Gold Mine
Gold Mine | N46 37'03" W82 53' 18"
Gold Mine is one of latest additions to the northern climbing scene. It has an abundance of boulders in a very unique and northern landscape. The crown land offers some fantastic camping nearby that makes for great longer trips to the area.
Much thanks to Brendan Baars, Aaron Bopp and Charlie Hall for contributing the guide to Gold Mine.
Don't miss their feature-length video on some of Gold Mine's gems - watch it on Vimeo!
Directions
From Sudbury, take the Trans Canada highway west towards Sault Ste. Marie. At about 108 km out of Sudbury, take Hwy 108 north towards Elliot Lake and travel north for 64 km, which will take you through Elliot Lake and the 108 will turn into the 639. After 64 km, the road will end at Hwy 546 - at this point turn left and venture southwest for 7.6 km, where you will find the trail into the crag.
At the 7.6 km mark is a small pull-off on the south side of the road. The trail to Gold Mine is on the opposite side of the road approximately 15-30 feet west of the parking area. The trail zig-zags through the trees and, as of last year, still had downed trees that need to be stepped over. The more the area is frequented, the more obvious the path will become. Follow the trail until you see rocks (3-5 minutes) and the trail will split off left (west) and right (east). Look left and you will notice a slab approximately 40 yards away. This is the Ant boulder. Travelling right (east, 3-5 minutes) the first boulder encountered is the Alexander the Great boulder. Gold Mine is split up between four different areas. (See topo below.)
Camping is located at the 10.7 km mark south from the Hwy 546 turn. Turn left onto the logging road and continue for 300 m and camp along the river bank area.
A brief note on development
Gold Mine is an extensive area with many new potential problems and sections to be discovered and developed. This whole area is open to all who have the will and elbow grease to venture out and develop the boulders. Please let us know if any more problems get sent and we will add them to this page for all to enjoy. Currently, all projects are open.
Should the wish to close a project arise, we suggest marking off the problem in a method that communicates to others that the project is closed (such as a red stake in the ground or a stake with flagging tape).
Gold Mine pull-out on Hwy 546
The highest concentration of large boulders are in the Lower Gold Mine section. Here you will find flat landings, big boulders, and some classic lines. Standouts for the entire area are Performance Anxiety (V5), Nighthawk (V4), Silhouette (V5), and The Color of Time (V9). Each area has plenty of potential for development with the Middle and Upper Gold Mine being the least explored.
Nightmare Zone
Nightmare zone is the lower west side of Goldmine. West of Gold Mine West which is also known as ABC Area when you enter from the road. It wraps around the bottom left of the cliff and has many great boulders. Enter from the road and when you get to the sign at the first T intersection turn left and follow the trail that starts west of Ant boulder.
Wayne's World Boulder
Wayne's World Boulder
Party on Garth |V3
Sit start on a mini sloping crimp rail. same start as Party on Wayne. move right through easy moves and meet up with Wayne Stepping' to topout. Orange Line.
Wayne Stepping | V2
Red Line
Party on Wayne – V4
A one move wonder but still fun! Sit start with both hands on crimpy rail. Make the crux move straight up with the right hand and trend left!
Purple Line
No Stairway | V2
FA Danny Plonka July 31 2021
This is a slabby line on the north side of the Waynes World Boulder. Which is one of the first boulders as you enter the nightmare zone. Not far from ant boulder. Just left/ west by maybe 100’
No Stairway
Sorting Hat Boulder
Daymare Boulder
Slitherin | V1
FA Danny Plonka July 31 2021
Slitherin is a V1 on the north side of the sorting hat boulder. This is one of the first boulders in the Nightmare Zone.
HufflePuff | V4
FA Shannon Aug 9 2021
On the Sorting Hat Boulder in the Nightmare Zone. Left hand start on the undercling of the arete, right hand on the crimpy triangle. Stand start. Tech your way straight up and top out!
