Channel 2

 For the sake of parking at the gap, we rode together in one vehicle- close fellowship situation. Notice the shorts all around. I always wear long pants when hiking, but more about that in a moment.

It has been an exceptionally wet summer, so wildflowers are taller, thicker, and more bloom profuse and persistent than in most years. I pointed out that Cardinal Flower means a consistently wet area.

I didn't have a wide angle enough lens to show how big of a patch of Jewelweed this was. In the foreground is a plant that was and frequently is the bane (1) of many a hike in the woods: Stinging Nettles. There were places along the trail where they grew arching over the trail in extensive, unavoidable patches upwards of shoulder high. Whether it challenged or increased their sanctification or both you will have to ask them, but I know that it must have been irritating and painful with shorts on.

Much of the trail is an old dirt road, probably the access for the fire tower in times past. This side of the mountain gains more elevation that the trail from the gap and is about 1/2 mile longer (3.5 miles each way).

Such a beautiful day and a view of Clinch Mountain. There is a patch of open ground at the base of that mountain that is very desirable and appears to be developed tastefully.

As we hiked, we talked about various issues, including health and fitness. One of my young friends is Kinesiology Major. He talked about how to increase the number of pull-ups you can do, by doing three times your one-time maximum over the period of a day, preferably in as short a time as an hour. We talked about what we thought our max reps were. When we approached the tower on the top of Clinch Mtn, I saw that the bottom tower braces were low enough for the activity and challenged him to start the 3x reps. His wife took this video. We did more reps further down the trail on random horizontal branches.

Here is the entrance to The Channels which are parallel and perpendicular cracks ranging from 6 inches to 10 feet wide and 15 to 25' deep. It sits slightly off the peak of the mountain resulting in a gentle slope to the area. I don't know if rock climbing is allowed, but there appears to be some good bouldering and trad routes.

These two guys have been best of friends since high school, and their Christian walk is a great encouragement to me. I understand the solution chemistry of these cracks forming, but how is the cap above the sun rays left on top? Did it collapse from when the structure was taller or is it a more resistant variety or rock that persisted.

They both have fine girls, too, pretty and godly.

I am thankful that they are willing to hang out with an oldster like me now and then.

Some of the channels are impossible to navigate and others cause you to feel the old saying, "between and rock and a hard place."

Some of the channels have fallen chockstones that provide access to the top. In order to see the bottom, there would have to be rightly aimed sunlight. We stepped across some of the voids, but others were wide or had poor landing spots for jumping.

The lighting from below was superb- such blue skies green leaves and a touch of Autumn.

This little pillar is the remnant of eroded softer rock. The pillar is about 1-foot in diameter and slightly taller. Is it holding up the boulder or just providing a fascinating facade?

????

During lunch break there was a realization that between elevation, poor sunlight penetration, and the giant heat sinks all around, it was quite cool.

I guess some of the cracks are shorter than 15 feet. There is quite a bit of exploring to do (2).

The girls waiting for the next surprise.

'Sherlock, I think that we are in a bit of a tight spot.'

His Beauty

I was telling the group that they had to see this one spot because it was soo cool. It really does feel like if you pulled the wrong chockstone the wrong direction that it could all come down on you. However, I realized just how much lighting effect perceived "coolness". Check out the last three pictures of this same spot in a former blog entry, "The Channels".

My actual perspective- nice pare

The zoom perspective- nice pair

I asked him to take a picture when I was in position, but instead he shot a bouldering sequence.

Backhanded manteling

Losing style points on use of my bottom instead of feet.

Transition turn

Cautiously repositioning

The goal was a large split boulder sitting quite precariously on two smaller ones, leaning in such a way as to cause one to wonder how friction is retaining the set-up.

The tourist overlook of The Channels

The top of the mountain is really quite flat.

The newlyweds for visual scale.

My knowledgeable sister-in-law responded within minutes that this is a Whorled Wood Aster, though she said Lady's Tresses are almost indistinguishable.

Sections of woods were quite open with good sized trees.

We were past most of the Stinging Nettles. They said, "Lesson learned."

Gentle downhill is good.

Do you see the funnel web spider? Its funnel is just to the right and appears to have been rebuilt since there is a double layer. This is the family (Agelenidae) of spider that I studied when I was in college.

Such a beautiful day with substantial and beautiful people in such a beautiful spot. I am thankful and privileged. Life is good because God is good.

1. I like the second definition of bane in the American Heritage Dictionary: "A source of persistent annoyance or exasperation". It best describes the reaction of my young friends.

2. The next four pictures were not taken by me or with my camera but shared to our group.

3. It has been nearly a month since we did this hike. Time flies, so make some memories and keep active.

Soggy Scaling

The walk into the crag at Little Wilson is a mile meandering downhill. That, of course, means a significant haul out for weary climbers. I carry the most equipment in since I have the lead equipment and a rope, so I decided to repair the pack straps on an old day pack so that someone else could carry my rope. After seam ripping the old dry rotted plastic on the straps, I made the pattern you see out of holiday wrapping paper. It was reversible so that I could use it on both straps. I went to the local department store and bought eight inches (x54") of pack material in my favorite color. I stuffed the straps with polyfil just before handsewing it closed.

I was concerned outgoing that the crag would be soaked. I was not far from wrong.

