Nice Don. I think this is the most you've been able to climb on a family vacation in a long time.

Nice couple of stories there. I really liked the first one and how it ended. Nice touch.

So, I always enjoy reading the posts on this thread, but I haven't participated much. I finally made a blog just to document my climbing trips, so I think I'll start posting up whenever I update it like Gmburns does.

Don't worry, if you don't want to read my blog I won't be offended, but just FYI, the blog is only about climbing, and there are no ads.

See my first three TRs at http://kensclimbingblog.blogspot.com/

Holy crap...I can't believe you took your tiny offspring up a 500 foot climb. Wow.

Nice write ups Ken.
I love Dome Rock. Been jonesing to get back on the Tree Route for a couple years. Last year a fire forced us further north to Courtright.
Did you have any good online Beta for the Portal? The guide I have doesn't give anything much for moderates for a poor climber like me.
Anyrate, nice write up. Got the kids up the Tree Route, well done.

So, I always enjoy reading the posts on this thread, but I haven't participated much. I finally made a blog just to document my climbing trips, so I think I'll start posting up whenever I update it like Gmburns does.

Don't worry, if you don't want to read my blog I won't be offended, but just FYI, the blog is only about climbing, and there are no ads.

See my first three TRs at http://kensclimbingblog.blogspot.com/

Sorry Don, I don't even have the guide for the area. I just lookup up info on MP. It's a beautiful area though, I'd like to head back without the kids some time.

So, I always enjoy reading the posts on this thread, but I haven't participated much. I finally made a blog just to document my climbing trips, so I think I'll start posting up whenever I update it like Gmburns does.

Don't worry, if you don't want to read my blog I won't be offended, but just FYI, the blog is only about climbing, and there are no ads.

See my first three TRs at http://kensclimbingblog.blogspot.com/

I put up another post about a trip to Tahquitz!

Holy cow do I feel like I inhaled a bunch of lichen dust, though.

I wonder how much of a health hazard that is.

I really don't know. I know that if I'm seriously scrubbing a route, I'll wear a dust mask to reduce the exposure, but if I'm just climbing, and scrape lichen off here and there by hand, looking for holds or placements, I don't bother.

It probably depends on total exposure level. Like so many other things. And, I'll bet noone has done much testing on it.

probably not for climbing, but I bet testing on this type of stuff is actually pretty common.

I needed to keep it super mellow so I lead Arch to the GT ledge (rope drag was crazy) and Mitch took the last pitch. There is a fixed tricam on the start of P2 if you feel like working on it. We did not. There is also a fixed cam on the second pitch of Wrist. I thought about heading up Wrist to see if I could wrestle the cam loose, but, then I remembered I would have to climb the route. Nah...let MItch lead Arch, he needs the practice.

Sooo i'm exactly 24 days from my annual week long no wife no kid October climbing trip. This year my friends and i have decided on New Hampshire, unless something dumb like a week-long rain spell happens. In that case we'll have to pick somewhere else. But, since that's definitely not going to happen, the granite state it shall be. I know a lot of you who post in this thread climb up that way regularly. I've never been up there for anything, climbing or otherwise. Looking for some suggestions and experiences to guide me on my way.

First, The Whitney Gilman and Mobey Grape are absolute must do's. We'll be getting to Cannon late Monday night, and plan on dedicating Tuesday and Wednesday morning to once of those two each. I would assume we'll get down each day in time to do a little "cragging" so to speak. What other shorter routes on Cannon are good? That hand traverse on the old man's dog looks pretty cool.

After our two days in Franconia we're looking to spend 2 or 3 days in North Conway. Looking to to do Thin Air with Pine Tree Eliminate as well as Recompense at Cathedral. Maybe Sliding board or one or two of the long bolted mid-5.10 routes. Anything else "Must do" in Conway?

If there's time at the end of the week we're going to swing by Rumney, just for sake of going once, but of all the places this would be the first one thrown out. Any advice is welcome. Grade doesn't matter if it protects well.

Cannon: The approach up through the talus field to the base is about 1 hour to 1.5 hours, depending on how fit you are. If you're fast then I would think 45min is pretty doable. For me, I tend to get to the base of WG in 1hr - 1hr 15min. I'm not fit, but I'm not really slow going up approach trails either.

