East Face of CB

All I could see was blank and bleak.  Got a few bathook holes in, but those really feel like cheating when you're still on the ground looking up.

I tried to get in some aiding this AM, but lost interest in this piece of rock after a few hours.  It's got some decent face holds, but zero cracks that will take pro or even hook.

Aiding at Chain Bridge Nordwand

It's an indiscriminate crag that needed a good name. It faces north, so "CB Nordwand" it is.  The "CB East Face" is just down river.


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Todd Bevans and I headed over to try out the wall for some alpine aid practice.   Temps were steady at 28 degrees F and slightly snowing.  We were bundled just right for standing in etriers.   Most (more like all) of the rock was soft and loose.  We were able to get some hooks in as well as a few cam placements, but overall, it didn't go too well.

To the East Face next time!

Cold and white gold!

Back from the Cats and finally got on some ice this season. Peter Andrzejczak (pronounced exactly as it's spelled) and I got up for 2 days of killer weather and budding ice conditions.

Saturday we got on Sun Wall in Stoney Clove for some pillar action and our first days on ice.  Great way to warm up and get the swing down again.  We awoke to 24 degrees and it never broke freezing.

 

After lunch it was off to Deep Notch, a lesser known area of the Cats.  It sits higher in elevation that most other major climbing areas and has very reliable ice.  We headed for the gem, Long Dong (WI3-).

We did it in 2 pitches.  Here's Peter finishing the second pitch.  Great leads and solid fun!

We awoke Sunday to 1 degree and crystal clear skies.  We liked Deep Notch's ice so much, that we headed back.  We hiked up and hit up a bunch of nice lines, names unknown. 

A nice pillar, short but stout

Peter with the screaming barfies

Flying the Colors

Quakin Aspen Cleaning

Got out today to start cleaning and developing the Quakin' Aspen area near Chain Bridge.  Rappelled down a 70 ft buttress hoping it was as good up close as it looked from the ground.  It was not.  Loose rock and standard quarried feel to most of the cliff.  The amount of vines covering was impressive, but wasn't an issue to clear.  Always fun to rap in with a hedge trimmers clipped to your harness.

Found some good looking slabs that will work well.  I'll be coming back to finish cleaning it and develop a few lines on this 50 ft beauty.

A few other walls of note.  Very close to the parking lot on Rt. 123.  Both have some good aid-able lines on them.  The second is much more blank.

Potomac Rock Recon

Headed down near Chain Bridge along the GW Parkway to scout for climbable rock.  I think I've found my new project area for development.

Here's a map of the area we checked out.


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Bing aerial photos

From Quaken Aspen

Ripe Mango looks bad.  The upper section has collapsed. It was a 5.10+, but hasn't seen action in a loooong time and now has succumb to a rockfall.