Last year at this time Katie and I were taking a summer off of climbing. We had tons of fun doing everything but climbing and it was honestly one of the best summers I've had. Fun, relaxing and very low stress.
All the while we were both watching the website Mountain Project as Governor Dodge absolutely exploded. Well over 100 problems were found and established and maybe 10 or so areas were found. Much of this development was thanks to Mr. Sweatpants(Who might be getting hitched now but I'm not sure. He'll have to enlighten us.) who made countless three and a half hour treks up to Dodge solely to develop new boulders in the heat and humidity of summer.
I couldn't believe the traffic Governor Dodge was receiving. I mean, I spent the better part of the 2006 fall up there and, while it was good, I couldn't really imagine it was THAT good. It seemed that everyone was coming out of the woodworks and bouldering at Dodge every chance they had. People that had never bouldered before were buying pads and heading out. Something that I had never experienced in the area, something that I had longed for and wanted so badly, was happening. We were finally developing a bouldering community.
Katie and I went back in the fall and had an absolute blast on some of the new stuff. So much of what we got on was fun and I was impressed with every single area we went to. At the same time though I somewhat surprised that this traffic hadn't translated over to more traffic at Devil's Lake. I think I just expected people to want to explore all of the problems at the lake. What I underestimated was the allure of friction and piss easy approaches.
I also realized that information was very readily available for Governor Dodge and it definitely wasn't available for much of Devil's Lake. That's where the Wisconsin Bouldering Blog came into fruition. After talking to Nic from Five Ten for a few months and telling him that I wanted to get him to the lake, we were finally able to get together and head up to the lake for a day. Brian and Remo came with and it seems like that was the starting point for this season at the lake. Immediately after that people started getting interested in the bouldering there again. I started getting e-mails asking for beta and people stopped me at the gym asking for directions.
I couldn't have been happier. Remo has been making regular trips up with RV and has been amazing about putting all that info up on Mountain Project. In fact I saw the two of them leaving a coffee shop for the lake yesterday as I drove to work. Bastards. As I'm writing this Remo is putting up more pictures and notes from yesterday. It's fun to see the energy returning to the lake. The climbing there is so good and shouldn't be left to cobwebs and fallen leaves. I really hope this continues forward and more people start bouldering here.
The past two years have been incredible for Wisconsin Bouldering. While this is by no means a destination itself, we are beginning to have three major areas at our disposal. That's something I couldn't have even imagined a few years ago. Now I just need to get up to Rib...
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7 months ago
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There is also the fact that this spring/early summer has been amazing as far as the weather is concerned. Good thing I am MISSING ALL OF IT
ReplyDeleteThe weather has been way better than in recent years! You need to get off the injury train and start getting better already! How is that going?
ReplyDeleteIf it's not one thing it's another thing. Slow and steady is the name of the game right now.
ReplyDeleteHey Steve,
ReplyDeleteNice post. I love it. I spent the past five years in Minneapolis, and the last year in La Crosse (I move to California in a few weeks), but I hope that Mountain Project helps turn Wisconsin and Minnesota bouldering into something everyone has access to-- there are so many sweet, established problems that deserve to be climbed on!
Good post Steve. I agree that there is a bouldering craze happening right now. I always felt that it was so much more low key in the past few years and that very few still bouldered (outside, not in the gym) around the state. The Dodge(with the help of the internet)I feel has changed peoples perspective on how good the climbing is in Wisconsin. The more I get out I'm amazed at the quality we have close to us. Usually I'm planning climbing trips to other "meca's", but as of late, I'm totally stoked on local climbing. I think people will start to realize that the Lake holds some of the best stone around and that the problems there IMHO are better than the dodge, and harder. I would normally take sandstone over quartzite any day, but the Lake is amazing. Rib is super fun, we will have to plan a little trip up there soon.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work
Remo
Rib Rules! Check out stinkybeta.blogspot.com for some video.
