Bishop Bouldering Blog

Alex Honnold, Too Big to Flail

2012-01-15T18:44:00.000-08:00

"I was shaking a bit up there. It's f***ing scary!" said Alex Honnold after completing his hard new line on the Luminance Block. This line takes on the sheer face right of The Golden Rule and involves some thin v9 face climbing at about 20 feet up, followed by the most airy hard moves at the Buttermilks to gain the top of the boulder--which, in this case, was about 50 feet above one of the biggest stacks of crashpads ever compiled. Friends and acquaintances alike lent pads to or hiked pads up for Alex to fill a dangerous pit between boulders at the base of this spectacular glassy wall.

Alex warming up with a spin on the lower section

As you can see, the line is truly monumental! It is fairly low angle, an off-vertical wall, and has some of the sweetest rock in the area, water-and wind-polished with glassy crimps and some delicate, balancy climbing. With the moves up high being complex and feet-intensive, this is likely the most serious proposition in the Buttermilks. It was clear that this was a major challenge even for Alex and he was super-psyched with the ascent that was made possible by the use of 34 pads! Good luck on the second!

Alex going for the send

Alex Honnold high and focused during the ascent of Too Big to Flail

It must be noted that Alex did work this line on a top-rope before going for the solo. After Alex completed this line, which he named Too Big to Flail, in a reference to the "too big to fail" banking fiasco of a few years back, he went on to add (in similar style) an easier climb just to the left, effectively a direct into the top of The Golden Rule:

Above: Alex "straightening the rule" with Josh Lowell from the Reel Rock Film tour capturing the action.

The guys from The Reel Rock Film Tour, Josh and Pete were both there filming this for a major segment on Alex for their next show. They said they'd have a short clip to post up. See 3rd comment below.

Alex Honnold tops out Beefy Gecko and Aquatic Hitchhiker

2012-01-14T12:16:00.000-08:00

The problems in the Beef Cave at the Sad Boulders are a lot of fun, but until now, only a few of them had been "topped out." Though some of the lines move left and out to daylight, other problems like Windchill (v9), Feel Like a Barnacle (v7), Beefy Gecko (v10/11) and Aquatic Hitchhiker (v10) while having great moves, end at a good jug at the upper right side of the roof. This jug is the starting point for Jeff Sillcox's visionary and scary addition from March 2009, Light at the End of the Tunnel (v8). To link any of the shorter lines into this latter topout would add considerable spice and complete the problems in the traditional way--putting the climber on top of the boulder.

Alex Honnold who is in Bishop for a couple of months, completed the hardest of these link-ups with Aquatic Hitchhiker and Beefy Gecko, to produce two outstanding problems that he named The Chunnel and Beef at the End of the Tunnel, both at about the same grade as the originals. The upper section made use of a flexy flake above a pit that put most people off the idea of going for the send. However after stuffing a trio of pads into the rocky gap below and another across the top, he went for top section and broke the flake, taking what turned out, fortunately, to be an uneventful fall. Later after cleaning the upper section, he made the ascents of the two new lines

Alex Johnson, Golden Age (2nd?) and More

2012-01-12T23:59:00.000-08:00

Alex Johnson is back in Bishop for a while and loving the bouldering here as much as ever. On this trip she has taken things to a new height by getting off the deck on some of the area's taller problems. It impresses to hear of her ascents of Mesothelioma (v7), Golden Shower (v10) and The Ninth (v6), all at The Pollen Grains (a.k.a. Lydija Boulders) in a day.

But, I was most pleased to hear she had gone out and repeated Golden Age (v8?) out at Dale's Camp. "I thought there was just Xavier's Roof. I didn't realize there were so many great lines there," she said of the area. Perhaps inspired by the three-star rating I gave the problem Golden Age she actually took the trouble to try to figure out where it went. I did this line a couple of years ago and was truly amazed to be making FAs of such quality in the area. Obviously I gave the line three stars, as that's just a rule for first ascents by guidebook writers.

The route to the right, In The Bank (v5) is another one that is well worth the trip for highball aficionados! See this earlier blog post which should give a pretty clear idea of where these lines go. Both of them begin on some sharp and granular rock, but quickly progress into some really beautiful glassy patina.

Alex on the crux sequence at the start of Golden Age. Photo: Sasha Turrentine.

When I did the problem, it really did seem like we had been experiencing the golden age of Bishop Bouldering, with a slew of amazing highballs getting done all across the Buttermilks. However, I have not heard of anyone else repeating this striking line and Alex may well have made the second ascent! She seemed to think it was pretty hard and certainly well worth doing. Just make sure to climb directly up the blunt arete at the start with some harsh pulls on some sharpish rock, and don't come into it from the crusty holds on the right.

Austrians in Highball Paradise

2011-12-31T21:16:00.000-08:00

Katharina Saurwein of Austria, and former overall lead World Cup champion of 2008 Jorg Verhoeven from the Netherlands (both now living in Innsbruck, Austria), have been out in Bishop since around December 12 and have already completed some impressive ascents. Of particular note was Katha's ascent of This Side of Paradise (v10), the mammoth highball prow at the Bardini Boulders, and Jorg's ascent of Ambrosia at the Peabodies.

I met these guys out in Zillertal, Austria a few years back when Lisa Rands presented a video by Sender Films in which she climbs This Side of Paradise. It was the incredible beauty of the line that really drew Katha's attention, and she made it her mission to give it a try. Unfortunately, after arriving in Bishop about a year ago (shortly before Christmas), heavy snow reduced access across the Buttemilk Country and their highballing plans were put on hold. Undaunted, they returned this time and things went a lot better.

After making the moves on a top rope, Katha went for the ascent and topped out to become only the second woman to do the line. On one try, she took a fall from just below the crux and said her legs were still sore four days later. No surprise, as she only had two pads beneath her!

Katha has also pulled off ascents of Golden Shower (v10 highball at the Pollen Grains), and Xavier's Roof (v11), among others. As for Jorg, he claims not to be feeling so great and spending his time shuffling their two foam mats about while Katha climbs. Even so, he did drag the pads over to Ambrosia to check that one off. Hey, when you only have a pair of pads to use in Bishop, you have to be thankful for such forty-five-foot-tall lines. As Jorg matter-of-factly explains, "The lower part to the hueco you can do with two pads and at the top you can't fall."

It should be noted however, that after renowned soloist Alex Honnold (second ascent) told Jorg it, "probably wouldn't be a good idea," Jorg decided against a ground-up approach and ran a TR on the line first.

"Scary, scary scary," is German for something I guess, and you can read more (all in that language) at Katha's website. Also, for comments in English, and for some sweet photos, please check out Jorg's blog.

Meanwhile, here's a little vid:

Katha Saurwein and Jorg Verhoeven Highballing in Bishop. 'Ambrosia' V11, 'This side of Paradise' V10 etc from katharina saurwein on Vimeo.

Alex Biale, Rastaman Vibration

2011-12-29T21:15:00.000-08:00

This news has been covered elsewhere I know, but I want to give props to Alex Biale for his ascent of Rastaman Vibration (v12) on the Grandpa Peabody on December 15. It is interesting to note that, although this line was first climbed by Jared Roth back in 2002, it had never before been repeated!

Indeed, Rastaman Vibration begins with one of the hardest moves at the 'Milks, a big move from a miserable pinch to gain a tiny right-hand crimp, feet swinging. Most people now know this move from images or video of Paul Robinson's sit-start to the line, Lucid Dreaming (v15/16?). However, not even Paul climbed Rastaman Vibration before completing the sit. After sticking that super-low percentage start, the upper section heads up the wall and super-highball slab (vibration territory) with dicey low-angle smearing and sloping grainy palm-moves twenty feet up. If you were aiming for the sit, would you really want to do that part twice?

There were probably less than half a dozen people who ever seriously considered a repeat, as the opening crux was so hard that almost no-one could do it and the handful of elite that did stick the move didn't feel like completing the line! Even so, we must thank Jared for his Rasta vision: Though proving one of the least popular lines in the Buttermilks, Rastaman Vibration nevertheless pushed bouldering to a new level and was a significant step toward the ultimate challenge that followed.

Breakage at Ice Caves

2011-12-29T13:23:00.000-08:00

One of the key holds for many of the climbs on the roof of the Beef Cave in the Ice Caves at the Sad Boulders has broken. The break, which happened at the end of November, was of the good finger-hold that was at the right end of the rail that Beautiful Gecko follows, a hold that also was important for lines Aquatic Hitchhiker, Feels Like a Barnacle, In the Aquarium and Windchill. While all these lines will be harder now, this break will probably have the most impact on Beautiful Gecko. Anyone who has repeated any of these lines since the break please post a comment and let us know what you think! Thanks!

Sonnie Trotter, Luminance and Ambrosia, Alex Honnold Luminance and Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

2011-12-14T21:49:00.000-08:00

The handsome Canadian Sonnie Trotter, had a good past couple days of climbing in the Buttermilks. Yesterday he did Ambrosia (V11) the 45 foot Kevin Jorgeson highball/free solo on the west face of Grandpa Peabody boulder. Sonnie, as with all the others to have climbed the line used a different start: Sonnie's start is a mixture of Isaac Calderio's (3rd ascent of the line) and the original beta. Sonnie said although feeling a bit shaky at the hueco, 25 feet up, said the the upper half felt better than it had on his previous top rope rehearsals.

Earlier in the week Sonnie and Alex Honnold went and ticked off Luminance (V10?). The relatively short problem (10 moves--short by 'milks highball standards anyway) is not to be taking lightly due to its bad landing 20+ feet below. After doing a lap or two on the line they both agreed Luminance felt a little easier than previously thought, Alex (though not to be taking too seriously about his grades) said it felt more like V8! Either way, nice work guys!

Alex, who is spending the winter in the Bishop area did what is likely the 3rd or 4th ascent of Sonnie Trotter's line Standing on the Shoulders of Giants (V8 or 9) on the south face of the Golden Boulder. The line, which the name implies, starts about 12 feet up from a shoulder stand and climbs about another 12 feet of reportedly great climbing. There is a potential ground start to the problem (which has been attempted with no success) that will probably check in around V13 or harder and will be one of the last great high, hard lines in the 'milks... Or will it..?

Dan Beall climbing well in the 'milks

2011-12-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

Dan Beall has just done what is likely the 3rd ascent of the newest hard link up on the Grandma Peabody boulder, Direct North (V14). The line climbs Direction (V13) to a marginal rest into the tall and insecure Magnetic North (V8 or 9). Below is a link to a clip of Dan falling off the last move on his last try before the send. A week or so prior to his Direct North ascent Dan dispatched, as Zlu Haller says "best line in the world?'', Evilution Direct (V11). Congrats Dan and keep on crushing

Here's a quick vid of one of the attempts:

Direct North from Daniel Beall on Vimeo.

Fall Highball with John Long, November 19

2011-11-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

The Fall Highball event organized by the American Alpine Club is once again coming to Bishop with famed stonemaster, climbing pioneer, and raconteur extraordinaire John Long coming to speak at the Mill Creek Station on Saturday night, 7pm. This will be a show worth seeing.

The event is coordinated to coincide with the Access Fund's Adopt-a-crag day, and so, in partnership with the Inyo National Forest and the group Friends of the Inyo, there will also be a Buttermilk clean-up on Saturday morning beginning with a free light breakfast at 8:30am at the parking lot just before the Peabodies.

Please join the folks out there to help keep the area clean and beautiful. Thanks!

See the American Alpine Club website for more details.

Note: Mill Creek Station, a great venue for talks and shows, is about 9 miles from Schat's bakery going toward Mammoth, on the right side of the road. Designated drivers are recommended.

Buttermilk Pit Toilet--Comments Needed

2011-07-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

Andrew Schurr of the group Friends of the Inyo wrote to me recently about a proposal from the Forest Service to construct one or two permanent pit toilets with wheelchair accessible paths adjacent to the Buttermilk boulders.

The proposal mentions two locations: 1) the parking/turn-around at the Birthday Boulders, and 2) the gravel pit just before the Peabody Boulders on the right hand side of Buttermilk Road. This latter is an old borrow pit that has become a large parking pullout at the base of an old disused 4-wheel-drive track a hundred yards or so before the Peabody Boulders.

The Forest Service proposal states an intent to build a toilet at the Birthday Boulders either at the end of the summer or early fall this year, and then to build a second one at the gravel pit also known as the "borrow pit" only if needed.

I would prefer not to see a permanent structure placed at the Birthday Boulders as it would be ugly and present other problems. So choosing the borrow pit location as the first, and ideally, the only option would seem like a better approach to me. Here’s why:

Visual problems:

Birthday Boulders Site: Visual impacts would be a disaster here. A permanent toilet would be an eyesore. This area is high on a plain and, as viewed from the boulders, any toilet structure will stand out against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This area is famed for its beauty. Why ruin it?

