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Eyes In The Back Of Your Head: Switch Free Heel Video

Peter N. Jones — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:08:00 +0000

Eyes In The Back Of Your Head: Switch Free Heel Video

In between the great backcountry powder days we have been having (video here and here), Tara and I have been having fun at the resorts. Switch telemark skiing is super fun and always a challenge. Here is a little video we put together of some footage from last week. The music is a bit weird, but what is one to do? Especially when our go-to favorite Roots Reggae is thought to be cliche for ski films these days. We got another powder BC video in the works, but until then I hope you enjoy this little free heel video of some switch and park.

{vimeo}9020499{/vimeo}

Colorado Backcountry Freeheel Video: Telemark Skiing Powder

Peter N. Jones — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:35:00 +0000

Colorado Backcountry Freeheel Video: Telemark Skiing Powder

This is a small little video we shot over the first week of 2010. The conditions were perfect; not to say they still are. We made it in homage to our desperate need for some more powder here in Colorado. This winter has not been very good, but then there have been some small stash spots that have had really amazing powder. This is one of them. Love the days in the backcountry setting the skin track and leaving lines down powder fields.

{vimeo}8805585{/vimeo}

The Association Boulders: Outback, Eldorado Canyon

Peter N. Jones — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 05:26:00 +0000

The Association Boulders: Outback, Eldorado Canyon

One of the confusing things about bouldering in Eldorado Canyon and surrounding areas is that many, if not most of the boulders, are actually on Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks land. These boulders, pretty much anything past the Lost Boulder in the lower sections, and anything past the Maroon Block on the upper sections, reside on OSMP land (as such, you need a permit to climb here and dogs are not allowed). Therefore, although they are generally referred to as being in Eldo, this is simply a reference to the trail used to access these amazing boulders, and not to the actual location.

The sit start of Dissociation of Personality

The Association Boulders are two such boulders. Accessed via Eldorado Canyon, they are on OSMP land in the Outback Section. These two boulders consist of one very big boulder (easily the size of a house or two) and a very small boulder next to it. Both have some fun problems on them, and are well worth the hike. Plus, the larger of the Association Boulders has a couple very nice looking projects on its east face (one going up the southeast arete and the other climbing out the east-northeast overhanging face/cave).

After the second righthand bump...

Dissociation of Personality (V7ish) is an overhanging sloper problem that requires impeccable sloper strength and the ability to do some real highsteps. Starting down at the SDS with a left hand undercling and a small righthand crimp, pop up with the right hand to the obvious sloper ledge. Go again to an even worse sloper (toe hooks help), fire out left to a decent hold, adjust the right to another sloper, go again to a very bad sloper with your left, try and bring your feet up, and then rock over.

Getting ready for the final lefthand sloper...

Free Association (V8) utilizes the final left hand sloper of Dissociation, but this time it is with the right. Start far left on two good holds, bump right, bump right, move the feet, get your left hand to the small hold (the first right bump), swing your feet 180 degrees, position, and then fire the big move with your right hand to the sloper. Fight, grovel, and work your way over.

Halfway through Free Association, thinking about the big throw...

Sticking the righthand sloper...

Pattern Recognition (V5) is the sloper problem on the smaller Association Boulder. Start far left, work your way along the lip via slopers, round the corner, and then top out.

Moving through Pattern Recognition...

If you get bored with these, you can hike up and to your right (southeast) to the Mind Matter Boulder to finish yourself off.

The Mind Matter Boulder: Eldorado Canyon

Peter N. Jones — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 05:54:00 +0000

The Mind Matter Boulder: Eldorado Canyon

Deep in the heart of Eldo Canyon resides the Mind Matter boulder. Located on the upper slopes of the canyon, the boulder (and surrounding boulders) get plenty of sun, often melting out earlier then any of the boulders that reside further downslope. On Wednesday Tara and I hiked up to see how things were and to see if enough snow had melted to do some climbing. As we suspected, things were great. Plus we found an new, futuristic project.

Climbing Cast On (V4)...

Most of the problems on the Mind Matter boulder are in the V0-V7 range, with one exception - a thin crimp route going up the center of the south face. This problem looks like it will go, but the moves after the second crimp are big, and I have yet to connect anything. A stronger, lighter climber would probably have little trouble. On the north side of the boulder, around 10 moderate lines exist, ranging from the very fun Captain's Corner (V3ish) to the equally fun Cast Away (V3) on the arete.

