The Acre Parte Dos

It's been a funky few months, filled with leaps and bounds climbing wise. Today was the first day I climbed outdoors in a long while and it was long overdue! PSYCHED!

I made my second trip to The Acre, a ridge of amazing rock within walking distance of the more popular area, Bushwhack Rock. My first trip was about a month ago with Vince, Robin and his family. Since Robin is a large contributor in the scene of the Maryland climbing it was like going out with a guide who knew all the boulder problems and their general grades.

This time was entirely different...

Only my dad and I went this time, besides a few GPS coordinates Robin had sent me over The Facebook and a few videos I had watched of some problems there, we were all on our own (I was surprised we didn't get lost...). Unaware of most established problems and their grades freed us to do anything that we thought looked cool. We were just there to play on the rocks, regardless of the grade, and I think that's how climbing should be (of course there is always a time to push your limits and grades help to narrow down the search). It turns out "cool" problems are high...

                                            

About 20 feet high... Unfortunately, my camera ran out of battery right as we arrived so this was the only climb we got pictures of. Bummer Bummer Bummer. My dad managed to climb this one as well, topping out left instead taking the full height and going straight up like I did...

We then continued on the ridge and did a few more high problems and possibly the FA of a rig with a sketchy top out to the right of Intro to Belly Dancing. Does anyone know if it's been climbed already? The crux is this classic mantle at the top with the incredibly rare "If I blow this I get a butt full of tree stump" feeling. Perfection. My dad then wiggled his way up the fun Intro to Bellydancing and ate a sandwich while I worked on the problem just to the other side of that wall with a dyno variation I'd seen in a video (the name of the climb escapes me) until I unluckily split a fingertip on the crimpy start. Of course neither of us had brought tape so I promptly put chalk on it to stop the bleeding and continued to climb. Just around the corner I flashed this problem that's movement was really cool and had this awesome sloping pinch that unfortunately was part of a wobbling-loose flake and had to be avoided.

After that, we did a few more highballs, one of which had a gnarly descent (more like a chossy V2 down-climb while you waged battle with an army of dead trees pulled on moving flakes), we decided to pack up shop and head back home. On our way out, we came across the gem of a project that Robin had saved for me and showed me on my first trip. While contemplating whether to try it or not I noticed that a flake on the top was gone, leaving a large crystal band more positive than what was there before. I don't know if someone did it on purpose or not but when Robin or I tried it a few weeks ago, it hadn't moved or even sounded like it would come off, which is strange. However this probably only made it more classic in the end so no worries! I didn't try it again though, the slash on my fingertip would not have held up on the small crystal crimps...

Good news is I'll be back on Friday again with my friend and fellow crusher, Mark!! Super psyched!

Until then, as Mr. Spock would say if he climbed, Send Hard and Prosper.
AND HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!!