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

The Hit List for 2011…

Climbing. Climbing.
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Now that the weather has been so nice, we’ve been starting to line up some climbing trips for the coming months. Since our move to Charlotte a few weeks ago, we are getting pretty psyched about being so much closer to the rock. I’ve decided to put all of this newfound mental energy to good use and come up with a 2011 Hit List. I hesitate to call it a “Project List” because I don’t want to take it too seriously. I dont want to get caught up in the the overtraining, number-chasing, and ego-driven mentality that so many folks end up with when they take climbing too seriously. Climbing has always been a fun and creative outlet for me to RELIEVE stress, not add to it, and I have found that whenever I have the wrong mindset about it, it stops being fun (and I usually get hurt). But I am a firm believer in setting goals to track progress, and I know that goals tend to carry more weight when they are written down for others to see – plus I thought it might be nice to have some input from some fellow climbers to help tweak my list.

Enjoying the rest before tackling the roof on Heresy (5.11c)

Currently my list is still a work in progress. I am hoping to be able to add to it in some places and get more specific in others – and some stuff might get knocked off because it just doesn’t seem feasible a few months down the road. But here’s what I’ve got so far…

1.  Redpoint Heresy (5.11c) at Lilly Bluffs, TN – Crux is high on the face, the 25 foot roof at the end is only 10c, and there is a great rest before heading into the roof, not to mention fixed draws. I got up the nerve to lead it last October and made it through with only one hang at the crux, so I’m hoping that on my next trip out there I can send.

2.  Redpoint New Yosemite (5.9+) at New River Gorge, WV – Amazing hand crack as classic as its namesake.  Now that Cragbaby is here our multi-pitch days have ceased for the time being, so its been a while since we’ve gotten our rack out on a regular basis (and I also am kind of a pansy on gear…)  This was on my list to lead many years ago and I never got around to it.  I followed it shortly after C was born and felt really comfortable on it, so I’ve decided its high time I tie in on the sharp end for it.

Hanging out at Miguels back when Cragbaby was doing time on the inside

3.  Redpoint Discombobulated (5.11b) at New River Gorge, WV – Loooong classic sport route that has a little bit of everything.  Crux is fairly low on heinous credit card crimpers, the rest of the terrain is much easier but packs quite a pump.  Pulling over the bulge at the end is exciting with the wild exposure and big whippage potential.  I led it once a couple of years ago, took a couple of tries at the crux and hung on a couple of bolts to de-pump, but overall didn’t have too much trouble with it.  Then I led it a few months later when I was only 5 weeks preggo – and I flailed and flopped my way all the way to the bulge…and then bailed.  I swear I’ve never felt that exhausted in my life – that was my first lesson in pacing myself during pregnancy…Anyway, its about redemption now and I can’t wait to get back on it again!

4.  Find a Long-term Local Project – Possibly Slabsters Lament (5.12b), Crowder’s Mountain – This one may get waxed from the list pretty darn quick – I’ve never gotten on it, never even seen it, but a friend of mine suggested we work on it together.  I think it would be good to have a long-term local project that its easy to get back to and put in some work on.  Any suggestions for other routes at Crowder’s?

A nice welcome back to trad - Team Jesus (5.10b) last May

5.  Lead a 12a (Sport) – This could also play in with number 4, but I’m sure there are also good (and probably better) options at the New and in Tennessee.  I’ve never led a 12 before, so just leading it bolt to bolt would be an accomplishment for me.  Any recommendations?  I climb like the stereotypical girl – crimpers call my name, and thin, technical face climbs are my game!  No burly beefcake suggestions, please!   Which brings me to my next goal…

6.  Get Horizontal – okay mind out of the gutter, guys.  In the words of “Odub,” my favorite climbing rapper – “you gotta work those weaknesses at length until they become your strengths.”  I’ve been on the steeps in the gym all winter, trying to improve my overhanging skills, so my goal is to not shy away from routes in my grade range just because they aren’t “my style.”  I’m looking for a few classics in the 10+, 11- range that are burly jug-hauls with airy falls where I can utilize my Sharma scream.