Borrow Pit Site: This would not ruin the view from the boulders. From nearly all perspectives this location will be unobtrusive. Even a large toilet block here could be made to blend in against the hillside and have little impact.

Camping problems:

Birthday Boulders Site: We really must do what we can to REDUCE camping in and around the Birthday Boulders and the Birthday Boulders parking spots. A toilet placed here would undoubtedly increase camping at this location. This fragile area is not suited as a permanent campsite with all the accompanying erosion and visual impacts of tents, cars, campers, networks of paths etc. I would like to encourage people to camp away from the boulders.

Borrow Pit Site: Increased camping here will have less of an impact as the area is less visible and is already impacted from previous use.

Access problems:

Birthday Boulders Site: This is a site nearly exclusively used by climbers. It is at the end of a spur, off of a small side road that diverges from the only regularly used access road to the Buttermilk area. Climbers specifically choose this place to park for its proximity to the boulders, and on busy days all the parking in this vicinity is taken up by climbers. Few if any other users choose to take this spur road and so this climber-specific location may lessen the value of the toilet for all other groups as well as present a parking problem.

Borrow Pit Site: This site is occasionally used as a parking spot by climbers, but is rarely if ever filled with climbers’ cars. The nearby road is wide and easily accessible by all users of the Buttermilk area. This site is conveniently located beside the only regularly used approach road to the area, taken by virtually everyone.

Winter Access Problems

Birthday Boulders Site: During the winter this site is often inaccessible due to snow, sometimes for weeks.

Borrow Pit Site: Even while the upper area is blocked by snow, the lower site and lower bouldering areas remain in use and nearly always accessible.

Usefulness Problems:

Birthday Boulders Site: Even for many climbers, this site will require a special trip to reach. The site is off of a side road, and along a spur. People approaching the Buttermilks in the morning and intending to climb at any of the lower locations first reached, which is a large proportion of all climbers, could be discouraged from making a special trip to use the facilities. Adding to the discouragement could be a cluster of cars trying to get into and out of this already-crowded turn-around. The roads there are narrow and will get stretched as cars attempt to park and/or pass each other.

Borrow Pit Site: As stated above the location is beside everyone’s approach so there’s no reason not to use it for anyone needing to ”go” as they arrive at the area. The Buttermilk Road is wide at this point and stopping would be relatively easy.

The comment period for this proposal is 30 days and nearly up. In fact those wishing to express their opinion on this only have until July 15 to do so. Please submit comments to Lesley Yen, White Mountain Ranger District, 798 N. Main Street, Bishop, CA 93514; fax 760-873-2563; phone 760-873-2524; email lyen@fs.fed.us. There is a link to proposed actions here. I believe I have expressed the proposal accurately but if you wish to see the two-page pdf from the Forest Service please drop a line to Lesley or me (email at right) and ask for it.

Having spoken to Lesley recently I know that the Forest Service is genuinely interested in people’s opinions and may reconsider the proposal accordingly. If you can drop a line or call Lesley to politely express your thoughts on this, that would be great.

Transporter Room Another Repeat -- from Zack Parke

2011-05-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

Just received this note from an inspired Zack Parke of Santa Cruz. Read on as he explains.

"About a month ago I came across this video on Black Diamonds' website of Kevin Jorgeson in the Buttermilks. In it, among other sweet lines, Kevin does what could be only the second ever ascent of the Transporter Room on the Grandpa Peabody boulder.

After watching that video I got pretty psyched about doing this climb, now that I know where it goes and some of the beta. I'd planned a trip out to the Buttermilks for last week, and made it a point to check out Transporter Room. On Thursday after I warmed up and surprised myself by wrapping up a couple of previously frustrating projects, I convinced my friends to bring pads down and check out the line. It looked good so I went for it, and got up on the first go.

The bottom was pretty straightforward, and includes the physical crux, a left hand cross. The top was a little weird as I didn't quite know exactly where on the slab to climb, so I kind of mini epic-ed for 15 minutes deciding which holds to use. Not too hard but definitely the mental crux for me.

Respect to Kevin for reviving this old line. Without his video I wouldn't even have been thinking about the climb.

Hopefully it will get more traffic!

Wish I was still there; everything's turning a beautiful green!
Cheers!
Zack Parke"

This ascent is all the more impressive as Zack (25) has been climbing only about four years, mostly in Yosemite, but has been mixing things up with a fair amount of bouldering. Zack climbed the line without any prior inspection or TR, but after looking at the video from Kevin Jorgeson's ascent, which turned out not to be the second after all (see comments below). As well as working as a bike messenger, Zack makes custom sewn gear for climbers including chalk bags, pads, packs and wall gear. UPDATE: Please see the very sad news in comment #4. Here are a few images from Zack's ascent:

Zack Parke, Transporter Room. Photo: Kevin Smith

Zack Parke, Transporter Room. Photo: Kristel Dorighi

Isaac Caldiero completes Joe's project!

2011-05-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

Longtime friend of Bishop Bouldering, Isaac Caldiero, has completed his guidebook to Joe's Valley, Utah. He's done an awesome job of the guide, updating all the known info, and finally getting the word out on a slew of development there from the last few years. More info at the Joe's Valley Guidebook website.

Fingerprints FA by Andrew Stevens

2011-05-05T17:24:00.000-07:00

It's great to see that even though I might not be climbing much right now, life still goes on as usual out at the Buttermilks!

In early April, local Bishop RN and ER manager Andrew Stevens even added a sweet new line to "The North Boulder," which might better be described as the "East Side Story Boulder," after the proud highball by that name on its south face (see page 236 in the guide 2nd ed). Andrew's likely first ascent climbs a prow-like line on the boulder's northwest corner.

Buttermilks FA, Fingerprints from Andrew Stevens on Vimeo.

As I've been out of action recently, I haven't been able to check out the line yet, though I do know the boulder pretty well and the patina there is second to none -- it is perfect. I remember climbing on the slab and the undercut wall, but don't think I did the problem Andrew found here. Obviously some degree of vision is needed! This problem is in the v8 range, he says and he highly recommends it.

Walk out from the Birthday Boulder parking past the Fly Boy Boulder to find this. The problem will stay in the shade for half the day, but watch out for snakes as it's getting kinda warm out there. Should have posted this earlier, sorry!

Dan Mills, Sad Boulders Project (v11?)

2011-03-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Dan Mills has reported an ascent of a long-standing project at the Sad Boulders, suggesting v11. I say project.... At least I don't know of anyone who has climbed it--but if someone knows different, I hope they'll post a comment. It is an obvious line on a giant block facing south and the first really big boulder just off the path, a couple hundred yards up from the lower parking on Chalk Bluff Road. It's a proud line, in fact, and may have gone unclimbed this long due to its orientation (it faces the sun and heats up even on cool days), and also, of course, it is pretty hard.

Here's another angle added later (see comments):

Direct North (v14), Guillaume Glairon-Mondet

2011-03-05T11:08:00.000-08:00

I recently learned that French climber Guillaume Glairon-Mondet made an ascent of the desperate new line Direct North (v14) on the Grandma Peabody Boulder's steep side. The line is an obvious extension to Direction, and takes on this photogenic wall of immaculate yellow-streaked rock by its hardest sequence, stacking the excellent highball Magnetic North (v8/9?) onto the testpiece Direction (v13).

Starting in the underclings, first Direction is itself a v13 sit-start to the original "one-move-wonder" Thunderbird (a tough v11 utilizing a tiny right crimp) and leads to some full-pad crimps above and right of the finish of Center Direct. After gaining the crimps, and taking a shake, perhaps, the line moves up and right following Magnetic North which has a longish span to another small right crimp followed by a tough and nervy heel-hook lock-off to gain good jugs that lead to the lip.

Guillaume, who also climbed The Mandala Sit Start (via the left sequence, v13/14), and grabbed a possible fourth or so ascent of Iron Resolution (v13) in Joshua Tree, before heading back to France, said that Direct North was the hardest ascent of his trip. Though he flashed the upper section (Magnetic North), he found the move from the heel hook extremely hard when reached from the start, taking a fall there on one of his attempts. He also described the crux move (on Thunderbird) as "really HARD!!"

Guillaume described the line as "the most logical of the whole boulder," by which perhaps he means the most compelling, or most impressive, I'm not sure. Given the rock quality, this is certainly one of the most perfect hard lines in the Buttermilk area--the holds are bullet hard, and the climbing is sustained and amazing.

See an earlier report for this line.

Swarm Direct (v13?), Nalle Hukkataival

2011-03-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

At the end of Feb The Swarm (at the Secrets of the Beehive Area) received its obvious and long-awaited direct finish from visiting Finnish celebrity Nalle Hukkataival. Many others might have done this problem, but for the effort involved in rapping and cleaning the line and dealing with a known loose hold. The loose hold did break (so I heard), but only to leave another edge.

As expected, the direct version checks in at roughly the same grade as the original and surely goes high on the list of top crimping testpieces of the West! It looks awesome and is on that perfect polished brown rock, some of the best in the Buttermilk area. Apparently Nalle doesn't find this style of climbing particularly hard and had more trouble with the Sit to The Mandala, which he felt was harder, even via the left (generally considered easier) variation, which is the one he did. He writes about The Swarm Direct, and more about his Bishop visit on his blog post.

Enzo Oddo, Ambrosia (v11 super-highball)

2011-02-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

Just heard that 15-year-old French prodigy Enzo Oddo repeated Ambrosia yesterday. He must have been wanting to get it done before the bad weather moved in as it was a very windy day up there! He had previously top-roped the upper part of the line and bouldered out the start, using the same direct version that Isaac Caldiero used on the third ascent.

Another Fun Variation ... Drifter Boulder

2011-02-15T23:41:00.000-08:00

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.

Above: Sequence for the "Drifter Left" (above) moving into undercling.

Finishing with the big move of The Knobs.

Nalle Hukkataival, The Swarm

2011-02-09T21:32:00.000-08:00

Famed Finnish climber Nalle Hukkataival arrived in Bishop just a few days ago (along with Austrian bouldering masters Kilian Fischhuber and Anna Stör). After a month or two chilling at home and training in the gym, Nalle was ready to leave winter behind and hit the road again. On his first day he made a trip through the Buttermilks, doing some classics. A day later it was down to business with a quick (half hour or so) ascent of The Swarm (v13/14)! Nalle is here for a few weeks and says he's excited to get to grips with some of North America's most famous problems, highballs and all ... "The lines are amazing," he says.

Makers, v8, Pollen Grains

2011-02-06T22:02:00.000-08:00

I made a trip over to the Pollen Grains/Lydija Boulders on Saturday. The road down to the Get Carter boulder was still incredibly deep with snow, which is a bit surprising considering how little snow is left on the slopes of the main area. We all began to get a bad feeling as driving downhill in the 4x4 became tough going! Anyway, it was good to finally get out to the area as I’d been waiting for the chance to check out a couple of lines there.

Daniel Ferreira had written to me a while back about a problem he had done on the Honey Boulder (between the Lydija Boulder and the Jedi Boulder). It takes a direct line straight up from the start of Cover Me With Flowers, passing some cool rounded features to gain a distant slopey crimp (for the right hand), followed by an awkward pull around a bulge. Daniel had named the problem Makers after a night of whiskey drinking. I felt it was in the v8 range, and well worth doing--a little grainy, but that’s normal for FA’s. It’s fairly high and exciting, but the landing is flat. Thanks Daniel for bringing this to my attention.

Sorry, pretty lame not to have a shot of someone on this!
It is slightly overhanging to a bulge.

Sadly, the hours rushed by, and I didn’t get up the hill to look at the other line I was eager to try--Kevin Daniels’ Anaphylaxis, a direct start to the Beekeeper topout, which climbs directly to the finish of The Beekeeper from off the rounded rock at the base of that wall. Kevin said about v5 for this highball. I will report more about that one when I get a chance.

For more goings on, check out Alex Johnson's blog.

The Mandala Start--some background info

2011-02-01T17:16:00.000-08:00

The debate over where a boulder problem really starts can extend to many problems out there. Jump-start lines are notoriously hard to clarify, for example--how many pads?--and there are no doubt dozens like that. As for The Mandala, the now-standard start seems to have come to dominance over the last couple of years. I pointed out that the start has changed in the previous post simply because it has changed. I'm not saying there's anything "wrong" with the new start. Fact is that while some people know the start changed, many people, especially those who climbed in Bishop in the early 2000s don’t know this.

Here's a bit more background:

When Brion Voges flashed The Mandala last year, I didn’t report the ascent because I felt that by starting off of so many pads with the right hand in the undercling and left on the good crimp (just above), that this wasn’t doing the problem in the way it traditionally was done. It seemed an unfair start that didn’t respect Sharma’s line. It seemed unfair to Chris Sharma to claim to have flashed this historic problem, though Chris probably doesn’t care. It might also be considered unfair to anyone else that might have wanted to make the flash previously, or at least attempt it. I held that view for a long time and have mentioned it several times on my blog and elsewhere, though many people don't seem to agree, and people could debate this for years! I was trying to uphold a belief about the starting point of the problem, but even my own beliefs can't handle all the gray areas and lead to inconsistencies, so why bother being so pedantic?

