Cedar Project - V10 (guest video)

Here is a short video Jess Firestone shared with me of his ascent of Cedar Project - V10 on the, you guessed it, the Cedar Boulder.  Nice send Jesse!



I'm always interested in promoting the Carver bouldering community, so if anyone has photos or videos they want to share of their victories or defeats in the Carver woods, let me know in the comments or send me an email at carverbouldering gmail com.

Looks like the weather for next week is really starting to shape up so make sure your chalk bag is full and your brushes are in your bag.

Season 2012: Wet & Clean - UPDATE

I just got before and after cleaning photos from Andy Traylor, 1st ascensionist of Unearthed, V1 on the Water Tower Boulder, and wanted to share it with you so you can really appreciate the effort. Andy had to set up a top rope anchor in order to clean the top of this large boulder.

Photo used by permission. Copyright 2012 Andrew Traylor.

And here is Unearthed, V1 after cleaning:

Photo used by permission. Copyright 2012 Andrew Traylor.

My last post about Season 2012 also has an 'after cleaning' photo of the Water Tower Boulder. Once again, thanks again to Andy for the cleaning effort and congrats on the FA.

Season 2012: Wet & Clean (Sort of)

It was raining today, which made it a good day to walk the woods at Carver. The only trash I picked up  was a movie ticket stub.  Thanks to everyone for helping to keep the area clean.

I strolled out to the Titlest Boulders and cut back the nettles and brambles that are starting to grow along the trail.  My main reason for heading out there was to check out the condition of the boulders in that group.  I gave a shout out to Andy T. in my last post for cleaning the Water Tower Boulder (at least a large portion of it) back into a climbable condition.  Andy also cleaned and got the first ascent of Problem #17 on page 9 of the guidebook.  This problem is listed as the Water Tower Project in the bouldering guide, but now that it is no longer a project, Andy has named it Unearthed and goes at V1. Sometimes things are projects for the simple reason that no one else was ever motivated to clean it off.

Unearthed starts in the notch just behind the tree and heads up and right to finish just left of the high point on the boulder.

While I was out at the Titlest Group I rough cleaned the top of the right-hand side of the Titlest Boulder. I also cut back the landings around the James Dean and the Quota Boulders.

After that bit of work, it was off to the Bonzai Boulders to pick up any more trash I might find. There wasn't any, which was awesome! I was so stoked I rough cleaned the Ivy Boulder (on the map on page 35). This boulder hasn't been climbable in at least 6 years. There are two problems listed in the guide for this boulder on page 37, College Prep, grade unknown and Shop Class, V2.  Having now cleaned the ivy off this long, low boulder I also suspect there will be a lip traverse that starts the same as College Prep and heads right to finish Shop Class. There is also a little problem that will start under the little roof and move up and over for the exit.

The Ivy Boulder with a lot less ivy than it has been used too.

And after 4 hours of trail maintenance and boulder cleaning, some of it in the rain, I was really sweaty and REALLY DIRTY. My fingers even got dyed the color of my gloves.

So thanks again to everyone for helping to pick up trash, clean boulders and keeping the woods generally friendly.  Don't forget to be a patron of the Stone Cliff Inn every once in a while.  Mr. Rosenbaum has shown us a ton of support by continuing to allow climbing on his property and we should show him some gratitude by enjoying a beverage and some food in his restaurant. The patio does have a great view of the river.

If anyone has Carver photos or videos they would like to share via this blog, let me know and we'll set it up.

Season 2012: Dry & Green

Mark O. pressing the top out on a fun, awkward, steep & short V2 called Low and Inside.

I know it has been since last season since I've posted here and that is for a couple of reasons:

1. It is wet in Portland in the Winter and makes it hard to climb outside. Granted this winter was fairly mild and February had some good, crisp weather.
2. This one is more personal and even almost derailed the publishing of the guidebook - my wife was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma, on May, 11 of last year. She is 35 and a non-smoker and you can read more about her situation on her blog, Aquarius Vs. Cancer.

So after a very long year, I got back out to Carver, brushed some holds (OK a lot of holds) and had a fun afternoon in the woods. We cleaned a swath of boulders between the Cedar and Yosemite boulders.  

Climbing in this area also made me realize that I've left at least one problem out of the guidebook (I'm sure there are at least two more). Problem #3 on page 26 is an unnamed V0 near the Yosemite Boulder. There is also a V1 sit start on small crimps to the right of Problem #3. I guess we'll call it Problem #3a. I also cleaned off a problem that isn't in the guide that is probably V1. It is short sit start that climbs up though a slabby notch. If you look at the map on Page 27 of the guidebook, then this problem would be on the end of the Toe Boulder facing the parking lot.

I want to send a shout out to Andy T. who sent me an email several weeks ago. It seems Andy has taken some of his climbing time to clean off the Water Tower Boulder out near the Pioneer Church. I hope to walk out there tomorrow and check it out.

Here is another view of Mark O. on Low and Inside, but looking out towards the parking lot. Alison is standing in front of Problem #3a.

Thank you to everyone who has already bought a copy of the Carver Bouldering Guide. If you still need a guide, you can pick one up at:

• The Stone Cliff Inn (Make sure to go in a have a beer every once in a while)
• The Circuit Bouldering Gym (NE & SW locations)

Flying Squirrel - V6 - Video...OH YEAH!

Mark sending Flying Squirrel in the Columbia Boulders.

Missing Moss

First, to everyone who has already bought a copy of the Carver Bouldering Guide, THANK YOU! That thanks also goes out to the businesses currently selling the guidebook.

• The Stone Cliff Inn (the owners of the restaurant and the property are being very supportive of the guide and the climbing community - go in a have a beer every once in awhile)
• The Circuit Bouldering Gym (NE & SW locations) 

A lot of people feared that a guidebook would cause the woods to be overrun with loud, dirty boulderers. If the past two Sundays are any indication, then those fears are unfounded. Well, OK, we have been getting a little dirty reclaiming some lost problems, but yesterday there were 6 of us total in the woods bouldering between noon and 5:30p.m.

The hand full of us, between climbing some already clean problems, managed to clean off the top to Optimus Prime (V3 - Yosemite Boulder), Emil Muzz (V2 - Dragnet Boulder), Universal Head (V7 - in the Dragnet pit), Joe Friday (V2 - next to the Dragnet Boulder) and last week we partially cleaned Soldering Iron of Justice (V5 - behind the Traffic Boulder) and Chipmunk (V3) and Fox Squirrel (V1) - both of those are on the little boulder left of the Angry Squirrel Boulder.

Thanks to Mark, Mindy, and some others for doing some scrubbing instead of just climbing.

I'll have new photos up in the next post and hopefully some video as well. I'm tweeting @CarverBoulders if you want to follow me there to hear about blog updates, access issues, where guidebooks are available and when I'm planning on being in the woods at Carver next. Hope to see you there.

For Sale: Carver Bouldering Guide - $10.00

Currently the guide is available from me and I'll post on twitter when I'll be out at Carver or other random places with guides available to purchase. The cost is $10 - cash please and exact amounts are always appreciated. I'm also on facebook if you'd like to check in with me there.

I am working on having the guidebook available at the local climbing gyms around PDX.

There are also copies available for sale at the Stone Cliff Inn. They have really tasty food and the views from the outdoor deck are fantastic.

To get a membership card you must FIRST fill out your info on the Carver Climbing Club website and then print out your waiver to take to either ClubSport or the PRG.