Rock Climbing --- 6/29/2007 - 7/8/2007 --- Rumney, Cannon

Climbing four days at Rumney and one day at Cannon. Relaxing a few days in Williston.

6/29  Anna and I drove to Rumney (with a nice stop for ice cream).  We spent the night at a rest area on route 25 a few miles West of town.  We got rousted at 7:30am by the person who runs the visitor's center.  "You can't sleep here!"  East of the Mississippi, sleeping is often looked upon with disdain.

6/30  Went to The Meadows and climbed Truth in Advertising (5.7+), False Modesty (5.7), Mr. Popular (5.9), No Money Down (5.10c), Bolt Line (5.8), Lies and Propaganda (5.9), Easy Terms (5.8).  No Money Down was the only one I didn't get onsight.  The crux isn't that hard but has a sequence which is tricky to unlock -- like many climbs at Rumney.  This night and every night for the rest of the trip, we slept in my car in the Rumney parking lot.  I've heard this isn't allowed, but there is no sign prohibiting it (there is a "no tents" sign, but we weren't in a tent) and we had a permit to park the car there all week ($3/day or $5/week or $20/year).  We were never hassled, and one night a cop drove through the parking lot and clearly saw us there.  Your mileage may vary.

7/1  Went to Jimmy Cliff and climbed Drilling for Dollars (5.8), To Love Honor and Belay (5.9), The Junco (5.8+), Lonesome Dove (5.10a), and Clip a Dee Doo Dah (5.3, 2 pitches) which we climbed in our matching approach shoes.  The Junco was really fun and Lonesome Dove was spectacular!  After dinner we watched  Pan's Labyrinth, which is a pretty depressing film.

7/2  Meant to wake early to drive to Cannon and climb Whitney Gilman (5.7).  We managed to be awake by 9am.  Not bad.  Drove to Cannon and saw that everything was socked in with clouds.  Maybe they would lift as we hiked the approach.  I had a vague idea how the approach went which it turns out was pretty spot on.  Unfortunately, we gave up a bit too early and walked back to the parking lot where some other climbers gave us accurate, but much longer approach beta.  Anyhow, we did finally get to the base of the climb.  There were other parties on it, but everything was moving pretty well and we weren't slowed excessively.  We did the climb in six pitches.  It rained seriously twice.  Once when I was leading a 5.4 pitch and once when Anna was following a 5.6 pitch.  Both times the rain stopped and the granite dried quickly.  Whitney Gilman is a nice route, though I find it hard to believe that Gary and Lynn Clark picked it as one of the hundred best in North America.  I think it was selected at least partially for being representative of New England granite.  It is the only climb East of the Mississippi on the list.  Anyhow, the pipe pitch was pretty spectacular and most of the upper pitches are enjoyable.

We reached the summit and even had a bit of sunshine while we ate and drank.  Then the long, knee pounding walk down.  We reached the car just as a huge downpour started.  Good timing.  We drove back to Rumney, where there was no rain, and bought some fresh broccoli to add to dinner.  Then we bought some fresh ice cream to add to dessert.

7/3  Hiked to Upper Vader where we climbed Pee Wee's Playhouse (right crack variation, 5.6), Frosted Flakes (5.7), Victim of Love (5.8), and Three Easy Pieces (5.11a).  I didn't onsight Three Easy Pieces.  I got to the second bolt cleanly, which it turns out is past the crux.  But I was tired and hung on the second bolt for a long time because I was scared of the pendulum fall that would result from blowing the third clip.  It turns out there is a huge jug for clipping the third bolt, so all my whining was for naught.  Got to do the climb again on TR to clean it, but I was so tired that it went even worse than my lead.

The weather stayed nice all evening, so we went swimming in the river.  Then ate dinner and watched V for Vendetta, which is another pretty depressing film.

7/4  Went to 5.8 Crag (which has relatively few 5.8 climbs) and climbed Snake Skin Slab (5.8), Romancing the Stone (5.10c), Asbury Park (5.7), and Bolt and Run (5.9).  I really enjoyed Bolt and Run.  Romancing the Stone is a very nice line too, but I pumped out at the second bolt and had to hang at all the rest of the bolts.  The climb is straightforward, but I was really tired from five consecutive days of climbing.  At least that's my excuse.  Anna followed the climb cleanly, which was pretty impressive.

The rain and Anna's family arrived around the same time in the afternoon.  Excellent timing.  We all drove to Anna's house in Williston, VT (just outside Burlington).

7/5 - 7/8  Hanging out in Williston.  Anna gets to spend time with her family.  We walk the dog, play with the birds, read, eat food, watch Vertical Limit ("Amateurs at 12 o'clock!  Check your safeties!").  Also, I am introduced to Cheese Traders in Burlington, which is quite possibly my most favorite store in the universe.

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