Bouldering Montana

New Vids

Posted on April 25, 2010 | Leave a comment

Here’s a couple new videos I put together. The first is from my Utah excursion last weekend. It has a couple problems from Little Cottonwood, one from Ibex, and a couple from Joe’s. It also shows some of the other recreational activities available at Ibex. Thanks to Megan for Little Cottonwood footage.

The second is a couple classic problems from Whiskey Gulch. It includes Holmer on the Italian Job, an awesome V5-ish (VERY subjective grade me thinks) that was first climbed by Jeff Ho last year. Ho did it completely different than how Holmer and I did, but either way it’s a really unique climb, that might be my new favorite problem at Whiskey. The other is myself on Globe Trotter, a classic “old” problem at Whiskey. The guide has it down as V5, but I think it’s settling in around V3. It’s a really fun problem with a great view. Enjoy!

Also, since I’m going to start using it in all my videos, I’ve also got to give one more shout out to Jeff Ho for taking the lichen photo that is starting to become the face of boulderingmontana.com. Thanks again Jeff!

-EC

Utah Triple Threat

Posted on April 21, 2010 | 2 comments

Last weekend I made the drive down to Salt Lake to meet up with Marc, Megan, and Adam. Megan and Adam flew in from Michigan to do a marathon so it was a climbing trip for me and a running trip for them, while Marc dabbled in both. I started with Little Cottonwood on Thursday and Friday. I somehow managed to do three problems that I was gunning for: Surfboard Arete, Smiley Right, and Fungus. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos.

Next up, after Megan and Adam crushed the marathon and Marc stumbled through the half marathon we headed to Ibex, the premier redneck climbing destination. I’d been to Ibex 3 times before, once it was 95 and way too hot, once it was 30 with 40mph winds, and the other time was on the way back from Bishop and I was too tired to climb. So essentially this was my first climbing trip to Ibex. It has to be one of the most unique bouldering areas in the nation. Lot’s of great climbs, but most of the mega classics seem to start around V7. I worked on the Topus, V5 for a while, which Marc got quickly. It’s a great problem, that’s well worth the drive. Here’s some photos of Marc sending the Topus and a few other from Ibex. Some Bozemanites may recognize a couple names on the old car…

Marc on the Topus, V5

Shootin' Sand

Ibex Cliffs

Bozemanites Representin'

I finished up the Utah Trifecta at Joe’s Valley on Monday while everyone else headed back to SLC/Michigan. Again, no photos, but I did get some decent video that I’ll post up soon, hopefully.

Hope everyone else had a great weekend, too.

-EC

2 Comments

Posted in Utah

Sat @ Whiskey

Posted on April 11, 2010 | 1 comment

Went out to Whiskey yesterday and met up with a bunch of people. There was a good mixture of people from Butte (Hutch), Missoula (Levi, Beth, and Dylan), and Bozeman (myself, Isaac, Guy, Ron, and a couple others whose names I can’t remember. We warmed up in the Tri Boulder/Wave Runner area then headed to Caught in the Act which Isaac was running laps on. I tried my lifelong “V3” project on the Conehead Boulder and got the crux move for the 1st time. Maybe someday I’ll be a V3 climber at Whiskey…
After that we headed to the Widdler area where both Levi and Isaac got quick sends of the Widdler (see photos below). We then went to the Optimist area where we all tried a bunch of stuff, but I don’t think anyone sent anything hard besides Isaac walking up his classic slab problem Willing and Able a couple times. I managed to shake my way up a new problem that I’ve been looking at ever since I first went to the Optimist area. It’s an amazing double hand crack system about 40ft uphill and left of the Green Monster. It’s only about 12 ft of V0 climbing, but it’s right over the worst landing I’ve ever bouldered over.
Lastly, Isaac and I went up to Adam’s Wall. It’s a really cool move up to a horizontal crack, then a couple sketchy moves to the top. I managed to get the first moves, but I couldn’t commit to the upper moves. Isaac had done it before, but missed most of the good holds on his top out and made it a little harder. Instead of calling it good, he hopped right back on and sent it again in perfect style.
Also, before I forget, I would like to give credit where credit is due. Jeff Ho, the local Bozeman bouldering legend, took the photo of lichen at Whiskey (with my camera) that I’ve been egregiously using on top of my website. Without his futuristic vision for lichen photography, this site would only be getting 12 hits a day instead of 14. Thanks Ho!