Cover Photo – 03.23.11
Simian – NEI 5+ R/X
Bold New Line at Poke-O-Moonshine
BOLD New Ice Route
Simian
Poko-O-Moonshine, NY
NEI 5+R/X, M-fun, 450-500 ft
FA 3/9/11 – Ian Osteyee & Bill Simes
“Basically no gear on the first pitch until the topout ledge, then just a 10cm screw. Similar to Stingray but no anchor to clip halfway up. They went up the face where summer rock routes Cooney-Norton, 10b and Cosmopolitan Wall,10c are located. I think the upper pitches are all original” – Alden PellettSi
By Ian Osteyee
Topo
Bill and I had a great time doing this route. You couldn’t have a more perfect time out. It was sunny and warm, and two old friends were alone at the cliff for most of the route. A couple of Canadians showed up to do PT as I was belaying Bill up the second pitch, other than that it was quiet. Really just a perfect session. Having done the second ascent of “Stingray” years earlier it allowed me to ponder and compare the two fine lines. This new line was similar in some ways. The first pitch a little longer, and began and stayed steep the entire length of the pitch. They both have a side-foot rest a third of the way up, but “Stingray” has a bolted rappel anchor to clip at that point. The upper pitch of “Stingray” is more mellow without the exciting moves over rock and on to steep thin, hanging ice. This is a fine line, one of the best routes I’ve climbed, anywhere.
I’ve seen this thing try to come down on several occasions, but never saw it get to the ground. Bill Simes and I headed over and went in for a closer look. It seemed almost too good to be true, it even looked like it might take some stubbies. I headed up with a light rock rack and a few screws. The ice was good, a little soft, but good climbing. There was a spot about a third of the way up to get a foot sideways, and try to fish for some gear in a seam. The seam didn’t pan out, but I left a TCU there anyway, it was about as useful as a Christmas ornament, but I lightened my load by a fraction. The last two thirds of the long first pitch were steep. The ice still climbed well, but would thin out in spots putting forward progress in doubt here and there. Roughly 5-10 feet from the end of the pitch I was able to place a 10cm screw, though the ice was a little soft for it to inspire. Once on the ledge a short,15 foot, insecure, snowy traverse right brought me to a rock corner system. A four piece, less than perfect anchor and Bill was on his way up. Pitch 2 starts with thinly ice rock at a roughly 3+ angle. Forty feet of that and I reached the over hang and got some good rock gear. An M fun rock traverse right and the most eligible hanger becomes obvious. Some thinly ice/mixed moves allow a committing launch onto the thin, but stable ice. Ten more feet of steep climbing leads to casual, beautifully exposed grade 4- ice that gets less steep as you climb higher. 70 meters isn’t enough, and an ice screw anchor is necessary. One more grade 3+ pitch, which lessens as it goes, gets you to the top.
Photos by Bill Simes & Ian Osteyee
Ian Osteyee
Adirondack Mountain Guides
www.adirondackmountainguides.com
The only AMGA certified guide in the Adirondacks with more than 20 years of local experience
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Simian
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Scottish Ice Trip
by Petzl-sport
Scottish Icetrip – English from Petzl-sport on Vimeo.If there is one place on earth where climbers celebrate the arrival of the next snowstorm, it has to be Scotland. Each winter, pounded by the North Atlantic winds, the Scottish Highlands are covered by a layer of snow and frost at the mercy of weather conditions. Here, winter climbing has existed for more than a century, and the smell of adventure is as authentic as the whisky borne of the local peat. Climbing is done from the ground up, without bolts, and generally onsight. An introduction to the very modern ethics of Scottish mixed climbing. It’s in those condition that Ueli Steck flashed “the secret” (X, 10), the hardest climb in Ben Nevis.
See more of mountaineering videos, gear and techniques on :
http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/activities-techniques/mountaineering
See more of mountaineering videos, gear and techniques on :
http://www.petzl.com/en/outdoor/activities-techniques/mountaineering
Source: Petzl, Vimeo
Nemesis
by Joshua Lavigne
I had the opportunity to climb Nemesis with Raphael Slawinski a couple weeks ago. We hiked up the Stanley Valley in the early morning looking for the climb ‘Gentlemen’s Day Out’, but we didn’t really know where to find it. Our default for the day was to climb Nemesis, which we have both climbed half a dozen times or so. It turned out to be more difficult then we expected, cold and brittle ice all the way to the top, with a shower of water adding to the excitement. Even though it was cold and wet I managed to pull the camera out to get some cool footage.
Source: Vimeo
Fluffy
Go back Mountain, NH
Fluffy – NEI 6 X 60m – FA: Josh Hurst, Ian Austin
Start: Immediately left of Valhalla in the Valhalla Amphitheater
Protection: Stubbies, Screws, .5-3 Camalots
Descent: Rap route
Extenuating Circumstances: Ice was 1/2″-2″ thick at start for the first ascent, first good protection was a Camelot behind an excavated flake at 80′.
Notes: Incredible, sustained, scary, incomparable; longer than Valhalla by 25′, finish to the trees on top.
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Cannon Cliff – Winter Girdle Traverse
by Rufus J Lusk
Cannon Cliff Winter Girdle Traverse from Cowboy Bear Ninja on Vimeo.Possibly the biggest alpine objective on the east coast the Girdle traverse crosses a lot of rock. Cannon is about a mile long and the traverse crosses a good chunk of that length.
Matt McCormick is a professional climber and gear rep for Petzl who lives in Burlington VT. http://mattmccormickclimbing.blogspot.com/
Freddie Wilkinson is a professional climber with Mountain Hardware, writer and guide who lives in Madison NH. http://www.thenamelesscreature.com/
Source: Matt McCormick, Vimeo
Floods and Deep Snow
Spring is coming!
And with spring weather comes certain opportunities …..get ready!
Heavy rains hit hard in the south and deep snow (2-3 ft) in north west of our region. More heavy rain on the way, even on Mt. Washington. The ice will take a heavy hit. But the good news is that the forecast is for much below normal temperatures to follow.
-North West Vermont
Heavy snow conditions on the beginning of the South Ridge Traverse, TD,II,15M, Aid was used to reach the lower ridgeline. Third ascent this winter. – Rockytop
-Catskills New York
“Buttermilk… maybe more like Chocolate milk?” – Cramp!
Surf's Up!
Surf’s Up! from Freddie Wilkinson on Vimeo.
“The ice swell was ON at Poko-Moonshine cliff this season, the winter of 2010- 2011. My friends Matt Horner, Matt McCormick, and Bayard Russell pioneered an amazing new mixed line just right of the Jeff Lowe test-piece, Gorillas in the Mist. Only one pitch remained to finish Endangered Species to the top of the cliff… and Kevin Mahoney was psyched…” – Freddie Wilkinson
Source: Vimeo, Freddie Wilkinson
La Loutre & La Pomme d'Or 3/5/11
La Loutre_2nd Pitch
La_Loutre and La_Pomme_d_Or
Malbaie, Quebec – La Loutre & La Pomme d’Or are still in great condition as of March 5th, 2011.
-Seb
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