping with the wet weather as well as C’s funky moves to Matt’s techno music all weekend.

Down low on Papoose's Rain Dance

Our next stop was to the Crooked Road Boulder, which Steve and I had never been to, and Matt had been only once.  This is probably one of the coolest-looking boulders I’ve seen in Grayson thus far – a massive, overhanging, intimidatingly tall rock, divided by two prominent cracks towards the middle.  Its obvious this area hasn’t seen a ton of traffic, based on the amount of loose blocks we cleared off.

Life is a House (V2) – Crack climb with a sweet crossover move down low.  The original starting jug broke off, revealing an even bigger jug deep within the crack.
Narcolepsy Crack (V3) – Another great crack problem
Rosewood Casket (V4) – Darn foot popped as soon as I left the ground, blowing my onsight.  Sent next go.
James River Blues (V2) – My highlight was watching Steve and Matt trundle off bigger than cragbaby-sized blocks from this problem…

Matt plotting his sequence for Life is a House while C studies Rosewood Casket

 

 

The one restaurant somewhat near the park was actually closed for the weekend since the owner was on vacation, but we were told that there were “plenty of options” in White Top, a small community 10 minutes in the other direction.  We drove 20 minutes, but all we found was a gas station with a deli/pizza sign out front.  There were a few booths in the gas station, and although it was rather odd eating dinner right beside an aisle containing lighter fluid and swiss cake rolls, the food was actually pretty good, although I will admit that I’m not picky after a day out on the rocks.

The next day wasn’t much of an improvement weather-wise, although it was slightly warmer.  The most notable difference however was the size of our posse – this time 4 more folks joined us on our search for dry rock.  We started out at The Hive Boulder on the Listening Rock Trail, one of my favorite areas at Grayson.

Steve and Matt with their trundled flake - the black area just up and left from Matt's head is where the flake once was.

 

Left of Jaws (V1) – Not sure what this line is called, but it makes for a good warm-up
Eye of the Narwhal (V4) – Initially I thought I’d done this problem before, but when the start felt completely foreign to me, realized that previously I had done the line to the right that has the same topout (The Hive V3+).   Narwhal is definitely more than a touch harder than its neighbors, only made possible for me by a key crimpy pocket for my right hand.  A great face problem with long reaches and tiny holds.
Locksmith (V3) – Really fun side-pulling made easier with good footwork.  I worked out to the lip and got my heel up, but was dismayed when I realized that all the topout crimps were sopping wet.  Finishing the problem would have been pretty sketchy so I bailed.  Looking forward to getting on it again in better conditions, because its definitely a problem worth sending.

Who's ready for a hike?!?

 

At this point we packed up and headed over to the Fantastic Four Area, – and more specifically, The Thing Boulder.  Considering the issues I have with grading problems, I was thrilled to see that the majority of the rock was dry so that we could get some more hands on the problems Steve and I established last fall.
Metamorphosis (V3) – Sit start on a low set of crimps.  Pop out to a pinch rail, then fall up and into an insanely sharp jug, then finish using a set of cracks on top of the boulder.
Bear Paws (V4) – Originally I’d called this V2, but flailed and flailed this time before realizing that my original starting foothold had broken off since the last time we were there.  The new start uses a much lower left foot, with hands matched on the lowest crimpy portion of a vague diagonal fin, and a high right foot.  Work up the fin, make a core-intensive cross over to a large flat jug, then top out on juggy flakes.

The verdict?  After I did them again, Cat did them both, and April did Meta, I feel like the grades are pretty accurate.  But be forewarned that both problems seem to exude a girl-power vibe, since the moves cater to small-handed, flexible people (that, and the fact that none of the boys could send them 🙂 )

All in all, its hard to say that the weekend was a washout when I never had to put my rain jacket on at any point, but conditions were certainly not what I would call good.  I can’t complain though, since the weekend still had all the good earmarks of success – first ascents, new areas, grade consensus on previous first ascents, along with some good old-fashioned crushing!  My only goal for the weekend had been to log in some outdoor bouldering mileage, in preparation for the Hound Ears Competition coming up in a few weeks.  I wouldn’t want to be outside in conditions like these all the time (which is why we relocated to Charlotte, and not Seattle…) but I suppose this is what we Southerners get for complaining so much about the summer heat!

