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

Monthly Archives: May 2014

A Wild and Scenic Weekend at Obed River, Tennessee

A Wild and Scenic Weekend at Obed River, Tennessee

Family tradition mandates that we spend Memorial Day weekend climbing and camping at the Obed Wild and Scenic River, an area just outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, and this year was no exception.  Despite my excitement to get on a rope again, I was a bit apprehensive about the logistics.  It was only our 2nd time roping up with Baby Z, and roped climbing can be a lot harder to manage than bouldering at this age since I can’t always just hop right down to get to her (although if I’m not there someone else always is.)  Additionally it would be Baby Z’s…Read the rest of this entry →

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Bouldering Circuits: A Quickie Power Endurance Workout

Bouldering Circuits: A Quickie Power Endurance Workout

Thanks to a loving husband and a (for the most part) cooperative baby, I’ve been able to consistently get to the gym 2-3 times per week starting around 2 weeks postpartum.  But when I go and how much time I have is always up in the air.  Sometimes I know up front that I only have 45 minutes to acquire a good pump…other times I go in thinking I have an hour and a half, only to have my workout cut short by a screaming baby.  If efficiency was an important component to my climbing workouts with just one kiddo,…Read the rest of this entry →

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Highlights from the Jocassee Gorges (and Adventure Package Giveaway!)

Highlights from the Jocassee Gorges (and Adventure Package Giveaway!)

I am really excited about this week’s trip report – first of all because I love reporting on new places to explore and play, and secondly because I love giveaways!  Jocassee Gorges in Upstate South Carolina is a hidden gem filled with lakes, boulders, trails, and one of the largest expanses of roadless wilderness on the East Coast!  Seriously, if you’re a southerner trying to find a Sasquatch, this might be the place!  I’d known about the area for a while now through fellow climbing blogger, Brad Caldwell (who also happens to be one of the co-sponsors of the giveaway!)…Read the rest of this entry →

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Cragmama’s Featured #KidCrushers – Round 1

Cragmama’s Featured #KidCrushers – Round 1

A couple of weeks ago I sent out an “all call” for parents to send in inspiring photos of their children gettin’ it done on the rocks.  The response was amazing! Within just a few days time, my email inbox and instagram feed was overflowing with shots of some outrageously cool kids. Don’t believe me?  Check’em out for yourself! Here’s 11 year old Jacob M. from Charlotte, NC seconding his way up Hidden Cracks (5.7) at Table Rock, NC. And 7 year old Ella R. recently took to the sharp end for her first lead on Pro-wire (5.5) in Guadalest, Spain…Read the rest of this entry →

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Crag Naps 101: Sleeping Tips for Outdoor Climbing Adventures

Crag Naps 101: Sleeping Tips for Outdoor Climbing Adventures

During those early months, a baby can only be awake for so long before turning into a cranky pumpkin.  That’s why it’s no wonder that the number one way to ensure more outdoor climbing time is to figure out how to get your tiny bundle of joy to crag-nap effectively.  But that, of course, is easier said than done!  So for those of you who want to spend a family day at the crag but are intimidated by all of the sleeping logistics, read on… Some parts of a climbing day lend themselves to napping better than others, so use…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN