Today, I headed to a great collection of boulders in the Cutchogue area. I had been eyeing two lines on a large block there since last fall. Unfortunately, the base of this boulder is covered with water except for a half an hour or so on either side of low tide. Consequently, I had to wait for a day when the tide schedule worked for me.
This gorgeous piece of rock is one of the tallest and best boulders on Long Island. There are two great lines with potential for maybe one or two hard variations. I would recommend bringing a wire brush for cleaning barnacles off the bottom footholds and an extension ladder for getting off the boulder as the two climbs are difficult to reverse, and the easiest downclimbs require a jump into the water to finish them off. I suppose that could be fun on a hot day. Just watch out for rocks hidden in the water below. I would love to have some pictures of me on these problems but I was flying solo on this day.
I'm not sure if these problems have been climbed before. I've named them for fun, not out of disrespect. As for the grades, how wet the lower feet are is an important factor, so the grades are just guesses. Here are some pictures and descriptions:
(below)
'Golden' (V1/2) This is a proud line up the obvious weakness on the main face. Start low on the right side of the lowest horizontal. Follow it left and then up on good edges, crimps and sidepulls to an airy but fairly easy top out. The base of this problem changes with the movement of sand each winter. As of right now, it is dry at the start, but once you traverse left you are over shallow water. It can be protected with pads, as long as you don't mind them getting wet. The best conditions would be a full or new moon low tide with an offshore breeze. In that situation, the base might be completely dry. The landing could probably be filled in to make it drier with a little work.
(below)
'Each Wave That Breaks' (V3/4) This is another proud line. The lowest foot is often wet but not critical. Start matched on a two hand sloped edge at 6-7 feet. Stab for the sloping crescent hold up and right. Step on a high right foot, match hands, and pull a powerful move to a good jug. From here, good footwork and crimps lead to a relatively easy but exciting finish. The base of this problem is entirely dry at low tide.
(below) This pic shows 'Golden' on the left and 'Each Wave That Breaks' on the right.
After climbing in Cutchogue a bit, I headed a little farther east to Greenport and spent a few hours messing around on the Sound Road Boulder (first picture below) and the Rock Cove Boulder (second picture below). The Sound Road Boulder offers fun face and slab climbs mostly in the V0-V2 range, with a few harder lines. The Rock Cove Boulder has easy sit starts on its south face and, on the face pictured below, about six lines with difficult and tricky starts that lead to a large horizontal and easier climbing above.
It's really a blessed life. Wake up to bluebird skies. Pick up a breakfast sandwich and coffee at the local bakery. Make the meandering drive through canyons and over mesas, past bald eagles and pinyon jays, out of the mountains and into the open expanse of the desert. Park amid a sea of sandstone blocks and swim around through the junipers and pinions looking for that perfect line of crimpers and pockets.