Slitherin
Daymare's | V4
FA Danny Plonka July 310 2021
This line lies on the right side of the face of the boulder. Start matched on cool little juggy crimp and head up the face using crimps and using the slopey right arete.
Daymare's
Gnome Boulder
Crystal
Crystal Boulder
You will be able to see this boulder off to the right of the trail on your way to the Nightmare Zone.
Crystal | V3
Start on obvious crimp in the middle of the face and figure out how to surmount the small roof.
Gold Mine West
Gnome Boulder
This boulder is past the Wayne's World Boulder, and past Sorting Hat. When you get to Daymare, it's somewhere to the left.
Gomely | V1
Sit start on the good hold and topout above.
Ungnome | V5
Sit start low on good incuts. Move up to a crimp and sloper and pop for the top.
Ant Trap | V0
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
A great warm up crack as well as the down climb for the boulder. Locate the obvious crack feature on the leftmost side. (Red line on image.)
Antics | V3
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
An odd low start on crimps, get a good right foot and rock onto it. Top out on Antagonist. A little awkward and contrived. (White line on image.)
Antagonist | V1+
FA Charlie Hall 2019
Start on horizontal dime-size crimps and great feet. Climb straight up. (Yellow line on image.)
Ant Farm | V1
FA Charlie Hall 2019
Start in the dihedral with good feet on either side. Make your way up the ant tunnel crack to the top. (Blue line on image.)
Antrophy | V2
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
A hard start leads to delicate smearing on bad feet to reach a seam near the top of the boulder. (Green line on image.)
Army Ant | V2
FA Charlie Hall
This climb is on the north side of the ant boulder, and is burlier than the other slabby climbs on this massive boulder.
Antrophy
Ant Trap
Ant Boulder
Ant Boulder
The first boulder seen after the trail reaches the rocks. Look left and the boulder should be an obvious slab. A great warm up boulder.
Ant Trap
Ant Trap
Cheese Boulder
The Cheese Boulder is located west of the Ant Boulder by about 50-100ft. When walking down the main trail towards the Ant Boulder, a less obvious trail continues past it. The path will end with a small tree in the middle of it, if you step around the tree, the trail should continue heading west, continue walking for about 10 sec then the boulder should be visible.
Mossarella | V1
FA Jessica Authier
Low start on a pretty obvious ledge on the edge of the arete. Climb the arete to the top.
Mossoncini | V3
FA Jessica Authier
Uses the same start as Mossy Moves but go right towards Mossarella and finish by going up the arete.
Mossy Moves | V4
FA Joshua Authier July 3 2021
Starts on a rail then moves straight up to an alright right hand side pull and a left hand crimp, then reach for the slab lip. Find some crimps and get a heel up. Finish it by mantling up then climbing up the super easy slab to the top.
Diamond Boulder
Located 50 yards north (toward the cliff line) of the Ant Boulder. North-facing, so you cannot see the climbs until walking around the boulder.
Diamond | V4
FA Brendan Baars 2019
The centre and best line climbs from a kind of sit start on small crimps up the middle. Ledges and crimps lead to a committing last move to the lip.
(Red line on image.)
Ruby | V3
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Same start as Diamond but moving left and a couple moves. (Blue line on image.)
Opal | V3
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Same start and cutting right midway through the boulder. Same start as Diamond but moving right on small crimps. (Yellow line on image.)
Diamond
Dragon's Den
Can be found just east of the Diamond Boulder approximately 40 yards on a small rise.
Threat Level Midnight | V2
FA Brendan Baars 2019
A cool-looking boulder that has interesting roof-like moves. Start as low as possible on the sloper ledge. Make your way around the half moon using two key holds. Top out on the arete.
Dirty Hand Box | V3
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Start with a side-pull ledge with your left and a crimp inside the cave with your right. Head up and left to a good ledge until you can reach up and right to use the side of the boulder (where bush is in left picture). Stand straight up on starting block. Move left and top out. Confusing and tricky.
