Cian's Echo, Lake Echo, NS

Deep in the woods of Lake Echo, NS lies the crimp nightmare Cian's Echo! These were shot years ago when Ben and Rich attempted the line. Notice the stove for heat source. Sharp crimps and frozen fingers = pure pain!

Deja Vu @ LOC

Chris Eager on Deja Vu (v6-8) @ LOC ~2001. Slightly high for short people to do the sit-start but the top-out is a true "NS top-out". Just the stand is a challenge by itself. Only few know where to find this gem...

Woodlot guidebook 1998

GL during the FA of Minute Papillon at Cheater's Head.

Minute Papillon (v9-10?) @ Cheater's Head (2003)

Here is an obscure testpiece found at Cheater's Head across from Terence Bay. On a slightly overhanging wall close to the ocean are two problems. The left is an amazing ballsy v7 named Rogue Wave and to the right is a heinous crimp problem named Minute Papillon. On the last move of Rogue you make a long move where blowing it would result diving in the ocean! Here Chris Eager works on Minute Papillon (possibly still unrepeated, FA by GL)

Le Safari @ LOC ~ 1999

I have some older photos (pre-digital) of bouldering in Halifax that I intend on posting here over the next few months. Enjoy! G

Shown here is Jeff Lockyer before the first ascent of Le Safari on the Jungle boulder in LOC. This photo was taken during the first session on it sometime in 1999 I believe. Doing first ascents in Halifax depends many times on having the vision of what is possible or might be possible. This was a good example. Observe only two scrubed holds on the lip...

Moving to townhouse

Friday we move in to our townhouse. We are so psyched! Went camping last weekend in Radium. At kicking horse resort they had a small climbing wall that I had to jump on. If only they had these when I was 6!

Wild West

Fiona and I have been living in Calgary for a month now. Things are good. Weather has been pretty aweful. I've climbed a few times outside and plan on visiting Prairie quite a bit this summer.

Nationals

I'm getting psyched to fly to Toronto this Wednesday to set with a great crew for Nationals. I'm looking forward in catching up with some friends as Fiona and I will be moving to Calgary in less than a month. G

School's out! Back to climbing!

I'm now done my college program! So happy to be done. I'm heading down to NH to visit some friends and do some bouldering in Pawtuckaway. Can't wait to get outside.
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Old School

Back in the day, I mean like 10 years ago, the crew finding new boulder problems in Halifax was very small. I guess the number of people who go out NOW and search for new boulders is probably still small. What I'm trying to get at is that even though I wrote a guidebook for Halifax bouldering there are quality boulder problems that were not included in the book. Some would argue that everything should be in a guidebook but I have my reasons for not doing so. Some of these gems are reached by long heinous hikes and all of that for maybe only one boulder and one quality line. But again some of these hidden blocs are equal to the best lines around Hfx. Pictured above is Chris Eager, an old school player, that was part of the gem hunting crew. The boulder problem is called Delivery Boy (v8) found in Musquodoboit Harbour. So good. Maybe some day someone will go there and repeat it...
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GZ video qualifiers

Pulldown's qualifier video from Ground Zero tour de bloc comp.

Results:
Ground Zero Tour de Bloc Local – Feb.13, 2010
Dartmouth, NS

Men's Open
Name; Score (top 8); Finals Tops (tries); Finals Bonus (tries)
1. Eric Sethna 2446 4(7)
2. Chris Richardson 2391 2(2) 4(4)
3. Ben Blakney 2135 2(5) 4(7)
4. Nathan Smith 1980 0 3(3)
5. Ben Smith 2141 0 3(5)
6. Liam Paull 2028 0 1(4)
7. Sean McDonah 1974 0 1(5)
8. Ian Whittaker 1961 0 0

9. Shawn Burchett 1875
10. Jon Bayne 1795
11. Mike Kohler 1760
12. Andy Fraser 1695
13. Lukey Buxton 1686
14. Aaron DesRoches 1601
15. Paul Rockwell 1560