Climbs that go to the top only have walk-offs, all of which are long, in my opinion, and harder than the approach. I'm slow going down, but it usually takes me a good 1.5 - 2hrs to walk off WG. The walk-off from Moby Grape is even longer (the climb is several pitches longer than WG).

However, somewhere, and I'm not sure where, there is a short-cut from the descent trail on the climber's right of Cannon (the Moby Grape descent trail) that will take you back to the base without having to go all the way to the bottom. You may be able to get some of the shorter pitches in if you find that short-cut. Otherwise, plan on one day per climb if you're going to the top. The same is true for WG, but I don't know if there is a short-cut back to the talus off that trail (which is on the climber's left). Don't even think about trying to get to the top of Cannon to meet the Moby descent trail if you're doing WG. Here's why (old post, sorry for the lack of formatting)

Definitely take a look at Vertigo (5.9 A0), or VMC Direct (5.10+).

Ask Olderic or Edge for beta on the shortcut from the climber's right descent trail. I have no idea where it is. I don't know if they'll know, but they might.

North Conway: Yeah, the routes you listed are great. Thin Air-to-Pine Tree Eliminate is a great route. From there, walk left and find the trail back down to the Upper Refuse Ledge (you'll walk past the Barber Wall and several classic, single-pitch crack climbs (such as Nutcracker (5.10a)). There you'll find a nice 5.8 called Black Lung to the right of the classic Upper Refuse (5.4 or something like that). But the real classic off this ledge is Book of Solemnity (5.10a), which is the sweet dihedral / roof on the right of the ledge (it's a massive ledge, btw). If no one is climing BoS, then you can rap back down to the ledge to do the other climbs without walking. If folks are climbing, though, the walk back to the ledge isn't so hard.

The North End will offer some nice single pitch climbs such as: They Died Laughing (5.9), Bird's Nest (5.9-), and The Slot (5.10b). All are wonderfully protectable. There are a couple of 5.5 and 5.6 warm-up routes, there, too. The North End is the area right at the bottom of the road to the top (and the descent walk-off). It's right near the gate at the bottom of the road.

Recompense...wow.

Over on Whitehorse, the Hotter Than Hell area (far climber's left) has some really nice climbs ranging from fairly easy to stiff. Most are only a couple of pitches long (up to four), but they're worth it. Children's Crusade (in between the big slabs and the Hotter than Hell area), is a nice 3-pitch route at 5.9 and 4 pitch route at 5.11a if you're so inclined.

I think you can do the big slabs easily and get more of the smaller stuff done in a day, too, particularly if you're fast and good on slab. I think the descent trail is much easier than the one on Cannon.

Rumney: skip it (no, just kidding - I just wanted to get a rise out of Jake). But if you're going to go, hit Jake up. He's the resident freak show and he'll entertain you all day on all the best stuff.

Does that help?

Won't be available. see bolt.. clip bolt. repeat.

Sooo i'm exactly 24 days from my annual week long no wife no kid October climbing trip. This year my friends and i have decided on New Hampshire, unless something dumb like a week-long rain spell happens. In that case we'll have to pick somewhere else. But, since that's definitely not going to happen, the granite state it shall be. I know a lot of you who post in this thread climb up that way regularly. I've never been up there for anything, climbing or otherwise. Looking for some suggestions and experiences to guide me on my way.

First, The Whitney Gilman and Mobey Grape are absolute must do's. We'll be getting to Cannon late Monday night, and plan on dedicating Tuesday and Wednesday morning to once of those two each. I would assume we'll get down each day in time to do a little "cragging" so to speak. What other shorter routes on Cannon are good? That hand traverse on the old man's dog looks pretty cool.

After our two days in Franconia we're looking to spend 2 or 3 days in North Conway. Looking to to do Thin Air with Pine Tree Eliminate as well as Recompense at Cathedral. Maybe Sliding board or one or two of the long bolted mid-5.10 routes. Anything else "Must do" in Conway?

If there's time at the end of the week we're going to swing by Rumney, just for sake of going once, but of all the places this would be the first one thrown out. Any advice is welcome. Grade doesn't matter if it protects well.