July 4, 2021
Remarkably, a high quality boulder has been hiding at Long Lake this whole time. [Story]. Two months ago, a friend told me he was climbing a cool boulder on the backside of Long Lake — and then the lockdown hit. I had to go on a solo expedition to find it, since groups weren’t allowed to climb together. When I did, I was grateful to have a spot to climb this close to the city while the gyms were closed. I was also grateful that the folks who found the boulder were generous in letting me clean it and write up a topo for it. The spot has good problems in the V3 to V4 range, and one mega-hard project. It’s right on the lake, a pleasant spot to spend an afternoon. The walk in is about 20 minutes long, through nature trails and along Long Lake. Directions: Park at the Saint Margarets Bay Road parking lot or Exhibition Park, walk to Long Lake, and then follow the shore counter-clockwise until you run into a big boulder. The boulder faces east and is shaded in the afternoon.
Black Belt When you arrive at the boulder, you are greeted by a large slab that is decent for warming up, but not much else. I’ve clumped the problems here together in one entry because they’re nothing to write home about. On the left, there is one problem that certainly is worth the climb, Black Belt V4. This problem is a bit of a puzzle, requiring more technique than strength, and is on the easier side of V4 once you get the beta.
Apogee and Apotheosis The star of the show is Apogee V3. There is something aesthetically pleasing about when it seems like someone designed the holds on a boulder to create a climbing problem. In this case, it’s a mix of crimps, pockets, and jugs, and ends with two large satisfying moves. Apotheosis V4 offers a different, harder entrance to Apogee. The starting move feels baffling until the beta clicks, and when it does, it feels like ‘the elevation of someone to divine status’ — i.e., apotheosis. Kickstand is an unremarkable V1. If you’ve climbed everything else and are looking for one last challenge, try linking Apogee into Kickstand. The transition is surprisingly tricky. For me it involved hanging upside-down from a heel hook.
Near Death Near Death, like Apogee, stands out aesthetically for having designer hand holds. It starts on two solid crimps, and moves to a nice little crimp carved into the wall (not literally). The hardest move is the first, requiring solid feet position to move statically to the crimp. After that, a variety of beta do the trick. The problem is named after the giant jug that came off mid-climb.
Next to Near Death is a hard, hard project. I look forward to someone sending that. I hope you enjoy the boulder. As always, I’d appreciate any feedback on grades etc. You can DM me on Instagram or Twitter.