This is my second year on the Ortovox Athlete Team and it has been so awesome representing such a top tier outdoor clothing and gear company. As an avalanche educator I’ve relied on Ortovox beacons and shovels for almost a decade and over the last two years I’ve discovered the difference between run-of-the-mill outdoor clothing and Ortovox clothing. I won’t go into great detail here but suffice to say blending Merino wool in hard and soft shell outerwear was ingenious!
Ortovox 3L Guardian Shell Jacket and Pants keeping me warm in dry while backcountry skiing in Northern Iceland- photo by Cait Bourgault
What I want to share today is another example of Ortovox’s continued commitment to safety and education. Some of your probably already know that Ortovox supports avalanche education with partnerships with AIARE and beyond. This past Spring Ortovox launched a free online training platform focused on alpine climbing. With over 30 video tutorials (in stunning climbing locations), educational modules that save your progress, quizzes, and four chapters this is an amazing resource to up your climbing game. Support was also provided by Petzl, another industry leader in climbing education!
It took me about 2 hours to go through the whole program. I definitely picked up some new tricks to add to my bag!
Here’s a breakdown from Ortovox of the four chapters:
ALPINE BASICS
From climbing park to large alpine rock faces: ORTOVOX provides an insight into the world of alpine climbing – starting from the subjective and objective dangers, to rock knowledge, through to the necessary materials.
TOUR PLANNING
Carefully considered and realistic tour planning is an essential part of alpine climbing. As part of this, various factors have to be taken into consideration: selecting the appropriate climbing tour, the area and weather conditions, correctly reading a topographical map and carefully packing a backpack.
ON THE ROCK FACE
From the ascent to the summit and back again safely. In the third chapter, ORTOVOX will familiarize you with fundamental knowledge about alpine climbing. Topics such as knot techniques, belaying and the use of anchors play a central role
RESCUE METHODS
If there is an accident in alpine terrain, climbers need to act quickly, correctly and in a considered manner. The final chapter explains how climbers handle emergency situations.
Summary
I’ve never seen such a broad amount of modern accurate information on climbing presented in such a cool online manner before and know a lot of my climbing friends will be going through this the next time rain cancels a climbing day! You can check it out here. I’m sure you’ll learn something new and be stoked to share it within your climbing circles!
I’m excited to announce two new programs at Northeast Mountaineering! First is a summer long promotion we are running where kids climb for free with a paying adult!
Kids Climb Free!
All smiles (and awesome helmets!)
This is an awesome way to make a Family Rock Climbing Day an affordable adventure!
Normally the rates would look like this for this 8 hour program:
1 person: $250 per person 2 people: $150 per person 3 people: $130 per person 4 people: $120 per person
So a family of 4 would cost $480. With this new promotion two paying adults would total $300 and both kids would climb for free! That’s $180 savings and all kid rental gear is included!
You can book this here and use promo code “kidpower” to get the discount and enter “DavidNEM” in the reservation notes so they know you heard about this awesome offer from me! Let me know at nealpinestart@gmail.com if you would like to request me to be your guide so I can check my calendar!
Alpine Climbing via Auto Road Approach!
Guiding Northeast Ridge of the Pinnacle, photo by Peter Brandon
Huntington Ravine has some of the best alpine rock climbing in the East! Traditionally the climbing is reached after a 3 hour hike and after the technical climbing is over a 2+ hour hike down. By using the Auto Road we can access this terrain after walking downhill for 30-45 minutes. When we top out of our climb it’s about a 30 minute walk back up to the car. There are three classic climbs I’ll be guiding this season:
Henderson Ridge, a great introduction to alpine climbing with moderate climbing (5.4) and some cool situations.
Cloud Walkers, a two-pitch 5.8 that ends with a long double rope rappel back to the ground.
These trips are for experienced climbers. You should have your own gear and a fair amount of multi-pitch experience. We will also re-schedule or cancel if the Higher Summits Forecast calls for afternoon rain or thunderstorms as “retreating up” is problematic.
The rate for this program will include the Auto Road entrance fee!
1 person: $250 per person 2 people: $175 per person
To book this program first check directly with me on availability. Let me know what date you are looking at by emailing me at nealpinestart@gmail.com. Once availability is confirmed you can book directly on the Northeast Mountaineering website here and put “DavidNEM” in the reservation notes to further flag the reservation.
