Days of Legend! (Part 1)

Generally speaking, it is difficult to explicitly define the appeal of bouldering and rock climbing. Certainly, bouldering combines intellectual and physical challenge; the goal of ascending a rock face in the most efficient way possible appeals to many.  For others, the sense of adventure, the travel to exciting new places also presents a tangible reward.  Many enjoy the sense of risk, using hard-won skill to escape a potentially dangerous situation.  Still others find deep aesthetic rewards in climbing, finding pleasure in physically interacting with shapes in stone that have been created by natural forces.

Climbing is likely at it's best, then, when all of these aspects are combined in some way.

This fall, Kyle and I headed south to the American deserts on a trip that would combine a little exploration with (hopefully!) a lot of climbing.  For years, I have wanted to explore the deserts of northern Nevada for climbing potential, after having driven through the area years ago and being impressed by what looked like a broad expanse of granite boulders.  Kyle had agreed to drive down and explore the area with me, and we had discussed other areas we could check out and climb at as well; City of Rocks (SE Idaho), the Boulder Batholith near Butte (Montana), and perhaps The Channel in central Idaho. (Full Disclosure: Kyle was largely humoring me by driving to Nevada; I suspect he would have been happy to spent the entire trip in Idaho.)

Friday afternoon I scrambled to gather all the material required for a road trip; sleeping bag, tent, pillow (!), potato chips, extra chalk, climbing shoes, passport, and a handful of American cash.  Eventually, I was ready to head out, and when Kyle arrived we packed his car, and headed south in the fading light of a fall evening.

We drove through the night, and after a break to take a nap (somewhere in Idaho) and another break to have breakfast (in Twin Falls), we finally arrived in northern Nevada.  We drove out to look at the boulders, and they were exactly as I remembered, brown-patinaed granite blocks scattered across low sagebrush-covered hills.

(top) The first boulder we climbed on in Nevada!  With six great lines, we thought we were on the verge a discovering a HUGE new area.  Sadly, most boulders were not as nicely-featured. (bottom) Kyle chilling in the shade, right before sending the sit to the first hard(ish) line we climbed.

I had done pretty extensive 'scouting' of the area on Google Earth, and on satellite images of the area, large boulders could be seen.  Driving on a dusty track through the boulders, however, it became evident why satellite images don't tell the entire story.  Much like other deeply-weathered granite batholiths, many of the largest boulders were perched high upon small domes, making it impossible to climb upon them.  The more accessible boulders often had fantastic landings, but tended to be somewhat small.  After a brief survey of the boulders, we decided to try climbing some problems.  The first block we pulled up to would turn out to be the perfect warmup boulder, with cracks and face climbing, slabs and gently-overhanging bulges from V0- to V2.  We climbed six problems on perfect desert varnish, then moved up the hill to check out an overhanging face.  Again, we were thrilled with what we found; a fun steep problem with committing movement on thin but bombproof patina flakes.  When we first saw the problem, we dismissed an obvious low start (on a good but sloping rail) as likely too hard, but after sending the stand start we set to work on the low start.  After a little work (to understand how to engage the start hold with only one VERY poor foothold in evidence), we were surprised to both send the line, a four-star granite belly (about V5? or so).

Perfect patina edges!  A lot of the rock there was of fantastic quality, though of course there was a lot of slightly loose/grainy rock as well.

Packing up our mats, we decided to walk up to four large boulders on the hill above us.  Like many areas in Nevada, the batholith is an old mining area, and as a result we walked by two old and abandoned mine shafts as we headed up to the boulders.  We found a nice collection of large boulders with overhanging faces, but weren't too excited by most of the lines (small edges seemed to predominate).  I did climb one tall face problem on small edges, which proved to be a full-value (i.e. slightly scary) experience, but we moved on to continue exploring the vast collection of boulders scattered across the desert.

As we hiked through the boulders, it became apparent why Northern Nevada isn't a bouldering mecca.  While there are literally thousands of boulders in the area, and the rock quality is generally quite good, several factors limit the number of 'actually-climbable' problems. First, while there are many overhanging faces (and many perched boulders), few of the steeper roofs had many holds (or the holds tended to be loose, likely due to differential weathering on these faces).  Second, many of the boulders were smaller than we would have liked.  Third, most of the holds tended to be crimps (although there tended to a lot of ear-shaped patina edges that were amazing to climb on, and incredibly solid). A lot of people love climbing on edges (though it isn't my favorite genre of bouldering), and if crimpy faces is your thing, Northern Nevada might be place for you!  (Full Disclosure: we did see many tall boulders as well, and two of the quality lines I saw included a Mandala-looking line on perfect varnish and small edges, and another one climbed a huge 'chevron' feature. Both remained untried, unsent).

Lots of animals (or, at least parts of animals) in the desert!  Such a treat to hike through such a wild area.  Sure beats the 'urban' vibe of the more populated bouldering areas...

An unexpected bonus of visiting a completely undeveloped desert bouldering area is the abundant wildlife.  In just a few days, we saw snakes, jackrabbits (big and fast!), vultures, ravens, lizards, and a golden eagle (!); every few minutes it seemed we were encountering new animals as we turned the corner around yet another cluster of boulders.  As I was exploring the boulders, I came upon a fresh-looking deer ear sitting on top of a boulder.  A few minutes later, I met up with Kyle; it seemed he had been hanging out, chatting with a coyote sitting on top of a boulder.  It was only when we went to take a photo of the "coyote" that he realized that he was talking to a cougar.  The cougar slowly vanished, and Kyle suddenly thought it best that we explore the boulders together.  A good idea, but a great experience!  (Full Disclosure: I was sad I didn't get to see the cougar...)

