The Miracle Project

My buddy Ivan was in Sweden for a couple weeks and brought his motivation.  We went out a couple times and it was nice having someone keen to attack projects.  It was the first time I've had someone to climb with on the Miracle Project and we narrowed down the beta as we threw ourselves at it. It is impressive and I can't wait to get back on it.

Ivan on the beginning of the Miracle Project

A Gem

There is one line at the new local area that I desperately want to climb.  It is the reason that I've done little else when visiting the place as I don't have much motivation to put my limited time into the other lines when this one is right there calling to me.  I reckon it'll go down next time there are adequate pads.    

Johan working the right beta

Niklas finding balance

Sweet features

Hardhat

The one problem I've put up at the new area is a tall compression problem.  With a few pads it can be made safe but DO NOT top-out straight up as a sizable block at the very top of the pillar is loose.  It not a big deal if you go left after hitting the jug as that is the obvious/easiest top-out and avoids the need to wear a hardhat and body armor.

 Johan looks down on the pad arrangement under Hardhat

  Johan on Hardhat

New Local Area

One of the great things about Gothenburg is that the rock seems to be limitless.  I spend lots of time exploring and occasionally I hit a lull and start thinking I need to drive an hour or more to find new areas.  Fortunately something always seems to pop up and remind me that there are still amazing boulders close to town that have yet to be found.  The newest find is a case-in-point as it's located roughly 15 minutes from town, can practically be seen from a paved road, and holds several 3 star lines.  Lets rally some brushes and add to Gothenburg's bouldering prestige.

Me trying what is sure to be one of Gothenburg's best

Big Block in Värnamo

There is a giant solitary boulder in Värnamo that I was shown a year ago and last weekend I finally went back to climb on it.  A striking arete had been my main motivation but after brushing it up I failed to find a sequence that didn't feel really hard.  In the end, and with the help of Jimmy, I found what I believe will be beta but a send will have to wait until another day.  Here are a couple pictures of the boulder.

Jimmy working the arete

A beautiful line waiting to be done

Jimmy on an established highball

Per on his way to a send

Solklinten on WikiBoulder

A friend of mine created a website called WikiBoulder that seems one of the better sites for posting information on bouldering areas.  My skills at creating topos is pretty limited but I've begun the process of adding Solklinten.  Hopefully the information will take some of the mystery out of the area.  On WikiBoulder I've tried to place the "area markers" as exact as possible and while the topos I've created are pretty rough they should give you a basic layout of most of the problems in that area.  There is still lots to add and I haven't put on any grades (like normal) but the site lets anyone edit so feel free to improve on what I've done.  Hope this helps and I'll try to add more in the coming week.

Here's another picture from Solklinten

Oskar on one great sloper problems on the Puddles Boulder

Radar

Gia savagely crimps on one of Solklinten's most popular problems, Radar.

Better Beta for Solklinten

Solklinten is a large area and that is probably why it gets so little traffic.  It seems counter-intuitive that larger areas deter visitors but it seems most folks don't want to run around trying to find things.  My hope was that people would visit the area, spend some time looking around and break out their brushes when they found something worth climbing.  Unfortunately that didn't seem to happen as nearly all the 70 or so problems have been put up by only a few of us.  So it goes.

Currently I'm hoping to provide more detailed info on how to find the larger sectors and some of the better single problems.  This should entice folks that don't want the adventure aspect of just running around.  If someone has a good program for making topos and wouldn't mind shooting it my way it would be greatly appreciated.

Here are a couple more pictures from Solklinten

 Johan on a sloper project

 The sloper project might have to wait until it cools down a bit

 Another undone problem that has been brushed up

Wild Bill Jones

One of the steeper problems in Solklinten is Wild Bill Jones.  The good edges make for dangling feet and lots of fun.

Johan sticks the first move of Wild Bill Jones

Solklinten Goodies: Left and Right-hand Paths

A couple weeks ago Johan and I brushed up a solitary roof I found a year ago but never got around to brushing.  The roof yielded two problems and we assigned slightly confusing names.

Johan does the opening move of The Right-hand Path, which goes straight up the cleft feature via a bad pinch and a long reach.

Johan on the first move of The Left-hand Path, which traverses right and tops out via jugs right of The Right-hand Path