ReplyDeleteThanks Remo. My sentiments exactly. I'm blown away at how many people are bouldering now. It's great to see. Hopefully we start seeing more and more people bouldering at the lake. Definitely the best area in Wisconsin, I think we can all agree.
ReplyDeleteVery kind words sir. And although we can agree i was probably traveling the farthest the develop and find stuff there are a bunch of folks that did just as much... they just didnt have to travel as far. Also, it is true that I proposed to Kristen last night and we are engaged! Needless to say I am super psyched about it.
ReplyDeletesweaty
Minnesota is still better, you all should plan a 4th of July trip to MN... whatcha think?
ReplyDelete-nic
Nice post. I moved to Madison in the summer of 2007. I was sorry to leave Red Wing as my home sport-o crag but ready to get out of Roch. My wife picked the west side for a variety of reasons, none of which had to do with climbing. I was very happy to oblige however, to be 11 miles to work but much more importantly 37 miles to the Lake and 37 miles to the Dodge-- right off the highway to either. I had never climbed at either but the promise of climbing at either from mp.com was there. The Lake was instantly an enigma. I was sans partner so bouldering was it for me. The Lake on mp.com was essentially devoid of beta, and what was there was sparse and cryptic. Same went for rc.com. There were rumors the "The Reserve" and I even randomly met a friend of a friend who had been there but was unable to give directions for real or imagined reasons. Thus, I largely ignored the Lake and concentrated on the Dodge. JJ Schlick who I had never met but had emailed with quite a bit (and actually I somehow ended up helping his brother dismantle his huge home wall, Viola, I now had a new home wall!) had done quite a bit of posting on mp about the Dodge. The directions were mostly clear, the approaches short, and the ratings were not sandbagged. Perfect! I spent the summer and fall of 07 bouldering there alone with the skeeters. Never saw a soul. Very occasionally saw chalk or read Melin or someone posting about S.V. on mp.com. Fast forward to spring 08. Holy shit! All of a sudden some Chicago bonehead was posting new routes on the "Hell Outta Dodge" boulder!! WHAT??!!? (And after actually trying "Internet Predator" and emailing this newcomer, I became a believer. The line was super fun and this guy was actually pretty cool.) I started seeing more chalk. More buzz online. Actually seeing cars there, and occasionally, other pad people. Then it became an avalanche! New problems, new areas, new faces. All out of the blue. Amazing. At least 50% of what got posted was varying degrees of choss, but that goes with the territory. Now it's a destination. Yeah, I really think Sweaty was the most influential person who created that. Melin, Remo, and others certainly contributed, but at least early on, they were quieter about it. The community feel, both from Madison locals and those from Milwaukee and Chicago, is a pretty good one. It's been pretty cool to see. Hard stuff getting sent. Finally, now this blog, narc giving some attention to the Lake, and Remo putting stuff on mp has really started to generate some revitalized buzz on the Lake bouldering as well. Nice work!!! I am super excited to get out there to try some of the lines I'd only heard of in whispers (Alpine Club, Jenga, Bulbous, etc. etc.) that now have good directions and even a few pics online. Thanks a ton for this work and for putting all this up. Keep it up! ce
ReplyDeleteThat was waaaay longer than it looked like it was going to be in this little box. Oh well. ce
ReplyDeletehaha. yeah im psyched to try some of that stuff at DL. Hopefully one of these days.
ReplyDeletesweaty
Sweaty, let me know when you head up. I'll meet you and bring the beer. Congrats again. ce
ReplyDeletelol deal. thank you sir!
ReplyDeletewe have to bring someone else with us that knows where they're going because it is well documented that you suck at finding shit.
sweaty
LOL. Yeah. ce
ReplyDeleteWell, huge congrats sweaty on getting engaged! That is incredibly awesome to hear!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks to everyone who follows my ramblings and thoughts here. It's fun and I hope you guys enjoy it as well. I really do appreciate the support and interest!!!