From climbing with the kiddos at the in-town crag to moving through big terrain high above tree-line I just love to share climbing with my guests. I’m excited about these two new options and hope to see you out there, in the mountains!
Yesterday I climbed Sea of Holes on Whitehorse Ledge with my good friend Benny. As he made the moves past the bolt on the fourth pitch he quickly realized that we would not be doing the original 5.7 finish. The large pine tree that served as the anchor for the end of Sea of Holes and the D’arcy-Crowther Route (pg. 144 North Conway Rock Climbs, Handren) had uprooted.
Benny at the bolted belay station on the 5.8 variation finish to Sea of Holes with the uprooted tree anchor to his right
There wasn’t much noticeable loose rock or thick root system like the Refuse tree that failed 2 years ago on Cathedral Ledge.
Not much of a root system
I did not inspect it very closely but it did look a bit hung up on some smaller trees. Hopefully a heavy rain storm will send it the rest of the way down when no one is around. Until then if you plan on climbing Sea of Holes plan to do the 5.8 finish or rap from the 3rd pitch anchor.
This post originally published in Fall 2016. In Spring of 2017 I added a set of Black Diamond Ultralights to my kit and now with a year of testing it was time to update my findings. New contest for a free cam as well!
For the last two decades Black Diamond Camalots have been a mainstay of my rack. When the new C4’s came out in 2005 I upgraded my whole rack and saved over a pound in the process. While I’d been aware of the DMM Dragon Cams for a few years it wasn’t until I needed to replace a few well loved cams on my rack that I decided to give them a try. Note that this original review compares the previous version of the Dragons. The DMM Dragon 2’s are now available and have slightly wider cam lobes (more contact) and a textured thumb press for better grip.
C4’s vs DMM Dragon Cams
DMM Dragon Cams Review
I picked up the 2, 3, 4, and 5, which is equivalent to the Black Diamond C4 .75, 1, 2, and 3.
Since the numbers the manufacturers assigned for the sizes do not correlate well we will be happier if we refer to them by color (which thankfully correlates). So I picked up the green, red, yellow, and blue size.
A welcome addition to the rack
While they felt light in hand manufacturer specs and my home scale confirmed they are almost identical in weight to the Black Diamond C4’s. A full set of each weighs within one ounce of the other, with the Dragons coming in a hair lighter. When you consider the amount of quick-draws you could reduce from your kit while using the DMM Dragons (because of the built in extendable sling) the DMM Dragons are definitely a lighter option than a set of the Black Diamond C4’s.
However investing in the Black Diamond Ultralights one would save about 8 ounces, half a pound, over either the DMM Dragons or the Black Diamond C4’s for a full rack. That weight savings comes at considerable cost, about $200 more for a full rack. The weight savings are noticeable throughout the size range but the largest gains are made in the biggest sizes.
Breaking down the numbers
When comparing weight savings we have to take a look at probably the most noticeable feature of the DMM Dragons, the inclusion of an extendable dyneema sling.
Expandable sling not extendedExpandable sling extended
The advantages & disadvantages to this unique feature are a bit specific to the route & type of climbing you predominantly do, but lets take a look. First, you can gain 12-14cm of “free” extension on your placement without having to carry an extra quickdraw. How much weight can that save? Well 7-8 average quick-draws like the Petzl Djinns weigh close to 2 pounds, so that’s significant. On a straight up route where the gear is in-line this advantage is less pronounced as you’ll be clipping the sling un-extended, just like the sling on a C4. On a wandering line or alpine route this feature could probably save you a few draws and slings further reducing total pack weight.
Hot forged thumb press
There are a few considerations with this design. First, the “thumb loop” found on the Black Diamond C4’s is considered to be one of the easiest to manipulate when pumped or trying to surgically get the best possible placement in a weird situation. Personally I feel the thump press on the DMM Dragons is plenty sufficient to keep control of the cam while making difficult placements (and has since be improved with the DMM Dragon 2’s). The thumb loop does provide a higher clip point on the protection, which should only be used for aid climbing applications, so this point is quite obscure for non-aid climbing applications. The last concern is the more complex cleaning process for the second. If the sling is extended it can be tricky to re-rack the cam one handed without it hanging low off the harness. With a little practice it can be done, but it is definitely not as easy as re-racking an un-extended sling.
