Photos by doubledare

Whaleback Crack

photo of Whale wall

Me leading Le Gourmet Direct. I wasn't sure where this route went--I could see old pitons along two different lines and ended up with some very gnarly rope drag that could have been done away with easily with use of some longer runners. I'd say I did a pretty shitty job leading it.

This is a very easy climb at Pole Steeple, Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Great to bring your kids or beginner friends.

It's not the Gunks or anything but a nice little piece of rock for PA and you get a nice walk through the woods to boot. This is me leading The Nose at Pole Steeple.

This is a nice little roof on good, clean rock. Beautiful Oct. day in Pine Grove Furnace State Park.

Anna doing a traverse between Pole Steeple #1 and #2. Just for kicks.

My daugter Ashley and I have looked forward to this climb for a long time and waited until fall to do this climb just so the trees would be turning. We were the first ones on the route that day and started up the route when the sun was rising and there was still fog in the valley.

At the bottom of this crack you can stem off the back wall a little--I think that makes it easier than the 5.7 is the guide book.

This is a belay ledge shared by Gunsight to South Peak and Conn East. It can get busy there sometimes!

This is my daughter Ashley belaying me from the Alcoa ledge while climbing Conn East in late august, 2006.

This was the view from the gash on a rainy morning in late August. Weather report was bad but I had just flown from PA and was so eager to climb we walked up there anyway...."just in case." The weather reports were actually optimistic about afternoon showers. It was foggy in the dark and raining by sun up. There were a couple of breaks (such as the one in the photo) but the rock was too wet to get on it. Sharks Tooth was impressive though. It's very high on my hit list and will get it eventually. If you are interested in the climb, see this cool video at: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1075043988470071538

The book says Traffic Jam is a popular route, but it's also on the rap route I used every day at Seneca and I never saw anyone climb it. After leading up Critter Crack I ended up very near the top of Traffic Jam so I set up a top rope and gave it a try with my daughter. Nice little climb.

This is Ashley and I the first day of our August, 2006, Seneca vacation after finishing Gunsight to South Peak.

so a climb called Banana is a natual for her. Anna actually had a little trouble with this climb--thew off-balance crux move near the top seemed a little stiff for a 5.6 when I led it but it's a nice warmup/approach for higher climbs such as Gunsight to South Peak.

This is my 15-year-old daughter Ashley finishing up Critter Crack, August, 2006.

me taking a breather on the large scenic ledge at the end of p3 on Flying Butress

The climb starts on the first large ledge below the first section of vertical face. it's just above and to the right of center of this photo. 4th class scramble to that point. The infamous 5.9 roof is clearly visible just above skyline on p3 above the next obvious ledge.

We left the Long's Peak Trailhead at 4 A.M., took the Chasm Lake cutoff and began the ascent of The Loft before we threw off the packs and got ready for Flying Butress. The top right of this photo shows the Ship's Prow.

This is Greg just getting started on the first pitch of the Flying Butress. The climb starts in a 5.8 crack that thins to a 5.9 crack and then eventually evaporates into a 5.10d face climb (20 feet between 2 fixed pitons).

The Flyng Butress is the center most prominant rib on the northeast face of Mt. Meeker. It is to the southwest of the Ship's Prow and the East Face of Long's Peak. This is the view from Lumpy Ridge, on a clear August morning. I estimate the distance is about 10 miles as the crow flies.

The 5.6 route Batman and Robin heads up the obvious west slab and finishes with a juggy ascent to the summit.

The books says 4 pitches but my buddy Sean wrapped the first two into one pitch with very little rope drag--just kind of a tough hanging belay at the top. The ledge behind that big flake would have been better. I led the last two pitches and they turned out tougher than I thought since a sudden thunder storm turned the rock wet and snotty.

I love this little climb--it was my first lead and I still love the rush of the little roof and the view of the river.

Me getting ready to climb Sunday Morning at Chickies. It's about the only place I use that lame large yellow tricam!

I took this photo from Humphrey's Head on the Fourth of July 2006. In this photo, male wearing red was belaying, female wearing black and white was leading on Gephardt-Dufty (5.8?) the longest route on the Southern Pillar.

Unknown climbers on Crack of Dawn July 4 2006. Female lead climber was wearing really loud psychadelic pants. if you can climb like that, you can wear any pants you want!

This is me belaying my daughter Ashley to the top of Humphrey's head. A nice 1-pitch 5.3 climb from the luncheon ledge. Easy climb with great exposure. A great introduction climb to Seneca.

We got hit by a T-storm right after this photo and had to quickly evacuate--never did get to do the 2nd pitch which is the whole point of going up there! We'll be back to try again!

I took this shot from the belay station on Three Pines late in the afternoon/early evening on Saturday Memorial Day weekend.

This photo was taken Sunday May 28. I was climbing with my kids over at the AMC slab and my daughter Ashley took this photo of several climbers of different routes over at Near Trapps. One of the climbers looked to be wearing a yellow cape? Not red or black so I definately know it wasn't Superman or Batman. If you have a tendancy to climb with a yellow cape, and were on Near Trapps that day, this photo is of you. I've never been over to that side of the road, so it's difficult for me to say exactly what route each climber is one--and since there are several climbers on several routes, it's impossible to assign this to a particular route. If you know what route exactly these people are on, PM me and I'll update this info.

This is a good photo of the giant pine at the belay station on three pines, and the view looking up at the second pitch. Probably thousands of climbers have anchored on this old tree--let's hope it hangs in there for another 30-40 years!

This is my buddy Steve, trying rock climbing for the first time, in the Library.

This shot was taken from near Monument Cove--gives you an idea of the scenery at Acadia National Park

This is one of my first-ever climbing vacation in Acadia National Park.

This is The Rib at Mt. Tammany, at the center of the Triumvirate Wall, with Triumvirate to the left and the Black Wall just around the corner from that.

This is 11-year-old Breanna top-roping The Slab at Bubble Rock, Maine. This little girl is quite a climber.

This is my awesome 14-year-old daughter Ashley on the belay ledge on The Rib: Easter, 2006. It was my first multi-pitch lead climb, and her first time climbing second on a multi-pitch climb. The climbing was easy but as you know, we had quite a bit of stuff to figure out while learning a new route (Steele's guidebook as a reference--plus roclimb's advice on rockclimbing.com). Also thanks to Walt at Dingman's campground who gave us some good beta.

This was august of 2005. We had perfect 75-degree weather every day and did nothing but hike, paddle, and climb (climb mostly). We finished the trip with the Cathedral route to the summit of Katahdin. In the background is Monument Cove and the road to Thunderhole.

This was around Halloween, 2005, on Chickies Rock. Ashley (14 years old) had a whole week of climbing in Maine during the summer and came back to her home crag with a vengeance.

This is a shot of me climbing one of the easier routes at Otter Cliffs, Acadia National Park. Yes, I am a NOOB but learning as I go. Acadia has quite a few easy routes so it was perfect for a top-roper like me. Next year I hope to try a little trad!

This is my son Carson top-roping the start of Sunday Morning at Chickies Rock.

This is a class 4 scramble up the tourist route of Mount Temple--elevation @12,000 feet, July 22, 2004. In the background you can see Valley of the 10 peaks (near Morraine Lake). Didn't get any good shots on top because it was snowing but this shot I took of my brother shows the terrain about halfway up.

Great day of climbing except for the bloody elbows and knees. Pants next time! You can see Estes Park in the Background