The best of Beaver Land: Forgiveness Wall

Perhaps the best wall in Beaver Land is the one that required the most work to clean the top.  The wall has some of the best rock in the area but a daunting amount of vegetation was on the top-out. Jonathan put the time in to clean part of the top but never got to try the problem he made possible.  I went back later for the fa of what is perhaps Beaver Land's best problem but credit should be given to Jonathan so he got the honor of naming it.  "Beg for Forgiveness" is a reference to to what I should do for stealing the first ascent.  I also cleaned up the rest of the wall and managed to send another great problem.  There are still a couple projects.

Beg for Forgiveness climbs a steep rail before a final dyno to the top.  Here Kalle fires for the top.

I used the intermediate on the FA but Kalle and others have opted to go all the way to the jug.  A great problem

Johan tries the other problem on the wall.  I called this one "the Badger".

Beaver Land

As per usual most of my time out climbing has been developing new stuff.  Earlier this summer before work started taking up all my time I had a streak of very productive weeks where nearly every time I went out I found something worthy.  While the discoveries tend to be small areas with a handful of problems (or a solitary gem) one of the places I stumbled upon holds more potential than most and I've spent a bit of time there brushing new problems.  I'm calling the place "beaver land" as a nearby community of beavers have left their mark on quite a few trees,  Fortunately most of the climbing isn't near the water so I don't have to worry about disturbing the beavers.

Beaver land consists mostly of walls and they are generally on the steep side so there is lots of potential for hard stuff.  The rock varies in quality but is generally decent and cleans up pretty well.  In general a lot of cleaning is required for the top-outs as dirt, moss, and roots are draping over the walls.  Development is slow and thus far there are only about a dozen established problems and a couple cleaned projects but there is plenty more to be cleaned.  Here are a few pictures.

The beavers have been here

One of the many steep walls

Jonathan and Emil underneath another wall.  This one is now cleaned with considerable help from Jonathan.  

More steep climbing.

This wall is only slightly overhanging. 

Jonathan on the first problem we did in Beaver Land

A newly brushed crimp project

A closeup of the crimpy project

Lina feeling out a cool problem she brushed up.  This particular wall took roughly 3 hours with a shovel to clear the top and now has 5 problems on it.

Alex on a steep rail problem I dubbed "Joe Cocker".  This one took me a couple sessions and some beta help from some friends. 

Alex on a fun dyno the uses some awesome holds

Johan bears down on a project

A Ray of Light and a Little Video

So the epic weather has only recently let up and I hope this means the weather gods have changed their tune.    This should mean that we will be getting out more and the blog will explode with photos of a smiling Antonio.  It's not too lake for Sweden to show it's softer side as Antonio got a pretty bad first impression.

Here is a little video from Antonio's first couple days in Sweden (and a little old footage).  I'm lucky enough to have found, brushed and FAed all four problems in the video.  When it's not raining Sweden is pretty sweet.

Hope you enjoy

Swedish Bouldering: Orust and Tjörn from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Rain Rain Go Away

I've been back in Sweden for 10 days and I think it has rained everyday.  The weather is so bad that even Swedes are commenting on the dreary conditions and unfortunately the forecast calls for more of the same.  This weather weighs on my soul and it is doubly disconcerting because I coaxed my good friend Antonio to come for an extended visit.  I just hope the weather gods smile on us before Antonio loses all hope and starts hitting the booze.

Despite the horrible weather we have made it out a couple times.  There are a few problems that tend to stay dry(ish) and the brief windows of opportunity has enabled us to compile several hours on real rock over a week.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Antonio on the verge of insanity

Steep equals dry (sometimes).  Antonio on Henry Lee

The first move of Henry Lee

 Antonio trying a new problem I put up called Salsa.

Working Bro-Down, a sweet new problem we brushed up

Orust Rail Project

Several years ago I tried an amazing Rail Project on Orust.  Back then I decided it was a bit too hard but recently I decided to have another crack at it (I'd like to think I'm a better/stronger climber now).  Daniel and I went there early one morning and it was just as stunning as I remember it.  Unfortunately it is still very hard (or I'm just weak) and got a bit harder when the one suspect hold (and only real jug on the problem) came off.  It definitely still goes but it'll have to wait until I'm stronger or some mutant comes down for a try.

Daniel contemplates the Rail Project

Almost doing the move to the jug.  Moments later I was boosted to the jug and an audible cracking sound warned me of impending doom.  A couple light tugs from the safety of the ladder would relieve the route of it's only jug.

The bottom of the scare is now a "decent" sloper and the right side is a good sidepull/undercling.  I thing that getting into this undercling will be harder but then make the next move easier than before (got to look on the bright side).

The jug that was nice enough to not crack my skull open.

Bohuslan Bouldering Video

Still no climbing in the icy purgatory that is Sweden. Been going to the gym a couple times a week in hopes of not being completely worthless for Hueco Tanks. Only 10 days left and then I'll be basking in the sun and flailing on boulders in the USA.
Until then, here is another video. This one has a few problems in Häller and one problem on Orust.

Hope you enjoy.

Swedish Bouldering: Bohuslan from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Thank God for the Islands

As stated early, this time of year can be rough for a New Mexico boy like me. That's not to say there is no climbing at all here in Sweden but as the days get shorter the windows of opportunity get fewer. Fortunately for me there are the islands just outside Gothenburg. With a couple hundred fast drying problems and a micro-climate that is generally more favorable that the mainland, the islands provide a fix when everywhere else is sopping wet. It helps keeps the suicidal tendencies at bay.

Occasionally I need to be reminded of how great the islands are and Sunday's ill conceived trip to Orust did just that as I spent half my time drying rocks so I could climb on them.

