September 17, 2009

Get ready to rock
Your guide to climbing the Granite State
By Doran Dal Pra letters@hippopress.com

Some call it an extreme sport. Some call it extremely dangerous, and some see rock climbers as more than a little insane. While rock climbing isn’t your run-of-the-mill sport, it’s more accessible than you might think and there are ways to do it that are both safe and fun. This “user’s guide” to New Hampshire rock climbing will provide information for every level of climber, from those trying on rock shoes for the first time, to callused, seasoned veterans.

Rock climbing basics
New Hampshire happens to be blessed with some of the country’s best rock climbing. It can be found throughout the state from the impressive granite ledges in North Conway, to the sheer cliffs of Cannon Cliff in the Franconia Notch, to the massive boulders of Pawtuckaway State Park in Raymond. As fall season approaches, it brings with it the prime rock climbing season. Climbers from all over the world come to visit the Granite State’s wide variety of climbing styles, rock types and scenic settings.

Climbing presents mental and physical challenges, and while the average person’s idea of rock climbing usually goes something like, “Heights. Fear. Danger. Run away,” one of the most important things to remember about rock climbing is that when it’s done safely it can be a lot of fun. People climb for a variety of reasons, but if it weren’t a blast, people wouldn’t do it.

This guide will take you through some basic knowledge of where to buy rock climbing gear and what it will cost, where to climb, where to get climbing lessons both indoors and out, some climbing etiquette, and rock climbing gyms to visit when the weather turns cold.

Why it rocks
So what inspires people to accept the inherent risks of the sport and climb anyway? Tom Armstrong is a resident of Holderness and a frequent climber at Rumney Rocks. In the mid 1980s, he helped to develop Rumney into the climbing area it is today by establishing some of the area’s most classic rock climbs. For Armstrong, it’s about the all-encompassing challenge that rock climbing can provide.

“The challenge is 100-percent engaging — it’s totally addictive. Climbing hard sport routes requires intense concentration, fitness and mental control. While moderate routes are enjoyable, the challenge and rewards of hard climbing are unlike anything else,” Armstrong wrote in an e-mail interview.

For Manchester native and experienced rock climbing photographer Seth Hamel, who was interviewed via e-mail, the climbing experience is a personal one.

“Rock climbing is very much a personal experience. It is different for everyone,” Hamel said. How a rock climber interacts with the rock is similar to the way a dancer moves; a climber needs to be aware of the surrounding environment and how they move within it.

“One of the greatest things for me about climbing is the movement involved on the rock. I remember when I first started climbing, I was very clunky, pulling hard on my arms, struggling, always being very tense. The more you climb the more you connect with your body and the rock. I like fully committing my body to do a move… At that moment nothing else exists in my world, there is 100 percent clarity of living in the moment. And that’s all it is, you are living in the moment, and it makes me feel more alive than anything else in this world,” Hamel said.

Rock climbing gives you the chance to be outside, enjoy the outdoors with good people and see and experience things many people don’t often get to.

“One great thing about climbing is that there are no rules, no officials, or scorekeeper,” said Tim Deroehn in an e-mail interview. Deroehn is an accomplished sport, trad and big wall climber both in New Hampshire and elsewhere. “There are guidelines in place for safety’s sake, but outside of that it is open to interpretation; you get to make it whatever you want it to be. The wild places it takes you and the friends you make along the way make it a great lifestyle,” Deroehn said.

The Granite State
“We had no idea we were helping to establish a world-class area! We just liked to climb and if we wanted to climb more, we had to establish the routes ourselves,” said Armstrong when asked what it was like developing Rumney in the 1980s. “It was a great adventure. We could look up at the cliff and say, wouldn’t it be cool if we could climb that line? More often than not, we found a way to do it. What a blast!”

While areas like Rumney have seen their development come about in the relatively recent past, Cannon Cliff in Franconia Notch has seen climbers making ascents of its walls since the late 1920s.

New Hampshire’s crags, cliffs, and boulders are visited by thousands of people every year and are destinations for numerous organizations. Cathedral Ledge and Whitehorse Ledge are frequented by rock climbing guides and their parties, while school groups from grade school through college take trips to Pawtuckaway State Park and other areas.

Rock climbing is steadily gaining in popularity, and the boundaries of what is deemed “possible” are continually being pushed. Armstrong has spent much of his life climbing and recently he returned to the sport after a 12-year break. He reflected on how the world of rock climbing has changed over the years.

