Name?
Dana Harrington
Age?
45
Years bouldering in Pennsylvania?
18
Using one word, how would you describe Pennsylvania bouldering?
Home
Top five Pennsylvania bouldering areas?
With so much to explore up here in the Allegheny National Forest, I have largely neglected the rest of the state. The ANF obviously would make my list, but I lack the exposure necessary to render an opinion about any other area.
Top five Pennsylvania boulder problems?
- Toe to Toe
- Isolation
- The Infinite Game
- The Route Of All Evil
- Delirium
Top five Pennsylvania boulder problem names, yours or not, and why?
- Sweaty Nerds and Serial Killers – Such a fun name. When I first started projecting this line I commented to a friend that I was as excited as a sweaty nerd at Comic-Con and intended to obsess like a serial killer.
- Don’t Let Grandma Down – Because you should always do right by Nana.
- The Infinite Game – At it’s best, climbing is an infinite game.
- There Is No Try – Great things happen when you believe it is possible. Besides, it’s Star Wars.
- The Only Way Down Is Up – ‘Cause sometimes you just have to commit.
Favorite Pennsylvania stone type? Why?
Grit. There’s no magic like gritstone slopers.
Favorite month to boulder in Pennsylvania?
When the temps are cool and the humidity is low. This is typically November-ish. However, the weather up here in Northwest PA is so unpredictable that no one really knows exactly when November-ish is.
Why do you enjoy Pennsylvania bouldering? What sets Pennsylvania bouldering apart from some other areas?
It’s home. I love traveling and exploring other destinations, but PA is home. I’ve spent so much time in these woods, playing on these rocks that I’ve developed an indescribable connection. I’m not a tourist here and have the time to commit to long projects. I’ve had the luxury of having my own pioneering experience, and it’s one that doesn’t require me to divorce myself from my domestic life with my wife and kids. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that home has some truly spectacular boulders.
Willing to share one memorable Pennsylvania bouldering experience that embodies “community”?
Until recently, I’ve been largely off the radar. It’s only in the past few months that I have started to connect to the larger PA climbing community. Everyone has been exceedingly supportive. I’ve never climbed with these guys (or even met them)* but have been greeted with trust and acceptance. It’s nice to be a part of something bigger and am excited to check out the rest of the PA bouldering scene.