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What Corner of the Earth Smiles at YOU?

Climbing. Hiking. Reflections.
7 Comments.

“This corner of the earth is like me in many ways
I can sit for hours here and watch the emerald feathers play
On the face of it I’m blessed when the sunlight comes for free
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles at me.”
– Jamiroquai

Perhaps I’m dating myself a bit by admitting this, but one of my favorite musicians is British acid jazz/funk guru Jamiroquai.  In fact, as I wrote this I imagined everyone reading this post pensively while listening to the song in question in the background, but then I realized that would out me as even MORE old school, since no one with any sort of cool points has included embedded wav files on their website since the  static webpage heyday of the mid-90’s.  So I settled for just starting with a quote (although for those that want the full value read, you can click here to listen to a live version of the song…).

Not from my "original" meadow, but from one like it many years later.

Over the years I’ve had many special places that I considered my own personal “corner of the earth that smiles at me.”  The earliest one I can remember is the wildflower meadow that was near my house growing up.  I spent most of my childhood summers out in that meadow, armed with a butterfly net, a jar, and field guide, stored in the front basket of my pink banana-seat bike.  (I never quite grew into the “feminine” aspect of that bike that my Maw Maw had intended when she gave it to me, but I sure could hop a curb with the best of ’em).  By the time I reached middle school the meadow was replaced by several fancy houses.  I must have “grown out” of my butterfly collecting days at that point because I don’t remember being particularly disappointed when the bulldozers came rolling in. (Although I could still beat most anyone in a butterfly identification contest…).  Years later I found another special “corner” in Nepal, where I spent several months volunteering back in 2003.  Every morning I would sip my milk and tea up on the rooftop and look out over the terraced fields and reflect.

My Nepali "Corner"

Though these two examples couldn’t be farther from each other geographically, there is a common thread that runs quite deep –  they were my own personal corner of the earth.   I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to travel to many different corners of the earth – from the lush, never-ending forests of British Columbia, to the outrageous bush country of Southern Africa, to the solitude of the Sahara Desert. I’ve beheld more breathtaking settings than I could possibly count.  But while my childhood meadow and simple Nepali home couldn’t possibly compare to those sights on a larger scale, on a personal level they are so much more meaningful.  That’s because they were places where I really felt like the earth, and its Creator, was “smiling at me.”

Watching the world go by from the entrance of his "Corner"

Its my opinion that one of the ways God chooses to reveal himself to us mere mortals is through his own Creation.  When I think back to those places and times, I realize that they were a snapshot of God’s love for me. Those corners of the earth represent more than just fond memories or times of personal reflection – they are a window to my soul, where for a brief moment in time I caught a glimpse of a spiritual connection that, although fleeting in this life, I look forward to basking in during the next.  It’s almost as if God was saying, “Look at this – this part I made for YOU, so I could hear your heart sing.”

So what does this have to do with Cragbaby, you might ask?  Over the past few days I’ve been delighted to note that C seems to have found his very first “corner of the earth.”  It’s not deep in the woods, or at the base of some craggy peak, like you might assume – its in our front yard, in a little patch of natural area right beside our driveway.  For the life of me I can’t figure out the attraction.  Every time we go outside, no matter what else is going on, we have to visit the “corner” first.  Its nothing more than a 2 x 2 area enclosed by a few plants and a couple of tree trunks, but it is now C’s pride and joy.  He sweeps the entrance to his Corner with wild abandon with his new broom.  He giggles joyfully as he shakes the plants,watching the leaves dance around with glee.  He peels bark off one of the treek trunks and meticulously stacks it in a corner.  Meanwhile I sit a few feet away in the driveway, watching spell bound as this little boy explores every inch of his “Corner.”  I hear him babbling and he cackles as he peeks through the brush and notices me eyeing him – his heart sings, and mine soars.  And I know the God of this earth, He smiles at both of us.

What about you – what’s your “corner of the earth?”

 

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In the Name of Climbing…er, Research!

Climbing. North Carolina.
8 Comments.