“Most of the new climbers today start in the gym at a young age. By the time they get to the cliff, they’ve developed strength and technique and progress amazingly fast. Back in my day, we wondered, ‘Can we do this thing?’ Today, there’s a mind set that it’s all doable. The young climbers have raised the standards,” Armstrong said.     

It’s good for you!
The gymnastic nature of climbing and the constant battle between you and gravity works nearly all of your muscle groups in both your upper and lower body. When you’re gripping hard on small hand holds, you’re working all the muscles in your hands, muscles in your arms and into your back and shoulders. You can strengthen your core by climbing overhanging problems and by making moves that require a lot of body tension.

A high level of overall fitness will improve your climbing, your recovery time and your stamina. Running, hiking, skiing, and other cardio-focused activities are tremendously beneficial, as is an aerobic workout that targets your core and back muscles. Some people who are successful in other physical activities come into rock climbing expecting that because they are strong in, say, weightlifting, they will be strong on the rock. Rock climbing uses different muscles groups than many sports, and in the end, the best way to get in climbing shape is to climb.

How to get started
Probably the best way to start climbing is to go with someone who has done it before and is skilled in teaching you how it all works. Indoor rock climbing gyms are a great arena to learn in as they offer lessons in the mechanics of climbing, and places like EMS offer real-world climbing courses led by experienced guides. Being at a gym or in a class also affords you the opportunity to meet other people who are interested in the sport who could become potential climbing partners.

“If you have a friend who is a climber, continually beg them to take you out and show you how to safely get started…. Don’t have any climber friends? Two guide services that are well rounded in all the disciplines of climbing are Jim Shimberg’s Rhino Guides (www.rhinoguides.com), and Art Mooney’s Mooney Mountain Guides (www.mooneymountainguides.com),” Deroehn said. “These guys are the pros. They are locals who have the credentials to get you started.”

Eastern Mountain Sports’ Climbing School has been around since 1968 and offers guiding and instruction services for all levels of climbers, as well as in ice climbing and mountaineering. You can find out about all their programs and prices by visiting www.emsclimb.com.

Looking to improve your climbing skills on your own? Like anything, being around people who are more skilled than you are is one of the best and most effective ways to elevate your climbing. When you’re at a climbing area, chat it up with those around you and learn by watching and talking with someone who’s been at it longer than you.

Words of wisdom
Rock climbing affords its participants tremendous benefits, exciting experiences and opportunities to meet new people and learn a diverse set of skills. Those interviewed for this article were asked to give one piece of advice that they would give to someone who was just starting out in climbing. Here’s what they said.

Tom Armstrong: “Be consistent with your training, keep it fun — there’s plenty of time, no need to rush.”

Seth Hamel: “Be humble. Climbers will not hesitate to correct you in regards to climbing safety if they see you’re not doing something right. Learn from people who know what they are doing and take their counsel graciously. I’d say, get out there, be friendly with everyone, just come out and have fun.”

Tim Kemple Jr.: “Go to the mountains, find a way and get one of your experienced buddies to drag you up Cannon Cliff, Cathedral Ledge or something similar. Scare the crap out of yourself and love every minute of it. I know climbers that have spent years on the boulders or shorter cliffs around the country and they still don’t know what it’s like to be alone with friends in the mountains.”

And Tim Deroehn quoted the famous climber and mountaineer Alex Lowe: “The best climber out there is the one having the most fun.”

Where to go: The great outdoors
New Hampshire has some of the best outdoor rock climbing on the East Coast, much of it within a two-hour drive of southern New Hampshire. With everything from sport routes to long multi-pitch climbs to intricate boulder problems, New Hampshire has something for every level of climber.

“New Hampshire climbing encompasses all styles of climbing from world-class sport climbing in Rumney, the amazing cliffs in the North Conway area, adventurous alpine crags in Huntington Ravine…. Short hard problems to long easy classics loaded with history, we’ve got it all, and the quality is as good as anywhere in the country,” said Tim Deroehn in an email interview.

The areas listed here are some of the more popular and well traveled areas and are nowhere near the full extent of what is available.

• Rumney Rocks: Beginner to Advanced
As its name implies, this place rocks. Rumney features several hundred climbs from 5.0 to 5.14d, with the highest concentration of 5.14 climbs in the country. Famous climbers like Dave Graham, Luke Parady, Joe Kinder and Tim Kemple, Jr. cut their teeth on Rumney’s steep schist. Located on the side of Rattlesnake Mountain just above the scenic Baker River in the small town of Rumney, the climbing is scattered over 20 crags ranging from a few dozen feet long to a few hundred. The Rumney guidebook, authored by Ward Smith, is your best resource for learning the logistics of climbing here, like where to park and parking fees, as well as where each of the cliffs is located and where individual routes are. If you’re unsure of what something is or where exactly you are, ask a fellow climber who’s been there before to point you in the right direction. “It’s the setting and unique nature of the climbing that make it so cool: Overhanging metamorphic schist by the river in the White Mountains!” Armstrong said.

