We photographed the 'Bouldering' video, that's been up on the website for a while now, way back in 1998, with editing completed the following year. Again, shooting on 16mm motion picture film (Eastman 7246). Was pretty much outdated from the get go - the practice of 'bouldering' had pretty much exploded around the year 2000, with tons of climbers, lots of exposure in the climbing 'media' and all the gear/clothing manufacturers producing more 'bouldering specific' paraphernalia (rock shoes, crash pads...) than you could "shake a stick at". New rating systems were developed to address the many "super difficult" problems that were being "put up"- no more B1 (you can do it), B2 (you can't do it) and B3 (you can do it but no one else can - however, if repeated, reverts to B2..? - so theoretically, you had to do a B3 (harder) before you could do a B2 (easier) - contrived logic, none-the less. Bouldering"V-Grades" made a lot more sense, basically correspondent to the "free climbing" Grade 5 level, with "easy" beginning at around 5.10.
Other than the 'corny dialog' - the film didn't turn out too bad. Considering that we were shooting film (expensive), we stuck mainly to stuff we had "wired" - no budget for "re-takes". Still got in a lot of good "problems". The boulder "locations" are from everywhere - Fish Rocks, Mojo, Yough River, High Rocks, the infamous 'Workout Boulder', Casparis and The Ridge, a few 'One Outs' (new term recently heard - like it).. Probably the best SWPA area by far are the flanking slopes of this 'knob' located in the 'Casparis' area of 'Chestnut Ridge'.....
.... had bouldered there on and off since the mid-'80's. However, mostly rope-climbed at the 'Stairway to Heaven' area located at stones numbered 6 thru 11 and adjacent wall as indicated on the above map (significant locations have been numbered for later reference - the trail system was plotted using GPS co-ordinates). Hiked Tim Anderson through the place around 2006 and all he saw was a lot of potential. By the end of summer 2008 there had been 200+ new 'problems' established along with a "rustic" trail system....
... Tim and Laura - the energy behind it all...
... Rob Goodman, original "frontiersman", on top of the 'Uberman Block" (stone #9 on the map)... as well as bouldering, developed most of the roped climbing in the area ...
... long-time climbers Bob Rentka (stone #1)...
... and Carl Samples (near stone #1) also contributed big-time to the recent development...
... as did Matt Johns (stone #3) during several trips from Kentucky (Anderson Photo)...
... another "frontiersman", Matt Burnsworth with bodyguard - this boulder isn't identified on the map, is slightly further down the valley - he put up the route to the right which remained a "B3" for many years, with many attempts by quite a few good climbers - took Carl up there a few years back - he repeated it on his third try...
... speaking of which - there's much more in the area than mapped - the north ridge opposite the creek is an extension of the area - here's Bob and Carl on an unnamed block...
... and again on the nearby 'Biscuit Block'...
... this seldom visited crack is located at the small area near where "filtration plant" is annotated on the map (muscle girl Sarah standing in for scale)...
... back to the 'Ridge', Laura on FA of the 'Blunt Arete' (stone #3 - Anderson Photo)...
... Tim "dynamic" on the 'Power of Tang' (stone #3 - Anderson Photo)...
... Tim workin' Matt on the 'Wizard' (stone #5) - another "B3" per old standards - there's a good segment showing Tim on the FA in the video 'People in the Woods' posted on the website...
... Laura on 'Two Hicks and a Chick' (stone #26)...
... Tim workin' the low roof 'Horizontal Latitude' (stone #21)...
... Tim on a difficult route on either the 'Fish' or 'Seneca Block' - forget what they called it (stone #4)...
... Bryce Dillinger (climbing) and Dave Lane on 'Hicks in the Thicket' (stone #22)...
... Joel Brady on a "project" down in the 'Wash' (near stone #15)...
... Carl on the 'Black Box' (stone #12)...
... Bob climbing with Carl - I even forget where this is at - is a maze of rock up there...
... steep slab in the 'Stairway to Heaven' area (stone #7) - Rob for scale...
... Tim on an old un-repeated steep and thin slab route (stone #2)...
... I could go on forever - here's some final shots of the walls - Rob on a cool crack climb at the wall near stone #5...
... and doing some "gardening" at the 'Beginner Wall' (near stone #6) - don't let the name fool ya'...
... by the way - lots of good "cooling off" opportunities along the nearby 'Yough' if it gets too hot to climb - Matt, Laura and Tim hanging at a "secret beach"....
... a "wave goodbye"!
You can visit this wonderful Himalayan place during your weekend by booking Shimla from Patna to make an exciting tour. This place is easily accessible from this destination. The place is also contains all the beautiful potions for your time spend.
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