Northern PA Bouldering

Breaking things

12.17.11

The season is fast approaching a close and it’s about that time to focus on the winter training. I knew there was one more good day lurking somewhere, so I jumped on it. I had to get back to Squirrel Rock and try to slay some demons that have been haunting me lately.

The only thing I had set in my mind was to put down Shell Shocked. This problem has put up a fight since day one. Its hard, its steep and buuurly! It focuses on climbing with just a couple fingers on each hand. At no point do you ever use more than 3 fingers. The pockets are angled, narrow and chew the skin off your fingers. Did I mention at no point are the feet really that good…

The last time I was out, I fell off the top a bunch of times. All the hard work was done nothing left. For some reason that’s where I had trouble. Definitely an endurance thing as I can do the moves from a stand but, just run out of gas when I get there from the low start.

Today was no different, I made it though all the moves except the final bump to the jug numerous times. On the best burn of the day I had it wired except my foot cut loose before the bump. I quickly jumped back on from the stand and did the moves. I knew the send was next. Rest 30 minutes then do it!

On my “to be send go”, something terrible happened. The crux hold crumbled in my hand! Getting to the hold is a simple bump from the start hold. Most people can switch feet and fall in. Unfortunately I can’t reach the foot back over so I came up with some campus beta that worked really well for me. (not to mention all the other goofy beta for the rest of it) I think campusing into it so many times set it loose, the hold must have been on it’s way. In the slow mo part of the video you can see the chunk drop out of my hand.

Sorry to everyone out there it wasn’t my intention, these things happen.

So Shell Shocked is still a project for me and to my disappointment it didn’t go this year. If you have done it try it again its a bit harder now. Definitely something to think about to keep the training going strong through the winter. Spring comes, its on.