• Pawtuckaway State Park: Beginner to Advanced
Pawtuckaway State Park is home to some of the best bouldering in New Hampshire, as well as hiking trails, snowmobiling, mountain biking and camping. There are roughly 13 different areas, with boulder problems ranging in difficulty from V0 to V13, and rope climbing up to 5.13. Some recommendations when climbing in Pawtuckaway: bring bug spray! Every variety of biting creatures from black flies to mosquitoes can be found in the park so be sure to pack the bug repellent. And because the different climbing areas are located throughout the park, picking up the Pawtuckaway State Park guidebook will be a huge help in navigating the park and finding all the climbs.

• Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges: Advanced
“The longer routes in NH are great for training for bigger areas like Yosemite Valley or Patagonia,” Deroehn said of the classic cliffs like Cathedral and Whitehorse Ledges in North Conway. Both areas are home to long classic routes that will challenge climbers of all ability levels. From multi-pitch slab routes to steep technical climbing to crack climbing, these ledges are the premier trad climbing destination in New Hampshire. Whitehorse’s main feature is the massive water-stained slab on the right, with steeper climbing in the center and the left end. Cathedral Ledge has a prominent prow with steep rock faces to the right and the left. There is a viewing area on top of Cathedral Ledge that gives a spectacular view of North Conway and the surrounding mountains, as well as a side view of a large portion of the cliff and some of the climbs below. 

• Cannon Cliff: Advanced
The former home of The Old Man of the Mountain, Cannon Cliff is the imposing wall of granite that faces Interstate 93 heading north. It is home to super classic climbs like the Whitney-Gilman Ridge and Moby Grape. Cannon is the largest vertical rock face in the Northeast, measuring roughly 1,000 feet tall and more than a mile long. The Cannon Mountain ski area is located on the other side of the cliff. During the winter, Cannon cliff is a destination for ice climbers looking to challenge themselves on climbs like The Black Dike, a challenging multi-pitch ice climb. “Doing short routes helps acclimate you to the mind’s natural responses of fear of heights and falling. Bigger routes are more committing in all aspects, from the logistics to the adventurous nature they tend to have,” Deroehn said.

The winter break: climbing indoors
When winter has New Hampshire in its grip, finding the motivation to spend time outside on freezing cold rocks is not easy. Fortunately, New Hampshire has a multitude of indoor rock climbing areas. Indoor climbing gyms are great places for new climbers to learn the basics, intermediate climbers to sharpen their skills, and advanced climbers to stay in prime climbing shape.

Here are four gyms worth visiting, especially when the temperatures become frigid.

• Vertical Dreams (250 Commercial St., Fifth Floor, Manchester, 625-6919, www.verticaldreams.com) is one of the largest rock climbing gyms in the area with more than 5,000 square feet of climbing with a bouldering cave, top rope climbing, and climbs up to 70 feet high. It offers lessons in proper rope handling and belaying, plus personal instruction, and can accommodate birthday parties and other events.

• Goffstown Allard Center YMCA (116 Goffstown Back Road, Goffstown, 497-4663, www.gmfymca.org) is a great place to go if you’re just getting your first taste of rock climbing. The Allard Center has a recently constructed rock climbing gym and a rock climbing team that competes at events throughout New England. For more information about hours and programs, visit the Web site or give them a call.

• Indoor Ascent (47 Broadway St., Dover, 742-7848, www.indoorascent.com) offers beginner, intermediate and advanced climbers a wide range of climbs to choose from over its 9,000 square feet of climbing space. The gym sponsors Dover Edge, the youth climbing team that takes part in tournaments and events all over the country. The gym has a Women’s Night every Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. and a full gear shop. New climbers can take lessons, and younger climbers can join the Monkey Club, in which kids ages 5 to 12 play climbing games and learn new techniques.

• MetroRock (69 Norman St., Everett, Mass. 617-387-7625; and 40 Parker St., Newburyport, Mass., 978-499-7625, info@metrorock.com, www.metrorock.com) gyms are worth the visit and are an easy drive from southern New Hampshire. MetroRock offers beginner through advanced climbing courses, after-school programs and summer camps, and can host birthday parties. The Everett gym has over 17,000 square feet of climbing surface, while the MetroRock North location in Newburyport features 12,000 square feet of climbing space.

