Category Archives: Climbing

Posts about…you guessed it – climbing! Trip reports, anecdotes, and musings about my favorite recreational pasttime.

Winter, Spring, and first 5.12 of the Season

Mar 08 2017

The climbing at Hidden Valley has been on our radar ever since the Carolina Climbers Coalition purchased the land at the end of 2014. Early reports from friends sounded appealing – short approach, winter sun, summer shade. But somehow we never managed to get up there until this past weekend. A couple of times we did make plans to go – but then kids got sick, or the weather was yucky, etc. But mostly, it’s just hard to get us away from the New during prime climbing season. I guess we’re just spoiled that way! Anyway, after lots of…Read the rest of this entry →

2016: Tis the Season for a Year in Review

Dec 30 2016

In my tick list for 2016 I stated that one of my main goals was to “focus more on the process than crossing something off the list.” And by that I meant that I wanted to be more picky in the routes that I invest extra time on, choosing quality over quantity. At the end of 2015 I found myself easily frustrated at the amount of routes I had “unfinished business” on. Our family’s climb time is at a premium, and the logistics of getting back to certain climbs with an extra partner often ends up being a crux. So this year I made…Read the rest of this entry →

Red River Gorge in November

Nov 17 2016

While my heart will probably forever belong to the New, I do really like the Red, and I so wish the Red was a lot closer. I also wish it was a lot less crowded. But one thing we didn’t have to wish for this past weekend was better climbing conditions…because it was darn near perfect! Our first day was spent at Funk Rock City. Yes, our motivated crew of 3 adults and 3 children (two of which are under 3) did the 45 minute slog across the creek and up the mountain side just so that I could finally try…Read the rest of this entry →

NRG: Flashin’ or Thrashin’

Nov 09 2016

Sometimes on a climbing trip, you have a “day of reckoning,” where you try hard and it pays off with a send. Other times, you flail your way through a weekend and come out without any new notches on your sending belt. This past weekend for me was one of those weird in between weekends. I was either flashing…or thrashing. There was no middle ground. Being that it was November and we FINALLY got those crisp, cool, fall conditions we’ve been waiting for all year, the only destination for us this weekend was Endless Wall. Since I’d sent my project…Read the rest of this entry →

Jesus and Tequila = SENT!!!

Oct 19 2016

“…I’m not sure when, but one of these days I will pull the crux on Jesus and Tequila and not take the swinging whipper. I’ll stay clean through the dihedral and nail the deadpoint move. I’ll teeter out across the roof and plant my foot exactly where it needs to be, and execute the final sequence. I’ll stand at the top and savor the magnificent view of the river below…” I wrote that exactly 6 months ago in a blog post…And guess what you guys – Saturday was the day!!! I am absolutely giddy with excitement!!! Back in January I’d told the…Read the rest of this entry →

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