Ilium Boulders Update

The time is here again, when the evenings grow long, and temperatures at Ilium are perfect. Since we got back from our trip, Dasha and I have been spending the evenings climbing at Ilium, cleaning old problems that have grown a little licheny, and even putting up a few new problems. Nothing super proud, just fun lines on some of the more obscure blocks. Damon Johnston and I also talked about bouldering the proud face of the Black & Tan Boulder. It's almost certainly been climbed before, but probably not ropeless. We agree that it's probably in the V4/5 range, so not super hard, but certainly tall, with a bad landing. But, there's some cleaning to do first. I'll be heading back out there again today, focusing on cleaning a couple of the Black & Tan problems that need love.

Each spring it's interesting to head back out to Ilium and see if anything has changed- if holds have broken, if any new rockfall has come down from the cliffs above, if some hidden block in the forest has revealed itself. A few of the more obscure problems have had some holds break. The 'Pool Problem' at the Shire had a key hold break, but it still goes at the listed grade of V2. Both this problem and 'Elf Magic' (V2) right next to it appear harder than the listed grade, but go at V2 with tricky beta. For more problem info, check out the new bouldering guide, written by yours truly- 'A Guide to Bouldering in the Telluride & West End Areas'.


(above) Dasha Zamolodchikov on a new V1 just left of 'Video Killed The Radio Star' in the One Hit Wonder area. It starts off two opposing sidepull/edges at 3 feet, and goes straight up on good holds. 'Video Killed The Radio Star' (V1+) had a key hold break this winter, but still goes at the same grade via a sit down start right of the dihedral with your left on a crimp and the right on a good edge just right of the flake. The problem still avoids the flake, instead moving to a left undercling and then up. Here Dasha shows us the beta.