My First 5.12: Uphill All the Way
(Photo: At the final crux on Uphill All the Way (5.12a).)I know, I know.It has been a while-- over two years!-- since I published a blog post.It's not that I stopped climbing. Far from it.But for...
View ArticleMoving the Goalposts in the Gunks
(Photo: That's me on Enduro Man's Longest Hangout (5.11c), pitch 3. Photo by Gus.)"So what about you?" Gus asked. "Don't you have any projects?"It took me a second to process that he was talking to...
View ArticleDammit, Granite, I Love You! Four Days in Squamish
(Photo: Adrian's shot of me on the Angel Crack (5.10b).)The month of May seems so long ago.I've let the year get away from me!I meant to write a post, oh-so-long ago, about my climbing trip to...
View ArticleRolling Like Movie Stars at Millbrook
(Photo: Will coming up pitch one (5.9) of The Movie Star (5.10+).)I never made it out to Millbrook in 2016, not once. I hoped to correct this regrettable oversight in 2017, but for some reason it...
View ArticleNot So Mellow in Yellow
(Photo: Andy following pitch one of Matinee (5.10d).)So psyched! We were going rock climbing in December.Andy and I were headed to the Gunks. He was planning to take it easy. He was in the middle of a...
View Article2017: The Year in 5.10 and Beyond
(Photo: That's me, leading Turdland Direct Direct (5.10d). Photo by Nancy.)It is always fun to take stock of the year as the climbing season draws to a close.We had a weird autumn this year. Summer...
View ArticleRed Rain
(Photo: That's me on The Fury (5.11c) at Bibliothek, Muir Valley.)It is an annual tradition: the autumn climbing trip. Every fall, I break away from the family for a long weekend and I climb for a few...
View ArticleA Trip to the California Needles
(Photo: View of the Magician (on the left) and the Djin Needle (on the right), from the top of the Charlatan.)Why the Needles?Several years ago I came across some photos of the area (On Denis...
View ArticleGetting Necky with Whatever (5.10a), and More!
(Photo: That's me on Turdland Direct (5.10d). Photo by Mike.)For over a month, I've been contending with a climbing injury.It all started in mid-April, in Berkeley, California. We were on a family...
View ArticleHighly Exposed (5.6+) on Enduro Man (5.11c)
(Photo: Climbers finishing the second pitch of High Exposure (5.6+) in 2011.)In the fall of 2008, I led the crux pitch of High Exposure (5.6+).I'm sure you already know all about this classic climb. It...
View ArticleCriss Cross-eyed in the Early Season
(Photo: Gail reaching for the arete on the fun link-up Basking Ridge (5.7).)"Ugh. I'm never doing THAT again!"So I said, to Gail, as I got past the undercling crux on Inverted Layback (5.9).I meant it,...
View ArticleA Late-Season Matinee (5.10d) & More!
(Photo: Connie hanging out at the crux of pitch two of Nurse's Aid (5.10a).)It was December in the Gunks.Connie and I were on our way towards the West Trapps parking lot. We'd been climbing all day,...
View ArticleLas Vegas on the Rocks 2016
(Photo: A leader named Brian at the 5.11a roof on Levitation 29 (5.11c).)Vegas, baby!I was excited to be back. I've been to Vegas on several occasions-- a few times for the climbing at Red Rocks, and a...
View ArticleOceans of Elevens in the Gunks
(Photo: That's me, setting off with some trepidation toward the many roofs of No Man's Land (5.11b). Photo by Andy.)I've been feeling good lately. I'm climbing better than I have all year.And it's high...
View ArticleSome Golden Showers (5.11a) With 10,000 Restless Virgins (5.10d)
(Photo: Nancy following 10,000 Restless Virgins (5.10d).)We are well into high season in the Gunks. I need to get my ass in gear.I haven't set my sights on any big climbing objectives for quite a...
View Article2016: The Year In 5.10, So Far
(Photo: That's me on Never Never Land (5.10a). Photo by Adrian.)5.10 is the premier grade at the Gunks. Everyone knows this. I sometimes refer to the Gunks as "Our Little 5.10 Paradise."Just take a...
View ArticleFinding Inspiration at Poke-O Moonshine
(Photo: That's me on C-Tips (5.10c).)I've been searching all year for my next big thing.In 2015, my goal was simple. I wanted to attack every 5.10 climb in the Gunks that I'd ever been afraid to try....
View ArticleMac Wall In-A-Day: A Non-Birthday Challenge
(Photo: I'm getting ready to fire the roof on Star Action (5.10b). Photo by Andy.)Over the past few years I've gotten to know the Mac Wall pretty well. The wall is stacked with classic 5.10 climbs. For...
View ArticleGetting Sporty in the New River Gorge
(Photo: Andy on Call 9-1-1 (5.13a), at the Endless Wall.)I am sorry. It has been almost two months since my four-day trip to the New River Gorge in West VirginiaI have been slow to post about it.I...
View ArticleLearning the (Top) Ropes in Lost City
(Photo: That's me leading Resistance (5.10c) at Lost City. Photo by Connie.)I'm getting frustrated."I don't think I can do this," I say.We are in Lost City, in the area known as the Survival Block. It...
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