If you have formatting issues in
your email view this online in a browser.
 |
Party Time! We’re holding
the annual RI/MA/CT climber’s party early this year before the holidays.
All climbers
are welcome. Ho, Ho, Hopefully, you survived Thanksgiving, and the
required gathering of your ‘clan’. : ) Did that day include
mandatory holiday decorating, as well? Figuring to be on
someone’s naughty, or nice list? The annual holiday party, strategically scheduled earlier this year, is coming on us quickly! December 7 from 6-9 p.m. at the Cedarhurst Clubhouse in North Kingstown. ( Map link below.) A date that will live in infamy! Registe at the link below, and let us know what interesting culinary contribution you can share. Always a good time! Hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy the recent weather boon, and the lack of rain made the rocks feel like sandpaper…so there’s that to be happy about. Love an extended season. New 2025 calendar is up. Start considering what you want to join us for, volunteer for, contribute to, etc., etc. The more involvement we have, the more we broaden our group, and expand our active membership. Party sign-up here to attend: https://forms.gle/Ggjx3Wmq1rBjV1SF7 Map location: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cedarhurst+on+Wickford+Harbor/@41.5877574,-71.4416521,659m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1! 4m6!3m5!1s0x89e5b3cf291bfa75:0xa72895b949e3411a!8m2!3d41.5877534!4d-71.4390772!16s%2Fg%2F1vq9n932? entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTExMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D If anyone would like to contribute to this monthly newsletter please email your contribution to risouthcounty@gmail.com or bikeskiboy@hotmail.com. Contribution needs to be 200 words or less to fit in this newsletter format. A photo is helpful as well but not necessary. |
 |
2025
AMC Narragansett Climbing Trip/Event Schedule This is a synopsis of the upcoming AMC trips/events. See the link above for details. Trip announcements go out about a month before any trip date! The trips are all focused on multi-pitch trad and ice, except for the Rumney trip, which is sport climbing focused. 2025 Trip Classes, and Events
Schedule |
 |
Brian's Crag
of the Month, Ice
Climbing at Ross Rocks
Lately, local ice climbing has been as ephemeral as rainbows. When the conditions are right Ross Rocks has some decent 85 foot ice climbing routes in the corner of the Orange Wall. Before global warming it used to come in regularly. Last year it was in for one day. So, you need to watch the weather and, if necessary, be prepared to take a day off work to get out there should the conditions allow. During the winter the Ross Pond Road is gated so you have to hike in from the Old Furnace State Park entrance. It is not a long approach and a nice hike. The flow in the left corner (Cornered) goes at about WI3 and is leadable if "in." The flow on the face (Up Against the Wall) can be as hard as WI5 and is usually chandeliered translucent ice, so it has to be picked carefully. This route has probably been led back when it used to get fatter but I' wouldn't lead it unless it was unusually fat. |
 |
Brian's
Unsolicited Climbing Gear Advice Does your Santa's list include a climbing rope? Climbing ropes are not all the same. You want to match the rope to the type of climbing that you do. Do you ice climb? Then you want to get a dry rope or better yet a double dry rope with both a treated sheath and core. Otherwise, a non-dry rope is preferred and considerably lighter. I have a 9.5mm x 70m Maxim Pinnacle double dry rope and it weighs 4 pounds more than my 9.5mm x 70m Mammut Classic non-dry rope. Four pounds may not sound like much but carry it a few miles and it will. Some manufacturers claim a treated rope wears better but I have not found that to be true and they are trying to get you to spend more money. Also, don't fall for the bi-color rope gimmick. It is just an added expense, and it is actually harder to find the middle in a pile of rope than a black middle marker. The amount of stretch and corresponding impact force is another consideration. Some rope manufacturers have very high stretch ropes (Beal), and some have low-stretch ropes (Maxim). If you are primarily top-roping, then low-stretch is fine because there is little impact force in a top-rope fall. If you are primarily leading (especially trad) then you want a relatively low impact force (high-stretch). It is, however, a double edge sword in the more bungy-cord like the stretch the farther you fall, increasing the chance of hitting a ledge. So, look at the specs and get something in the middle range of stretch/impact force if you are a trad leader. Double versus single ropes. Unless you are alpine climbing or need two ropes to get down on rappel I recommend a single rope, especially if you are a new climber. Doubles are twice the work for rope management. Or yeah...and Ken (the guy who sent this email out) sells ropes for a living. He may be able to get you a deal. |
