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Whatever Afternoon Climbing Organization |
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WACO (wacko) is the arm of the OC community devoted to climbing
and fighting gravity while on rock and ice.
WACO sponsors weekly climbing workshops for beginners at the
Vertical Wall and diverse, more advanced clinics on rock and ice.
This club is also referred to as LOCO.
The
club is devoted to climbing and fighting gravity while on rock and
ice. A Rock Climber's Guide to the University of Vermont By Brett Merlin Introduction Congratulations, you are attending one of the greatest climbing universities in the country. So now that you are here where are you going to get out and enjoy the fresh air of the crags? I mean looking around campus it seems a little unfeasible that there would be any climbing around. Maybe if someone appoxied some holds underneath the roof of Angell lecture hall there might be something, but other than that this place looks a little barren. I will let you in on a little secret; UVM is such a great climbing school because of its location to the rest of the crags around New England. You are not going to find some place that is five minutes off campus, but you will find a plethora of crags that are about 2 hours away. I am going to lead you in the right direction to make the most of your climbing career at this great social institution. The first thing that you are going to need to get out is a car. Here you have two options; you can either get your own or become best friends with someone else who has a car. Since the majority of the climbing sites are within a car ride this is extremely important. So when picking a climbing partner it is imperative to find someone who has a car. Let's say that you don't have a car and that the only thing that you have is a bike. Basically you have two options if you are in Burlington: Petra Cliffs Climbing Gym or Ethan Allen Park. Petra is a great place to hone your skills and get some burly strength. In my opinion this place is THE premier climbing gym in the area. Petra has an incredible bouldering cave and great leads. The toproping is pretty good also. If you want to get strong the trick is to boulder there a bunch. You will meet a ton of psyched climbers in the bouldering cave who are always looking for partners or for someone to go outside. If you can become a regular at Petra then I guarantee that you will see substantial advances in your climbing. However, this place can be rather addicting. So if the weather is good, try to spend the least amount of time in here and go outside. Believe me; once winter comes you will be spending enough time in Petra daydreaming about climbing outside to make your mouth drool. Another reason this place is so cool is that they have regular route setting sessions on Sundays. So just go in and make sure that you meet the right people and then they will let you set. It is not a big deal at all. If your problem sucks someone will take it down and put something else up, but if it is good people will rave about it all over the gym.
Ethan Allan Park Your second option is Ethan Allen Park. Very few people know about this place. Everytime I go there I think that it is pretty remarkable that there are these huge boulders and crags right in Burlington. So get on your bike, strap a crashpad to your back and get peddling. This will not only serve as a way to get there but will also give you a good leg burn. Ethan Allen is considerably underdeveloped. The problems there are dirty and many times the people will ask you what the hell you are doing with that strange looking backpack. Just be patient with them and slowly explain what bouldering is and then be on your way. My favorite problem at Ethan Allen is the "Red Line Traverse". It is located along the dirt path that runs along the street and then veers away into the woods. It is a fairly obvious problem and should not be too hard to find. My favorite way to climb it is from left to right. Start on the far-left corner and then work your way around the boulder. Once the red line begins be sure to only use the holds below the line and then once the line teeters out go for the awesome top out. The fall is pretty hard so it's a good idea to go with some friends who also have pads. "The Red Line Traverse" at Ethan Allen Park. The majority of the problems at Ethan Allen are really mossy and nasty so be sure of what you are pulling on. In general this place has a lot of potential and is also just a really cool place to walk around and check out.
