End the season with a new line?

Stopping for a sunrise view of Ohiopyle falls

The alarm went of at 4:45AM.  Laura and I decided that we wanted to finish up the season on an unfinished line we started the other day.  We had everything packed and sitting by the door the night before.  We stopped at the gas station for some petrol and coffee.  Then it was off to Ohiopyle State Park to try to squeeze in one last line before things disappear for the season.  We parked at Lower Meadow and made the short walk uphill to the climbs.  I had the small pig loaded up with just the necessities to get the line equipped and done.  I hesitantly walked over to the edge and peered over to see if the small drip was still attached to the wall.  Surprisingly it was and I set up the line to rap in and place a couple bolts.  It's a reliable line that never forms very thick or wide.  The usual protection at best would be short, custom, stubbies.  I'd top roped this line many year ago and found it to be quite a bit of fun.  Although the climbing isn't that hard, we thought it would be a great addition for the intermediate climbers.  We pondered and decided to add the bolts to make it climbable in any condition, for anyone.  It's about 40' long and is a tough one to grade.  It's pretty easy, but a little technical due to the thin, poorly bonded ice and in your face climbing for about 20' to the exciting top out.  I'm sure it'll be committing for the average WI4 leader despite the bolts.  The photo of me below on the first ascent doesn't do it much justice.   This is such a fun line and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as we did.  It's officially called The Tampon WI3+.  We'll leave you to guess at the meaning!

Nearing the top on the First Ascent of The Tampon WI3+

Laura coming up the sunny, starting pillar.  A better perspective of the steepness

Committing to the thin, quickly melting, smear

The line tops out at the Hemlock tree.  Awesome turf.  Laura Hahn seconding

The sun encroached on the ice, quickly turning it to water as Laura was topping out.  She did a great job seconding the line in the deteriorating conditions.  We packed up and headed down to Lower Meadow to see the local top rope posse of Blaine, Dave and Pete.  They were there enjoying easy sticks on soft ice.  We joined in the fun for a few laps before calling it a day.  Pleased with getting our new line done before it fell off the wall.

 Giving a belay to the local top rope posse, Blaine and Dave climbing

Enjoying laps on Hemlock with old friends

The remains of some of the Upper Meadow lines laying on the ground

So is this the end of ice season?  We think not!  We're going to be the optimists and head out in the morning again to go "BIG GAME HUNTING."  We'll see if we get lucky and have some fat skyscrapers.  Check back tomorrow to see!

On another side note, I managed to stumble across these little drips while out driving around.  It appears to get sun, but is monstrous.  Please excuse the bad photo, it was taken with my phone, through binoculars at over a mile away.  

These lines are somewhere around 200'  Yeahhhhhh....  More SWPA monsters for 

next season.   Looks to be more WI3's ;)

The TNT project, first tries

On Thursday, Tom Thomas and I set off to do some winter climbing.  The plan was to try our new project TNT, but starting on that would most likely mean being finished there as well (and in a short amount of time).  We hadn't been on the route yet, but just looking at it suggests that you won't spend very long working it before becoming spent!  We decided our first stop to be Ohiopyle State Park.  Laura and I recently established a new M5 at Lower Meadow called Open Mouth that I thought would be a good warm up before heading to the main objective for a beating.  Tom is a strong climber and quickly dispatched Open Mouth on his 2nd try thus nabbing the 2nd ascent.  Congrats to Tom for a fine climb.  Now understand, Tom's a big dude... Possibly the strongest, most nimble, "big" guy I've ever climbed with.  He's so big that on his first attempt he opted to back up the last 1/2" stainless bolt with an ice screamer just in case his mass came lobbing off onto that tiny 1/2" bolt.  (In actuality Tom accidentally used the screamer). He was climbing well and didn't expect to fall and just left the screamer on the bolt.  Shit happens.  He slipped on the last move...rrrrriiiiiipppppp The Screamer worked!   It lessened the impact of his fall on the bolt as well as me belaying.  Thanks for using the screamer Tom.  I never knew catching a "big" guy could be so smooth!  From now on I'm going to recommend everyone use screamers on every clip when I belay for them ;)  Truthfully I just don't think Tom trusts my bolting and used the screamer ;)

Tom Thomas starting up Open Mouth M5

Tom Thomas on Open Mouth M5

After finishing our "warm up" we did a drive by at Cucumber Falls to see how the falls looked.  Tom's never climbed it and was disappointed he didn't climb it when it was in previous.  It was roaring open down the center, but the right edge was solid enough.  Tom jumped on and made a quick solo up for the novelty of it.  Here's a shot of him climbing in this beautiful setting!

Tom Thomas ropeless on Cucumber

 After Tom's Cucumber fun, we made the trek to the project.  He gratuitously offered me the first go and I gladly accepted.  Only one shot for the onsight and this was it!  I'll admit I wasn't too optimistic after climbing only two weeks.  I feel pretty weak have an obvious long journey towards getting back to where I was 2 seasons ago.  I was hoping to merely be able to pull into the start without injuring one of my shoulders again.  I tied in, then did my pre-climb jumping and flapping about.  I pull onto the climb.  Shoulders  working, no pain, cool!  I picked my way up good hooks to a point where I could stem out to the free hanger.  Passing the first bolt, way better than I anticipated. 

I continued up to a clipping stance for bolt #2.  Got it!  I strenuously traverse the free hanger and ice blobs, passing bolt #3 in the roof.  

A bit more traverse and then with a lucky one-swing stick in a lone blob I maneuvered into position and (very loudly) clipped bolt #4.  This was where the business of this line begins... and my efforts fail.  I tried to grovel my way higher, but was thoroughly spent as the climb easily bitch-slapped me off!  I was thrilled to make it as high as I did.  Tom lowered me down and was giggling like a school girl, congratulating me on a strong effort.  He was obviously very excited to be up for a go.  This new project was to be the maiden voyage for his new fruit boots.  He tied in, psyched himself up and set off.  He pulled his way through the opening moves and traversed the ice up to the 3rd bolt before the climb got the best of him.  A great effort.  We both took a second try only to repeat our previous efforts. Here are a few shots of Tom in action.

Despite out best efforts this line worked us over the first day.  We had a great time enjoying the stellar SWPA ice conditions.  We'll see if it get many more attempts this season (weather dependent)....

Mixed up in Ohiopyle

Yesterday around a foot of snow fell on the Laurel Highlands blanketing the forest in white fluff.   This morning I decided to head to Ohiopyle for the return of winter and revisit a route that needed a little equipping.  Needless to say, the route is named Open Mouth and will fall in around M6.   Sadly I didn't get much work done due to technical circumstances outside my control.  After work came to a hault, I opted to climb it on top rope.  The climb felt as akward and quirky as the last time I was on it.  This one looks rather easy from the ground, but proves to be a little less  than straight forward.  Can't wait to finish this one and see folks enjoying it.  Below is photo of me trying to get this thing rigged.

Most of the lines are in at Lower Meadow Run.  The pure ice routes are a little wet and building.  Water was running and making things bigger on Main Flow WI3 and Hemlock WI4-.  Anger Management M6 looks great and would feel a bit soft given the ice formation.  Caveman M6 looks awesome as well.  The Flows 2+ are fat.  Things are looking good despite the warm up over the weekend.  Most of the mixed climbs are in the best shape they've been in years.  Caveman extension M7 would most likely go in its current state, for sure by the weekend!  Come out to Ohiopyle and enjoy the great ice and mixed lines...