Scooter Boy
Threat Level Midnight
Dirty Hand Box
Lower Gold Mine
The highest concentration of large boulders is in the Lower Gold Mine area. Here you will find flat landings, big boulders, and some classic lines. Standouts for the area are Performance Anxiety (V5), Bucephalus (V4), and the standout testpiece, The Color of Time (V9). First ascents are everywhere for the taking with a little elbow grease and vision.
Alexander the Great Boulder
Regina | V4
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Start left hand on a southern sandstone like slimper and a right hand low in a crack. A funky imaginative bottom leads to pure slab technique on bad holds to reach the penultimate jug near the top.
Left Flank of Gaugamela | V1
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Start just around the corner to the left of Gaugamela. Climb straight up.
Gaugamela | V2
FA Steve Taylor 2019
Tricky start on the blunt face leading to a committing top.
Open the Iliad | V4
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
The first climb you see when approaching the boulder from the main trail. Start on a big step and climb the dihedral aiming up and right. Small holds and feet make the last move a treat.
Sarissa Mastery | V5
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Start 8 feet right of Open the Iliad.
Bucephalus | V4
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Pictured bottom right. Start using an undercling and good feet. Make your way up using your imagination into a good stance on a small ledge. Breathe then precariously make your way up using poor feet and poor hands. Gain high feet and reach for the top. If not for the reachiness, this problem would be 5 stars.
Ladder Attack | V0
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Climb up the scoop to the right of Bucephalus.
Volunteer Mountaineer | V2
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Just right of the scoop. Climb straight up.
Opies Run | V0
FA Adam Page 2019
Regina
Open the Iliad
Highballing
Bucephalus
Guagamela
Bucephalus
Guagamela
Magic Mushroom Boulder
The Magic Mushroom Boulder is found 20 feet west of the Fly boulder, name aptly for its mushroom like shaped top.
Lost Corner | V4
FA Danny Plonka June 10 2021
Lost corner is a low sit start. Start matched and work up through a good crimp and cool holds on the corner feature to a nice heel rock over top out.
Magic Mushroom | V5
FA Thomas Piche
On the Magic Mushroom boulder to the right of Lost Corner. Stand start on the arette and using small face holds. Climb the slab to a very committing move to the top of the roof. Many pads will help.
Toad Stool | V3
FA Danny Plonka June 12 2021
Toad Stool lies just to the right of the arete. Go straight up the slab and directly over the bulgy roof. Reach up to better than expected holds for a hero top out.
Side Effects | V4
FA Joshua Lightfoot July 25 2021
Start low on the arete as Magic Mushroom starts then take a swing over into Lost Corner and top out as Lost Corner does. It's a link-up between Magic Mushrooms and Lost Corner.
Barn Door Baby | V5
FA Thomas Piche
To the left of Lost Corner on the Magic Mushroom boulder. Start span from the left arette to a far sloping side pull. Find a good heel and slap up to good holds to top out. Shorter climbers will have to get very creative.
Georgia Peach | V0
FA Danny Plonka June 11 2021
Georgia Peach is an easy line on the Magic Mushroom boulder. Start at the base of the arete where Magic Mushroom line starts. But walk right and diagonally up to avoid any hard roof moves then top out to the right of the bulge.
Cubey | V0
FA Danny Plonka June 11 2021
A nice easy slab line for beginners or as a warm up. Straight up and very straight forward. At the right end of the Magic Mushroom boulder just next to Inky Cap. Both are similar slab lines.
Inky Cap | V1
FA Thomas Piche
On the Magic Mushroom boulder to the right of Cubey. An easier slab problem on the far right of the slab section of the boulder. Stand start on your choice of holds and climb the enjoyable slab.
Side Effects
Georgia Peach
Toad Stool
Slug Boulder
Slug Boulder is also called the Snail Boulder and is located 10 feet west of Alexander The Great Boulder.
Slow Bro | V1
FA Danny Plonka July 11 2021
The climb is in between Brail on the left middle of the slab and Snail Trail on the right arete.
