Bob's Your Uncle

Who the hell is Bob anyway? I kept repeating this phrase over and over again to myself on the laborious trek up a steep Mt. Washington trail for two and half miles, until, finally, Dom and I arrived at the first crag’s turn off trail. A small wall dubbed the Chainsaw Wall with only a few routes from .10b to .12a. This was my third time overall at the infamous Bob’s area and I can remember always being impressed with the routes and the rock quality, the latter being somewhat of a phenomenon in this particular area. At Chainsaw wall we warmed up on a route that we had both done before a really good, technical and balancy .10c. There was a variation that went out right on a short and steep face that neither Dom nor I had tried before so Dom went for the onsight. Marking a few hidden holds for me I stepped up to the plate and managed to flash it, a particularly awesome route. The texture of the rock and the sweet edges and crimps up this slightly overhung face were well worth the hike and made for a good start to the day.

Dom on My Evil Plan(5.11c)

Next on the list was a .12a called Stihl Fingers, a route we had eyed last year when we were here but neither of us had the balls to tackle this slightly overhung slanted seam that was cut into an almost black and smooth looking face. This beautiful route felt exposed but had good incut crimps the whole way that made you feel a little safer. The last move was a huge lunge out left to a ‘thank you god’ jug. Dom hung the draws on his first attempt and I almost flashed it after that. Dom made a quick second go ascent and I felt confident that I could do the same, but once I got up to the last clip I just skipped it in favor of making the lunge out left to the finish jug thinking it would be over. Well, I panicked, lost my footing and started to get over pumped and worried that I hadn’t made the clip. Needless to say I fell blowing the redpoint which, now, looking back on I could have bagged quite easily. I tried this sweet line two more times before coming to grips with the fact that I just wasn’t going to do it this trip. We packed up and headed to another secluded crag just up the trail.

Chainsaw Wall.

This area was pretty sweet even though it only boasted a total of two routes, a .10b which was covered in little black patched of moss, and sweeeeeeet looking slabby face climb called Passage that went at .12a. Dom got to work on Passage chalking holds and figuring out a way up this really nice piece of rock while I enjoyed the view. After getting shut down on top rope and figuring out a good way to get to the anchors I came down and Dom powered through the finger wrenching crux to clip the chains. It was impressive, I have to say, since he didn’t really look like he was going to send at all when he first tried it.

Dom at the last little bit of Passage(5.12a)

I opted out of the redpoint in favor of my poor tendons and pulleys and we moved to the main area, Bob’s area. I headed straight to an .11d that I had always walked past before and never tried and went for the onsight. I fell at the first roof, and then the second before making the mossy mosey up and over a couple of extremely dirty slabs that really should not have been included in the last third of this route. Dom flashed while I managed to get this one second go, but in all honesty it was rather easy due to a large no hands rest before the last bit of hard climbing.

Me cleaning the draws off of Liberty Smack(5.11d)

Either way I was pleased and we decided on one last route before making the walk down. I got shut down twice in a row on a route called Give Your Shelf to Me, which was a short route that I should have been able to walk up but I was just getting too pumped too quick. Before you knew it we were faced with a long walk down in the dark, but fortunately Dom had packed his trusty head torch. My knees and ankles were berated by small rocks and loose ground as we stumbled and bumbled along the trail to eventually find solace at the flat parking lot.

The view from Bob'a area at night.

Gracious as I was to not have been eaten by a mountain lion or a cougar I still felt the sting of getting shut down a route I really felt like had already sent, and even more harsh was the reality that set in when I realized that I would have to make that heinous journey back up there just to try to send it again some day. Oh well, I welcome it! Plus there are still so many cool looking routes that I have yet to try at Bob’s area, however the weather has turned as of late and it may be a while until I can get back up there. We had the good fortune to get out on the very last day of summer weather, and it's already Fall! And judging from the last three days of non-stop rain we have had, it's going to be along one.