Epic Journey to Boone, NC

So the 4 day trip to boone ended up to be quite a bit more entertaining then we thought..


The rig after getting rearended by a bitch goin 60


Chatt'n


The new rig

Also if that wasn't enough i ended up sick, and could hardly talk for the whole weekend.. The trip seemed to be cursed...

The First night I climbed a couple cool boulders though: Don Johnson v11, and Senderella Sit V12.

The next day we went to Grandmother with not much of an agenda. The day turned out really nice and we all did some cool problems. Drolet did Raw Meat v7, and Nate climbed the Masochist, v10. Also i was able to flash Teamwork, v10.

Day 3 was a bit slow at first due to some random ass rain! But afternoon rolled around and the sun came out renewing the syke! We packed up our shit and headed to the Linville Gorge to camp out and climb on the sickest river boulders in the states!
We arrived around 3 and quickly got to work. I made a couple cool Fa's including a sick highball arete I called Footloose Disaster v8. I then was pointed in the direction of a sick boulder called the v10 boulder. This thing has several projects littered across it, and i got syked on trying the arete. It revolves around 4 back to back hard moves to gain a really good edge with your right hand, from there you finish a 4 move v9. I was able to do every move individually but linking the boulder proved to be quite difficult. The third move was the crux for sure. Stabbing off a right hand sloper to a half pad sidepull for the left. Leaving yourself FULLY spread out on a 45 wall. I gave a few decent efforts but the pain in my fingers was just too much. Quite Discouraged I became content with the fact that i might not send, and decided to give it one more go. Pulling off the ground i felt worse then any other go, and just knew i wouldnt send. I arrived at the crux move and heard nate scream "try hard!" This ringing in my mind i bit down and tried as hard as i absolutely could. Next thing i knew i had stuck the move! I threw up the heel and made the move to the good edge and cut the feet. At this point i was in the worst pain ever.. but knowing that i could send this beatiful project gave me the syke to push through and finish! I topped out and couldn't believe it. Sitting on top of the boulder i reflected on the send, and at that moment i really understood the meanding of "try hard". This problem being not only one of the best boulders ive ever climbed, but for sure the biggest learning experience i've had in my climbing. My mind now feels stronger then ever, and i will always remember no matter how bad it hurts, or how tired your body is, if the mind is strong, you can prevail.

Day 4 we were adventurous and did alot of hiking down the river. I saw many boulders, and still can't believe the quality of this area. Nate and I climbed 2 cool v8's called Yamaha Pit Viper, and Full Power Scram. I also fa'd two cool lines I called Left Handed, v6. and Purple Brush, v9. At the end of the day we came across a small roof project that got me really syked! I started trying it and immediately fell in love with the movement and difficulty. Its only 2 moves long and in the end i got shut down... A bit bummed, I then moved on to another project to the right. It climbs low on some cool pinches and ends on a super classic v4 called A Pleasant Surprise. I called it A shitty Gift, v9. After this we decided it was time to roll. We hiked back up to camp, gathered our shit, and hiked an hour up hill.

This trip was most definately epic as hell, but in the end i felt stronger then ever both physically and mentally. Can't wait to get to Colorado! 12 days and counting!


The Project..

Thanks to Nate Drolet for the pics

Enjoi

The Now

Since i've been back from boone i've been training like hell! I spent 5 days straight climbing in Boone, and came back home to 5 straight days of training. Though i've obviously been sore as shit, i can definately say im in the best shape of my life. Ive completed some "projects" in the gym that to me symbolize a new personal level. Hopefully all this hard work will pay off this summer in Co! Im really syked to get outa chatt for a while, and can't wait to just be chilln with the bro's!

The past few days ive spent trainng with brion. Yesterday kinda went like this:
I woke up and did a 20 minute p90X workout, followed by a 30 minute moonboard workout, followed by a 2 hour sesh at tba.

