Spenser Tang-Smith

Last day bouldering and man what a great pillar. Seriously. Do it.

Another top hundy.

A cold day and the right hand soapy thing finally felt good. Fun moves, but definitely not my favorite. Maybe I'm just overreacting to it being overrated.

Cool dyke holds and a somewhat exciting topout. F'in A.

This was a very very fun bouldering experience.

This was a very big-man bouldering experience.

Slightly confusing as to which holds one should utilize. Whatever, I had fun.

Kinda bunchy, but at least it ends in a dyno.

Way fun climb. Too bad about the awkward fall factor.

Scary and with a loose hold. The guidebook says "go left" but I think straight up, double-compression style is cooler. Still worth doing.

Oh my goodness, finally...Previous night falling off the mantel and straining my shoulder, and many previous, progressively closer sessions. Compression at its finest.

Ridiculously fun. Left hand bump, left hand jump. Jesse went dropknee, which is cool too...

The first "hard" boulder problem I ever even heard of, 9 years ago...finally got to see this thing two months ago, and after many sessions of incremental progress the four moves finally came together. So psyched!

First go of the day, two other short sessions. The no-look beta for the first move is key...and the rest of the climb is quite fun, if a little sharp. "One shot one kill"

First try of the day, got the toe scums to work. Went left hand first to crimps, then right to arete. Start of a GREAT day.

There's no such thing as onsighting a boulder problem? Meh, whatever. Good times though. If it doesn't, it should get a smiley face.

Pretty fun moves in a somewhat claustrophobic setting. I did it the thuggy way, I think...

Second day on it, with pleasant conditions. Classic. Felt soft for V10 but maybe it's a style thing. The double bump beta made the R hand moves much easier for me.

Rad.

Best lip traverse I've ever done, hands down. ATD is cool but this is cooler. It is also campus-able.

Amaze-balls. Fun holds, cool moves, pure line, aesthetic face. Git on it.

Five or six tries to take this one down. What a last move...very interesting physical and mental crux up there. Squampton next?

Fun! Low is tough, but will go soon...

[It's not in the smoke bluffs] Fun and dry. Can't argue with that!

Unexpected send during a Fuzz session. Gotta GRRRR.

SO GOOD. First go of the day. Maybe fasting = sending? Felt impossible. Great project to put down.

Started on the "left, blocky jug" that the book references. It's not V10 from there, but it felt V10 to start on the jug down and right.

Second go, via big dyno method. I guess this is a good climb if you really miss steep moves, positive holds, and dab potential. Or if it's the only dry thing.

Cool stone. Cool moves. Glad we tried it.

Quite an emotional roller coaster on this one. Taught me to keep to the process even on a sloppy boulder problem.

V4/8. Two hours of epic, a new crew, two betas, and a send.

Great balls of thunder....this skin-friendly classic will not give anyone any trouble. Didn't give us any trouble. None at all. Nope.

A must-do. Stand in front of the rock carving near Superfly and look to your left (and maybe slightly behind you). See that little crack? Go around back, and emerge, covered in placenta, with much struggle.

Not really highball, but deserving of its stars.

Two words. Hell Yeah. That's all.

So good. Gymnastic too!

Phew, finally, after a 6 or 7 day battle on this beast. Second go today, countless attempts. Went from cross crux to bump crux to mental crux to finally sending after a rest day. Thanks for the psyche everyone.

So cool! Huge lunge to the lip took some commitment but Joe and I sent one after the other. Really glad to do this one.

I can't quite call it a flash since I did Mo Troublems first, but first go? Cool roof sequence. Really wish I could've avoided the hand jam. I'm sure it goes without it, too.

I want to give more stars but 27crags is F'd up. Mega struggle on this one at the top, but the crux was definitely using the super garbage left hand and crossing up to the super garbage right hand. Once I hit the good left hand on the arete it went, but not without some desperate groveling. Great night session.

Wow, absolutely one of the finest anywhere. Pure, singular line up a striking boulder, good movement, good rock, low crux but demanding climbing up high. Great day in the Apron talus.

Tough little sucker, but a really fun first move. I must be getting good at Squamish mantels since this one felt easy.

WAY cool. A fantastic highball rock climbing experience. Sit is recommended.

Supa fun moves on a very nifty feature. Another top hundy done.