UVM Bouldering Hall If you can't find the time to head out to Ethan Allen or Petra then you are going to have to find a place on campus to climb. People will tell you to go out to the UVM climbing wall or the bouldering hallway. These places are great if you are just starting out and want to learn about the sport. The bouldering hallway is pretty fun to climb at the first couple times you go, but after that it begins to get really boring. The place is hot and sweaty all the time. The genius that created it placed some hot water heaters through it. It also has no windows. I begin to feel like a lab rat inside there. Anyway, the coolest thing about the bouldering hallway is the traverse. Begin at the entrance doorway and traverse clockwise around the entire place. The crux is the electrical box. Remember that the box is not on route and make a point to be sure not to touch it. Continue around until you have reached the entrance again. If you are feeling good go for another lap, or two, or three... I think that the most important things to bring to the bouldering hallway are water, climbing shoes, chalk and a boom box. Everyone else will praise you for bringing some musical climbing motivation. Please try to stay away from the Reggie or jam bands because the place is already so hot and with that music I will probably just fall asleep on the cushy carpeting. Remember, this place is for training and not for sleeping. UVM Climbing Wall The UVM climbing wall is also fun and I find that it is pretty challenging. You won't find many routes like it outside but at least it is climbing. If you cant find the time to make it down to Petra Cliffs the wall is a good place. If you want to get strong climb a little on the wall and then workout upstairs on the machines. The people at the wall are super nice and are more than willing to teach how to belay and climb. Lower Bolton So all of this indoor talk is making you tired and sleepy, I bet you are itchin' to get out and do some real climbing. Where to begin...? Bolton Valley has some really awesome climbing that is only about 20 to 40 minutes away from campus by car. Here there are two areas, Upper and Lower Bolton. The first area you come to is Lower Bolton. Here the approach is 31 seconds, exactly. Pretty nice compared to other approaches. The cliff is great for top roping and has a couple of fun leads too. One of the main draws for me is to take my friends who are just getting into the sport. It's a great place to introduce them and get them psyched. It is also fun because I can set up two climbs on the same rope, a project for me and a good intro climb for my friends. The most classic case of this is setting up a top rope on the left side of the "A Crack". The left "A" is a fun 5.9 or 10 and just to the left of that on the face is a bolted 5.12 which is super thin. Everyone has a great time and it caters to a whole bunch of levels of climbing. Another fun climb at Lower is the 5.10+ mixed bulge that is to the right of the "A" crack about 100ft or so. It is around the corner to the right and is super sporty in the beginning and comes over a fun bulge that is well bolted. The last 20 feet or so goes up a thin finger crack that is well protected with medium size nuts. The end is a little run out and a little frictiony, but super fun. Clipping the last bolt is a big relief. To the right of that climb and around the corner is a great two pitch 5.6. Climb up to a large ledge, set and anchor and then bring your buddies up. Then climb up a big crack and then left, clip a bolt or two and then top out on the big ledge. Set an anchor and bring your friends up again while staring at the view. While looking at the view just be sure to ignore I-89 eyesore. Once your friends are up bust out some food, water, and approach shoes then walk down the decent trail. Another thing that I should mention about this area is the human impact. Many climbers visit this area and have severely destroyed some parts. This is private land and should be treated as such. At any moment the landlord could order that no one could climb on his land. On that note be sure to pack out all of your trash or pick some trash up if you see it. Also try and stay on the designated trails to prevent any more erosion. It drives me nuts when I see careless climbers leaving trash and destroying the area for everyone else. All it takes is one bad climber to ruin the place for everyone. Lower Bolton could be a great example for other climbers to follow if we show the world that we are safe, clean, and environmentally conscious. Upper Bolton Upper Bolton is significantly different from Lower. Park at the Long Trail entrance and follow the trail up to the climbs. The approach is a little dangerous so be extra careful. Cross the river behind the houses and go up the trail past the sign that points towards the cliffs. Hop up some boulders and some sketchy rocks to the crag. Be careful though I have twisted one too many ankles on the way up. Here there are some fun challenging sport climbs but for the most part there are a lot of awesome trad lines. The cracks are as good as you are going to get around Burlington. "Captain's Crack" is about a 5.7 or so and is an awesome lead. Be sure to bring a 60 meter rope or double ropes because the climb is long. The beginning is a little run out so be sure to bring a solid head. The rest of the climb is well protected with all kinds of fun moves. The end of the climb is at a tree. It overlooks the entire valley and is breath taking. Belay your partner up and then rap down before the rain comes in, the belay is not a place you want to be hanging out at for a long time. It's pretty exposed and the easiest way down is the way you came up. Set a rappel and be sure that the rope is not dragging over any sharp edges. Once down work your way over to the far right of the crag to the "Rose Crack" and the "Thorn". These are two awesome hand and finger cracks that will blow your mind. The anchor at the top of the "Rose" is set way back so be sure to bring your static. The "Thorn" is a little bit easier to set up so you could probably do it with some runners and cordelette. The "Rose" is a slightly overhanging finger and handcrack that is just incredible. Every move is unique and at the end your hands might not even be bloody! The "Thorn" is a solid thin finger crack with a large reachy move to the left at the end. Both are awesome lines. Upper Bolton has all kinds of stuff and I am finding something new there every time I go. It is more of a commitment than Lower Bolton so I would not suggest taking your friends who are just starting out without having done some prior recon on the area.
