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April!
And this is no joke! Not fooling : ) Ross Pond cleanup successfully in the books! Despite having to navigate the ever changing weather forecast, we had a dry, overcast AM to gather with about a dozen people, and set off to clean up Ross Pond. It went pretty smoothly, and it was arguably the lowest volume of trash we’ve removed, but…there was still enough to validate the time and effort spent. In addition, we got to see the finished(new top section) stairs leading up/down the party wall area. Nicely done, and now one can much more easily get up and down that section of hill side. Thanks once again Jenn!!! Spring is happening, and we are preparing for our April classes. An historically exciting time of year. Daylight hours are longer. Weather is begging for outdoor climbing to be happening, and the classes routinely provide us with more climbing friend options. Buckle up…it’s gettin’ real. 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. |
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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
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Brian's Destination of the Month: Estes
Park, Colorado Ran out of local crags of the month so we are adventuring farther afield. If you are looking for a summer climbing destination that is relatively inexpensive and easy to get to then Estes Park is a great option. Estes Park sits on the edge of the Rocky Mountain National Park and as a major tourist destination has lots of lodging options from camping to AirBnB. The climbing suits all styles with famous trad venues like Lumpy Ridge where you have the classic Kor's Flake 5.7+, sport crags like Jurassic Park where you have the classic Edge of Time 5.9+ and The Crags where you have Return of the King 5 pitch 5.8, and alpine adventures like Long's Peak where you get over 14,000 feet on Kiener's Route AI2, 5.4. To get there, fly into Denver, rent a car, and drive the 75 miles in about an hour and half. While the weather forecast may look terrible with rain forecast every day, it is deceptive because it may rain ten miles away and never rain where you are. When I was there last year it was forecast to rain every day and we never got wet. However, it is infamous for afternoon thunderstorms, so you don't want to be up high on some pinnacle when they roll in. If you are interested in a trip there and want beta contact me. I've done five climbing trips to the area as recently as last year. |
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Climbing
Bio by Ronnie Schroeder: Angela (Angy) Eiter January 27, 1986 - Present Angela (Angy) Eiter is definitely one of the best and strongest sport and competition climbers of all time. Angy was introduced to climbing at the age of 11 at her school. At the age of 15, she climbed her first indoor 8a (5.13b) and at 16 began participating in World Cup lead climbing. She’s an Austrian professional rock climber who has since achieved what was thought to be unachievable. On October 22, 2017, Angy made history when she redpointed La Planta de Shiva, the first woman to complete a 9b (5.15b) route. Then in 2020 she made history again, at 34, by completing the first ascent of Madame Ching in Austria. That is the first 5.15b first ascent by a woman, and the hardest first ascent by a woman to date. She’s a quadruple world champion (2005, 2007, 2011, 2012), triple IFSC overall world cup winner lead three years in a row (2004 ,2005, 2006), overall combined world cup winner 2006, and has 25 individual world cup wins. Not to mention a European champion in 2010, 6-time Rock Master (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012), and winner of the World Games in 2005. You can learn much more at https://www.redbull.com/ca-en/angy-eiter-climbing-buzet-croatia |
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Ken's
Training Tips Ready for the season? Suddenly, the weather has changed from Winter to Spring, seemingly in the blink of a New England week. IF you feel like you’re a touch behind the physical self you hoped for on your first outdoor days, do not despair! Consider some quick fixes. At the gym, or outside…ask your partner/belayer if they mind if you do back to back climbs? They can do the same, and both of you will work on some endurance, from which also comes strength. Maybe ‘prescribe’ yourself another day in the gym per week!? Bouldering builds strength quickly, and efficiently, if you only have a modest amount of time, or no partner. Have a bar/hangboard at home? Several times a day, morning/night? do a :30(more or less) hang…this will immediately help your hand/rock contact/arm strength. Remember good form…arms not quite straight, arms, back, shoulders engaged…NOT just a dead hang. Speaking of which…prioritizing. We do it every day…should I climb, or should I go to work? LOL With regards to fitness, and climbing, it