As for holding power there has been anecdotal comments since they were released in 2010 that the slightly thinner surface area might be a concern in softer rock (sandstone). I have not seen any evidence of DMM Dragons failing in softer sandstone conditions when a thicker cam head may have held, so I think that theory can be debunked at this point. (Update the newer DMM Dragon 2’s have increased their cam head by 1.5 – 2 mm in size).
DMM Dragon Cams Review
Black Diamond Ultralights
As mentioned above I picked up a set of Black Diamond Ultralights during Spring of 2017 and now have one full year climbing on them. I guided over 40 days of rock in the East with them and took them on a two week trip to the Cascades. They are holding up extremely well for the amount of use they see and have become my most reached for set whether I’m heading to the local crag to guide or off on a Cascades climbing trip.
Still looking great after a full year of guiding and trips!
I’m hoping the above spreadsheet is helpful for some when deciding if the additional weight savings is worth the additional moo-lah. For some it will be a resounding yes, and others will be happier with the flexibility of the DMM Dragons (especially with the improvement made to the DMM Dragon 2’s), or the time-tested standby of the C4’s (especially if also aid climbing).
Where to Buy
First shop local! You can find most of these items at the following retailers in Mount Washington Valley!
Petzl is a well known industry leader in climbing gear and safety. When I first started climbing over 20 years ago I looked forward to each annual Petzl catalog for the wealth of technical information they would include, along with some of the most stunning and inspirational photos! I probably learned as much about climbing from these catalogs back in the day as I learned from that timeless classic Freedom of the Hills!
The author on the summit of Forbidden Peak, North Cascades, wearing the Petzl Sirocco Helmet and Petzl Sitta Harness
Now Petzl has just launched a new series of downloadable “ACCESS BOOKS”, basically a collection of technical tips centered around one particular aspect of climbing. In their first PDF “booklet” Petzl focuses on indoor climbing.
As always the illustrations are clear and to the point. The techniques described are considered “best practices” throughout the industry. Whether you are a new climber or a salty veteran a little review of the basics never hurts!
As usual New Year’s Eve has snuck up on me with uncanny stealth. My general lack of calendar awareness certainly helped with my last minute realization that another year has gone by. What hasn’t gone unnoticed is how amazing this year was and I’d like to share some of that here.
Employment
Without a doubt the biggest change of the year was leaving Eastern Mountain Sports after 24 years of service. Anyone close to me knows that this decision at the end of 2016 was one of the toughest I’ve ever had to make. Leaving a big corporation to work for a small, relatively young, guide service felt risky and uncertain. However within weeks of working for Northeast Mountaineering I discovered that the owners, Corey and Brett, had created a culture that celebrated mountain life, guiding, stewardship and social responsibility. It was the perfect place for me to land after a seemingly major career move.
Every guide and ambassador I would meet and get to know over my first year working for NEM seemed to share the best possible qualities you’d want in a co-worker, climbing partner, or friend. The encouragement, support, and positive stoke at just about every turn has made this past year as memorable as it is.
Despite being the first year that Northeast Mountaineering had an in-house avalanche course program we hit close to 100% capacity in the 9 courses we ran. A great snow year allowed us to do a ton of actual ski touring. Along with my excellent co-instructor Benny we had classes tour full length routes in Huntington and Tuckerman Ravines, Gulf of Slides, Ammonoosuc Ravine, and Monroe Brook. Personal highlights of the season were investigating the extent of the historic Gulf of Slides avalanche, seeing my first legit Rutschblock 2 result, and meeting the awe-inspiring Vern Tejas who observed and contributed to one of our mid-winter courses.
2017 was a solid year for my personal ice climbing. I was able to climb more Grade 4 and Grade 5 routes then I’ve been able to get on in the last few years, partially due to fatherhood and a really busy avalanche course schedule. By the end of the season I felt I was climbing as well as I was pre-parenthood, and that accomplishment felt pretty darn good. I have a few lofty goals for 2018 and can’t wait to get after them (in-between teaching avalanche courses every weekend and family life!)
In April my first international trip in about a decade brought me to the beautiful country of Iceland where I spent just over a week touring and experiencing this amazing place with one of the best groups of people I could ever hope to spend time with. Visiting this country re-kindled my desire to travel after feeling somewhat sedated after experiencing so much of the world in my early twenties and I am really looking forward to repeated trips back there starting with teaching an avalanche course there this March!
Rock Climbing
Guiding Northeast Ridge of the Pinnacle, photo by Peter Brandon
Cannon, Northeast Ridge of the Pinnacle speed climb, Rumney, and a half dozen “Wednesday Sendsday’s” have re-ignited my passion for rock climbing that has always been there since I first tied into a rope in 1994, but getting to see others close to me fall in love with this sport on an almost weekly basis has fueled my desire to train and challenge myself to higher levels of performance above what my typical guiding requirements demanded.
Cascades
West Ridge of Forbidden Peak
In July I was able to fulfill a climbing trip dream I’ve had for over ten years by guiding on Mount Shuksan and Forbidden Peak and climbing Rainer with a friend and intern guide, Peter Brandon. This trip is something I’ve been training clients for for so many years and to get to spend time in this terrain with so many cool people was pretty much the greatest opportunity I have had second to becoming a father in the last 20 years. Seriously mind-blowing conditions, weather, and climbing made this a life time memory for me.
Ambassadorship
Best powder day I’ve had on the West Side, photo by @cfitzgerald
I am super excited to join DPS Skis, Ortovox, and Revo for a second year of ambassadorship. I still wonder how I was lucky enough to hook up with these amazing brands. I can go into product details in reviews and debate minutia fabric issues until the end of the internet but without any shame I can say these three companies “get it”. They make stuff that people like me want. Cutting edge ski design, forward thinking avalanche safety gear, virtually unmatched clothing design, and best eye wear, sunglasses and goggles, I have ever experienced. If you want top-notch gear, have a look!
Blogging
It’s been a fantastic year to blog and share these adventures along with reviewing gear for some of the best companies out there. I love sharing my experiences and opinions and really want to focus on more travel guides, in-depth gear reviews, and how-to skill videos this upcoming year. If there is one thing I’m certain about it’s I love sharing my passion with everyone that shares these feelings in the mountains. Spending time in these places with good people is so vital to our sanity, and blogging gives me a slight escape when I’m not able to just head out the door on my next mountain adventure.
I’ve met quite a few readers in person over the past year. I’m so grateful for those of you who visit here, ask questions, post comments, click “like”, share, or even just mention briefly at the coffee shop you are happy with the boots you bought from my review. Keeping this blog going is a fantastic mix of fun, stress, guilt, reward, doubt, and confirmation.
I wish you all a fantastic 2018 and hope you have some amazing mountain adventures this year. I want to thank my family, especially my wife, for helping me experience my own adventures while still raising a family.
I hope to see you all out in the mountains soon shredding, sending, and tapping on shovels (and possibly tossing back a post epic pint at The Moat).
While I’m not super excited about how commercialized our holidays have become I do get stoked on seeing big discounts on gear that I own and love. I subscribe to quite a few gear companies emails and I’m combing them all for the best upcoming sales on specific items I have either reviewed or would love to own. I will also be specific on what the actual discount offered is! None of the “up to x percent off”… I hope you find this list more personal than your average marketing email, and if you have any questions about any of my suggested products please let me know in the comments!
I will add more from Backcountry as I find deals but these are my current “top picks”. If you missed my “20 Holiday Gifts for the Mountain Lover” you can check it out here!
Have a great Holiday tomorrow and be sure to #optoutside on Black Friday! I will be standing by REI’s great initiative on Friday and am pledging to myself and family that I will be 100% “radio” silent (and outdoors). I will continue this with Part 2 and be sharing deals I find around Cyber Monday and Tech Tuesday so stay tuned and…
See you in the mountains,
Northeast Alpine Start
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Originally introduced in the 2006 version of John Long’s Climbing Anchors book the “Quad” took a few years to start being adapted by both guides and recreational climbers alike. Now, ten years later, it has really started to gain widespread popularity for the simplified way it can create ERNEST* anchors, especially when building anchors on two solid pieces of protection (modern bolts, ice screws in solid ice). This past year I’ve been using a super light and rack-able version that I’ve been referring to as a “Mini-Quad”.
*ERNEST- Equalized, Redundant, No (limited) Extension, Timely
Building a Mini-Quad
To build a Mini-Quad start with a 120 cm Black Diamond Dynex Sewn Runner. These are often called “double length” slings as they are twice as long as your standard “shoulder length” sling. Double the runner and get the stitching positioned towards the end before tying the first of two over-hand knots.
The second overhand can be positioned about two inches from the other end of the doubled runner. When optimized the resulting Mini-Quad is about 16 inches long. Once you add two carabiners to it (I use Petzl S Ange Wire Gate Carabiners) your Mini-Quad is ready to be racked or deployed for multiple uses.
Benefits of Dynex for building a Quad
A 120 cm 10mm ultralight Dynex runner weighs 30% less than an nylon runner but more importantly it does not absorb water like nylon making it great for ice climbing and getting caught in the rain on a long alpine route. A nylon double length is also too bulky to get the required over-hand knots to form a use-able size of Mini- Quad. This Dynex runner is also 1/4 of the weight of an 18 foot 6mm cordelette and racks like a quick-draw.
Weighs less than a nylon quickdraw with non-wire gatesRacks like an ultralight quickdraw
Limitation of using Dynex for building a Quad
It should be noted that due to the slippery nature of Dynex the overhand knots used in the construction of the Mini-Quad will tighten significantly over a few days of use. They can become difficult to impossible to untie. I’ve decided to leave these “built” for the entirely of the material life span. For those concerned over the potential reduction in material strength due to the overhand knot I offer the following justification. Conservative testing indicates an overhand can reduce the material strength up to 40%. These runners are tested to 22 Kn, or about 5000 pounds. The most conservative estimates leave 3000 pounds of strength in the material. Given the redundancy of the Quad construction I find this a non-issue. As with all knots and material used in climbing one should inspect them at every use for damage, excessive abrasion, etc.
Uses of the Mini-Quad
This is one versatile tool and I carry two on my harness. The obvious use is in anchor construction. When arriving at a belay station with two modern bolts it takes less than 10 seconds to construct an ERNEST anchor with the Mini-Quad. For sport climbing this speed and simplicity should encourage climbers to choose this method over the popular practice of just using two quickdraws, especially if your group will be top-roping the route for awhile.
In building traditional anchors I still regularly deploy the Mini-Quad. Most of us build gear anchors from 3-4 pieces of protection. The most common method we see people deploy is the classic cordelette-method. While this creates an solid ERNEST anchor it’s downside is when considering the “T” in ERNEST… Timely. The cordelette takes quite a bit of time to deploy and more time to break down and rack when the second is on belay from above. It also requires a lot of material when we can often achieve an ERNEST anchor with little more than a Mini-Quad and perhaps one 2 foot runner. The key here is trying to arrange 2 or more of the pieces of our anchor so they can “be treated” as one. Here are some examples to illustrate this concept.
In this three piece trad anchor we have a solid nut that I extended with a quick draw so that “leg” would be close to what I did next… the Black Diamond C4 Ultralight Camalots were able to be adjusted in the crack so that I could clip them as “one”. This creates an ERNEST anchor with a minimum amount of material and is very fast to construct and break-down and rack. A critical eye might point out the .5 cam is not sharing the load but there is less than a cm of slack should the bomber .75 cam fail.This anchor has two solid pitons and I added a Black Diamond .3 X4 Camalot. This placement could be moved higher in the crack until I could clip it to the right “leg” of the Mini-Quad with its own carabiner. This creates a solid 3-piece ERNEST anchor with very little material and is super fast to build and de-construct.In this example I’ve placed a bomber 1.5 (brown) CAMP USA Tricam in a passive placement. Just below it is a Black Diamond .4 C4 Camalot Ultralight. The proximity of these two pieces allowed me to connect the Tricam into the Dynex sewn runner on the .4 cam therefore reducing these two pieces of gear “to one” and the other leg of the Mini-Quad goes to the .5 Black Diamond C4 Camalot.In this example we have two solid pitons at the end of a multi-pitch climb. After deploying the Mini-Quad it takes seconds to add the Black Diamond 1 C4 Camalot Ultralight and clip it to a leg of the Mini-Quad making this a 3 point ERNEST anchor.
Before I move on to other uses of the Mini-Quad I feel the need for a disclaimer here. It’s well known that when someone posts pictures of what they feel are solid anchors they open themselves up to scrutiny. I’ll be happy to discuss these more in the comments below as long as the discussion is civil.
Other uses of the Mini-Quad
The Mini-Quad is an excellent extension for your rappel device should you choose to extend (common practice these days). Because I have two dedicated carabiners for my Mini-Quads the easiest way to use it in this configuration is to attach it to your belay loop with these two carabiners, gates reversed and opposed, then install your rappel device on the far end. This is a very strong redundant connection that does not require you to fish webbing through the tie in point of your harness (not always easy while ice climbing with cold hands). Not looping or girth-hitching a sling through your harness will also reduce wear over time. For the rappel device connection I highly prefer the Black Diamond Magnetron Gridlock, which uses one of the best designs for an “auto-locking” carabiner.
I also occasionally use a Mini-Quad as a regular runner while leading a wandering pitch. It doesn’t weigh much more than an alpine draw and functions as a very redundant 15 inch runner.
Video
Summary
With proper application the Mini-Quad has the potential to streamline your anchor building in all facets of climbing. Sport climbers should embrace the added redundancy and better equalization than the dual quickdraw method so embraced today. Traditional climbers will notice an increase in speed for both construction and de-construction of traditional anchors especially on longer routes. Ice climbers will continue to embrace the benefits of the Quad but perhaps now with a lighter more rack-able solution. Guides and trip leaders who often have 3 people in a team will continue to utilize this option and perhaps carry less heavy/bulky cordelette material. If you’ve been using the Quad already check out this “Mini-Quad” version… I think you’ll like it!
Comment and Share!
If you liked this content please let me know by leaving a comment below and/or sharing this post within your climbing circles! Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: Climbing is dangerous. You can be seriously injured or die. There is no substitute for personal instruction. Seek qualified instruction before attempting anything expressed above. There are no warranties expressed or implied that this post contains accurate information. You are solely responsible for your safety in the mountains.
I spent the last two days with Katie and Chris, a couple from Mass who are quickly becoming more and more proficient in their climbing. Earlier this summer we spent a day together working on building quality top-rope anchors so that they could hit their local MA crags in style and this weekend they returned to be introduced to some multi-pitch climbing in addition to building upon their self-rescue skills.
Chris and Katie below 900 foot high Whitehorse Ledge
The forecast was for some potential early afternoon rain but we got an early start and were first on The Cormier-Magness Route around 9 AM. This relatively new addition to such a historic cliff really is the best 5.6 option on the Whitehorse slabs in my opinion… it really does live up to some of the Mountain Project hype… just be cool with typical Whitehorse run-outs and you will love this climb!
Katie following the classic “Wheat Thin” arete, which would be considered P2 after starting up Beginner’s Route…Chris finishing P2 with Mount Kearsarge in the backgroundHanging out at P2 belayColors were really starting to pop!
2nd to last pitch
We topped out at about 12:30 PM and relaxed with some lunch before heading down. It was great to see so many families and new hikers out enjoying the foliage… though it would have been nice to see them carrying a few basic essentials! Lots of “no-pack” hikers out there this weekend! Getting off my soap box and on to a different one our second day together was slated for self-rescue practice. This boded well because the weather forecast was pretty dismal with 70% chance of heavy rain by 10 AM.
The thing about practicing self-rescue skills is weather is irrelevant… we can practice rain or shine, often in the comfort of the indoors! While I have taught dozens of these courses I took a few minutes before Katie and Chris arrived to write down a rough outline of the skills I wanted us to cover. They arrived just after 8 AM and started with some discussions on what gear we should be carrying and looking at various examples of when these skills could be needed.
Rescue skill day rough topic outline…
We spent about 2 hours covering various knots, systems, and techniques involved in being able to problem solve your way out of a jam. By 11 AM we saw a break in the weather system and decided to grab a quick bite for lunch and head to the cliff for some more “real life” practice.
Katie stacks the rope while prepping for some rescue practice at Cathedral LedgeOne of our two anchors we used in our scenarioChris learns about the initial awkwardness of rope ascension having already “Escape the Belay”Katie has reached her “victim”, in this case Chris, and is getting ready to perform a Counter-Balance Rappel…
After running through this rescue scenario three times we still had some time and when I realized Katie hadn’t yet completed a full rappel I knew that was how we would wrap up our day. We went over to the Barber Wall and conducted a lower/belayed rappel followed by some short roping to cross the soaking wet slabs back to the climber trail but what I want to focus on right now is the fore-sight Katie and Chris have in their climbing career…
They are approaching climbing with the right mindset; enthusiastic, optimistic, and with due caution. Katie is a recently appointed AMC trip leader who has gained the skills needed to lead others on hikes in sometimes perilous places. Chris is confident and openly optimistic but willing to acknowledge quality practice and study is imperative to a solid grasp of mountain climbing skills. The two of them combined make a very powerful pair in my book, and I am really glad I was able to spend a couple more days with them on the journey to safer mountain-craft.
