I Heel Good - V7

It was during the second annual Climb Nova Scotia Boulder Fest that i filmed this clip. It was mid afternoon and i was not having much luck. There were lots of people climbing but it seemed when ever the camera was rolling the climbers were not getting the sends. I had spent most of the morning filming Amber Geerdink attempting the "Bear". She had done all the moves but just couldn't piece it together, so i moved on. I was shooting around "The Wave" when Jonathan Graham came running around the corner with a huge grin on his face. He had just done a new problem and offered to repeat it for the camera. With the help of Jonathan and my two extra camera operators (Ghislain Losier, and Chris Murphy) we were able to get some quality footage of this Dover Island classic. That moment turned everything around, it seemed that everyone was ready for the send train.

The ruminants of hurricane Noel blew through the Maritimes last fall and it would seem that "I Heel Good "would not escape it's wrath. I've been told that the under-cling at the lip that Jonathan matches on has broken a bit. How much i'm not sure. There wasn't much in the way of holds on it before so it's hard to imagine how waves could have changed it.

I'm planning a trip to Dover soon to sum up the damage for myself. I'll have the Dover Island mini-guide written by Sean Therien in hand to compare with. Until then get your psyche on Boulderfest is coming...

Bouldering Nova Scotia - I Heel Good from Todd Foster on Vimeo.
Music by: Sean Cassidy

Dover Island - Orangutan

In September of 2003 hurricane Juan came ashore in Halifax and pounded the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. It left devastation in it's wake by taking many huge boulders and classic problems. Dover Island took the brunt of the force. The Fish Mouth boulder was picked up and smashed in half in the bottom of a gully. Orangutan was also scarred by loosing a really nice incut at the lip. The problem still goes but it sure has changed how we looked at the island and the power of the ocean.


This past fall we were surprised again by the raw power and unpredictability of the Atlantic ocean. Dover Island and much of the coast around Halifax was assaulted and changed due to the remnants of Hurricane Noel. Orangutan again took the hits loosing another small crimper on the right lip. Apparently it still goes but people seem reluctant to change the grade from V4. Several other boulders were effected during the storm. In today clip you can see the "One Scoop" boulder looming in the background, it was also displaced during the fall storms of 2007.





(I'm not sure witch hold is gone from this picture, comments any one?)








Boulderfest is coming up again this year and i encourage anyone who hasn't done this three star Dover Island classic to get out there and get it done. Orangutan may not be there after this fall!

Here is a re-cut of Orangutan (with lots of extra footage) from Eastern Tide: One Season in Nova Scotia.


Bouldering Nova Scotia - Orangutan from Todd Foster on Vimeo.

Music By: hisboyelroy
Song: Revolve
http://www.hisboyelroymusic.com

Another taste of Porcupine.

After posting the first video of Porcupine Fortress i got a tone of comments. I had apparently inspired a lot of people to check the place out. I heard of two separate groups that visited there within a week. Some were expecting it to be a good place to take beginners but this spot is probably better suited to climbers with a little more experience. If you climb in the V4 range there's plenty to do.

Both groups said that although they could see the fortress from the road they got a little lost going in but once they got there they had a great time. Jeremy Benjamin wrote a report on the Climb Eastern Canada message board...

I made it out to PF with a crew of peeps this past Sunday. It was a beautiful day. We were all first timers to the area, and a good time was had by all.

Some things we would like to share with anyone headed out there... We got a little lost following the directions in the Bouldering guide book. From the 103 the book says to take exit 6, then a left at the T-junction towards Hubbards and then a right towards North West Cove. These directions take for granted that you turn left at the intersection at the end of exit 6, so we would stress that after taking exit 6 it is left, left, right. Not just Left, right. Once we figured out our mistake and got to Coleman’s Cove Rd to park we easily found the rocks in the ditch to cross into the woods. Before you cross the ditch into the woods you can look across the lake and see the big wall at the bottom of which are the boulders. So that is where you are headed. The hike is not too long but also does not resemble the "wide and well marked trail" described in the book. The woods are sparse and there seems to be trails going in all directions. So it was easy hiking, but hard to know which way to go. As far as we could tell there is no arrow on the other side of the stream, but we may have been in the wrong spot on the stream when we crossed it. We also did not encounter the windfall that you have to go under, but we did happen upon the hunting blind. Once you find that, you really are almost there and the landmarks of the lake and the wall that you have to be between are pretty easy to find.

The super classic problems that we loved...

The Quill V0 has no *'s in the guide book but deserves all three*** in my opinion. 16 feet high at the top out, I think it gives Orgasmatron some stiff competition for the coolest V0 around. Super cool.

Anchor Chain and Confidence both V4***, and both on the Battleship boulder. Two very different styles of problem both saw ascents, and put smiles on many faces. I think Confidence was my favourite of the 2 but they were both rad.

I hope this clip gets people stoked to get out before the window closes on this area for the spring. Fear the bugs!


Bouldering Nova Scotia - Porcupine Fortress from Todd Foster on Vimeo.


Music by: Screw-Jay http://www.screw-jay.com/,
Brad Sucks http://www.bradsucks.net/

Bawl Higher

If you are into highball slabbin this problem is for you. Bawl Higher is an inviting little problem . At first glance there appears to be holds all the way up and doesn't look that hard until you step off the block and onto the face where you encounter a typical Nova Scotia slab. It would not be so intimidating if it just stayed straight up but this little gem weaves back and forth over the starting block making each move more committing. A fall from this one will definitely leave you crying.