Tara on Captain's Corner (V3ish)

Around from the warm-up wall, Cast On (V4) is a fun line going up the arete, while Mental Rotation (V6/7) is a classic. This one requires you to start about chest high over some ankle-breaking blocks on two really bad sloper/crimps. Move up the rail to two slightly better holds as your feet seem to cut, pop up and left to a quality crimp with the left hand, and then again another move with the right to a crimp. From here the top out is a "no brainer."

Tara on Automatism...

Finally, on the far southeast arete resides Invertebrate Learning (V5) which starts down at a SDS, moves up to good holds, then cross around the arete and works its way up the sloping ledges.

Sending Mental Rotation (V6/7)

Tara on Invertebrate Learning (V5)

Invertebrate Learning (V5)

Another fun boulder in Eldo.

The mega-project. Both the left and right aretes have features and are unclimbed.

{mosmap lat='39.945443'|lon='-105.29932'|text='The Mind Matter Boulder'}

The Overlook Boulder: Another Hidden Gem In Eldorado Canyon

Peter N. Jones — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:00:00 +0000

The Overlook Boulder: Another Hidden Gem In Eldorado Canyon

The western slopes of Eldorado Canyon and surrounding Boulder Open Space hold a plethora of boulders and bouldering problems. These boulders have been climbed on for years, and knowledge about most of them goes back to the early to mid-90s. However, I'm sure some were climbed on earlier, as I've personally talked to many, many climbers from the 60s, 70s, and 80s who used to frequent Eldorado Canyon and the surrounding Flatirons to climb and boulder.

Down in the start of the Overlook...

Earlier posts on the bouldering in Eldorado can be found here: The Musicals, The Meta-Musicals, The Lost Boulder, The Whale Boulder, The Upper Pre-Physicals, and the Metaphysicals.

The Overlook Boulder is located deep on the western slopes of Eldorado Canyon (technically, these are the western slopes of South Boulder Peak and its ridges). Sitting up on a hill side at the intersection of the Outback and Metaphysicals, the Overlook Boulder offers a number of fun, overhanging problems ranging from V5-V8.

Several variations: straight up (Tilde ~V6), right and up (Time Snap ~V5), all the way right (Blank Check ~V8)

Around the corner from the main face, a couple slab moderates exist on the southwest facing side of the boulder, plus some more fun moderates on the boulder located just across the small wash. Behind the Overlook is a large, house sized boulder with one very hard problem on its southeastern side.

Reaching for the final crux hold on Tilde ~V6

{mosmap lat='39.939768'|lon='-105.300441'|text='The Overlook Boulder'}

Secluded Ridge Boulders: New Bouldering Problems Outside Boulder

Peter N. Jones — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 05:24:00 +0000

Secluded Ridge Boulders: New Bouldering Problems Outside Boulder

Perhaps one of the greatest feelings in bouldering (beyond sending your project) is finding new boulders. Around Boulder, this is no easy task as climbers have been tromping around the woods in search of perfect problems and boulders for many, many years. However, sometimes areas remain hidden because they were formally on private land, or perhaps a fire reveals a new set of boulders that were previously obscured by trees and growth. Either way, the thrill of finding a new boulder, and ones with some decent lines on them, is always a special day.

The V5 arete with an R landing...

Tara and I hiked up today to an area I had spotted this fall while doing some trail running between Boulder and Lyons. We found a handful of boulders (actually many more, but only a handful are big enough and have decent lines) as we wandered around the hillside. At the bottom of the fall line, a nice 15 foot high boulder rests against a tree. One side has two or three short, overhang problems on bad slopers. The south face has some really nice V0-V2 highball warmups. Hiking further up the slope, at the base of the cliff line, one encounters a cluster of three house to large car size boulders. One, sitting at an odd angle on top of another, contains a very aesthetic arete problem (~V5 R). The landing is sketchy, and many pads will be necessary to send this rig, as you climb out a small hole working your way on open-hands and slopers to the lip. Here, you are an easy 20 feet off the ground as you hang over the two stacked boulders.

Another look at the arete...

Around the corner, a couple seams and odd leaning aretes offer a few more problems in the V0-V3/4 range. Some development may reveal a couple more lines as well. Although not a destination in itself (currently there are around 25-30 problems scattered up and down the hill), these new boulders bode well for 2010!

Fun seam problem, the leaning arete is undone...

