You’ll find this route on the center column facing the lead wall and if you like surprise endings, you’ll dig this route. It has some real fun moves and some fun features. You’ll find a nice mix of pinches and buckets with just enough grit to make a nine. The route starts off with a … The post 5.9 | Salt Water Taffy appeared first on figure8 .
This route is in the back corner next to the auto-belay and it is a douse. It’s a blue route with some nice corner work in the middle but the top is all tiny holds. This route isn’t rated yet but we have a spoiler for you. This route starts like many in this corner … The post 5.8 | Main Sprinkler Valve appeared first on figure8 .
It has been too long. The last figure8 Podcast episode was published back in January 2017 so I thought a nice easy 5.7 route would be a good warm up for my day and for the Podcast. This orange route is on the center column near the bouldering wall and is a nice warm up … The post 5.7 | Liftchair Sunset appeared first on figure8 .
I have been climbing on the guest pass of a friend at Salt Pump for a while. We have a routine, we climb a few top rope routes, get pumped out and call it a day. I’m lead certified at evo Rock + Fitness but had never bothered to get lead certified elsewhere. Until today, … The post 5.6 | Steep Sheep appeared first on figure8 .
You may not have noticed but I haven’t been on a lead route in more than a year. I’ve also never captured a clean climb on a lead route, ever! The sadness ends today with this 5.8 route at evo Rock + Fitness in Portland, aptly named ‘Rub the Belly.’ Today marks a milestone in … The post 5.8 | Rub the Belly appeared first on figure8 .
This green route faces the benches on the center pillar and was a fun one with some nice features. This route has some nice features and even though its a 5.8 it is still a great climb with lots of nice angles. You’ll even notice the light heel hock around the feature for balance. There … The post 5.8 | Das Tufa appeared first on figure8 .
If you scroll down a few you’ll see that this route below but the previous climb was done on top rope. This time around I sent it on mock lead. In lead climbing you have the added difficulty of clipping your rope, managing a rope from below and not above, and the potential for more … The post 5.8 | Outside the Cones appeared first on figure8 .
The last time I climbed this route, I was winding down and wasn’t able to climb it clean. This time around, I made it clean, but also realized again at top out that I was not only on the wrong rope, but the rope was also twisted. This route is pretty fun and was a … The post 5.7 | Pirate Ships (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
This is the same route from below climbed a while ago but this time around I’m climbing for a lead test. When you take a lead test you usually have to perform a few basic parts. Demonstrating back clipping, z-clipping, are common requirements. Once you demonstrate some clipping knowledge, you’re asked to demonstrate lead climbing … The post 5.9 | Get Your Wallet (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 ....
Even though this route is rated a 5.9, it climbs more like a 5.8 so it’s what I call an ego climb. Overall it is pretty straight forward. There are only a few moments where you feel a bit awkward and off-balance but switching feet or matching hands means you get some advantage back. Some … The post 5.9 | Get Your Wallet (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
Here is another fun warm up because it seems like lately, warm ups are the only climbs I can finish. This is a straight route with one small catch. About half way up on the second feature bolted to the wall there is a real lousy under hang followed by a long but thin chip … The post 5.7 | Big Steppers (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
Okay, so I have to be honest, I may have cheated a bit here. You might not see it but let me explain. I’ve totally climbed this route clean before. I actually climbed it clean the first attempt. This time around was a different story. Some days I feel like a boss at the gym, … The post 5.8 | Outside the Cones (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
This route is yellow but it was proving to be a white whale. I had tried and failed but this time was different. I am not a member at Salt Pump, I climb on the guest pass generously donated by Scott. The first few times on this route I wasn’t able to get past the … The post 5.9 | Arthur Page (Salt Pump) appeared first on figure8 .
