On a thoroughly disgusting day, steam rising from the ground, rock wet from the lingering fog, Steven and I made our way down to the Arrow wall because “if the road is dry, Arrow is dry.” It wasn’t clear that the road was dry, but the Arrow wall was certainly our best bet. I took… Read more »
Posts By: Dawn
Here again, only different
Now that I’ve led Trapped Like a Rat and Pink Laurel on the same day, I’ve decided that not only is TLR the hardest seven at the Gunks; it’s the hardest nine at the Gunks. TLR is slimy. It’s a dark corner that tends to stay wet after a rain but today it’s more slick… Read more »
A final Jean wrap-up
Jean: The Life-Cycle of a Route Eyesore (Dawn)Ken’s Crack (Dawn)Bunny (P1: Michelle)Horseman (P1: Dawn, P2: Michelle)Jean (Dawn)
Weekend of valor
Following up on my refusal to lead any more 7s, I dived right into Broken Sling on Saturday. I’ve led Broken Sling a few times before and although those opening moves will never feel trivial, the route doesn’t scare me as long as I stay off the second pitch. I’ve led the second pitch once… Read more »
Two weeks in a row
It was open. (It’s always open.) I put a lot of work into taking the fear out of Trapped Like a Rat (the hardest 5.7 in the Gunks) last year, nearly got the thing wired. But today it’s all gone and I step up to the opening moves, the moves I like least, feeling as… Read more »
V3 Direct: more like V3 than 5.7
There’s something wrong with the Gunks. Somebody recommended the upper pitches of V3. No one will admit to it now, of course. There’s always somebody recommending the upper pitches of something or other. Let me tell you, when there’s a nice fixed anchor at the end of pitch one and most of the people you… Read more »
Stephanie
Sunday was climbing with Stephanie. It was supposed to be Saturday but the weather changed things. That also meant that we drove with her whole crew. On Saturday some of them had to be back earlier so Stephanie and I were going to meet and drive separately. It was quite the crew. Stephanie, Lou, and… Read more »
Stephanie
Sunday was climbing with Stephanie. It was supposed to be Saturday but the weather changed things. That also meant that we drove with her whole crew. On Saturday some of them had to be back earlier so Stephanie and I were going to meet and drive separately. It was quite the crew. Stephanie, Lu, and… Read more »
Minor shaking
Sunday I went climbing with Lisa. We had a good day. I led Ken’s and Drunkard’s and Trapped Like a Rat all, no hanging, no whining. I was nervous starting them all but did pretty well once I got off the ground, only minor shaking here and there and only piece of gear placed that… Read more »
Westward Ha!
In the meantime while I was crafting on Sunday, Todd was out with Sharee and a host of other beginner types and manages to tweak a tendon or something, so Monday he didn’t really want to climb despite having arranged a date with Sharee again. So it was up to me to lead. I didn’t… Read more »