Very slow, incremental progress. Last move took many goes to perfect. Subtle body awareness required. Very satisfying.

It's not really at the Chief boulders but I'm not gonna re log it. Really nice rock. Four top 100s today. Awesome day.

Backed off from the top thrice. one of the finest moves you'll ever do at that height. Try the sit for two fun harder moves.

Kinda cool but a little bakey in the sun and a little less cool that you top out in the groove instead of finishing the boulder. Still, very cool and very fun, unique holds.

Fits me perfectly. Could static to the R hand edge from the big low feet. Fun campusy top. Crux is getting pads to the boulder. The third Top 100 of the day.

Day flash! A cool day, and the sit shall be mine... Quite a day, watched Jeremy cruise the FA of the thing to the left of world of hurt. Badass.

What a cool, pure line. Heel for the first move, then left right left foot and a desperate clutch for the sloper jug thing. Top out was interesting but not hard. One of my favorites.

Third go. Felt kinda easy, but being tall helps since I could avoid a hard R heel. Fastest V10 ascent so far.

Wow this thing was hard in the heat. Good problem though. Sloper testpiece fo sho.

An eliminate, yes, but a very fun one. Felt good to do it strongly. The book says V10 but I'll take 9 for it. Wonder why 27crags has it as V8?

I can't claim flash since it shares the first move of Big Chicken, but I did it first go. Tall boys will love this one. Shawties will like it too.

Most desperate flash of Squamish so far. Man, this is trixy! Good times.

Woo! Went from feeling impossible to get the foot up to a send! One of the absolute finest anywhere. Campus method on first two moves, and used the far right hand to get the foot up.

YES!!! Awesome mantel crux. Great session with Mina and Nuno. Psyched.

Desperation dyno!

Ah yes, the coveted Skin Graft flash. Because you never ever want to fall on that one.

Damn, shoulda flashed. Thanks Joe, for the beta and advice!

Tough!

Not on the list but threw it in anyway. Awesome.

Great way to end a great day. What a climb, in a great setting too.

Pretty fun. Pretty damn fun. Campused the first move.

Desperate lunge on the flash. Ouch on those slots.

Whoa, tricky! Very cool though.

One of the toughest from Birthday Challenge day.

Of course.

Super fun, and a great way to start 29 top 100s. Well, Titanic was first but I am not logging that now.

Way harder than Timeless. Took three gos, and honestly...didn't really like it very much. But that's just, like, my opinion, man.

Hardest V3 of the day except for Superdyke

Really fun little squeezebox.

Beautiful line and a fun couple of moves.

Went down easy this time.

WAY easier than Baba

Shoulda flashed but oh well. Fun if you're tall and you like soft grades.

First V8 flash, woo! Great little day in the forest.

I enjoyed this much more than Frankie did. Maybe it's a height thing.

Did this one quickly, I think it suits me. I wish there were more roof moves, but whatcha gon' do?

Pulling on is the crux.

How are the other two climbs on this boulder so damn hard?

Quick take-down, first Squamish V8. Such a stellar line.

Last one of the long first day. Great climb but wow, way trixy.

Oof. Super tough last bit. Hard for V6, or maybe it was warm and we were exhausted.

Great problem for the area, cool swingy moves and what not. I thought it was a bit harder than 5, then again it was 85 degrees. Anyway, good to add a tick after such a long time.

A total dream to do this one. One of the better highballs I've done, despite being partially created by road cutting. RTG came through with the support. Love Santa Barbara

Mr. Meiners with the beta, though this felt more V7. Then again I happen to be suited to long moves on slopers. Way cool rock though. Sit be HARD.

Honestly never thought I'd do this one, a rare finger-morpho boulder problem. Now that I've done it, I'd say personal grade of V8?

Took a few tries but it went down without too much fuss. Surprisingly cruxy last move for me. Rest was easy.

Comes down to one big move, if you do it like I did. Joe did a cool eliminate, using just the two little crimp pockets on the face. Maybe next time the Vortex-Baldwin Bash traverse will go down?

Very challenging for a JV 6. Very fun dyno at the end. Will, I got us some redemption!

Fun-ky.

Fun night sesh. Did the jump to jug from start beta, easier that way for biggies like me. To be honest, felt more like V8/9, though I think that's a morpho thing.

