Zach Bramel

So glad I made the gamble to go to Sandstone today. Old projects gave themselves willingly, and new projects took their place. Isn't that what Spring is all about? The start of a new cycle? I am happy to have started mine on this magnificent piece of rock. I sense a bit of foreshadowing...

If this problem was a dinosaur, it'd be a "Dabasaurous Rex"... Its pretty cool to transition from a very steep roof to a slab almost seamlessly though.First day with this line in mind, but have worked Tengo for 4 total I think, and the slab took me two days like two years ago.

Alright, bring the heat...A fantastic line. very friction dependent. An old fisherman congratulated me on the send from across the river. :)6 days. I think.

The TRUE line of The Cave Boulder. Sit in the middle of the boulder and go straight up. Full value.

Great line. Feels much more substantial than the traverse. Happy I came out tonight and didn't let my allergies get the best of me. The undercling move is just a really cool one! :)All the time it took for The Cave Traverse + 1 day.

DATpump. Surprised myself today. Hadn't been on this in awhile. went within the first couple tries today. One of the first climbs that the people shouting to me from the sidelines not to give up actually helped: power endurance is DEFINITELY a weakness. Happy to be done with this.Can't remember how many days. More than 6...

Start on crimps, move to sidepull-jug-rail, shoot for the lip, and hope it found its mark!

Woo! One down, one to go.

First V10! Hard to say if this was worth the trip, but sometimes when you start, you can't stop. Thank you A and E. I can't repay you two. 3 days.

A MEGA line. Super cool rock. Really proud of Emily. It was really cool to see her go through the process of this climb.

Deserves its stars. A truly great problem. I'm really, really glad the match hold had a thumb-catch, or I would have ate it for sure.

Top 100 Problem.

Still didn't go down without a fight!

Too tall to use the traditional/cool beta, went first go with beta The Hulk would use/the Vicino method.

Dyno to sloper, really nice top out. Sat in the sun.

Very similar to Jeff's Prow. Really sick helicopter swing. 1 day.

2nd ascent. So much my anti-style. Glad I woke up so early to snag it in the sun. Took another of my tips down with it...4 days.

Not a 9... unless I did it wrong. Go right from the match-crimp to the jug. Heel-toe cam crosses into a heel-toe cam into yet another. Pretty sick movement, despite all the lies!Everything is so wet and horrible! this is what I have to resort to! Ugh.

2nd ascent.Well done Russell!Fantastic techy slab climbing. kinda scary at the top for a lowball!

2nd ascent.I think all the holds are done breaking now. This was really hard for me. Definitely my anti-style. Felt really good to finally figure out the top and send.Great obvious line. Gets Nice, warm sun!2 days.

Cool highball. Crux is trusting gigantic sandstone jugs. I probably should not have done that now that I type this.

Can see why its a classic. Top section is the best!

Baller. Waited so long to climb this. Had to do it twice. BELIEVE THE HYPE!

Not V7. Bad-ass heel hook/compression beta makes it WAY easier. Almost static...

Questionable 8... Found myself doubting, but consensus seems to be softer end of 8. I am also noticing a pettern of flashers thinking things are full grades easier then they really are, which seems to be pretty consistent across the board.Pretty cool moves setting up for a really fun/lurpy/ low percentage thug to a pocket. caught it as a pinch and felt good. Idk if it's as classic as everyone says though.Thanks for the spraydown Tyler.

This one makes me feel much better about being able to climb V9.Climbed everything I came here to do, 3 days before the end of the trip. Feels good to have no expectations.DESTROYED my right foot with a sharp toe hook. Great line that demands a lot of mental attention to each appendage and specific sequencing.2 days.

Mega. In contention with Absolution for proudest send ever, which is funny, cuz they're both my anti style. Climb it before you die. Such beautiful rock.2 days.

Fits my style really well I think. Should have gotten it last trip. Was just too tired. Had some of the coolest hold I've ever grabbed on it. Felt cool to cut feet too. :p

Went down quickly this trip. Clarified how much stronger I am now versus the beginning of 2011. Shouldery transitions and lock offs aren't so scary any more, and "jug crimps" are getting smaller and smaller :)

Was SOOOO close on Resident Evil. Fell two moves from the starfish. Gonna send in the spring hopefully.

Chossy highball for a warm up? Why not?

Really perfect line. Beautiful standalone boulder with an obvious line. A joy to climb. Felt is was harder than the given grade though.

Looks really cool and enticing. Moves at the beginning are awesome, but the lack of a clear finish makes it dumb.

JUGS.

Silly crimps to warm up. Cool heel hook.

SOOOOO POLISHED. so are the rest of the Kraft Boulders. Wipe your damn shoes off people! Ruinin' classics!Was classic, but is now ruined. Disappointment.

3rd go? Almost flashed but a hold broke on me... This boulder is polished and ugly. :(

Fantastic movement and great holds. All 3 of us had different beta! I wish Anthony's had worked for him, it was MEGA. Twas a shame that he was out after this for injury. :/Definitely made me loose syke for the trip.

Guidebook is unclear or start is contrived or both. Kind of frusterating, but it was a cool move anyway, so Imma take 7 points for it.

First V9! 3rd ascent? Feels soft but eh, I'll take it. Kind of unsatisfying though.Damn cruxy first move. So finnicky to get the body position and time the movement just right. Overall a really cool line with great movement. Really glad to have sent.(Broccoli Command)2 days.

PUUUMPY. All For Panic will be mine shortly. Glad the start was fairly dry today.

Kinda scary top-out. Did all the moves on Choppin' Broccoli. Broccoli Command will be mine soon enough!

My grading game is wack. Did this quick today, no warmup. Sooooooo confused. Really cool line though. Really.1 day.

Not V8. Kinda disappointing. Unlocked itself almost immidiately after figuring out to heal-hook through the crux. Did Anthony Vicino proud. A true AV line.

I have never dry fired more off of any single piece of rock more than this one. This is by far my most triumphant send to date. I have never felt the way I did once I stuck the top jug. I fuckin flipped. So much Syke. Really glad I made the drive up for it, and being alone made the day. The moment I freed myself of expectation, it gave itself to me."Should have just committed! No way in hell this is still V5... Will send next time."4 days.

TERRIFYING! has some really cool moves out of the roof, then a committing mantle, then 10 feet of horribly sketchy and precarious climbing to the top. Was almost positive everything was gonna come out from under me. Worth it.

The traverse is HARD! I seem to remember Anthony doing this like last season. Went first go today!

Git yo highball on! Mildly spicy move up high in the crack.

BESTINMN!

Cross into 10th plague. Not as fun.

Couple different ways to do it. Has a really great move before the lip!

Emerge from the depths.

Pretty dirty. Great features though! Needs more traffic.

Fantastic line, great sustained movement. Took quite awhile to figure out. A lot of minutiae to the body positioning and sequence. A full value line!

Thank you Scott! Great addition to an already rad line. Body positioning is EVERYTHING! Lot's of finesse to this one.

Fantastic climb. Very proud arete. Bear-hug the crack and arete, scuttle up, and make big committing moves to gain the jug mid way. Fight through a barndoor to one of the raddest moves I've pulled at height. compression with a sideways toe-hook and both hands opposing. Snag the desperate jug at top and feel like a badass... Sit start is next!

Short and thuggy. Hard for tall people like me.

Great crimpy traverse (that I surprisingly didn't mind) into a super powerful left hand slappin'/foot cuttin' extraviganza! Shortly followed by a really hard and terrifying (at the time) top out.

Obvious face, not obvious line. EXCELENT highball though. Really proud of this. I have no idea how the guys on MP did it at V2-3 though... only way i could make it go was about V6. Super cool moves through small roofs. Fantastic name.

Super aesthetic!

