Finals Week at Tumtum

Got out on Monday of finals week with Brian Veseth and Kaiya. It was our two year anniversary on Monday so we decided to spend it climbing, of course. With a torrential downpour all the way there, we were a bit skeptical of the conditions for the rest of the day, but were pleasantly suprised when after about 1030 all was well and scattered clouds gave way to sunshine and good temps. Brian scored a quick ascent of Dyno Guys Demise, a V5/6 traverse into the Tap Dance Arete, Kaiya managed to repeat Thrutchy Madness for the camera, and I did a first go repeat of The Thin Line, a V9/10 that I put up last time I was there. Kaiya put down her longest project, the Polish Pimp Slap, a V5 that is very height/lockoff dependent, after 4 days of effort. I came so close to sending Ode to Modern Bland, the sit start to Soul to Squeeze that clocks in around V13 or harder, but then I broke off the crux hold, a crimper that is the right hand start hold for the V10. It is about 1/8 of an inch thick, and is now half as big. Oh well. We headed up to the "Other Spot" as I have dubbed it, to shoot some video, and for me to send Point Your Finger (V11/12). I had tried it 3 days before and could not stick the crux moves at all, but a quick beta change and I was able to stick the huge (read: full span with a left heel hook) lock off and bump once, and managed to hang on for the send. Wasn't able to get vid of that since Brian and Kaiya both had to spot pretty actively. If you fall to the left, landing is a large steep rock and to the right is a downhill slope full of all sorts of fun things to land on, so nobody to run the camera...next time. Everyone had a good day, Brian sent 4 problems, Kaiya sent her project, and I was able to get some video and photos (soon to come, kinda busy with finals and all that). Off to Leavenworth this weekend and next week to send the Practicioner and hopefully a slew of other stuff that I couldn't do last time. For now, here is the vid from Monday!!! Happy climbing

Finals Fest from Mike Bockino on Vimeo.

More, OMFG More!!

More excerpts from Tumtum, Conrad on a super sick roof crack, me on Soul to Squeeze and a really cool dyno I called Jamaican Jerk, and Kaiya doing Gigantor's Problem...you don't name things and they are named after you.

Worked on a project that adds about 6 moves to Soul to Squeeze, all of them harder than the V10 itself, could be the hardest thing I have ever done...if I can do it. I'm going up to set routes for the Wild Walls Comp on Saturday and hopefully have some time to go out and get some goes in on the project.



More from Tumtum from Mike Bockino on Vimeo.

Hmm, I didn't know there was great bouldering 20 minutes from Spokane

Jake Dolence with perfect execution of an all points off downward dyno...note the peace sign that says "peace out bitches I'm jumpin"

Some of the better photos from the Saturday session. A big group went up and put up a bunch of new stuff, and lots of the other problems saw repeats. You can click on the photo for a full screen version, most people probably know that, I just figured it out yesterday....

Conrad Piper-Ruth on The Corridor V9

Found some new stuff too, over past Collective Mind, this big fin of rock that starts nearly horizontal and slaps out a bulge on a bunch of non-holds to a pumpy finish. You get to do this move, a super tensiony heel hook madness stab to a backwards upside-down gaston pinch. Dopeness has been achieved.

Soul to Squeeze V10


Jake Dolence hung a rope and cleaned this 60 degree overhanging roof crack, and Conrad, he and I all sent it within an hour. Jake topping out uber-pumped at about 22' on Ponyology, V6

Projection: SendingKaiya doing her best to find a viable intermediate on Polish Pimp Slap V5


John Lipke cleaned up this little arete in the main area and it turned out to be pretty good. Pull on, cross, match and then Yaaarrr!!!
John does his best to burst a blood vessel on a unnamed V4


Some other shots of Conrad on a really cool shouldery problem right behind Collective Mind

I'll find out what the problem is and what it is named and put that up too..