Maybe 3rd or 4th or 5th ascent? Just downhill from Vendetta, start on the big dogbone pinch and work the big tongue to the top. Real fun.

2nd try. Thanks to Steven and Adriana for showing up with more pads. A fun highball experience, worth seeking out.

Jered and I gunned this thing down today. He used heel, I used big man jug-jug beta. Super fun, satisfying hold to hit at the top.

Went through the whole range of emotions on this one. Excitement, and anticipation, followed by frustration, anger, hope, more frustration, and ultimately, acceptance. Once acceptance was reached, the boulder problem yielded.

Despite the neck tweak, managed to thrutch up this beautiful line. If it were a tiny bit less reachy it would be sweet because then everyone could climb it, but then again I like things at near full span. Great line.

Way harder than it looks! Slopey pockets and monos-with-an-assist. Good times.

Looks not great but actually a decent little climb, this one. It's a bunch of holds that I'm not good on, so it'll be a good conditioning problem to return to.

Sweet sloper rail to a little bit of a heady topout, given the rock underneath you. Has to be a decent V6 in this little cluster!

One hard move with bad feet to an easy topout. That makes this one half the problem that Groundwater is, I guess.

2nd try today after a few tries last year. Recovery road continues. Got spanked today on Roll them Bones and some other V7, so...yeah. Long road.

Can you really onsight a boulder problem?

2nd go after some beta workings. First V7 of 2013, first of the rehab effort. Can't wait to do some G2-07 next.

A very silly first move and an awesome finish. Nice work Vikki, I'm proud of you.

This one's weird. Felt much harder than V4, but then again it's the hardest thing I've tried all year.

Great day with Matt Morse. Pitches 4 and 5 are pretty much junk (except the first two bolts of 4 which are terrifyingly insecure but well-protected), but you get to top out the Gorge. We rapped, shirtless, in the dark. Because it's Valentine's day? Nah, because we were slow.

This climb is painful.

I used to not like this one. Now I really like it. It's pretty damn cool.

One of the better of the grade in the Happies, yet few people seek it out. I recommend it. There's even short-girl beta.

Yesss! Third big session on the rig, second go of the day. Amazing movement if a little bitey. Dunking the bucket feels AMAZING. Got pretty drunk that night...

Oi, finally ticked this one. Definitely more type II fun for me, but man, what a cool line. Very photogenic too.

Done it before but it was fun to get a first-go repeat.

Day flashed it after many failed sessions in previous years. Maybe it was the cold...maybe it's that I'm finally getting better at bouldering. Either way, nice to polish this one off.

It's a repeat for me, but I'm really happy to send this one again.

Holy crap, finally, after like three years or something. Great session with Steve Bradshaw, who showed me the ultimate tall-man no-dab beta. Beefy G next, and Aquatic.

Meh. I think we cheated it...or just tall-manned it. Whatever. Ticked.

This time, climbed in approach shoes and with a bottle of Jack in my chalk bag. I'm the best f%#*ing climber in Bishop!

Did this one way too drunk to be safe. Party on top of the boulder!

Really, they graded this?

I think I like this problem less and less the more I do it.

I think I like this problem more and more each time I do it.

One of the better 5's in the Sads. Seems to divide opinions sharply, though.

Dabtastic.

You just need that last big sloper to feel good once...

Perfect boobs...not contrived...fun moves...This one's classic for a reason.

Pretty good climb, but V6? I'll take 5. First ascent post-foothold breakage. Damn you Pat Campbell!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! Fell twice on the campus move. Two slugs of whiskey got me up this thing. Probably my favorite Joe's climb.

This boulder is really fun, I just wish it were taller. Great warmups for Worm Turns.

Left foot dropknee on the footjug, right knee jammed in for the big move. Total beta epiphany, great sending with Aaron. So psyched, this thing felt impossible on session 1.

It's rare to find a climb right above the road with cool moves, rad rock, perfect starting holds...this is a gem.

If you can deal with one sharp pocket, then this line is awesome. Coolest start hold ever. EVER.

Dude, this thing is stout. Good fun though. Another top 100 checked.

Sandy topouts aren't that fun but the moves were awesome.

Felt, honestly, like about V7. I can reach far.