Rumney, NH Lets say that its Friday night and you have all day Saturday to climb but are busy on Sunday. The perfect place to go for this kind of situation is Rumney, NH. Its only about two hours away and has some awesome sport climbing. It is one of the cushiest kinds of climbing I have found in terms of access and what you need to bring. If you are going here, be sure to get your hands on the Rumney guide by Ward Smith. He has done a great job of communicating where climbs are and what not in his book. Rumney is kind of like an outdoor climbing gym. Lots of sport climbers willing to take falls. The climbing there is awesome. This is a great place to bring some of your friends who have not climbed that much. The majority of the areas have a lot of 5.8s and 5.10s. The most distinctive place about Rumney is the bombproof eyebolts. These huge rings are probably one of the most solid bolts that I have ever seen. After being concreted in, they are not moving at all. Many of the top anchors have carabiners on them so it makes cleaning that much easier. Rumney can get super crowded on the weekends especially during leafpeeping season. This place is absolutely gorgeous during the fall. Driving route 25 to get there is one of the most beautiful sights that I have seen. The trees are on fire and the entire way you drive next too this stream with red covered bridges all over the place. When you get to Rumney the view is unforgettable. Climbing on good friction with red, yellow, and orange leaves everywhere is pretty awesome. If you get there on the weekend during the fall you will run into a lot of crowds of climbers coming up from Boston and all over New England. Try and stay away from the Parking Lot Wall, the Meadows, and 5.8 Crag because they can get busy. If you really have a desire to climb at these areas get there really early and warm up on them to avoid the crowds. If you are looking for a nice quiet serene climbing you will probably not find it here during the fall. This place is still a great time though. After a long day of climbing go for a dip in the river that has a swimming hole right out of the first parking lot. Trust me, it is deep enough if you jump off of the big boulder into the water. Some other good areas to go are the Darth Vader Wall, Waimea Wall, Jimmy Cliff, Main Cliff, and Bonsai. Some fun routes that everyone should try are Waimea, Flying Hawaiian, Masterpiece, Apocalypse Later, Jugline, Peer Pressure, the list is endless. The author on "The Flying Hawaiian" Be sure to be super nice to the locals while you are walking along the road. It is easy to see how the amount of climbers walking around their town can easily aggravate them. Rumney is also a great place to climb during the beginning of winter. It is suprisingly warm. Be sure to find a wall that gets lots of direct sunlight and you can climb in a longsleave shirt and a pair of fleece pants. The most dangerous part about climbing in Rumney is the approaches and descents. The path is very rocky and when some of the leaves fall over the rocks it is very easy to slip and break yourself. Don't just walk; PLACE your feet when you are walking around the crags. Although this area is mostly sport climbing there is also some trad climbing. At Main Cliff you will find a bunch of mixed routes and at the 5.8 Crag a fun trad route is the 5.8 Crack By the Road (5.7). Overall Rumney is a great climbing place that is only 2 hours away from campus. Be sure to leave by about 6 or 7 so that you can get there at about 8 to make sure that you get a spot in one of the lots. If you don't get a spot it is easy to get screwed.
Pawtuckaway State Park, NH Another great get away spot in New Hampshire is Pawtuckaway State Park. This place is well known for its awesome bouldering. It's about two and a half-hours from campus so it's a little more committing than Rumney. The first time I went here with a bunch of buddies we used some crappy downloaded guide off of the internet. It took us hours to find the boulders. We were marching all over the place, through private property and all kinds of stuff. When we thought we were there our luck ran out and we were misplaced again. After many hours of walking through thick brush with big crashpads on our back we finally found some bouldering worthwhile. Like I said before this place is awesome. If you have half a brain (unlike myself and some of my friends the first time) you should be able to find the Natural Boulders. This area has a lot of really high quality problems in a close vicinity to one another. My favorite problem in this area is Ride the Lightning (V6). The sloping top out has kicked my ass one too many times. After you get through the diagonal crack section and into the crimps and then on to the sloping top out throw a leg over and just trust that it will stay. Keep mantling until you are absolutely sure that you have gotten to the top. Believe me, if you think you are all in the clear think again. The sloppiness will throw you off and you will be looking at an eight-foot fall. Be sure to bring at least four pads with you to make the landing a little soft, and it wouldn't hurt to bring someone who actually knows how to spot. The Bouldering Guide to Pawtuckaway State Park by Tim Kemple is an awesome start to a great area. A new section of the park is being currently developed called Blair Woods; hopefully all of those problems will be in the next edition of the guidebook. Pawtuckaway is mainly bouldering but there are some opportunities to rope up. The slabs and the upper cliffs on the way to the Natural Boulders are pretty cool to set up but I prefer the bouldering personally. Oh yeah, while you are on the way to the Natural Boulders and after you pass the slabs be sure to hop on Overlooked (V4) it's a super awesome problem that gets... well you will understand.
Smugglers Notch Another bouldering area that is pretty good is Smuggler's Notch. If you only have an afternoon to get out and climb this place is awesome. Primetime is during the fall. The leaves are gorgeous and the bouldering is not that bad either. The friction could be better but the climbing is still a blast. This place is constantly being developed. An old guidebook has been published by the Duke of Jefferson and is not too good. The problems are hard to find so it's more of a self-discovery kind of deal. After warming up at the Work Out Wall my favorite problems are Primate 2001, The Fin, and First Blood.
The author on "The Fin" If you like mantling problems try the "One Eyed Monster". Ward sending the "One Eyed Monster" The main parking lot area has some great problems just feet from the paved lot. The only downside is that you can find yourself in the middle of a bunch of leafpeepers who give you weird looks. But don't worry about that, just focus on what is important. Some of the landings here are not too good so it's probably a good idea to bring at least two pads and some good spotters. I have sprained my ankle pretty well so don't take any problem lightly. Smuggs has a small window during the year in which to climb so be sure to get out there a bunch during the beginning of the fall semester. Another thing that you need to be careful of is being hit by the big SUVs along RT 108. Smuggs is the place to go if you only have some morning classes and the aesthetic value of the area is unforgettable.
North Conway, NH If you are looking to get a little more remote and are into some multi-pitching New England has its share. Unfortunately it's a little bit of a drive to get to some of the good stuff. One super famous and really cool place is Whitehorse in North Conway. You may feel a little odd parking by a hotel in the middle of nowhere, but that is just what you are supposed to do. I have only done The Beginner's Route (5.5R) but it was really cool. The day my climbing partner and I got there we were going to do the Standard Route which is really popular but it was busy. So we hopped on another one that was close. Whitehorse has one section that is a giant slab. It kind of reminds me of a tsunami wave about to crush the entire city of North Conway. Be sure to bring some comfortable shoes and the extra sticky rubber because the slab can get thin. I recommend starting early at about 7am just to be safe. Plan on topping out around noon to miss the afternoon rain at all costs. Rain on a slab equals no fun. It's also good to start early so that you beat the crowds. The view is pretty spectacular looking down on North Conway. The hardest pitch on the Beginner's Route was the 5.5R pitch that was not physically hard but just mentally taxing. At least I was going from one set of two bolt anchors to another. There was absolutely no protection and the fall would have been pretty horrendous. I found that the best thing to do is just put your head down and walk, one foot in front of the other. If you can find little depressions in the slab be sure to use those because they will give you the best friction. After reaching the upper slabs my partner and I found ourselves confronted with some easier super run out slabs. Here it is important to keep your head together and not think about what might happen if you trip. It's about 6 pitches of slab scraping fall on the way down. Sometimes we found it appropriate to short rope some of the sections. I managed to find a small Alien placement that made that section a little more bearable. Basically I should say that you need to keep your head together the entire way up. Don't let up one bit. Slab is serious business. The down climb was not bad at all. Just be sure to remember to bring walk off shoes in your backpack. The signs are well marked and it's not a problem. Just be prepared in case you confront a day hiker who might ask you something along the lines of "Why did you climb up that way when the trail is much easier?". Restrain yourself, give a smirk and continue back down to the car. After you and your partner have finished loading the car drive back to the main street of North Conway to find the EMS that is inside a hotel. It's a unique experience that every climber should see. Feel free to wear your nasty rancid climbing clothes in the store, it's practically expected. Then on the way back to Burlington soak in all of the view on the Kangamangus Scenic Highway.