 | Climbing Bio - Catherine Destivelle - July 24, 1960- If you haven’t climbed for more than 30 years you’ve probably never heard of Catherine Destivelle. She is a French rock climber and mountaineer who is considered one of the greatest and most important female climbers in the history of the sport. She started climbing at age 12 and came to prominence in the mid-1980s for sport climbing by winning the first major female climbing competitions, and by being the first female to redpoint an 8a+ (5.13c). During this period, she was considered the strongest female sport climber in the world. She gave up competition climbing in 1990 to focus on alpine climbing. Unlike the gym-born climbers of today she was a well-rounded climber and climbed actual mountains. Destivelle put up bold first ascents in the Alps and became the first female to complete the winter alpine free solo of the "north face trilogy" of the Eiger, the Grandes Jorasses, and the Matterhorn. She made Himalayan and high-altitude ascents such as Nameless Tower in 1990, the southwest face of Shishapangma in 1995, and the south face of Peak 4111, in Antarctica, in 1996. She was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour, and in 2020, became the first female recipient of the Piolet d'Or Lifetime Achievement Award. |
|
Ken's
Training Tips It’s December, less going on, so more ideas to work on… First, don’t skip ‘leg day’!!! Just before the November newsletter, I started a weight lifting program, for general strength gain. It’s that time of year, to play around with/improve fitness. Each week has looked like this: Monday: Chest & Triceps Tuesday: Back & Biceps Wednesday: Shoulders Thursday: Leg day…I include a few leg exercises on Monday and Tuesday too. Friday: Core & Cardio (I often fit some other cardio in during the week, and OF COURSE climbing…I’m at the gym anyhow!) Saturday and Sunday are off, or do what you want days. For me, that means climbing and cardio. Dedicated recovery too. I have been lifting weights, and performing body weight exercises for forever. But, this is the first time in a LONG time the weight training has been so specific, regimented, and targeted. I want to get stronger. Not worried about bigger, I’m not a big ‘gainer’ type of person. I’m focused on a cycle of 4 weeks, with a full? 5th week off for recovery. Results, so far…I like it. I feel good, have lost a few pounds actually. Often weight lifting ups the metabolism. Strong climbing is what I’m feeling. I’m being REALLY careful not to overdue the workouts. Quality over quantity, as there are a LOT of exercises involved/available. I’ve also tweaked the exercises I do, keeping steady with the basics, but throwing a new one in from day to day. The body responds well to a combination of consistency, and variety. Circling around…leg day on this schedule is only one day. Leg strength has always been important to me. I’m short, with a shorter stride, and approaches, with a full pack on, can feel like an effort to me. So, I try to prepare, particularly for trips to areas like Red Rocks…longer approaches. And Red River Gorge…can be long, and most have a steepness component to them. No one I’ve come across ever said ‘gee, if only my legs weren’t so strong!’ All the staples will help with strengthening…squats(back and front), lunges(deep walking, and reverse lunges), Bulgarian split squats, off-set squats, kettlebell work, etc. Remember to google exercises, and concentrate on form…good, better, great form before adding weight. No bad form habits to start, will lead to strength and success. Add in ‘functional elements’ like stair repeats with a weighted bag(or backpack) on your shoulders. OR Stairmaster time. Box jumps/step ups to blend in a little cardio with the conditioning. You won’t regret the time invested. Oh, and don’t forget calves!! Walking uphill will engage the calves, make it a strength, not a struggle. Thought of the month…for those of us that grow increasingly challenged by ‘Calendar Acceleration Syndrome’(we’re gettin’ old!). From a prominent guide…”don’t let the old man in!” Truth…don’t give into what your age, and others might indicate should be standard…keep active, and fight the ‘norm’, because…”if you never slow down, you never get old”! |
 |
Rock
Gym Deals for AMC Members If you're new to our chapter or new to a local Rhode Island rock gym let the gym personnel know you're an AMC Narragansett member and most will extend you a discount on membership. For gyms like Rock Spot and CRG, that have multiple locations, that opens up day trips to new gyms, at no additional cost (but driving and time). Great for the gym season, if you want to try new routes, new holds, and new setters. |
 |
Join
the ClimbRI email group Most communication among RI climbers (including the AMC) is done through a Google Group called ClimbRI. There are currently just over 400 climbers in the group from RI, CT, and MA. |