Big Rocks!

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bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 02:24am PT

Big Rocks is Roof Central. Dozens of 'em. Wish I had more and better photos of these gems. The vast lowball/sitdown potential was never really explored because there were too many untouched looming 20 footers crying out for attention. I think this one is Skull Rock Roof.

mcreel

climber

Barcelona

Jan 24, 2013 - 02:52am PT

Whoa, that place looks fun! It looks like the rock quality varies a bit, is that true?

3 bolt sport routes on old boulder problems is definitely lame, though I have to say that my 50+ year old body can't take hard impact falls anymore. But the problems should be there for whoever can do that stuff.

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 03:43am PT

Of course, if you decide on a change of pace and scenery, this place is 30 minutes from Big Rocks and 2,000 feet lower. Hundreds of established problems on damn good Wingate. But really, that's another story.

weezy

climber

Jan 24, 2013 - 11:27am PT

obscure utah blocs bump!

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 12:22pm PT

Way to go Weezy! La Sals Southside Secret Spot in tha house! 10,000 feet of Alpine goodness with the worse landings on Earth! Is that Gurman in the last photo?

I think I'll broaden the scope of this thread to ALL of the magnificent Whine County, er, I mean WAYNE County! Awapa Plateau, Deepwater Lakecliff bouldering at 11,000 feet on the Aquarius Plateau, Rabbit Valley, all the Wingate Nuggets in CRNP, the Entrada mudboulders aound Hanksville, all of the dozen Henry's area large and small. Oh Vey. Did you know a nice Moenkopi Stone House can be had in Torrey for $80,000? I'm movin' back someday.

Rumor has it there's a little itty bit of slick black pocketed stone around Mount Ellsworth in the Little Rockies...

weezy

climber

Jan 24, 2013 - 12:43pm PT

not gurman in the last photo, bvb. the landings aren't too bad if you have enough pads. the crux is not dropping your car keys or any other small devices into the talus, lol. i have a running goal to do 100 problems in a season up there, but failed twice now. lot harder than i thought it was going to be.

bvb, someone drew me a map for some boulders near the black table mesa in the henrys. have you checked those out? i didn't have enough time the day i was there. also some gnarly woodward slab routes up on the mesa itself apparently.

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 01:02pm PT

Yeah, early on Jonny was trying to con me into going to Black Table (he wanted to kill me and snake Jocelyn) but I'd seen that stuff up close and knew what I was getting into. We checked out those black boulders on the southside of Holmes in the Fall of '93, but at that point we'd found the Horn and were so blown aways we thought "maybe there's something even BETTER?!" But it soon became clear that the Horn was the standout bouldering so that's where we spent most of the next 10 years.

Ever check out any of that sh#t up on Bull Mountain?

Jared Spaulding did a Wayne County Climbing Guide that was published last month, or a month before. "Capitol Gorgeous." Full of errors and omissions re: grades and and forget about corect names or history but at least it gets you to the area and steers you to the good stuff. He did a great job IMO. I think he includes the Cockscomb/Black table boulders but leaves everthing else for the Henries out.

TwistedCrank

climber

Dingleberry Gulch, Ideeho

Jan 24, 2013 - 01:10pm PT

BVB for the mutha fukkin win.

without boobs.

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 02:26pm PT

I've got boob shots of women climbing topless up there, but I seriously suspect the ex would go apeshit if I posted 'em. Pity.

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 02:34pm PT

A better view of The Brain at Big Rocks. Four burly problems take on the overhang/roof, and a really, really good problem is out of view on the backside. You can see Hanna's diaper bag in the foreground, and Kyle is wandering in the back checking out arrowheads. You want good 4WD to get to this thing. Joe Reis did an unrepeated problem out the biggest steepest part called "Mensa." Family bouldering fun! Nice views, too.

darkmagus

Mountain climber

San Diego, CA

Jan 24, 2013 - 02:47pm PT

Lately I've been thinking about the climbing in AZ, which was never on my radar until I moved to San Diego.

This thread seals the deal: I MUST GO.

What's the guidebook situation like? Anything better than the Wayne County one that was mentioned? Or does one require a tour guide to find these gems?

weezy

climber

Jan 24, 2013 - 03:29pm PT

thanks for the history, bvb. i've always looked up at all the bull mt. "granite" (trachyte? diorite?) on the drive in but never checked it out. looks like a hellish bushwack to get anywhere near the rock up there. i think a buddy of mine has a route up there somewhere, though.

^not bull mt.

survival

Big Wall climber

Terrapin Station

Jan 24, 2013 - 03:33pm PT

Great stuff here, keep it up fellas!

Captain...or Skully

climber

Jan 24, 2013 - 03:36pm PT

I am diggin' it too. BeeVeeBee!!!!!6!!!!!
Woot! Sweet thread, maaan.

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 03:54pm PT

Weezy -- Jonny and Ron Carson and others did some mutli-pitch knee-knockers on Bull Mountain. Others were involved, I'm sure. Gotta imagine The Clan Of Strong Fingers was up there at some point. I think Ralph Ferrera did something up there? If you think info on The Horn is hard to get, forget Bull Mountain. Serious close-to-the-vest action going on up there.

Or so I'm told.

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 04:01pm PT

Can't let the post-to-photo count get too whacked. I love this photo -- way easy fun problem, the first one we did on the first day we found Big Rocks. June, 1993. Sentimental value, ftw. I think we called it Electric Stairway or something dumb like that. The Ex looks pretty fit for someone who just had a kid 6 months prior!

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 24, 2013 - 04:33pm PT

Brooke Sandahl took this photo and stuck it in the Metolius catalog, mostly as an excuse to make a smarmy comment about the attentive spot I'm giving. John Wason eyeballing the hideous V6/7--uh, I mean Big Rocks 5.11c -- crimps that you need to pull just to get established on "Bob's Big Boy" (and no, I didn't name it. The SLC boys tagged it. Pretty sure they were referring to my ego.) This 25 footer has hard moves all the way to the dicey insecure slopefest finish.