so what did you do this weekend? 12/1/2012

[M_Sprague]

I headed up Saturday morning for some bouldering at Pawtuckaway, but by the time I was passing through norther RI amd Mass it was blowing snow. Everybody bailed, so I ended up checking out the new Evolution gym in Concord and setting routes all weekend. It looks like it will be a great, well thought out gym. Almost all the walls are at least slightly overhanging, so there are no dead walls that end up being collectors of boring routes, yet there are still routes of all grades. It sounds like the grand opening will be in January, but they are hoping to be open for climbing this coming weekend.

[sneoh]

I headed up Saturday morning for some bouldering at Pawtuckaway, but by the time I was passing through norther RI amd Mass it was blowing snow. Everybody bailed, so I ended up checking out the new Evolution gym in Concord and setting routes all weekend. It looks like it will be a great, well thought out gym. Almost all the walls are at least slightly overhanging, so there are no dead walls that end up being collectors of boring routes, yet there are still routes of all grades. It sounds like the grand opening will be in January, but they are hoping to be open for climbing this coming weekend.

Thanks for the scoop, Mark.  I will look for your routes when I visit.
What's wrong with vertical or off-vertical walls?  Routes on these are only boring because the setters do not bother to make them interesting.  I am sure Kyle and PeteK are fully capable of setting interesting slabby routes!  You might remember some of Whitey's more creative creations on BRG slabs!  One of my fave wall to set at Metro is slight off-vertical to slight overhung; you get routes of two different character on one rope!

[M_Sprague]

There is one steep slab section where I set a 5.9. Vertical walls can have good routes, but in so many gyms they end up being the throw-away walls that nobody really wants to set on.  Slabs can be good, but in a gym setting they have to be changed frequently as they get dirty and polished quickly.

[sneoh]

Slabs can be good, but in a gym setting they have to be changed frequently as they get dirty and polished quickly.

Yup, that is correct and often a neglect at most gyms.

[Dave7]

Though a native Massachusettsian, I currently live in NY.  A buddy and I took a ride up to the Daks and spent a full day climbing ice at Pitchoff and Cascade Mountain.  Things were thin, but it sure was great to get out for the first time this season.  We are looking forward to coming to the North Conway area in a couple weeks to climb Yale/Pinnacle/ or Odells!!

[mechanicalchris]

Pinkham Cascade... mostly sparks and slush at a comedic angle but exciting none-the-less.

Wish ice season was 6 months not 3 

Gatta make every weekend count!

[meclimber]

watched the baby girl and dreamed about new routes...

[DWT]

DWT: how was the walk off? Did you come down the trail climber's left?

No, two raps and a short downclimb.  We started down the walk-off climbers left and had a change of heart.

[SidleK]

Black Dike on Sunday...crux pitch is rather thin...maybe 1 or 2 screws that whole pitch

[Admin Al]

Black Dike on Sunday...crux pitch is rather thin...maybe 1 or 2 screws that whole pitch

very cool... I saw pix of Kevin Mahoney up there as well. the talus must be for crap.

[strandman]

watched the baby girl and dreamed about new routes...

And bear Notch won't be open for 6 months   

[Girard]

Did Hitchcock Gully and then the East Face Slab Right. Some good frozen dirt to swing at in the Gully. The Slab was pretty thin on the right side but both were very climbable without any dinner plating. Good amount of cauliflower on the bottom left of the slab.

[bubbalee]

syke, lovel and  i went to dixville notch and did parasol gully which was very nice indeed if not short. we were going to do some mixed rock stuff but forgot the pins, turf screws, and rock gear. the winter mixed lines up there are incredible makes you feel like your in scotland.