Keene Valley, NY Another fun multi-pitch slab climb is in the Adirondacks. The Keene Valley in New York boasts a ton of great trad climbing. The Regular Route on Chapel Pond Slab is a lot of fun. It is a little bit more involved that the Beginner's Route at Whitehorse so be prepared. Be sure to bring a guidebook with you because if you happen to get off route you can find yourself in some hairy situations. The slab climbing here is a lot of fun. Many of the pitches are run out but are still a good time. Chapel Pond Slab This route has the option of climbing through a little cave section. If your second, who is carrying the pack, still has enough energy to do the cave go for it. The moves are a lot of fun and the pro is pretty good. Once you have gotten to the top head right along a little path until you find a faint decent path consisting of rappels off of trees. The first pitch of the decent can be carefully downclimbed. It is much faster this way but if your partner is a little clumsy set up a quick rap. After the first pitch the next couple are pretty obvious. Be sure to bring double ropes on this climb because it makes the rappel a lot easier. Also be sure to bring extra rap rings because sometimes they are missing.
Shawangunks, NY When three and four day weekends roll around pack up the car with every climbing item you have, fill the gas tank and head to the Gunks. The five hour drive to New Paltz is well worth it. The first time I pulled into the town and saw the Trapps, Near Trapps, and Skytop I could feel the climbing tradition hit me over the head like a kid trying to steal out of the cookie jar. This is one of the places where climbing was born in North America. Passing by Rock and Snow (the local climbing shop) was like seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time. After driving up to the cliffs buy a day pass (it's overpriced but goes to a good cause), stop drooling and get on the rock. If trad climbing is your thing then you are in the right area. I have spent most of my time solely in the Trapps area and I recommend Laurel, Rohedendron, Ken's Crack, and Nosedive. Walking along the Carriage Road with all the other climbers makes you feel right at home. This is the way it is supposed to be! The climbing is endless and the history is dense. The guidebook to the Gunks is pretty hard to follow because all the routes look the same. Don't be shy to ask anyone what route is what, they will gladly help out a fellow climber in search of beta. The most important things to bring in a Gunks rack are flexible stem cams, tricams, and nuts. If you have any questions about a rack just ask the guys at Rock and Snow. The bouldering in the Gunks is also quite famous. After Ivan Green and Marc Russo published the first bouldering guide to the Gunks the place has been crawling with boulderers, and for good reason. The bouldering is some of the best I have ever seen. Just knowing that I am pulling on the same rock as John Gill once did makes my fingers tingle. Be sure to do the Gill Egg, the Lorax, the Buddah, the Box Car Traverse, the list is endless. Just get the guidebooks and you will see what I mean. The author on the "Gill Egg" If you are looking for camping the best place is "Camp Slime" which is just across from the bridge in the Trapps. Camping is free but just remember to fill out one of the blue forms for your car. Also be sure to set up a tent early because those few spots go quick. It's pretty cool that you can sleep practically at the crag. Another good reason to set up a tent is because every time I have gone it has started to rain on my bivi at 2:30am. If you are looking to see big names and good climbers, the Gunks is the place. Don't be surprised if you happen to run into the Lowell brothers because Brett lives in New Paltz. A bunch of film festivals come through the area and I highly recommend them. I can't say enough good things about this place to do it justice.
Endnote I have just talked about a couple of places in which I like to climb and have tried to highlight some neat places at each of the areas. I hope that this guide has helped to point you in the right direction. If some of the specific descriptions seem a little hard to follow just remember that I am literally acting out these moves while I am typing them on the computer so bare with me. Believe me, it will all make sense once you get out there and see it for yourself. Another thing... remember that climbing is dangerous and this guide should only be used as a reference the most valuable information is personal experience. Conditions at the crags change all the time and everyone should take personal responsibility for their own actions. When travelling to all of these areas remember to give climbers a good name and do not jeopardize the access to the areas. In many areas climbing is a privilege that can be easily taken away. Also, get expert instruction or be sure to go with someone who knows what they are doing. I hope to see you all out climbing in some form or another. Remember, the best way to get better at climbing is by climbing.
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