Next morning I eventually realize that the water hitting the tent is from the trees instead of the sky and I rouse the gang for some climbing. Off to McDonalds and Catherdal Ledge. We head for Funhouse, a *** 5.7. I seem to have told Mike it's a 5.5 and he wonders if all New Hampshire climbs are stiff for their grade as he leads through. Eric tries to follow but backs off at the crux, only 15 feet up. Marti follows and I take the kids back down while they continue.
The ground is covered with dime-sized frogs. This keeps the boys excited. Lunch in North Conway and then to the top of the rock (via road) to meet Mike and Marti. They are lucky and get on Upper Refuse (***, 5.5) between the EMS guided toads. We arrive as they top out and I convince Mike to lead the 5.9- finish. Next we stop by at IME looking for bargains and then back to work. This time we head for Bombardment (**, 5.8) and Ventilator (***, 5.10b). A party is on Ventilator. In fact, as Mike and Marti arrive we witness a 20' fall as the leader tries to clip the first bolt. The bolt is about 15' over a ledge but the leader didn't stick to the ledge and slid on by to the slab below. Quite exciting.
My lead of Bombardment ground to a halt when I realized I had burned my #1 camalot way to low and would be suffering later. I backed off just as the other party exited from Ventilator so we decided to change goals.
Ventilator is a bolted slab with little tiny greasy edges that barely hold body weight. Although the crux is getting off the ledge, it never lets up much. I told Mike that the only logical choice was to have the little guy (Mike) be the leader and the big dude (me) be the spotter. Sounded good to me! Fortunately, Mike never says no and off he went. I was able to give him a solid spot all the way to the first bolt. Once clipped, the danger of a bad fall was much less. Mike continued upward with just one or two falls (and a lot of "I'm about to lose it! Watch me!!") and reaches the anchor. He sets up a toprope and lowers. I follow with hurtin feet - boy those ripples are small. Mike's my hero! I take the boys down and Marti takes a turn. Although she's dubious about doing 5.10, she makes it and we're done with Cathedral.
Mike wants to see Whitehorse so we leave Marti with the kids and go for a speed ascent. I choose a 5.7 that Marti did 6 years ago (next to Eric and I on the beginner route back when he was just 3). We start by soloing 300' of easy slab. Mike's not happy with this and manages to drop his helmet halfway up. Watching the helmet bounce down the slab increases his unhappiness. Still, he hangs in there and we set a belay for the real climbing.
I clip a pin and face the crux: a slippery 5.7 dihedral. I waste a lot of time determining that there's no pro after the pin. So in spite of the 20' runout I go for it. After all, Marti had led it! No problem. Easier climbing takes me to the belay. Mike takes the next pitch: one hard move at a bolt and then a 120' runout on easier slab. Mike's not keen on the runout but does fine. Rather than top out on the standard route, we rap off. Mike isn't impressed by the route: too much easy runout, not enough pro or good climbing.
The next day is the big one: Cannon. Rather than take Mike on anything fun or enjoyable, I'm there to clear up some unfinished buisness. I had done the first three pitches of Vertigo (***, 5.9) with Alastair and wanted to finish the route. The crux is the fifth pitch: an infamous R-rated offwidth called the `Half Moon'.
Marti and the boys have the car so we leave bikes at the base for the return to town. As we hike up, the remains of a huge rockfall just left of Vertigo are obvious. A huge detached block, the Whaleback, had come down a couple of months ago. We were the only ones stupid enough for Vertigo so there was no waiting. I ran up the first pitch, the only easy one on the route.
The second pitch follows a corner / flake to a pin and then pendulums right about 20 or 25 feet to another crack system. It's rated a `suprising' 5.8 since it looks harder. Well, the suprise was that if you're short it isn't 5.8! Mike had a hard time with a lot of moves that are easy reaches for me. Eventually he reached the pendulum pin and asked "what now?". "Go for it!", my standard advice. The problem is that you can't just swing across - you have to climb diagonally as you are lowered. We tried this a bunch of times, each ending with Mike reclimbing to the pin and starting again. Finally, he made it over to the next crack and paused to place pro. Ack! Suddenly Mike swings back into view, sliding in slow motion over the slab like Wiley Coyote being dragged across the desert. Ouch! No major damage, though. Guess I should lead this one. The traverse isn't too bad but getting good pro in at the end is scary. The belay is just a little higher and I'm done. When Mike reaches the pin he swings over and clips into a rope tied to my high anchor before cleaning the pin. Works fine. Mike wonders why we're going through all this trouble just to get to an offwidth.