Here are a couple pics

Island life

The Helmet

Anders on I am the Walrus

Geir on Hälsö

Per-Ola in Boxvik after 40 minutes of drying

Buddha Rhubarb Butter in Boxvik

Video Installment: Boxvik

Right now I'm between cameras as I had mine stolen last winter and the loner I borrowed from my sister has been returned ( Thanks Heather). That means that instead of collecting new footage I've started going through some old stuff in an effort to clean out my computer. My new project is to throw together quick videos from the various areas and with any luck I'll produce about one every two weeks or so. I'm not going to promise too much with these vids but I'll try to keep them entertaining and maybe it'll help someone out there get psyched. This first one is from one of my pet areas, Boxvik. I've been fortunate to do much of the development there as there was a solid few months where I climbed there nearly every weekend. I actually had limited footage of problems being topped out but lots and lots of failing. Good times.
Hope you enjoy.

Also, if there is an area folks want to see footage from (Spain, Hueco Tanks, certain Swedish areas) please let me know. There is a good chance that I'll only do a couple of these so the higher on the list an area is the more likely you'll see footage.

Boxvik Bouldering from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

New at Bro

Not much climbing lately but I still make it out a time or two. Last weekend I was in Bro and we brushed up a new wall, yielding two new problems and one project. Here are a couple pics.

Johan on the fa of 83 kg

83 kg

Johan tries "Under 83kg" which starts down and left and follows features right.

The straight up project to Under 83 kg. Working name is Lightweight.

Lost and Found

This last weekend Peter, Jon from Stockholm (aka Bruno), and I braved the cold and headed to Orust. Peter and Jon played on the Nick Cave Roof (congrats to Jon on Henry Lee and the 2nd ascent of Stagger Lee) and I tried to stick to my policy of establishing at least one new problem every time I'm in an area still under development. I went searching for something without icicles dangling from it and found myself struggling to grapple out of a hole. The cave eventually became Lost and Found (sitdown is still undone) but the best send of the day was retrieving my sock from the dark recesses of the boulder pile. It required more skill than I could muster and I eventually had to rely on Jon's long arms and superior spelunking ability to free my sock and save my toes from frost bite. Thanks Jon

Going head-first for the runaway sock

Beta intensive

Jon tries the sitdown to Lost and Found

Peter on Lost and Found

Buddha Rhubarb Butter

On Sunday 5 of us packed in a car and went to Boxvik. I got some good footage of Tompa on Buddha Rhubarb Butter but he somehow managed to not do it, falling off the top 3 times. You can't get much closer and he had to endure our harassment for the remainder of the day. If Tompa doesn't do it next time I'll be surprised, and continue to ridicule him. Until I get some good footage of a send you'll have to settle for this unexciting vid of me on the FA from a couple weeks ago.

A send in Boxvik

I don't have time to cut together all the video I have so I think I'll start posting some unedited pieces just to keep thing coming on the blog.
This is from a couple weekends ago in Boxvik. Johan nabbed the first ascent awhile back and I don't know what he called it. It's a sweet problem.

A Pretty Good Day

Saturday was spent moping around amongst wet boulders, cursing the weather gods, and generally feeling sorry for ourselves. Fortunately Sunday turned out to be a brilliant day and a much needed sending spree on Orust left me feeling quite content.

I nabbed the FA of Stagger Lee at Bro before moving to Boxvik for the FA of Buddha Rhubarb Butter (thanks Tompa). I finished up with a couple laps on one of Johan's problems I should have sent long ago. It was a pretty good day.

Martin eying the rail on Stagger Lee

NBD

Setting the heel at the start of Buddha Rhubarb Butter

Martin on the last move of Johan's problem (name?)

Nick Cave Roof

Before my trip to the States in Sept we found yet another area on Orust. Having been listening to the music of Nick Cave around that time I christened the area's impressive roof after the musician and went to work on the various problems. After that first day we managed to put up two problems that came out the roof (Loretta and Henry Lee respectively and both great problems in there own right) but the main line out the middle shut us down. The project took on the name Stagger Lee and has apparently continued to shut down potential suitors in my absence. With any luck we'll have some good weather and my next encounter with Stagger Lee will turn out in my favor. We'll see.
Here's some footage from that first day with the fa of Henry Lee and an attempt of the project.
Just so you know, the soundtrack is a Nick Cave song and contains some expletives.

Team Manwhore

Here's a vid of Team Manwhore from a couple weeks back. Most of the team sent the problem when the camera was off or with a spotter blocking the shot, so I did a couple laps to get some footage of backmeat and show everyone how awesome I am (maybe it has something to do with my biceps).

A Productive Weekend

Two new areas were explored this weekend. While they're on opposite ends of the spectrum both are exceptional and have me wanting to go back.
The first area is a jumble of steep boulders in the forest on Orust. A 10 meter long jug haul is far and away the longest roof I’ve seen in Sweden and the "Stagger Lee" project on the "Nick Cave" boulder might be the best roof problem I've climbed on in Sweden. I’m hoping to post a vid soon of a line I did and some footage of the one I didn’t.

The second area is on a small island called Keö. We have Spång and Marie to thank for finding the area and loading us on their boat to get there. It's mostly slabby walls with a couple boulders. One extremely beautiful line held Martin and my attention for much of the day. It remains a project. Spawn of Spång, Captain Spång, and Only the Spång Survive were three great problems we put up.

The Keö project

Spång on the fa of Only the Spång Survive

Henrik on Captain Spång

Henrik on the scary top of Spawn of Spång

Spång on Spawn..

Movitz, The spawn of Spång


Lina cruising left out the Nick Cave roof

Martin eyeballs the jug on the Stagger Lee project

The other Martin the Stagger Lee project