Real sharp but really fun jump move. Great day that almost included a send of Ghost King. Next time.

2nd go. Hard. Scott says it broke, which would explain it a little. Really fun though, kinda reminds me of Acid Wash in Bishop

Fun. Felt harder than Stir the Pie.

I think this one was fun. Not a dyno for me, but a really cool threader pocket jug thing.

Tricky topout. Great problem though, Vikki is close too!

I like that it gets V9 in the book...most people seemed to call it V7. Three stars for pure fun factor.

Big steep jugs. Hooray!

3rd go. Mantel is trixy. Did the dyno way. Glad this one went quick, it's not the most primo of lines at Joe's. But fun!

Somehow this gets V8 in the book. Maybe if you're short? I'll take 5-6 on it. Fun though.

Meh.

Only because it's my hometown, dawg!

Can't believe this gets more than V1.

Tricky first move, then sloper sailing to the top.

Second try. One of the better problems at New Joe's, balancey and techy and unexpectedly fun.

I think it's 4 in the book, it feels like 5 though. Wild moves on this one.

Botched the flash so will have to settle for second go. Big left hand cross beta, F that mono. What a climb.

Third or fourth go. Fun ass dyno. Total crushfest on this one.

Tricky first move, everything else is cake for those like me.

V4 my ass. Let's call it an easy 6?

Schlopes

I dunno if you call this soft or my style, but, well, it felt really easy.

Hmmm, they call it V7 in the book, and also it felt harder than Chips. Harder topout anyway. Nearly blew the flash trying to mantel incorrectly. Who cares, super fun climbing.

Yeah right. Grade this one why don'tcha. Um, V-amillion if you're little, V-easyhop if you're 6'2"

One of the best.

Is 6a V2? Whatever. Great arete.

I dyno'd. Then I did it again static. This place was made for me.

Fan Frickin' Tastic.

Sharp, but really good.

Techy stuff.

Do problems get any more fun?

Gluey and gooey, but fun movement on pretty comfy holds. Nerve Extension next.

Too short. But very good. Satisfying. Powerful.

Second go. Turns out I did a slightly different problem. Started crossed/matched on the crimp in the face, instead of left hand above the left foot. Surely this makes it harder, but who cares. I'm very tall and I found the lunge/reach pretty easy. Glad it's in the bag!

Man what a scary classic. You should've seen the flash attempt...

Fun little arete scramble

Cool because it felt impossible in June and went down easy today. Maybe more like V8?

Kinda like Battle of the Bulge in Camp 4. Cage Free is next.

Really, really fun climbing. The low start is HARD. Also, Crimes is really hard. I was unable.

Psyched to flash it. Just wish it were much longer. Cool rock though, one of the few at Lincoln that won't break or grate or exfoliate. Of course, I say that, but the lower start hold has already broken...

Quite fun, and in an aesthetic setting. In other words, it's not buried in talus somewhere.

Got fairly close on the flash attempt. One of the finest problems at Lincoln, climbs like a much easier Phobos. EDIT Huh, I was told it was V7...

Woohoo! Goal of the day complete. Inadvertantly did it in my trad shoes. Mega-props to Mr. Sherman for a bold ascent...it's scary up there.

Can't believe it came together in 2 sessions. So pumped.

First go of the day, second go overall. Nice flash, Jered!

Really fun boulder. Sharp holds on this one though. Eek.

Quite fun. Thought it was more like a V6? Whatever, who cares. Go do it. It's fun.

Woohoo first 8A! Felt kinda easy, so maybe it's soft or maybe it suits me, I dunno. Ridiculously fun climb, so psyched to stick the foot stab for the dropknee.

Super fun send with Jered. Both did it in about an hour. Upper Chaos = Awesome sauce

Second try on the second day. Definitely a grade easier if you're tall like me and can reach the low foot. Whatever. Psyched.

Wow, fun. Jered/Adam's first ascent

Tallish Right-leaning seam/crack to huge crossthroughs, finishing on a sweet juggy arete. SDS. Right across from Mothman Prophecies

Nice work on this one KJ. Great climb, my kind of problem!

Quite fun.

It was pretty good. Sweet undercling.

Best 5 I've done in a long long time. Vikki is super close!

Day flash. I thought V8? Whatever, felt like cake when I did it. The center will go, I swears it.

