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

Stonewear Designs – A Review Collage (and GIVEAWAY!!!)

Gear Reviews.
12 Comments.

Double Cross Top in dry-flex fabric in the Needles, SD

All right ladies.  The Stonewear Designs team has just released their Fall Collection, so I figured it would be a great time to weigh in on what I think of this awesome company.  And just who the heck is Stonewear Designs?  I was hoping you might ask…Stonewear Designs is a technical women’s apparel company that has been around since 1996.  Originally filling a much-needed market niche for women’s climbing clothing, they have expanded their product lines to include clothing appropriate for all sorts of active lifestyles – whether it be at the crag, in the gym, or even in the backyard chasing after your kiddos!  At Stonewear, the end goal is to make products that “fit and flatter bodies of every type and make you want to stay active and healthy.”

Rockin Capris with another Double Cross Top – this one in organic cotton – at Ten Sleep Canyon, WY.

Nowadays my connection with Stonewear Designs is via Trango – they hang out under the same company umbrella.  Although my sponsorship is officially with Trango, I’ve had the pleasure of working with several of the Stonewear ladies over the past few months.  But my original love for Stonewear clothing goes back to the early days in my climbing journey, when I ran across some ladies rockin these threads at my first New River Rendezvous in 2007.  I immediately went home and bought 3 of their tank tops – each with an equally funky and unique strap design across the back – including one with their old-school “ladder back” design that I so wish they’d bring back!  I was delighted at how well all 3 not only looked, but also functioned – and believe it or not, those same 3 tops are still in my regular climbing wardrobe rotation.  And to be honest, they don’t really look any different than they did the day I bought them 5 years ago (and believe me, they’ve put up with more than their fair share of abuse!)  

But this post is not about getting nostalgic about old clothes – it’s about how my newest threads have held up this summer, and why you should be psyched about the new Fall Collection!  Here’s a few of my favorite recent pieces, along with my honest, unbiased opinion…

Hiking with Cragbaby in Spearfish Canyon with my Kaia top.

 

 

Double Cross Top – This design is an oldie but a goodie.  The thin/thick straps on the back offer tried and true support, as well as attractive lines.  Currently they are made in a wicking “dry-flex” fabric that is soft, durable, and keeps me cool and dry.  

Kaia Top – This halter top design is very flattering, and I love how the length is pretty long, as it keeps the fabric from bunching up under my harness.  My top is in “carousel” pattern, which is a happy little light blue print with paisley type flowers.  Looks like they are on sale right now on the Stonewear website…

Cross Back Bra –  At first I was a little unsure whether this would be, ahem, substantial enough, but this has quickly turned into my go to sending wear!  The X pattern across the back makes for a perfect fit.  Again, mine is in the “carousel” pattern – it’s fun, feminine, and matches almost all of my shorts, pants, capris, etc…

Cross Back Bra with more Rockin Capris, also in Ten Sleep Canyon.

 

 

 

Rockin Capri – Great fabric, perfect fit, side slits for mobility, and a low-profile pocket on the thigh.  It doesn’t get much better than this – these capris work well just about anywhere.  I love them for both indoor and outdoor climbing, and they are also ridiculously comfortable when I’m just hanging out around the house.  Although I’ve only tried the capris, the “Rockin” design comes in pants and shorts as well, and I can only assume that they are just as good as their mid-length counterparts.  

So where can you find Stonewear gear locally?  I’ve always ordered online, but if you’d rather try a few things on in a real store instead of a cyber store, you can enter your zip code here and the nearest dealers will pop up.  (For all you Charlotte-ans, our best bet is Jesse Brown’s in Ballantyne.)  And if you’d like a chance to win a free headband from Stonewear, there’s a couple of ways you can do it.  First, leave a comment below about what you think of Stonewear clothing (if you’ve tried it), and/or what other brands you like for climbing/athletic wear.  For a second (and third!) entry, you can hop on facebook and give Stonewear and Cragmama each a like.  (Don’t forget to mention the facebook likes in your comment so I’ll know to give you an additional entry!)  The contest will run through Friday, August 31 at midnight, when a winner will be randomly selected.  Best of luck everyone!

The old-school Ladder Back Top, circa 2007. Made for interesting tan lines, but I wish I’d gotten more before they were discontinued…

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Cragbaby Gets a Camera!

