Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Yearly Archives: 2013

When the Weather Gets Wet…Throw on a Rain Jacket!

When the Weather Gets Wet…Throw on a Rain Jacket!

Not sure if anyone else around the country can relate, but North Carolina has been having some really weird weather lately.  I’ve seen lows in the 20’s (accompanied by ice) and high’s in the 70’s (accompanied by heavy winds) in the span of just one week.  C and I decided to take advantage of one of the warmer days last week with a morning hike at Beatty Park.  The forecast had called for rain, but not until the afternoon, so I packed some water and snacks while C took on the arduous task of deciding which bulldozers got to join us on…Read the rest of this entry →

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Hidden Wall: Where the Party’s At…

Hidden Wall: Where the Party’s At…

A lot of folks climb for years at Crowders Mountain without ever venturing over to the “dark side.”  Accessed from a completely different parking lot than the Main Area, Hidden wall is a small sport crag with a handful of short, classic lines, along with about a dozen link-ups and variations.  Most of the routes feature bouldery cruxes with long, burly moves on barely-there feet.  Local developer Wade Parker likes to refer to these scrappy grunt-fests as “blue-collar routes” – ie, for the working man (or woman 😉 ).  No room for dainty, tiptoe-ing technique – you’ve gotta be willing to fight for a…Read the rest of this entry →

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Keeping Your Toddler Warm on Winter Climbing Trips

Keeping Your Toddler Warm on Winter Climbing Trips

Compared to other parts of the country, a winter day in North Carolina is generally rather mild, especially if the sun’s out.  But just because our highs are generally above freezing doesn’t mean your kiddo can hang out all day at the crag in a light jacket.  In fact, your toddler is actually much more likely to get cold at the crag than you are.  Think about it – You warm up pretty fast hiking in to the crag with a big pack, while the only effort your child is expending is craning around in a carrier to make you…Read the rest of this entry →

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Birdseed Wreath: Wintry Decor for your Feathered Friends!

Birdseed Wreath: Wintry Decor for your Feathered Friends!

Just before Christmas I wrote about “5 Homemade Ornament Ideas for Outdoor Trees.”  Most of the ideas also doubled as a holiday treat for the birds and squirrels (or in our case…deer.)  One of the ideas listed was a Birdseed Wreath, and at the time I posted we hadn’t had a chance to make one yet.  Well, eventually we got around to it, and after a lot of trial and error experimenting with various online “recipes,” we ended up with a beautiful wreath that was too awesome not to share!  In fact, it was so simple (once we figured it…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Steady-Eddy” Ramirez and The Crowders Project

“Steady-Eddy” Ramirez and The Crowders Project

 As many of you know, my work on the Central Piedmont climbing guidebook I’ve been slaving over for the past year and a half is drawing to a close.  Almost all of the writing is in the publisher’s hands at this point, who is now working feverishly on the layout with the guy making the topo maps.  That being said, I just wrapped up the a final interview that will be featured in the Crowders section.  It’s an interview with a local climber who is wrapping up an inspiring endeavor, and since it had been a while since I’d posted an interview…Read the rest of this entry →

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