Rock Climbing Adventures Archives - Apex Adventure Alliance

Devil’s Lake Quadrathlon Challenge

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Lynn Mallach

Looking for your next DL Challenge?

Try out the Apex Adventure Alliance Devil’s Lake Quadrathlon Challenge. This challenge includes hiking/ running, swimming, climbing, and a bike ride. Here’s the down-low:

1. Hike/Run the Tumbled Rocks Trail to the “jumping rock.” This is located mid West Bluff.
2. Jump off and swim to the other side of the lake (the short length, east side). Warning: best if done with a boater by your side. No drowning please!
3. Climb three Railroad Routes – style and route selection are your choice!
4. Finish the Hike/ Run by taking the train tracks to the South Shore Beach.
5. Ride the loop around the lake – a strategy piece for time here is deciding which direction you want to take the loop. Your choice!

Get out there for some fun. Let us know how it goes!

Climbing Movement: Pulling a Roof

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Lynn Mallach

Climber begins to get their feet up

Want to learn better climbing techniques for out on the cliffs or at your local gym? Follow this 8 part series to explore helpful rock climbing movement tips and techniques, reasons for performing the climbing movement, and how to practice them for added rock climbing fun. We will even include recommended Devil’s Lake State Park climbs to try your new found skills on.

So we are getting into some dicey movement here. Gaining momentum on difficulty, but have no fear… everything I suggest can happen on easier grades for practice (and for the heck/ fun of it). Before you head out for climbing some roofs at Devil’s Lake, you might need to pick up some new things at REI, Adventure Rock, Target, whatever local retailer sells new undies (come to think of it, I don’t think Adventure Rock has those, but they have t-shirts if you sweat through yours or other sick climbing gear). What I’m getting to here is that climbing over a roof can certainly take some try hard. So pack up that much needed gear for success and try out these tips for success in climbing over a roof.

First, check out your climb before you get on the wall. This is never a bad idea… it even has a name, route reading. You want to try to figure out how you are going to make it over whatever obstacle it is, in this case… a roof. To describe a roof, it is a “thing” that juts out from the vertical wall, perpendicularly with the ground, that could sometimes protect you from rain (although unlikely at Devil’s Lake). You probably get the point, the name “Roof” sort of implies what you are probably picturing in your head.

So, you’ve got your climb, you see there is a roof, you’ve planned your attack, you have a fresh pair of undies (or maybe keep those for later), and you have your best grunts ready. Climb up to that thing and give it your all. Get your feet nice and high, almost so you seem to be parallel with the ground. Reach your hand around the roof and feel all over. Can you come up with a half-way decent hand hold? Ok, great! Grab onto that thing, walk your feet either sideways or up through holds you found in the roof (hopefully you “read” where those were at because you might not be able to see them), and then bring out your best beast mode sounds. Many a times, I have walked my feet up nice and high or have gotten a toe/ heel hook (blog to come on that movement). Hip flexibility is key here because the more you can contort and get a really high foot (Read more about The High Step) sometimes even putting it onto the same hold as your hand, the better. Finish up the climb, give a little fist pump at the top, and get lowered to get into those fresh drawers.

Suggested Rock Climbs at Devil’s Lake State Park that include a Roof: Roger’s Roof 5.8+ (Horse Rampart), Orgasm 5.8 (Bedroom Amphitheatre), Gargantua 5.10b (Old Sandstone), Double Overhang 5.4 (Rainy Wednesday Tower), Lost Face Overhangs I & II 5.8 (Lost Face)

Climbing Movement: The High Step

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Lynn Mallach

You’ve heard of the two-step. But have you heard of the high step? Pretty simple in theory and tougher if you don’t have a lot of flexibility. A high step is precisely just that, stepping high onto a hold/ foot chip. The more you can work on your flexibility, the more foot chips you can reach, the better you can climb.

After having surgery on my right hip a few years ago, it has taken some time to get back in the high stepping game. I’ve created some work-arounds **see grabbing your foot with your hand and lifting/forcing it onto high foot chip/ ledge.** You too can use this patented technique (can you patent a technique?!) if you need or you can follow these tips.