Completely obvious line. Hard to grade. Had a dyno off of a mono though! So that was rad!

C'mon locals... This one DESERVES it's own name... Sick sequence and a spicy top-out. Had to dynamicly snake hand up to an undercling pinch thing above my head for the send. also finger jammed in a horizontal slot. pretty cool.

Sent with cool beta, but apparently not the easiest... pushed a hand into a small roof above my head, then crimp just above it with the other.

V1 holds are there, you just gotta find em.

Meh.

Wish it was bigger/longer.

Start under roof for full value. Has one harder move. Time to figure out the left variation!

THE line on the boulder. o directly up the Main face for the full value line.

"Weird but worth it." Agreed. Hard top out. Wishing it was harder than it was.

Cool Right hand pinch crimp and a committing-ish dyno. Pretty rad.

Lowball. Hidden jug for topout.

Actually pretty fun. really cool moves coming out of the hole in the wall.

Tricky body positioning. Pretty cool lowball if you can look past the horrible, horrible eliminate.

Sort of contrived but still really fun movement. Not sure if it's an actual line, but using this as a place holder. Left crimp, Right pocket jug, gun right hand for the High crimp that is part of Best Problem. A one move wonder, but still looked like an obvious enough line from the start.

Fuckin finally! Third season is the charm I guess: made quick work of it today.Found new beta. get a right heal hook high above your head makes the first move static. The top is still pretty hard though... A spectacular climb for a lowball.

This climb is a fuck. Again, third season is the charm. Got it second go today. (ok, ok this climb isn't actually that bad. The right hand is actually pretty cool. Don't tell anyone I said it though.)

Make first move of One Horse, then head right. Had a really tricky match and a legitimate one leg squat. Think it is just as cool as it's counterpart.

Went quickly for the day. The friction definitely helped. Kind of sequence intensive.

Mega climb. Two knee bars, heal toe cam, roof, power, finesse. This one had it all. Got it first go of the day. One of the best days out of the season. Chilled with my mom and watched the leaves turn.5 days.

Nothin spectacular. Taylor's is silly some times.

If you only have time for one of these, make it this one. It's an obvious line with alright moves and an interesting landing.

Worth procrastinating homework on a rainy day for. Hard start moves and wet top make for spicy climbing!

Really hard to grade. Went down quick. Two move wonder. Bad feet, OK holds. Unmemorable.

Easy beginning moves, with a crucial far foot. Top wasn't too hard, just gotta REACH!

Nothin special.

Truely a classic. should have been a flash but I got on at the end of long day of hard climbing. Had to come back.

Excelent blunt arete. Small holds keep you on some how. Leaves you wanting more.

Tricky little bastard. Should have flashed, but got on it at the end of a long day of climbing. Pretty fun though.

Fun little jump start. Heady.

Fun, juggy arete.

Reachy.

Awesome reachy problem with a dyno to a meat hook. Really fun

Dont know what all the fuss is about... not really a spectacular climb. Made it way harder, however, by doing the mantle without the high seam, which made it feel cool. By the way, thanks for the spraydown, random local...

Favorite climb of the trip! Great highball. Really a satisfying line. Second move is tricky and took me a sec to figure out. Extra points for the dyno at the top!

An obvious and classic line. went down quickly, even on a humid day.

Super fun and classic highball. Really perfect.

Great highball with a committing drive-by at the top.

Finally not wet!

Went down quickly today. Was much harder last time I was on it. Cool to see such improvement. Silly Ranjo, no need for dynos when static movement will do.

Psicobloc.Excellent proud line ascending straight through the middle of the wall. Traverse just past the first alcove, then head straight up. avoide heading left at the jugs, and instead pull the roof. mantle up to the rest. then head straight up again, climbing above the slabby ledge. pull crux moves at the top and top out like a boss.Perfect end-of-summer send. Was very happy to spend time at such a beautiful crag this summer. Will be back next year for sure!