The third pitch is the technical (as opposed to psychological) crux - a thin finger crack on the left wall of a dihedral. Last time I had hung a lot and my goal was to lead with no hangs (Ethics Man would be proud!). Everything works out and I'm at the final bit - a wild swing around the corner of the dihedral into the next crack. A big alley-oop and I'm up. Mike follows in good style.
Now on new ground, we do a short lead with a scary start and then an easier crack to the base of the half moon. This is it! I'm armed with my #4 Camalot, the #5 Camalot, and a tube chock for good measure. I'm ready! Easy climbing leads to a fixed pin at the bottom of the offwidth. Looks good! I can even reach back inside and pro a thin crack at the back. The edges are sharp and I can layback without feeding my body to the crack. Up the lower half of the moon is easy - only 5.6 or so. As the crack turns it's time for pro. Ack!!!! The crack is about 1 inch wider than the #5 Camalot! I can't reach the crack at the back anymore! I'm doomed! Looks harder ahead and I'm about 20' out. Run away! Run away!
Since we're not at one of the rap stations it seems like a good idea to finish the pitch somehow. I tension traverse left and climb easier ground until I can traverse to the stance at the top of the crack. I pull the rope and Mike follows the half moon with one fall. Good thing I didn't go for it - he says the top is hard! So now Mike has done Vertigo but I haven't yet. Next time I'll have the #4 BigBro.
Since Reppy's crack is right there we make a fast run up it. Mike's crack technique is getting better and he flashes up. That's enough for the day and we hike down. Mike enjoys the ride on the bike path - I must be slipping; he was supposed to be suffering all day.
At BK (another gourmet dinner) Mike talks about his condition:
Mike: I've only been this wasted three other times in my life.Rain again that night. Our tent leaks and Marti isn't happy. The next morning is dry but hot and we vote to return to Connecticut early. With the heat and humidity, we decide to try something different: kayaking. Dave Kriegman joins us and the three of us head for Satan's Kingdom on the Farmington river. The water is low and it's Disneyland out there: the river is filled with tubers. The dangers are minimal and we put Mike into a kayak for the first time. He's gripped in spite of our assurances that nothing can happen. He tips over and swims (no big deal though), further eroding his confidance. Ahead is the `big' rapid: Satan's Kingdom. I demonstrate how not to do it by broaching halfway down. Not much current and I push myself off the rock. Although we give Mike wonderful advice as to the route, he winds up floating like a leaf in the current, sometimes backward, sometimes forward, over and around the rocks and eddies. No problems, though. At the bottom he confesses that he's never been more gripped in his life. Given that the danger level is akin to "Pirates of the Carribean" and that he spent the previous day climbing on the most serious rock in New England, Dave and I are amused. The rest of the run is uneventful and Mike gets progressively better at paddling.
John: Do all of those epics involve me?
Mike: Of course.
John: Figures.
Next we go to Tariffville Gorge, a more serious run. Mike is paddling like a pro and we arrive at the surfing wave. Mike isn't interested but Dave and I have some big fun. Dave does lots of rolls while stuck inside the wave. We finish with the big drop down the broken dam and Mike does fine. Afterward, he admits that kayaking is fun, at least in retrospect. We dine at `Bugaboo Creek', a totally bizarre restaurant. The talking buffalo keeps Mike and Dave amused. That night we stay up until 1am watching slides.
Last day. Gunks. Classics. No kids.
Mike and Dave do Minty (**, 5.5) with I climb with John Reppy and his daughter and niece. Mike and Dave toprope Snookys (**, 5.8) and Friends and Lovers (5.9) while John and I finish up. Next Mike leads Madame G's (5.6, ***) and gets gripped on the rap down. Then Moonlight (5.6, *), which scares the crap out of Mike and Dave, and finally Mike leads High Exposure (5.6, ***) at sunset and so is now a true `gunkie'. A last Taco Bell trip and we're back.
Marti generously drove Mike to the airport at 6am the next day and that was it! See you again next year, Mike!