So here is the FRIENDS video I put together for the BASSFORYOURFACE day last October. FRIENDS is a complilation of the past 8 months of old and new video footage of Gunks Bouldering. This video along with a clip from BIG UP and slideshows from Drew Z and Tomas Donoso was used to raised money for access to the closed bouldering area called Water Works. Thanks to all who participated in the event. Here is Part 1 of the 3 part mini series!

Friends Part 1 from paul jung on Vimeo.

 Here’s a clip from Sunday at the new roof. This place exists ?! I hope there are another dozen still out there waiting to be found.

Proj:

Debate/Jens: After deciding that John Kuphal (Koots) was the best climber of the year, we have come to the conclusion that there should be a poll for the #2 climber of the year. Remeber, this is the most democratic way to choose who we will put in our 2009 yearbook, so please be kind . Please choose from the following and comment to place your vote.

Chris Sharma

Adam Ondra

Jens Larssen

John Kuphal

Chris Sharma

Some Underage Euro Chick

Some Underage American Chick

Adam Ondra

Harry Potter

Chris Sharma

That guy from the Twilight Series

Adam Ondra

Other

So, the new cool “blog” thing is to make “lists”.  They can be lists of what you ate, how many fat chicks you slept with, or what the BEST PROBLEMS IN THE COUNTRY ARE BY GRADE (as determined by a grading system that quantifies aesthetics. NEAT).  In keeping with the times in a new attempt for myself to appear more “hip” (I think hipsters also like to use “quotations” in blogs to appear more “sarcastic”), I compiled a list of the most overhyped pieces of grumpy in the country.Enjoy and give me unadulterated feedback.  No order here, just whatever the beers provided insight.

Midnight Lightning: Also most attempted.  While historic and undoubtedly required tick for the aspiring bouldering boulderer, this glassy line sports glue, broken holds, and a bit of a crowd.  Oh, and pseudo-experts lined up at the base with their cry holes spewing beta gleaned from “when I spotted Lisa, who says its definitely V9″.  And its still noteworthy to climb this thing and be a girl.  This also makes it lame.

The Egg (the ones at Bradley, Squamish, the Gunks, but not Hueco cuz that one is kick ass):  First of all, COME UP WITH A NEW NAME! As for the one at Squamish, most people can top this little guy out with a running leap.  Just because Sharma climbed it does not mean it is really the cat’s pajamas.  Bradley’s “Egg” sucks because it goes sideways. GHEY.  And avoids obvious holds. GHEY.

The Marble/Aslan/Centaur/Marble SDS:  Choss.  Choss.  Followed up with more choss.  Start here.  No, on second thought, grab these slippery crumbly crimps instead.  Oh, but wait, Dave started here.  You want “full value” don’t you?  Top out here, but for full credit go right instead of straight or left.  PEOPLE ACTUALLY WAIT IN A QUEUE FOR THIS!!!!  Something of an initiation for people psyched to boulder in the “park” and be “core” in the “summer”, but you are better off training at CATS or the Spot.

Right Martini:  Ok, the hueco aficionados  will crucify me for this designation, but…whatever.  Eat me.  Not four stars.  All I’m sayin’.  The moves are cool, but… YOU CLIMB SIDEWAYS!  YOU DO MOVES THAT YOU CANT HAVE A PAD FOR CUZ YOU WILL DAB!!!!! And, you either topout absolute death choss or step off like a pimp.  What a classic finish!

The Orb:  You know why???? CUZ ITS MY LIST AND THIS PROBLEM SUCKS BALLS!!!!!! And it climbs sideways.  And you can exit early for the respective grades of V1, V3, V5, or V9.  Take your pick.  But no the hallowed “ORB” goes THAT WAY!!!  And the moves? *Yawn*  Sloper, match.  Repeat x3.  Hump the topout.  Southerners love to talk about how cool the holds are, but hell, I have seen absolutely KICK ASS holds on thirty degree slabs…

Dark Waters:  After dodging traffic and negotiating an incredibly slippery dangerous slope traverse, you gain a really low cave with a wet landing and easily grop-able grips.  Dark Waters links from an amazing glued flake 17 inches off the ground to the slippery crux of some weird problem Justin Jaeger did many moons back and would have forgotten about long ago had it not been for his oh-so-precious “logbook”.

Marrakesh (Gunks):  What an effin pile.  Climb sideways avoiding any good holds you might see, and topout arbitrarily when the feeling is “right”, like a freaking Extenze ad. This is my Trump Card.  I win.  My list rules.

Gran Torino: Wait, my new trump card.  This problem was featured in pictures and in the video Uncommon Ground.  WE GET IT PAWTUCKAWAY GUYS, FUNNY JOKE!!!!  Turns out, this isn’t actually a boulder problem.  My friend Jon got super psyched when he saw the media stuffs, and traveled to Pway with hopes of a fine ascent of what appeared to be a classic (albeit sideways) rock climb. FAIL.  He took one look at the pile, began swearing profusely, and ended up traveling all the way to the Gunks to do Marrakesh instead.  That’s really saying something.

Replace the last “ghey” picture with another “ghey” blurry picture of top roping fail.

Pilots full of pride

http://www.ngpa.org/

So a few months ago, a hardcore crew of gunks locals and other misfits began to realize the substantial potential for rockclimbing in the gunks. I’m not talking about your run of the mill 5.6 top rope tim.  We’re talking about those esoteric lines, the ones that aren’t necessarily the hardest, but instead the most beautiful, and high, testing ones mental ability as well as physical ability.  Consequently, development of the gunks has commenced.  The pic below embodies this new fresh look at the gunks, from highly motivated local genius climbers, bent on developing those lines that claim to be called.  This line, “claims to be called”  V1-, was calling me collect last weekend, so I answered.  Little did I know, how much long distance collect calls cost, so I was hit with a huge bill after topping out.  Stay tuned for more highly intellectual and profoundly insightful commentary, as we develop this new area known as the shawangunks.  (photo: brett lowell)

Cause I’m tired of that other crap being at the top of this site.

Andy at Crew with some dude lurking, and definitely not sending.

^Mendoods.

First of all, a big thanks to all y’all BASSHEADS who came out to our event last friday. We raised over $600, had 84 people attend, and had a whole boatload of technology fail at our first ever BFYFDay slideshow. Truly a great showing from the community of people psyched to help get a new area open. A big thanks to our sponsors (Big Up Productions, Organic Climbing, The Cliffs at Valhalla, Five Ten, and Rock and Show) for all the help!

Second, this is our 200th post. For over 2 years, we’ve been putting up both awesome and blurry photos and videos. We’ve also had almost 2000 comments on said photos and videos. Also, since May 18th (when we inserted a counter), there have been over 20,000 views of this site. Dang. Thats pretty neat.

Third, we have a REAL video update for you. Not that “Secret AZN Man Productions” videos aren’t like… the shit or anything, but our friends from Projekt Media came out a couple weeks ago and shot some DOPE footage of some lines here in the Gunks. Here is the link, which will take you to Dead Point Mag (which is also dope).

Lastly,  its bloody brilliant out. PLZ GO OUT AND TAKE PHOTOS/VIDEOS/WHATEVER. TIS THE SEASON.