Panther Rhetoric

Here at Team Tuesday the excitement is palpable. Panther is the word on every tongue. Everyone sees their own private masterpiece when they look at the Panther Boulders-- slick new lines, slick new videos, a view that stretches from Marana to Mexico... If Panther Rhetoric resides, as Jean Genet said, not in elegant discourse, but in strength of affirmation then here I present, as forcefully as I can, my own affirmation of all things Panther.

Some Much Work To Do

Today I went back out to the Panther Boulders for an afternoon sesh. Paco and I arrived at about 1:00 but didn't start climbing until around 2:00, we just wandered around checking everything out and picking out potential projects. There are still so many problems to be cleaned and sent, the task is kind of daunting. (I look forward to the day when we have enough problems to fill the pages of a guide, and when I can flip through it at the base of these boulders). We found too many options, and finally settled back at our starting spot: The Meatwad.

Standing at about 40 ft at the tallest point, the Meatwad is a monsterous block with steep walls on two sides. The parts that aren't steep are just barely slab, and are also the tallest faces. Its scary to look up at all the watermelon-size blocks that may or may not break while climbing them. Two new problems were born here today, but only one was sent. Mechanical Mannequin V0, is Paco's first FA, and is pretty damn fun (watch below) . Pocketmaster 3000, the project, is likely to weigh in around V5 and is painful (Video will come as soon as a send does).

Panther's New Groove from Dustin Payne on Vimeo.

Two Quick Panther Vids

Hmmm, can't figure out why these won't get smaller....but if you click on the videom it will pop up in youtube and you can watch with no problems.

Dustin on Zig Zag

FA of Righteous Beast

Team Tuesday vs The Panther

Team Tuesday posse was in full effect yesterday, and we put the smackdown at Panther Peak. 7 FA's, including a stellar new line put up by Dustin. Fat Hunk of Burning Love (v4) goes up the obvious overhanging prow that you walk under as you enter the HUB. This steep bulge is a striking and inviting line, at least until you spy the landing. A dynamic fall from up high could spell disaster, but Dustin held it together and sent his third try (his first try ended quickly when the lip of the starting pocket broke and Dustin fell six feet square on his back - watch the fall below).

There are about 25 established problems at Panther now, and a faint trail is beginning to form, so the approach is getting easier and easier. We've created a little momentum, now hopefully we'll get people coming out, climbing our problems and establishing new ones. There are more than enough new problems here for anyone willing to put in the effort. If you do happen to check out Panther, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the place.

In related news, I've started up a Tucson bouldering website. Inspired partially by a renewed enthusiasm for bouldering and the development of at least two quality new areas, I felt Tucson's climbing community and all the lonely, neglected boulders of Southern Arizona would benefit from such a site. I hope it will become a community effort, with anyone who is passionate about our sport free to contribute to the site however they they see fit. There isn't much content on the site currently, but feel free to check it out and let me know what you think, and check back later for more good stuff. BOULDERING TUCSON!

Here is some video from yesterdays throwdown:

Welcome to Panther Peak from Joe Kreidel on Vimeo.

Inside the Confessional

The fact that climbing has become the most important thing in my life is a problem. School has been unintentionally neglected. On homework, I just can't focus. You might think this is due to climbing too often (which, on second thought, seems impossible), but I've usually only climbed two days a week this semester. Compared to last semester that figure is about half.

What is it then?

Well, I'll tell you. It's only the prospect of climbing that has taken over my life. I am so enamored by rock that I spend the rest of the week just researching and daydreaming of it. In fact I'd go as far as to say that not climbing as much as made my work output less. You see, weekend trips are usually planned, and therefore able to taunt me, throughout the week. Whenever a browser is opened on my computer, to do homework mind you, my motivation gets derailed by Mountain Project, and all that energy gets drained into scanning through the thousands of Arizona rock climbing pictures, or checking on the development at the new Panther Peak boulders. Then, all of a sudden, its time to make dinner. I am addicted. And this semester is wasted.

Well, it could be worse, Mom.
It could be heroin, right?


Anyway, here are some photos from the Homestead 80's weekend that went down last month. I believe the last head count was somewhere around 25, which has got to be a record for that place. Enjoy.

Dick and Harry 5.10c FA.
See that horizontal crack there, you go to it with your left, match it, then move up to a really good ledge. The Crux: Move over to the right on the edge, get a high left foot jammed somewhere, and fire up left handed to a little, high-friction pinch. The real hard part is getting your feet up because the pinch and the next hold are so close to the lip.

Larry is on the left, he bolted Dick and Harry the day before, and he is watching me climb it now.

