Cornerstones Still Not Tapped Out

Yesterday’s visit to Munson Lake didn’t involve much bouldering.  The ground was saturated, the ditches full and Munson Brook had the by far the highest flow I’ve seen.  All this was due to the forty millimetres of rain that had fallen the day before.  My intention was to do some work rather than climb.  

Upon arrival, it was surprising to discover that the South and West faces of the boulders were dry.  Sunny and 15 degrees are ideal bouldering conditions so I tried to take advantage of the good friction on a sloper traverse at 7-10 Split.  After a couple attempts, though, I knew it wasn’t going to happen.  

So I set off for Big Slab, to see if something could be done to ameliorate the landing.  The area of concern is on the right, directly below the starting hold that Jono and I played a bit on last weekend. (story here)  Two rocks protrude about 30 cm from the ground, and are about 30 cm apart.  One of them is fairly flat-topped, and from it the starting hold is just reachable.  The other is a pointed ridge held in place by a big slab (not the Big Slab, a flat piece that’s roughly 1.5m x 1.5m x 0.3m).  I wasn’t particularly happy with the dead tree trunk and rocks we’d piled up in this gap last weekend.  They eliminated a catastrophic landing, but multiple pads and highly skilled spotters would be necessary.  I thought I could do better, and I did.

Three-and-a-half hours of shimming, rocking, and levering moved the big slab off the sharp one then back from the boulder and down the slope.  The sharp one was turned, others rearranged and more brought from the surrounding area to make a gently graded landing zone, while keeping the full height of the boulder intact.  I’m happy with the results as it’s not excessively terraced, yet it’s one less thing to worry about.

3 1/2 hours before this shot was taken, the biggest rock (bottom right) was in the middle of the frame against the thin stumps.

***

Today my goal was to send one of my projects.  I went straight for Two Zig Zags, but found the crack/pinch hadn’t dried yet.  Another one was muddy yesterday as I’d finished scrubbing it, so knew there was no point in going to work it today.  It would have to be the sloper traverse on 7-10.

I’d completed a warm-up at home before leaving; therefore, didn’t feel I needed to do much before getting on something hard.  So, after putting up a new problem (Pump and Dump V0) on Kingpin,  I was ready to tackle the project.

Between attempts, I walked around a bit to the small boulder West of Curvy Trunk Cedar.  I’d always dismissed it as not worth the effort.  Many people have asked me about it (it does look cool) and my response was “I don’t think there’s really anything on it... I’m sure it’ll get done by someone at some point when we’re desperate for new problems.”  Today, I walked around the whole thing, something I don’t think I'd done before, and started to consider the possibilities. 

Another attempt on 7-10.  Then lunch.  Then I trimmed some branches around the small boulder.  Another couple attempts, then I scrubbed the small boulder.  Another attempt, and SUCCESS! *Goat Sucker V8

By this point I was pretty tired and my skin was pretty worn, so I decided to head up the slab of the small boulder rather than try the bulge. HandLESS V0.  A sit start to the bulge seemed really hard, but I wasn’t ready to go home yet, so decided to try the top half.  Despite the crystalline slopers, it wasn’t too rough on the hands, and the moves were really cool.  I decided to try and figure out a sit start.  Eventually, I did, then put the whole thing together.  *HandSOME V4.

HandSOME V4, goes right up the little roof/bulge. HandLESS is in the back side.

Big Slab Sees First Ascent!

Back on our first exploratory bouldering session about 2 years ago Adam's sixth sense was in fine form and led him to the 4 boulders that comprise what is now referred to as the Slab Area.  We cut birch saplings to expose the base of a couple of them and went back to Cornerstones to establish the first 14 boulder problems at Munson Lake.

Since then, eleven problems have been climbed on Mace, Small Slab and Inversée, and a trail cut to the Big Slab.  Many climbers have been taken to gaze upon this massive hunk of rock, but no one took the bait.  Even scrubbing it would be an undertaking, let alone the balls that are required to work these thin 25 footers with a cut away landing area.  Once I did try to figure out some start moves, but that was half-hearted.