{mosmap lat='40.154587'|lon='-105.293781'|text='Secluded Ridge Boulders'}

The Meta-Musicals: Hidden Ridge Of Bouldering Moderates In Eldorado Canyon

Peter N. Jones — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:01:00 +0000

The Meta-Musicals: Hidden Ridge Of Bouldering Moderates In Eldorado Canyon

To continue with the posts on the excellent and secluded bouldering in Eldorado Canyon State Park (Eldo), I thought I should post some information on some of the moderates to be found. The Musicals are a small cluster of boulders found on the second ridge (the first ridge contains the Sinus Block and a few others that are often overlooked as one hikes past them towards the Musicals) north of the Eldo Ranger Station. Featured in Colorado Bouldering II, as well as a couple of Horan's earlier guides, this ridge is often thought to be the only one housing moderate boulder problems for the regular person. Not so!

Tara on one of the moderates...

The Meta-Musicals are similar to the Musicals, except that there are several more boulders on this hidden ridge. All sit on the ridge itself, and are therefore climbable year round as the sun often melts them out a day or two after a snow. The landings are all good, the rock is quality (except it is dirty ~ i.e., not much traffic), and the movement is fun. If you are looking for bouldering in Eldorado that is similar to the Musicals, then hit up the Meta-Musicals. They reside two ridges further back, and are accessed via the Eldorado Canyon Trail.

A V1/2 moderate at the Meta-Musicals

A fun V3 moderate...

Ok, not a moderate. Project, lower Meta-Musicals

Colorado Backcountry Powder: Free Heel Christmas Day 2009

Peter N. Jones — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:13:00 +0000

Colorado Backcountry Powder: Free Heel Christmas Day 2009

Itching to get some powder turns in (and who isn't), Tara and I decided to hit one of our favorite backcountry stashes in Colorado on Christmas Day. With crisp temps and fresh snow falling, we made our way up into the deep woods to find Santa's stashed bag of goodies. Hope everyone had a great holiday, and here are to many more.

{vimeo}8398499{/vimeo}

{mosmap lat='39.753855'|lon='-105.870352'|text='Butler Gulch, Colorado'}

Dreamland: Fire Flies, Snow Crystals, and Free Heel Flakes

Peter N. Jones — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Dreamland: Fire Flies, Snow Crystals, and Free Heel Flakes

It's no story that this year's free heel season has gotten off to a really slow start here in Colorado. A couple decent storms over the last month have helped out some areas, while other spots in the Rockies continue to suffer. Days are spent at the resorts, practicing tricks, jumping switch, and waiting in a dreamy state for those backcountry powder days to come again. Here is a little video of the dreamland.

Hope you enjoy!

{vimeo}8374412{/vimeo}

The Musicals: A Stellar Circuit

Peter N. Jones — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 05:54:00 +0000

The Musicals: A Stellar Circuit

There are a number of bouldering "areas" in Eldorado Canyon State Park: The Mickey Mouse Meadow boulders, the stuff in the Canyon Proper (all the river blocks, etc.), West World, the Gill Boulder, Cloud 9, the random blocks on the Fowler Trail, the hidden traverse on the Playground, and then there are the amazing boulders and blocks of West Eldo. West Eldo includes all of the slopes coming down off the west side of Bear Peak and South Boulder Peak and include: The Musicals (aka Baldwin Boulders), The Physicals (aka Horan's Hangout), The Metaphysicals, the Blobular Boulders, the Metamusicals, and The Outback.

There are perhaps more hard boulder problems in West Eldo then anywhere else in the Flatirons or "lower" sections of the Frontrange. I can think of at least 15 V10 or harder problems that all reside here. In fact, I know there are more, but since I'm terrible (and don't care) with grades, let's just say there are more then 10. Where else does this occur? Not at the Satellites (Upper or Lower). Nor in the Terrains. Perhaps at the Ghetto, if you do some eliminates and such... Only in the Poudre River and Flagstaff are there found this concentration of hard boulder problems, and Flagstaff involves mostly eliminates or variations and the Poudre is a solid drive.

We hiked up today hoping that the snow had melted enough and the temps would be warm. Because the West Eldo slopes get tons of sun, they usually are drier then those slopes you can see from Boulder and surrounding areas. The conditions were perfect. We did a nice "circuit" in the Musicals, starting on the unamed warmup boulder furthest north of the set. After a couple moderates and a lap around it, I tried the V10 just up the slope. Huge moves and repeated tries left my hands thrashed. So we did some more mellow problems on the Music Pinnacle before hitting the very fun V4ish arete above Hertz Rock/Lightning Spire. Then a couple laps on the Sound Wave Boulder in the sun and we were done. A perfect "circuit" in a perfect setting.

Working the V10, two moves in...

T on the arete...

Topping out the arete problem.

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