Brail | V4
FA Thomas Piche
On the snail boulder left of slow bro. Start with tentative feet. A left hand on a round quartz rock sticking out slightly and right hand on a okay pinch. Slap to the arette try not to barn door before you top out. Techy slab climbers will enjoy this.
Snail Trail | V2
FA Thomas Piche
On the back of the shell of the Snail boulder right of Slow Bro. Using a right side pull and good feet slap for the top and mantle the top.
They All Can't Be Gold | V3
Start with left hand on a good sidepull and right hand pressing. Figure out how to top out using the sloping crimp above and the left slab
Located on the backside of Slug Boulder.
They All Can't Be Gold Extension | V4
Same start, same first move up and on slopers/sloping crimps. Instead of heading up and finishing, head right around the bulge, topping out a body length away from the start.
The School Yard Boulder
This boulder touches the Alexander the Great Boulder on the northern side near Regina (V4).
It is also known as the Sunday School boulder
Sunday School | V6
FA Brendan Baars 2019
A short powerhouse of a problem. Start low on a small ledge and using a left foot low and a high right foot to create opposition, bump your right hand up the sidepull. Move feet and launch for a sloping mailbox slot on top. Mantle it out. A much harder version could potentially be climbed to the right.
Loud and Prowd | V5
A sit start with opposing side pulls, make a hard move up to a pinch and top out the prow. It's a powerful mini compression block. To the left of Sunday School. Obvious Arete.
Fools Gold | V3
FA Danny Plonka June 11 2021
Fools gold is a nice tall line with enjoyable holds. First move is a big one and the rest is a cruise. Head up to he highest point and top out. This climb is on the north side of the boulder opposite the climb What Bugs.
Gold Rush | V2
FA Thoma Piche July 8 2021
On the sunday school boulder opposite the climb What Bugs. Stand start stemming using a right facing side pull and a crimp. Climb through good holds to top out.
The Gold Standard | V0
FA Thomas Piche June 13 2021
A classic mega high ball with a less then ideal landing. On the Sunday School boulder at the tallest arete, climb up left hand on the arete and right on good holds. Enjoy climbing on wonderful holds and cruise your way to the top. A very enjoyable climb.
The Gold Standard
They All Can't Be Gold
Sunday School
Loud and Prowd
Fools Gold
Tall Egg Boulder
Tall Egg Boulder is located right next to the Major League Swing Boulder.
Flange | V5
Plumline | V4
Vintage | V7
What Bugs?
Adam Hates Flies Boulder
This boulder is tucked in an alcove on the north side of the School Yard Boulder.
What Bugs? | V5
FA Adam Page 2019
A great compression problem. Start low on a small ledge and right edge. Power up! A low start is entirely feasible for those looking for an easy cleaning job on a boulder that’s very friendly on height and padding.
Major League Boulder
From Bucephalus on the Alexander the Great Boulder, take the trail southeast around a tight loop and head uphill. The trail will veer right into a valley and the next cluster of boulders will be right there. The Major League Boulder is visible from the small valley on the left. A majority of the lines have been climbed with potential for at least two more but they will be V10-13 range.
Strikezone | V7
FA Steve Taylor 2019
Far left side of the boulder near the “cave entrance.” Sit start on two small jugs. Make your way up and left with the first 4-5 moves being the crux of the problem revolving around a thrutchy throw to a good crimp halfway up. Bust right after the crux and keep it together as you make moves with the tree at your back. Top of the boulder is a jug.
Major League Swing | V8-9
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Start on a good edge to the right side of the arete and make a big move to a sloping dish around the arete. Utilize a heel hook and small crimps to bust to the lip. Press it out.
Put Me In Coach | V5
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Start on in-cut edge (left) and right hand on a low crimp by the arete (right). Make a hard first move right hand and work up the arete to reach another edge. Bust to the lip or use a toe hook out left. A difficult mantle top-out awaits you.