Big Slab. Unfortunately this perspective doesn't quite capture the grandeur of this granite erratic, but it will work well for the guide.  Notice the N-shaped hold on the right side of the slab.  The left arete is climbed mostly from the other side.

On Saturday, Jono said “let’s go for it.”  So we did.  He came up with a creative rigging system which allowed us to scrub the upper portions.

We sent the left arete with ease, then attempted the slab itself.  There is a very thin start up the middle that will be possible, but I couldn’t really get going.  To the right, there is beautiful looking sequence of reachy moves where we had a bit more success.  A couple more pads and/or another spotter is required though, so we moved on.  I can’t wait to get back there, though.  That line on the right of the slab is doable and will be a fantastic addition to the Munson Lake Boulders.

Here are a couple of shots from where we ended the day in the low angled sun hitting the West faces of the Cornterstones.  Jono's right hand is sticking like velcro to the high textured face of the Glute Boulder, as he moves up the thin slab known as Sideshow Bobbed.

Jono R on Sideshow Bobbed V3, at Munson Lake, NB C Goodman Photo

Jono R on Sideshow Bobbed V3, at Munson Lake, NB. C Goodman Photo

Periodized Training 7.1 (update)

Well, I tried the metabolic resistance training circuit for 5 weeks.  In that time, I managed to climb only twice: The first I talked about in the original article, when it was too early for any adaptation to have taken place; and the second was the circuit (comprised of easy problems).  The weather was simply uncooperative.  So, it's impossible to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme in terms of improving climbing performance.  That being said, there are a few training outcomes that were demonstrated:

1. I shed 2lbs of fat over the 5 week period.
2. There were no changes in lean mass.
3. I felt energized, and was motivated (to train and climb).
4. There was very sublte to moderate DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) following 4 of the training sessions.  This was resolved within 24 hours of onset so would not have lingered to interfere with climbing days had there been any.
5. I survived the 48 problem Munson Lake bouldering circuit with relative ease, and no lingering effects (aside from a couple punctures from the sharp crystals).

Was it worth it? Yes.

Did it work? In a way, at least.

Do I recommend it? Probably not as it stands.  I don't feel stronger or that I can climb any harder.  But, it is a challenge for most athletes to avoid gaining fat mass in season, and many of the strategies to combat this (whether through exercise or diet) can hinder performance nearly as much as the increased weight gain.  This protocol was definitely effective for me in terms of fat loss and without at least some of the side effects.

Am I done with it? No, I will continue to investigate and experiment with it.  I think it may have a role in combination with other protocols in the same training phase, maybe even in the same workout.  It will take some time to refine it, at which point I will share it.

In the mean time, since the days are short and climbing days are limited, I have a better idea of what days are definitely not for climbing.  I've gone back to a more traditional in-season approach for now.

New Brunswick Bouldering at it's Finest!

I just climbed forty-eight boulder problems today.  I must have been making up for lost time, as the weather has not co-operated with my work schedule for the past month.  After a couple hot sunny days the boulders were pretty dry at Munson Lake and the friction was good though –and I took full advantage!

It all started innocently enough.  I turned the car radio off after the 11:30 news update, and parked shortly thereafter, then climbed atop Kingpin.  There, in the sun, I did some calisthenics to get limbered up and decide what problems to get on.  I figured I'd start in the Slab Area and Cornerstones, then depending on the friction and my psyche, work one of my really hard projects.

For speed and ease of travel, I brought just one pad along to Small Slab, then Inversée and Mace.  Very quickly, I got into a groove, sending problem after problem.  I decided to hit up every problem at Cornerstones that could be safely protected with a single pad and no spotter.  Then decided to do the same at Sue Boy and maybe work the project(s) later in the day.

Boulder in the Brook was given a good scrub in the rain a few weeks ago.  This face, and the aretes are now home to 3 beautiful boulder problems.