7.  Climb in the following areas – Grandmother Boulders, NC (never been there, long story, wanna make it happen this summer), Red River Gorge, KY (only been once, and I was pregnant so I couldn’t lead anything, would love to get back there on the sharp end), Foster Falls and/or Tennessee Wall, TN (now that we’re closer to TN sandstone, we’re hoping to hit up Chattanooga at least a time or two this year).

A goal from several years ago, Zoo View (5.7+)

8.  Get Back into Trad – Goes along with number 2.  Though I’ve always been a sport junkie that only did the trad thing on moderates during rest days, I began flirting with a love for gear after a summer spent at Moore’s, Linville Gorge, and Squamish, BC a couple of years ago… but before one thing could lead to another, I got preggo and stopped leading.  I’ve led one trad route since Cragbaby entered the scene (Team Jesus, 5.10b, NRG), and it reminded me how much fun gear can be.  Multi-pitch is out for us for another year or so probably until C gets older, but I would like to do more single-pitch trad routes, especially cracks.

9.  Consolidate Bouldering Grades – I sent my first V5 outdoors this past fall at Hound Ears – Hamslung (V5).  It felt really hard, of course, but ironically didn’t feel like the hardest problem I’d ever sent.  It’s only been since Cragbaby’s arrival that I’ve gotten more into bouldering, so I feel a little all over the place with grades – It seems like one minute I’m flashing V4, only to get shutdown and unable to commit to a V2 in the same area.  I think the best solution for this inconsistency is just to get more mileage at grades of all levels and in lots of different areas.

GHSP started morphing me into a pad-person last summer...

10.  Giving Back – Steve and I have been blessed over the years to have had some fabulous mentors along the way – Emil Briggs, Scott Gilliam, and Stephanie Alexander just to name a few.  It might sound a bit hokie, but I hope that at some point I’m able to influence others in a positive way with regards to climbing – whether its bringing a newbie outdoors for the first time, teaching a partner how to clean anchors, or sharing my experiences with the next generation of climbers (aka Cragbabies).

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Sentimental Snapshots: Happy Birthday Cragbaby!

Sentimental Snapshots. Reflections.
5 Comments.

So I had another post all written and prepared for this week’s Sentimental Snapshot…but today is Cragbaby’s birthday and it didn’t seem right to have another picture up here on this milestone day!  I can’t thank God enough for the wonderful gift that C has been to us.  It’s hard to wrap my brain around the fact that a year ago at this time Steve and I were heading to the hospital!  For anyone that might be interested in the play by play of that day, you can check out Canaan’s Birth Story here.

Life is simple.

 

This is one of my favorite pictures taken of Canaan in the hospital.  Not only does it show that Cragbaby was working out crux sequences in his dreams from the time he was born, but it also captures a life lesson that is important for all of us.  This world can be a cruel, dark place.  It’s easy to get bogged down and consumed by the busy-ness, struggles, and frustations of the world around us.  The world can be an overwhelming place at times.  But then there’s my sweet C, basking in utter relaxation in his Daddy’s arms, completely oblivious to the hectic, chaotic world he’s just been catapulted into.  To him, life really is that simple, just like his Daddy’s shirt says.  He feels safe in his Father’s arms, and he is loved more than he’ll ever know – that’s all he knows and that’s enough for him!  My prayer is that during those times when life gets going too fast I’ll be able to stop and remember that I’m a child of God that is loved more than I can possibly imagine – and that even though it isn’t always easy, I don’t need to make it any more complicated that that.

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Creating a Cragbaby: Always on “Doo-ty”

Creating a Cragbaby.
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Everyone knows its an unfortunate fact of life – “doo” happens.  And it doesn’t stop happening just because you’re out at the crag and its inconvenient.  Spend any length of time outdoors as a family, and sooner or later you’re gonna end up with a diaper explosion that rivals Mt. St. Helens…so you’d better be ready for it!  Read on to learn  the lowdown about dirty dipes in the woods!