Underclinging the crack.

The baby we found, abandoned, up at Welcome Wall.

It's spandex, not leather.

The route on the right is Milk Bone, a three-bolt, 40-foot 5.10a at Bone Town. Imagine three limestone blocks stacked on top of eachother, each the size of two rubix cubes, and you'll have an idea of what the hold is like. For the unimaginative, just know that it is glorious.

All photos by Paco Galvan.

More From Panther

We opened up two good new lines today, and temporarily lost a great one. We also started to clean and work a short overhanging wall that will have at least six good problems.

A problem we started to work on Tuesday, in the cave below the finish of Righteous Beast, was dispatched pretty quickly, and is now Nautilus (v3, FA Chris Prewitt).

Nautilus from Joe Kreidel on Vimeo.

We then walked 100 feet downhill to the Monkey Skull:

Curious George (v3, FA MAtt Fowls) climbs the bulge of the right side of his mouth, topping out through his right eye. The problem is steeper than it looks, with your body at one point being dead horizontal. Some great moves and fun heel hooks on this problem.

Getting o work on a short overhang on the back side of the Pyramid:

And on Righteous Beast, the fantastic long roof I sent on Tuesday, we made the decision to clean of a large and important jug cobble. The cobble at first seemed super solid, but after repeated attempts on the problem, and lots of weight being put on it, it slowly started to flex more and more. Rather than risk this rugby ball-sized cobble breaking off in some ones face, and knowing it would eventually come out anyways, we decided to pry it off. The line is now more difficult for sure, but is even better than it was before. Instead of 20 feet of roof jugs to two hard moves, you now have twenty feet of jugs into a series of hard moves that could be considered a quality boulder problem unto itself. We worked out the beta, but no one could manage a send. This will be a proud and hard line, for sure.

Matt working out the beta on the lower sections of Righteous Beast:

When cleaning lines at this place (or anywhere), it is a thin and difficult line to walk when decided what stays, what goes, how best to clean, what to do about landings and vegetation, etc. It was a bit heartbreaking to see the large cobble go on Righteous Beast, as this was my proudest FA to date. And while it is not something I really like to see, and something I had wanted to avoid at this area, I have to admit I was quite tempted to reinforce the cobble with glue. But there is plenty of that already on Tucson's boulders, and really should be a practice of the past. So while it was hard to do, I went ahead and broke the cobble loose. The result is another stellar, proud FA up for grabs.

Panther Boulders

I first made the long trek out to the boulders about 10 days ago, and posted a few photos and one crappy video. I scoped out a bunch of quality looking stuff, but only climbed one ok roof, because it was lowball and pretty safe to climb with one pad and no spotter. It could see the potential, but didn't experience it. Today I went back with my friend Chris (no stranger to Team Saucisson, as Chris is a fellow midwest refugee) who had originally spied the boulders using the incredible satellite images from Microsoft Bing. We had a great day, and I am only more certain in the fact that this place is for real.

The boulders here are of a massive scale, which was evident from the satellite images. These boulders are STEEP, with overhangs of every angle. Many of these boulders are tall, and will require rapping in to clean and inspect holds. Right now the biggest downside to this place is the rock quality. There is a lot of choss, but with a little work, most of the lines are cleaning up nicely.

The rock come in two basic varieties: 1) volcanic conglomerate - this rock is the chossiest stuff, but also has some of the coolest features - cobbles and bricks of all sizes welded into the matrix of the rock. This rock requires the most cleaning, but after getting cleaned and climbed on, should be pretty solid.. And 2) Silverbell-quality bullet volcanic. This is similar to the real hard and solid (and often sharp) volcanic rock found at Silverbell Boulders, which aren't too far away. There are a some fractured pieces that need to be cleaned, but once the loose stuff is cleaned, the rock is bomber. Fortunately, on many problems the lower part of the problem will be on the weaker conglomerate, and the topouts will be on the bullet rock. Pretty reassuring once you are well off the deck.

Today we started at the Quivering Beast boulder, where Chris had cleaned and established a fantastic and long roof problem. It goes at around v4, and tops out after about 15 feet of horizontal climbing. While this problem itself is a worthy climb, there was an obvious extension that was our main objective for the morning.

Quivering Beast starts on the bottom right of the boulder, and climbs the underbelly to the jug pockets right of the woody bush in the photo. The extension keeps going, topping out left of the arete:

After working the problem in sections, it became a matter of having the gas left to stick the final crux throw after 20+ feet of roof climbing. With your left hand in a shallow pocket - and a key thumb catch - you bump your right hand along a sloping lip. You get a solid heel hook, then make a long move to a small crimp on the lip. Careful - if you miss the hold your heel is liable to stay and you are likely to go head first into your pads. Chris pulled this awesome feat off, which was only slightly less dramatic than Dustin's full gainer into a belly flop from a similar heel hook at Hairpin...

