Sunday, March 17, 2013

NSB back in 2002...

Here's an old web archive from 2002 on bouldering activity in Halifax...



2002/11/20 Dover Island, NS




















photo: zigtv
Ben Blakney on Dover Island's classic Exciter.


2002/11/19 Chebucto Head and Duncan's Cove, NS
At Chebucto Head above Andy's area, a dangerous short bulge has been climbed and named The big fellar (v6R). Situated above a rolling slab the problem starts in a small trench on a horizontal then crimps up the bulge to a delicate top out. At Duncan's cove on the Jazzberry Ram wall, the straight up from the horizontal originally dubbed Acid Jazz goes at around v6.


2002/11/16 Terence Bay, NS










 photo:zigtv
Nick wearing his hunter's orange on Gun Control. Right photo: crux hold
On Friday, Nick Sagar completed Gun Control (v11/12) one of the few remaining projects at the woods area. Previously known as the "sloper project" this technical line no doubt ranks as one of Halifax's hardest.


2002/11/14 Halifax, NS
Check out the postcards on DrTopo for November 10, 11, 12, and 13. It's the account of DrTopo's trip to Halifax along with some photos. The November 13th's postcard showcases Darlene Pidgeon repeating One Scoop located on Dover Island. A short video is still to come!


2002/11/08 Niagara Glen, ON
As reported on 8a, Simon Villeneuve climbed a FA at the Glen named The Crucifix (v11). Located to the left of The Phoenix which Villeneuve repeated a while back and was recently done by Adam Zarzycki.


2002/11/08 Halifax, NS
Tim Doyle and Darlene Pidgeon visited Halifax a few weeks ago and again this week along with Alex Guerrits of DrTopo. They were psyched about the areas they saw. Stay tuned for a little something on their trip on DrTopo.com. Here's a few new problems in the last month: At Tombstone (Blind Bay) on the big boulder beside Tombstone/Buried alive, there is Au bouleau (v7), a R to L traverse finishing up the middle of the boulder. Sit-starting on the far left is The surgeon general (v10) which finishes on the same finish as on Au bouleau. On the Satellite at LOC, Bring the pain (v8), an old slab-mantle project to the right of Crystal light. A long link-up at Chebucto Head has been done starting by the water down from Tall guy, traversing the faces R to L finally finishing on Tsunami. On Dover, the roof project between White trash and Orantugan has been completed and named Horizontal matter (v9ish). This fall Ground Zero, Beyond Gravity, and DAL Plex are each running competion series with monthly comps. Have a look on the events page for more info. Finally Todd Foster's bouldering video Eastern Tide has made the finalists list at the Banff Mountain Festival of Films. The short version of 22min showcases local climbers at LOC, Dover island, and Terence Bay and is one of only 15 climbing videos at the festival.


2002/11/08 Val-David, QC
On a recent visit Nick Sagar climbed Cowboy from the sit-start which would bring it to around v11 seeing the higher start was thought to be v10/11.



2002/09/27 LOC














































 photos: Nick Sagar
Kleos at Area 51 in LOC.


2002/09/04 Halifax, NS
























photo: Nick Sagar
Heather Reynolds-Sagar on her ascent of Resurrection
This morning Heather Reynolds-Sagar climbed Resurrection (v10) at LOC. That makes her one of the few (2 or 3) canadian women to have climbed the grade. 


2002/09/02 Halifax, NS
Today Nick Sagar completed the sit down start to Show me your guts at Area 51. Kleos (v11) is one of  the hardest testpiece in Halifax right behind The Grind at Duck Head.
 


2002/08/15 Salt Lake City, UT
Canadian Nels Rosaasen finished in a strong 2nd place at the recent PCA comp held at the Front in Salt Lake City.


2002/08/15 Squamish, BC
Pat Chung repeated Dan Gable's prow problem Encore Une Fois (v11).  Matt Lucas' highball slab Desire (30 feet high!) has become something of a classic, and has seen several ascents. Tim Doyle did the low start to Krishna which is 
probably in the V10 or V11 range.
news - by Trent Hoover
Dr.Topo reports that 16 yr old Harry ? repeated The Proposal. Have a look at their photo sequence.