Today was similar, yet a bit more intense. I woke up and voges came over for a 30 minute moonboard sesh. Then a couple hours later we were at tba. We climbed for about 2 hours and then chilled out. I ate some lunch and then we did some intense campusing for about 2 hours, followed by a 150 move circuit on the jug wall. No abs today due to me still being sore from yesterday. Tomorrow is gonna be really lax. Im gonna head into tba and set some more problems, and maybe climb a few moderates.
Wedensday is a rest day and thursday Me, Nate, Brion, and Hugh are driving to Boone for the weekend! Most syked to head back to Linville Gorge! We're gonna head to another spot called Devil's Hole, though spence's ridge was dope, ive heard rumor of Devils Hole having three times as many boulders as well as projects! Can't wait!

Here's another list i've thrown together for the weekend!

Don Johnson v11
Black Crack v13
Teamwork v10
Last of the Mohicans v11
And anything and everything in the gorge!

Enjoi

Big Brick

As promised here is a cool vid put together by Dalton Hilfinger. It includes Josh sending the ultra classic Pure Wonder, V8 and me on the 1st ascent of Big Brick, V11. Thanks again Dalton!

Enjoi

Linville Gorge North Carolina - Project Day from Erik Danielson on Vimeo.

Boone Recap

So my time in Boone is up and im chill'n back in Chatty now. The trip was an overall success! Though i may not have climbed a couple lines i was really syked on, my time there was well worth it! As you saw earlier i left with a rather large tic list of boulders I was syked on completing. Now that i've returned the list has changed a smidge, and this is what i came home with.


Day 1
- Preferential Treatment V10
- Big Booty Judy V10
- Beasley's Face Sit V11

Day 2
- Portobello V9 Flash
- Ominous Roof V9 Flash
- Love Johnson v10

Day 3
- Comfort Arete V10 FA

Day 4
- Have Guns Keep Traveling V9 Flash

Day 5
- Pure Wonder V8
- Now and Zen V10 2nd asc.
- Double Barrel V10 FA
- Big Brick V11 FA
- The Wataugan V12 FA

On day 5 we went to a really sick area called Spence's Ridge in the Linville Gorge. This is a new area to me, and i was MOST syked to check out what it had to offer. After the 40 minute hike down to the river we were completely surrounded by rock! We warmed up at a cool boulder called The Patio Roof and I instantly got syked on a project that climbs straight out the center. Me, Rami and Nate worked out sum beta and I was able to finish it off calling it Big Brick, V11. Our bud Dalton got sum video, so hopefully we'll see that soon!

After this we walked down to one of the sickest roofs ive ever seen. And to top it all off there was a project coming straight out the middle dubbed the Glory Roof Project. The crux of this one revolved around a big ass swing from a fully stretched out position. After that you finish on a very insecure v9 to an easy mantle. Nate and I worked out the beta for a while and after almost giving up.. the crux beta finally clicked. I started to throw my shoes on and the wind picked up. Next go i held the swing and fell off the finish. Syked as shit i sat down, relaxed, and sent. I decided to call this boulder "The Wataugan" V12.. naming it after its founder Mike Stam. Before heading out to the gorge i watched a rad clip of him getting super close on it, and shortly after he had a devastating bicep injury which ultimately kept him from sending the problem. Props most definately goes out to him!

Then to finish off the day we all went over to try Pure Wonder, V8. Nate, Josh, and I all sent and we started trying an unrepeated Andrew Gearing Problem called Now and Zen, V10. I was able to finish, while nate got super close! Also, earlier in the day Josh spoted a new line on the now and zen boulder that was just screaming to be climbed!! We all worked out some beta and in the end i was able to complete the masterpiece! Very syked to say the least, i think this one could be one of my favorite boulders i've ever done. It climbs around 15 moves on rad pinches and crimps. On my last go of the day feeling tired as shit i was able to send. Which came as a huge surprise to me, so i couldn't have been happier. After this we hiked our asses out straight up hill for close to an hour. I booked it out, and just about threw up. My cardio is most definately not on its A game!

All in all the trip to Boone was sick good. I really enjoyed chill'n with Nate and Rami. Those mother fuckers are crazy as shit! Also enjoyed the company of the others who live with Nate. Theres a sick crew up there in Boone, and to me they symbolize what i think climbing should be.(Chill, and based on pure enjoyment of climbing some random rock) Thanks to everyone who showed me around, I can't wait to get back!

Here's a Vid Nate threw together of me sending The Wataugan! Thanks bro.

The Wataugan(V12) from Nate Draughn on Vimeo.

Enjoi