Bawl Higher***, 20ft, V5, BL – Located on the backside of this boulder. Start on the block four feet right of the arête. Climb up using small holds to a difficult sequence at the top (there is a jug up there)! Have good spotters and a big set of kahunas!
excerpt from Greg Campbell's unpublished guide book.

Bouldering Nova Scotia - Bawl Higher V5 from Todd Foster on Vimeo.
Music by: Scoop

There is no video in this post today but i though i should share it anyway. I got an email from the French climbing magazine Escalade. Somehow they have stumbled upon the Nova Scotia Bouldering scene and Pull Down Productions. Here is the email i received.

Hello,

Just to announce you that we've talken about your movies and boulder near Halifax.
You can see it here
http://www.escalademag.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=888&It

Well done...Your trailer makes me want to go to boulder in your country!!
Best regards

Philippe Mathieu

My French is quite poor but i still had a good time looking around their site. According to my unofficial translator Eastern Tide: One Season in Nova Scotia and this blog were part of their weekly features. Check out Escalademag.com.

Mr.Freeze

I Was digging through the archives and found this footage of Sean Therien climbing the Mega Boulder. It was getting late, the sun was setting and in typical Therien style he just had to squeeze in one more climb. Can't really blame him, he was just following the mantra of the day.
"Climb every day like it is your last."

Here is the route description from "the underground guide to the land of confusion" (currently out of print).

Mr.Freeze V1** (scary)
First done on a cold, cold day. Sit start adds to the pump, but the crux is actually up high. Be solid!

Mr.Freeze from Todd Foster on Vimeo.

Just Jump Chumps!

Today's video is a mix of the unseen archive footage of Show me your guts and a slight re-cut from Eastern Tide: One Season in Nova Scotia of Kleos.

These problems represent a real evolution of bouldering in Nova Scotia. When Show me your guts - V4 was first done i returned back with Ghislain to film it with the Digital 8 at the time it was an original idea for a problem here. If you can't reach the good holds from the ground, just jump chumps! Although it did not spur on a flurry of problems starting with leaps, it did open my mind to what bouldering could be and the unwritten rules around what is a valid start.

Later this problem was worked and sent from a sit start and named Kleos -V11. On a very cold and windy winter afternoon Ghislain and I returned with my PD150 in hand to capture the sequence for Eastern Tide: One Season in Nova Scotia. Before going in with Ghislain i had no idea of how exactly the problem went, what was revealed was a truly inspiring sequence of movements.

Although Show me your guts is not listed in the Bouldering Halifax guide book it is certainly a valid problem for those of us mere mortals who aren't cranking off V11s on a regular basis. I've never done it but it's on my to do list and once i've bagged the jump start maybe i'll be ready for the sit start. I have a lot of unfinished business in Area 51...


Bouldering Nova Scotia - Kleos V11 from Todd Foster on Vimeo.

Show Me Your Guts***, 12ft, V3/4 – At the far right corner of the overhanging face, jump to two incuts at the lip and top out. Good luck!
Description from Greg Campbell's unpublished guide.

Megga Man - V6?

Just want to send thanks to everyone who is tuning in. I definitely see an increase in viewers after the Valentines Day Massacre and the Tour de Bloc videos went up. Plastic is cool and i love comps as much as the next guy but the season is upon us, time to get outside.

I'm going to spend the next few weeks on videos from the LOC. I was out in "Bug City" putting up a few routes at a new little crag and got a wicked sun burn and thought for sure that i had seen a BUG. The clock is ticking for the Land of Confusion soon our little blood sucking friends will be out in full force.

Here is a re-cut of Mega Man from Eastern Tide. Just a note for anyone attempting this classic problem, the shaky left hand flake referred to has indeed met it's demise. The hold broke a few years ago, the problem still goes and it's apparently not much harder. Have you got a repeat of it? Any thoughts on the grade?


Mega Man - V6 from Todd Foster on Vimeo.

Tour De Bloc - Atlantic Regionals

Saturday March 29 brought the Tour De Bloc to town for the Atlantic Regionals. Participants came from all around Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ottawa and as far away as Alberta to put on a show.


Tour de Bloc - Atlantic Regionals from Todd Foster on Vimeo.


Music from ccMixter
Be Cool
Producer: plurgid
Rap/Vocals: FORENSIC
Be Cool (Club Mix): J.Lang
beekoo: Lasswell

Jack's Arete

I am Jack's Raging Bile Duct.
I am Jack's Cold Sweat.
I am Jack's Complete Lack of Surprise.
...I am Jack's Arete.

Anyone Remember Fight Club? Jack was the name of the dude who lived in Tyler and the Narrator's house before they became squatters and formed Fight Club. This movie left it's impression on the crew of original Nova Scotia bouldering developers. Several areas and problems are named from references in the movie.

Jack's Arete is a tough V4 on the house boulder. It's a classic LOC slopey arete and a must do, but beware this little gem has sent many a hard man packing.

"This is your life and it's ending one minute at a time."

JACKs Arete***, 15ft, V4 – Climbs the arête starting on shallow flakes and eventually onto a very sloppy ledge on the face near the top. Fantastic and rarely done successfully.
description from Greg Campbell's unpublished guide.




Bouldering Nova Scotia - Jack's Arete from Todd Foster on Vimeo.