2nd go, one of the best of its grade anywhere. Part of a great day.

Damn good climbing. Will also crushed, he being boss-like and all that. Great day at Guanella.

Supa fun!

It's hella good. Duhh.

Mega-fun, with glory written all over the second half of it. SDS is next, although the bottom climbs like poo.

I thought it was more like V6. I opted for going huge to the deep sloper. Probably a harder climb for shawties.

Awesome swinging moves to an interesting but not too scary top out. Great climb on a great day.

Meh. Gunky climb. Big horizontals. Yay.

Led first, followed second.

So scared. So scared. One of the steeper, sustained routes in the Gunks.

Led first, followed second.

Followed.

First of a long day of 5.10s in the Gunks. Good fun.

So scared on the second pitch, so psyched on the third. Amazing experience.

Like the Buddha, but with more moves.

Top 100? What? I mean, it's good and all...but top 100?

Flashed thanks to the Murph spray-down. Great climb.

Yay! Gill Problem!

Varied. Horse Pens slopers up top. Amazing roof, fun slab...it's got it all.

One or two tricky moves, then V0 jughauling. Fun times.

I think I cheated it by going around a crimper section, but in my defense it was getting dark.

Do i get to do what I think I get to do?? YES!!!

Super fun. One crux move. Huzzah!

Better than Tissue.

Ran three laps. Can't believe how cool this climb is.

Woohoo! Great movement, exciting at the top, generally insanely fun. So far my favorite of the Red

Amazingly fun sequence to get off the slab, then fighting the pump to the finish. Brilliant.

Steep moves to a massive jug, a long shake and then a hard, slappy boulder problem to the chains. Amazing. First .13 for me in years.

Good arete climbing.

Very first intro to pumpy RRG jughauling

Pretty cool. Fun jugs.

Do problems get prettier than this? Great first day at the Fort.

It was pretty good, but I just hate starting boulder problems with a handjam.

Kind of a clusterfuck of holds on the boulder, but great moves on this one.

Some of the best roof climbing to be found anywhere.

Took me the most tries of all of them.

Real short but pretty fun. Two move wonder defined.

Big right hand toss, no left heel hook for me.

One of the more straight forward problems at HP40.

Great stuff.

Sandbagged, amazing. The trick is to drink enough where you trust feet that you shouldn't trust.

All three in a night. Booya.

Wow, is all I can really say.

Funky. Fun.

RRG practice...

Why does this have to top out on a separate boulder?

slab wandering fun times.

More slab wandering.

Sharp and crimpy and a little scary. Bailed on the first go.

The speed bump hold is pretty amazing. Too bad the face is so loose and chossy and scary.

Unbelievably hard for the grade, and unbelievably good climbing. Glad to flash this classic.

Super fun. V4/5 after the first move, methinks.

Tricky but fun to figure out.

Frustrating as hell to work on but so satisfying to nail that jug. Corey will send it next.

Oh my, what a great climb. Fun cross, match undercling, move to crimps, lunge to the rail. Botched the top out and had to retreat, rest, and crank again.

Fun times on a hot day. Pi day sending!

Hard for the grade, methinks.

Coolest pinch-loaf ever. Second go, blew the flash on a first move butt dab. Whoops.

Awesome. Somewhat tricky topout but sweet moves.

The surfboard is for atomic situps.

Fun moves, deceptively tricky topout. Almost blew it!

Polished, hard to approach, but satisfying to send. The highball crack opposite is amazing too.

If you're under 5'11", tell me how in the hell you would do this...

Amazingly fun roof, tall man beta all the way. Rock Rodeo sendage!

Good moves if not aesthetic. So pumped, end of a long day.

They called this V8 in the rodeo. Consensus among our group is that was soft. One move wonder, kinda.

Easiest to just campus most of it?

Surprisingly fun link into New Religion

Dabby but really fun moves. Improbable heel-toe action.

Damn good climb.

Cool starting sloper. Fun moves. I love Hueco glory jug topouts.

One of the best. Second go.

Left hand crimp, hectic cross into undercling jug. Maybe it wasn't smooth but damn it was fun.

Lotsa tries for sure. How do shorties do this one?

Soooo many punts before the send. But damn if the moves aren't incredible. Do this climb. Seriously.