The next day, we drove up a dusty track that crawled up into the mountains.  On Google Earth, Kyle had seen what looked like a nice group of boulders high above the valley, so we headed up into the sagebrush and cactus.  We spent a few hours hiking through many clusters of boulders, stopping occasionally to climb a line that looked especially fun.  I was thrilled to finally (!) have the chance to climb on chickenheads (bucket list item!); one of the first lines we climbed in the area was a funky line that used four widely spaced knobs to climb up an otherwise fairly blank steep slab.  Kyle sent another line that jumped from one protruding knob to another (while stabilising with a heel-hook in a shallow hueco), but as we hiked down to the car we decided that although the area was beautiful, it didn't really offer huge amounts of problems.

(top) CHICKENHEADS!  SO much fun!  (bottom) The only really steep line we climbed on our trip; a fun and juggy roof high in the Nevada desert.

We drove back down to the valley bottom, and headed back to the area we had explored the previous day.  There was one nice-looking cluster that we had driven past the previous day (ironically, we could park quite close to them), and I wanted to check them out to see if there were any decent-looking lines.  We were quite satisfied to see that the rock was both solid and well-featured.  We climbed a handful of moderate lines, including a nice arete on hollow-sounding but solid patina plates. Looking for something a bit harder, we arranged the mats beneath a gently overhanging face with nice edges.  As we started to work through the moves, it became apparent that the line was fun, but definitely challenging; a long move to (and then off of) a thin gaston needed to be very precise.  After a bit of a session on it, I began to grow a little skeptical.  However, after dialing his footwork in, Kyle sent the line, and I sent it next try as well.  Sometimes, a little careful footwork can go a long way!

Even though the sun was getting low, we were keen to try one more line.  One of the giant granite spheres in the area had split in half (which seemed pretty rare, I only saw a few like it), leaving a prow with a perfectly cleaved right-hand arete, and a series of left-hand slopers.  The half of the boulder that was upright was still perched on a stone 'pedestal', so a climber pulling onto the problem would already be 3 feet off the ground.  We tried the problem for a half-hour, trading high-points.  The problem was tallish (15 feet?), so falling began to feel a little rough.  Finally, using some supreme heel-hooking mojo, Kyle climbed all the way to the top of the boulder.  I was certainly impressed... but since the top third of the problem looked incredibly committing I decided to throw in the towel.  Feeling a little spent, Kyle and I did another fantastic 'mantle-a-rail-and-reach' line on the split side of the boulder, then packed up for the day.

(top) The perfect patina edges of our hard(ish) day two problem.  (bottom) Hard to see the chalk, but we had a lot of fun on this line! If you look carefully, you can see the ticks on the key gaston.

The next morning, as we headed north out of Nevada, we stopped for breakfast at a casino in Jackpot, which sits right on the Idaho-Nevada border.  I decided to spend a little money on Blackjack (since I had never really gambled before), so after a bit of a introduction to the niceties of the game by a very helpful dealer, I promptly lost $10 in three hands.  (I'm not sure what the lesson here is, but I am sure there is one...).  A little poorer, we headed north into Idaho, eager to track down an area we had heard a lot of rumours about - The Channel.

Stay tuned!

(top) Standing under the arete taking pictures makes this intimidating arete seem about 6 feet tall.  It wasn't!  You can see the other half of the perfectly cleaved boulder lying to the right of Kyle. (bottom) Setting sunlight makes for sweet photos!  The endless granite eggs of Nevada (most were too small, though).

The Tour (de Frank) in Review

Last week I would turn on my phone every morning, and flip to the Crowsnest Pass weather report.  As the week passed, and the forecast for Saturday remained 'warm and dry', my sense of relief became palpable.  Because regardless of how much planning you've put into an event, how great your sponsors have been, how enthusiastic your volunteers are, and how keen the participants might be, the success of an outdoor event really comes down to the weather.

Saturday morning, the day of the Tour de Frank, I woke up to the sound of the wind.  In southern Alberta, the sound of wind isn't unusual, but roaring early-morning blasts can mean intense windstorms later in the day.  As Kyle and I packed up extra bouldering mats, water, scorecards, and a table into the van, the wind kept blowing. We stopped to pick up coffee and muffins for the competitors... and the wind kept blowing.  But as we headed west down the Crowsnest Highway, with the Canadian Rockies looming large in the windshield, the wind slowly faded.  I took it as an omen; a sign that the 2016 Tour de Frank would be amazing.

Mark Fraser reaching for the end on the funky and powerful Marked for Life (V5), House Sector. (Photo: Peter Kwan)

Because there are no pre-registrations for Tour de Frank, Kyle and I are always uncertain about how many climbers will show up for the event.  I had advertised fairly widely on social media, and as we pulled up to the parking lot at 10:00, the event's popularity became evident.  The parking lot was already half full, with more cars in pulling in.  Unloading the van, we were surrounded by scenes that are certain to warm any climber's heart; teetering stacks of bouldering mats, propped up by brushes taped to poles; loose clusters of climbers, coffees in hand, shaking hands, slapping each other on the back.  As we watched, forearms were stretched and packs shouldered as scores of climbers of all ages crossed the highway and began the short walk into the House Boulder, the mansion-sized block of limestone where we were setting up the staging area for the 2016 Tour de Frank.

Will Kwan looking cool and collected as he warms up on Don't Kill Kyle (V1). (Photo: Peter Kwan)

As more and more climbers arrived, we finished setting up the staging area beneath the massive overhang at the front of the House Boulder.  We handed out registration cards, and free mini-guides to the House, Commodore, Frictionary, and Heart of Frank Sectors where the 2016 TdF would be taking place.  At 10:45, with the sun shining through the golden leaves of the cottonwood trees, we welcomed everyone to the event, briefly went over the rules (mostly that we would be counting the hardest five problems each person climbed toward their total score), and with a final reminder to spot carefully, we released the waiting throng into the boulders of Frank Slide for six hours of climbing in North America's largest limestone bouldering area!  About 80 climbers participated in this year's TdF, which is undoubtedly the largest number of climbers the Slide has ever seen in a single day.