DISCLAIMER: I should toss it out there that we use cloth diapers.  It’s better for the environment, its better on the wallet, and most importantly, its better for baby’s bottom health.  Perhaps I’ll devote a future post extolling the benefits and ease of cloth if anyone is interested, but for right now let’s just deal with crag stuff.  That being said, if you use disposables, parts of your diaper system might differ somewhat from ours (such as pack it out methods or amount of diapers to bring), but the basic concepts should still apply.

A tailgate makes for quick and easy car changes!

PACK THE ESSENTIALS:

  • Diapers – Bring enough to last all day, plus 2 extra just in case.  For us that number is anywhere from 5-7, depending on how long of a day we are expecting.
  • Wipes – Again, pack more than you think you need.  The extra ones make for an efficient clean-up for both you and baby on the way home from the crag!  When we are away from home we use disposable wipes – I just buy a giant bag of them and restock in ziploc bags as needed.
  • Wet bag – Shell out the extra couple of dollars to get a lined bag that you can just turn inside out and toss right into the laundry along with the dirty diapers.  This will keep your pack not only poop-free but also smelling fresh (“fresh” might be a relative term after a 3 or 4 day climbing trip, but at least your pack won’t smell like crap).  If you are using disposables you don’t need one of these, but you will need something that fits the same purpose but is one-time use (like one of those 2 or 3 gallon ziploc bags).
  • Ziploc Bag – We’ve found that several quart size ones pack down easier than 1 or 2 gallon sized ones, but again if you are using disposables you might want more/larger bags.
  • Waterproof bag for storing CLEAN dipes – Not only will this protect your dipes from camelbak leaks, but it will also keep out any mud or leaf debris.
  • Portable Changing Pad – our Kelty Kid Carrier came with one, but a bouldering pad also works equally well (sometimes better, especially if you’ve got a roller!)

A portable changing pad will keep baby as comfy as possible on the rocks.

MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS: For day trips involving long car rides or weekend trips, we utilize 2 “diaper stations” – one in the car and a portable one at the crag (stored in the backpack).  Make sure you have all of your “essentials” in both places so that you’re not running around trying to find wipes while you’re also trying to keep baby from rolling off the tailgate.

TRACK IT – Time flies when you’re having fun, right?  And the hours can most certainly slip away from you at the crag, especially if you’re working a route or putting up lots of routes in the same area.  I admit that a few times we’ve been mortified when we realized what time it was compared to the last time we had changed C’s diaper!  Poor guy…We found that the best way to keep up with all the diaper duties is to record it.  I actually have an inexpensive app on my iPhone called “Baby Timer.”  It can keep track of not only diapers, but also feedings as well as sleep.

MAKE IT A DOUBLE – Taking off all those nice, cozy layers and exposing baby’s bare skin to the wintry air isn’t pleasant for anyone.  We’ve gotten away with less changes (and therefore less bum exposure) by beefing up Cragbaby’s diaper with an extra prefold folded into the dipe.

Since Daddy is sweet enough to alternate diaper duty, we'll let the occasional wardrobe snafu slide...

Our “golden days” with diaper changes were Cragbaby’s first 8 or 9 months, when he was either exclusively or primarily breastfed…we could easily go 5-7 days with only wet diapers and no code browns (but when it finally happened, you’d better be armed with at least a half dozen washcloths for the aftermath!  I remember being psyched when C’s first diaper of the day on a Friday morning was poopy – that meant we were all but guaranteed a “nothin’ but wet” climbing weekend!  Now that C is relying more and more on solid foods for his nutrition, it seems as though what comes out is sometimes more volume than what went in…

"Ok guys, ya better make this quick - its cold out here!"

All in all though, diaper changes at the crag aren’t that big of a deal.  Not that I’d call trying to de-poopify a wild and squirming  baby on a slanting rock when its 30 degrees outside fun, but in the big scheme of things its just a minor inconvenience, and should by no means keep your family tied to a 50 square foot radius of a changing table.  Anyone that tells you differently is full of crap.  ( 🙂 )

Sometimes its a two person job...

 

 

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Pilot Mountain Trip Report

North Carolina.
8 Comments.