The lingo
Like all specialized sports, rock climbing has its own language. Here’s a short list of climbing terms you’ll hear around the climbing gym or at the bottom of the crag, so when someone says, “What’s the beta for the crux section on this 5.13d, ’cause I’m super pumped trying to crank on that gaston and the sloper and I’ve gotta redpoint this route,” you’ll at least be able to act like you know what they’re saying.

Anchor – n. That which attaches the belayer to the rock, or otherwise prevents the belayer from being pulled off the belay stance if the leader falls. The belayer must be securely attached to the rock by means of protection devices (cams, nuts, bolts, pitons), or an immovable object like a boulder or sturdy tree. The attachments are called collectively the “anchor.”

Belay – (1) v. - The process of paying out the rope to the lead climber, or taking in rope for a follower, while he/she climbs, and of protecting the climber in the event of a fall. (2) n. - The place where a climber belays and the anchor is set up attaching the climber to the rock, normally at the beginning and end of each pitch.

Beta – n. Information about a route.

Carabiner – n. A metal ring with a spring-loaded gate used to attach the rope to protection, and many other things.

Crag – n. Another name for a cliff.

Dead hang – adj. Hanging from a hold with the arms straightened, allowing body weight to be held by the skeleton rather than arm muscles. Good for relaxing the arm muscles.

Figure 8 knot – n. Also known as the “double figure 8” or “figure 8 follow through.” The most common knot used to attach the climber’s harness to the rope.

Gaston – v. To pull to the side with the elbow pointed outward, as if trying to open a closed elevator door.

Harness – n. Device the climber wears that attaches the climber to the rope so that in the event of a fall, the climber is held by the rope. The harness is designed to withstand far more impact force than it should ever be subjected to in use.

Hold – n. Any feature of the rock that affords the climber a place to grip with hands or feet. Also, for indoor use, small plastic molded climbing grips.

Move – n. Refers to the motion between holds. Example: “That’s a tough move from the gaston to that sloper.”

Multipitch climb – n. A climb with more than one pitch, or rope length.

Pumped – adj. Tired. Refers to forearms that are in a desperate state, swollen and unresponsive.

Redpoint – n/v. An ascent of a climb made while placing protection with no falls.

Sloper – n. A difficult hold that slopes smoothly out and down from the rock face.

Sport climbing – n. A school of climbing that generally emphasizes shorter routes, physically difficult movement and bolted protection. This includes gym climbing and competition.

Traditional/trad climbing – n/adj. Climbing that emphasizes longer routes and climbers using removable protection like cams, hexes and nuts.

V-ratings – n. An open-ended scale used to rate the difficulty of boulder problems. Example: V1, V2, V3, etc., with higher numbers representing harder climbs.

Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) – n. The most common system used to rate difficulty in the U.S. Most technical rock climbing is rated on a scale of 5.0 to 5.15b with higher numbers representing harder climbs. Once numbers reach 5.10, they are further categorized with the inclusion of letters, e.g. 5.10a, 5.10 b, 5.10c, 5.10d, 5.11a, etc.

Where to get the stuff
Before purchasing your own set of shiny new gear, it’s important to have a good grasp on how it all works and what you need for the style of climbing you want to do. Here are a few locations that sell all the gear you need.

Eastern Mountain Sports: EMS has New Hampshire locations in Manchester, Concord, Peterborough, Nashua, Salem, Portsmouth, North Conway and West Lebanon. All of the store’s contact information can be found at www.ems.com. One of the largest outdoor gear suppliers in New England, EMS carries more specialized climbing equipment than stores like Cabela’s or Dick’s Sporting Goods — everything from cams to quickdraws to climbing shoes and chalk. Be sure to talk to a sales associate about what kind of climbing you’ll be doing and what you’re looking to spend.

REI: www.rei.com, 800-426-4840. Like EMS, REI provides a comprehensive selection of rock climbing gear from leading manufacturers, as well as gear for almost any outdoor activity. The closest REI outlet store is located at 279 Salem St., Reading, Mass. The best way to check out all that REI has to offer is to visit its Web site.

Online stores: There are a number of exclusive online retailers that carry a wide range of gear. Gear manufacturers all have Web sites that are worth a visit to learn more about what they offer and how it all works. Try these:
www.backcountry.com
www.campmor.com
www.mountaingear.com

A great set of gear to get started with is a harness ($50-75), rock climbing shoes ($60-100), a chalkbag ($15-25), belay device and belay carabiner ($30-45).