Do I think Alex climbed the Mandala? Of course I do. I'm just saying for others coming along later that this is where she started the problem, and it's not the same place it used to start. Nearly everyone starts it that way now. Sure, it seems kind of strange to me but that's how it is. Now I look at all the videos out there of people doing The Mandala, I can see that there's almost no need to point out where it now starts, except to old farts like me and others climbing here back when Sharma first did the line.

The truth, I think, is that Brion and others had no idea there was ever a lower start. As I said, you can see loads of vids online. Of course Brion went on to comfortably complete the sit-start, and was very good humored when ribbed about the stand, but then, flashing The Mandala probably wasn’t too big a deal to him, amazing as that is!

To go back to the line: In the first few years after The Mandala was done, despite a huge number of attempts, I never saw a single person even consider starting the problem the way people do now. That’s not because there is a new sequence today. The sequence used from the high start is pretty much the same one Chris Sharma used for the FA (other than beginning higher), and the same as used by some others who also repeated it in the first few years—indeed, this includes Jared Roth’s third ascent for which he literally jumped off the ground to gain the good crimp, because he insisted that to use a pad or even a rock would invalidate his achievement.

It is within this context, and from this perhaps generational perspective that I watched the new start arise. If Chris Sharma, 11 years ago, had stacked four or five pads under the problem and pulled directly into the right-hand undercling, he would probably have felt like he was just working the moves. Sure, he could maybe have pulled directly into the undercling from the ground with his right hand, and a low left hand hold, and moved his left hand up to the crimp, but to do that does demand a hard pull—a harder move, he felt, than beginning with his right hand high, left hand low, and switching his hands on the undercling. Still, both options are there for the taking.

For Sharma to put a single pad under his feet to pull off the ground would have been frowned upon by some people back then, and would have been considered a very light-gray area to the magazines who reported groundbreaking achievements. Whether or not Sharma repeated the problem, or did the FA without using a pad, I don’t remember.

John Sherman amusingly told me one day after the problem went down, that maybe he would have done the line back in 1990 when he was in his prime if only he had stacked enough pads under it to reach that first hold. He was talking about the good crimp just above the undercling, a crimp that sure enough, most people can’t even reach from the ground. He watched annoyed as a few would-be ascensionists grabbed that hold standing on a pile of rocks plus pad, and struggled to bring their left hand into the undercling. I thought his comment comical when he said it because I didn’t consider that starting off a pad so as to put your fingers in the starting hold was such a big deal. So that’s where the gray area begins and the generation gap starts to appear. Funnily, though, John actually could reach that crimp from the ground!

Bottom line: The Mandala is an amazing boulder problem and unless you're John Sherman, you'll almost certainly need a boost to get to the start. Then, if you're anything like me, you will probably need another hefty shove to get any higher.

Alex Johnson, The Mandala

2011-01-28T18:32:00.000-08:00

Alex Johnson climbed The Mandala (v12) this afternoon. She did the problem from the high-start that is standard now (off pads with right hand in the undercling). This follows pretty much the same sequence used by Chris Sharma on the FA in 2000, beginning with a huge burly span from the undercling and some big pulls on small but positive crimps. Unlike Sharma, she only cut her feet near the top.

Alex Johnson, The Mandala

Alex Johnson, Haroun & the Sea of Stories, v11/12

2011-01-15T23:31:00.000-08:00

The snow is all over the boulders and a foot deep or more across the hillside, and the road in is like a sleigh run, but some determined folks have still been getting after their Buttermilk projects! Alex Johnson, battled through the ice and slush this past week or so, to enjoy nice cool conditions on Haroun & the Sea of Stories (v11/12), which she succeeded on after a few days work. Arriving Jan 3rd, and planning to stick around for January and February, Alex also managed Stained Glass (v10) and is looking at some of the harder and maybe higher lines to see what might be next. It promises to be a pretty amazing season here at the 'Milks for Alex.

Alex Johnson writes more about this on her blog.

Portia Menlove, Beefy Gecko (v11)

2010-12-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

Just a note to say Portia Menlove, of Salt Lake City, climbed Beefy Gecko (v11) at the Sad Boulders which might be her first v11. Nice work Portia! She was able to do that one and Beefcake (v10) the same day. See also a report on Siemay Lee's ascent of Beefy Gecko earlier on the blog.

Rise, second ascent? Charlie Barrett at the 'Milks again ...

2010-12-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

Today Charlie Barrett repeated Shawn Diamond's excellent super-highball Rise on the Luminance Block, in the deep gully near the Secrets of the Beehive area. Accidentally listed as v5 in my new guidebook, it is actually about v9/10! Ooops! (See the 2nd edition page 324-325; other than the mistake on the rating, resulting from a copy-and-paste from the first line listed there, the info is correct.) No doubt one look at the line is enough to clarify how serious it is, as it has about 40 feet of climbing on it, with the first 20 feet up an overhanging prow with some powerful moves, and the last section up an exposed and delicate slab. See the earlier report of Shawn Diamond's first ascent.

Taking a 50-foot section of rope out there to clean the line and feel it out, Charlie found that his rope, anchored to bolts across the far side of the boulder, didn't even reach to the slabby topout of the line, so he opted for a ground-up approach instead! That's the spirit!

There are still some first ascents to be had on this giant block ...

High-speed Day in Bishop

2010-12-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

Bishop Bouldering from Colin Delehanty on Vimeo.

Ever had that feeling that a day is just too short? You've only a quick trip to Bishop to make the most of, yet the 24 hours seems to fly by. You start to get a bit of climbing in, and just as you're beginning to get warmed up, it's time to head home!
This short, mostly timelapse, video made by Colin Delahanty pretty much sums up the experience!

Charlie Barrett, Saigon Superdirect (v10?)

2010-12-11T22:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a shot of Charlie Barrett making a repeat of Saigon Superdirect at the Buttermilks today. Possible second ascent? Not sure. A very impressive ascent anyway, first try after a quick inspection on a rope. The Superdirect goes straight over from the high pinch to a sloper for the left hand, then a move up right to a another rounded but better hold. These moves are seriously off the deck, demanding a lot of commitment, and are followed by a frightening finish over the sloping topout--higher than it looks in this shot, trust me. Got to be one of the proudest highballs at the 'Milks.

Sonnie Trotter, Evilution Direct (v11)

2010-12-09T21:51:00.000-08:00

Heard that Canadian Sonnie Trotter, of Squamish, BC, climbed Evilution Direct (super-highball v11) today. I'm pretty sure this was after rappel inspection on a previous day. They were not the greatest conditions out there, with a fair bit of moisture in the air compared to normal. But apparently after shaking out for a minute or so on the flake/patina at the lip he looked strong through the upper crux and topping out. Great to hear! Well done Sonnie.

Hideaway (v10?), Upside Boulder

2010-12-09T21:38:00.000-08:00

Up at the Buttermilks today Ian Cotter-Brown showed me his sweet new line called Hideaway on the Upside Boulder, mentioned earlier on this blog. It turns out to be a really cool problem with some unusual moves for the Buttermilks, traversing across the underside of the Upside Boulder using cross-throughs and heel hooks.

Ryan Held making the first roll-through on Hideaway (v10?)

There is a hard crux which Ian did with an insecure knee-bar. After doing the move this way my knee was pretty bruised. But since Ian didn't feel like walking all the way down the hill and back up to bring me the knee pad he used, and since I didn't really want to use one anyway, I found a way to do it with a left heel-toe in a shallow hueco. Sure, it might be harder but the movement is amazing!

Ryan Held moving into the crux on Hideaway (v10?)

After the steep butt-dragging and powerful start, you end up on Early Exit a technical v5 face to top out. Now I want to go back and link it into Upside (the v8 that goes straight up the middle of the boulder).

Ryan setting up to make the crux move using the heel-hook beta.

If you want to check it out, the Upside Boulder is way up on the hillside about 2-3 mins straight uphill from the Saigon/Sharma Traverse area. The problem Hideaway begins under the left side of the west face on an obvious flat jug/pinch. Move right into huecos, then set-up and roll through with the left hand to a good pinch edge, out right to another rough edge, then make the crux roll-through or heinously painful knee bar cop-out. Keep going right via jugs and underclings and finish on the wall at the right side.

That wall at right, Early Exit, and the central face Upside are well worth doing in their own right, either from a sit or a stand start.

Brian Hedrick, Mandala Sit (v13)

2010-11-19T22:25:00.000-08:00

Brian Hedrick completed Mandala Sit Start (v13) today via the new version, considered by most to be around v13. Tony Lamiche thought his original version was v13 when he did it in 2002, but others later suggested harder. The two versions climb almost like different problems. Anyway here's some video of Brian on the Mandala Sit and Gregor Peirce climbing Form Destroyer (v12):

WEEKEND WARRIORS from Gregor Peirce on Vimeo.

Gregor Peirce, The Buttermilker (v13)

2010-11-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

I have to report that Gregor Peirce climbed The Buttermilker (v13) yesterday, declaring, "I've become man enough for the real start."

Nice work Gregor! Charlie tells me you made it look easy, despite refining the beta on the fly! Hey, anyone who declare's Wills's Seam (at Way Lake) "the best boulder problem I have ever done," deserves a mention on here! Gregor, you are the best! Thanks for that, and good luck on your next projects! Hope you send everything!

Oh wait a minute ... now he's saying The Buttermilker is probably his favorite problem so far... Lame ...

Sit Start to Grindrite

2010-11-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

Tore Årthun, over from Norway on a bouldering tour for a couple months, asked me if a sit start to Grindrite at the Happy Boulders had been done (v3, page 125 in the new guide). I wasn't sure, as I had seen chalk on those holds below the regular (high) start for a while, but hadn't done a sit myself or known anyone to do it.

Anyway, Tore went back to complete the line: "The way I climbed it was from a sit start at the big undercling under the roof," he says, "slapping up right to a nice sloper, then moving left hand into a big undercling and slapping with the right to join the stand start." He suggested the difficulty was probably somewhere in the v8 to v10 range, though was more likely at the upper end of that.

Not sure if this is an FA, but it's not in the guide, and certainly should be now! Tore has suggested, Slave to the Grind as a suitable name, unless it was previously climbed. I'll go with that unless someone tells me otherwise. Thanks for the info Tore.

Karma, v6/7 by Matt Arnold

2010-11-07T22:18:00.000-08:00

Matt Arnold told me about this line at the Happy Boulders a while ago, but not soon enough for me to include it in the new guidebook. Matt named it Karma, and I went to check it out today with a few others. We found a striking line--an overhanging double arete--that is climbed using a bit of trickery, a bit of slapping, and some staying power to pull the lip. The moves are fun and the rock is solid, though a bit rough. Matt's original beta forced the line up the left arete, but a motivated crew today worked out a new sequence that goes at about v6/7, beginning at the obvious horizontal crack and topping out left. It's worth a look if you want something at about that grade--it could be a classic in the making...! Take three or four big pads. You can see the line up on the northeast rim (right side as you walk up canyon), a little beyond the Serengeti boulder.

This is a shot of Ian Cotter-Brown climbing Karma

Lessons at Rock Creek (v13?) by Charlie Barrett

2010-10-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today Charlie Barrett sent his project at Rock Creek, the extremely hard sit start to the beautiful prow on the right side of the talus (across the river and up the hill from the Campground Boulder). The line has stood out as the "last great problem" at Rock Creek for several years, and Charlie put a dozen or more visits into it over the past year. He has named the line Lessons.

Charlie eying the second move on the project last year

Charlie, who has been working his way through the eastside's hardest boulder problems (including ascents of Spectre, The Mandala Sit Start, Thunderbird inTuolumne, etc.) describes this as probably his hardest ascent to date! Lessons, which is a sit to Compression Session (v9) requires a huge amount of compression and body tension and some dynamic slaps to complete. The crux (the first few moves) requires squeezing between a good arete with the right hand, and some terrible glassy undercling/sidepulls with the left. The link for Charlie depended upon securing the left hand into the upper part of the key left sidepull with the second move--gaining the hold in the perfect position with the thumb on poor but crucial pinch. See the last paragraph of a previous post that also mentions this project.

Charlie on Compression Session (Rock Creek), now completed from the sit start

New line on Upside Boulder

2010-10-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

Ian Cotter-Brown has reported a new line that traverses from left to right on the Upside Boulder before topping out. This boulder, which is located up past the Saigon Boulder about 200 yards or so, is newly included in the 2nd edition of the guide (page 299). The problem begins to left of the west face down low on a good hold and moves low right to top out on Early Exit (a v5 mentioned in the guide). The traverse could also potentially be linked into Upside (v8) to give a harder link. The problem done is somewhere around v8-v10, but needs confirmation.

