Dark waters

KIMBALLISTIC- verb-

 to unleash energy on one climb or area, completing every possible variation and making all necessary changes in a small, daily, intense period of time. 

He went kimbalistic on that boulder.

Kimball teaching Danny how to hand jam.....

I find myself, Adam Mckenzie, Brian Kimball and Danny Madison sitting below Dark Waters. It looks much different than the last time i saw it, about a year ago. The landing area is free of sharp rocks and is about 18 inches deeper than it was before. Some people have expressed that they dont like this kind of manufactured landing zone. My thoughts? 

a: its done, so don't cry about things that won't be undone.

b: if you really care about keeping it " natural " then don't drive on the road , or use chalk or shoes or a crash pad , don't film it, shoot photos about it, or post on your blog afterward. Or... just go somewhere else.

c: there is a mess of new hard boulder problems to enjoy, so enjoy them. 

anyway im done with that.

here are some pictures and video from the day.

Kimball sending a new v10 traverse - click here

A excellent v3 top out 

 photos by Danny Madison

Possible new route and moments of trepidation

Climbing is fickle, further facts are fickle. This presents a problem for people interested in climbing "new" routes or boulder problems. My thought process is either complicated or delusional so try and follow along if you want.

Over the last year i have enjoyed finding routes that have long been forgotten about, hiding under our noses in popular bouldering area's. Old top ropes put in to explore the tall faces of boulder problems or cliff bands, ones that were too high to climb without a rope. These top ropes were never "led" for lack of bolts or gear and after being explored they were left alone. I think. How do i know no one has ever climbed a piece of rock before? In climbing there is a ethic that a top rope ascent does not constitute a first ascent, one must climb the route with the rope below you or not at all.  These is were it gets rough.

In journalism one has to fact check, how do i do that in a world of dirt bags and recluses? Today its much easier to verify an ascent with videos and the internet abounding.  But 20 years ago,  the time that these anchors on the route I just climbed got put in, the information is harder to find.  To me this rock was new, I have been climbing at Morrison for 10 years with regularity and have never seen anyone even look at this chunk of rock. The old school crew like Rufus are probably responsible for the anchors and have more than likely tope roped this route, this is were i start making bold assumption like , what is the likelihood of anyone soloing/ bouldering a 30 v7? at that time, low.... very very low. But i have been wrong before.

I once did a route, and i thought it was new so i called it v8 and named it only to find out it was a well established but recently forgotten v4. Embarrassing.  Try explaining that to your buddy's who have casually done the route.... uh well used different beta......

Which leads me to my next thought. My girlfriend who does not climb, and doesn't care about climbing casual mentioned yesterday while i was ranting about grades that " those must be very arbitrary?" .....

is it that obvious?

Yes.

I am 6 foot 5 and weight 188 pounds today, i feel fit but not sport climber strong, i got a good night sleep but had a shitty breakfast and the gravity on earth felt medium-ish on this day, the route i climbed that may be a possible first ascent, felt v7/ or 13a. Thats how im going to grade things from now on.  If you don't have those same specifics the route will feel easier or harder.

in any case here is a video and some pictures.