Old Devil’s Lake Bouldering Photos: Jenga (V6 or 7?)
14. Jan, 2009 
16 Comments
When we were moving last year, I was very psyched to stumble across a series of pictures from the spring of 2003 I didn’t remember taking. Among the pile were several pictures of the bouldering in the talus at the base of Devil’s Lake’s West Bluff. While the bouldering along the West Bluff is less popular when compared to other areas like the North Shore, Monolith, Tombstone and probably even the Reserve, it is home to several of the Lake’s harder lines. The only drawback is that even finding some of the problems among the jumbled talus can be quite a chore.
Take the classic problem Jenga for example. I tried to locate this boulder a couple of years ago and spent 3 hours hiking up and down the talus field to no avail. It is a lot like hiking around the talus in RMNP on a much, much smaller scale.
Given these difficulties, I was especially pleased to find that I had taken a few pictures of my friend Peter climbing Jenga back in 2003. To me, Jenga is one of the few problems at the Lake that requires more power and less technique which is a good thing in my book.
After starting matched in the corner, you work your right hand up the arete using marginal pinches and a hand foot match on the start hold
then you gain two crimps before lunging for better holds at the top of the boulder
After making a memorable desperation send I think I wanted to believe that Jenga was V7, but it is very possible it is more like V6 (or even easier). Either way, it is a really fun problem that I highly recommend. I plan on spending a fair amount of time in the talus this spring, and I will do my best to locate this problem so I can provide better directions.
Peter topping out the problem to the left of Alpine Club??
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Nice pics. Clue me in when you head out there. I can provide beer. I would be very interested in seeing/finding Jenga (and really anything on the west bluff or reserve). More power and less technique, perfect!
oh wow. That’s awesome. I’ve got some pics of hefty and me on it a couple years ago. I’m not sure I can provide directions, but I can probably show you! That place is so hard to find your way around. Cool to see the pics.
that would be very cool, I would love to try this problem again and see what it feels like.
A couple of (poor) Keymaker pics coming soon!
Sick! can’t wait!! the ones i took of hefty on it a very sub par.
mine probably aren’t a whole lot better and don’t really capture the full problem. however at this point any picture of someone climbing on that problem are pretty rare. that will change soon i hope.
I hope so too!!! let me know when you are going to work it. I want in….
I am into this key maker you speak of… I would like to try (I put a big ! !!! on try) this boulder.. maybe this spring? is it climbable now? or soon? it is 70 here so my idea of the climates is a bit jaded.
high of -5 tomorrow. not too climbable. soon though!
take your 70 degrees and shove it. You are only allowed to post here when you have to put up the same shit weather. I would also like to try said problems and must be informed when they are being worked. that is all.
Ouch… that even seemed like it deserved a “/sarcasm” tag or SOMETHING. That burned even me a bit, and I’m in a climate where NOTHING should burn right now.
Nice pics!
http://theadventurechannel.blogspot.com
Mark, I think as a rule, no one takes anything I say to be literal.
i concur.
I know, but no one knows when they should or should not take what I say literally. It keeps people guessing… and makes for a lot of awkward social situations…
*sigh*