Wildflowers

2010-05-05T23:07:00.000-07:00

The wildflowers are amazing around Bishop right now. It is great to see the blooms across the Buttermilks and beyond ... Above is a shot taken near the Birthday Boulders yesterday evening. Below is looking toward Basin Mountain.

Ambrosia--Direct Start and Third Ascent by Isaac Caldiero

2010-04-27T21:38:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Isaac Caldiero made the third ascent of the amazing highball/solo Ambrosia (v11) on the Grandpa Peabody at the Buttermilks.

Isaac Caldiero, up above the hueco on Ambrosia (Photo: W Young)

The impending stormy weather presented an extra challenge. It was a warm, but windy day with a mist of rain occasionally drifting in from the mountains to dampen aspirations. But that light intermittent rain evaporated as fast as it arrived and Isaac was motivated by the cooling of the breeze that provided conditions far better than he'd seen over the last warm week.

Isaac nearing the top. Photo: Devlin Gandy

Interestingly, Isaac was able to make a direct start that had eluded Kevin Jorgeson, thereby straightening out this already fine line. He began with some intriguing technical moves to pull onto a good hueco about four feet off the ground. This quickly led to crimps and sidepulls and some more hard pulls and high-steps to gain good edges below the rest-point hueco a little below half-way. There, Isaac took a long rest as a buffeting wind threatened to blow his pads away. Then, using another original sequence, he pulled into an undercling in the top of the hueco and stretched up past the mid-point crux. Isaac's familiarity with the moves meant the top was more or less a formality for him, though the wind did its best to take the feeling out of his fingertips!

"The main attraction was that it's a huge obvious line on one of the most notorious boulders in America," says Isaac of Ambrosia. "I've been doing highballs for a long time and as soon as I heard Kevin had done the proudest line on the boulder I knew I had to check it out. Finally all the stars aligned and I was able to get out here and suss it out on a TR."

Breather before the committing finish. Photo: Devlin Gandy

Other big lines Isaac has done are some proud FAs in Turkey including Kumar Bas (v8) as seen in the video Herakleia (by Mike Call), plus several highballs in Southern Utah such as a second ascent of Somewhere Over the Rainbow (v9) and also the second free solo ascent of The Present (5.14). But Ambrosia was his hardest highball to date.

"Most highballs I've done have hard moves down low that lead to an easy top out, but this had small smears big moves and technical pulls all the way to the end. Right off the start I realized the seriousness of this particular line. For the most part it is super solid, but there are a couple of holds near the top that are definitely questionable. Usually when I think of soloing that high off the ground I wouldn't want to have any doubts about the rock at all, but I really wanted to do this line. It's a really, really cool boulder and to top out on the most highball line on it was really inspiring. I think doing the top several times was a lot about gaining confidence in the rock as much as my own ability."

On the summit. Photo: Devlin Gandy.

Nice one Isaac! Thanks to Devlin Gandy for these images! Check out more including a video on Isaac's blog.

Paul Robinson suggests v16 for Rastaman Vibration Sit, naming it Lucid Dreaming

2010-03-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

Paul Robinson has climbed the Buttermilks long-standing project the Rastaman Vibration Sit Start this morning. While working this problem just left of Evilution, on the Grandpa Peabody Boulder, Paul described it as much harder than anything he had done before. This extreme problem with a crux move to gain and dyno from a small left-hand pinch at standing height, was disregarded as near-impossible by many top climbers--with only a handful ever sticking the dyno. The line, in full is thought to be at least v15 and Paul has suggested v16. Not only is the start extremely physical, but the topout up the slab left of Evilution adds a good deal of highballing spice to top it off! Certainly one of the most amazing ascents at the Buttermilks ever, and one of the world's hardest problems. He has named the line Lucid Dreaming.

This line is the bafflingly hard sit start to Jared Roth's 2002 highball, Rastaman Vibration (v12) on the left side of the Grandpa Peabody's south face. Roth began his original problem at a high pinch, setting feet on the rock before making a desperate dyno to snag a fingertip edge. The crux over, v6-ish moves then led to the highball finish that he described as an epic hair-raiser. Sticking that first move alone though, was hard enough that only three or four people have ever done it. But not one had felt the urge to repeat the original line, by continuing on to the finish, perhaps feeling that the high topout was too sketchy to be worth the effort for a second ascent while the obvious and tantalizing sit-start was so nearly within grasp.

However, the "Rasta Sit Project" rebuffed all-comers, and steadily began to take on mythic status as the hardest well-tried project in the West, turning away everyone that came knocking, including Matt Birch, and Paul Robinson two years running. To put things in perspective, in 2007, Paul checked off The Swarm and The Mandala Sit Original (both v14) on the same day without much pre-knowledge. He also added the sit to the Mandala Direct to give The Mandala Direct Assis (v14), repeated The Spectre (v13), A Scanner Darkly (v12), The Mystery (v12), Direction (v13), and A Maze of Death (v12) ALL in one short trip in March 2007--that's over two years ago. Those were just side dishes in between tentative first attempts at the Rasta Project.

Hooked, Paul came back to put some serious work into the Rastaman Sit Start in April 2008. He was close, and was hoping to return in the fall, but that fall/winter season of 2008/2009 was curtailed for him due to a bad ankle injury sustained in a short fall while in Switzerland. He waited and returned recently to spent several more days over about a week and a half to get it done! Paul's other hardest ascents include well over a dozen v14s and a couple of v15s (Jade at Rocky Mt Nat. Park, and the second ascent of Fred Nicole's Heuco Tanks testpiece Terremer).

All photos above are of Paul on the crux.

Paul, after the ascent. He described a dream he had that morning in which he was climbing out an overhang on miserable pinches before awaking and feeling ready to go! Hence the name he gave the line: Lucid Dreaming.

Fight Club Direct

2010-03-10T19:11:00.000-08:00

Ian Cotter-Brown made an ascent of Fight Club Direct yesterday. It is unclear if there's just one way to make the direct exit, but Ian came down on a rope to clean and chalk the holds and work out the moves on TR. After finding himself slipping off the top section one in three attempts, he declared a ropeless ascent would be like "rolling the dice." Even so, with a slew of pads he made an ascent without the rope. Nice one Ian. While at the time he thought this might have been the second ascent, this is also unclear.

It's a sweet problem for sure, with a really tricky mantel, that feels both powerful and technical, followed by a delicate slab. Pretty much classic Buttermilking.

Here are a couple of shoddy pics I took of him on the ascent.

Ian beginning the highball section of Fight Club Direct

Ian making the dicey step up.

The Buttermilker by Chris Webb-Parsons

2010-02-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

"Doing this problem feels like the first real step on the way back," said visiting Australian Chris Webb-Parsons on completing The Buttermilker (v13) at the Cave Boulder, the Buttermilks. A year since his severe shoulder dislocation, and a bit less since the ensuing surgery, Chris could barely hold the positions on the crux of the line when he arrived in Bishop this winter. But he kept at it, and saw steady improvements. After doing a standing start, he was convinced both his shoulders still needed strengthening before going after the full/true ascent. Taking a break, he headed over to the Bay Area to work out with weights in an effort to build up his shoulders. Returning with confidence and psyche renewed, he did the problem on his first morning back (today) and was clearly delighted.

Chris Webb-Parsons, The Buttermilker

Chris will soon be heading back to Australia and hopes to be at full strength by the summer, when he has plans for a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, a possible appearance at the Vail, Colorado, Bouldering World Cup, followed by further travels around the US.

Over the last few years, Chris rose to prominence in Australia with ascents of the hardest lines there including Dai Koyamada's 60-move monster "v16" Wheel of Life. He was fast moving through the hardest lines at Hueco last year when he ripped his shoulder.

While Chris recovered from surgery last year, he helped complete the huge task of writing a guidebook to the bouldering at the Grampians, Australia, with his fellow climber and guidebook author Dave Pearson. I've seen a copy of the guide and I can honestly say it is a work of art, beautifully laid out, with extraordinary detail. The images are excellent and enticing, and by all accounts the climbing there is phenomenal. Check out Chris and Dave's excellent new website Grampians Bouldering. You can also check out Chris' website.

Highball Montage

2010-02-22T21:55:00.000-08:00

Please enjoy this sweet montage of Charlie on This Side of Paradise (Bardini Boulders, v10).

Thanks to Matt Arnold for the images and Olivia Nguyen (Graphics and Design). Climber: Charlie Barrett.

Meanwhile, don't forget there are risks to highballing. No matter where you climb, rock can break! Check out this solid-looking well-weathered hold from one of the Buttermilk's most amazing highballs, The Beautiful and Damned (v13).

There used to be this perfect little horn that you could grab at a sort of half-way point on the line, just before the really heady slab moves begin. Well, it snapped off when the line was being worked on TR. Now this already desperate line will be a touch more sustained and a bit more of a stretch on that first slab move. With all the snow we've had this year dampening the rock, plus the freezing and thawing recently, you can't be too careful going high off the ground.

Fight Club

2010-02-20T22:06:00.000-08:00

Ian Cotter-Brown made an ascent of the very rarely repeated Fight Club (v11, on the Saigon Boulder) yesterday, making me realize I have to get out and do that line! It's kinda scary to top out up the slab leftward, but a direct has also been done. Here are a couple of shots of Ian from a couple days before his send, taped up and ready to rumble! Don't let that hippy tie-die fool you!

Fight Club needs cold, ideally cloudy conditions.

Sean McColl completes Evilution Direct, Ground-up

2010-02-20T21:31:00.000-08:00

Sean McColl arrived here in Bishop about a week ago, down from Vancouver, Canada. After re-acquainting himself with the rock here (checking off a few classics including Stained Glass Sit), he went back to finish up the climb he came close to doing on his last visit a couple of years ago: Evilution Direct. A prior ground-up ascent had been made by Tobias Haller (all be it with a huge number of pads). Others had inspected the line on a rope.

Sean had attempted it ground-up a couple of years ago, locked off the crux and pulled up above the lip before backing down and dropping because the upper section was snowy/wet. Despite a small breakage a year ago, leaving the move past the lip a touch harder, Sean took just a couple more goes this visit to complete his ground-up ascent. No doubt there'll more to come from Sean if the weather holds!

Ethan Pringle also checked off Evilution Direct. He'd rapped the line to familiarize himself with it in the morning and did it in the cold after the sun dropped behind the mountains.

Sean also did a bizarre start to The Fall Guy/Haroun that begins up to the right of the normal Haroun start and leans into the start of Fall Guy using toe hooks. It sounds utterly crazy and if/when I get more info I'll add to this report.

Charlie's New Squeeze Gets a Work-Over!

2010-02-17T20:46:00.000-08:00

Kevin Jorgeson added a no-jump version to Charlie Barrett's new squeeze line (which surely must be called Charlie's New Squeeze) and climbed it without a jump start. There's a good left foot (tiny sharp edge) and a pair of tiny opposing crimps to start. You can pull on first, and then smack left hand to the sweet blob in the scoop. Some crafty intermediate moves and heel-hook trickery make the middle sequence amenable to those who can't pull off the long slaps that Charlie makes look easy. It probably goes at v10-ish. Here's a shot of Adam Thomason working his left heel up to the blob:

Ambrosia 2nd Ascent by Alex Honnold

2010-02-17T20:22:00.000-08:00

This afternoon at the Buttermilks, Alex Honnold made the second ascent of Ambrosia, the striking highball up the Grandpa Peabody's immaculate, gold-and-black streaked east wall.

Kevin Jorgeson who made the first ascent last winter was there with Alex, spotting him during the climb which was also watched by a group of onlookers who helped to pile a dozen or more pads at the base. Alex has suggested that the new method he figured out for the lower crux checks in around v10--a little easier than Kevin's method, due to the discovery of a wide pinch that helped him past the hardest sequence.

However the real meat of the climb comes committing to the next section of the line, beginning with an awkward few moves just above the rest that check in around v7, followed by sustained though relatively easy climbing all the way to the summit. Alex had top-roped this section before his solo, though he did get a bit confused near the top to find chalk from another climber who had also been working it by a different sequence! I took a few snapshots of the ascent.

Charlie Barrett Squeezes a New Line by the Sharma Scoop

2010-02-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

Charlie Barrett, added a heinous squeeze line that climbs the right rib of the Sharma Scoop, beginning with a jump from the ground. You end up with the left hand in the right side of the "scoop" and grope powerfully up a very blunt prow. It looks good and was repeated today by Kevin Jorgeson. It checks in around v10 or v11. The Buttermilks needs more lines like this! The Sharma Scoop is at the Main Buttermilks area--out to the east of the Drifter Boulder for those who don't know this groping sloping classic.

