Hidden Gems

Went to Ilium again today. Seems to be an ongoing theme. It's not that I'm avoiding the Mine Boulders or other areas, I just have been having a fun time cleaning and climbing new problems at Ilium and spending time in some of the more obscure areas. Today, Dasha and I climbed all of the problems at Rivendell and some problems in the North End. Here are the photos.

(above) Me on the sit start to 'Bilbo Baggins', a hard V3.
(below) Dasha midway through the sit start to 'Shadowfax' (V1+).
(bottom photo) Here is me again, this time on 'Heroine' (V2+). The left hand edge of the sit start has broken, so this now starts standing, as shown. Right hand on original low pinch, left on bad pocket, finish straight up. The grade is pretty much the same.

The Latest

Mountainfilm came to Telluride this past weekend. It was a fun event. I didn't go to that many films- just 'King Lines' and 'Fitzroy' (as part of the Chuck Kroger Tribute). 'King Lines' ended up winning the Charlie Fowler Award for Best Climbing Film. It was a really enjoyable film that showed how much fun climbing can be when we forget about grades and all the other stuff and just go climb.

On Sunday, I did a book signing as part of the Reading Frenzy. It went well. I sold a few books, met some cool people, and got a chance to catch up with Ginny Fowler Hicks (Charlie's sister). We didn't know each other well while Charlie was still alive, so it gave me a chance to express how much Charlie meant to me and I was able to show her the dedication to Charlie in the book, and give her a copy. She was there signing copies of 'Mountain Star', which is a children's book about how to draw a star using the story of Charlie Fowler's life. Look for it in your local bookstore!

In addition to all of that, we've also been doing some climbing. I ran into some guys from Phoenix yesterday, and they complimented me on the book. They were giving 'Pinch' (V3) on The Premier all of their effort. I comforted them by telling them the grade was rather sandbagged. It's probably closer to hard V4, but the local hardmen say V3. I'm happy to say they pushed hard and completed the problem, sending in good style.

Anyhow, here are some pics from the last few days. First, Damon Johnston sending the proud direct start to 'Beams of Light'. This problem is listed in the guidebook at V2+ and goes at that grade if you head slightly more right and then up. This new variation moves from the undercling to crimps for the right and left, and then to a hard to hit sidepull. Pull the feet up and throw for the rail! I would say the grade of this is closer to hard V3 or easy V4. Though Damon made it look pretty easy by sending it in only a few tries.

My last photo is of Scotty Nichols climbing one of the last projects for the area- the hard arete of The Shire boulder. Scotty nailed the stand starting with a left hand undercling/pinch low on the vertical rail on the right side of the overhang, and his right hand above that on a cool vertical pinch. Foot trickery and a big throw lead to some campusing and a hard finish on crimps and a good edge. The grade is probably somewhere in the V5 range. The sit start is still a project. Here is 'Headlights Like Diamonds'.

More From Ilium

Today we spent some more time at Ilium, climbing some fun problems and cleaning some of the problems on the Black & Tan Boulder. All of the problems were looking really sweet by the time we were done. One problem that we spent a lot of time on was the right arete (when looking at the main face of the boulder). This problem is listed as the 'Black & Tan Arete' in the guidebook. This problem has an interesting story. When I was researching the guidebook, I was told this arete had been climbed and went at V3. It was quite mossy, but seemed to be plausible, especially if one used the killer undercling to the right. The hard moves are all in the first half, and then it's glorious jugs to the top. I figured I would come back and clean it, and all would be good to go. Well, it took me a long time to get around to cleaning it. After vigorous removal of moss, lichen and pine needles the problem was ready to be climbed. Damon Johnston showed up shortly thereafter and started giving the problem some serious burns. We decided to do this problem the 'proud way' and started from the lowest holds- left hand on the sidepull at the right end of the shelf, right hand on a small sharp edge, both at 2.5-3 feet. We also decided to avoid the holds out right and climb the true arete, finishing up and slightly left for a tenuous, full value top out. This new take on an old problem has outstanding and hard moves with sneaky beta.

Here is Damon on the 'first ascent' of an old problem. We named it 'Climbed Out', and graded it V5. The name comes from the fact that everyone keeps telling us Ilium is climbed out but we keep finding new and fun lines. All you need is a sense of adventure and a wire brush. The stand start, off of small crimps directly on the arete at 5 feet, goes at V2-ish. Enjoy!

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.