By 3:00 I was back at the car for some food. Thirty-four problems in less than two-and-a-half hours works out to about 6 minutes a problem.  How much longer could I keep this up? There was no way I was going to stop and rest so I could work some hard stuff. The circuit is too much fun!  I decided to keep going.

I hit every West problem that's fairly close to the roads can be easily protected without a spotter and with one pad.  The only thing I didn't send was Compre(hen)sive.  It may have been slightly damp, but not enough to make it any harder.  Maybe I was beginning to fatigue by then.  In any case, At V7, it's out of place in this circuit, so I felt it was fine to move on.

I'm not really sure if I did keep the pace or not. It probably slowed a bit.  When I realized that there was plenty of daylight and no need to hurry, I did some minor trail work, (foolishly) took a break thinking I could then work the start to a very hard project since I was in the area, and scrubbed what I decided would be the final problem of the circuit.  It's a short, steep problem; all your weight is on your hands.  The holds are very good, but they are SHARP!

Secular Undercourse V1,  the latest addition and final problem in the circuit.

So after drawing blood (and getting the FA), I went down to the river for a quick soak.  The water is high, but not that cold considering it's October.  Once air dried, I walked back up, doing some more trail work along the way and got back to the car at 6:00.

The standard has been set: Six hours and thirty minutes to complete the circuit of 48 boulder problems.  This works out to just over 8 minutes per problem.  In reality it was probably under 7 minutes each, but without a watch it's only a guess, so I counted all the minutes spent doing other things before and after the circuit as well.  This leaves plenty of room for you (and me) to up the ante.

Here is the circuit:
Though listed in the order I chose, you can complete the problems in any order, provided Secular Undercourse is the final (48th) problem.
You must travel between problems on foot. You cannot ride a horse, bike or take a car.
In some cases, an option has been provided for alternate problems in the circuit.  This is because some problems favour a particular body-type or meteorological conditions that may be rare.  Be prepared to give up something in the exchange!
The clock starts when you first leave the road for one of the trails.
If you choose to stash supplies along the way, the clock will start at this time if you leave the road.
The clock stops when you are fully submerged in the Lepreau River.

The problems:

Slab Area

• I'm Brian And So's My Wife (V1)
• Slab Moi Ça (V0)
• That Stinks (V0)
• Stop That (V1)
• Dalle Inversée (V0)
• Husk Musk (V2)
• Pepper Spray (V2)
• Mace (V2)
• Flail (V2)
• Nutmeg (V0)

Cornerstones

• Rails Direct (V0)
• Tongue Exercises(V0)
• Curvy Trunk Cedar (V2)
• Le Pro (V0)
• Munson Burner (V3)
• Cheese Grater Accident (V3) or Enter The Dragon
• Sideshow Bobbed (V3)
• Rubberman (V0)
• Roy Toy (V0)
• Gutterball (V0)

Sue Boy

• Eye Burst (V1)
• Headache (V2)
• Rash (V3)
• Mockingbird (V1)
• Edgecation (V3)
• Elementary (V0)
• High School (V1)
• Junior High (V2)
• Multiple Choice  (V0-V2)
• Oral (V0)
• Big Foot (V2)
• Banane (V0)
• Ghoti (V2)
• Ghoti (V1)

Roadside

• Sugar Ditch (V1)
• R-U-N-N-O-F-T (V0)
• I Think I Tore My Sack (V0)
• Unnamed (V0) on the middle boulder of Hidden Wall
• Vlad You Are There (V1)
• Red Belly (V1) or Emma's Exit
• Pinch Overhang (V3)
• Cow Birther (V1) or Rock Hog
• The Clam (V0)
• Use Your Mussels (V4) or Double Misnomer and El Coucaracha and Rock Hog/Cow Birhter and Red Belly/Emma's Exit

Megacrystals

• Taurus (V0)
• Four-Peckerd Bull (V2)
• Dunce Cap (V0)
• Secular Undercourse (V1)

48 problems have now been completed, but you're not finished until you completely dunk yourself in the lake. No matter how cold it is, you must get fully under!