TheBurg

06.20 | THEBURGNEWS.COM | 25 BIG PROBLEMS When they arrive on the river, they first ponder the "problem," a term indicating a move or sequence of moves to reach an objective. ey may climb existing bouldering "problems," ones with names like "Twisted Sister" or "Kiss Project," or they may create a new problem. Climbing etiquette says, "You find it, you name it." McCall said they have named about 200 problems along the river. e team first makes sure to scope out a way back down. ey then clean the rock of loose material and lichen with plastic or metal brushes. Climbers summit each boulder using rock holds like pinches (pieces of rock you can pinch between your fingers), pockets (holes where fingers or toes can sit) or a sloper (bulges with no positive angle). It takes strength and focus. "e brain is the most important muscle for climbing, " said Gross, quoting famous German climber Wolfgang Güllich. Bouldering also requires a climbable area. McCall said that the Susquehanna is unique in that it's wide enough to climb the boulders. ere are boulders in other rivers, but river levels would have to be very low. And then there's the inflatable pad, which really makes this type of bouldering possible. "It's pretty amazing having this really powerful, rushing river under you," Gross said. "It's wild. You can feel the sensation of the water and stuff, but you're just sitting on this pad like totally still. It's really one of the coolest experiences." Climbers are a hardy bunch, so bouldering happens year-round—that is, as long as the river isn't high or icy. Height, cold, ice—so is it dangerous? "ey say rock climbing is inherently dangerous," Heisey said. Stapp had another take. "It's actually more dangerous to drive to the rock climbing area than it ever would be [to climb the rock]," he said. Dangerous or not, climbing on the Susquehanna River just about every weekend (though the COVID-19 pandemic has put the kibosh on that for the time being), has also allowed these climbers to become a part of a community of anglers, "old timers looking for arrow heads," and others who frequent the spot, said McCall. Fresh rock and discovering new climbing problems to find and name will continue to draw these trailblazers back to the river, with a boat and an innovative, unique floating pad technique. "It's opened up a whole new realm of climbing," McCall said. Learn more about local bouldering by watching " e Next Frontier: Pennsylvania Bouldering" on YouTube.

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