The NEW

Two weeks ago I sent Proper Soul 5.14a at the Cirque at Endless wall(sendless no more). I had probably put ten days of effort into the climb and was psyched to finally send the rig. I had been working the climb with the legend himself Porter Jarrard. It was special to work Proper Soul with Porter because had a hand in bolting it back in the 90's. The day i sent Porter and I had identical first burns on Proper Soul. Both of us fell on the move leaving the dihedral. Porter had to head to work, but local Chris Helm and i stuck around. Chris gave me a great motivational/safety talk and then belayed me as i fought and pushed through the mid day heat and humidity on my way to the anchors. Thanks Chris!

Photo Credit: Taylor Strohmeyer.

With funds getting tighter, i picked up a job serving tables at Porter Jarrard's new restaurant the Vandalin. I have never served tables or even worked in a restaurant and i am excited for the opportunity and experience. If you stop through Fayetteville, I highly recommend the restaurant. The dinner entrees that come out of that kitchen are 5 star pieces of art that taste as great as they look. Check it out.

With the heat reaching the mid 90's and the humidity soaring i had to take a break from Proper Soul. I went out to the Upper Meadows to try this gear line called Black Crack 5.12c. Hear are some pics of my failed onsite attempt. Photo Credit: Kelly Andrews

Proper soul, Day 6

Temps in the 90's with high humidity equals no send. enjoy the pics. Photo Credits: John T Strohmeyor

Proper Soul, Day 5

Went out and hung a static line on Proper Soul this morning. Rapped down and brushed every key hold on the route. After hanging a line and rapping and jugging around for a while i felt decently warmed up. I got on the route around 10am and felt great. I blew by my previous high point and cruised through the powerful traverse. I skipped the last bolt and grabbed the finial holds when my left hand popped off one off the small crimps guarding the chains. I was both psyched and disappointed to get such a high point. I have one hung the route a couple of times now and feel really close. Heading out this morning for attempt before it heats up to much.

Photo credits: John T Strohmeyer.

Proper Soul, Day 4

Rested around Roger's Rocky Top Retreat all morning waiting for cooler temps. Finally made it to Cirque around 5pm. Warmed up on the first couple of bolts of proper soul. It was my sixth day on and temps were still in the mid 80's with about 50-60 percent humidity.

After warming up and watching a couple of locals give it some burns i was ready. Temps hadn't really cooled off much. However, three other people were in line and it was my turn. The climb felt a lot harder than it felt on previous burns. Non the less, i was still able to make it to my previous high point. I sorta freaked out a little and messed up my beta quite a bit. After the fall, i got back on and tried to take it to the top. I made it to the top in two hangs falling again in the hard traverse section above the dihedral crux.

My second burn was around 8pm. The sun had left the gorge and temps had dropped a little. I felt quite tired pulling into the dihedral and took a nasty fall leaving the dihedral. My leg slipped off and went directly behind the rope. I fell really awkwardly and had no chance to free my leg while falling. I just gritted my teeth and hoped for the best. Luckily, Emily payed me out a little extra slack and i was able to free fall into the air and avoid the wall with my head. I pulled back on and was able to go on and one hang the route from the middle of the dihedral.

Felt really good to do the route in one hang in such hot conditions. After six day of climbing i am going to take a true rest day and try the route fully rested. So psyched!!

Proper Soul, day 3

Started out the day by warming up at Summersville lake. Went down to Orange Oswald and climbed some of the classic 5.10 and 5.11's with a beautiful young lady. It was pretty busy being fourth of July weekend and all. However, we were able to climb what we wanted without having to wait in any lines. After warming up and basking in the sun i was starting to get a little antsy for Proper Soul. I Left around 4pm and got out to Endless around 5sih. The Sun Completely leaves the Cirque around 5:30 and things finally start to cool off a bit.

My first burn was good. I made it to my previous high point and fell exiting the dihedral again. However, i worked the sequence a little and figured out some really good foot beta for the move where i was falling. Feeling good about the new beta i lower from there in an attempt to save enough energy for one really good red-point burn.

My second burn i was noticeable more tired climbing through the dihedral. However, i was still able to try out the new foot beta which worked and felt pretty good. I was able to reach past my previous high point and grab the next hold which is a good flat jug. I fell adjusting on the jug when my foot slipped off. With the day winding down i got back on from there to try and one hang the route. I climbed from the middle of the dihedral to the last hard section a couple of holds from the chains. I felt really good about the new high point and was also able to learn a little bit about how i my body would feel on the top part of the route. With weather this good it has been hard to take full rest days. Today will be my six day of climbing in a row. None the less i am feeling good and plan on getting on it again this evening.

Proper Soul

For the past month or so I have been staying at a small campground located in the heart of the New River Gorge in West Virginia. The climbing in the Gorge can be very challenging with thought provoking movements up beautiful white and orange Nuttal Sandstone. Most of the areas I’ve climbed at around the US, take an average of two weeks to really start to feel good and comfortable on the rock. The New on the other hand has taken more like four or six weeks before I am finally starting to feel comfortable with some of the movements. I am sure the weather has played a huge role in this, with average temps soaring well into the 80’s. Take the heat and add in some tropical like humidity and well, conditions have been tough. With the manky conditions, I have really had to take my climbing down a couple of grades. That being said, I have gotten on some truly amazing rock climbs here at the New. The locals in town and staying at the campground are really friendly and have made me feel right at home. While climbing though out the gorge, I have been eyeing up some of the harder lines looking for a cool project to zone in on. Proper Soul 5.14a is a proud looking 100-foot line that climbs through a beautiful steep dihedral on it way to the top of the cirque at endless wall.

After sweating it out waiting for good conditions I finally decided to just get on it and see what it was all about. My first working burn up the route took about an hour. Conditions were not great, I got rained out of the first crag I went to and ended up at the cirque because it stays dry in the rain. Most of my time on the route was figuring how to get into and then back out of the crux dihedral. The other half of the route climbs through a couple of powerful and tricky traverses ending with a sure to be heartbreaking last couple of moves to the top. After my first burn, I was absolutely trashed. After not climbing that hard for a couple of weeks my body felt like it had been run over by a train. Anyway, I think I have found a pretty good project.

Day two on Proper Soul was really inspiring. I had a pretty good burn and fell leaving the dihedral. I was third day on, however conditions were way better for this go. Temps in the 70’s with humidity probably down around 60 to 70 percent. I was really psyched to get a high point on the route and also make it to the chains with only three hangs. Feeling good about the route at this point. Can’t wait for a rest day.