Top 100. #100.

Like the pad post I have a new idea for a series of posts. Here it is. Urban Climber made a list of the top 100 boulder problems in America. You can find it

here:

http://www.urbanclimbermag.com/road_worthy/100_best_boulders_in_america/

I will write about the problems on the list I have climbed and give you my thoughts. Some are very very good, others are terrible.

Here is my First.

#100.

The Raven

Location: Sandstone, MN

Rating: V12

FA: ME!!!!!!AHAHAHAHAH!!!!1 I WINNN!!!!

Number it should be: #11

The story,

I had a major epic with this one. It took me 20 days. I injured my finger, punted on the end like 3 times, had a bunch of wablers and finally sent. It is still the BEST PROBLEM I HAVE EVER CLIMBED.

Brian Camp near the end.

Brian soaking the Sun up.

Me! I WIN!

The Haps...

^This is Beyond life, and on the top 100..

I have climbed 35 of the 100. I wanted to add a few pictures and let everyone know what I have been up to.. in a very ADD way.

Tonight I went to the Gopher Game with my dad and it was awesome.... except they lost.

I also climbed today, it was awesome.

I tried a amazing project... and did all but the crux move.. it is not as good as the Raven but WAY BETTER THAN DEVIL'S LAKE CHOSS!!!! I think it will be 8a? Maybe 7C+.. But lately I am getting tired of wondering what grade goes with what problem.. I guess I just like climbing hard. For me.

I went to Arkansas. With Molly. ^this is not Molly.

Even Molly climbed a little bit.

I have been playing a TON of Fifa. It is amazing, I am undefeated in on expert thanks to a 90th min GOAL from Messi..

Pi came to Arkansas, he slept alot.

Chris Craft came home and punted all over Pocket Hercules.

Brian also came home. We all went to Sandstone. IN DECEMBER.. IT was perfect! Brian had this to say over a text "I think the Raven is the best problem I have ever tried". This is also on the Top 100..

More Brian on The Raven.

I spent some time with my Family ^this is my nephew Miles.

THE RAVEN!! Do you live in the Midwest? Have you tried it? If not, why the hell not?

Odessa?

View Larger Map

This is what I have to say to winter. I am winning this year.

The weather is in awesome condition for some late season bouldering and PI and I decided to head out to the mythical "Odessa" boulder for some late season bouldering. I was syked to check out what I believe to be a project in the split of the boulder. After I "cleaned" the problem Pi ended up doing it calling it "Broke Back" from all the terrible falls I took to my elbow when my fat ass broke some holds.

Pi on the first move.

Pi on top of the boulder.

Broke Back (V9) starts in the middle of this face matched on a flake and then climbs straight up thru bad edges to a committing move at the lip.

Want to know where this boulder is?

View Larger Map

I would say it is worth 1 or 2 trips but it is only one boulder and I think this is the hardest line.

RANDOM FOOTAGE

Here is a little video.

Joe's

Sitting in Brian's apartment watching TV. Here is a video of the trip.

Total Ticks of the Trip:

Neil-

Kill By Numbers

Better than Coffee

Sling Blade

Obtuse

Dem Bones

Obscelete

Nic-

Kill By Numbers

Better than Coffee

Sling Blade

Obtuse

Dem Bones

Obscelete

Angler

Big Joe

Nerve Extension

Worst Case Scenario

Beyond Life

Trent's Mom

The Wind Below

Man from the Past

Finger Hut

Gentle Men's Project

Prince of Thieves

Ghost King

Jitter Bug Perfume

Eden

Playmate of the Year

Save Yourself

Boy Sized

It was a blast! I have never had so much fun just climbing boulders. It was nice to not focus on 1 thing but try as may hard problems as possible. I will defiantly be back..

Here are the things I tried and did not do:

Mask of God

Black Dahlia

Battle Toads

More movies and info about the trip to come.

Woodchipper, Amateur, and BACK...

Last weekend I headed to sawmill to take advantage of the perfect weather... and boy was it good! I was able to climb the Woodchipper, Smoking Man Sit, and a variation that would make Ian proud of the Woodchipper called Drift wood. All of the problems are amazing and it was super fun to be climbing outside with friends. Liz and Pi came up and Pi and I looked at a few projects that I became very syked on... AND NEIL CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT. It was all around a next to perfect Weekend..I attempted Amateur for the first time in a year and it felt much better, I did not do any more of the moves but I was able to start slowing down the motion to the 2nd crimp..I was very syked on my minimal progress and felt as if the move would go this weekend but I know this will be a long run to try and get this thing done...

The Amateur, The Hardest in the Midwest.

The Crew on the way out..

First Crux of the Woodchipper, v11 I think..

AND THEN THIS HAPPENED!!!! GAWD WHY!

BAM!

I am violently allergic to poison ivy, I was hospitalized as a child and fear it during the summer, sometime last weekend I came in contact with some version of the P.I. not sure where but I think it came from my crash pad. I first noticed it on Monday, and by friday during forerunning I felt terrible and my back was leaking tons of fluid.. after a few trips to the Doc I ended up at the ER and now sitting in a hospital with some unknown skin infection.. NOT SYKED.

They say I could go home soon but not sure when.. I will climb next weekend and I am looking forward to the fact that it will be easy to diet and I get to wear sick pairs of hospital socks.

CHECK YOU LATER.

Woodchipper.

Fall. Fall is almost here. I can feel it.

This past weekend a group of friends, Molly, and I headed up to Sawmill... It was perfect conditions. I love the fall, the forest was on fire with color and I was in the mood to check out projects. Pi and I wanted to check out the Budda Belly project. Pi did a stand start earlier this year after a hold broke and I wanted to check it out and the sit to it.

I was able to to do all the moves and complete the stand start (wood perker v8) and I do have to say, wow... that is an amazing boulder. GOOD work cleaning this one up pi.. Pi was able to do the sit calling it Woodchipper. My guess is that it is about v11. What up now WI? You guys want to put up another v10 in the Jenga boulder???