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Bouldering at Moss Rock Preserve Boulder Fields (aka Shades Crest Boulder Fields) Courtesy of drtopo.com and modump.com. Used with permission. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 7 Moss Rock Preserve Boulder Fields, Alabama (aka Shades Crest Boulder Fields) This area is an urban refuge for many local Birmingham climbers. Recently, the area surrounding the boulders was secured as a local park. So, even if residential areas are getting closer, the boulders should stay a public property. Fitting when you consider bouldering giants like John Gill, John Sherman, and local activist Adam Henry have all contributed to this local gem. Even still, there are a few classic lines left to go and an infinite number of contrivances that will keep the parking lot full every weekend. How to get there: From the highway 459 take the exit 13 for road 31. Go North toward Birgmingham and after 3 traffic lights, make a left on Patton Chapel Rd South. Drive on this road for 1.5 miles, just before a fire station, make a left on Chapel Ln. Drive another 1/2 mile then, at the first stop, make a right on Al Seier Rd. From there, follow the signs to the Preserve. When: From late Fall to early Spring. Cold weather will help you stick some of those nasty sandstone slopers. Sleep: The nearest camping is at Oak Mt. State Park. There are also plenty of motels around. Eat: Everything you need in Hoover and Birmingham. Thanks to Lee Payne and Modump.com for the introduction and the betas. Also thanks to Lee Means for a bunch of names and new problems. Montgomery 8. 9. 11. 11b. 12. 10. 10b. 10c. 14. 15. 17. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 31. Grass Man Area Fourth of July F R V2 Climb over the small roof to a scary mantle. No Sack F R V4 Start with jugs and climb the bulge by its right side. Poop Dreams F R V6 Climb left bulge using high sidepull. Hoop Dreams F R V8 Climb left bulge without the high sidepull. Unnamed F R V3 Good hold to a squared-cut one then up to a tricky mantle. Grass Man Traverse F R V10 Start on jugs of Poop Dreams and traverse left with undercling and bad holds. Go up at the tree. Unnamed F R V4 SDS - Start on 2 bad slopey edges, go to another one then up to a jug. Unnamed F R V7 SDS - Sidepulls to good edge left hand then trend right. 13. Unnamed F R V3 Climb the end of Grass Man Traverse. Go up beside the tree. Mikey Likes It F R V7 Start on a good, high shelf, go to a bad sloper then straight up. Heart F R V1 SDS - Big jugs to a heart-shaped pocket then up the face. Unnamed F R V4 Climb straight up in the middle of the tall face (if you dare). Shape Shifter F R V4 SDS - Start on good slopers, go to a diagonal shelf then straight up, right of the arete. Beef It F R V9 SDS - Start on 2 low jugs, climb the overhang to bad slopers on the lip and top out straight up. Unnamed F R V1 Climb arete on good holds. 7. Unnamed F R V2 SDS - Start under the arete with right hand in undercling 3-finger- pocket and left on open-hole jug. Climb the arete. Unnamed F R V4 Climb orange face on small crimps. 17b. Rapture F R V7 Climb arete. 16. Just Throw F R V2 Go up on slopers. 18. 19. 21. Caveman Hunt F R V0 Start at broken shelf and traverse on huge jugs from left to right and end on arete. Batman Dyno F R V3 Start at bulge just under opening. Work up and dyno to good jug. Petrified Lady (project) F R V9? Right hand on crimper, left in broken shelf. Cross over to slanted crimp. Move over and out to slopey pinch then to jugs and shelf. 20. Waiting Line F R V4 Campus start on good sloper. Traverse slopers left to right. Finish as Petrified Lady. Up and Over F R V1 Climb roof slot and rock over. Rocker F R V1 Reach straight out of roof. 32. Road to Nowhere F R V8 SDS - Start matched on pinch. Climb steep face/arete. 32b. 33. Unnamed F R V6 Move out right then go up with small crimps. Poison Ivey F R V6 Powerful short face. Snake Eyes F R V2 Pockets to the top. Unnamed F R V3 Climb crimpy arete to jug. 30. Rattle F R V1 Start on two jugs, throw left out to sloper. Pull through to top sloper and top out. 34. 35. 37. Warp Hole F R V1 Start at small end of hole. Use jugs and finish on the other end. There are many variations throughout the little cave. Mosquito Bites F R V3 Start matched on crimp. Up through slopers to good crimp. Top out. There are many variations on this boulder. 38. Deet F R V2 Good holds. Top out. 39. 40. Unnamed F R V2 Start on sloper and trend right to crimpers. Top out. Switchback F R V1 SDS - Up to jug and top out. Hanging Out F R V1 Start on good crimpers on the left of the undercut. Go up and trend right. Finish as Pine Phriend. 