Charlie, who repeated Spectre last year, has been on a tear the last few months with a slew of repeats covering the gamut from The Bubba Lobotomy and Kill On Sight (v12s at the Happies) to nasty crimpy traverses like La Belette and Baburre Short (v11s at the Buttermilks). Not to mention his ascents of harder Buttermilks lines Michael Caine Sit, A Scanner Darkly, and Form Destroyer (all v12) last year. All this down to his ascetic lifestyle, apparently, plus a diet of nearly pure sushi dinners, bacon-and-eggs breakfasts, and the occasional tennis biscuit.

Stained Glass, After 300 Tries? Andrew Stevens Sends ... Finally!

2010-02-15T12:01:00.000-08:00

"I first tried it in Spring nearly four years ago," says Andrew Stevens of Stained Glass: "I roughly calculated that I fell off the last move about 300 times!"

Andrew is a 47-year-old Bishop climber, RN and emergency department manager at the Northern Inyo Hospital, who has been climbing for about 30 years. A long-time trad climber who has spent many seasons in Yosemite, he is also a keen sport climber and turned to intensive bouldering relatively recently. Stained Glass was his first v10 ascent, and what a beauty! "It's the coolest thing I've ever done in climbing," says Andrew.

"I always felt strong enough," he adds. "For me it was all about the footwork."

Keeping Andrew motivated over nearly four years of effort were all the friends he met at the base of the line. What he's taken away from the experience, he says, more than anything, is the sense of camaraderie gained from days out, with locals and visitors alike constantly encouraging his effort.

Nice one Andrew! Hopefully I'll be able to post a photo or a link to a short video clip soon.

Siemay Lee, Beefy Gecko (v11)

2010-02-14T21:27:00.000-08:00

It's great to report that Siemay Lee completed her 10-day project at the Sad Boulders, Beefy Gecko (v11) at the end of last week. She's been trying the problem on and off for a while (on perhaps 10 separate days), and finally put it all together for her first v11 send. Congrats Siemay!

Siemay and leg-warmers on Beefy Gecko. Photo: Michael Pang.

Now, before anyone asks, she correctly avoided the large hold--which is off-limts for this problem--that sits above the constriction where the roof (capping boulder) meets the side boulder. Impressively, Siemay manages to balance work as an internal medicine doctor with her passion for climbing, often traveling with her equally motivated climbing partner and husband (and ER doc) Noah Kaufman.

There's a video on Noah's Blog.

New Line on Get Carter Boulder, by Ryan Held

2010-02-14T21:04:00.000-08:00

Ryan Held wrote a bit ago about a right-to-left traverse into Seven Spanish Angels that he completed around mid-January. It starts on a low jug at the far right side of the east-facing wall. This was a project that had been tried a bit in the past by some locals. Ryan has named the line, Each One Teach One and reckons it checks in around v10/v11.

Ryan on Each One Teach One

Chris Webb-Parsons in Bishop

2010-02-14T12:42:00.001-08:00

It was great to see Chris Webb-Parson's smiling face in Bishop again. Around this time last year, just before arriving in California, he had been climbing at Hueco (Texas) when he dislocated his shoulder and had to return to his home in Australia to get surgery and recover. A year has gone by and he is back again, not as strong (yet) as he was before, but it seems like he's not wasting time trying to regain his former level.

Chris has succeeded on several problems in the v11 and v12 range here. At the Happy Boulders he did Kill On Sight (v12, the new sit-start on the arete right of Slow Dance) and Bubba Butt Buster (v11). At the Buttermilks, he did The Mystery (v11?) utilizing a better sequence at the end, and later adding the traverse into this, The Oracle (v12/13). He also did a high-start to The Buttermilker (from the underclings) and The Mandala. Hopefully Chris will bounce back to full strength and we'll have more to report soon!

As an aside, it is worth pointing out again, that Chris Sharma's problem The Mandala, as Sharma has mentioned to me himself recently, starts with the left hand on the low crimp, just his other landmark ascent The Buttermilker begins from the sit.

Dan Beall Update

2010-02-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been focusing on other things than writing this blog, but quite a lot of action has taken place here in Bishop that I need to catch up on. There have been yet more new lines reported to me and some impressive sends, plus a couple of ascents slipping under the radar that went unreported. In the latter category were Dan Beall's ascents of The Swarm (v14), Direction (v13), The Mandala (v12), and the rarely repeated Fight Club (v11), all of which he added to his impressive tick list here during a spell of visits from just after Thanksgiving to early January. He also climbed the world's hardest v9 (after breakages) in America's Fit Homeless (v9? Has anyone else climbed this lately?).

Carlo Traversi, The Buttermilker (v13)

2010-01-06T13:41:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Carlo Traversi for making a rare ascent of The Buttermilker (v13)--the original line that begins at the sit, down and left. It is great to see that, rather than being satisfied with his prior ascent of the shortened version of the line from the underclings, which many people mistakenly list as "The Buttermilker," Carlo put in the extra days of work to check off this historic beauty. As many may know, The Buttermilker was first climbed back in 1999 by Chris Sharma.

For Carlo the spans on The Buttermilker are relatively big, so his ascent took a lot of determination and a very dynamic approach and he describes it as perhaps the hardest piece of rock he's climbed.

Mordecai (v11/12?)

2010-01-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

Shawn Diamond has climbed a new line he has named Mordecai on the southeast side of the Drifter Boulder that was first cleaned by Matt Wilder last winter. It is in a kind of wide corridor between the Drifter Boulder and the Cosmonot Boulder lying downslope to its southeast.

Shawn working Mordecai by Damon Corso

This is how Shawn described it: "I named the problem Mordecai after the dwarf in the movie "High Plains Drifter" - keeping in the theme. It will most-likely be overlooked as compared with the most popular lines on the boulder, but it is actually quite a nice "near" highball kinda line - in the likes of the new Bish classic Heroun.

"I started with a very low right hand only a foot or so from the ground and a hueco-esque left hand pitch to make a hard first move to the right hand crimp. From there continue up and left and gain two small crimps to make a large crux deadpoint with the right hand to the very incut and positive rail -- Scary because it seems like you may hit the boulder behind, but I never came close. Exit right on the highly textured slopers/hueco."

Shawn suggests the line will likely clock in around v11 or v12, feeling "long and tiring," with a crux that stands out as a lot harder than the rest of the moves. I know it is definitely highball. As Shawn mentions, the rock behind does feel very close and will probably add to the fear factor on this.

Charlie Barrett, Spectre & Mandala SDS ...

2009-12-29T11:56:00.000-08:00

It's good to finally hear that Charlie Barrett has defeated his nemesis The Spectre (v13). He'd had the early moves of the problem and the moves around the lip on lock-down last season and yet would spin off every time he tried to hold the swing after the long move left in the middle of the crux.

Then he picked up a tip from Kevin Jorgeson, to bunch his right leg in and up to his right side, to a small edge, before cutting, and this worked to reduce the swing. It was Rusty Klassen that had suggested the idea to Kevin, proving that no matter how accomplished a climber you are, you can always learn from others. After a push on from Kevin, Charlie held the swing with the new beta, immediately announcing, "I've done the Spectre!" On his next go from the start, sure enough, the ascent was a formality. Nice!

Charlie playing on The Spectre mid summer!

Charlie was also able to check off the The Mandala Sit Start (v13/14) by using what he describes as the "big boy beta," climbing directly up from the start and using a tiny sharp crimp-sidepull with the left to lean across right to the big undercling/sidepull of The Mandala. This was the method that Ethan Pringle figured out and was also used by Cory French. If you are not tall, you can't use this method because the span across is too far, yet many taller climbers find it easier. As Charlie has noted: it's a different problem that way, but is still The Mandala Sit Start!

ON A SIDE NOTE: It is worth pointing out, for the purists out there, that many people are now starting The Mandala by beginning with their right hand in the undercling and their left on the crimp above (as you would arrive from the above-mentioned version of the sit), though doing so requires a big boost up, and is not the original problem--which begins with the right hand on the crimp as needed when stepping off the ground. It is strange to see 6-foot-plus climbers standing on a huge stack of pads to bring the starting holds down to waist level, rather than showing respect and doing all the moves of the climb (as Sharma did originally) before claiming an ascent.

Sucker Punch v5?

2009-11-02T20:55:00.001-08:00

Occasionally there is a breakage of a hold so big that when it hits the ground even I hear about it. The hold that came off Sucker Punch (formerly v4) at the Happy Boulders, is just such an example: the huge starting jug has been ripped from the wall. Perhaps someone was going for the big dyno (skipping the usual crimps used to gain the lip), or just climbing on it after a heavy rain... Or perhaps its time was simply up. I don't know, but I hope whoever broke it wasn't hurt. Oh, and by the way, you did us all a favor!

Trevor Markel on the new Sucker Punch

The giant hold was sitting below the boulder, but has recently been broken up by people checking it out and tossing it around, so you may not even notice it now, but you will see the white ring of chalk circling the now clean, smooth rock above the current starting holds like a water mark.

Anyway, I reclimbed this sweet problem the other day a couple of times and felt it was a grade harder than the v4 it used to get (maybe more?). Plus, it's excellent: even better than before! I started at the now lower starting holds, went left hand up to a sidepull, threw a high heel with the right, rolled through to the upper crimp with the right; matched; held the swing (crux) and popped to the top. If anyone else has any input on how hard they feel this is, please let me know.

Tim's Fred Traverse (v9), that begins around right and finishes here, should feel a touch harder too; maybe a grade but perhaps not.

Trevor Markel nearly doing the new Sucker Punch

Charlie Barrett, Luminance 4th

2009-10-28T00:49:00.000-07:00

Charlie Barrett climbed Luminance (v10?) for it's fourth ascent on Tuesday. He top-roped it and said it felt good in the cold windy conditions, so quickly did it solo, with a spotter tied in on the ledge as for the first two ascents. This line is a beauty for sure, on immaculate rock, and certainly deserves the attention after all these years! Soon we'll all be doing it.

Well, maybe not ... Charlie said the swing after the short left-to-right traverse was the hardest part of the problem, with potential to spin off, and fly down the rocky ravine. He was able to keep his feet on and lock off solidly at the big scary move to the jug, but felt he could blow that move and probably get away with a long drop into the crevasse, which he filled with a few pads. Of course he's not going to blow it, so he can say that, can't he?

Charlie wrapped up the day with an ascent of Michael Caine Sit (v12), which is now officially "hard" as determined by none other than the man himself, Fred Nicole, who also climbed it recently (it had a couple minor breaks earlier this year). A good day for climbing after all.

Fred Nicole, The Swarm (v14)

2009-10-23T23:50:00.000-07:00

Another early-season ascent has come from 39-year-old Swiss master Fred Nicole, who climbed The Swarm (v14), taking advantage of the cool temps on Monday 19th.

Fred had tried the problem about four years ago, but was on a very short visit then and didn't have time to get the line done before a heavy dump of snow shut down the area! This year, he and his wife decided to spend about a week in Bishop. He went up and impressively did the line on his first day. Fred used a similar method to that which Matt Birch used on the first ascent, matching close on the crimp for the third move, before the shouldery move right, saying it felt less powerful that way.

See also: Wilder and Clifford's ascents of The Swarm

Luminance Video

2009-10-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty sweet little video shot by Jonathan Deguzman of Dan Beall making the third ascent, first ground-up ascent, of Luminance:

While the problem is listed as v11 here, I believe Dan feels it is more like v10. Great effort ground up, that's for sure. See the previous post.

Rock Creek Prow and Charlie's Prow Proj.

2009-10-19T21:32:00.001-07:00

The prow in the talus, by the tree, at Rock Creek was climbed from a standing start by Charlie Barrett a couple of weeks ago. I believe this was the first ascent, though if I'm wrong about that, let me know. The way he climbed it was to pull on using a very glassy undercling/sidepull for the left hand, and a pinch on the arete for the right. The first move involves putting a right heel high on the arete and making a huge slap up. It's a hard and intimidating move where your left hand is liable to spit off to send you spiralling down the talus:

Charlie on the Prow (stand), first move.

The next move involves a similarly intimidating dyno for a decent high-friction wrapper that is impossible to see exactly, but is good if you hit it--so I'm told! It needs a tick mark a foot long... though of course we don't use tick marks, and even if we did, we'd brush them off later, or at the very least photoshop them out!

Charlie on the Prow (stand), second move.

After this, the problem is as good as over: there's not a lot to it but those two hard moves. Adam Thomason repeated it, after taking a little while to psyche up. Supposedly the problem is in the v8 or v9 range, but I confess I found both those two moves super-hard, and didn't do either of them, as being shorter seemed to make them exponentially more difficult and intimidating for me. Plus, I suck!

I found an entirely different problem that climbs the same feature, but stays on the right of the arete. I began with my right hand on the pinch on the arete, but used a small crimp next to it for my left hand. From there, I could throw a heel and roll to a tiny crimp on the right side of the arete and again up the arete to another hidden crimp, which I shared before pulling through for a jug. This also felt about v8 or v9 and is a little highball.