Men's Experienced
1. Robert Paterson 1696
2. Mike Bullen 1676
3. Mick Levin 1650
4. Jamie Simpson 1582
5. Jason Rowell 1580
6. Mark Maas 1570
7. Jeremy Benjamin 1491
8. Carlos Wong 1296
9. Jason Kenney 1256
10. Khoa Le 1241
11. Roger 1167
12. Graeme Nott 1017
13. Frank Morin 820
14. Matt Labucki 815
15. Billy Meuse 801
16. Ian Whitman 761
17. Scott Galbraith 760
18. Graeme Young 655

Men's Recreational
1. William McMullin 1372
2. Christian Hapgood 1287
3. Adam Rayner 1095
4. Patrick Benjamin 1071
5. Mike Walsh 820
6. Trevor Schellinck 480

Women's Open
Name; Score (top 8); Finals Top (tries); Finals Bonus (tries)
1. Holly Reid 1765 3(5) 4(5)
2. Kate Smith 1315 2(2) 3(3)
3. Krissy Lunney 1116 1(1) 3(3)
4. Michelle Lloyd 1155 1(3) 2(4)
5. Jess Gilbert 1250 0 2(3)
6. Vicki French 1077 0 0

Women's Experienced
1. Elizabeth McBain 1060
2. Rolanda Steenweg 986
3. Kate Therien 835
4. Kyla MacNeil 800
5. Elizabeth Gilbert 765

Women's Recreational
1. Kristin Zinck 347

Juniors
name; score (top 8)
1. Guillaume Richard 1445
2. Taylor Kilgour 1386
3. Katherine Bearne 983
4. Emma-Sophia Rosen 807
5. Laura Scaravelli 678
6. Tegan Christensen 516
7. Lukas Willsie 365
8. Gretel Park 347

GZ Massacre

Comp was great. Loved the way finals turned out. No ties and only one guy climbed all 4. Sean set up show lights that added a new ambience for the final show. Sean and I were just a bit concerned that the womens finals would be a bit too easy but in the end they were just right. For the mens I thought they might of been too hard but again it turned out perfect. Got to love it when things go the way you wanted them to go.
Pictured here is Scott shooting video with Pulldown for an upcoming comp video that is already in the works. Stay Tuned!
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TDB

Finals are set and they are good!!! Can't wait to have people send them. Total joy!
Quals go up Friday all day/night... Gym will be closed for that day. I talked to Todd aka Pulldown and he will be there to shoot video.
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Ground Zero Valentine's Massacre/Tour de Bloc

Setting starts tomorrow for Ground Zero's upcoming Tour de Bloc comp this Saturday. It should be a big show. Lots of problems to try that day only and I hear finals will be HOT! Registration for all categories is from 9-9:45am Sat. morning at GZ. I heard Pulldown might show up to film the event. BOLO will definetely be there too.
Be there!
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The Hunted (v8) @ Grover, NS

It's a long hike but this problem is worth it. Found on the edge of Grover's peninsula is the problem The Hunted. We did this line roughly 6 years ago. Crux at the bottom matching on the arete then slightly overhanging to the top. This video is the first ascent shot by Brian Garrison (note: done during hunting season).
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VIP (v12) @ The Honey Tree, NS

Here's another oldie. Deep in the woods of w.penn is the honey tree home of The Honey Tree (v8) and the unrepeated VIP (v12) done by Nick Sagar quite a few years ago. Video is of me on an attempt.
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old footage - Overdrive (v10) @ LOC

I have some old footage that I will post here from time to time. This one is not very old maybe 3 years? Me repeating Overdrive at LOC on a cold Sunday after a tour de bloc comp. The first ascent was done over 10 years ago, time flies! Still only half a dozen repeats since...

Ice Box Session 2010!

My resolution for this year is to climb more. Tonight Sean and I got a good session in the famous ice box in Lake Echo. Temps were decent and we have a good circuit of projects on the go. More ice box sessions to come I'm sure. Psyched.
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