Pictures of new problems

Highlights from the new problems


Josh on Arabesque


Truc making the first ascent of Dumpster Porn, to the right of Arabesque


Head Gasket

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Jon B. and I headed out to the Knob for a night session. During the fading light of the session, the first ascent of The Vesper Bell was made. The Vesper Bell starts standing, while grasping two opposing sidepull/pinches. After pulling on and setting your feet, toss high to a sloper. Match it up and top out to the right via a jug and a typical McAfee's Knob assortment of holds. The Vesper Bell rings in at aroundV6ish.

The Vesper Bell is located on the near side of the summit. It is found on the boulder that creates the right hand turn to walk down to the Domino Wall. The Vesper Bell is on the left side of the first face you see as you walk up the trail, 25 feet before the right hand turn for the Domino Wall. Pics to come soon.

6 more, hot off the grill...

Monday was spent scrubbing and searching for more lines on top of McAfee's Knob. Some goodness was found. Most of the new lines are in the Maze and Regan's Nose areas, which are located past the summit. To get there, follow the summit cliff line till it turns into a maze of boulders, or, consult DrTopo's McAfee guide for an overview map. Definitely get out and check out the lines that have gone up!

Directly across from Journey lies two more casual problems:
12) Allez Oop: sds on jugs, climb face and arete. V1
13) Unnamed: start in jug slot, climb face via sidepull/gaston. V1

Over in the Maze area are three more.
Just down between the ships prow area and the walk down into the maze is Arabesque. It lies closer to walk in ramp between the boulders.
1)Arabesque: sds on low incut jugs, and climb up sharp crimps to a sloper. V4

While walking towards Devil's Kitchen (on top of the boulders), there are two more casual problems. They are locate next to a convenient walk down.
2) Gnome Sex : sds on undercling, and climb face to top out. V2
3) Midget Toss: sds on iron rails, and climb face V2

The last of the freshness is in the Regan's Nose area. With your back to Regan's Nose, the boulder is just in front of you, behind the bushes. Head Gasket ascends the bright orange face.
4) Head Gasket: sds on positive flake and low shallow pinch. Climb the face by gaston/sidepull, and nice iron rail pocket. Arete is off.

If you climb any of these and feel that the grades are wack or the topos got you no where near the above, leave a remark and we'll fix it.

FAs abound

After giving Dave a tour of the proper half of the summit, I realized there were not a ton of established boulders. We wandered for a good bit and decided to come back and scrub the lichen off of a few and see what we could find.

Monday...

After 2 and a half hours of scrubbing, I unearthed about 8 or so new lines on an unclimbed boulder. The boulder is on the left as you come up the trail, just before the trail for the Pocket arete corridor. A topo follows at the end along with some pics from Jason Simpson...click the topo to enlarge.

1)Tuscora arete: V-basic, sds V1
2)Slab 1: start on pocket/dimples and go up via undercling side pull- V0
3)Slab 2: start on sloper rail and go up via gaston and sidepulls- V0
4)Dalian Face: SDS on pinch and sloper and go up via side pull and pinch- V2
5)Rode Wet: SDS on low shelf and go up via edges and jugs- V2
6)Hope: SDS on obvious incut rail and climb face- V2
7)Err: SDS on low jugs and climb up via jug and side pulls- V1 Variation: SDS on sloper shelf to right- V0
Err

After finding and climbing these Dan and Jason both arrived and started to spin through the above. In the mean time I wandered a bit and cleaned 3 more lines. The first two are on the other side of the trail, just before the previously mentioned boulder.

8)The shelf: sds on low jugs and climb tall face- V0 (possibly climbed before?)
9)Forager: sds on crimps/edges and climb short face via bump and side pull V3/4
Forager

After, I showed Jason and Dan a wall not far from there. Here we put up two new problems. Journey is a tall problem ascends a sweet face via pocket/jugs with the topout guarded by a long reach. Afrika Baambatta is 10 feet before Journey and is a shorter problem with a neat toss.

10)Afrika Baambatta: sds on low pockets and climb face via good holds to a pinch and toss. V5
11)Journey: sds on undercling and angle up and right to top out just by tree. V2
Dan on Afrika Baambatta

If anyone goes out and has a different impression of grade, topo accuracy, or what not, leave a remark and we'll try to keep a consensus of whats what.
Click to enlarge

Knight

After a night of beer drinking and heckling, I woke up disoriented and (thanks to day lights saving time) completely unsure of the damn time. A bit of wobbling around the house for some water and finding my shoes and shit, I realized I was late to meet Dave R at the McAfee's parking lot (for those who remembered the time change). After racing out to the parking lot and the punishing hike that ensued, I made it to the top, still hungover and feeling able to eat finally.

After a bit, I showed Dave Domino, a sweet bulge problem. Unfortunately, the sun was creeping right over the bulge making the toss pretty hard, so I decided to work the project that comes off of it. The project hits a 2 finger pocket after Domino's first move and heads right via a crystal crimp and some good slopers to top out on the crimpy V3 to the right. After about 15 or 20 minutes, the thing unraveled and was ready to be sent; even the sun had moved on. One try and the link was fired.

Photo sequence by JS

Kehl show and Boone

The other day was the Jason Kehl slide show, which was pretty sweet. Lots of climbing infused with art, all shown through Jason's unique perspective...definately check out the show if you get a chance. Afterwards, a bunch of us went out w/ Jason for some dinner and beers. While getting rowdy, a posse formed to head south to Boone.


After an early start, we caught up w/ Horton to hit up some sweet boulders @ G-mother. The BFC chairman was down, but not out w/ shingles...he still got it up and pulled down. The boulders were a nice change for standard issue Boone; easy on the skin. I think we climbed 15 or so problems of all types and our skin wasn't too hurt. Highlights included flashing an amazing tall, orange, pockety crimp face. Tall, perfect incut edges, and firey orange...this thing is killer. A second higlight was getting the second ascent of a cool dyno just behind the tall one. Gently overhanging and ever so slightly slopey holds make this problem way fun.


Truc on the beautiful tall problem. Photo by Matt Berhens