It is clear that the big prize is a sit-start to Charlie's version, which he worked on a couple trips. It has big squeezing dynamic moves on poor holds out a very steep piece of rock. It will be one of the hardest problems in the Bishop area when it goes.

Charlie on the third move of the sit-start proj #1.

Luminance (v10?) Ground-Up by Dan Beall

2009-10-19T13:31:00.001-07:00

As hoped, I have more info on this remarkable ascent of the superhighball Luminance by Dan Beall. Dan, who is a Junior at the University of California San Diego, had gone out to the Secrets area to try The Swarm. He moved over to look at Luminance, which his friend Tim Wilkens was playing around on (figuring out the moves, but finding the temps less than perfect). They had a couple of "mondos," a Mad Rock pad and a MOON Saturn pad but no rope, so started working the line ground up!

Even the start of the climb is a bit frightening: "I was really nervous going into it," says Dan.

But with no particular expectations, Dan gave it a go. After several forays across the scary lower moves, he soon found himself looking at the meat of the climb--a huge pull from one good edge to another with the terrifying drop zone into a ravine enough to make him second guess the outcome. However, after sitting down for a while, "until I stopped shaking," he says, Dan pulled on once more and this time committed to the throw.

"Even though you feel like you're going to die, I think that the climb is actually fairly safe with just a few pads because of how positive the holds are and how relatively controlled the falls should be. The only place where you could get really hurt I think is the move to the lip, but if you can get there, you really shouldn't fall, it's probably the easiest move on the climb."

I think basically what he's saying is that the holds are pretty positive at the big move, so if you have a positive attitude, and a lot of power, you know if you are going to stick it. A fall could certainly be very serious, though ...

Let's see if others will step up: it is unquestionably one of Bishop's most incredible pieces of rock, and Dan's ascent one of the most impressive achievements so far! Wow, the season has barely begun...

Dan's friend shot video, so hopefully we'll be able to see that shortly. [Video here]

Luminance... 3rd Ascent

2009-10-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

Dan Beall has reported his third ascent of Luminance (v10?) today. I'll try to get more info about this, but Dan says it's "really spectacular."

See also: Luminance FA.

Tony's Dyno and more ...

2009-09-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Well, temps are improving and Rock Creek continues to give up its toughest lines to some determined efforts and the occasional snap ascent. Interesting news of note is Adam Thomason's second ascent of "Tony's Dyno" (v11?) on the Boy Named Sue Boulder a couple of days ago. This sweet problem diverges left from the classic little crimping number, The Fluke, and had not seen a repeat since France's accomplished mountaineering and ski guide Tony Lamiche quickly dispatched it back in October 2007.

Adam had abandoned trying the problem the way Tony had done it and opted for a variation: From the good crimp of The Fluke, he swung his left foot over far to the left to a tiny horizontal edge, and reached wide left to grab a micro sidepull before throwing and sticking the lip with his right hand. While I do remember Tony had considered this option when he did the line, he didn't pursue it for long. It seems to be at least as hard as the original method, though requiring very different technique/strength and perhaps a longer reach due to the wide spans.

The original method is from the good crimp of The Fluke to stall at a very poor left hand crimp/sloper, at the angle change just up and left, before pulling feet up and throwing again (left hand) for the top. I repeated the problem using this method yesterday and it was an amazing feeling to stick that crazy move. Here's a pic of Charlie giving it a go:

Charlie Barrett throws for the top on Tony's Dyno (original variation)

Also of note is Charlie Barrett's second ascent of The Harem (v9?)--which he flashed! (The problem is at the base of the talus, directly across, and a touch downstream from the Campground Boulder, and is the right arete of a small wall. It is slightly spoiled by having a tree very close plus a very long move, which combo has put off most suitors, though it is otherwise a fine compression problem with a really nice slopey arete for the right hand). Ian Cotter-Brown also made a very fast ascent of the River Face Arete (v10, see below), checking it off in just three goes.

Charlie again, this time flashing The Harem.

Sit Down Dude ... And more ...

2009-09-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

Charlie Barrett has added a sit start to the classic Rock Creek arete, Dude (v9). The first move with a very bad foot, a nubbin for the right hand, and the left hand on the slopey arete is the hardest--a quick move up to gain a flat crimp for the right. It makes the climb a lot longer and less of a trick. How hard is it? Well, who knows ... "It's something to play around on," says Charlie.

A couple other things of note are two lines I did on the back of the Batter Boulder about a week ago: This is the boulder that is just up and left from the boulder with Clearcut and Overzealous (the Talus Boulder, in the guide). First, I repeated The Batter Effect (v5/6), though I started from an obvious left hand horn/sidepull and right hand on a good sidepull around the same height. There really didn't seem space to start lower if you want a pad under you, though apparently it was done from a lower start originally by Jeff Sillcox and a grade or so harder.

Andrew Stevens on The Batter Effect

Then on the back of the boulder I did the jump-start arete at left (not too hard, but committing) and also a sweet little sit-start beginning at right (also committing, but harder--v6?? Really don't know). The latter crosses the slopers until you can swing out left, grab a sidepull and then roll into the good hold and then top out as for the jump-start--well worth doing, though some serious pad skills may be needed to avoid breaking your neck if you fall.

Begin right line with both hands on the lowest point of the rail

Rock Creek Action--River Face Arete

2009-08-25T22:35:00.001-07:00

The River Face Arete (v10+?) has seen two repeats in the last two days. First by Ryan Olson, during a short visit (he's on his way back to college in Vancouver, BC), and then today by Adam Thomason, Crowley Lake local at present. This line is the left side of the well-known Campground Arete (v9/10), starting and finishing on the left side. Both climbers considered it quite a bit harder than the original version and made very long stretches to gain the top. This line is a really sweet, technical problem, with the upper hold being in just the right place--a shallow divot in the sloping lip: perfect.

Ryan going for the lip on the River Face Arete

New Super-Highball Slab Lines

2009-08-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

There are many beautiful glassy pieces of rock around the Buttermilks, but few are as near-perfect as this tall white granite slab at the Pollen Grains.

Kevin at the easy ground high on the white slab

The boulder, that I simply named the White Slab Boulder is up hill above the Timothy Leary Presents Boulder (aka The Hive). The slab is low angle but extremely tall and intimidating and no walk-up. I listed a couple of projects on this in my guide. Starting from the northeast facet, a couple of days ago, Kevin Daniels led the way, climbing up rightward to the blunt arete and following this to the top at about v1.

Mike Brady climbing Kevin's line on the big white slab

It's a heady climb because you have to make a move high up with a big drop over a sloping slab of rock. You definitely don't want to take a fall, so it's essentially a solo. I began further left and climbed up the left side of the slab, with a trickier start at about v2 or 3 and then similar climbing on perfect rock and plenty of air again. I also climbed another line that begins below the north-facing facet and joins Kevin's line, with a more direct start waiting.

FA on Timothy Leary Boulder by Kevin Daniels

2009-08-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

Kevin Daniels made the first ascent of this pretty line today, KD Presents, just left of Timothy Leary Presents. It's a bit grainy but will probably clean up with some traffic. It has some really cool moves including this high-step onto the xenolith with a blank wall above. Only the tall will make it through the groping finish on appalling slopers that steadily improve the higher you stretch. Kevin barely made it up and was pretty terrified in the process. Shorter folk may have to improvise another method or perhaps launch a terrifying jump ...? More pics below.

Pollen Grains: a World of Projects

2009-08-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

I went up to the Pollen Grains a couple evenings ago to check out a new line that Kevin Daniels climbed on the Hive Boulder, called The KD Factor. Turns out to be a pretty nice and sustained climb that begins down and right from the terrifying On the Cusp. You can begin with either a low (almost sit) start, or from a good jug at head height. I opted for the latter because I didn't feel like dragging a pad in there, though the low start could maybe push the grade a notch just for the hard first move. Anyway, the climb moves up and left passing between the wall and a boulder leaning up against it (kinda tight squeeze through there), which is probably the physical crux (hard roll through) and comes right at the start. From there, you climb up and left to good holds below a giant inclusion and move up and further left to join Timothy Leary Presents with an excellent but scary move on a slopey rail. I'm guessing the climb goes at about v3, and with a low start (at a large slopey pocket) would likely be a v4.

Kevin repeats The KD Factor.

Interestingly, we all then noticed the wall lef of Timothy Leary Presents which looks excellent, with positive pockets (a very rare feature at the Buttermilks) leading to another giant xenolith:

Kevin moving to the xenolith on the project

I climbed the line going right from the xenolith to join TLP at about v4, naming it Turn On, Tune In, Cop Out, but the direct finish straight up from that large inclusion thwarted our best efforts.

Kevin attempting the direct finish.

This direct finish not only totally lacks holds, but is made all the more tricky by the fact the rock is super crusty at the moment. A good cleaning will no doubt help. Stay tuned for further developments.

Topping out on Timothy Leary Presents (v3).

Mandala first July ascent? Chris Sharma

2009-08-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

It is late July, and thundery clouds roll close above in hot humid air. The Buttermilks are pretty deserted other than a group of youths from the Yo! Basecamp summer bouldering class, all having an amazing time climbing with one of their heroes, Chris Sharma.

These kids are psyched. I mean psyched! What would they like to see? The Mandala ... ? Well, sure... But in this heat ...?

"I'll give it a go," says Chris, as a few heavy rain drops hit the ground.

Chris pulls on and, despite almost no warm up (one time up Saigon a half hour prior), he fires off The Mandala first go while the group of youngsters and some not so young look on in wonder!

Chris made the first ascent of The Mandala in Feb 2000. He has focused mainly on sport climbing for the last few years, establishing and repeating several 5.15 climbs.

Bishop: the land at the end of the rainbow!

Shawn ... Image by Damon Corso

2009-06-09T20:35:00.000-07:00

Shawn Diamond image by Damon Corso.

This image shows Shawn on the upper section a.k.a. Magnetic North.

Direct North (v14??) by Shawn Diamond

2009-05-09T13:22:00.000-07:00

Shawn Diamond has reported a new line on the Grandma Peabody via a comment on the 8a.nu website. The line is a link of Direction into Magnetic North, the latter being a sweet addition that begins at the jug finish of Center Direct and moves up, rightward at first, across the wall on perfect patina. Shawn says, this "is absolutely the most proud line on the boulder--climbing straight up the middle of the Grandma face from sit to top--following really difficult climbing the whole way."

Shawn has suggested v14 for the line and named it Direct North. Though someone has (in a fit of optimism) dabbed some chalk on the blank looking overhang just right of Magnetic North, this particular line, reported by Shawn, is likely the hardest one that will go any time soon (other than perhaps adding a traverse into it from right or left...!).

Black Stuff Low Start by Jarod Arnsten

2009-04-27T14:41:00.000-07:00

Jarod on the new line (both pics)

Just heard from Jarod Arnsten that he did a super-fun addition to the Sads, by climbing The Black Stuff from a low start. "I noticed that the cavern had some sweet start holds at the very bottom," says Jarod. The climb starts down in the "hole" with a good left hand crimp and a good right hand crimp plus a big dish hole for the left foot. It climbs the face using long lock offs to what Jarod describes as "a sweet crimp with a good thumb catch," and then uses, "some cool trickery to get into the start to Blackstuff." Jarod thinks the line might go at around the v6/7 range. Please check it out and report back!

Thanks to Jarod for both the images.

Rock Creek mid-week

2009-04-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

Ian Cotter-Brown, Dude v9/10

Conditions were pretty good at Rock Creek mid-week, despite Bishop heat. Good enough for a session on the Boy Named Sue Boulder where pointless traverse link-ups are the name of the game ... Last year I linked The Groove into Boy Named Sue, and Charlie Barrett linked Boy Named Sue into The Groove and later Blood Brothers. Life Ain't Easy has since been linked into The Groove, and now the race is on to link Life Ain't Easy into Blood Brothers! Ian Cotter-Brown, shown here sticking Dude (v9/10?), fell on almost the last move of the latter link up with his foot up on the slab. Jeff Sillcox was also close.

Dude went down easily to Ian, who had always thought the problem was near-impossible, but with the added friction of the late evening temps, that all changed and he quickly stuck the move twice out of two! He used a right-foot-only method for the jump, left foot off. Nice. Tony Lamiche's eliminate dyno, to the right (beginning on The Fluke), remains unrepeated, but surely not for long ...

UPDATE: Ian completed the traverse link on Saturday 25th. Life Ain't Easy into Blood Brothers = Blood Sport ... (v11?)

Jesse Bonin in the Aquarium

2009-04-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

I heard from Jesse Bonin that last Saturday he climbed Aquarium (v11/12?) which begins with Aquatic Hitchhiker and tops out the boulder by climbing left from the "jug" backward through the Beefy Gecko traverse to join Beefcake all the way to its end. As far as I know, this is the first time the boulder has been climbed from start to summit without using the back wall, and it's almost certainly the hardest line done at the Sads.