Child’s Play | V2
FA Chris Myers 2019
Start on the two edges at the same height as each other just on opposite sides of the arete. Climb up the slab using decent holds. An easy top-out awaits you.
Child's Play
Put Me In Coach
Major League Swing
Strike Zone
Major League Swing
Child's Play
Strike Zone
Put Me In Coach
Color of Time Boulder
Color of Time Boulder
Color of Time
Performance Anxiety
Time for War
Color of Time
Time for War
Color of Time Boulder
Continue on the trail passing under Major League Swing and Put Me In Coach (you can see Colour of Time Boulder from here). Standing under the obvious giant 30’ overhanging boulder, look right and a severe overhanging face will be clearly visible. This is the Color of Time Boulder.
Color of Time | V9
FA Brendan Baars 2019
A power endurance test piece. Sit start with your hands crossed. Heel hook near your hand and power up right to a sloping ledge. Continue right hand to a decent sloper ledge. Sink a heel on the upper start hold and make a big move to a ledge side pull with an indent. Take a breath and prepare for the crux. Find a way to cross up and over to the next ledge which faces the wrong direction, then adjust your feet holding maximum tension. Bust to the lip saving strength for a topout that could spit you off. (Red line on image.)
Time for War | V5
FA Brendan Baars 2019
A boulder problem that needed to be climbed. Stand start with the left hand on a good ledge above your head and right hand on the undercling ledge below it. Campus or try to paste a foot to move up and right, utilizing lots of footwork. Decent holds lead to a committing left heel hook for a top-out. (Yellow line on image.)
The back side of Color of Time Boulder:
Performance Anxiety | V5
FA Chris Myers 2019
Start low on a good jug. Make a big move up and left. Get your heel hooking on to reach a bad crimp. Either be insanely strong and match the crimp or bump your right hand to a sloper dish right below the lip. Figure out your feet and top out.
Stardate | V4+
FA Cody Erickson 2019
Start on two separate crimps and make a couple moves to reach the crux. Pull around the bulge and make your way onto the slab headwall. Continue to the top. (Leftmost green line on image.)
The two rightmost green lines in the image are open projects.
Stardate
Performance Anxiety
Performance Anxiety
Time for War
Stardate
Tripped to the Yard
Overlord Boulder
This boulder is located behind The Major League Boulder. The Overlord serves as a great indicator for figuring out where you are in Lower Goldmine. It's difficult to miss if you've made your way around the corner of Major League Boulder. You'll be standing underneath a giant overhang.
Standing underneath the Overlord Boulder, you'll see an entrance to a small space between two boulders. Tripped to the Yard is located in this corridor.
Tripped to the Yard | V6
FA Brendan Baars August 22 2021
Sit start with a great left heel hook. Find the two improbable underclings and paste the right foot on a non-existent foot. Stand up and move to better holds and top out.
Alt J Boulder
This is the first boulder encountered after the giant overhanging boulder, which is the Overlord Boulder. Standing under Overlord, it's adjacent, and almost touching it on the opposite side of the Major League Boulder.
Alt J Boulder has probably the best V0-1 problems at Gold Mine as well as some fantastic sloper features for hard climbs inside the corridor.
Tessalte is located within the Corridor between the Alt J and the Overlord.
Tessalate | V6
Stand start on a flat big undercling. Move left through a decent crimp and either use the awesome slopers as intermediates or make a big move to the best sloper and then move up and topout.
Breezeblocks | V0
Breezeblocks is aptly named for the blocky features that you'll climb en-route to the top. A beautiful wandering face problem with a variety of edges, angles, and movements. The boulder starts down and left with a big pedestal foot. Make your way right through sidepulls to gain more blocky sidepulls and top out.
Breezeblocks is found on the same side as Overlord overhanging boulder. You can't miss it while standing underneath the 30' boulder.
Tessalate
Breeze Blocks
The Great Warn Up Boulder
This boulder was/is also known as the PB&J boulder and is located next to The Color of Time Boulder.