Keep working on your hip flexibility, spot those high foot holds, and working on one-legged squats doesn’t hurt (this has been key in my rehab!). Get that foot up onto a hold, pebble, shelf, whatever will take it. Now that your foot is a little closer to heaven, you have to get your weight over the foot as best you can. Some people refer to this as “rocking on” to your foot. Your hip and foot should be close to being in line. Next, push down on that thing, say a prayer, and go for it.

Sometimes, I use a “mantle” to assist me (press down with a hand, like you are getting out of a swimming pool). Or if that movement is unavailable, your other foot can do this sloppy, semi-smear hop, ugly, no-name-move-because-no-one-wants-to-admit-they-did-it, move. There you have it people, now go out and try and don’t be afraid to get a little ugly if you need to. Just remember climbing is a weird, strange, funny thing we do, so no need to take it too seriously.

Climbing Movement: The Chimney

Posted on April 12, 2018 by Lynn Mallach

Want to learn better climbing techniques for out on the cliffs or at your local gym? Follow this 8 part series to explore helpful rock climbing movement tips and techniques, reasons for performing the climbing movement, and how to practice them for added rock climbing fun. Try our recommended Devil’s Lake State Park routes, which will all contain the discussed movement.

Picture this… a big dude squeezing his big body up and down a tight fireplace chimney to leave you presents. You can check it out yourself by viewing movies such as “The Santa Clause” featuring Tim Allen. Personally, I’ve seen the movies, I’ve seen the dude (not in person), and I’m not totally sure that I buy it.

The only thing that is really going to convince me is trying it out myself. Call me Kinesthetic and leave me cookies at the top. Anywho, when you are confronted with two walls and a space that is large enough for you to get your whole body inside, channel your inner Santa. Let me throw one other thing out here too folks, before we get into the nitty gritty of how-to… this climbing movement doesn’t look pretty.

So here is what you should try. First, you need a Chimney. It should be a space where two walls are parallel with each other and your whole body can fit inside of it. Get your whole body in there. Squeeze a little if you have to, even suck it in if needed. If you can’t get your whole body in, that type of crack is called an off-width, a whole other beast for a whole other time. Next, slither your way up that thing. That rock ain’t gonna climb itself!

You can try your back against one wall with your feet against the other. You can also try one foot per wall and your back against the wall.

If the area is a little bigger, make yourself bigger too. Fill the space with as much as your rockin’ bod as possible and you’ll be on your way. You’ll probably get dirty, but what fun would life be if we didn’t get dirty once in a while.

Suggested Rock Climbs at Devil’s Lake State Park that include a Chimney: The Grotto 5.4 located in the Mouse’s Wall Area. The Chimney 5.4 located right between D’Arcy’s Wall and Pedestal Buttress. Fat Man’s Misery 5.6 Misery Rocks.

Devil’s Lake State Park Current Conditions

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Lynn Mallach

Current conditions of Devil’s Lake’s: still frozen over! Each cold snap we get freezes it up, while the warm spells seems to be wearing away at it relatively slowly. After last weekend’s 50 degree weather and upcoming warmer temperatures, we will see how much longer the continues to have a layer of ice.

While the lake continues to be frozen over with a slow thaw, I wouldn’t head out onto the ice to test the structural soundness. Nosiree! BUT, the current conditions for rock climbing are in pretty good shape. Sunny routes are warm and dry. Approaches are relatively good with some spots on and off trail that continue to have some wet/icey spots. I think we will get a pretty dry start to Spring climbing, with the Spring showers rolling in seasonally. The rock is cold in the mornings, but has been relatively warm after some sunshine.

We are looking forward to spending the warm days at Balanced Rock, which offers an easy approach and stays sunny all day. We might see some weeping (water runoff) from the walls since we haven’t had a truly proper thaw AND dry. Nothing a little chalk, a dirty sock, and some fancy movement can’t get past.

If you are headed out for some spring climbing, don’t forget your helmet and to be extra careful. When rock climbing, rock fall can always occur. At Devil’s Lake, we specifically see it after the Winter when lots of freezing and thawing occur. There are always those pesky sticks, pine needles, and leaves left over from the fall too. As always, be careful, have fun! And if you are starting to plan your Spring or Summer, our calendar and packages are now available!

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