This weekend’s mission was all about guidebook research…and by research I mean lots of climbing.  On Saturday Steve, Cragbaby and I met up with knowledgeable local Eddy Ramirez, who was kind enough to give us a tour of some of the lesser traveled areas of Crowders Mountain – namely the Resurgance Walls.  While sitting at home writing about climbing can get tedious at times, the cooler temps and low humidity levels have made my “research missions” a delightful escape.  As if I’m not already motivated enough to explore my new local crag, Crowders is probably the one area out of the four that is in most dire need of an updated guide.  Numerous routes, and even entire walls are neglected in the NC Select guide, and receive no more documentation than a label on a hand-drawn topo in the most “recent” comprehensive guide (published in 1995, now out of print).

Dewey Used to Love It (5.10R)

This means that the vast majority of climbers congregate only around the classic routes, which although popular for a reason, aren’t the only routes worth climbing at Crowders.  I’m hoping that by documenting all of the legally climbable routes in the area (a few areas are off limits due to park management issues), it will spread folks out across the entire mountain, rather than clogging up the higher traffic areas.

Of course anyone venturing into more obscure terrain had better be prepared for a little more adventure…

1.  Holds Breaking – Most always when a route is first established, there is a fair amount of loose rock that needs to be cleaned off.  As a line gains in popularity and sees more and more traffic, the bad rock is trundled and what is left is a clean, high quality line.  Although holds can break at any time on any route in any area, be extra cautious when you are climbing off the beaten path.  Keep all Cragbabies and animals far from the line of fire, and if you deem it necessary, suggest that your belayer wear a helmet.
2.  Sharp Rock –   This texture can change over time, as more and more hands grope the holds, and more and more microscopic rubber particles are left behind from climbing shoes.  The rock at Crowders tends towards the sharp and jagged end of the spectrum, rather than smooth and polished, and this is even more apparent on routes that don’t see a lot of action.  While the more popular lines might leave your finger tips feeling a bit raw by the end of the day, after a few laps on the routes less traveled your hands may very well feel like they’ve been squeezing pin cushions all day.
3.  Bushwhacking – When you climb in areas off the beaten path, be prepared to beat your own path.  Brush and undergrowth can be pretty persistent when there aren’t hordes of hikers traipsing through on a regular basis.
4.  The Unknown – Obscure areas tend to have routes that no one knows anything about.  Maybe that line of bolts was drilled to help an outdoor club learn to lead climb many moons ago – or maybe it was someone’s abandoned project.  Who knows – use your best judgment on unknown routes, and always be equipped to bail if need be.

Guidebook research is hard work.

That being said, while the Resurgance Walls are in definite need of some TLC, I’m pretty sure that a few trail days (there is already one scheduled for October 1st…) and a new guidebook will go a long way towards a resurgance in this area.  Here’s the lines we checked out…

Unknown (5.8) – Good warm-up slab.
Dewey Used to Love It (5.10R) – Quite a run between the 1st and 2nd bolt, but an enjoyable route all the same on steep pockets.
Unknown (5.10) – Short but burly grunt-fest on a layback flake.  Not in any previous guides, definitely worth looking into.
Plane Above Your Head (5.10) – One move wonder pulling over a bulge.  Well-protected, and would be a good first 5.10 lead.
Unknown (5.10/11) – Two undocumented variations on one bolt line next to Plane Above Your Head.
Chromagnon Crack (5.5) – A well-protected trad line that does NOT utilize the bolts on its too close for comfort neighbor to the right.
Rocky and Bullwinkle (5.10c) – A few hard moves to the first bolt, followed by moderate terrain.
Rawlhide (5.10) – Great classic line, might be my favorite in the whole area.
Unknown (5.11) – Another undocumented line, just right of Rawlhide, very tricky sequences and powerful moves

Pretty skies over the Piedmont...

All in all, a delightful day.  I made a lot of progress on route descriptions, cliff photos, and overall familiarizing myself with the Resurgance Area, so I definitely feel the day can be deemed a success.  There’s still a ton of work left to be done, but the best part is that prime climbing season is just beginning, so hopefully the rest of my research can be completed under fall sunshine and autumn leaves!  (Note:  To keep track of all the latest guidebook happenings, join the Facebook group here…)

 

 

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