Crux time on Devil in the White House

The weather was stellar this weekend, so guess what we did – we went rock climbing! Surprise, surprise… Oddly enough, our first crag day since the move to Charlotte was NOT spent at local rock. Our plans were with a Raleigh partner as well as a Charlotte partner, so it made more sense to head to a halfway point, and since we just had one day free this weekend, Pilot Mountain got the winning bid!

Steve getting some hands-free hydration...

Even though the parking lot was pretty crowded and we saw lots of other climbing parties hiking around, the only route we had to wait for was our warm-up – Black Rain (5.9). It was really windy, especially up towards the top, and the rock was really cold. Just when I was starting to feel bad about not bringing Cragbaby’s bear suit, the sun came out and it felt like the temperature raised 15 degrees. We headed over to Devil in the White House (5.10d) and The Herculean Test (5.11-), where Cragbaby provided entertainment for everyone on the ground by showing off his camelbak skills.

Like father, like son...

Speaking of Cragbaby, he had an absolute blast…he was wide open the entire day (except for one 45 minute nap around lunchtime). His highlight reel consisted of making beautiful music with Daddy’s helmet and a set of hexes, which accidentally led into a fun game of “Roll the Helmet Down the Hill and Laugh when Matt goes to get it.”  He finally crashed We’ve also noticed that Cragbaby has started taking an interest in what’s going on above him in addition to what’s going on around him. When I was at the shutts after my first go on When Shrimp Learn to Whistle (5.11), I looked down and there was my sweet C, waving and smiling.  🙂  This was my second day working on “Shrimp,” and I was really excited to send it on my second go – when I hung the draws I figured out my crux beta, then after everyone else had taken a toprope run, I pulled the rope and sent.  🙂

Mommy taking a lunch break while Cragbaby picks out gear for his next project

We ended our day toproping over on the seldom-climbed Big Arete on Mutiny on the Bounty (5.10-) and Man Overboard (5.11-).  Its actually two short routes stacked on top of each other.  There are bolts there, but they seem oddly placed without a logical clipping stance.   The crux also happens to be clipping the anchors with the previous bolt on a slab on the other side of the airy arete…needless to say we’ve always toproped it.  Besides, the toprope setup is exhilarating enough as it is – every time I crawl over the edge of the cliff and weight my anchor I have one of those “why the heck am I crawling over a cliff” kinda moments. This time there was some comic relief to it though, when the empty rope bag that was slung over my back somehow managed to open up due to all of the wind gusts, and the tarp started flapping around me like a cape.  (Where’s the camera when you need it?)  Speaking of cameras…we weren’t the best at taking pictures this trip.  I guess we were just having too much fun enjoying the day, which seems like a good enough excuse to me.  Cragbaby crashed as soon as we got in the car, slept straight through dinner, and on til morning, so it must have been a good day for all!

Matt up high on Man Overboard

"Don't worry, I got ya!"

 

 

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Sentimental Snapshots: Put Adventure on Your Calendar!

Sentimental Snapshots.
6 Comments.

At first glance this picture seems a little cliche – crazy climber parents posing their 3 month old in front of a guidebook! Cute, yes! Inspiring, not so much…But if you look a little deeper, I think this picture can represent something that a lot of adults in our society are missing out on – planned adventure!  Let’s face it – most of us lead very scheduled, busy lives. Sometimes there’s just not any time (or energy!) left for anything adventurous. Or, if you do happen upon some free time, you spend the whole time trying to decide what you’re gonna do! Before Cragbaby came along, Steve and I were pretty spontaneous about our adventures. I have distinct memories of stalking the weather at 5 different climbing areas across the Southeast, waiting til Friday around lunchtime to decide where we were headed for the weekend. We’d camp wherever we ended up and let the weekend unfold itself however it may…

Cragbaby reading up on the beta for his next project!

 

Not so anymore! We’ve had to learn the fine art of “adventure planning,” aka scheduled fun. Whether its lining up climbing partners a few weeks ahead of time, reserving a spot at a family-friendly campground, or even something as simple as organizing your errand runs so that you can swing by a park on the way home, the extra effort taken to plan out our recreation time can make the difference between getting out and being stuck inside! Remember, scheduled fun is still fun!  Now its your turn – what do you have penciled in on your “adventure calendar” for this spring?

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