"A whole lot of squeezing and heel-hooking," says Jesse. Asked about the obvious possibility of linking that same start (Aquatic Hitchhiker) into a topout through the gap directly above (Light At the End of the Tunnel, v8-ish), Jesse feels this would be the "real gem link-up." But he added, "I did not have nearly enough pads to even try that stand start. Kinda freaky looking last move. Everything would have to be coated in pads."

It is also worth noting that the start to this line (same as Aquatic Hitchhiker) is not the LOWEST possible starting point, and so you could add a couple more very hard moves there: "It looks totally doable," Jesse commented.

Cory French, Spectre v13

2009-04-16T12:45:00.001-07:00

Quick note to say congrats to Cory French for his ascent of Spectre (v13) on Monday 13th.

Nice work Cory. I believe Cory figured out the problem over three or four days and used a roll-through move at the start allowing easier placement of the key right toe, before matching the small crimps just before the crux. He moved right above the lip before topping out up the high slab.

Lisa Rands climbs Xavier's Roof

2009-03-24T21:54:00.000-07:00

Lisa Rands climbed Xavier's Roof (v11) this afternoon. Despite feeling exhausted after a couple of long drives to an event near Las Vegas and back, she headed out to Dale's Camp and was surprised to quickly figure out the top of the problem using the right crimp beta. After sticking that crux move late in the day, Lisa thought there was a slim chance she could save herself a return trip by making the send before it got dark. She just managed to bust it out with a hard fight making the long lock-off past the miserable slopey nothing.

Alex Johnson, A Maze of Death

2009-03-19T22:44:00.000-07:00

In an astonishing feat this afternoon, Alex Johnson climbed A Maze of Death v12 in five tries (really five tries, that is, beginning from the start each time!). She had watched Jeff Sillcox on the problem a couple of days ago and went over his beta before trying it. Jeff had perfected new beta over a few days. "It was crazy!" said Alex, "It's kind of straight-down crimping. It was the perfect problem for me. Totally my style."

Lisa Rands, Haroun and the Sea of Stories

2009-03-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

Lisa Rands braved the surprising early spring heat to climb Haroun and the Sea of Stories, v11/12 at the Buttermilks this morning. This spectacular line is unquestionably one of the best in the Bishop area. It went in the guide as a v12, but subsequent ascents have tended to peg it at v11 (including mine, though that's not conclusive). The rating is not really the point with a line of this quality: it's just one of those rare pieces of climbing that you simply won't find too often. Beginning with funky and disorienting moves on shallow huecos using an overhead heel-hook, it rises up the underside of a huge block on fused golden rock, passing fingery patina to a pumpy finish twenty-five moves in. A recent break near the top forced Lisa to alter her sequence, and she found herself screaming to stick a long move to gain the lip. From there, an okay rest comes before a relatively easy topout.

These are some shots of Lisa working the moves earlier in the year:

Jeff has some pics of the actual ascent on his blog.

Xavier's Roof v11? ...

2009-03-17T00:02:00.000-07:00

This is a shot of Justin Alarcon climbing Xavier's Roof at Dale's Camp, using the elegant "downpressor" method. This is certainly one of the problems of the moment. Yesterday there were about 20 people milling around the amphitheater watching events as several climbers attempted the line using a variety of sometimes unlikely-looking techniques. The two most successful styles seem to be:

1. The strong lock-off using the small right crimp with a high left foot stopping at the bad sloper/pinch on the way to the jug with the left hand.

2. The right high-step beta (as shown here) and utilizing the obvious right-hand sidepull, where the left hand presses out the move, pretty much static.

The intro section--beginning below and slightly RIGHT--with v6-ish climbing doesn't add a huge amount but just enough to keep the finish interesting for those at their limit. Concensus seems to be that the line goes at around v11, which feels fair to me too, after I also managed it, having watched Justin carefully a few days earlier! This is really a beauty, as many people have already noted.

Jimmy Webb climbs this and a few other Bishop classics in a vid he posted on vimeo. Some very smooth climbing! Don't be fooled by the footage of Hueco Wall though: how the hell does he do it like that ...? Agreed, starting at the right is the correct start, but most people will make the first move out left to the small xenolith, which is a stretch in itself!

Another Sweet New Line at Dale's

2009-03-06T19:22:00.000-08:00

Went out to Dale's Camp again, this time to check out the Project Boulder, so listed in the guidebook because of the potential for at least a couple of decent new lines. The one on the front side (facing east) is a sweet looking piece of rock that (as with the ones in the previous post) I've been intending to get on for years. I've even pointed others to it, but maybe it didn't look hard enough for the top climbers to want to invest the effort cleaning.

I did rap down the block as it looked like it would be pretty grainy, but as it turned out the only hold that really needed to be cleaned was a large sloper out right. The problem begins with some footless (or near-footless) moves on good finger edges with a tricky pull to grab a right-hand sidepull. Reaching up, the left hand finds a pleasant pear-shaped pinch from which the crux move up and right to the sloping ledge is made. Probably around v6-ish and surely this will be a classic one day! Check out the video I made with a my point-and-shoot (sorry about the wind noise):

UPDATE (Monday 9th): Climbed a harder left variation.

Two New Lines In the Bank

2009-03-04T22:29:00.001-08:00

I went out Tuesday (yesterday) to Dale's Camp to check out some projects up on the Xavier’s Roof Boulder. This boulder has had me staring every time I’ve been up there, as I’ve always wanted to see if the very high west side of the block, or the steeper northwest side would be climbable. But motivated by other things, I had never been there at the right moment to get to grips with it.

I was with Randy Puro, who remembers being at this boulder with Michi Tresch (a climber from Switzerland, who put up several great lines in Bishop about 10 years ago). Randy told me that he remembered Michi attempting at least one of the projects, the tall west-facing scoop, but doesn’t think he topped it out. He did however vouch for the fact that the ‘jump-start” line (listed in the guide on page 304 as unknown/project) had indeed been done, and he thinks it was by some guy from Wales!

I have been suffering from an injured left shoulder, so wasn’t about to attempt the very shouldery Xav’s Roof, which our friend Justin quickly dispatched, though I thought I could probably try one or two of the projects instead. I threw a rope over the boulder to check them out. The line that runs up and left to join the good patina of the jump-start problem turned out to be on excellent glassy rock and required only one hold to be cleaned! My first go, egged on by Randy’s encouragement, I made it through the climb. It is an amazing boulder!

Thanks to Jeff Sillcox for these photos:

The west-facing scoop is just as good, but very different--delicate and airy. It feels quite a bit more frightening than the above line despite being a lot less physical. Thanks again to Jeff Sillcox for the image:

In the Bank

Jeff Sillcox, Aquatic Hitchhiker

2009-03-01T19:51:00.000-08:00

A lot of people had eyed this project, or even tried this project, but Jeff Sillcox actually managed to hitch a ride on this project, listed in the Bishop Bouldering guide on page 170. At the Sad Boulders, Aquatic Hitchhiker follows the same line as Feel Like a Barnacle (which is sadly mis-described in the guide -- not my fault I swear! Come on ... no way did I write that ...), but while Feel Like a Barnacle climbs out along the keel of the Ice Cave roof using feet on the back wall as needed to reach the finishing jug at the hanging arete, Aquatic Hitchhiker climbs the same near-horizontal prow without touching the back wall... at all. It begins with the right hand on a narrow pinch of the keel, the left hand on a decent crimp. To start the moves, pull on by extending to a left foothold and bringing the right heel onto the keel not far below the right hand. Jeff has suggested about v11 for the problem. See photos of this on Jeff's blog.

Further bad weather also sent Jeff back to the Ice Caves to try a top out to the line, which he also did, climbing it from the jug through "v5-ish" entry moves to a hard lunge at the top.

Obviously a link-up of any line into this v8-ish finish will produce a problem of full-value. Sadly the landing is not so sweet here, so you'll need a lot of pads. Also, the rock at your back on the last move could add a bit of spice. Again, photos at Jeff's blog show this line that he dubbed Light at the End of the Tunnel.

Golden Rule, ropeless by Shawn Diamond

2009-02-28T12:33:00.000-08:00

Damon Corso has kindly sent me these images of Shawn Diamond climbing The Golden Rule on the giant block in the gully near the Secrets of the Beehive area. This climb was first done by Kevin Jorgeson in 2007, as noted in an earlier post.

Around the middle of February, Shawn first top-roped the line and then climbed it ropeless as Damon took some photos. Shawn reported that the line has interesting moves in a spectacular position on top-quality rock. He described it as bit more scary than Rise, his line on the opposite corner of the block, due to it having some awkward moves really high up, though the overall difficulty was not nearly so great.

All photos by Damon Corso:

Photos: Damon Corso.

Video link

2009-02-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

Check out some cool footage of Bishop shot by Jon McCartie called Mirando. Thanks for the heads up Ben.

Cory French, Mandala Sit

2009-02-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

Cory French climbed The Mandala Sit Start (v13/14) today, using a method probably devised by Ethan Pringle (who came close to doing it before injuring his ankle/foot in a fall from high on the problem last year). The new method uses very different moves from the original sit start, starting by reaching up with the left hand to a small sharp sidepull and then spanning all the way across right to gain the undercling of the regular Mandala with the right hand. The third, and crux move of the sit involves controlling the swing while coming in with the left hand to the good crimp at the start of The Mandala. From there, the regular Mandala is climbed by keeping the undercling with the right and going up directly with the left hand to the flat edge high above. It's a method that will only work for those over a certain height, and Cory, being 6' 3" as well as very strong, found it not too bad and was close to linking these new moves of the sit into the normal start the same day he completed the latter, just last week!

Ethan Pringle, Flight of the Bumblebee

2009-01-31T19:54:00.001-08:00

Today Ethan Pringle repeated Flight of the Bumblebee (v8? superhighball) at the Secrets of the Beehive Area, making the third ascent of this intimidating line (after Kevin Jorgeson, FA, and Kevin Daniels). The problem begins with a leap to a good hold and then follows a flake and rising seam up and right on good crimps to a small overlap. Getting established above the overlap is the crux. Ethan rapped the line to brush and feel the holds before climbing it second try. The landing is bad, with big boulders, and the climbing is insecure. Overall, Ethan felt it was more scary than This Side of Paradise but not so scary as The Beautiful and Damned. Here is a cool video of Kevin Daniels doing the second ascent.

Jeremy Smith says "This climb needs YOU!"

2009-01-28T21:10:00.001-08:00

While climbing This Side of Paradise (a v9/10 superhighball at the Bardini Boulders) Canadian Jeremy Smith felt the uncontrollable urge to send a message to our readers ...

Jeremy climbed the line ground up, ticking it on his second attempt, taking perhaps the 6th ascent (there could have been others). The problem was made famous in the video The Sharp End in which Lisa Rands makes the fourth ascent. Jeremy is the second person I know, after Charlie Barrett to climb "Paradise" without checking it out on a rope and he was quick to call this spectacular prow, "The best line in Bishop." Big praise from the big man who has made short work of many of the area's finest climbs.

Jeremy is here making a long-overdue pilgrimage to Bishop from Squamish, British Columbia, the town where he has spent the past eight years or so, and where he shares management duties at the local climbing store Climb On -- see the lovely pic of him on their website. An early claim to fame is Jeremy's likely third ascent of The Buttermilker during his previous trip to Bishop back in 1999! At 6-foot-2 and with a booming voice to match his personality Jeremy is hard to miss.

Evilution Direct Video

2009-01-21T09:06:00.000-08:00

Tobias "Zlu" Haller has a little video of his ground up ascent of Evilution Direct you can find at his photo site along with some interesting and artistic photos on the site too. Great work Zlu!

Line on Solitaire Boulder

2009-01-17T20:53:00.000-08:00

I climbed a really steep and spectacular line today on the north side of the Solitaire Boulder (it's the side you see as you approach from the Checkerboard area or from the Painted Cave boulder) and faces in the opposite direction to the classic Solitaire. I was wondering if anyone had done this before and maybe given it a name. It's an amazing-looking overhanging wall that's pretty high, but unfortunately the rock is really crusty. There was chalk on the first holds. I climbed it by a big drive-by dyno and then some crimps on iffy rock and biggish pulls to buckets over the lip up and right. It seems about v9/10? Could be easier but feels hard as committing to the upper moves is a bit frightening. It's actually pretty good fun despite the crumbly rock. Anyone have info? Please let me know!
Thanks,
Wills
UPDATE: Been suggested at v7 by some (see comments below).

Jeff Sillcox, The Buttermilker

2009-01-16T21:36:00.001-08:00

Oh yeah ... and Jeff finally did The Buttermilker (v13), getting a now rare ascent of this line. Recently most people have been climbing a shorter version of this problem by starting on underclings, rather than the original problem, which involves a sit-down start at the lower left--it could make a grade of difference ... The higher start seems to be winning out for popularity, but is it right to re-describe a long-standing testpiece with new starting holds? Should the high start be called The Buttermilker, or should that name be used only to describe the problem from its original starting point?

Alex Johnson, The Mystery (v12)

2009-01-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

Alex climbing The Mystery (Photo: Jeff Sillcox)

Alex Johnson has had an amazing day at the Buttermilks today, which included her ascent of The Mystery (v12), a sustained problem involving big moves and a lot of body tension... "Super core-intensive," says Alex.

"It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever climbed," says Alex, who has rarely had to go back a second day on a problem before. She was close the first day she tried The Mystery, but ended up taking a couple of returns to it on other days before getting it done.

The same morning, she also flashed The Fall Guy (v9). Alex has spent about two weeks in the Bishop area, acquainting herself with the rock, and climbing some classics at the 'Milks like Evilution to the Lip (v10), The Checkerboard (v8), Soul Slinger (v9), and flashing Moonraker (v9), and High Plains Drifter (v7).

"I love it!" says Alex, of Bishop. "I like that it's crimpy and that there's no hike... I also really like the highball aspect. The weather was awesome. It was gorgeous! I'm definitely coming back. "

[Thanks to Jeff Sillcox for the photo!]

Giovanni Traversi, Evilution Ground Up

2009-01-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

G on Evilution

Giovanni "G" Traversi today succeeded in his quest to follow in the footsteps of his brother Carlo with a ground up ascent of Evilution (original version, v12). G took a dozen or more(?) falls pulling around the lip before finally unlocking a sequence and finding the reserves to get the line done! Congrats for sticking with it G!

Jorgeson steps up to another level ...

2009-01-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

Kevin Jorgeson has taken headpointing to a new level at the Buttermilks with his first ascent, solo (after TR practice), of a line dubbed years ago "Ambrosia." The climb, on the east wall of the Grandpa Peabody, begins with v12 bouldering to gain a shallow hueco at the point most would consider the highballing limit. This is followed by a bold v7/8 sequence of huge moves between good edges that quickly covers about another 15 feet and takes the climber through that blurrred line between highballing and soloing. After that, and without significant rest, comes a strenuous section of what Kevin suggests is probably mid-5.12 climbing past pretty patina to the top of the wall, about 45 feet up.

This spectacular gold-and-black-streaked face had once been a top-rope project of Tom Herbert, back in the early 1990s. Herbert had been able to do many, if not all, of the moves, but abandoned the line, imagining it to be in the 5.14 range. He figured he'd take his climbing elsewhere: The Buttermilks, at that time were such a backwater, he told me, that he found it hard to justify dedicating so much time to a TR project no-one else would ever see, or ever be interested in! Nevertheless, he had named the line Ambrosia (food of the immortals) fitting with the Buttermilk theme, and connoting (as the quality and beauty of the line deserves) the very pinnacle of Buttermilk climbing-- More info about this and Kevin's same-day repeat of Luminance at the Big Up Blog.

Tobias Haller, Evilution Direct (ground up)

2009-01-07T21:28:00.000-08:00

Austrian Tobias Haller has made the 6th ascent of Evilution Direct (v11) in a proud effort at the end of the day today. After slipping at the last hard moves with his foot skating from the edge of the boulder's lip and taking a frightening fall, he was able to summon just enough energy to get the problem done a short while later. Interestingly he is the first person (as far as I'm aware) to climb the line with no prior inspection from a rope, preferring to watch, learn from others, and go for the boulder ground up. No doubt he was helped in his goal by the recent popularity of the line--plenty of beta, well-chalked holds--and the enormous numbers of pads being brought daily to the base of the Grandpa Peabody. Three-deep is now standard for pads below this face it seems! So why not go for it ground up? Great ascent from Tobias!

Tobias climbing the lower section of Evilution

Tobias climbing Haroun and the Sea of Stories (v11/12)

Matt Wilder, Mandala Sit and Evilution (Original)

2009-01-07T21:03:00.001-08:00

Matt Wilder has had an extraordinary trip so far, climbing Evilution Direct (v11) and The Swarm (v14), and following those up just yesterday with The Mandala Sit-start (v14) and Evilution (original version, v12). Matt climbed The Swarm, Mandala Sit, and Evilution in a two-day spell that he describes as, "My best two days ever." It feels all the more satisfying for Matt as he'd taken something of a break from hard bouldering over the last several months in favor of pursuing some trad ascents (e.g. FA of Viceroy, 5.14 in Boulder Canyon), and a bit of endurance training, getting back into the bouldering fairly recently. If that's not over-achieving enough, Matt just finished a Masters degree in computer science and is now moving on toward a PhD. How do these people do it?

Tim Clifford, Matt Wilder, The Swarm (v14)

2009-01-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

The Swarm (v14) has had a couple of new ascents in the last few days, first from Tim Clifford (an ex-Brit now living in Squamish, British Columbia), and then today from Matt Wilder (of Boulder, Colorado). "It best represents the hard Bishop crimpy problem," says Tim. "I was really psyched to climb it. I knew I only had a few tries, due to my skin, so had to dig deep."

Tim suggested that the line may not involve such hard moves as the grade implies, but also noted that because of the tiny holds, it requires a patient technique of "waiting and making each go really count."

In case you don't know Tim, he's the climber who made the first ascent of The Singularity, an incredible, and incredibly hard, unrepeated problem in Squamish, once known as The Room Project.

Here is a short slideshow of Tim Clifford climbing The Swarm (the 9th ascent I believe) during his recent trip here. Thanks to Georg from Squamish for the photos!

Tim Clifford climbing The Swarm (v14); photos by Georg

I also shot some pics of Matt Wilder climbing The Swarm today (10th ascent). Check these out:

Matt Wilder climbing The Swarm (v14); photos by Wills Young

Got Pads...? Matt Wilder climbs Evilution Direct

2009-01-02T22:56:00.001-08:00

Matt Wilder 20ft/6m up on Evilution Direct (v11), Friday Jan 2.

Matt Wilder has made the fifth ascent of the phenomenal Evilution Direct (v11), calling it, "One of the best boulder problems I've ever climbed." The hold he's reaching for in the above image broke about a month ago making the top part of the line slightly harder and more sustained than previously.

Matt on the penultimate hard move.

Luminance (v11 super-highball) by Shawn Diamond

2008-12-29T17:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Shawn Diamond climbed what one of his two spotters at the time, Walker, describes as the "scariest thing I've ever seen," and which Shawn describes as "the dumbest thing I've ever done!"

Luminance (tentatively rated v11) is an exceptionally beautiful wall above a heinous landing. It is on the steep west face of a giant block (not in the guidebook) at the head of a gully between the Windy Wall and the Secrets of the Beehive Area. Eyed previously by a few of the best climbers around, it had always been left for another day, or another climber. Shawn threw a rope down the line to check the moves. Then he summoned up the courage to step on un-roped. The wall begins with some long moves to good sloping crimps that lead to the mental challenge of throwing a total-commitment dyno to a hold just below the lip.

The ground drops off dramatically, so spotting is also pretty terrifying. Walker, who was tied into a rope for safety at the time of the ascent, was able to save one fall from just before the most dangerous point, by pushing Shawn away from the worst landing and into a pile of pads.

"There was a moment there when I actually thought to myself, 'what am I doing here?'" Shawn told me, of the moment he arrived at the committing move, and for an instant became aware of his surroundings. He realized he had to give it 100 percent: a controlled lock-off was not an option, the lip could only be reached dynamically. He stuck the move, sinking his fingers into a hidden slot at the back of the sloping rail, and the rest was pretty much a formality.

"I saw that line years ago and had been walking around New York City dreaming about it," says Shawn, who is currently at medical school in the Big Apple. "It was definitely a big step up in my climbing... My most memorable ascent, and a big breakthrough for me."

Here are some more photos I shot of Shawn on the opening moves. See also his other line on this block.

Here's a shot of the boulder, so you can see the steepness of the ledge and fall-zone

Chris Schulte, Buttermelter...

2008-12-18T23:40:00.000-08:00

I recently heard from Chris Schulte about some new lines he has done, including an intriguing right start to The Buttermilker on the Cave Boulder at the Main Buttermilks area. Chris dubbed the problem The Buttermelter. We'll have to see if this proves popular, but it definitely seems like a fun addition. It's likely in the v11/12 range.

He says, "Start in a large hueco right of The Buttermilker, on underclings (right hand on a "ball"), lock in a kneebar and udge up and across with the right hand to the "glass dish" on The Buttermilker. Bicycle, left hand up to a sidepull crimp, double toe hooks to bicycle switch, and finish the 'Milker..."

If you can follow all that, you deserve an honorary v12 in bouldering, even if you don't actually do the problem. Good luck! See Chris's blog for more info and photos.

Another fairly hard and cool-looking line that Chris has recently completed is on the west side of the Golden Boulder (to the right of the Iron Man Traverse, if you're looking up hill). This line begins at the crack around on the back left side of this huge boulder and follows a lip up and right to the apex of the boulder before topping out. It's a nice line, and because of the adjacent boulder, even after climbing 20 feet, you will find yourself only a couple of feet above your pad.

Chris writes: "The lip traverse on the Golden Boulder consists of pretty good positive holds traversing along the obvious aspect change. There is a sorta hard move 1/2 way, over the point of the adjacent boulder, then a tough cross, and the last move is also a bit of a grunt... Maybe the last move is easier for the smaller, but a redpoint crux, for sure..."

Chris named this one Constellation, and the rating is unknown (v9-v11 range?). Sounds and looks like a great endurance problem to me. The line beginning at the same place, but heading directly up the slab remains to be done.

Alex Puccio climbs A Maze of Death (v12)

2008-11-30T19:54:00.001-08:00

This afternoon Alex Puccio climbed the short, steep, and very powerful line A Maze of Death (v12), first done by Dave Graham late in 2002. This pretty, concave wall, with its perfect patina is located at the Bardini Boulders area not far from the Main Buttermilks and is an incredible piece of rock.

Alex traveled to Bishop with Carlo Traversi and spent just long enough to get a feel for the area: "I have had a great time in the wonderful land of Bishop. There is so much to be done here. I can't wait to come back."

Working off of beta devised in conjunction with Garrett Gregor (who also climbed the line recently), Alex used a sick lock-off at the start to gain a key right hand sidepull/undercling and then a twisted drop-knee to make two moves with the left hand to gain the good (ish!) crimp below the upper slanted rail (see photos below). That latter part was Garrett's sequence, and apparently a great way to avoid a heinous upper gaston move. Even so, the final pull through is no gimme and proved a thorn in the side for a few days for Alex: Though close to success on her first day at the line, she became frustrated by deteriorating skin and tired muscles during her visit. A rain break and a Thanksgiving Day interlude broke the pattern, and Alex returned for a fourth time to claim this major first female ascent!

"I found the moves on A Maze of Death to be quite hard," says Alex, who struggled at first to deal with the slick footholds. "It is very technical with precise movements. I had to make sure I placed my feet PERFECT. I think I came away from the boulder as a stronger climber and person."

Well, hey, that's what a trip to Bishop will do for people!

Alex Puccio making the moves described. Photos: Wills Young

Stained Glass (v10) by Tilly Parkins, First Female Ascent

2008-11-30T13:12:00.000-08:00

Just received this note:

"Hi Wills, I’ve recently returned home after spending most of November around Bishop and the Buttermilks whilst traveling with my partner, Tilly Parkins. During our time at your bouldering paradise we had the opportunity to climb many of the best lines that the Buttermilks have to offer. One ascent in particular I would like to report is Tilly’s send of Stained Glass (V10), which according to locals could possibly be the problem’s first female ascent. An amazing and pure line, Tilly first spied the problem via youtube and fell in love with the thin and technically demanding climbing. Working the problem over a few days, Tilly managed to fire this classic Buttermilks test piece on the last day of our trip (destroying a tip in the process)! A wonderful and fitting end to our time in this awesome location. The send was ever sweeter for her, as she had a knee reconstruction and multiple surgeries in 2007 after tearing knee ligaments (LCL and PCL) and rupturing the joint capsule when a heel hook went horribly wrong. This was one of her first sends since recovering and it’s good to see her back in form." -- Mark Withers

Tilly Parkins on Stained Glass (v10)

I do believe this is the first female ascent of this outstanding Buttermilks gem. No question about it, this is one of the finest little problems I've seen anywhere in the world, but it is a tough choice for a road trip--indeed a bold choice for Tilly given that she is likely the first woman to do it. It is notorious for its tiny, skin-eating crimps, and a heartbreaking lunge for the final hold. Great stuff! Nice way to come back from an injury! -- Wills

Here's a vid of the ascent: