New Hampshire Fun!

Hello again!

It's been amazing in our part of the world lately! Interestingly, it takes almost a year to remember how leaves finally turn here in New England. The fall is by far the best season for tourists to roll into New Hampshire or Vermont and blind themselves with the colors that our diverse forests have to offer. From yellow and orange birch trees to bright red maples to oaks that always tend to be late when it comes to changing their image. These recurrent changes in the fall also bring us the best climbing temperatures (40-60 Fahrenheit), and that "shape of your life" finally awakens from its summer hibernation.

Dave Wetmore preparing for the FA of 95 (V10)

Photograph by Vasya Vorotnikov

What have I been up to? There are always all the endless homework and classes in which you keep writing down anything that's put up on the blackboard while dreaming about that perfect day you are missing out on, that perfect 55 degree heaven out in Pawtuckaway, or Rumney... Once the weekend rolls around, it's impossible to spend any more time at your laptop, crunching in numbers or, better yet, figuring out what reactor, batch or continuous, is of better application in whatever circumstances. It's time to hang out with Jesse or go climbing con mis amigos.

Neil Mushaweh getting psyched for

Liquid Sky (5.13b trad/rusted pins)

Photograph by Vasya Vorotnikov

And thus far, we've been having the best times, trying to travel to as many different climbing areas around our parts as we can. Our main destinations are: Rumney, Cathedral, Pawtuckaway, Marshfield, and Farley. A stategy of climbing in as many different places as possible paid off, rewarding us with continuous color changes, beautiful New England views, and some of the best climbs to dig your hands into.

View from the High Grade Wall up in Marshfield, VT

Photograph by Vasya Vorotnikov

After doing a bunch new (for me) routes up at Cathedral and Marshfield, I got back on Jaws and with the help from everyone screaming, was able to finish it. It's by far my hardest and most memorable send that should be coming to MomentumVM.com soon. I don't think I ever put so much effort into or spent so much money on a single climb. Each trip to Rumney would cost around $15-25, depending on whether or not I got some Larabars or 5651 (Hannaford trail mix) and whether I was going up with Neil or just driving up on my own. I committed over 35 days over the past year and a half into this thing, and it finally decided to give in. Memories of trying both of the cruxes multiple times a day will stick in my mind forever. I'll remember Neil figuring out more and more microbeta for me while keeping me on belay, Andrew and Jeremy giving me multiple catches while I try it over and over again, the Jay & Jay crew supporting me and reminding me how close I am to getting there, and everyone else who was there at one point or another to scream and cheer. Thanks!

Me, getting ready for Supreme Clientele,

Neil thinking 'wtf is he thinking' in the background,

at Rumney. Photograph by Kurt Oian

The weather, though, is only getting better and so I would only advise to take advantage of this north-eastern goodie and come out and climb if you can! Last Friday, on October 26th, we went up to Rumney with Neil and Kurt to get on some classics at Monsters. I thought it would be a good idea to try a boulder problem I've been eyeing for a few years, called Supreme Clientele (V10) to the right of Dr. No, but the lack of pads and rocky landing always served as a turnoff. With a confidence boost and a great spot from both of my friends, I was able to stick a scary dyno and finish the problem. Plenty more to do this fall, though!

Me on Supreme Clientele, trying the dyno move.

Photograph by Kurt Oian.

Neil has been working hard on amping up his climbing level over the past year, and he's making progress, jumping on some hard 5.13s all over the Northeast. Trying Liquid Sky up in North Conway, falling on the last moves of Charlie Don't Surf at Rumney and on the last tough move of Dazed up in Franconia. He finally decided it was time to send and began the fall streak, having ticked off High Grade (5.13a) and Hardway to Highgrade (5.13c, 2nd ascent) up in Marshfield both in a day. The very next weekend, he thought it would be a great idea to destroy Predator (5.13b) at the end of a restless day at Rumney; I'm sure there will be more to hear from this Master of Science in the near future as he is now turning his attention to Monsters... dun-dun-dun.

Neil working Boogieman (5.13c)

Photograph by Kurt Oian

David Wetmore. Same old - same old, but has quite a few climbing goals in mind for this season as well. His Pawtuckawayan sending spree has stalled at Justin Bourque's testpiece, Halcyon (V11). In addition to some established lines, Dave also finds time to scope out some FA's. And now we have an awesome new line up on the Swirley Boulder called 95 (V10). This double hand jump start with a few campus moves is definitely worth checking out!

Whoever might read this, please go climbing! It's freaking beautiful out!