Triple Crown Bouldering Series 2005-2006

Published February 7, 2006 10:48AM

Jim Horton and Chad Wykle once again have brought to the Southeast the biggest and badest outdoor bouldering competitions, the Triple Crown Bouldering Series. Hound Ears – October 1st, 2005, Horse Pens 40th – November 5th, 2005, and Little Rock City – January 7th, 2006. These extremely intense competitions provide climbers with anywhere from six to eight hours to climb the 10 hardest problems their body will allow. Check out the Triple Crown Bouldering Series 2005 Event Gallery by Craig Dillenbeck

The Triple Crown begins in Boone, NC with the Hound Ears Bouldering Competition. The buses roll out of Grandfather Mountain Campground and into the Hound Ears Club around 9:00 a.m. with over 400 knuckle throbbing competitors. Jim Horton and Chad Wykle briefly go over the restrictions for all of the competitors and when the pistol is fired I thought I was in downtown Manhattan during rush hour. Throughout the day I witnessed super-positive energy while overhearing competitors exchanging beta and screaming for each other while splitting fingertips on the notoriously crimpy lines that Hound Ears has to offer. Problems such as Fuc Yo, The Blade, Air Jesus, Thunderprow and Mr. Thick are some of the favorites where I could always find someone straining. The day ended back at the campground to be presented with great burritos provided by the local Black Cat restaurant, a slideshow of photos I had taken during the day and awards to the ones who could withstand the infamous Hound Ears thrash.

Slopers, slopers, and more slopers! The second part of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series takes place at Horse Pens 40 in Steele, AL. The day began with all competitors waking up at the Schultz family’s Horse Pens 40 campground, which is no more than 100 yards from the boulderfield. How convenient is that? Once the competitors have had time to inhale a quick bite, Jim Horton, Chad Wykle, and HP40’s local developer, Adam Henry shout out the do’s and don’ts. The competitors are released around 9:00 a.m. to unleash their eagerness on every type of problem that the extremely compact boulderfield presents. Competitors spent their hours on some of HP40’s most famous lines, such as Mortal Combat, Moon Arête, Skywalker, Slider or God Module. As was Hound Ears, the energy was extremely positive wherever I happened to be shooting photos. By the time 4:00 p.m. had arrived, many competitors had already turned in their scorecard because HP40 had revealed its notorious mark on their fingertips. Although, I walked through HP40’s corridors during the last half hour of the comp and the fittest were still shredding themselves. The tremendously intense day concluded with a relaxing evening including another slideshow, awards, and readily available food prepared by the HP40 campground.

What a day! After a rain check was needed for the original LRC comp date of December 3rd, the rescheduled date of January 7th brought terrific weather! The sun was shining most of the day and the temps stayed between high 40’s and low 50’s. Does it get any nicer?? The buses arrived at the Montlake Golf Club in Soddy Daisy, TN (home of this amazing boulderfield) around 9:30 a.m. where the competitors were immediately released to take care of business. The amazing weather helped provide awesome attitudes and unbelievable strength. So many of the competitors had the best bouldering day of their lives. Competitors were feeding off of each other’s energy wherever I was taking shots. Most climbers I saw were so focused on their problem they were forgetting how to breathe. I was truly inspired. I was eager to climb with everyone all day but I knew that once my camera got put away I would forget I ever had it with me. Biggie-Shorty, Tri-Star, The Incredible Hulk, Super Mario and Jerry’s Kids are some amazing lines that were continually crowded throughout the day. I created a compilation of photos from all three competitions for a final slideshow while dinner was catered by The Big Table. Awards followed to close out an amazing day, and season! Triple Crown results: http://www.triplecrownbouldering.org/results.php