Lara Witt topping out at Signal Hill overlooking St. John’s Harbour.
Lara Witt & Tyler Fountain | Photos by Tyler Fountain | Gazette | 2024
After lying dormant during the COVID19 pandemic, the Newfoundland and Labrador section of the ACC experienced a revitalization throughout 2023. The fresh, keen executive members organized a plethora of incredible events during the active seasons, notably an outdoor climbing mentorship program for youth and two roped climbing festivals at popular NL crags which saw record-breaking attendance. After polling members to assess what types of events were of further interest, the harness-clad executives were surprised by the response: the community was raring for opportunities to get out bouldering.
Boulder Night, a weekly evening outdoor bouldering session for ACC members, was initiated by Section Representative Madison Bailey. These events welcomed a diverse community of mixed beginner and veteran climbers, creating an environment where beginners are invited to take their first vertical steps while learning from seasoned pebble wrestlers. These events also enabled members of the community to become familiar with many of the popular bouldering areas and contribute to first ascents in newer locations that are currently in the process of being developed, in big part thanks to long-time community member and local legend Nick Collins (Uncle Nick).
Uncle Nick crushing at the Vacation Boulders. Remy Ouellet in the background
Newfoundland and Labrador are beautiful during the short summer months, but these rapidly surrender to a long, grey, wet, and windy shoulder season. Climbers in NL often find opportunities to get outside year-round, regardless of conditions. The tenacity of the NL climbing community was demonstrated during our first boulder night session, when climbers showed up stoked and ready to send at an overhanging ocean-side crag amidst drizzling rain and seeping problems. No big deal, several veterans to NL bouldering brought extra chalk and towels for drying off holds and wiping the slime off one’s shoes before taking down projects. As the temperatures dipped with the progression of the evening, spirits soared while attendees enjoyed swapping beta, sharing snacks, snapping pictures in the floodlights, and building relationships.
Advertisements for Boulder Night always included the stipulation that, if the weather were to be too unruly, we would instead meet at The Cove, our local bouldering gym. However, Boulder Night always went ahead, outdoors, in all types of exciting, inclement weather. During autumn, as rain pounded the Avalon Peninsula, the Boulder Night trip leaders set up tarps on various problems to keep them dry, making everyone feel like they were projecting the famous 9A Finnish boulder problem Burden of Dreams. When temperatures dropped into the negatives, they were facetiously labeled “send temps” and attendees would gather around the portable wood stove between climbs. The wood stove was our very own NL version of the fingertip fan, keeping the fingertips perfused and rubber sticky (aid?).
In mid-December, the East Avalon was covered in a thick blanket of snow and brittle sheets of ice. After one frigid session where the wind nearly ripped the tarp off the boulder we were huddled beneath, we decided to end boulder nights for the season lest we have to start bringing our ice tools, crampons, and a fifth layer of pants.
As the seasons changed in NL, boulderers across the Avalon emerged from their winter training retreats, eager to test themselves and tear their winter-softened fingertips on the jagged crimps and gritty slopers of our outdoor boulders. And once again, our Boulder Nights provided our members with an adventurous, supportive, and stoke-heavy space for everyone to enjoy the incredible and unique climbing that The Rock has to offer.
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