You see through the camera's lens the fog looking bright, but that is because it is collecting light in a longer exposure to make the contrast reasonable for the darker areas. In person it looks much darker. The crack she has her hand in is slowly dripping. You can see the roof that enabled us to climb at all, protecting the face below it from a total soaking.

Having led the climb, I was spraying beta. Generally, these younger climbers appreciate that, but the noise of the stream carried half of it away they later informed me. I also think that I would really like a pair of belayers glasses ("BG's").

These young people are bouldering gym rats and not afraid to use a high foot. Everyone got to this hold. It is the next one about six inches up the crack where the water caused folks to skate out.

As I commented to her, I see two open face sandwiches.

In a well-watered mountain holler

Let this guy give it a go.

Bushes are off limits. You begin to see that the scene is brightening a bit.

The wide-angle close-up effect makes me appear to have Pop-eye forearm. He is doing quite the mantle move to encouraging voices. No, really, I am safe here. I did look away, but in less than a second, I was pulling my brake hand down to my side. I have been in full conversations and caught people. The trick is having your real attention on the climber despite the surroundings.

She is demonstrating the high step.

...and again.

I get the hand chalking, but that faraway look suggests deeper thinking.

She was the first one to make further progress, topping out.

She is about to make it go.

A well-behaved crag dog

There are places in these NC mountains that actually are temperate rainforest. With the reduced drying in this deep holler, I think this might just be a wet spot.

What are you asking?

Evidence of even higher water in the boulders and wood

From the mosses and hornworts, I say this rarely doesn't drip, but serious, everything was dripping this day.

Instruction on Grigri use and "shadow belaying?".

Move in motion

I am amazed sometimes at how much muscles and joints are flexed and contorted while climbing. Check out that left wrist.

Chillin' at the crag

Second one to the top

Another assault

Maybe on a drier day

Because there were no rings where I set up the anchor and no rock or trunk around which to wrap my rope for a rappel, I had to down climb. I had a minor mishap. The protection caught me and the result was "only a flesh wound." 

A salamander find was not surprising in the wet next to a creek.

A fun crew whose spirits were not dampened by the weather.

We say goodbye to B for a season as she takes up residence in The Big Apple. We will miss your determined tries on each and every pitch.

About time to slog out to the car.

It was a fun trip and we look forward to the next installment. I give glory to my God and thanks for His protection of us to and from and on the rock.

Old Digs, New Gig

I have taught so many people how to climb by starting on Douglas' Excellent Adventure (5.6, regraded to 5.7). You learn the ropes while top roping on slightly positive slope climbs with easily discernable holds. Fun to see these girls complete these climbs.

How do I lead the climb in order to set up the top rope safely, you may ask? I have the neophyte use a Grigri belaying device that will catch me even if they faint or fall asleep. Then at the rings, I clip in, have them remove the Grigri, and I belay down on my ATC. As they are belaying their friends, I train them how to hold the brake hand to instill habits for future ATC use. Then I, or a friend, back them up when they pull the lever to lower the climber. Both of these young people are exhibiting correct form.

Cool in any stance, my young friend is taking a picture and looking like a shining knight in the morning sun.

Reaching for the top

We all took turns climbing and belaying

Amazed that this girl came considering that she had just gotten home from an overseas trip the day before. She climbed and dealt with jetlag. I guess she is channeling her inner wood nymph persona in the mountain laurel bush.

Speaking of personas, everything about this picture says old-school. They don't even make helmets like this skull bucket anymore. And where did that gray hair come from? I don't remember that being there. One trick I learned many years ago that many say is cool, but no one actually copies, to keep my shoes out of the mud I wear Crocs that are 4-sizes too big over my climbing shoes. They were much needed this day. For those of you new to climbing discussion, I am holding a stick-clip. Mine in on a painter's collapsable roller extension pole, so that I can reach up the rope threaded through a quickdraw to clip the first bolt. That means that I am on belay from the ground up. On easier climbs I don't usually use it, but the rock started off wet, so I clipped anyway.

A combination of things like smiles all-around, stances, wide-angle effect, and lighting make this a particularly good picture.

Back to candid, what next?

Well, move to some more difficult climbs. After so much success, there was some shut down on these two climbs. No matter how good you are there is always a climb to humble you just around the corner.

Stepping up on toes trusting her feet and body close to the wall are good techniques and show level of intensity of effort. The old man is talking to a very good climber down slope.

All were agreed that we want to get out again soon. We already have a plan. I'll show them a new crag and it likely will be a slightly different group, but we plan to have some fun. 

If well taken care of, climbing equipment will last a long time. The rope definitely has a lifespan, but the most often replaced item is the shoes. I have had many pairs of shoes over my years of climbing. I used to have them resoled. You have to make a decision at some point whether that is your preference. I had decided a while back that I was not going to resole this pair. They were especially comfortable but the heels were not good for heel-hooking and the toes were a bit too soft for aggressive footwork. I had already popped through the rand (an underlayer of sole). This day I reached the toe, time to retire them.

But I'm feeling like it is not yet time to retire the climber. I gain new energy from climbing with young, enthusiastic climbers. I am very thankful for the health and opportunities God has afforded me to pursue this fun, challenging, core-building activity. Perhaps I'll show a few more people the ropes.