Psicobloc.Traverse just past the first alcove, then head straight up. avoide heading left at the jugs, and instead pull the roof. mantle up to the rest. Exit out right.Thought this was the proud line on the wall, but was mistaken. It was just the beginning...

Excellent first climb of the day! What a great time chillin with Katie and Ian, crushin new shit!

Obvious right arete. Sick moves. Feet cutting up high on double compression sidepulls! Sooper fun!

2nd ascent. Great feature and a great sequence! Body position is everything! took me awhile. A good mixture of power and finesse. Well done Ian!

Rad Warm-up

Really cool cross and a great foot!

Psicobloc. Great day of climbing! Tons of new experiences had. Camaraderie = high. First naked ascent for me.

Book says V9 but I think it is easier with my beta... I really want it to be though! Oh well... :/2 days.

Great highball.

HARD top-out.

Gee thanks Anthony...I envision a line and Anthony steals it from under me!

HARD top-out. Un-fun.

Rad bicycle beta thanks to Amy! tricky to get out of the roof, but you are rewarded with a great highball top-out! Way fun! 1 day.

3rd go. Wish it was V9 but it just isn't... I can get two fingers in the "mono".Despite the over-grade, it was actually a really great climb! One of my favorites of the trip!1 day.

I know it's a classic but it's so ugly! Super polished and the glue factor is kinda sucky too.Has great movement, and a really hard crux! Super tenuous for the left hand. Left me hurting! Felt good to send!1 day.

Warm-up.

Gotta catch em' all!

Not fun: sharp.

Cool highball that leaves you wanting more.

Hard top-out.

Really asthetic line! Perfect highball slab! Trust the feet and don't leap for the lip!

Sharp and un-fun. Don't know why it's classic.

Sick movement. Really tensiony. Start move was tricky.

Yeah kneebar pad! Perfect obvious line. Every move is stellar. Top-out can be tricky.1 day.

Eh.

Hard start and tricky top-out.

Not V5... V4 deadpoint. Fun though.

Wow. Rad climb on a rad boulder. A must-climb for Joe's. I am horrible at techy crimping - felt harder than V4.

Wtf? Not V7... Can go left or right... No need to go straight up... Not fun.

Thuggy low-ball with a SUPER hard top-out.

Warm-up.

Great traversing roof climb. Fun top-out.

Cool moves. Needs more traffic cuz it was WAY sandy!

Skippable sequence...

One of the best problems of the trip! Super beta dependent. A very beautiful line with a committing last move. Felt really good to send.1 day.

Hard to get my ass off the ground, powerful second move, and then sick dyno to lip. Kneebar on the top-out. :p

Little arete.

Super hard start...

Cool traverse with a tricky top-out

Good summer climb. Sooooo many bugs. Took awhile to find. Has some pretty good movement. Left a hole in my palm though.

Classic Taylors. Had really cool cross beta for the finish.

So much cleaning! Sweet thumb and pointer finger undercling (above your head!). great highball finish!

Worth every drop of blood. Soooo happy that I climbed through the pain. Buddha belly is next, should have climbed it first though. Might not be V6???

A perfect climb. Such a beautiful line. Wish I would have done the top-out better the first time.

Pretty straight forward. Cool top-out.

The EPITOME of TF contrivance. Really cool problem despite rampant elimination. top was tricky till I got my foot up high enough.

No feet. One move. Ug.

Mediocre climbing to a pretty cool move. Gets bonus points for having a Minnesota shape in the rock. the last move was SUPER COMMITTING for me for some reason. :/

Fucking Finally. Two years, almost three. TF is silly.

Might be a flash. Im pretty sure I tried it once two summers ago and got scared.WHAT A GREAT LINE! Understandably classic. Got a scary undercling thing that I'll never do again.

Really wish I knew what OPJ means. Super cool move and a satisfying top-out. The epitome of "lurpy".

A blue heron took off from the river just before the send. Doing it in the day time this time helped. Taylor's seems to be chock full of classics.3 days.

Fun warm up.

