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March!?!?
Is already here. Whew! It does fly by. Our first (non ice
based) scheduled event is the Ross Pond clean up, at the end of this
month. Climbing outside, in about 30 days!? Currently, our yards
might say otherwise…we’ll see : ) We had our second AMC Ice trip this month. Kevin spearheaded the trip, with greatly appreciated assistance. Jay I know was on the trip with him. Reportedly..."the trip was good. An adventure was had breaking trail on Saturday, which only lead us to turn back, but still recover the day at Cathedral. Sunday, we explored a new area for the group with steep ice to climb. Thanks to all that helped build anchors, that made setups and getting people climbing faster.” The season is coming…are you/will you be ready? Tell your indoor climbing friends, this is the year you’ll get them outside. Tell your single pitch friends, this is the year for multi-pitch. We can make it all happen. The more, the merrier…our classes. If anyone would like to contribute to this monthly newsletter please email your contribution to risouthcounty@gmail.com or bikeskiboy@hotmail.com. Contribution needs to be 200 words or less to fit in this newsletter format. A photo is helpful as well but not necessary. |
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2026
AMC Narragansett Climbing Trip/Event Schedule This is a synopsis of the upcoming AMC trips/events. Click the link above for details. Trip announcements go out about a month before any trip date! The trips are all focused on multi-pitch trad and ice, except for the Rumney trip, which is sport climbing focused. Mar
28 (rain date 29) Ross Rocks clean-up |
 Properly tied BHK with "captured" backside loop. |
Big Honking Knot (BHK) History and Safe Use -- Brian Many of you are taught the Big Honking Knot (BHK AKA BFK) and some of you use it. The "invention" of the knot was first attributed to the Pacific Northwest canyoneering community. It was introduced to the climbing community by early AMGA guides, specifically Alan Jolley. Alan was one of the earliest guides to be certified by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA). Before moving to Colorado where he currently resides Alan lived in Massachusetts and climbed locally. That is where I first learned of the knot. The BFK was used because it is an easy way to equalize a top-rope set-up using static rope. However, the knot has one disadvantage over other methods such as the Bunny Ears (two figure-eights on a bight). If the "backside loop" (see video below) is not secured it is essentially a giant slip-knot. And while it is unlikely that it will fail, it can. It is impossible for the Bunny Ears to untie itself. A BHK tied incorrectly by climbers at Looking Glass, NC failed and luckily it only resulted in a broken leg. So, if you are using a BHK make sure you are securing it properly. Causes and Details of BHK Failure: (Source: American Alpine Club) * Improper Configuration: The knot (essentially a large overhand on a bight) is sometimes mistaken for a secure, multi-strand knot, but if not tied correctly, it can act as a slipknot that fails under tension. * Unsecured Bight Tail: If the extra loop (or "ear") of the webbing or rope is not properly captured or clipped into the master point, the knot can fail. * Loading Behavior: Under load, if the knot is not correctly structured, the extra ear can pull through, leading to catastrophic failure of the anchor. Video on proper use of BHK. |
 Right skyline is Ha Ling Peak home to a fun 12 pitch 5.6 trad route.  Peter Barlow on the 10th pitch |
Summer
Climbing
Destination: Bow Valley, Alberta, Canada -- Brian If you looking for a climbing trip this summer with easy travel logistics, with thousands of trad and sport routes, and relatively easy approaches then looking at the Bow Valley in Alberta Canada should be high on your list. Canmore AB is only a 1 hr 15 min drive from the Calgary airport. Within a short drive from Canmore there are enough routes to keep you busy for years. If trad is your preference, then Yamnuska, EEOR, Kid Goat, and Ha Ling peak will keep you busy. If you are a sport climber than there is Grassi Lakes, Kid Goat, Heart Creek, Cougar Canyon, Grotto Canyon, and many more. My guidebook "Bow Valley Rock," which was published in 2000, lists 432 "select" climbs. There are probably ten times that now. The "Bow Valley Sport" guidebook contains over 1000 sport routes. For you trad climbers I recommend the North East Buttress of Ha Ling Peak, a 12 pitch 5.6. For you sport climbers looking for a long-day adventure try Sisyphus Summits a 21-pitch 5.10d sport route. Or for an easier outing Grey Waves a 5-pitch 5.9- sport route. Within a short drive (1.5 hrs) is Kananaskis where you have many multi-pitch easy to moderate sport routes up to 10 pitches. And just to the west, an hour away, in Banff National Park you have easy short approach sport cragging at Back of the Lake bordering beautiful Lake Louise. My favorite route there: Fiddler on the Roof 5.9. This is one of my all time favorite climbing destinations. It has climbing for everyone on alpine, trad, and sport routes. And if that isn't enough the world-class destination of the Bugaboos is 2 1/2 hours west in British Columbia. |