Warm Up | V0
Scooby Snacks | V1
Starts on the right of the main slab but left of the arete.
Seedless | V3
Starts with both hands on the obvious scoop feature on the left side of the arete. Use the arete and an undercling to the left of the arete to establish yourself and keep moving.
Jam The Berry | V4
The first climb to the right of the Arete. The start isn't obvious. Stand start with your left hand on a high sloper and for your right hand, a slimper down and right. The foothold used in the FA is the starting ledge for Choosey Mom's Choose JIF. A hard crux move, in the beginning, leads to easier terrain above.
A lower sit start on the ledge (same start as Choosey Mom's) is an open project. Instead of going right for Choosey Mom's, bust left instead and go straight up.
Choosey Moms Choose Jif | V4
A low sit start on a big ledge. Immediately bust to the right, mantle and go straight up.
Wonder Bread | V2
Starts low on ledges on the far right side of the boulder and follows the right side to the top.
Startled Salamander | V0
Sit start with left hand on a crimp and right on a big side-pull. Climb straight up.
Antagonized Amphibian | V0
Sit start with left hand on a crimp and right on a big side-pull. Climb straight up and left.
Squiggly Wiggly | V0
Start as Startled Salamander and traverse left to topout Antagonized Amphibian.
Critter Ridder | V0
Sit start with left hand on a crimp and right on a big sidepull. Climb straight up and right.
615 Dollar Boulder
A boulder sitting close enough to the others but far enough to seem lonely. It hosts many easy to moderate climbs. From the backside of the Color of Time Boulder there is a trail that leads downhill. 615 Dollars should be visible almost from Performance Anxiety. The first problem encountered is 615 Dollars and the problems that follow are listed as you move climber's left.
615 Dollars | V5
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Start by climbing the sloper ledges up to meet the crux in the middle of the boulder. Figure out a high left foot or stretch and grab a crimp. Finish up on easier terrain. The first boulder encountered from the trail. Obvious vert wall.
50 Likes | V0
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
When facing the slab portion of the boulder (left and around the corner of 615 Dollars) climb the right slab arete on mediocre-quality rock.
Pro Gym Climber | V2
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Climb the cool-looking water-grooved slab on the right side but left of the arete.
From Gym to Crag | V0
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Climb the slab on the left side.
Beaver Research | V3
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Climb the left arete starting on the left side of it. Slopers and crimps lead to a good top-out.
Frat House Stafford | V3
FA Brendan Baars 2019
A one move wonder! Start with left hand on undercling/sidepull and right hand on a crimp. Jump/cross/do something to reach the lip and hold on! Mantle it out and grab your points.
Better than Bopp | V3
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Start on crimps and make a few moves. Use levitation and palm press to establish feet high. Stand up and use better crimps to the top.
615 Dollars
Pro Gym Climber
Upper Gold Mine
Upper Gold Mine Consists of all boulders in the woods, uphill from Color of Time Boulder but does not include the Gold Mine Talus. If this is confusing, please reference the overall map and this will make complete sense. Very few things have been developed here but the ones that have been cleaned/climbed are spectacular lines. Standouts include Nighthawk (V4+) and the deceptive palm-pressing dihedral, Eat This Scroll (V5).
Eat This Scroll
Scroll Wall
After you pass The Color of Time, continue uphill on the trail. If the trail is not obvious, just continue uphill keeping the big boulders that line the talus field within sight. The first established problem is the dihedral block, Eat This Scroll is on this block. After it, there are plenty of slab projects to clean and climb.
Eat This Scroll | V5
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
A dihedral delight. Start standing with your hands wide at the base of the dihedral. Master your way up the open book using any beta or body part available.
Syrupy Boulder
Heading uphill, past the Scroll Wall, keep glancing to the right (away from all the boulders) and there will be a lonely boulder somewhere near the Scroll Wall. From beneath the boulder it does not look like a boulder worth checking out but as soon as you are on the uphill side of it, it becomes apparent why this boulder was worthy.
