Gunks 2

A quick trip to N. Conway and the Gunks! If only certain northeastern tectonic plates would put them closer to Maine!
I don't know what these trees have been injecting their veins with, but they're really looking great these days. The colors are popping out, especially when the sun's rising or setting, which is most of the time, so that they drop shadows and their dimensions and true colors pop out even more. Anyhow, to really get a better view of autumnal Maine, I went climbing. Before arriving in the Gunks without a climbing partner, I stopped in N. Conway, NH and ran a lap on Funhouse and Upper Ref. I snapped the photo above when I was held up by my first of two partially beginner parties who were on the route. It gave me a nice time to reflect on the changing of seasons.
And then I drove to New York. Found a free camping spot. And went to bed! The next morning I was staring up at Frog's Head, thinking of rope soloing it to warm up, when Jeff and June, pictured above, approached me and invited me to join them on Maria. We climbed the rest of the day together and it was great fun.
After Maria we managed to squeeze in Morning After, with a surprise unrecorded ascent third pitch that I led, thinking it was supposed to be a 5.4. This was a huge laugh because June, with 20+ years' climbing experience ended up aiding the crux. We plan on returning because she might have done it using a figure four!
The views were stunning, and the climbing was smooth and Gunksy, with roofs that are easier than they look and traverses that sneak into your pocket if your hand's not in it already.Instead of wet ground, the leaves were slippery. Here Jeff pauses before the crux: leaf-walking! It was great spending a day getting acquainted with two fun previous-strangers. They were great companions and didn't mind when I somehow forgot my belay/rappel device and noticed when we were heading up the 2nd or 3rd pitch of a climb! There's nothing quite like rescue-rappeling through trees! Well, more soon! Until then, enjoy some adventures for me! It's starting to get cold here in Maine and soon I'll have too many work hours to get out so much anyhow! -n8