Porcupine Fortress

The Battleship Boulder (PF)


Anchor Chain, Battleship Boulder (PF)

Problems

(*Cool!, **Very Cool!, ***Classic!)

Battleship Boulder (#3)

"Tea Time In Transylvania" (VB or V0) on the right of the Stern Slab on Battleship Boulder. (I think the name has something to do with the amount of blood lost while cleaning it.) Scrubbed and sent by Ken Nicholson.

"Anchor Chain" (V4***) (FA Teth Cleveland, Nov 18, 2001) (Seconded by Sean Cassidy on Dec 8, 2001) Start on thin crimp ledge. Use under-cling and bulbous protrusion, then follow crack to top.

"Stern Ladder" (V0) Located on the Port (left) side of the Stern Slab on the Battleship Boulder. Cleaned and sent by Barbara Stary on Nov 18, 2001.

"Confience" (V4?***) (FA. Dave, December 2001) Up the bow of the Battleship Boulder. Classic arete problem!

Five Unnamed Problems (V2-V4) Just right of The Anchor Chain is a section of wall with five crisscrossing problems. Two or three have been done. Some are still projects. They are all four or five star problems. I intend to make a sketch of this section of wall to sort out what is what.

Project (V0-V4) Travers up the Starboard side of the Battleship Boulder. This problem has been partially cleaned, but has not been worked much yet.

The Nose (#4)

"Don't Sneeze" (V5**) from two finger jams in the horizontal crack on the back left of the overhang to the rim and then around to match on the last big handhold. For a harder variation (V8 or higher), try to continue right, back to the wall. An extra crash pad and spotter would be nice for this one since you are likely to fall on your head, although it is not high. We are talking true roof action.

"Dracula's Big Adventure" (V2*) Travers from left to right along back wall of the overhang under the Nose. Ken Nicholson found and named it. I enjoyed it.

"Tick Country" (V3) (FA Jonathan G.) To the right of "Don't Sneeze?" Start with hand and foot jam in far right of horizontal crack and through out to wedge against the fin under the overhang. Continue out to finish on big holds. (Everyone who has done this problem has been tall and lanky. I have not sent it yet, but from my 5'7" perspective it looks like a V6)

Project: Do Dracula's Big Adventure, continue with Tick Country, and backtrack Don't Sneeze to end up where you started. Or do in reverse.

Huge Boulder (#2)

Project: (V10 - V13?) Go straight up the face of Huge boulder to the highest point. I got off the ground and managed to slap the wall at about the 8 foot mark. That is only half way up, and I think it gets harder.

"What's Dave's Problem" (V1) (FA. Dave, May 2002) Actually I do not know the name of this problem, but Dave put it up. Basically you are climbing a huge flake on the back of the Huge boulder and topping out on a slab covered with huge sharp crystals.

"The Wishing Well" (V4?) (FA. Keith, Oct 2004) Starts on a really low rail, hard foot placement and hard to just get off the ground. Then you bust right out to a flake on the lip. Then left to a sloper and up and over.

Bandit Boulder (#1)

"Mask Man" (V5-V7?) (FA. Zig, May 2002.) On the South Side of Boulder #1. Start on apposing holds and use one of two crimps to reach a nice hand hold. Unfortunately the top-out is sketchy.

"The Quiver" (V4) (FA. Jonathan G., May 2002) Starts sitting with your back to Huge boulder. It goes up an obvious shallow left facing corner.

"Qbert" (V0) (Named by Kevin) Easy arete on far end of face. Also a good down climb.

"Quake" (V1-V2?**) (FA Nicki May, 2002) Right of Qbert. No hands start. Up slab. Going to wicked finger pocket before topping out.

"Quandary" (V1) (FA Reuben, May 2002) Right of Quake, left of Quiche.

"Quiche" (V0**) (FA Nicki, May 2002) Starts on Flake. Goes up crack.

Project Between boulders #1 and #6. Start on undercling on boulder #1 and through to boulder #6. Top-out on boulder #1. Only use the lip and face of boulder #6.

Paternity

"Paternity" (V?) (Reuben, May 2002) Boulder #8? Start with horizontal crack on left. Climb up to higher boulder. Down climb (part of problem) to right.

Little Crimp Boulder

"Crimp Problem" (V0) (Nicki, May 2002) On small boulder between boulder #7 and Bandit boulder.

The Overhang

Don't Sneeze (V5)

FA on Dec 31, 2001

Side Show Area

The Side Show Area is located just to your left as you cross the ditch on your way to Porcupine Fortress. The first boulder you see (Soggy Bottom Boulder) has at least two lines on it, but is sitting in a swamp. Just past this boulder is a 12' high wall with an overhang (Trivia Wall). This is where the new classic “Trivial Pursuit V1” is found. This face curves back to meet a higher face (Upper Face) with possibilities for some harder lines and a height of about 15'. A little way further is a 50 foot long low overhand (The 50 Foot Roof) with the potential for many problems toping out on a ledge at about 8 feet. A higher face above this goes up another 10 feet for a total of about 18 feet. I have not explored further on.

Soggy Bottom Boulder

There are at least two obvious lines on this boulder, possibly as many as five. There is a bit of a water trap at the bottom of this boulder, so it is better when the ground is frozen. In the summer it may be too wet for a proper pad placement, but could still be climbed fairly safely with the added incentive of “if you fall you get wet”.

Trivia Wall

Photo by: Jonathan Graham

"Trivial Pursuit" (V1***) (Teth, March 20 2005) Start in cave/hole (A) on the right side of the overhand with two bomber in-cuts along a seam. Go up, then traverse left under the roof to a bomber hold (C), then go up face using good holds to topout at about 11.5 feet. A lip on top edge and a good foot makes top-out comfortable. With travers this problem is about 17 feet long with consistently good holds.

“Decent” (V0) Starting with flake and crack on far left (E), travers right going under the roof and lower yourself into the pit to finish on the starting holds for “Trivial Pursuit”. Variations: [1] stay on the wall and climb “Trivial Pursuit” for a real pump. [2] could be done in the opposite direction (“Ascent”?). [3] just do laps until your arms fall off.

“Jeopardy” (V1) Start on good finger hold (B) and go straight up using flak. Holds on the arete are off.

“Is That Your Final Answer?” (V1) Start on big hold (C) and go straight up.

“Life is a Game” (V2) Start on good holds under the Arete (D) and ascend straight up.

Project: Ascent crack on far left (E). This one is obvious, and has been cleaned. But no one has gotten around to doing it yet.

Project: Start as with “Life is a Game” (D) and ascend angling left to finish at the top of line E.

Projects: Start as with “Trivial Pursuit” but topout using any of the other lines (B, C, or E).

Upper Face

Looks like potential for some problems here in the V4 and up range.

The 50 Foot Roof

Open Project.(V3 to V6 range) On the left side of the overhang is a project I was going to call "Shaky Start" as it starts on a large loose stone. Although it rocks, I do not think the start hold is going to come out. Through out to a cube, then continue up with a side pull. I could not completely clean the top-out due to ice. You send it first and you can name it whatever you want.

Open Project. At the tree eaten by porcupines, start on a bomber rail and poor feet under the roof. Big dynamic move to the upper lip and top-out. Sort of a one move wonder. I could not quite make it. I also attempted a figure 4 and figure 9, but was out of shape and did not send. The upper cliff is very close at this point, and this problem could be continued for a top-out at 18', but that is too high for me.

Open Project. I cleaned the arete, but did not send.

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Last updated: May 22, 2002