Clearwater (V10): The Story Behind the Send

Clearwater (V10): The Story Behind the Send from Wes Walker on Vimeo.

(If you're looking for BETA, let it load and go directly to 4:52 min)

Clearwater (V10) is located on the right side of The Brackish Boulder, Eastside Boulderfield, Rumbling Bald, NC.

My first V10! I put a lot of time and gas money into this one, and those short seconds of pure contentment after topping it out alone were worth every bit. Beautiful, painful, crimpy moves..Heel hooks galore...and a whole lot of Southern charm. When you hit the sloper (crux move) the wrong way, it feels like a freshly sharpened cheese grader. When you stick it in the right spot, and the heel stays, it's MONEY. That dern throw to the sloper!...50th try was a charm ;)

Props to the Charleston climbing legend (and new father), Ian Gleason, for the inspiration to try this after seeing footage of him send it.....on like the second attempt...

Many, many a nights spent huddled under The Brackish Boulder, working the incredible problems of the Eastside, contemplating deep thoughts, and trying to stay as far away from the Chimney Rock State Park Rangers as possible ;) (and the fellas from Polk County law enforcement who would always stair us down from that same booth at Waffle House.)

After making the 4 hr. trek, every single weekend from October 11th-March 23rd in 2010/2011, it's now my favorite bouldering spot, period. Sooo many un-climbed boulders lurkin' beyond the Westside (and Eastside) just waiting to be given an identity ;) And if you've got that creative, optimistic eye, so many problems in between the lines on the already established stuff.

As I sit here in the parking lot of The Estes Park Public Library and watch the first snowfall of the winter cover my truck, memories of those crisp, sunny, Autumn days at The Bald seem....just right....

TUNES:

I probably listened to the Pretty Lights album entitled "Glowing in the Darkest Night" about 342 times last fall. It became the Rumbling Bald Anthem album, of sorts.

1. artist: Pretty Lights
song: So Much In The Dark
album: Glowing In The Darkest Night

2. artist: Pretty Lights
song: Looking For Love (But Not Quite Sure)
album: Glowing in the Darkest Night.

download it for free from his (Pretty Lights) website and listen to it while driving alone at night:

http://www.prettylightsmusic.com/#/downloads