Farley 3

So yesterday was Ring of Fire! A large sport climbing comp at my local gym. The event was put on very well, and I even managed to get a break from spectating with a little journey out to some outdoor rock. We cruised 10 minutes over to Mt. Holyoke, chossy traprock mountain, which hosts 1 solid boulder. My friend Tucker had put up a v9 on it, so we were psyched on checking it out. Despite the 70 degree weather, the boulder felt not so bad, and we all managed repeats in an hour or so. The climb involves a sloping 3-finger crimp, a violent heel hook, to a 1-finger crimp intermediate, to a dyno.

3-finger crimp on rookie of the year v9

This morning, we woke up to rain, but still decided to go out to Farley to press our luck. Thankfully, lots of things were dry, and things only got drier! We immediately warmed up on Appetite For Destruction, and then played around for a while before hoping on Party Wolf. Party Wolf is a climb I have wanted to do for a long time, because of its tall, imposing nature, and burliness combined with extreme precision and technique. After trying for a while, we unfortunately had to call it because of the weather, the 70 degrees and extreme humidity made the slopey climb into a slippery skin-ruiner.

Since we had so many pads, we hopped on Speed of Life, the next door neighbor to Party Wolf, also known as one of the best boulders in the country. 

Brian working out the top.

Lots of us tried, Brian came insanely close, and most of us failed. However, I managed to make good links and do both crux moves in a try or two today, which I had never done before, so I am really psyched, and hoping I can make time if not this spring, sometime in my life, to climb this stellar rock.

Once that was done, Nick and I cruised over to this climb called Ships Prow, and short and tensiony v8 roof, that has only been done if not only once, a handful of time. After lots of moss-scraping, and choss-brushing, I managed to send the boulder, which felt more like middle of the road v9.. but who knows, I grabbed moss and a hold at one point.

Opening heel toe cam cross sequence.

My skin is absolutely wrecked, but I am psyched to get my first indoor training day in 2 weeks in tomorrow, and then chase the 40-50 degree weather through the week!

-Kai