Toddlers at the Crag.
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“CHEESE!!!!!”

Ok ok I know everyone is probably tired of hearing about our family’s trip out west. But it didn’t seem fair to end the trip reports without mentioning Cragbaby’s newfound perspective – behind the lens of a camera.  Even though he hadn’t seen her in months due to business travels, C certainly hadn’t forgotten his favorite climbing partner, Manuela, and he stuck to her like glue for the entire trip.  It’s a good thing that she’s a beautiful person and I don’t mind him imitating her, because he wanted to do EVERYTHING that she did – which of course included playing the role of trip photographer.  Taking pictures is not a new phenomenon for Cragbaby (in fact, being Manuela’s special assistant even made #4 on C’s Highlight Reel for 2011), but he definitely took his “skills” to a new level on this trip.  Thankfully, Manuela is as patient as she is kind – by the end of the trip, Cragbaby had perfected the art of taking turns.  

The daily script would usually go a little something like this…
Manuela gets camera out of her bag.  C takes notice, apparently from a quarter mile away with eyes in the back of his head.  
C (jumping excitedly):  “Me do dat!!!”
Mommy (a little more even keel):  “Can you ask her nicely please?”
C (this time a little more calm):  “C pease hold dat camera.”   
Manuela:  “You can take one picture, but you have to be very careful and sit with me when you do it.”
Click, click, click.
C (settling in to her lap, with no intention of moving):  “Now Mah-way-wuh’s turn!”  

One feet, two feet, C has blue feet.

  

Two feet, four feet….

Here come more feet!

And so it would go back and forth all day, except for the brief instances where Cragbaby was sleeping or when we told him that the camera “went night night.”   Although even C could tell that Manuela’s camera was head over heels better than ours, and certainly better than the disposable camera we’d gotten him at Devil’s Tower, he enjoyed practicing his photography skills on different cameras as well.  

The result?  A rather unique hodgepodge of images that have a few overarching themes.  Namely, feet.  As I looked through the pictures, I was amazed as I saw how disproportionate the numbers of “feet pics” he had taken, as compared to everything else.  I’m assuming it’s because C’s hands were too small and uncoordinated to actually hit the shutter button while aiming the camera in an upright position, but regardless of the reason, it gave us all a good laugh as we were combing through the pictures.  It certainly was easy to spot which photos were C’s…which in the eyes of a Mommy of course means he’s brilliant – all artistic geniuses have a distinctive style all their own, right?  

Lacing up white feet,

  

Ready, set, climb feet!

Once Cragbaby has better fine motor skills and is able to figure out how to operate a camera on his own, it will be really interesting to just let him go and see how he “documents” his day.  I can’t wait to have a window into the world that he sees.  Anyone else have experiences with toddlers and cameras?  

 
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Back to the New River Gorge

New River Gorge. Climbing.
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My affair with Ten Sleep Canyon sure was great while it lasted, but like so many good things, it had to  come to an end.  Lucky for me I had the world-class climbing of the New River Gorge to come back to.  And this weekend was not just any old weekend at the New – one of our partners in climb just moved up there a couple of weeks ago, and our crew descended upon his new digs in full force.  

Crag-daddoo taking a breather after the lower business on Homer Erectus.

Day 1:  Endless Wall
Ordinarily Endless Wall would not be what I would consider a “go-to” area for summer, as the much of the wall sees all day sun.  But low humidity, temps in the 70’s, and carefully planned route choices kept us with a cool breeze and out of the blazing sun all day.  We were pleasantly surprised that conditions felt more like October than August!  Here’s a recap…