Katie, Chris… keep doing what you are doing. Read, climb, practice, climb, read some more, climb, ask questions, climb, and never stop improving! Thank you for keeping me involved in your climbing education and I look forward to our next day out!
Interested in some private instruction to improve your self-rescue skills? You can book a private course by using “DavidNEM” in the promo field when booking here. Please email me first at my contact link or at nealpinestart@gmail.com to make sure I have the date available and discuss personal goals and…
Yesterday was one of the most fun guiding days as I got to introduce 3 amazing kiddos to their first outdoor rock climbing experience. David, their father, had considerable previous climbing experience but was coming off a long hiatus and thought a guided trip might be the best way to get the kiddos climbing on real rock after quite a few months of indoor gym climbing.
We met at the Northeast Mountaineering Bunkhouse promptly at 8 AM and made our way over to Whitehorse Ledge. My original plan was to take the family to the Echo Roof area because of the great kid friendly slab climbs that exist there. As we walked up the road towards the cliff I felt a couple drops of rain. I had checked the radar an hour earlier and things looked clear but something had since developed and an updated check indicated a passing cold front had about an hour of rain in-store for us starting… now.
All smiles (and awesome helmets!) just before the rain starts
We were heading into the hotel for a last minute potty break and when David came out I showed him the radar and let him know we would need to stall an hour and let this rain pass. He was game to sit it out in the lobby of the hotel with the most well behaved kiddos I could imagine. A huge thank you to the White Mountain Hotel staff who were so accommodating to us “non-guests” who sought shelter from the quick rain. They brought the kids juice and mini-muffins and offered free coffee to David and I. We ended up sitting down in their scenic dining room and ordering up some of the best blueberry pancakes with maple syrup butter I have ever had… If you are looking to stay in North Conway and fancy staying at the base of one of the best rock climbing cliffs in the east you should check this place out! The staff is amazing! Ok, back to our climbing day!
My original plan of Echo Roof was out, I didn’t fancy lead climbing 5.7 wet slab, so we walked (or skipped depending on age) back down to the climber parking and drove over to Cathedral Ledge.
The quick storm is over and we are skipping our way back to the parking lot
Around 10 AM we were hiking up to the Thin Air Face. The excitement and natural curiosity of these kids was a sight to behold and my Instagram story was getting pretty epic. I ended up saving the story and will upload it here so you can see what I’m talking about:
Crazy inspiring right? I know. Multiple climbing parties that came through during the day were super jealous of our insane helmet game. Here’s some of the best pics from the day:
E., aka “Unicorn Helmet” is ready for the first climb…E. quickly finds herself at the top of the climb and will go on to climb 3 different variations of increasing difficulty for a total of 5 times!J. climbs even better than Spiderman in my bookE. figures out the sequence on wet slippery rock!Proud dad and inspiring daughter!Minions climbing Cathedral Ledge!
We climbed for 4 straight hours and these kiddos wanted to keep going! David… your kids are awesome! I was so happy to get to spend the day with you guys and I look forward to swaying you into some ice climbing this winter!
For those wondering about how old your kiddos should be before taking them rock climbing I’d say for many the 5+ age group is ideal! Their legs are strong enough to get them to the cliff and you would be absolutely amazed at what your kiddos are capable of!
David, thank you for choosing Northeast Mountaineering, and me, to be part of this epic day! I really had a great time with you guys!
For more information on getting your family out rock climbing start here and let me know in the comments if you have any questions!
This is my second year on the Ortovox Athlete Team and it has been so awesome representing such a top tier outdoor clothing and gear company. As an avalanche educator I’ve relied on Ortovox beacons and shovels for almost a decade and over the last two years I’ve discovered the difference between run-of-the-mill outdoor clothing and Ortovox clothing. I won’t go into great detail here but suffice to say blending Merino wool in hard and soft shell outerwear was ingenious!