Maple Leaf | V5
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Are you a crimp master and love small feet? This is for you! Without doubt a cool-looking boulder. The only reason it gets downgraded is because it is slightly an eliminate but such a cool climb on minuscule crimps and tiny, tiny feet. The eliminate part only comes into play during the first couple moves. The start hold is located by the right arete and due to the shape of
the boulder you can grab the right "part of the leaf". But as soon as you make a couple moves using the obvious crimps, It's full face climbing!
Mrs. Buttersworth | V6
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Climb the arete from a sit start utilizing small crimps, big moves, and the splits. Start with left hand pinching the arete and right hand on your choice of crimps. Move up and right, establishing your feet in a split position and figure out how to get over the bulge.
Mrs. Buttersworth
Nighthawk
Nighthawk Boulder
After you pass the Scroll Wall, continue along the trail as it goes uphill. The trail will wind along the southeast face of a few boulders before cutting between two boulders. Go through the notch and continue uphill north by northwest until you meet up with Nighthawk.
Nighthawk | V5
FA Charlie Hall 2019
Intro to compression. Start on a low vertical rail for the right and incut notch for the left. Slap left to get to the arete and squeeze your way to the top. Hard start.
The White Stripes Boulder
This stunningly beautiful white and black streaked boulder is an absolute must if you have the pads and courage to try. A less than ideal landing can be made adequate with 3 or 4 pads but it still requires a spotter. Despite being in a different area, this boulder is within sight of Nighthawk.
Gold Mine Talus
Gold Mine Talus field may not be obvious if you’ve been in Lower Gold Mine. But basically uphill from most of Lower Gold Mine and following the Upper Gold Mine boulders is a giant talus field filled with boulders ranging from small rock to house-sized boulders. All the climbs developed are worth going to but the biggest standout is the highball, Silhouette (V5).
Silhouette
Silhouette | V5
FA Aaron Bopp 2019
Slab climbing cannot get much better than this. Start low on your choice of holds and make fancy footwork to reach opposing sidepull crimps. Step your way up and launch for a decent rail right below the lip. Scary and proud this send will be. Photos and video do not do this boulder justice in beauty or size.
The Creature Boulder and Tunnel Vision Boulder
These two boulders are found to the right of Silhouette as seen in the picture
Silhouette
The Creature
Creature of the Mine | V3
FA Linda Yang 2021
Start with both hands on the left-slanting rail. Climb up the arête and top out.
Creature of the Mine, Low | V5
FA Pierre Cusa 2021
Start with both hands on the low platform and climb into Creature of the Mine.
Tunnel Vision | V2
FA Linda Yang 2021
Start at the bottom of the tunnel with one hand on the arête to the left and the other on the vertical edge to the right.
Creature of the Mine
Creature of the Mine
Tunnel Vision
Burn and Rage Boulder
Located directly downhill and within 30 feet of Silhouette. From Silhouette, it will not look like a boulder worth exploring because the climbing is located on the downhill side of the boulder on a plateau with a cliff right behind you.
Burn and Rage | V7
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Double toe-hooks? 360 spins? Feet first climb? This thing has all of the
funky moves you may hate or love. Either way, an amazing climb on blocky slopers with excellent rock quality.
Burn and Rage
State of the Art
Modern Era Boulder
If you are at Nighthawk, State of the Art can be found by traversing into the talus and heading back down the hill heading southwest. State of the Art is tucked in a corridor of big boulders and has a large flat boulder as its landing.
State of the Art | V7
FA Brendan Baars 2019
Climbs the crimp rail in the middle of the large square face. Utilize a toe-hook and a piano match to get through this vicious crimp crux.
Adjacent Areas
Gold Mine has so much more to be established, as mentioned above. The nearby areas are full of potential problems waiting for vision and effort. Here are a few photos of established problems in adjacent boulder fields.
Slapping the Basswood
Amish Gatorade
The Whittler
Genbai Samurai
The Whittler Wife