More climbers than the Black Slot Boulder had ever seen at one time!   (Photo: Peter Kwan)

In addition to the free guides we handed out, we also had a number of volunteers (all clad in red t-shirts) to help climbers locate individual problems they were keen to find and try.  As climbers streamed out into the boulders, the other 'red shirts' and I walked through the boulders to offer our assistance, if needed.  Climbers were clustered on many of the sectors' best blocks; several people were enjoying the highball slabs of the Railway Boulder, a posse was throwing themselves up the heady arete of Evil Eye (V3) and it's more moderate neighbor Charlie the Horse (V0), and a handful of boulderers wandered down to warm up on the ever-popular Ninja Turtles Boulder.

I headed up the hill to guide a few climbers (including my wife Shelley and my son Rowan) to some moderate lines at the edge of the Heart of Frank Sector.  After warming up, Shelley and Jonas G. both climbed Beautiful Struggle (V3/4), but then got stumped on the mysteriously difficult hanging dihedral of The Oracle (V4).  I noticed a handful of climbers heading up into the City of Giants sector, and since none of those problems were included in the 2016 TdF, I surmised that maybe they had lost their way and hustled over to offer my help.

Kevin crushing one of the dozens of lines (this one on the Frictionary Boulder) he sent during the 2106 TdF!   (Photo: Peter Kwan)

When I finally caught up to Noah, Kevin, and Ian, I found that they had adopted an impressive (!) strategy for the 2016 Tour de Frank... to climb as many problems as possible - in the order they appeared on the scorecard!  This meant that they would have to cross and re-cross the western sectors of Frank Slide repeatedly in their quest, but they were clearly having a blast!  I pointed them in the direction of The Sandstone Traverse (V0), and they were off.  I later found out that they had climbed 47 problems (!) during the TdF, which probably amounts to the most problems ever climbed in a day in The Slide!

As I cruised around the Slide, I was excited to meet climbers from across Alberta and Southeastern BC.  I watched Dan Archambault and Marc Eveleigh swap burns as they vied for the second ascent of Apollo 11 (V10).  I worked on the trail to the Frictionary Boulder with Dan Anhorn (another 'red shirt') as Lethbridge's junior team streamed by on their way to work Underking (V5) and Underrated (V2).  I met with a reporter from the Pincher Creek Echo who was excited to include an article about the TdF in the next issue of the paper.  I handed out coffee, and directed people on the best way to walk to find the slabs on the Ninja Turtles Boulder.

Everyone - including myself - was having a great time enjoying the limestone blocks of Frank Slide!

(Top) Dan Anhorn, volunteer extraordinaire, grimacing but still having fun at the TdF. (Bottom) Joel White wrapping up his session with a Black Cherry Soda (V5) on his way to second place in Men's Open.  (Photos: Peter Kwan)

At 5:00, Kyle blew the horn, and climbers began to stream back to the Staging Area.  At the TdF, we have always stressed that the emphasis is on climbing and socializing with other climbers, and as a result we were not surprised to see that only about three-quarters of the climbers turned in their score cards.  As we quickly worked to rank everyone's scores, Kyle, Mark, and I started drawing names for the prizes, and handed out scores of amazing goods from our sponsors (see below).  Once that was finished, we announced the list of winners of the 2016 TdF, with Marc Eveleigh (Men's Open) and Samantha Li and Eva Thompson (tie, Women's Open) winning their respective elite categories. Huge congrats to them and all the participants of the 2106 TdF!

Corwin getting pumped at the Frictionary Boulder!  Corwin survived a near-death experience when he slid off the mantle of Mushroom Campus (V3) later in the day...  (Photo: Peter Kwan)

Female Open

(1 - tie) Samantha Li  and Eva Thompson (3) Jelisa Dunbar

Male Open

(1) Marc Eveleigh (2) Joel White

Female Experienced 

(1 - tie) Shelley Hoover and Reba Murphy

Male Experienced 

(1) Jonathan Kay (2 - tie) Stephan Pepin and Lukas Tanasiuk

Female Beginner

(1 - tie) Victoria Leske and Sophie Vielfaure  (3 - tie) Bergen Galts and Quinn Andre

Male Beginner

(1) Philip Quade  (2 - tie) Stephen Mosca and Trevor Jones

Female Youth (12 - 16)
(1 - tie) Lauren Kwan and Lauren Cook (3) Kennedy Muland
Male Youth (12 - 16)
(1) Will Kwan (2) Mark Federkiel
Female Junior (11 and under)
(1) Ciara Meadows
Make Junior (11 and under)
(1 - tie) Kolven Cook and Rowan Hoover

A HUGE thanks to everyone who made the trip down to the Crowsnest Pass to compete in the Tour de Frank!  We had people from Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Fort Macleod, Fernie, Cranbrook, and Montana attend this year's event, which makes all our work that much more gratifying.

We also want to extend our massive appreciation to all our sponsors who provided prizes for this year's event!  It is really companies like these (and not the big-box 'outdoor equipment' retailer) that provide support for outdoor climbing festivals and grassroots events like the TdF (as well as Kelowna's Rock the Blocs and Revelstoke's Rumble in the Jungle).  If you have a chance when you are considering your next purchase of climbing gear, return the favor, and show your appreciation!  Sponsors of the 2016 TdF were...

The up-and-coming climbing wear company Outside All Day, who were one of our first sponsors, and really came through with a box of OAD t-shirts!  Thanks Kiefer!

Awesome Adventures in Lethbridge, who helped us out tremendously for coordinating prize sponsorships for us with several companies.  Thanks a heap to Marni and Nathan!

Flashed, Canada's premier bouldering gear, who came through with stacks of chalk and brushes and a bouldering mat!  Thanks a bunch to all the folks at Flashed, including Mark and Keith!

The All-Canadian adventure clothing and gear company Westcomb, who really came through with two amazing light jackets and a hat!

Liberty Mountain, who donated the fantastic prize of a pair of approach shoes!  Huge props to the folks at Liberty Mountain!

Black Diamond, who were very generous with clothing and headlamps!  Much appreciated!

Fjallraven, who provided us with a great prize package, including a backpack!  Fantastic!

Sendage, whose services allow us to keep track of all the new lines in Frank Slide.  Jamie Chong of Sendage sent along a box of sweet Sendage hats (jealously guarded by those who won them).  Thanks Jamie!

Prana, who sent along a stack of hats and chalk bags!  Thanks a bunch for all the prizes!

Static Chalk Bags, who sent along a great prize as well!

So that's it for the 2016 Tour de Frank!  I'll get some more pictures online soon!  I hope to see everyone back for the 2017 Tour de Frank, and if you want to come bouldering at The Slide, don't hesitate to give me a shout.  There are over 1100 problems at the Slide, enough to keep you busy for a long time!

Tour de Frank 2016: The Information Package!

The greatest outdoor bouldering event in the Canadian Rockies is back!  The Tour de Frank, the outdoor bouldering festival held in Canada’s largest limestone bouldering area, is returning again in 2016 for the third year.  The event will take place on Saturday, September 17, and is a free event and competition open to anyone interested in rock climbing in the Canadian Rockies.  Children are of course welcome, though everyone should be aware that boulderfields feature very uneven terrain.

The Information Package about the event - including a printable map of the event and information about categories - can be found HERE.

The goal of the Tour de Frank is to get people socializing – and climbing – together at Frank Slide, Alberta.  Frank Slide is one of the largest bouldering areas in Canada, with over 1100 problems from V0 to V12.  Typically, climbers from throughout Southern Alberta (including Calgary, Lethbridge, and Red Deer) and Southeastern British Columbia climb at Frank Slide, but they often don’t get a chance to meet each other and climb together.  The Tour de Frank not only provides climbers and outdoor enthusiasts with that opportunity, but also shows off some of the best boulder problems in Frank Slide to climbers who might not otherwise be familiar with the area.  Every year, the Tour de Frank moves to a new area of Frank Slide, and this year’s event will feature the House, Frictionary, Commodore, and Heart of Frank sectors.

The event starts at 10:00 Saturday morning with free coffee and pastries for everyone.  For those arriving early and want to contribute, there will be a short trash cleanup and trail maintenance work bee.  Registration for the event will open shortly after 10:00 as well, with the rules of the event being presented at 10:45 and the competition starting at 11:00.  Climbers will have six hours (until 5:00) to climb as many problems as they can (or want to!); the winners of each category will be determined based on the five most difficult problems they climb during the day.

Frank Slide can be a confusing area to navigate, so competitors will be provided with free maps and a guide to the area.  There will also be volunteers (look for the people in red shirts!) to help climbers find their way around the area and to locate specific problems.  While there is a competitive aspect of the event (there will be problems from beginner (V0) to expert (V12)), the focus of the Tour de Frank is on having fun.  In the morning, we will be running an 'Introduction to Outdoor Bouldering' workshop for beginners, and will have bouldering mats on hand to loan out to beginners or those who don’t have access to a mat.

The climbing competition part of the event runs all day Saturday (until 5:00), with category winners and draw prizes being awarded immediately afterwards.  The Tour de Frank will wrap up with an after-event for those interested (dinner and drinks at the local pub just down the road).  The goal is the TdF is to get people socializing and bouldering together at Frank Slide, and we are looking forward to seeing everyone there!

The Facebook event page is now up and running (search for ‘2016 Tour de Frank’), so check there for event updates.

HUGE thanks to all the fantastic sponsors who support the Tour de Frank!  They all provide amazing products and are supportive of the climbing community in Canada, so check them out!  When you're replacing well-worn gear, take a look online or support retailers who carry their products.  We like to thank Awesome Adventures in Lethbridge, the new climbing clothing company Outside All Day, the distributor Liberty Mountain, the made-in-Canada Westcomb clothing, Prana, Black Diamond, the Canadian bouldering manufacturer Flashed Climbing, FjallRaven, Static handmade chalk bags, and Sendage (without which a guide to Frank Slide would be impossible).

The Tour de Frank is an entirely free, volunteer-driven event!  Nonetheless, we do incur costs when we organizing the TdF, so if you are interested in a small donation to help defray costs (or are interested in sponsoring next year's event) let us know!

NOTE: If you are 17 or younger, have a parent or guardian sign a waiver, which can be found HERE.

Me on the testpiece Slippery Pete (V7/8)... it *might* be included in this year's TdF! ;)

Sendtember in Frank!

Fall has arrived!  With the cooling of the autumnal air and the shortening of the days, the cottonwood leaves are turning a brilliant yellow and crisp sending temperatures have arrived!  In the last few weeks, we've been climbing a lot in the House and Heart of Frank sectors, opening new lines and working on the trails in preparation for the 2016 Tour de Frank, which is coming on Saturday, September 17.  After a short introduction to the event, the horn will blow at 11:00 for six hours of bouldering in Canada's largest bouldering area!

The typical crew of Frank Slide Locals (Kyle, Mark, Dan, Davin, Josh, and myself) have been busy cleaning and putting up new lines... and climbing a lot in the process!  We visited the Slide twice over the long weekend (despite less-than-perfect weather), and had a blast with the new lines we've unearthed.  A lot of the new lines are moderates, which are slowly transforming the sector into a great area to circuit. We were unexpectedly joined by Michelle and Andrew Neis, who seem to be living the dream as they travel to climbing areas across North America.  Michelle and Andrew are friends with Davin, and had come out to Frank Slide to sample the boulders.

Kyle on the perfect holds of Brighter the Light, Darker the Shadows (V5/6), a brilliant end-of-the-day send on the Beautiful Struggle Boulder.

One of the highlights of the long weekend for me was my FA of a new line I named Jaws (V4ish). Lately, I've been on the search for problems that utilize knee-bars (I'm keen on learning a new technique), and was excited to find a line on the side of the Diamond Boulder in Frictionary that uses a semi-solid knee-bar to great effect.  Unfortunately, I had forgotten my kneebar pad at home, so was forced to use my bare knee to send the line (ouch!).  I returned the following weekend with the pad to repeat it in comfort!

The big weekend project, however, was the Beautiful Struggle Boulder, named after the original line on the boulder, the brilliant Beautiful Struggle (V3/4, which I managed to flash!).  After the dust had (literally and figuratively) cleared, the Beautiful Struggle Boulder is now home to 15 problems, from V0 to V5.  A great addition to the boulder is Josh Bylsma's new line The Oracle (V4), a funky compression line on perfect rock.

The next generation of the hardcore boulderers of Southern Alberta at work!  Getting serious (and seriously high!) on the fantastic Railway Slab (V0 R).

Next weekend we were back again, this time spending the day in the Railway and Commodore areas.  Walking into the area, we found a handful of the Lethbridge junior climbers at work on the Railway Boulder, and with a little encouragement we sent them up the imposing Railway Slab (V0, but high!). They all lined up for the send, and I reveled at how high it looked with junior climbers en route.

After a little work, Davin, Dan, Kyle, and I managed get the send train rolling on the techy Eclipse (V5), before we headed over to Commodore to do some trail work.  After an hour or so of pick-and-shovel fun, we managed to finish the last section of trail!  Climbers can now walk on a finished path from the highway all the way to the edge of the Heart of Frank Sector, a fantastic improvement (at least my knees think so)!

Dan Anhorn off the crux of the steep and funky Eclipse (V5).  He sent shortly after.

Before we wrapped up for the day, we did a little more climbing.  We tackled a short but intriguing line on great rock on the edge of the Commodore Area. It took a little work to figure out the strange technique required to engage the start holds, but when we finally understood what was required, we sent the first ascents of Wilderpeople (V4? 5?) in short order. A great end to the day!  We packed up, and headed to A&W for hamburgers (Teen Burgers are on sale for $3.50! Yay!).

Frankly, It's a Lot of Fun!

Preparations for the 2016 Tour de Frank are well underway!  The Tour de Frank (which I am now billing as North America's Greatest Outdoor Limestone Bouldering Festival) is an outdoor bouldering event / competition / festival / socializing opportunity that we run every year at Frank Slide in the Crowsnest Pass.  This will be the third year of the festival, and we're expecting it to be the best event yet (as long as the weather cooperates...).  We'll be releasing specific details of the Tour de Frank over the next few weeks, but needless to say we are busy with preparations for the event!

This past weekend, Kyle, Mark D, Mark G, Dan, and I headed to the Crowsnest Pass for a day of bouldering on a (thankfully!) cool summer day.  Kyle and I also had other motives for visiting the Slide - we (and by 'we' I mostly mean Kyle) were fact-checking dozens of problems in the Slide to ensure that our new mini-guides for the House, Frictionary, and Heart of Frank sectors are as accurate as possible for the Tour de Frank!

When we arrived in the Slide, we started off our day of bouldering/fact-checking on a small block quite near the House Parking Lot.  Kyle had described it to me on the drive out, but I couldn't place it in my memory.  Walking up to the boulder, the reason for my lack of knowledge became apparent.  The boulder sits in a depression in the talus, and I had never seen it before!

A surprisingly fun line that climbs up out of a pit, the funky Painful Decision (V3).

We warmed up by working through the problems on the boulder; they were all new to me, but Kyle had climbed them years before.  Painful Decision (V3), a fun line which climbs out of a small pit and follows an arete through a bulge, gave us a few problems, but we all quickly sent the three easier face lines on the boulder, Pain for Pleasure (V1), U Dolt (V1), and Nuts and Bolts (V1).  The latter three problems climb though a face completely composed of crinoid fossils, which make for unique climbing at the Slide! 

Thoroughly warmed up, Kyle hiked off into the Slide on a fact-checking mission, while Dan starting cleaning a new slab, and Mark D, Mark G, and I headed over to the Black Slot Boulder to try some of the lines there.  Mark G and I climbed some fun (though not terribly hard) new slabs on the side of the boulder, and then watches as Mark D repeated the funky Blessings in Disguise (V8).  After a little cleaning, I realised that from the start of Black Slot Arete (V4), it would be possible to carefully climb up and right on the slab.  The line was trickier than I thought, though not truly difficult.  After falling off unexpectedly a few times, I pulled sloowwwly though a funky rock-over move to send the FA of The Oozing (V2/3).  

Mark G moving slowly and carefully on his way to the second ascent of The Oozing (V2/3).

Confident after his quick repeat of Blessings in Disguise, Mark D wondered if he could start on the unique starting hold of Blessings, but instead of following the rail out the roof, reach right and climb up and onto the slab of The Oozing.  After only a few tries, Mark sent the FA of (what I am tentatively calling) C Monster (V8?).  Very cool movement, indeed!  I briefly worked Blessings as well, but soon realized that my fitness wasn't up to the task.

Mark D nearing the end of the techy and powerful Blessings in Disguise (V8).

Having finished scrubbing his new slab lines, Dan wandered up to join us at the Black Slot. He was keen to try the fun Black Slot Arete (V4).  After watching him send it in only a handful of tries, I got excited to repeat it again, so I pulled my shoes on and did it as well (thankfully without too much problem!). 

After that, a flurry of sends wrapped up the day; Dan and Mark G did The Oozing, we all did a new (and relatively spooky!) slab on the end of the slabby face (calling it Happy Ending (V1ish)), and then we headed up a short distance into the talus where Mark D quickly sent Kyle's new dynamic line Racing the Storm (V4-7?). 

All things considered, a fun day in the Slide with fun people! To top the day off, we met up with Kyle's wife Amy, and we all headed into the pub in the town of Frank for dinner before finally driving back to Lethbridge.  Such a fantastic day - lots of climbing, new problems, lots of friends, and cool summer send-temperatures!  It really doesn't get much better than that!

Not all fun and games when you fall onto your back and miss the mat in Frank Slide!  Blunt force contusion on Mark's back... ouch!

Frankly, it's Summer Now!

I've spent some time this summer travelling and visiting relatives, so I haven't had as much time to boulder as I would like.  As a result, I'm more out of shape than I want to be, but I have managed to get out to Frank Slide for some bouldering (and trail building) in the last few weeks.

In late July, a strong group of climbers who don't ordinarily climb together coalesced in Frank Slide for a fantastic day of exploration and climbing in the Zombotron Sector.  I love climbing in Zombotron; a trip to the sector begins with a boulder-hopping crossing of the Crowsnest River.  For most of the year, the water level of the river prevents a safe crossing, so I have always considered Zombotron a late-summer and autumn bouldering treat. Futhermore, the area is incredibly beautiful, as it lies along the river, and the rapids and trees provide a fantastic backdrop for a day of climbing.

After Kyle and I arrived at the Slide, we met up with Davin and Dan, then walked into the Healing area to drop off some mats for a group from the U of L Climbing Club.  As we walked back to Zombotron, we ran into Reba (last year's Boulderfest winner!) and asked if she wanted to boulder with us for the day.  She was nursing an ankle injury, but was nonetheless game to cross the river to check out the boulders in Zombotron.

Dan on the second ascent of Fascistitis (V2) on the Nautilus Boulder.

After crossing the river, we headed over to the Nautilus Boulder.  I hadn't climbed anything on the boulder, but was keen to try Dan's two moderate lines there (No Guts V2 and No Gory V1), as well as Mark's classic compression line Nautilus (V6).  We cleaned a handful of moderate lines to warmup on, adding Captain Barnacles (V0-) and the short but very fun Fascistitis (V2).  Warmed up somewhat, we shuffled the mats over to try No Guts and No Gory.  Both lines looked great, but No Guts is a fantastic line, cerebral and pleasantly high - a top 50 line in my opinion!

I was very curious about the arete to the left of No Guts.  It was a proud sharp arete, vertical, perched above the Crowsnest River.  A barndooring fall would, it appeared, result in an unexpected plunge into the river!  Everyone was a bit skeptical about the risky appearance of the line at first, but after cleaning it as best we could from the ground and the top of the boulder, we all jumped on the problem.  It turned out to be a great compression line, with my left hand taking good arete holds and my right on postive but widely spaced edges.  Only the first move was tricky, but the problem definitely demanded respect!  Old Man and the Sea (V2/3) is another great addition to the area, another Top 50 line (perhaps it should be 'Top 100' now that we've added so many new lines to the Slide)!

Cranking despite an ankle injury, Reba sent Dan's new line Spar (V1 or 2) quickly!

Though his fingers were completely worn through, Davin wanted to put in a few attempts on his project, the uber-classic lip/arete Rising Tithes (V8).  Kyle had just sent it a week before, but everyone was keen to either give the line a few burns or spot Davin.  I gave it a few half-hearted tries, reminding myself how amazing Rising Tithes is.  Davin came close, but had to walk away from it after a handful of tries when blood started oozing from his tips, and the clouds closed in and it started to rain (he did return the following week for the send!).  Luckily, the overhang of Rising Tithes also doubles as a great rain shelter, and we hunkered down, had lunch, and waited out the rain.

Kyle throwing a lap on the fantastic No Guts (V2).

After lunch (and as the boulders quickly dried) we walked over to check out some new lines.  Reba was excited to work one of the mini-cave problems on the backside of the Hourglass boulder, and Kyle wanted to put in some time on a blunt arete he had described as 'slopey'.  I was very curious, since Frank isn't exactly known for it's sloping holds.  We laid down the mats and sent to work.  There were actually two lines side-by-side, with both featuring VERY sloping smooth holds and sequential technical movement.  Mark D. (who had joined us) sent the first line, and Kyle the second.  Both seemed to be in the V7 range; I made good progress on the first (getting all the moves figured out but one, that I couldn't stick easily), but was stymied by the length of the moves on the second.

Even in Frank Slide, it has to rain sometime... boulderers waiting out a short storm in the front ranges.

I'd like to remind everyone that the 2016 Tour de Frank is approaching!  A full post with details soon!

Take care!

Me on the first ascent of the aptly-named Old Man and the Sea (V2/3).

Rock the Blocs 2016!

Last June, driven by curiosity about the bouldering in the Okanagan, Kyle and I travelled to The Boulderfields in the mountains above Kelowna for ten days of climbing.  We had planned our trip such that our final days in the area would coincide with the 2015 Rock the Blocs, perhaps Canada's greatest outdoor bouldering festival.  We were blown away not only by how amazing the solid gneiss blocks of the area were, but also by how much fun we had at RtB (check out my previous posts about the Boulderfields here and here). 

This June, now thoroughly convinced that The Boulderfields are one of Canada's greatest bouldering areas, I was keen to head back to the Okanagan for another week of climbing on quality gneiss.  The boulders there are big, steep, and feature amazing beautifully-textured holds.  Once again, my plan was to participate in Rock the Blocs at the end of the trip, and this year I had convinced Andy White (RtB's eternally-energetic organizer and all-round great guy) to add a Master's Category to this year's event.  Though I had been very pleased with my performance in the Men's Open category last year, I assumed that I must not be the only climber of 40+ years who couldn't quite keep up with all the lads in the Open category (it turns out that knees, fingers, and elbows don't last forever...).

Not exactly an action shot... one of the new problems I added during my trip, The Golden Rule (V4ish) starts sitting at the arete, reaches up into and traverses left through the slot, then heads up again via the positive sloper on the arete.  Always great to find new fun lines!

None of the usual suspects of the Lethbridge climbing community could be convinced to join me for a weeklong trip to Kelowna, so I packed up the van and headed west.  I generally don't like to drive (or go on trips) by myself, but I managed to survive the drive west, stopping overnight in Canmore before heading west through Golden, Revelstoke, and then down through lake country to Kelowna.  I grabbed a coffee and pastry at The Bread Company Cafe on Pandosy Street, bought some groceries, and headed up to the Boulderfields.  The rutted and worn logging road that allows climbers to reach The Boulderfields isn't a pleasure to drive, and was just as rough as I remembered.  I knew that the Frank Slide locals Stephan and Aletha were also making the trip out, and as such I wasn't surprised to find them already setting up camp at the Boulderfields when I finally eked my van down the last few meters into the parking lot.

Stephan on the soon-to-be-classic Memento (V0/1).

Knowing that I would likely be climbing alone for some of the trip, I had come armed with brushes, chalk, rope, and harness to put up some new problems. Perhaps more than most climbers, the hunt for new lines keeps me motivated, and I had my heart set on opening several new problems.  On my first morning in the area, after some work to remove some dead branches on a downed tree, I cleaned and sent a brilliant new slopers-to-arete line near the Nerf Boulder that I called The Golden Rule (V4ish).  I'm certain it will be a classic in the area, being a somewhat similar to Squamish's Easy in an Easy Chair (V4).  I then set to cleaning the TALL featured slab on the far end of the Nerf Boulder (the end opposite Terry Paholek's testpiece Nerf Roof (V12); check out video of that send here).  I had to spend a lot of time on a toprope to get it ready, but it was definitely worth it; the line that emerged was amazing; a 21 foot tall beautifully-featured slab with a few tricky moves and a lot of great holds. A moderately tricky move off the ground leads to better holds, which permit a relatively easy route up the face.  Edges on the first half of the problem lead to two positive horizontal slots and an interesting mantle. I called it Memento (V0), as I am certain that it provide a memorable experience for aspiring highball boulderers. Noting that the were interesting start holds much lower - a beautiful right-hand letterbox slot and a funky left-hand sidepull/knob - I set about to adding a low sit-start to the problem.  I had adjust my beta a bit, but I quickly sent Memento Low (V3/4) as well, a start which adds two stout moves to the line. 

During my trip to the Boulderfields, I did Memento many times.  Many times.  An amazing line, and a great way to get high off the ground!  Stephan spotting, and Sam W. spectating.  Thanks for the photos Aletha!

As I sat and ate lunch, however, I studied the arete and face to the right of Memento.  It appeared that if I started on the opening holds of Memento Low, I could take the arete with my left hand, while using a series of widely-spaced but good holds right of the arete to maintain compression. I quickly scrubbed these holds as well, and set to work deciphering the line.  It seemed apparent that the problem would reach a huge arete-jug two-thirds of the way up the boulder; from here a climber could roll over the arete to join the last moves of Memento.  Chalking up, I found that the first seven moves that led to the juggy hold demanded a fair bit of subtlety and power.  After 45 minutes of trying the line I could do all the moves, but couldn't quite link the moves from the start to the jug. Slightly disappointed but not discouraged, I packed up my gear and headed up out of the basin to find dinner.

The following morning I made the hike down into the basin, once again determined to send the arete.  I warmed up with Aletha and Stephan, feeling strong with flashes of Hit the Lights (V4) and Four Horsemen (V5).  A little nervous, I walked back over to arete, laced up my shoes, and pulled on to the starting moves of the project. I floated right past my highpoint, only to fall unexpectedly on the last hard move.  The line would not fall that easily!  I sat on my mat in the sunshine for a few minutes, then tried again, only to fall on the last hard moves of the problem. Not particularly worried, I rested few more minutes, moved my mats around, chalked up, and smoothly compressed my way up the arete, grabbing the jug.  Elated, I rolled over the arete, and kept climbing until I was standing on top of the Nerf Boulder.

The amazing compression line Bushido (V7ish).  The top photo shows the bottom of the line, while the bottom photo is of some of the key sloping 'ball' holds on the arete.  Hard to take action shots on a solo trip...

It is strange how completing a project (especially a first ascent) fills me with such a sense of happiness, success, and reward.  I'm never certain if all climbers feel the same emotions when they finally stand atop a problem they've put a lot of effort into, but I can't help but suspect that this is the case. From one point of view, it seems strange (pointless?) to drive across western Canada, then hike up into the mountains, find a big rock, spend time scrubbing off moss and lichen, then spend hours trying to climb seven hard moves.  From another point of view, though, it doesn't seem strange at all, given the enormous emotional, spiritual, (and undoubtedly chemical) rewards to be had!  As I reflected on the 'code' that drives the itinerant first ascentionist (and in part because I had cleaned and climbed the line by myself), I decided to call the problem Bushido (V7ish).