Strike a Scowl (5.10b): Hadn’t been on this one in years – Steve and I both thought it was a lot harder than we’d remembered it, but in hindsight we realized that the last time we were on it we wandered over to the arete rather than staying direct.  
Fine Motor Control (5.12a):  The first 15 feet were crazy hard, then the rest was thin and technical.  After I worked out the start I felt like a send was within reach, but the layer of dirt on every hold in the upper section combined with the VERY generously spaced bolts made it less appealing than other routes in the area.
Homer Erectus Direct (5.12a):   I’d been on this line a couple of other times, but never taken the time to work it for the send,and it had been over a year since the last time i’d been on it.  It took me a while to remember my beta for the reachy .11 crux down low as well as the direct .12a crux up high.  I rehearsed the moves on lower and then sent next go.  
Hellbound for Glory (5.12a):  From the ground, this is probably one of the most intimidating lines that I’ve seen at the New at this grade.  It starts with a couple of traverses – the first one not so bad, the second one uncomfortably compact.  Then you can pull onto the face and traverse (again) out along the face.  This is where the business begins.  The next 25 feet or so are pretty relentless – big moves to decent holds (if you can find them right away) on fairly steep terrain.  After a great rest, the line trends up and right – the angle gets lower, but the holds get thinner.  Oh yeah and the bolts are far apart – pretty big whipper potential in more than one section, but I think all the falls would be clean.  I took advantage of the toprope that was already in place, as I was prepared to thrash my way up it.  I definitely had to hang a few times, but all in all, I was really happy with how well I did on it.  I’d love to get back and work it on lead soon.  

Do not try this at home…the beta pictured in this photo was horribly unsuccessful.

Day 2:  Cottontop
Steve and I had tried Cottontop once before a couple of years ago, but everything had been sopping wet so we didn’t get much climbing in.  But Sunday was a different story – with darn near perfect conditions!  The hike is definitely a death march, but pretty short-lived…I think I clocked in at 7 minutes, and that was at a decidedly lazy pace.

Cottonmouth (5.10a):  The classic warm-up, and deservedly so.  Jug to jug on a gently overhanging face.  
Q-tip (5.11b):  Really fun face climbing with a couple of deceptively thin sequences.  Onsighting this as well as the .10a was fun, as it seems our m.o. of late at the New has been getting on either routes I’ve been on before, or routes I know I’ll need to work more than once to send.  
Psychowrangler (5.12a):  Geez I hardly got far enough on this one to even write it down.  Holy big moves batman, this one shut me down completely.  Just when I thought I was starting to get better at steep stuff.  Back to the lead cave for me.
Cottonhead (5.10d):  This felt insanely hard and committing for the grade, but the moves were superfun.  A couple of long moves down low set you up for a juggy boulder problem up high.

From one cool dude(tte) to another – Cragbaby and Luna took turns swapping shades.

I left the weekend with mixed feelings about my performance.  On the one hand, I nabbed another 5.12, which puts me at 9 so far on the year (which is right on track for my goal of twelve .12’s in 2012).  I got in a couple of onsights, and found a couple of routes that might be good short-term projects for the fall.  But on the other hand, I flailed miserably on Psychowrangler – just when I thought I was starting to get stronger on steep terrain…back to the lead cave for me I guess.  The good news is that (at the risk of sounding sappy), my favorite parts of climbing trips really have very little to do with how well I do (or don’t) climb.  For me the best part is the people I get to hang out with, and the good times I get to share with my family.  I wouldn’t trade any of those experiences for the world…well, except for the record-breaking code brown that was left (apparently by a giant cow when we weren’t looking) in Cragbaby’s diaper on Saturday.  That experience I probably would trade…but the others?  All keepers.  🙂 

 

 

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Custer State Park for Non-Climbers

Travel Beta.
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C’s new cowboy hat. Just like Mommy’s. 🙂

Our whirlwind tour through South Dakota and Wyoming was our first “big” climbing trip with Cragbaby.  And although we definitely maximized our climbing time, we also managed to squeeze in a lot of non-climbing activities as well.  Pre-Cragbaby we would tend to try and climb all day – a good m.o. for us would be 2 days sport, 1 day long (easy) trad, and then alternate from there.  Since we used the trad days as “active rest” days, we could usually end up climbing 7 or 8 days in a row, at which point it was time to go home anyway.  But although we thought about trying for a couple of multi-pitch days since we obviously had partners with us, the logistics proved to be too much to deal with.  I actually think that worked out for the best – our trip seemed like a very balanced mix of climbing, relaxing outdoor fun, as well as educational activities for the whole family! I already wrote about our first rest day at Devil’s Tower, but we also enjoyed plenty of non-climbing fun in and around Custer State Park towards the end of our trip. 

Mt. Rushmore!!!

