Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T L Y M O N T A N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 0 54 1.MEMORIAL FALLS Memorial Falls is a relatively new climbing area with a secluded feel, located about ten minutes from the tiny town of Neihart. Plus, the distinctive, pinkish-red rock, called Neihart quartz, is fascinating and fun to pull on. This is one of three places in the world where you encounter this kind of rock. There are currently ten boulder problems here, most of which are in the Upper Falls area, northeast of Highway 89. Try Baby Please! (V0, two stars), Tall and Dirty (V1, three stars), and Excavation Option (V2, four stars). If you're coming from Great Falls, take Highway 87 and turn onto Highway 89 past Neihart. The drive takes about an hour. Camp alongside Belt Creek in the Forest Service campgrounds. Head to Bob's Bar in Neihart on your way out to knock the foam off a few cold ones. 2. WHISKEY GULCH Whiskey Gulch has been around since the late 1990s and was developed by Alek Tkach after Mike Mott discovered the place. Before there were a lot of known areas, climbers flocked to this granite for their first bouldering excursion. This is one of the best established bouldering areas in the state. With routes ranging in difficulty from V0 to V12, there's something for everybody in various angles, heights, and styles. You can also camp nearby in the National Forest. Please note that Leave No Trace practices are critical in climbing meccas like these. Also, watch out for rain—moisture does tend to haunt the area. A few great beginner problems are Grumpy Old Men (VO R, four stars), Wave Rider (V1, three stars), and Beltar (V1, two and a half stars). Visit Matt's Place afterwards for a taste of history: this is one of the first drive-in restaurants in Mon- tana. Look for the white building with blue trim and order the Wimpy, their famed double burger. Bouldering Montana: Five Spring Bouldering Spots MILD The rating system used in the US is the V SCALE, named for John "Vermin" Sherman, who was one of the first to democratize a way to rank difficulty with a few friends in the famed Hueco Tanks area in Texas. The scale goes from VB (routes for beginners) to V16. A "+," "-," or "R" can further differentiate the routes as being more difficult for the grade, less difficult, or having a longer fall than typical. Mountain Project lists nearly 500 bouldering problems in Montana, one-fifth of the all of state's documented climbing routes. article and photos by MARIA ANDERSON T HERE'S NOTHING LIKE HAUL- ING YOUR BODY UP A SLAB OF MILLION-YEAR-OLD GNEISS TO GET YOUR BLOOD PUMPING. Come spring, the friction tends to be good and it's sometimes even warm enough to climb in shirtsleeves. Bouldering is a stellar way to spend time outside with friends, explore the outer realms of your comfort zone, and build strength. The trust you build in your mind and body carries over to many aspects of everyday life. And because the cost of entry is low—you don't need much expensive gear other than shoes (and probably a buddy's crash pad), bouldering is a great recreation option for folks on a budget. Kyle Redberg boulders Lost Horse MARIA ANDERSON HERE'S A TASTE OF SOME OF THE BEST BOULDERS YOU'LL FIND IN THE STATE.

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