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From the Gunks to the Dolomites and Back Again
(Photo: Adam approaching the first belay on The Time Eraser (5.10-).)It has been a while, my climbing comrades.Although you haven't seen any posts from me, I have been climbing. I got out to the Gunks...
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Gunks Routes: Erect Direction (5.10c) & Amber Waves of Pain (5.10a)
(Photo: Andy emerging from the crab crawl under the roof on pitch two of Erect Direction (5.10c).)September seemed to fly by. Labor Day came late. Before we knew it we stood at the brink of October. As...
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Face to Face (5.10b) With Space Invaders (5.10d) & More!
(Photo: Adam making the finishing moves on Face to Face (5.10b).)Hurricane Joachin wreaked havoc with many plans. In the South, it brought dangerous winds and flooding. Here in the Northeast, we were...
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Cracking Under Pressure at The Spider's Web & Indian Creek
(Photo: Indian Creek.)I recently spent four days in the crack-climbing capital of the world: Indian Creek, Utah.The trip was in the works for a while. My longtime partner Adrian went to the Creek last...
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Feeling Crass (5.10b) in Fat City (5.10d), & More!
(Photo: The Gunks in Autumn.)I was very excited to get back to the Gunks after my trip to Indian Creek.Don't get me wrong. The trip was nice, but I was out of my element there, struggling on the...
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Mac Wall Machinations: Interstice (P1 5.10b), Graveyard Shift (5.10d/5.11a),...
(Photo: The Trapps in early November.)My office was closed for Election Day. It was one of those rare weekday climbing opportunities. The weather was going to be beautiful and Julia was looking for a...
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Gobbling Up the Remains of the Season: Carbs and Caffeine (5.11a) & More!
(Photo: I'm heading into the crux on Graveyard Shift (5.10d/5.11a) once again.)After hosting the big family meal on Thanksgiving day, I was ready to collapse into a food coma. What with all of the...
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What's next?
(Photo: Gingerly exploring Avoid Where Inhibited (5.11a). Photo by Andy.)So what's next?What do I want out of the 2016 climbing season?I've been asking myself this question all winter.2015 was a great...
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Last Days of The Winter (5.10d)
(Photo: Getting into the overhangs on Carbs and Caffeine (5.11a). Photo by Adrian.)We live in an age of great environmental peril. Temperatures are climbing at an alarming rate. Ice sheets are melting....
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Learning 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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Getting 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...
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Mac 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...
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Finding 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....
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2016: 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...
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Some 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...
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Oceans 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...
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Las 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...
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A 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,...
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Criss 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,...
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Highly 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...
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