Sunday, July 17, 2011

Saddle Boulders - Open for Business!

After a week of puttering around on the HWY 20 boulder we decided to head up to the Snowshed Boulders to escape the mosquitoes and climb some new problems. To our surprise the snow (that we had previously spent a couple hours shoveling) was gone!

Still skeptical about the rest of the drive up to the Saddles we played it safe and climbed around the Snowshed for a bit before a local informed us that the road was good to go and he was headed there that evening.

We took advantage of the psych and the local beta, driving the next three miles through wet, tagged up train tunnels until emerging on a dirt road along a ridge overlooking Donner Lake.

When we reached the boulders it felt like we had finally made it to the promised land. That old familiar psych began to creep back into me, and I knew we had found our summer spot.

This area is far better than I had hoped. Comfy jug warm ups, crimpy test pieces, longer power endurance hauls, and plenty of tension make for a great place to get back into shape for real boulder problems (i.e. not ridiculously hard one or two movers into V0's) offering a wide range of classics from moderate to project including Midnight Train, a V7 that rivals High Plains Drifter in quality and flow of movement.

With just over two weeks left here and a suddenly a lot of amazing problems to do it's going to be hard to take a rest day.

Which way to the foam party?

Lib on the ever-frustrating Kito Slab V5.

The opening move of both Midnight Train V7 and Hobo V8.

Reeling in the swing.

Heading out right on Hobo.

Ramping up the tension on Nietzsche Girls V9.

-BLOCHEAD

6 comments:

  1. Sick dude! Keep the updates coming!

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  2. Recent transplant Seattle to Reno myself - Looking forward to checking out the saddle boulders. Have you checked out the top of grouse slabs? Stunning views and cool rock

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  3. If you guys wanna check out some sick rocks head over to the sierra buttes!! There are some kick ass rocks in a beautiful landscape. Tons of moderates and hard shit! If you go check out my problem dark matter, bomber stone with sick movement. Have fun on your travels, send hard!

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  4. @Dou Yeah, the Grouse slabs have a couple pretty nice climbs, and a great setting for photos. I remember there is a pretty awesome V1 arete up there.

    @Dustin I've heard the Sierra Buttes are pretty awesome. Is there any approach or area beta posted?

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  5. There isn't really anything posted online but there are a few videos posted on youtube and viemo. The tag lines are "sierra buttes bouldering", or "stake your claim" (sick V11 put up by my friend Brian Sweeney) and a few other installments. The directions aren't that bad to get there. Basically from Truckee take hwy 89/49 north toward Sierraville. Then you will stay on 89/49 toward Sattley after Sierraville. Once you hit Sattley 89 and 49 split and you want to get on 49, you actually just keep going strait through, you would have to turn right in Sattley to get on 89. Follow 49 up the curvy hill and back down past Bassetts. After about 1.5 miles past Bassetts(maybe 1 mile) there will be a pullout on the left side of the road big enough for about 6 or 7 cars with a large boulder near the river on the left side of the road. Park here then walk down the road going the same direction you were going in your car and cross the street. At this point you should see a smaller pullout, follow this faint road for about 30ft till you get to a small stone bridge on your right, go through the trees and you should see the trail. I will warn you the hike is a bitch but the climbing is totally worth it! Best bouldering around hands down!

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