can be similar. What are your most urgent goals? Perhaps something we’ve neglected, because we aren’t as crazy about the workout? That isn’t unusual! Prioritize it! How? Well, make it the most important task you want to accomplish that day. For example…want stronger fingers, DEFINITELY do a warmup, maybe even a little climbing, then hit the hangboard and/or Kilter board to build that hand strength. Most important, even if the climbing looks more interesting…put it off until the hand/finger strength work is done. It will be a sacrifice, but get it done, and reap the benefits later. This is a better plan than trying to sneak it in when you’re already tired after a climbing session, and you lack the strength to give it 100%, and all the sets necessary. Same can be true for weights. Want strong shoulders, warm up, and hit the shoulders early in your program. Want stronger calves, don’t do them after all your leg exercises, do them early in your program, after an appropriate warmup. Also don’t treat every body part the same. The range of motion, and the size of the muscle might indicate the amount of repetitions for you to really feel the burn. A lot of muscles can feel it with 10-15 reps, even less if going heavy. But calves have a low range of motion, and limited ways to activate the muscles involved…I routinely do 20-35 reps, switching between smooth continuous movement, and pauses at the top and bottom. You need to feel the muscles involved getting activated and fatigued. This kind of thinking will get you past procrastination, and onto the issues truly at hand, and important, throughout life! Technique reminder: I don’t know about most of you, but when I know the weather is going to be wet, I’m thinking of the gym for my climbing, or an alternative activity. But what happens when we show up, and the rock is unexpectedly wet? This happened to a few of us recently, at Beach Pond. That rock, depending on the ambient atmosphere, can be fickle. I’ve shown up there when it was an otherwise dry day to find it looking like someone just hosed it down. The story goes…woke up to a foggy, overcast start to the day. Everything was damp around home, but the climbing wasn’t scheduled until 2:30pm. The sun snuck out a little bit, the wind picked up decidedly, generally, things were drying up. Off we went to Beach Pond. Dry on the hike in, even the boulders you pass were looking dry. At the crag…wet to the point of dripping on a few routes. We decided to climb/lead anyway. We didn’t do all the routes, but did some pretty wet ones. T he thing this situation reminds you is that…although wet, it can be climbed. I started off a little more carefully, but…as long as you purposely place your feet, and then commit to standing on them. They’ll hold! IF you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t pass up your chance to hammer this lesson in reality home. Oh, and chalk and wet, just makes paste. That’s no help! From Strongmind.climbing: How Gut Health Affects Mood & Climbing Performance Did you know your gut health could be influencing your focus, energy and even fear response on the wall? The gut-brain connection isn’t just a trend - it’s backed by science. ‣ Your gut houses 70% of your immune system and produces 90% of serotonin (your “feel-good” neurotransmitter). ‣ Chronic stress affects your microbiome, impacting digestion, recovery and mental clarity - key factors in climbing performance. ‣ A well-balanced gut can boost mood, reduce anxiety and improve focus, while an imbalanced one can contribute to brain fog and fatigue. Tips for a healthier gut & better climbing: Eat a variety of whole foods & fermented foods Stay hydrated Manage stress Consider probiotics, especially after antibiotics. A holistic approach to performance means looking beyond training plans - our gut health plays a bigger role than we might think. What do you think - have you ever noticed the impact of gut health on your climbing? This one really resonated with me. I have been on my own personal journey over the last 8-9 months(min.). What I thought(for decades) were symptoms of allergies, turns out to be reflux. Diagnosed last October. Since that time, I have been working to regulate my gut, and associated symptoms, as much as possible without a prescription(tried it for a little while, and realized it wasn’t accomplishing enough to offset the long-term possible side effects of the meds). Suffice it to say, this will likely take some time, but it is sooo worth it when things you thought you’d just have to continuously deal with, go away. A little research(because everyone is different) and you’ll be on your way to a happy/healthier you. Don’t just deal with the symptoms, solve them! |
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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. |
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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. |