Lately I’ve been pulling out footage from the vault of unedited clips. Well here is one from the present. This is a new route currently up at evo Portland on the auto belay near the bouldering area. It hasn’t been rated or named yet but it climbs like a 5.8. All of the routes on … The post 5.8 | Orange (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
The first time I got on this route, I nailed it. Fast forward a few days and you would think with some rest and a GoPro I would be aces. Not so fast Arthur. As you can see, I make it right to the edge and pump out. From the video it looks like I … The post 5.10a | Ducks (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
Still working through the backlog of unedited clips and I found this route. This is another clip from March of 2015 climbing at EVO with Brandon and crushing routes. I remember this one well, it was a pretty straight forward path right up. No real hard moves but the holds were all of the small … The post 5.9 | Foam (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
Dug up another gem from the archive. This one is a 5.10 from March of 2015 at the newly minted evo ROCK + FITNESS in Portland, Maine. What a fun looking route that I nearly forgot about. This one has me pining for my glory days. I may have cheated on the start but it … The post 5.10 | ONE! (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
I just started climbing with a new friend that is a few inches shorter than me. This route was proving to be quite a jerk for her but my extra height gave me an advantage to reach up and grab a nice hold right after coming left foot over the edge on the triangle looking … The post 5.9 | Use Power! (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
Contrary to the name of the route. This route was totally for us. I’ve climbed it a few times but the great thing that I like about this route is that I almost always forget the ideal path and have to figure out the middle fresh. I think it keeps it interesting. Most other people … The post 5.8 | Not With Us (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
You may remember two videos made some time ago on the pier at Mackworth Island. Well I decided since I missed going last summer that I would get out this year. My excitement was hit head on with disappointment. Let me tell you why. The first time I decided to take on this fun project … The post 5.FUN | Arthur Page (43.2881, -70.2277) appeared first on figure8 .
This is normally an easy warm-up route but it is a bit more work in the dark finding your feet. It was the first time I’ve been able to climb a wall in the dark. I was at Maine Rock Gym for one but was only bouldering back then. Then I was at EVO Concord for … The post 5.6 | Arthur Page (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
It has been more than a long time since I have been climbing and about as long since I posted a video. Here we go again, getting back into the swing of it with a friend from work. After some light bouldering we jumped on this nifty 5.8. straight forward but I am out of … The post 5.8 | Welcome (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
I was surprised to see the long gap in the podcast episodes so I’ve been digging around in the vault to bring out some unedited climbs. Here is a blast from the past, a clip featuring my former anchor Brandon. Here we are climbing what looks like a 5.8 pink route back in March ’15. The post 5.8 | Static (evo Portland) appeared first on figure8 .
On January 4, 2015 the Maine Rock Gym closed its doors for the last time. The gym has been open for twenty years and has grown to mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Before the gym closed for good, we had a chance to talk to some people climbing to get … The post Maine Rock Gym appeared first on figure8 .
This is kind of a cool part of MRG. There are two routes side by side that are just about mirror images of one another. They are both 5.6 grade and holds are about the same size and placement. This is the perfect stage for a race. Scott and I found a pair of climbers … The post 5.6 | Scott vs. Arthur on Mirror Mirror (MRG) appeared first on figure8 .
This is the first attempt on a new route and what a fun one it was. It started out with a left lean on one of my least favorite holds. Its three small holds to the first solid jug. Pretty straight forward all the way to the last three moves. Those are three back to … The post 5.9 | Purple (MRG) appeared first on figure8 .
This unmarked route starts a bit tricky but it is smooth sailing all the way to the top after the first two holds. This was as much fun the first time around as it was the second. A great warm up if ever there was one. The post 5.8 | Routeless (MRG) appeared first on figure8 .
Here is a new take on a previously climbed favorite, same route, now we’re against the clock. Light fades on this playground of chunky granite jugs. Though not very technical, I’ve found it to be a good training tool and since there is never anyone there you don’t have to get off. The post V0 | The Pier Lapse appeared first on figure8 .
I was working on this problem at the same time as two other people but didn’t top out first. The problem is pretty straight forward up to the last two moves. You’ll see that in an early attempt I was left hand on the last move when I should have been right. I thought that … The post V3 | Orange (MRG) appeared first on figure8 .
There is a new rock gym opening soon in Portland in Partnership with the Maine Rock Gym in Portland and evo ROCK + FITNESS of New Hampshire. The new building is up and Rock Werx is scheduled to be on site to start building the climbing walls. If you were at the ReelRock Screening of … The post evo ROCK + FITNESS appeared first on figure8 .
