Location
Worthless Boulder
Submitted by mrbeattie on Sun, 04/27/2008 - 00:44.
Location(s)
Worthless Boulder
Central Park E Dr & Central Park N
NY, NY, 10029
The south and west sides are too low to boulder on but the rock is slanted and the other 3 faces give excellent bouldering, amongst the best in the park. Facing south climbs are described from left to right. There are many problems on this boulder and eliminates (where you purposely leave out a hold to make the problem harder); I am only giving a selection of my favourite problems here (see topo .gif):
1 An easy slab, there is only one real route up this side. Good for warming up, can be made more interesting by using only one hand (left or right).
2 The left arete, a fantastic little problem, start sitting with your two hand in the small crack at the base of the arette, pull your body into the arete and a series of pinches leads to a good sloper for the right hand on the face. With determination make a bold pinch for the arette with your left hand, from here either dyno for the bucket at the top or proceeed with more care using a series of small crimps. The exit at the top is nice and putting all the moves togethr is fantastic. Rated V2-3 Heuco system, English technical 5c+-6a, French 6c. (see climbing grades)
3 Move boldy through the overhang using a series of flat but positive holds. The problem begins at mid heigth, the lower start is V6 and incridibly hard. Starting at mid heigth gives a problem about as difficult as problem 2.
4 From the centre of the boulder you can move left and finish on the finish to problem 2. I can't do this and so assume that the grade must be V3+
5 Another classic, the right arette. Start low on the sharp flat hold, throw for a good edge on the corner, either match hands on the edge or pull through (strong) for the good edge on the right face. Bring the right hand through and egyptian on the right face, throw for the top and pull over the edge, the classic problem on the boulder, solid V2.
6 This one is fun, place both hands on the big flat hold and throw for the finishing holds on problem 5. This is a really long reach and I get so close, my hands on the hold five times today but not enough momentum to hold it (soon soon you will be mine my pretty). I'm really looking foreward to getting this problem, it will be my first V4.
7 Start at the very right hand edge of the north face. Climb the rising traverse (quickly), finish on the arete or exit just before this, probably V3.
More information on this rock is available on the last three pages of the Classic NY City Bouldering Guide .PDF, under "Rap Rock" for download here.
This post originally written by Siren at: http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=851147
How to Get There:
Located in northern Central Park just south of W 110th street overlooking the Harlem Meer, Northwest of the Lasker ice skating rink & pool.
To access Worthless Boulder, enter Central Park from either the NW corner of CPW and 110th or via the entrance on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd / 7th Ave. The closest subway stops are the B, C trains as accessed from the 110th & Cathedral stop or the 2, 3 trains as accessed from the 110th & Central Park North Station.
By foot cross the main Central Park Drive and follow the footpath East/Southeast (clockwise) toward the Harlem Meer, before reaching a triangular intersection of Park Drives (Central Park E Drive & Central Park N) and before going uphill, Worthless Boulder will be on your right, 15 feet from the road, shaded by trees, usually with partial mulch covering.
Photos:
beta
For more info on worthless beta i would reccommend checking out the Falcon guide: Rock Climbing: New Jersey. it has a good section on Central Park.
My favorite worthless problem by far is "Family Values" V6, start on the big jug on the northish face of the boulder near the bulge, traverse left around the bulge to the southern arete and top out, if you start on the shelf way to the right which is towards the short side of the boulder that is "Sweat of the Rapist" V10 an Ivan Greene problem
peace, los
there's another boulder
there's another boulder farther down 110th street towards central park west. it's up a little hill and not off a paved path like this one. i saw it in 2002 with a bunch of chalk marks on it and thought it was this one, but seeing the pics and getting the correct beta, they're not the same. i tried a few moves and it was kinda hard but admittedly, i was in pretty poor shape. so, who knows how hard it is? i'm actually pretty shocked that no one has written about it.
sounds like shit
sounds like shit rock.....but theres alot of stuff in that area.
Believe me there are no "new" boulders in nyc or the boroughs....everything has been climbed, rated and named just sometimes the beta is hard to find.
i have to get of my ass and join a photo sharing site so i can link up some lesser known areas.....but since i can see the gunks from my kitchen i am a bit distracted!!
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