36. Pine Phriend F R V2 Start matched in the right part of the undercut. Climb out and up the arete. Top out. Left Ventricle F R V3 Climb crimpy arete to jug. Overview Lost Roof (page 3) Ozzy Area (page 4-5) Grass Man (page 6-7) ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 3 Patton Chapel Rd Chapel Lane Al Seier Rd 65 459 31 31 exit 13 150 Galleria (theater, mall, etc.) Shades Crest Boulderfields to downtown Birmingham Road Map to the Boulderfields 459 Grass Man Area 1 Ozzy Area 9 10 11 12 14 15 25 27 32 33 34 8 Tarzan - V1 17 17b 22 5.8 (TR) 23 24 26 28 29 31 Grass Man Boulder t r a i l creek A few yards 2 3 4 5 6 7 13 16 18 19 20 21 30 35 36 37 38 39 40 1. Tesseract F R V8 SDS - Start just left of a tiny cave and climb up to a big V-shaped jug then escape right. (see #40 of Ozzy Area) 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Aristocratic Nose F R V0 SDS - Match on sloper. Mantle out. Bee Stings F R V2 Climb the face without the juggy arete. Medicare (V0) - If you use the left jug. Recovery Run Traverse F R V1 Start at the arete and traverse right to finish on opposite arete. Do not use the shelf. Heel Shock F R V0+ Right hand undercling, left on jug, up with good crimps then to crack and shelf. Chalky Dreams F R V9 SDS - Start on slanted crimp. Go to two gastons then top out on good shelf. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Snoopy's House F R V2 Start matched on shelf. Go right to gaston, then left to another gaston. Unnamed F R V0 Start matched on shelf and top out. Unnamed F R V6 Small crimpers up to slopers. I'll Tumble for Ya F R V7 SDS - Start with right hand crimper and climb on sloper. Lost Roof Problem F R V4 Start on horizontal jug. Go straight out then toss to slopers and mantle out. Treelee F R V2 Start matched on shelf. Go up to slopers and top out. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lost Roof Area To Ozzy Area ---PAGE BREAK--- 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 14. 15. 4 5 Ozzy Area Clark Direct F R V3 SDS - Start with an undercling, go to the horizontal crack, the lip and then the jug. Long Shot F R V1 SDS - Start on jugs and go left of the apex of the small roof. Pile F R V5 SDS - Start on an edge then traverse right at the lip of the small cave. The Bomb F R V3 SDS - Start matched on sloper. Go up and step off on good jugs. 4. Revolver F R V8 Slopey edges up to the big horizontal crack. Suntoucher F R V6 SDS - Start right of the "God smack" graffiti and climb up to break then long dyno to jug. Continue up moss to top. A Young One F R V3 Start at the "peace" graffiti and go straight to the sloper. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream F R V3 SDS - Start on jug, go up and left to match on an edge then up to a jug. Profanity F R V4 Start matched on a good edge, make one move out of the cave then traverse left for 4 feet at the lip and top out straight. Unnamed F R V4 Start with a left-facing jug and climb straight in the roof to jump off from another left-facing jug. Continue with crimper to V9 variation. 10b. Godfather F R V10/11 Climb the previous problem then continue with crimper. Follow through seam to sloping mantle. Unnamed F R V2 Jump to a big shelf and top out straight. Re-Ignition F R V9/11 Start left hand on edge at eye-level, right hand on lowest pinch above your head. Climb in the cave to finish in #11. The SDS from the low edge is V11. Tree Problem F R V5 SDS - Start on a jug and traverse right on the lip of the cave. 13. Rancid F R V3 Start high with right hand pinch and left on good crimp. Finish as the Tree Problem. Scrutinizer F R V4 Traverse the wall. 29. Vast Understatement (aka Gill Problem) F R V1 Climb the face and through the roof. 30. Super Crimp F R V4 Right hand on the lower sidepull and dynamic move up to left crimp. Stretch to "pinchy-crimp" up to round shelf and mantle out. It Burns! F R V3 Traverse the wide face from left to right. The Trip F R V5 SDS - Start low in the cave and climb out on good holds. Top out left for a V6 (Super Trip). Unnamed F R 5.11 Top rope. Climb the face just left of the arete. Unnamed F R 5.8 Top rope. Climb the face up to a left-facing flake. Unnamed F R 5.9 Top rope. Climb the face with a few horizontal cracks. 31. 32. Tesseract F R V8 SDS - Start just left of a tiny cave and climb up to a big V-shaped jug then escape right. Unnamed F R V2 Climb sharp arete. Tall. Big Ben F R V3 High ball. Start on crimps and go up. 33. Fat Cut F R V4 Use bad slopers on blank part of the wall. to Lost Roof Area 2 1 3 4 V1V0 V1 6 7 8 12 11 10 9 14 15 D 5.7 34 29 38 35 36 37 40 Grass Man Area to the parking Ozzy Boulder 17. 18. 19. 20. Cheese is Good F R V2 Starts on low crimpers AT the shelf and goes up. Maybe Later F R V2 Starts low on crimpers to the right of the big shelf. Unnamed F R V3 Start on little crimp and climb over the bulge. 16. Little Bighorn F R V1&2 Step left foot onto shelf and hands on crimps. Slap to slopers, onto shelf and finish on juggy horn. Top out for the V2. Unnamed F R V3 Start on rail, dyno to dish. Double Clutch F R V8 Climb tall face with crimpers. Classic! Unnamed F R V0 Climb face with deep pockets. 21. 22. A.X Variation F R V2 Climb blank face with edges and smears. Salute F R V1 Climb face with deep pockets. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. Ozzy Crack F R VB Downclimb. Adam's Slab F R V2 Seasonal, due to Adam's mad skills. Orange Streak F R V2 Climb face with deep pockets Tommy H F R V6 Climb white face with good crimps. 17 18 28. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 31 33 34. 38. 35. 36. 37. 40. Unnamed F R V6 SDS - Start back on undercling and crimp. Throw out to sloper and come out of cave. 39. t r a i l 5 13 16 30 32 39 Ozzy Area