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Ken's
Training Tips ‘Progressive overload’ is an interesting means to get stronger. I have employed it in the past, but recently saw a video describing it in greater detail, and how it can be done to one’s ultimate benefit. And used in MANY aspects of your physical fitness, climbing, etc. Something as simple as pushups(no weights needed). Start with the hardest style, elevated feet, and perform pushups until near failure(this requires pushing past the comfort zone!!!). Once attained, put your feet on the floor, and continue pushups. Once you hit your limit, then elevate your arms on a bench, and continue to knock out pushups. Again, hit the limit…put your hands on a table edge, and knock out the rest of what you can do. In the end, you’ll end up well fatigued, but with the pushup style getting easier each step, you’ll count many more pushups when done. You’ll be motivated to keep doing the movements, as in your head it’s getting easier, but in reality, it’s still pumping you out. Similarly with a weighted exercise…start heavy, work all you can. Put that weight down and immediately pick up the next lighter set of dumbbells, and repeat until the weight gets light, but the fatigue is palpable! You’ll get more exercises in, and not be so likely to stop when the work only starts to get hard. The consistently lighter resistance will make you push on/further, and instead of 10 or 12 exercises, you may well do 40 or 50 total. In order to keep moving consistently through the exercises, you might have to setup/prepare ahead of time, so that what you need is immediately available to you. This can be applied to climbing too. Want to increase endurance? Like with every exercise, warmup first. Then, climb something hard(rope or boulder). Step it down and immediately climb a grade lower, and then just keep going until you are suitably fatigued, and/or you fall/fail. Return the favor to your belayer, and gain endurance/strength together. No one I know ever complained they just wished they’d get fatigued more quickly when climbing! The success of this progression is steeped in the idea of pushing past your comfort zone, where many might pause and say ‘enough reps’. By using the carrot of each group of exercises progressively getting ‘easier’, in one’s head, but not in actuality, allows one to push well into reps beyond what they might do if they only performed the exercise in one way. Climbing technique: I figure there are likely enough new(er) climbers in our group that this can be revisited… While climbing, particularly at your easier/warmup grades, make sure your foot placement is thoughtful, precise, and quiet! Employ quiet ‘Ninja feet’, no clomping around. Be purposeful with your foot/toe placement. Practice this on your easier grades, so it becomes second nature throughout your climbing. Remember, other than heel and toe hooks, there are essentially 3 positions your foot should be in on a foot hold. Toe first, inside toe first, and outside toe first. Don’t put the middle of your foot on a hold! It prevents you from changing your body position on the wall. Look that toe all the way to its specific placement. Strongmind.climbing: “If you want to perform your best, take charge of your body and tell it what to do. Your mind is your greatest weapon, yet most of us use it only to limit our performances rather than to enhance them. When you climb around a really high performer, you don’t hear a lot of excuses, you don’t hear a lot of complaining, and you rarely hear them talk about their body not doing what they want it to. …I am around enough high performing athletes that I get to see common traits emerge. These traits include a strong work ethic, a true love of the sport, and almost total self control.” - Hazel Findlay Quote: “You won’t always love the workout. But you’ll always love that you worked out.” |
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Rock
Gym Deals for AMC Members If you're new to our chapter or new to a local Rhode Island rock gym let the gym personnel know you're an AMC Narragansett member and most will extend you a discount on membership. For gyms like Rock Spot and CRG, that have multiple locations, that opens up day trips to new gyms, at no additional cost (but driving and time). Great for the gym season, if you want to try new routes, new holds, and new setters. |
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Join
the ClimbRI email group Most communication among RI climbers (including the AMC) is done through a Google Group called ClimbRI. There are currently just over 400 climbers in the group from RI, CT, and MA. |