I spent the next few days climbing and hiking around the boulderfields, enjoying the quality problems to be found there.  I took a half rest day down in the city of Kelowna, swimming, visiting the fine cafes the city offers, and enjoying the art galleries and public art in the downtown area. By Friday afternoon, dozens of climbers began arriving at the Boulderfields, pitching tents, setting up portable kitchens beside their vans, and waxing poetic in conversation well-lubricated by beer and the glow of a bonfire.

The morning of Rock the Blocs 2016 dawned warm and sunny, but everyone was aware that the weather forecast called for a rainy afternoon.  To accommodate this, the organisers had made the decision to move up the start time by a few hours, to give everyone as much time as possible to climb before the rain started.

Morning of RtB 2016!  Photo courtesy of Caillum Smith, Preserved Light Photography (check out their website for more amazing photography!)

The morning of Rock the Blocs is, in many ways, as exciting as the competition itself.  It is always great to see climbers streaming in from across North America.  This year, there were strong contingents from Mexico and the USA, giving the event a great international vibe.  While RtB does attract many strong climbers seeking to test themselves against their peers, it has perhaps even greater appeal to climbers who simply want to come to the area, enjoy the fantastic lines the Boulderfields has to offer, and to have fun spending time climbing with their friends.  I was excited to see several climbers I had met previously or knew from Alberta or the west coast, including the Fraser Valley bouldering legend (and old friend) Marco Lefebvre. 

Air horn in hand, Andy White went over the rules for the event, and with a blast of the horn climbers started streaming down into the basin, scorecards in hand.  Men and women in the Open categories would count only their three hardest problems toward their scores (a 2016 rule change that would encourage the top climbers to try harder problems), while the remainder of the categories would tally their five hardest problems to come up with a score. 

The morning of RtB 2016 went beautifully.  While everyone had seen the forecast, it was difficult to believe that rain was on its way as hundreds of climbers settled down to the business of bouldering in the warm sunshine.  Marco was more keen to see the area than to win the competition, so we spent some time working projects rather than trying problems on the scorecard.  Eventually, we wandered over to the Dark Prince Boulder where I quickly repeated Dark Prince (V5), then we headed down to the Serenity Sector where we tried (and came very close to doing) a new V7 roof line called Pumping Iron.  After several attempts, we clambered over to the Serenity Boulder itself, where I managed to do Firefly (V5) in a handful of tries. Marco wanted to head up the hill to check out the amazing Driven face, so I headed over and tried Out of the Shadows (V7), again coming close but failing to finish the problem.  By this time, it was raining lightly, and I found Loic Markley (Kelowna local and RtB guide) to ask him exactly where I could find the rising traverse Blue Pill (V6), in hopes of doing one more line before the rain started in earnest. Locating the problem, I was just settling in to try it (despite the drizzle) when I heard the air horn blast - the organisers had called a finish to the event on account of the rain. 

 (top) The amazing Tie My Rope (V1) on the Dominator Boulder, and (below) the legend Marco L. and I putting some chalk on some rocks. Photos by Caillum Smith, Preserved Light Photography.

Despite the rain, everyone had an amazingly social time clustered under the tarps provided, waiting for the scorecards to be tallied.  Climbers joked and laughed, shared stories and umbrellas, and discussed what problems they had climbed and plans they were making for the summer ahead.  After a short while, Andy blew the air horn again to pull names for all the generous draw prizes provided by sponsors (including Outside All Day, Flashed, Redpoint Holds, and Friction Labs, among others), and to announce the winners of the event.  At the beginning of the day, I had bought raffle tickets to support the event, and was (very!) happy to win two sets of Redpoint Holds.  Everyone cheered as the winners were announced, with Eric Sethna (Toronto) and Alannah Yip (Vancouver) winning the Men's and Women's Open categories (go here to see all the results).  Mark Derksen (from Lethbridge, and a Frank Slide 'local') won third in Men's Open, while Staci White (defending champion and Boulderfields local) took the bronze in Women's Open. I was happy to win the Men's Masters category (!), and was glad to have had the chance to participate in such a social, fun, and well-organised event.  Huge thanks to Andy and the rest of the organisational team and guides, including Jay, Loic, Garret, Braden, and everyone else involved!

After the event, the rain continued for several hours.  The next morning I headed back into the basin, humping three mats all way down to the Serenity Sector to try some problems I wanted to try, only to find that a disappointingly large number of the holds in the area seep after a  heavy rain.  It seemed that while most of the holds were dry, many problems had one or two wet holds. I headed back to up the Surf Boulder, where I did some (thankfully dry!) moderates including the amazing arete The Chipper (V1).  I sessioned on the rails-through-a-roof classic No Guts No Glory (V7/8), but found the flexing lip hold too spooky for a solo session, especially since a fall at that point high on the problem would almost certainly result in a fairly serious injury.  By this point in the trip, my fingers were completely thrashed (I had climbed every day since I had arrived, with only a half rest-day on Friday). Knowing it would take at least a full day to recover - a day I didn't really have the luxury of spending away from home - I decided to pack it in, and begin the long drive back to Lethbridge. 

Once again, The Boulderfields (and Rock the Blocs) did not fail to produce a great climbing experience!  Not only does the area hold over 1000 problems on absolutely amazing gneiss blocks, it holds vast potential for thousands more.  Already, I can't wait to return to the Okanagan!  Maybe a fall trip is in order...?

Back in Lethbridge, the hot and dry summer weather has arrived, which means sunny days bouldering in Frank Slide!  Lots on the go in the Slide, including new projects, work on my loop trail project (trail work!), and planning for the 2016 Tour de Frank!