TRAIL AND CLIMB DAY - THIS SATURDAY 2 APRIL

This has already been a busier Spring than ever at the 'Linez,  and this will be a great chance to introduce a friend, meet a new one, and show off your FA! (Spray!) We are supported by the Access Fund, and we will have some swag to raffle off!

We meet at the The Gravity Vault, 107 Pleasant Ave @ Rt. 17 N Upper Saddle River, NJ 0745 at 9 am,  and we will work/climb until approximately 3 pm.  Bring work gloves, tools, climbing shoes and gear.  I'll have a chain saw, (there's one log on the path from the parking lot)  machete and some shovels,  and if you have a favorite power tool,  within reason,  it might come in handy. Can't wait to see you! Access Fund Post

'Shirts Off' Weather!

A 50°F day at the Powerlinez can be 'shirts off' weather, and so the season is crashing upon us!  I don't know about you, but I'm catching the bug like Mid-east Democracy.          Let us realize, though, that this year is going bring some challenges.  Thanks to yours truly, ahem, The 'Powerlinez' guidebook is on sale at The Gravity Vault, Rock and Snow, and Brooklyn Boulders. So, it would be reasonable and prudent to expect more climbers and boulderers.          It's probably time for a plan.  A Climbing Management Plan as they call it over at the Access Fund site.  And I know what you're thinking, "That sounds like about as much fun as carrying water in paper bags." Right?         Hold that thought.  Ever been part of a bouldering party?  Top-rope party?  FA Party?  Party is an appropriate word.  Now, the way I see it, a Climbing Management Plan is our way of throwing a great party.  It is truly our party plan, and how we make sure we can host the best, sustainable climbing and bouldering party on the planet.  Now, there's some deep, big picture, thoughts.  Meditate on that for a bit, and we'll work something out.  Jon.

Back to the Wall 5.7 G ***

Dave and I got the chance to get out on the 16th, and what could have just been a nice day turned into a three star route.

I lured Dave out to the 'Linez with the promise of an FA, but when he saw the line he wised up, twice,  on pitch one and two.  Well,  what can I say - it looked do-able, and it proved to be exactly that.

The climb starts just left of No Rest for the Wicked,  behind the giant Shark's Tooth boulder, and follows some wandering cracks.  Up high, the crux delivered on exposure, while you're pulling pretty hard on these crazy lobes!

Dave is saying 5.8,  but I think it would make a Gunks sandbag at 5.7,  and we'll see what other people have to say!

Deluxe Free Beta!

To celebrate the NEW Powerlinez website: www.tornevalleyclimbing.com, just click on the Climb link and there's a whole bunch of pages from the guidebook downloadable in high quality PDF format. Spread the word, it will not last forever!

www.tornevalleyclimbing.com

Tri-cam Rips Out

"This tri-cam is probably a bad example.  They can dig into soft rock pretty easy, and it's in there good.  You got me?"


Kevin was on top-rope on a new 5.6 just right of The Contortionist.  We were thinking that it might be a good easy trad route, and so he was testing to see how gear would hold.


Kevin leaned back off the cliff,  quickly weighting the tri-cam, as the top-rope stretched ... and SNAP! the tri-cam ripped and shot out like a bullet.  Kevin looked into the horizontal crack and said, 'It broke off the crystal that was holding it (the stinger.)'

Lesson learned.  The rock quality at the Powerlinez is at times great for climbing.  At times,  holds break off in your hands.  Trad rock pro places even greater stress on the rock than the pulling, stepping and wedging of climbing.  Trad pro at the Powerlinez is sketchy,  and bolting lines with 3 and 3/8 inch bolts has proven pretty prudent.


The CAMP TRI-CAM manual states: "The ability of TRI-CAMS to convert most shear forces to expansion (when used in their standard mode) means that they are the most secure form of protection available for decomposed granite and soft sandstone ... "  So, this experiment was a good guage for trad prospects at the Powerlinez.  Now to be exhaustive, there are some great trad only routes at the Powerlinez, and quite a bit of thought and expertise has gone into making that call.

Route Names Anyone?

21 May 10 - I believe this was a pheasant chick.  That I cannot confirm,  but what I can confirm is the existence of two new routes on the Good Book Wall.  Connecticut Rope Gun Kevin Johnson dropped in to give a hand, and sent perhaps our first 10d on the wall.  Dave gave the college try to what perhaps will be our first 10b.  Of course, Kevin Johnson sent our first 5.11 back last October with the God Jam Roof.   We have to invite him back sparingly or he's going to take all our best routes.  And these two routes are definitely plums, on solid, overhanging rock.  This brings our proud total of sports lines to four.

Focusing On More Routes

With 2 routes up, Dave and Jon marked two more and decided that they were such high quality climbs that they would wait for stainless steel bolts.

Dave focuses here on a third climb, and until the new hardware comes in,  they'll continue to mark exciting lines and pull friends out to try the new sport climbs.