Almost Fall

Summer hiatus is over. Although September does not usually cool off much, temps should get back to a more manageable zone. And if we are lucky winter will start slow allowing for prime conditions for the rest of the year. Several winters back (2008-09) we were able to climb until mid December and then again in February, albeit with a little hiking. The guide is coming along well, but tedious as to be expected with an area this vast. Comrade Moore has migrated to Spain for the next year but has put in a lot of hard work this summer and I will wrap things up this fall. As always we are always looking for your help with names, grades, info, etc, if anybody has two cents!

A summer project

This is surely one of Blacks best undone lines...for now!

The Gate is Open!

The summer season is officially here as usual with the simultaneous occurrences of the first 80+ plus day and an unlocked gate. However, there is a cool down forecasted back into the low 60's for the weekend and following week. Alan and I have set a tentative target date of Aug 1 to be done with all work on the mountain for a comprehensive first edition. Our focus will primarily be getting up to Black with others who can help put together the pieces of over four decades of bouldering history as well as wrapping up all the loose ends with the topos and descriptions. If you or anybody you know has any input or might know some original names/FA's now is your time to let us know. Just shoot over an email to blackmountainblog@gmail.com. Thanks!

Forms at the Republic

Another new exhilerating line at the Wild Things Area

April 2011

New Season

The heavy snows are quickly thawing out, and although access up to the Corral and Basin is still closed, several great spots are in prime condition. The Republic and Trailside are dry, and for the hikers, the Corral is too. We are still compiling info for the guide and are planning to wrap things up and get it over to Wolverine this summer. The mountain is way too vast for a guide to be completely comprehensive so we are working to finish up documentation of all currently established areas and call it good for the first edition. The first two images below are from a whole other sector currently accesible that will take several seasons to fully explore. More tall singular lines on good rock with good landings, and hard!

Bridget working on the VP project.

Sitting under the "Vice President Project." Notice the untouched hand crack the is continuous from the ground to the top under the 45 degree face. Yikes.

Bridget on "Shoot the Moon" at the Trailside Boulder

Dr. Topo Returns

The guide is getting close to completion, but that isn't a whole lot of help for people who want to head up to black mountain RIGHT NOW. There used to be an old Dr. Topo guide online, but the site went under a year ago leaving everyone with nothing. Well here it is once again, uploaded with Dave Struther's permission. Have fun.

Once Upon a Time

What you can't see in this image is the 40ft chasm at the edge of the dome on one side of the lowest pad and a 60ft+ drop on the other which earns this block a double fluttery heart as well as the best sunset views at Black. To my knowledge this was an FA yesterday, which is rightly given in team fashion to all who sent. Although moderate at the grade (v3ish), this climb, as well as the descent, demands a very solid head. It is an astonishing addition to Blacks highball adventure bouldering circuit.