Category Archives: Climbing

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

A New River Gorge-ous Weekend!

Oct 29 2014

After about a dozen failed attempts to return to our favorite climbing area on the planet, we FINALLY managed to get ourselves up to the New River Gorge for the first time as a family of four! Climbing conditions were near perfect, and we had a great crew of folks to hang with. Our first day was spent at a family favorite, Endless Wall. The Crag-Daddy and I love the style of climbing there, and Big C loves going up and down the approach ladders. After warming up on Stim-o-Stam (5.11c), we got down to business. The Crag-Daddy had his…Read the rest of this entry →

Adventures in the High Country…and First Postpartum 5.12!

Oct 22 2014

So far it’s been a pretty wet autumn here in the Southeast…so our family was psyched to see good temps with no rain in the forecast this weekend. We cut out of town just after lunch on Friday, bound for the High Country – that beautiful stretch of the Blue Ridge mountains that lies in the western part of NC. We arrived just in time to set up camp and enjoy a hike to the summit of Table Rock. With breathtaking views of the Linville Gorge wilderness as far as the eye can see, it was the perfect backdrop for a family picnic…Read the rest of this entry →

Hound Ears Competition: Bouldering and an ER Visit

Oct 08 2014

With a title like that, I should probably start this weekend recap with a SPOILER ALERT: Everyone is fine!!! That being said, our weekend in the mountains was filled with excitement of both the good and bad variety. For those of you not familiar with “Hound Ears,” it’s the site of the first of usually 3 (but this year 4!) legs of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series Competition. The boulderfield, which in my opinion is one of the best in the region, is situated inside a private, gated community, so this competition is one of the few times during the…Read the rest of this entry →

Crowders Mountain…and an Ode to an Old Blue Backpack

Oct 01 2014

This past weekend’s trip to Crowders Mountain was an important milestone in our adventures as a family of four – Baby Z has FINALLY gotten big enough to transition into the Kelty Kid Carrier we used for Big C (our older model is reviewed here). While her brother started using it just shy of 6 months, my tiny Baby Z hasn’t been able to fit into it until now, a few days away from 7 months. Our agenda for the day was pretty open – we mainly just wanted to enjoy a beautiful fall day out on the rock as a…Read the rest of this entry →

Climb Time for the Whole Family (What Works for Us!)

Sep 23 2014

It’s my theory that eavesdropping on a family’s Sunday night dinner conversation is one of the quickest ways to figure out what’s most important to that family. The weekend is over and everyone is setting their sights onto a new week, planning out the logistics of who’s doing what, when and how. Which activities/events are the first up for discussion? You know, those things that you want to MAKE time for, despite how busy you are? Each family’s discussion will be different of course, but the logistical conversations are often the same – how to make sure ______ gets to…Read the rest of this entry →

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