Late October
It's November second today, which is crazy to me, another October has come and gone, and a new battle ls ahead. The comfortable weather is nearing an end, and the frigid New England winter is emerging once more.
It was cold today.
It was cold for the first time this season, it was a high of 41 with 25mph winds. It was cold, and I forgot what it feels like to try to warm up when you're cold. The whole game of climbing changes from the constant struggle to keep your hands cold, to the constant struggle to keep your hands warm. October is the nice middle ground, but October has ended.
Im excited on a climb, probably the most i've ever been excited on a climb, and this one is interesting for me.
Brothers Keeper was a climb first done by the infamous Joe Kinder back in 2002, 12 years ago. Some time after Joe did it, from what i've been told it broke. The second hold on the climb apparently got worse, which adds a crux to the bottom, and makes the foot worse for the last move. I dont know how badly the hold broke, but I do know that since 2002, nobody has done the climb. Brothers Keeper, like so many New England Boulder problems, fell back to nature, as was overlooked, covered in a thick layer of moss, permanently wet.
Some time around 2011? 2012? rumors started spreading about the climb, apparently Augy had cleaned it, and reported that the crux was 'probably a v13 move' *this is all word of mouth, I have heard none of these things first hand*. At this point, the end of 2013, I was looking for a new project, and decided to go out and see how it was for myself. I went out in the winter, and retro-scrubbed the boulder, but was immediately distracted by its neighbor, Sisters Savior, I gave Brothers a few goes, but it felt out of reach. Sisters Savior shut every last thought of Brothers out of my mind.
Early this fall, I sent Sisters Savior, and felt stronger than ever. Within the first 10 minutes of trying Brothers I was hooked, everything felt reasonable. This is one of the biggest reasons I love climbing, you can spend years hearing about all these awesome climbs, and heinously hard moves, and are allowed to test yourself against them right then and there. Its very, very rare in my climbing when I hear about a move that is so messed up and impossible, and 'might not go', and be able to step up, and within twenty minutes, do the move. Was it easy? Hell no. Was it the hardest move i've done on rock? Definitely. I was psyched. I had split fingers, so Doug and I retreated from Brothers, cruised over to the neighboring Hideaway. I managed to do the possible 2nd ascent of E-poch on my second go that day, which is a 30+ move link up on the Millennium Boulder, so I knew, that if I can send a anti-style v11 in under 15 tries, then Brothers Keeper must be much, much harder.
Brothers Keeper is rad. Its an incredible climb. Its one of those New England things where you google it, and there isnt a single picture, or description in existence. It starts matched on a perfect jug, and busts up a perfect, flat, 30 degree overhang. It starts with 5 moves of v9+ crimping. Its not the type of crimping where you can get it dialed and then just lock it off, its precise, slot crimping on non-incut half pad razors. Very involved climbing. Once that is completed, you frog leg yourself, and do a one move, v10-ish, bump to a sloper. Your feet swing off when you hit the sloper, and you have to kick them back on, and then paste your foot WAY down low, and match the sloper. From here you have to slap a shitty slopey gaston, and then bump big to a flat shelf, then its over. Breaks down at around v9+ to v10, to to v7.
On friday I felt amazing. I fell 3 times matching the sloper, because the place that you match, not to mention the next 2 holds, was soaking wet. Irritating, yes, but it got me psyched. I have no doubt now that I can do the climb.
I tried the climb today, with zero skin, and it couldnt have felt worse, I kicked and screamed a lot, and hurt my bicep. I still managed to do all the moves, and Doug sent Sisters and did the MOVE on Brothers, so that was rad.
I hate the Happy Valley because the rock isnt traveled. Especially on Brothers Keeper. The crux foot has broken down from being at a 90 degree angle (flat) to being 45 degrees sloping, making the crux move noticeably harder. Its the curse of New England I guess, it can be so meaningful and awesome to do climbs that are rarely done, but when you fall because the sloper exfoliates sand or your entire foot snaps off, it is extremely frustrating. Even a commonly done v9 broke today, making it not only a grade harder, but far worse boulder, that sadly, will probably not get done very much, until it, like so many others, vanishes into the choss.
Anyways.. Im going back on tuesday, and the weather looks nice, so the boulder will be dry, and hopefully my skin will heal up! And hopefully others will try this climb, its one of the coolest lines i've ever been on.