Awesome TF high-ball. Glad I found the right boulder this time. Crux at the top makes it feel harder than it is, just a bit scary.

Such an awesome night. Night bouldering with Dan was way fun and conditions were PERFECT! Tried this a couple times a few years ago. Went pretty quickly tonight. It was over once I used the SUPER SICK RIVERDANCE BETA!!! Such a cool climb. may be easier with this beta? haven't seen anyone else do it.

Warm up.

Cool blind move over the lip. getting established is the crux.

not my style at all, but it was still really fun!

Really memorable top-out.

Effin Sternal. Felt really good to get this. Climbing slabby arete is kinda fun! really terrifying at the top though. fell once from on high and swore it'd never happen again. good thing i had top-notch spotters... Screamed out of fear, not try-hard when I finally sent it. :)

Juggy warm up.

Warmup. Fun top-out.

What a stellar problem. perfect location and movement. I'm curious as to what the "ninja" beta the book referred to is.

An obvious classic. Great movement and variety. So Cool!

I agree with Anthony on this one, Not the greatest problem ever, but cool though. Almost came off at the V crimps but held it together.

Super aesthetic problem. Sent it with the sun shining on the little arete. Top-out was the crux for sure. Got to the top second go, but wasn't able to top it out. Became increasingly disheartened that I punted, and I found it harder and harder to re-create my former progress. After a short break to recruit some spotters, I came back and was able to do it right away. Took ALOT out of me.1 day.

Easy crack, fun top-out.

Freakin awesome highball. Super fun!

Interesting problem. didn't see the correct line up till I fell of the first time. Only problem I've ever seen that transfers from one boulder to the other.

Cool rock and a tricky top-out

Really cool problem. excellent movement. Has one of the oddest holds I've ever held on it.

Really aesthetic dyno. Located in its own little section. Tried a couple times, came down to precise hand placement and really cranking off my right foot.

SCARY! Almost died on the deceptive top-out. was really cool to get on top of the Anti-Hero boulder though.

Excellent winter day. Chose warm sun and cold wind over the shadowy cave. Didn't top out cuz of snow, will be back soon.

First V8! So much beta to slog through! It was a pretty cool process to work through this problem. What a great way to end a year that began with my first V4 send. p.s. - Lots of lessons learned today:1) Don't keep throwing your self at a problem from bottom up till you send, work individual moves.2) Anthony will always climb further then he tells you he will, stay ever-vigilante!3) Don't poke the ice with your pole, you will fall in.6 days.

Cool slopey arete warm up.

really cool first move to a two finger undercling-gaston! Also had the world's best jug ever on it!

Glad I spotted the crimp up left or I would have come off.

Fun problem! Really sunk into the right foot, got a knee-scum, and the let it rip! I am very happy that I topped it all the way out, memorable.1 day.

Coolio hold!

Thanks to the local for the start-foot beta, it made all the difference. The bump to the crimp was really cool! I've never seen my hand make a claw like that.

Sent the sit, go read those comments! :)

Stupid crack-eliminate, but it forced a really cool big move.

Silly contrived problem. Kept dabbing the face behind me with my butt.

I don't care what the book says, I liked this one. Use crimps to rock up into a knee-bar and get a hidden sidepull. All with a sketchy landing! Good thing I have excellent friends who spot and put pads under me.

Happy I got this one first go, didn't want to have to do it again. Had to control a HUGE barddoor coming out of the sit, but then it was chill up one of the most lack-luster V1s ever...

Knee-bar to undercling is reminiscent of Sudden Daydreams! Truly a classic line on cool holds.

2nd go (on extension, 4th on Super Mario). Big moves up high are kinda scary! super fun and memorable though. House of Leaves is next!

Really aesthetic line!

Juggy warm-up.

Neat climb. Cool jump from under the roof to over the roof. It was super wet when I got to it, so I spent awhile drying it off.

One of my favorite climbs of the trip! Solid crimps get better and better as you go up.