2002/08/15 Halifax, NS
In the last few months a few new problems have gone up at various areas. At Duck head cove, Todd Foster added Shake n' bake (v6) on the cave section and uses a shaky yet solid block for both hands and a heel hook all at once. The scary tall face around the left arete from Skin graph has been completed just recently and named Comfort zone (v8/9) and awaits a repeat. On Dover island Sagar added an unnamed roof problem between Aaron Eden's Tourist attraction and Orangutan and checks in the v7-8 range. Aaron Eden visiting during Boulder Fest did an impressing flash 2nd ascent of Decepticon (v7) found just left of the classic v3 John Doe. Another old LOC project got completed a few weeks ago this time on the Scoop boulder. The short arete right of When stars attack produced Back on track (v7/8). On the repeat front here goes: Ben Blakney got Z-hall and X-rated the later also done by Foster and Jim H. Tyler Sherman made a few runs up the dicey Terminal velocity during one of the Tuesday night bouldering series. Heather Sagar repeated Le visage coupĂ© (v7) at the new Chebucto's foot area.


2002/07/17 Chebucto Head, NS
Nick completed the "Tommy's bulge" project at Chebucto calling it Young One. Tommy Caldwell had begun working the awkward bulge during his visit last fall.  It is situated below the parking and to the right of Andy's area and falls in the v10 range.


2002/07/12 Duck Head, NS
Nick Sagar has pushed the limit in Halifax once again with The Grind
 (v11) at Duck Head Cove. Nick worked on the line for several days before toping out the steep line.





















Nick on The Grind (v11) at Duck Head Cove. photo: zigtv


2002/06/10 Squamish, BC
Darlene Pidgeon continues to rip up the forest - after returning from Fontainebleau, she seems even stronger.  In the last few weeks, she has completed Sesame Street and Wormworld Cave.  Wormworld Cave is an especially notable ascent, as it is notably reachy and harder for those under 5'6" or so.  Darlene also made a rapid ascent of Dan Gable's new technical sloper problem Vitamin D (V8).
Tim Doyle finally opened the long-unclimbed problem that comes out of the right side of Israel's Cave in the Talus Area, in Squamish. Siddharta is unusual for Squamish, in that it uses a series of thin basalt crimps up a very overhanging face.  Tim understandably refrained from grading the problem, but the line of suitors for this problem was impressive, and
included several of Canada's strongest boulderers.  This problem will certainly rank as one of Canada's most difficult.
Hope, one hour east of Vancouver, is steadily becoming a new bouldering destination for western Canada.  A posse of strong locals (including Marc Lebrevre, Nate Woods, and Quinn Chevalier) have unearthed hundreds on stellar problems on fine-grained granite.  Nate Woods' testpieces include the stellar highball Blade of Lightning (V9/10) and the crimpy Pirhanasenfossa (V10/11).  More to come from this group of dedicated boulders...

- news by Trent Hoover


2002/05/17 Niagara Glen, ONT
Sonnie Trotter repeated The Phoenix (v11) at the Glen.


2002/05/17 LOC
Becky Craig climbed Gimme gimme shock treatment at the Joey Ramone area yesterday. Previously given v8 the consensus now seems to be v6.


2002/05/16 Val-David, QCSimon Villeneuve repeated Cowboy (v10/11) before completing the project of the extended start to Belly of a whale. Ultra Belly (v11).


2002/05/13 Chebucto HeadNS
Heather Reynolds-Sagar did Tsunami today after a few days of work. That just 10 months after having a baby!


2002/05/12 TB woods area, Porcupine FortressThere’s a new problem to the left of Jabba the hut called  The Parallax view (v8). Starts on two high very small crimps and climbs straight up the face. PF has seen a little more traffic these days resulting in a few new problems. On the backside of the Bandit boulder there’s now The masked man (v7) and to the right around the corner The quiver (v4).




















Sonnie jumping on Bugs Bunny on Dover island. photo: Simon Sagar
Sonnie Trotter was in town for a visit and also to experience the bouldering he heard so much about. He seemed impressed with the areas and already plans to come back soon. Aside from climbing some classic testpieces, including flash ascents of ResurrectionFear of FlyingZ-Hall, etc, Sonnie established a few new quality desperates. On Dover to the right of One Scoop: Ocean Playground (v10), then “fishmouth project” was done by Sagar then Trotter:Wet Walkie-talkie (v9). At Duck Head Cove in the mini cave area: High Tide (v9). At Terence Bay woods the long attempted “dyno from crimps” below Blood flameHardly Easy (v9) 2nd ascent by Trotter then he added a sit-start problem to the right of the tree and finishes up the arĂȘte/face: Strike three (v9). Sonnie also repeated Fynnished (v10).

















Sonnie on his Ocean playground (v10) on Dover island. photo: Simon Sagar


2002/05/10 Terence Bay Ben Blakney completed the cave project at the lake area and was named The Blakney Special (v9) also repeated by Chris Eager.


2002/05/10 LOCThe face project on the Dog House boulder has been completed and named Full House.

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