After dialing in all the moves, and with the sun creeping up on us, I managed to pull out a send, nabbing the FA of this incredible problem. In keeping with the Beast theme, I named it Righteous Beast, and I think this problem might be one of the best in all of Tucson.

Chris at the crux:

We then went to work in the cave just down and left from where Righteous Beast tops out. There was an intriguing line of underclings and pockets up the short and steep face, and after just a few minutes of brushing it was ready to go. Starting with a right hand underling and your left hand gastoning a sloping pocket, you pull up and make a LOOOOONG move to a good, sharp pocket.

Bump your right to another sharp little pocket, set a wicked drop knee, and make a LOOOOOONG move with your right hand to another pocket.

The hold I am gunning for isn't even visible in this picture:

We both had limited success on this problem, but hasn't seen a solid send. Chris sent using slightly different beta, but with the pad checking his swing. I thought I had it, nailing the long throw and holding the swing, only to have a huge chunk of the pockets lip rip right out from under me. This will be another quality dynamic problem on this boulder, with an FA up for grabs...

After the Beast we headed up to escape the unseasonably fierce sun in the shade of the mighty Split Boulder.

Actually two boulders separated by a large split, the Split Boulders have a lot of potential. Chris has sent a line on the left boulder (the north face), and had his eye on a tall problem on the right boulder (the south face). He had worked out the beta for the bottom, but without a spotter committing to the tall topout wasn't a good idea. He set up the pads, Chris pulled on and sent easily. He made it look easy, and I flailed a bit on the bottom before moving on to other problems. Now dubbed Cig Machine (v4ish), the bottom of the climb has excellent dynamic moves requiring precise body tension and a high pain threshold. After a handful of long, powerful moves, you reach some sharp jugs that lead you up the easier topout. A high quality problem for sure, and one I'll have to send next time. There will also be a few variations on this problem that should be fun as well.

Me on Cig Machine (photo by Chris Prewitt):

After Cig Machine, we worked a couple of lines to the right. There was an obvious line starting on two underclings and moving through real cool pockets. This start proved a bit too tough today, and we did an easier variation using one undercling and a good cobble. Then I spied a great looking feature - an overhanging arete/prow - that unfortunately had crappy rock. I cleaned it a bit, climbed it (with more holds breaking) and named it Disasterpiece Theater (v1). Hopefully it will clean up nicely, because it is a great and obvious feature, but climbing through all the junk kinda sucks.

Feeling a little gassed, we headed down to Ol Snaggletooth, a nice gentle overhang with lots of good jugs and a couple easier lines. Before we tried the Snaggletooth lines, we cleaned the south face for a while, which had some cool holds and a few good looking lines. Unfortunately the rock at the top was pretty bad, and will require a bit more cleaning. Climbing the established lines on Snaggletooth was a great way to end a fantastic day.

Hiking out we scouted out a couple more boulders, and surveying the boulder-filled valley, I was filled with anticipation. The weather will only get better for a couple months, and these boulders will only get better over that time. It is exciting to be on the ground level of developing this area, even though all the work involved - cleaning loose blocks, brushing dirty holds, grooming landings, marking trails - seems a bit daunting. And of course we have to try to do all this while making minimal impact, as this area is in a near pristine desert environment, and is actually within Saguaro National Park.

The reward will be worth the effort, as Tucson will have a killer new bouldering area, with a high concentration of problems across the grades, with beautiful, compelling lines of all shapes and sizes. There are more than enough FA's to go around, so come on out, find some lines, put in a little work and make your mark on Tucson bouldering....

Silverbell Ringin'

It is hard to beat a Friday afternoon bouldering sesh. It doesn't matter much that the Silverbell Boulders leave my hands resembling the leftovers from a rabid heyena's midnight snack or that I always burn myself out on the lower boulders before getting to the hard stuff up top-- this place is great. On Friday Trevor-- a long-lost brother now living as an economic refugee in Utah --was back in town, temps were down in the low 80's or maybe even high 70's and the sun was out. One day, sooner or later, I'll get out to the Silverbell Boulders and crush all of my as-of-yet-unsent projects. Until then, though, the joy is in the process and (admittedly) in documenting the process. Stick around to the end of this video to see Dustin floating across The Rails, Silverbell's uber-classic V6-- beautiful stuff.