Category Archives: Climbing

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

Another Round of Pilot Mountain – 22 Weeks Pregnant

Nov 05 2013

Another beautiful fall weekend, another day trip to Pilot Mountain. Only this time the leaves were in spectacular color, making for a gorgeous backdrop the entire day. While I didn’t accomplish anything noteworthy, I certainly enjoyed myself. I got to try out several new pieces of gear, including the latest Phase Quickdraws and Cord Trapper Rope Tarp from Trango. I was even able to get on a few newer routes that were recently bolted. Pole Dancing (5.7) – A great new addition to the cliff, and a much better option for a beginning leader than other nearby routes at similar grades.…Read the rest of this entry →

Craggin’ at Pilot Mountain – 20 Weeks Pregnant

Oct 22 2013

Pilot Mountain brings about a mixed bag of sentiments for most North Carolina climbers. Most beginners LOVE it, and it’s easy to see why – the approach is short, top-roping access is easy, and there are heavy concentrations of routes in the 5.5-5.9 range. However, once climbers get a little bit of experience under their belts, it’s not uncommon for them to suddenly start sneering their nose up at the crag that taught them how to climb. It’s crowded, often overrun with large groups of boy scouts, youth groups, and outdoor meet-ups that may or may not share the same…Read the rest of this entry →

Fall at the New River Gorge – 17 Weeks Pregnant

Oct 02 2013

After rain, rain, and more rain botched our plans to head up to the New last weekend, a high of 70 without a cloud in the sky was a welcomed sight this weekend! We had a rather large crew, with a wide range of ability levels and agendas, so the real crux of the weekend was figuring out where to go! We ended up deciding on the Upper Meadow for Day 1, and Endless Wall for Day 2, which seemed to work out well – all parties involved sent a little, flailed a little, and of course laughed a lot!…Read the rest of this entry →

Obed, Tennessee Trip Report – 13 Weeks Pregnant

Sep 05 2013

If I had a dollar for every time one of our crew said the word “manky” this weekend, I’d have plenty of money for a nice date-night dinner with the hubs. For those of you that aren’t familiar with this highly technical term, “manky” is generally an accurate descriptor of summer climbing conditions in the Southeast. The rock feels greasy, palms are sweaty, and chalked up holds feel like they are coated in a layer of slimy toothpaste. Not to mention that smothering wet blanket of humidity Mother Nature tosses over your head while hiking in and out of the…Read the rest of this entry →

New River Gorge – 12 Weeks Pregnant

Aug 29 2013

To celebrate my fading nausea from the 1st trimester, we decided to take advantage of some unseasonably fair weather at the New River Gorge, West Virginia. With daytime temps hovering around 80 degrees, and nights dipping into the 50’s, their was a crispness in the air that was much more reminiscent of the beginnings of fall rather than the end of summer! I found that I had a mixed bag of emotions with this trip. On the one hand, I’m feeling great – my energy is coming back, and the icky nausea is gone. Although I can clearly tell that…Read the rest of this entry →

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