When I first took on the endeavor of climbing all the documented routes at the Main Areas of Crowders Mountain State Park, North Carolina, I was fooled by the hard men of the past. With most routes being traditional I assumed the bulk of my project would be a cake walk. But I soon learned that these traditional routes are tricky with gear and chossy with rock quality.
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| Onsighting Fortress Fingers (5.10 trad) with tri-cams only |
The less traveled traditional routes that I had assumed easy have been physically easy but mentally challenging.With the harder and popular sport and mixed routes being frequented and top roped often, they are cleaned of most bad quality rock, unlike the trad routes I mentioned.
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| Arborsit (5.11+ trad) |
While climbing several of the obscure traditional routes I've had rock crumble in my hands, I've had to bail, I took a fifteen to twenty foot whipper because of a rock hold breaking. I've had 'oh shit' moments, I've climbed hidden gems, I've climbed routes I will probably never climb again. All of this in pursuit of what? I just wanted a goal. I live two hours from the nearest climbing and Crowders is the nearest outdoor rock. I figured I could try and climb something new every visit.
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| Axis Bold As Love (5.11c/d mixed) |
Crowders became and is my training grounds. The hike in alone is a challenge to do while keeping pace and not stopping. A great warm up as you gear up for the first route of the day and a great way to get in shape for some of the longer hikes at other climbing areas.
The more I climb at Crowders the more I get to know the rock quality and how to look for creative gear options. I've learned to be nimble on mediocre rock. Like any other climbing areas, sometimes you get great gear, sometimes you set mental gear, sometimes there are no gear options. Because of the subtle and creative gear options at Crowders, I've noticed that when I go to an different area with straight forward gear I tend to excel.
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| Plain On The Left (5.10+ sport) |
This project has taken patience because there are times I would like to work hard projects at other climbing areas. I feel I am paying my dues by climbing a lot of lower grade traditional routes first. I want to be climbing for a long time so I don't want to rush trying to climb hard grades too often. I need to build my base experience up in order to be efficient and well rounded. My traditional climbing skills have sharpened with the subtle and deceptive gear options while climbing the physically easy but mentally challenging routes at Crowders Mountain.
I'm almost finished climbing all the 'easier' traditional routes. Routes like Double Naught Spy (5.9R), Sadistic Rhythm (5.9), Rocky's Roof (5.10), Psychotic Reaction (5.10), Pink Flamingo (5.11a), Temporary Tradition (5.11), Instant Karma (5.10b), and more are all nearing the top of my checklist. . It's great to move up in the grades. I'll admit I'm excited but the unknown is always a little scary, right? I thought the physically easy routes were a challenge mentally, imagine what these physically hard routes are going to do the mind!
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| Fashion (5.12b sport) |
Its been a challenge recruiting and climbing with different partners. We all climb at different levels so I make sure that I get them on routes that are going to build their skills but I also try and find routes that I haven't ticked yet. Because I'm running out of routes in the lower grades, I tend to pick whatever I feel will give my partner the best experience based on what they want to climb. Some partners want to do traditional routes to work on cleaning and placing gear. Other partners want to climb hard sport routes and some partners allow me the pleasure of working on my goals so they climb on whatever I need to tick. I usually improvise my day depending on who comes with me. I have learned to never get caught up on one particular climb but to remember the overall project.
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| Onsight the obscure Respirator (5.8 trad) |
This project stemmed from some of my early experiences at Crowders. Only the high traffic areas were well documented so I set forth to update Mountain Project. I've been clearing briars, taking pictures, climbing like a madman, exploring areas unknown to me, and focusing on having fun. I've noticed with long-term projects that it is easy to get sidetracked or lose motivation. That's okay with me because it is a long-term project. I've also noticed that our society gets caught up on instant gratification but some things are meant to take time. If I lived next to Crowders I would probably not give myself as much slack but because this mountain is two hours away, I feel I'm doing a great job managing my time out there.
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| Onsighting Playing An Eliminate(5.10- trad) |
I get asked often how the project is going, my answer is that it's going. Progress is slow and steady but at least it's not at a stand still. I have taken note that a lot of retro-bolting occurred when their was a rebolting project in the 90's. Squeeze jobs are pretty common in the Resurgence Area. For example, the squeeze job left of Plane Above Your Head, the squeeze job right of Cro-magnon Crack, and the squeeze jobs right and left of Passing Out Wolf Tickets. Not only are they squeeze jobs but they are retro-bolted squeeze jobs. The original Trundlasaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rox were trad climbs with one bolt. Now they are sport routes with one trad piece. Things have changed and are probably going to keep changing. The day of the trad climber is making way for the day of sport climber. Even in good old ground-up North Carolina trad country.
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| Heady Areteddy (5.9+ trad) |
It is a dying art that many of the die-hards have fought hard to keep in North Carolina but with the introduction of the indoor climbing gym and the 'instant gratification' attitude, people want to climb hard and safe right now. The day of putting in the time to know your ability enough to climb the 'R' and 'X' ratings is making way for the 'add a bolt' in order to remove the 'R' or 'X' rating so that it can be climbed now. In England a person would 'headpoint' a route in order to obtain the mental capacity to climb the 'R' or 'X' rated routes.
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| Silence The Critics (5.12b sport) |
I try not to judge because now a days there are everyday weekend warriors crushing at the harder grades. Before you had to dedicate a lot more to become an elite in the climbing world. Now a couple of days in the gym and a couple of weekend outdoor trips is all it takes to achieve what would have taken a lifestyle change in order to achieve the same in the past.
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| Slimebelly Snakeass Sodhole Skunkpie (5.12a mixed) |
In trying to hold myself to a standard set by hardmen of the past I've gained a lot but at the cost of time. As I mentioned before, I want to climb many years to come and if pacing myself in order to stay healthier physically and being able to climb long into my older years than I will gladly sacrifice a little time in order to gain years of pain free climbing. Efficiency is my goal.
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| Hemingway Elementary School Brick Wall Training Traverse- Ketchum, Idaho 2003 |
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| Training Weight! |
Enough talk, I'm off to practice being a smooth, balanced, powerful, mentally strong climber! Off belay!
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