When we drove in from Ten Sleep on Thursday night, we managed to squeeze in a visit to Mt. Rushmore just before it got dark.  Cragbaby was delighted to see “those faces,” and took many, many pictures with his new disposable camera.  Other highlights included the large white mountain goat that was nonchalantly grazing right next to the park bathrooms, as well as the ranger hat we found for C.  

Me and my little spelunker.

Our flight didn’t leave on Saturday until late afternoon, so we had almost a full day to explore the Black Hills.  We headed south for about 30 minutes to Wind Cave National Park, where we arrived just in time for a tour.  The Wind Cave is the 5th longest cave in the world, and the 7th park to be established in the United States. For all you cavers out there, the Wind Cave is renowned for its prolific “boxwork” features. We liked it because it was nice and cool.  And Cragbaby liked it because he thought he was in a tunnel.  Our tour consisted of about a mile’s worth of walking (mostly in single-file with the rest of our group), and 450 steps (mostly down).  At first C wasn’t sure what to think, and wanted to stay snuggled up close to me in the carrier.  In fact I was a little worried that he might get upset, and I’m not sure what we would have done, as you can’t exactly back out of the tour once its started.  Anyway, no tears were shed, and after a while C even wanted to get down and walk on his own, making sure to tell everyone within earshot, “Don’t bump your little head!”  

Another cool thing about the Wind Cave is that not all the fun happens underground.  There are miles and miles of mostly deserted park roads that meander through prairies, meadows, and rolling hills. We saw enough prairie dogs to last a lifetime, as well as a gigantic bull elk with a rack so big it looked awkward for him to walk! We stopped for a quick 1 mile loop high on the Rankin Ridge Trail, and had a picnic lunch atop a ridge with spectacular vistas.  This was the highest point in the park, and since it was a clear day, we could see all the way to the Badlands, which was 50 miles away.  

Our wildlife pics are not so good…

  

…we were obviously way more into watching than photo-ing.

After lunch Cragbaby konked out in the car, which made for a nice, relaxing drive for us. Unfortunately for C, however, it was the second half of our scenic drive was the most action-packed – and he missed all of it!  From Wind Cave we worked our way over to the Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park, which spit us out just 20 minutes from the airport.  As soon as we drove over the cattle guards at the entrance to Custer, we were greeted by a large group of friendly and inquisitive burros.  Then just a few miles later, we rolled right through the middle of a giant herd of buffalo (who were decidedly more lazy, and significantly less inquisitive…)  

It’s no secret that I wished we had more time to climb in the Black Hills, but I would also wholeheartedly recommend the host of other recreation options available in the area.  The Black Hills are certainly a special place – filled with beautiful landscapes, amazing wildlife, and historically significant sites. If you end up with any opportunity to explore this part of the country, you can’t afford to pass it up!    Has anyone else been to the Black Hills in South Dakota?  What was your favorite part?

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Nothing Like the Needles…and Our Moves Like Jagger.

Climbing. The Wild West.
5 Comments.

We  couldn’t have scripted a better ending for our trip than the spindly little spires surrounding Custer State Park, also known as the Needles.  The tiny, airy summits provided more than enough reward and motivation for 4 (and a half…) climbers to get off the ground one more day.  And the long runouts over moderate terrain was ideal at the end of the week when lead heads were secure but our bodies were tired.  The word that best sums up the climbing at the Needles is FUN!  For me, it was an experience with a distinctive child-like quality to it.  We basically just meandered our way through the spire-laden landscape, stopping to climb whatever looked like it’d be fun to stand on top of.  Consulting the guidebook was at a minimum, nobody had any specific goals about grades or number of routes to squeeze in.  We were all just happy to spend the day in this seemingly enchanted forest.  

Cragbaby preps for his chilly dip in the lake.

  

“Hey! You guys said you were right behind me!”

We started out at Sylvan Lake, but the water was a lot more enticing than trying to figure out where the climbs were in the maze of granite tucked away behind the monoliths.  Cragbaby was the only one brave enough to take the plunge (I can’t begin to tell you how cold the water was…), but we all had fun darting in and out of the rocky outcroppings along the lakeshore.  

This taken right before he fell over backwards. Just kidding. Crag-Daddoo’s kickin’ finishing moves!

  

My finishing moves – at least a 1/10th deduction for the bent knee.

Mid-morning we packed up shop and headed to the Needle’s Eye parking lot…just in time to see a giant RV squeeze through the infamous tunnel with only inches to spare on either side.  The climbing in this particular area was reminiscent of a three-ring circus – and we soon realized that we were an integral part of the show!  The climbs are literally IN the parking lot – as in, we belayed from the asphalt – and it only took a few rather observant fellows to notice all the gear before a large crowd had gathered, with iphones, cameras, and camcorders at the ready.  While it was a bit unnerving climbing with such a large audience, I quickly realized that it didn’t take much to impress.  One group in fact, was rather incredulous that I was “choosing not to wear my kneepads” on my ascent.  

Manuela topping out on Dancing in the Moonlight (5.6)

As I made my way up the token Needles introductory route, Hitching Post (5.5), I only halfway listened to the outrageous commentary coming from below, as I was mesmerized by all of the shiny mica particles I was finding in the rock.  Some of the chunks were pretty large (and crumbly…and slippery…), which definitely kept things interesting.  As the spire narrowed at the top, the path of least resistance actually went around the corner to the top, which made for a picture-perfect finishing pose for the tourists below.  As I stood to my feet I scanned the crowd so that I could wave at Cragbaby, and as I put my hand up to shield my eyes from the sun the crowd erupted into cheering.  At that point it seemed as there was no other choice but to give the crowd what they wanted, so I did my best “Tree Pose” to “Hand to Big Toe” combo.  (As a side note, this is not the first time in my life I’ve wished I could do a handstand…).  

Tiptoeing up to the summit of Zeus (5.10a)

The rest of our crew followed suit, each with a unique, crowd-pleasing, “finishing move.”  Listening to the flurry of conversations around us (and occasionally jumping in to answer a direct question) was fascinating, as I realized that we definitely had achieved daredevil status with half of these folks.  The other half were convinced that if that skinny little girl could do it, then they could do it with their eyes closed and hands tied behind their backs.  😉  

 

“One of these has GOT to fit!” (A show of hands if you’ve ever said that…)

Speaking of eyes closing, Cragbaby’s were almost there by this point, so we escaped the crowds and hiked over to the Moonlight Ridge area, where we could enjoy the solitude while C caught a few Zzzz’s.  Manuela and Norbert climbed Dancing in the Moonlight (5.6), while Steve and I swapped turns on the sharp end of Zeus (5.10a).  I knew I’d only have time for one route in this area, and after scouring the spires, Zeus was the standout phallus choice.  It’s a mixed route – technical slab to a crack, to a surprisingly steep (and insanely exposed) finish atop a summit with a diameter no more than 3 feet wide on any side – perfect for planking, a superman, or ___________ (insert personal finishing move of choice here).  

At this point the sky was looking rather threatening, so we headed out via the scenic road through the park.  Worth noting, while the views were great, the constant switchbacks and hairpin turns made for a MUCH longer route than anticipated – probably not the best idea for a car whose inhabitants are hungry, tired, and a feeling a little carsick.  But nothing a buffalo burger from Grizzly Creek couldn’t fix…

And with that, the climbing portion of our whirlwind wild west adventure was drawn to a close.  It seems like it ended almost as soon as it began, but we have thousands of photos, memories, and even a few battle scars to prove that we were there, we saw, and we conquered our goals!  I didn’t send anything super hard, but my objectives for this trip were much more about mileage, so I’m definitely still satisfied.  I bumped my highest onsight up a letter grade, and was able to string multiple .11’s and a 12 back to back to back.  I think the Spearfish, Ten Sleep, Needles combo was a winner in every aspect, and we certainly couldn’t have asked for any better weather!  Anytime I’ve ever traveled far from home to go climb, I always come back wishing that I lived closer to that area, but I have to say that Ten Sleep is on another level.  I would love to go back again for a longer period of time so that I can project some harder stuff.  But until then, it’s back to the daily grind and weekend craggin’ for us!  Which is really not a bad gig at all 🙂  Stay tuned for the “non-climbing recap” from Custer State Park in the next post, and click here to check out more of our “moves” on the spire summits…

 

The only picture that has 1) Everyone in it. And 2) No one making a weird face.

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