Here is one of my tries from friday, didn't get the best ones on video, but here's something.
It was cold today.
It was cold for the first time this season, it was a high of 41 with 25mph winds. It was cold, and I forgot what it feels like to try to warm up when you're cold. The whole game of climbing changes from the constant struggle to keep your hands cold, to the constant struggle to keep your hands warm. October is the nice middle ground, but October has ended.
Im excited on a climb, probably the most i've ever been excited on a climb, and this one is interesting for me.
 |
| Holding the crux swing from the start. |
Brothers Keeper was a climb first done by the infamous Joe Kinder back in 2002, 12 years ago. Some time after Joe did it, from what i've been told it broke. The second hold on the climb apparently got worse, which adds a crux to the bottom, and makes the foot worse for the last move. I dont know how badly the hold broke, but I do know that since 2002, nobody has done the climb. Brothers Keeper, like so many New England Boulder problems, fell back to nature, as was overlooked, covered in a thick layer of moss, permanently wet.
Some time around 2011? 2012? rumors started spreading about the climb, apparently Augy had cleaned it, and reported that the crux was 'probably a v13 move' *this is all word of mouth, I have heard none of these things first hand*. At this point, the end of 2013, I was looking for a new project, and decided to go out and see how it was for myself. I went out in the winter, and retro-scrubbed the boulder, but was immediately distracted by its neighbor, Sisters Savior, I gave Brothers a few goes, but it felt out of reach. Sisters Savior shut every last thought of Brothers out of my mind.
Early this fall, I sent Sisters Savior, and felt stronger than ever. Within the first 10 minutes of trying Brothers I was hooked, everything felt reasonable. This is one of the biggest reasons I love climbing, you can spend years hearing about all these awesome climbs, and heinously hard moves, and are allowed to test yourself against them right then and there. Its very, very rare in my climbing when I hear about a move that is so messed up and impossible, and 'might not go', and be able to step up, and within twenty minutes, do the move. Was it easy? Hell no. Was it the hardest move i've done on rock? Definitely. I was psyched. I had split fingers, so Doug and I retreated from Brothers, cruised over to the neighboring Hideaway. I managed to do the possible 2nd ascent of E-poch on my second go that day, which is a 30+ move link up on the Millennium Boulder, so I knew, that if I can send a anti-style v11 in under 15 tries, then Brothers Keeper must be much, much harder.
Brothers Keeper is rad. Its an incredible climb. Its one of those New England things where you google it, and there isnt a single picture, or description in existence. It starts matched on a perfect jug, and busts up a perfect, flat, 30 degree overhang. It starts with 5 moves of v9+ crimping. Its not the type of crimping where you can get it dialed and then just lock it off, its precise, slot crimping on non-incut half pad razors. Very involved climbing. Once that is completed, you frog leg yourself, and do a one move, v10-ish, bump to a sloper. Your feet swing off when you hit the sloper, and you have to kick them back on, and then paste your foot WAY down low, and match the sloper. From here you have to slap a shitty slopey gaston, and then bump big to a flat shelf, then its over. Breaks down at around v9+ to v10, to to v7.
On friday I felt amazing. I fell 3 times matching the sloper, because the place that you match, not to mention the next 2 holds, was soaking wet. Irritating, yes, but it got me psyched. I have no doubt now that I can do the climb.
I tried the climb today, with zero skin, and it couldnt have felt worse, I kicked and screamed a lot, and hurt my bicep. I still managed to do all the moves, and Doug sent Sisters and did the MOVE on Brothers, so that was rad.
I hate the Happy Valley because the rock isnt traveled. Especially on Brothers Keeper. The crux foot has broken down from being at a 90 degree angle (flat) to being 45 degrees sloping, making the crux move noticeably harder. Its the curse of New England I guess, it can be so meaningful and awesome to do climbs that are rarely done, but when you fall because the sloper exfoliates sand or your entire foot snaps off, it is extremely frustrating. Even a commonly done v9 broke today, making it not only a grade harder, but far worse boulder, that sadly, will probably not get done very much, until it, like so many others, vanishes into the choss.
Anyways.. Im going back on tuesday, and the weather looks nice, so the boulder will be dry, and hopefully my skin will heal up! And hopefully others will try this climb, its one of the coolest lines i've ever been on.
Here is one of my tries from friday, didn't get the best ones on video, but here's something.
-Kai
Comments
Post a Comment