My second time bouldering out in Squamish -- North Wall boulders this time. Draped in a layer of green moss, the ash gray granite exposed just in the right spots to offer some holds and friction. The weather complied and it was a beautiful day.
North Wall boulder is less visited as compared to the much popular Grand Wall area. It was a long day of bouldering and managed to tick of some fun problems. I enjoyed Tyler's Dihedral, a really fun V3 and Close Shave low, which was my first ever V7 climbing outside. It is a two-move wonder, of which, the first was the crux for me. Once I sent it, it did not feel like a V7 effort honestly, but then that's always the case once you put together the pieces of any puzzle.
Probably it converted me to a pad-stacker than a clipper or plugger. Still early days and hard to say, but probably heading there I guess.
Next day, I spent some time clipping ropes and plugging cams, well, unplugging cams really. Lead a few routes at Murrin park and then followed a couple of classics like Supervalue and Centre street at Smoke bluffs. After this trip, because of poor weather and my niggling finger injuries, I had a mini hiatus from Squamish, almost three weeks before returning for another boulder session.
This second trip, late in April, was even more encouraging than the previous one. I managed to send a couple of V4s (Black mark and Squamish Special) and Undertow (V7), a typical Squamish problem with lot of friction dependent moves on sloper. Undertow is not really my style of climbing (I should stop saying that, and rather say that I am weak at the sloper-friction style of climbing), but the relative ease with which it went was a pleasant surprise and an encouragement for me. In fact, Squamish special, a top 100 V4 took a lot more out of me than Undertow.
Anyway, both these outings were really encouraging and I look forward with more zeal to the upcoming season here in Squamish.
North Wall boulder is less visited as compared to the much popular Grand Wall area. It was a long day of bouldering and managed to tick of some fun problems. I enjoyed Tyler's Dihedral, a really fun V3 and Close Shave low, which was my first ever V7 climbing outside. It is a two-move wonder, of which, the first was the crux for me. Once I sent it, it did not feel like a V7 effort honestly, but then that's always the case once you put together the pieces of any puzzle.
Probably it converted me to a pad-stacker than a clipper or plugger. Still early days and hard to say, but probably heading there I guess.
 |
| Tyler's Dihedral (V3) - North Wall boulders, Squamish |
 |
| Reaching out to the crimp with a slopy ramp and a high left foot to start on Close shave (V7) |
 |
| The high step start on Close shave (V7) |
Next day, I spent some time clipping ropes and plugging cams, well, unplugging cams really. Lead a few routes at Murrin park and then followed a couple of classics like Supervalue and Centre street at Smoke bluffs. After this trip, because of poor weather and my niggling finger injuries, I had a mini hiatus from Squamish, almost three weeks before returning for another boulder session.
This second trip, late in April, was even more encouraging than the previous one. I managed to send a couple of V4s (Black mark and Squamish Special) and Undertow (V7), a typical Squamish problem with lot of friction dependent moves on sloper. Undertow is not really my style of climbing (I should stop saying that, and rather say that I am weak at the sloper-friction style of climbing), but the relative ease with which it went was a pleasant surprise and an encouragement for me. In fact, Squamish special, a top 100 V4 took a lot more out of me than Undertow.
Anyway, both these outings were really encouraging and I look forward with more zeal to the upcoming season here in Squamish.