So. Your ready to take your game outside?

So, you want to be able to transition to the real rock of Athens County? What are the best beginner problems you ask? Where should I go?

Commitment Stand - Trailer Park, Commitment Area.

Beginners Traverse(aka Tilted Trailer) - Trailer Park, Ravine Boulders.

Broken Holds McGee - Trailer Park, Font Area.

Supper Happy Fun Arete, Trailer Park, Upper Tier.

Lip of the Silhouette Cave- Trailer Park, Cave Area

Shinbuster- COAD, Warm Up Wall.

Dark Dirty Hole, COAD, Warm Up Wall

Fire in the Hole, COAD, Upper Tier

Many Slabs at COAD


Let me know if their are any problems you think are great beginner problems.



Stay Tuned for our next segment, "You think you can climb V3."

Which Is? Traverse - Spoof

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Athens Bouldering Video

Just found this, a documentary video about climbing/bouldering in Athens. It was put together by Nick Kalisz for a school project, and looks pretty good.



Bouldering Athens from Nick Kalisz on Vimeo.


P.s. "Its like as close to flying as I have ever come.....without flying" might be my new favorite quote.

A Long Time - Part 1

So it's 21 degrees in Athens right now, and Brian is playing Contra III and complaining about the lack of blogging. So I thought I would start off things with some photos of a new Athens county line. These photos are of the "Superman Slab" on the Superman boulder in the "Heroes" area of Wayne National Forest. This boulder is freestanding and about the size of a house, checking in at about 30ft tall at it tallest point. One of the sides host a slab, home to this amazing line, props to BC on finding this stellar bloc. So far only 4 of the 15 or so lines have seen sends, but hopefully cool temps will help this dielima. If you get a chance to visit this new classic, don't pass it up.

Tim O. on the "SuperMan Slab"



Until part 2

A COAD Double Feature

Well I figured out a little more of the video editing, so here is some action from this summer. Let me know what you think so I can make the future installments better.

A Hocking Hills Highline

Last spring Levi(aka: Levi Tate, The Levitater, Mr. Evil) came to town to visit friends, family and possibly climb. He came during an amazing week of weather that allowed us hit the local Athens bouldering by day and paint the town red by night. We also managed to travel to the new for some bouldering, helping the crew dial in some problems before the rendezvous. While we were sitting around afterwards he mentioned that he was interested in setting up a highline at one of our only local crags( if you can call it that).

We decided that we would head out the next morning a set up a line at the Hocking Hills climbing and rappelling area. We planned to set it up on the gap between the "Rectangle Block" and the adjacent cliff, over the trail. It was about a 25ft gap and close to 40 ft to the deck, not to bad for our first highline. Being that this would be our first time setting a highline, we decided to not screw around and carried a ton of gear into the woods. However, two expeditions packs full might have been too much.

It took us about an hour to figure out what we need to set up the line. If you look at the photos you will see that we were pretty redundant. The core rig of our set up was the "slackline brothers" tension system, fully backed up. Our line was double threaded to make it both stiffer and stronger. The whole system was back up with a dynamic line that was ran under the line and taped to it.

The plan from the very beginning was for Levi to walk the line and if I was feeling up to it, I said I would give it a try, however my fear of heights said "NO". I will have to say it was pretty coll to see Levi on the line.

Check out the rest of the photos and the video below.

Bird's Nest Slide Show

I know I said I would have a video footage of a highline in Hocking Hills, but I am have some technical issues to workout. In the meantime I have put together small slide show of one of the most classic lines in all of Southern Ohio.

I in the meantime will try to sort out my video issues.

Stay tuned.

The Hocking Hills Climbing and Rappelling Area

So it might be outside of Athens county, but we will be considering part of the Athens scene. The Hocking Hills Climbing and Rappelling area is located in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio, in Hocking County, in the Hocking Hills State Forest on a 99 acre tract of land, next to the Hocking Hills State Park.
This area has a plethora of rock, of which a small fraction is hard enough to support climbs and of that, a smaller fraction of actuals climbs. But of that small fraction of climbs there are a few good lines. The area is great for taking beginners and learning how to set up top ropes, it is a great outdoor class room.
The problems range from easy to moderate with a couple hard lines, but the potential for hard sends are there. Below is some more raw video of Dan and I playing around on the area test piece "Six Crack". Enjoy!

Six Crack Video


Stay tuned for a clip of Mr. Evil(aka the Levitator) on a high line in Hocking Hills.

Some sends that went down last spring.

Last spring we spent several weeks cleaning and developing a new area in Athens County. This new area holds a large quantity of rock with the possibility of some amazing lines. Here is some raw video of the first ascent of "Domesticated Man" maybe v6/v7. As you can see from the video it is bulge that is common to the area. The area also contains a wide varieties of rock climbing styles, low to high, easy to hard, and from tame to scary as hell. Access is currently an issue, so once it is resolved we will spread the word.


above: "Domesticated Man"

above: "Domesticated Man"


Stay tuned for some footage of the Hocking Hills test piece "Six Crack"

The Trailer Park... Choss or Paradise

The Trailer Park boulders, the infamous Athens hot spot! It holds some of the best problems in all of Southeastern Ohio, actually I would call them the best in all of the state. A few of these problems are so good, that they would be classics where ever you put them.

But just like all good climbing areas, it has taken time and energy to develop. There have been those individuals over the years that have walked the hills before there were trails, they, the hunters, on the constant search for a new rock, a new line, a first ascent, however the first ascents in Athens County don't come easy. Unlike areas in other destinations where one can walk up, jump on a unclimbed face and grab a send. We the few "scrubbers", battle the very forces of mother nature, to tame the line. We remove ages of dirt and loose rock to find the beauty beneath, with every speck of dust removed, to allow for an attempt at what the rock holds sacred, it first ascent.

After a scrub, with a rock that is clean, it still takes a climber that is willing to try and crack the beta. The beta on a challenging problem is not given easily, add height and a hard crux and it could be years before that problems sees a send. That is the draw that keeps many of us on the prow for the next boulder in Athens.

With that being said, you will have to take the time to thank those before you, as you pull on the sandstone of the Trailer Park. Cause they were the ones that cleared away most of the choss in Athens, making your future climbs a little more enjoyable. Still be aware of the occasional hold that may break.

Now for a few pieces of eye candy that will make you want to pull down on this same Ohio sandstone.

above: Tom on the "Font Arete"

above: Tim on "Tarzan"

Above: Dan on Mall Boulder classic "Deforestation"

Above: Dan on the tall and slimper test piece "Charlie Horse"

Above: Dan on the infamous Athens Classic "Bird's Nest"

Witches Hill is the Place to Be...

...When the weather is bad and you need to get a fix. Witches is usually the first area to dry out due to its location in Athens. Sitting atop of "Witches Hill", next to state route 33, it is exposed to the sun and with a slight breeze you can usually climb there the next day following a storm. Just be prepared for the muddy and steep approach to the bouldering.

Another nice feature to the climbing at Witches, is that most of the problems are in the easy to moderate range with great landings, allowing for a great circuit. Don't let this turn you away if you think your a crusher, there are still stout lines and projects to be had.

Now for five reasons to climb at Witches.....

One of the many faces of Stroup.

Long view of the front upper section.

Trey on Drew's Arete


Victor on the "Leaper"


Stroup going for the dyno version of "Double Down".

Stay tuned for some more action from Athens.