Build My Own FeedBD Sales Rep Matt Ginley reports from the third and final event of the 2012 Hound Ears Bouldering Competition at Horse Pens 40, Alabama
The third and final leg of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series happened in late November at the reknowned boulders of Alabama’s Horse Pens 40 and once again BD southeast sales rep Matt Ginley was on the scene representing and climbing. A privately owned “park”, HP40 is well-known for having Fontainbleau-esque slopers that draws crowds from all over the South, especially for the Triple Crown Bouldering Series. Below is Ginley's recap of this year’s final TCBS event. Click here to read Ginley's report from the first event at Hound Ears and the second event stop at Little Rock City.
[All photos by Alex Hooks]
The last leg of this year’s Triple Crown Bouldering Series was located at Horse Pens 40 atop Chandler Mountain in central Alabama. Southern bouldering is notoriously known for its nasty, holdless top-outs where mantle skills are a must in order to summit. This leaves many an unseasoned boulderer being either completely thwarted or at best, slithering their way to the top looking more like a beached whale then a rock climber.
In addition to those mantles, slopers are the name of the game at Horse Pens 40 and these horrible holds are the most dominant (non)feature the boulderfield has to offer. There simply aren’t many positive grips. Forget about that gym pass you’ve been using for the past few weeks or the daily campus routine you’ve been doing trying to get ready to tackle these obtuse blobs. Balance, footwork, body positioning, and focus will get you a lot further than brute strength, and without these skills you will simply fail. Good conditions (read: super friggin’ cold) will also work in your favor… it was 70 degrees this year. OUCH!
Just like every other TCBS venue, HP40 is located on private property. This amazing plot of land is owned and operated by the Schultz family. However, this property is open year round to the public for a small day use and/or camping fee. We owe them huge thanks for letting us all use their land. If it wasn’t for the Schultz family not only would we not have this great venue for the final TCBS event, but one of the USA’s most premier and unique winter bouldering areas would be behind lock and key, like so many other areas that are off limits. For more info on Horse Pens 40 please visit their website at: www.hp40.com – and when you meet the family, please thank them for letting us enjoy their property.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a wrap for the 2012 Triple Crown Bouldering Series. To all that attended, I hope you had a great time and that we will see you again next year! Until next time…
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