Lee hansch, climbing gym manager
Lee Hansche is the manager of the Vertical Dreams climbing gym in Manchester. He answered a few questions in an e-mail interview about the benefits of learning to climb in a climbing gym, and offered some sage advice on how to make your first climbing experiences the best.

What are some of the benefits of learning how to rock climb in a climbing gym?
The biggest advantage is a safe controlled setting unlike the outdoor realm [which contains] so many variables. 

What does Vertical Dreams offer for the brand new climber in the way of instruction?
We do a beginner lesson package that comes with everything you need for your first day for just $33. If your desire is to get outside, then you could start with a guided trip outside, but I recommend that your first day be in the gym.

If you could give someone who was looking to get into climbing a key piece of advice, what would it be?
Keep an open mind and relax; if you learn to do it right, climbing is very safe.

After their first intro to climbing in a gym, what is the next step you suggest in getting better acquainted with climbing?

Perhaps a guided trip outside, which [Vertical Dreams] offers, or a lead climbing lesson inside.

What should people look for in proper climbing instruction and finding an outdoor climbing partner?
As far as instruction goes, the more experience the better. Someone at the climbing gym or a professional guide would be ideal. On finding an outdoor climbing partner, it is a good idea to climb with them in the gym first… also a referral from someone who knows their stuff. Trust no one with your life without good reason.

Tim kemple jr., climber and photographer
Tim Kemple Jr. is a native of New Hampshire, a graduate of UNH at Durham, and currently a commercial photographer and accomplished rock climber. Much of his stunning photography revolves around rock climbing and it regularly appears in national climbing publications. Kemple responded to a few questions via e-mail about his climbing career, his photography career, and why climbing in New Hampshire is so special.

What is it about rock climbing that you find appealing? What do you enjoy about it?
Climbing for me isn’t just a physical activity. Like most any other action sport, it’s a lifestyle. It has a heavy hand in where I travel, the friends I spend the most time with, the cars and clothes I buy, etc. So for me, I really love the climbing lifestyle. I love moving efficiently, cleanly, unobtrusively through the mountains. 

What is one of your most memorable climbing experiences? 
Ha! I’ve been climbing for 17 years so the most memorable experience?! I actually got into climbing because of my dad, and since he taught me how to climb when I was 11 there has been a mutual quest for knowledge and experience… Last year for example we did a father-son ascent of Lotus Flower Tower in the Cirque of the Unclimbables in The Northwest Territories in Canada… The route is 2500’ long and the weather notoriously bad. But we persevered and topped out just as light was fading and the snow showers started... pretty rad being the only people on top of this massive cliff, in the middle of nowhere with your dad. Not many people are fortunate enough to share something like that with someone so influential in their life.

Why do you think people from all over the world come to New Hampshire to climb? What makes it special? Why do you climb here?
Well, in October there is no other place as beautiful to climb in the world, no doubt in my mind about that. But year round, New Hampshire offers some of the most diverse climbing environments in the country. New Hampshire has consistently produced some of the best climbers in the world because of the variety, unique rock types, and remote places it gets you.

How long have you been into climbing photography? How did you get into it? What do you enjoy about it?
I bought a camera when I went on a road trip before starting school at UNH, so almost 10 years now. My first feature for a magazine was about the incredible sport climbing up in Rumney. Photography is so much more than just taking a photograph. I love the business aspect to it, the people I meet, the toys I get to play with and the crazy places I get to travel. 

In what way has being a climbing photographer influenced the way you climb? The way you look at climbing? 
I don’t think that being a photographer has influenced the way I climb, except in that I don’t climb as much as I used to because I’m shooting so much these days. As a climber and photographer, I’ve always been attracted to lines that are steep, clean, independent, etc. 

Is there a particular experience you’ve been through that sticks out in your mind that you …  would not have had had you not been as into photography as you are?
Well in the past year photography has sent me to China, The Czech Republic, Mallorca, Canada, France, Brazil, Argentina and across the U.S. So yeah, it’s taken me lots of places. What I appreciate most, more than the places I go, are people I meet and get to travel with... they are what I will remember for the rest of my life. My most memorable night in Patagonia…wasn’t the one spent shivering on a bivy ledge halfway up a climb, it was the one that started with learning how to salsa dance until 4 a.m., and then…being convinced [to] hike the 10 hours to our basecamp.

What is your favorite place to climb in New Hampshire? Your favorite place to shoot in NH?
New Hampshire has lots of great climbing but I love the people and location of Cathedral Ledge up in North Conway and the forests of Pawtuckaway State Park.