Easy jugs to a super hard/awkward lockoff gaining a bad sloper. Not fun.

3rd go. Hard/awkward start moves lead to a top that doesn't let up!

Obvious feature had to be climbed!

Really cool feature

Stupid leaves...

Neat slopers, but not the most fun I've ever had climbing.

Tough for me! underclings and slopers are definitely a weakness.

Tricky climb. Missed the sidepull on the first two goes.

Fun and quick climb. Thanks to Anthony for the pre-send brushing!

Hard to get off the ground! No hands on slab, having to trust your feet = TERRIFYING! So glad I'm just tall enough to reach the top without the dyno. Poor Anthony.

Fun compression! Wishing i was strong enough to to the sit for the full value line. gonna be sick when it finally happens!

Cool line with sharp crimps. Dont know if it's a legitimate FA but there was no chalk on it and I had to clean it.

Fun little warm up. Pretty sure this isn't the real name, but it's a fitting placeholder till I find out.

An elusive traverse. not my cup of tea. fun top-out though.

First V7! Beautiful Fall day on the tail end of midterms. Particularly committing without a spotter on the top-out.3 days.

Sticking the move out of the roof felt good.

Third go. Super cool left-hand hold. Had to use a weird right hand due to a phobia of pulling tendons again!

Super aesthetic line. beautiful day. A must do for Sandstone.

Pull Jugs out of the roof to a slopey crimp. establish feet and crossover. keep pulling through an exciting highball top out.

Awkward start, to a cool gaston, to a thuggy thwack. Had very static beta then the rest when I sent it, felt good.

Really cool first and second moves.note: FA contested on this one with Noah. (it was me, he did a different line I'm convinced!)

A particularly hard one for me. slapping gains some jugs to a satisfying top out. Used some personalized beta.

Would have gotten it first go, but the mantle kept proving tricky.

Fun problem. Long for Sandstone. Started in the wrong place the first time, so I'm calling it second go.

Didn't think I'd do this today! Cool campus and an awkward reach. Thanks to Nic for the beta!

Super fun. nice start jug and feet that you don't think will hold. would have gotten it pretty quick but didn't see the holds for the top out.

Weird thwack with a high foot. Didn't think it'd go until I tried some really subtle beta.

Really cool move coming into a tough undercling.

Icky sloper slapping.

Hard start for me trying to get my ass off the ground! Shouldery sit-start with high feet. Terrified the start hold was going to break off into my lap.

Tricky start. Hard to avoid the holds out right. Found it funny that i was trying so hard on jugs!

Had one of the neatest holds I have ever used on it. great transfer move.

Warm-up

Lesson in following my own path. Finally sent it by skipping all the chalked up bad holds and skipping right to the good stuff. Spicy top out at night.

I'm Taking the points for this one! Super aesthetic problem! Just had to climb it. Slipped off the start twice, silly.

Big move from crimps and a high foot. Really fun move.

Reachy move to a really cool pocket.

Really cool dyno. Wind started blowing hard during the top out.

Jugs, bad feet, tricky top out.

First V5! Tricky problem. First move was hard for me. Top out gave me trouble as well.

Silly dyno i wanted to try. :)

Fun Warmup. Big moves to the coolest jug i've grabbed to date!

Cool lay-back in a high-ball-ish boulder. memorable twilight send! Ruined my hip flexor though! Chickened out on the flash.

Warmup in street shoes.

First V4! Scary! Falling from the top meant smashing my back into the side of an outdoor stage. For this reason, when my feet cut, my spotter was extra vigilante... I am still counting it, all he did was grab a leg quick. I put no less effort into the climb. Bloody tips at the top.

Warmup.

Warmup in street shoes.

Mariachi start, then go left. Has a couple fun moves.

Super fun.

IDK if this is a legit FA, but I had to clean it a bit. Silly problem I did after a say of sport climbing. Really fun last move.

Right of Sarma Wishes. Not fun, poison ivy at the top-out.