Another bouldering thread from Dave...

fitzelq · #1 12-06-2005, 03:01 PM

Well, this'll be the last weekend we'll be heading up to Insubong for some bouldering, as the weather has exploded into Korea with a vengeance. We'll have at the very least two pads, but two guys are picking up new Mad Rock pads at O2 on our way up. If the weather is sub-arctic, we'll be heading down to O2's gym to climb, but chances are we'll try to make the best out of one of the last bouldering days of this early winter season (at Insubong, at least.)

If anybody's up for some excellent friction (that's a diplomatic way of saying it's gonna be friggin' cold!), you should definetly come along. We'll be heading up the trail sometime between 10 and 10:30 am on Saturday, unless the snow is dumping.

Hope to see some KOTR folks out there!
Dave

#2 12-07-2005, 03:47 PM

Interested in meeting up with you guys, but I've never bouldered at Insubong. Where would you be meeting?

Jamie, are you working Saturday, or could you join?

Heidi

sussexupbeat · #3 12-07-2005, 07:20 PM

The 'bong rules! It's gonna be freezing and maybe snowing; there is no place to hide from this cold; your feet will kill cause your shoes will shrivel up... BUT, sweet climbs to keep the blood pumpin' all day and lots of pads to keep the landings warm and not have to work the same problem area all day; great climbers to talk to and share info, and an awesome chance to rip up your fingers on beautiful rock for [possibly] the last time of the year... END outcome, korea [bouldering]!
p

fitzelq · #4 12-08-2005, 03:03 PM

Paul, are you trying to psych people out!! It ain't THAT cold up there...

Heidi, I'll be at the Insubong trailhead, walking up the trail, or at the campsite boulders around 10am. I could definetly hang around at a specified location if you'd like to meet for the quick hike up. Basically, after you get off the bus at the head of the Insubong shopping district, you can catch a free tourist bus (look for the long line in a parking area to the left of the bus stop), nab a cab for 2,000 won or huff it up. I strongly advise against huffing it, as it's a long uphill hike on asphalt...I've done it twice...never again!

Once you get off the tourist bus/cab at the Insubong trailhead, you'll be in a parking lot with a giant Buddhist statue, some chintsy little restaurants/bodegas, and the trail. The crew that usually heads up to the bong either meets in the shops lining the road in the shopping district or here at the trailhead, buying the day's kimbop, sipping some canned coffee and waiting for each other. If that fails, we just hike up to the campground (about a 20 minute hike) and head uphill and slightly right in order to find each other. We most often climb up and right of the Buddhist temple, ranging from right behind it all the way to the base-proper of Insubong crag.

A guy named Paul will also be heading up, and I think another climber named Grande. We'll prrrrrobably be meeting at O2, so Paul can pick up his new pad. Later, at least one other boulderer named JP will be meeting us, probably around 2pm. Either way, I'm sure you'll be able to catch up with one of us! You'll love this place, so many boulders....

drop me an email if you have anymore questions: fitzelq@msn.com

cheerio,
dave

curious_j · #5 12-08-2005, 06:24 PM

Why not take a digital camera and share the action here. We still need a site listing for Insubong Bouldering. It's a great place with a good variety of boulders, and it would be cool to get some shots and beta on this site. I have a teen group on Saturday, so I can't make it to take pics or hang.

Have fun.

fitzelq · #6 12-08-2005, 07:22 PM

The "mini-guide" (meaning, pics and namesof problems) is on the way, but my camera, every time I take it, runs out of batteries, the cartridge is full, etc...

I should have it finished by next weekend...sorry for the delay...damn camera...

cheerio,
dave

curious_j · #7 12-09-2005, 07:34 AM

Very cool. I'm looking forward to it. Has anyone heard if Chris Sharma and Lauren Lee are coming back for the '06 Anasazi Bouldering Festival? They explored bouldering around Insubong last year. It would be cool to have a better idea of the less known problems to lead them through if they come back. Or other areas. Have you guys found good stuff further off the trails?

fitzelq · #8 12-09-2005, 01:19 PM

As far as new boulders go, we've found tons. We've probably put up 15-20 new lines, ranging from VB-V6/7, but as far as test-piece stuff to interest that crew, it's pretty scant.

I just scoped a block of boulders on a hill-side last weekend (by myself, and it was pretty scary, so i just played around a bit), and it looks like they'll yield some nice mid-range problems with nice, scary top-outs. We've put up some good lines though in that mid-range, really nice, long probs, along with some short muscly problems.

And still, about four or five either friggin' scary or very hard lines have yet to go, so the place is by no means tapped out. As soon as it warms up this spring, I'll head out into the backcountry around Insubong, as it looks to be dotted with giant granite blobs!

Anyway, hopefully I'll have pics, descriptions and names of problems up by later this coming week. It should satiate any boulderer's apetite...

Cheers,
Dave