The Drifter Boulder aka Smoking Boulder is certainly one of the finest in the Buttermilk Country, home to the ultra-classic High Plains Drifter (v7) and Change of Heart (v6) two amazing problems first done by former Yosemite habitué and Eastside bouldering legend Dale Bard back in the late 1970s. A little less popular than these side-by-side gems is the line to the left, The Knobs Problem, though also interesting with a tricky long lock-off using a right heel.
Even a traverse of the boulder from left-to-right that finishes on High Plains is attaining a reputation for elusive difficulty--Les Tois Maunets (v11, FA Fred Nicole late 1990s?). The latter problem has a strange section where you actually climb down from The Knobs to gain the start of High Plains Drifter. Why then did we forget the obvious link-up, beginning at Change of Heart but drifting up left to join The Knobs? Crazy, huh? Check it out--maybe around v7/8, and like nearly all the problems around it, it's on good rock and with a decent landing. I mention it here because it's not in the guide.
1 comment:
Climbed this last weekend. Agree its in the V8 range and is a really fun problem.
Jordan
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