Climbing

Tragic news from high on El Cap this past Sunday: An experienced climber, Mason Robison was leading the 27th pitch of the 3,000-foot granite wall at about 9 a.m., when a large rock flake holding a piece of safety gear broke loose. The rock gave way while Robison, 38, was climbing at 2,300 feet above the monolith’s base, and severed a rope that was fastening him to a belay station manned by his climbing partner. He fell past the station before a haul rope caught him and seized the fall, but the injuries were fatal. SuperTopo has a good thread about the situation as well.

To put it into a few words, the climbing this year at the historically rainy New River Rendezvous was awesome!! The weather report for each day was dire - 50 to 60% rain every day. And it rained every day, but the rain came in the evening and by the morning, all the normal "gets dry fast" stuff was dry!!!!Thunderstruck 5.12bThunderstruck 5.12bWe did our first day at Kaymoor and I had a few commitments in Charleston, so I met up with Adam and Eric a little late, just in time to meet them en route to "Thunderstruck" 5.12b. This 4-star route is possible one the best and definitely one of the best of the grade in the region.Thunderstruck starts out on a slabby detached block, but basically from bolt 2 to the chains, its full on spectacular boulder problem after spectacular boulder problem separated by a varying degree of rests. I warmed up on it, hanging the draws for Adam's successful onsight attempt and managed to forget the sequence at the last crux and totally blow it!! Adam just hiked the thing though!The Shinning 5.11aNext, I set my sights on a route I had previously top rope flashed, The Shinning, a exemplary 5.11a gear line that starts out in a kinda clausterfobic chimney which quickly gives way to a vertical hand and finger lock paradise. I was really proud of myself on this pitch. I'm not much of a gear climber, but was stoked to climb this route easily, and efficiently!!SLAP 5.12aSLAP 5.12aAt Kaymoor, at the Fire and Ice Buttress, there are two 5.12a routes and a handful of gear lines that have been on my list for a while (we're talking about going there this coming weekend actually.) Well. Yup. Totally blew off the aptly named "Squeal Like a Pig" aka "SLAP." I was pretty sure I was going to get it second go (second go after sticking the first crux off the ground) but totally screwed up and greased off the LAST BOULDER PROBLEM DARNIT. Not too bummed though...I figured out some nice "tall-guy" beta for that section.Pockets of Resistance 5.12aPockets of Resistance 5.12aNext we did the poison-ivy long and disastrous hike to the Rico Suave Buttress where Adam and Erica both climbed the classic "Pockets of Resistance" 5.12a. I had previously done the route and passed on this, owing to the fact that I wanted to put a good burn in on "Blood Raid"Pockets of Resistance 5.12aPockets of Resistance 5.12aBlood Raid 5.13a from http://www.mountainproject.com/v/106049830, Photo Chad UmbelAnd that I did. I had previously put 3 burns into Blood Raid the week before and felt like I could probably do it. I had fallen at the crux my last burn of the day and totally fired the rig first go!! I was super stoked to get that one - it being my first legit 5.13. It actually felt easy too!! So I think my next "hole" route is Burning Cross.Pockets of Resistance 5.12a

prAna ambassador and 2012 Molokai to Oahu female paddling champion Talia Gangini Decoite whoops it up in her backyard paradise. [yt] Learn more about Talia at http://www.prana.com/life/ambassadors/

After battling conditions in the lower altitude areas of Colorado, I knew it was time to begin climbing in the alpine.  Many of the alpine zones in Colorado still have way too much snow, however, Guanella Pass seemed like it could be good.  A crew of us ventured up there late last week in search of the unrepeated Ice Knife V15 by Dave Graham. On our first day up there we were unsuccessful in finding the boulder.  We headed back down to Boulder feeling quite defeated.  We returned the next day and with some new knowledge were able to find the bloc!  Daniel, Matty, and myself began working the boulder.  We quickly found some good sequences and by the end of the first day we were giving it some send goes!  By the end of the day, we were all really tired but psyched to return back soon! Daniel, Beau Kahler, and myself returned yesterday after taking a much needed rest day!  We found ourselves up at the boulder with some of the best alpine conditions any of us had ever seen!  We went to work trying the moves again while beau set up some angles to shoot us from.  Soon after we began climbing, a freak whiteout snow storm rolled through and we began to wonder if our day would be over.  We huddled under the boulder for about 30 minutes while the snow continued.  The skies eventually started to become light again and we knew it would be climbable again soon! Once the snow stopped and the sun came out again, we started giving the line send goes.  Daniel and I went back and forth on attempts for a little while, each try getting slightly closer than the last!  The wind started blowing and the conditions got even better.  Daniel pulled on and climbed the boulder flawlessly.  It was amazing to watch and made me super psyched to try to get this thing done.  After a couple of more near attempts, I pulled on and climbed the boulder!!!  It is always so awesome to climb something so technical and demanding.  Every move on the boulder is of similar difficulty and the body positions you get yourself into are totally crazy!  Putting the whole thing together bottom to top was really a cool feat and one i am really happy about! After climbing the boulder, we decided that a sit start would be an amazing addition.  We began working it and it is hard!!!  The link of the two boulders is going to be tough!!!!  I hope to continue trying it more in the next few weeks! After this, we were all pretty tired but a line to the right of ice knife got us psyched.  we built up a nice landing and cleaned the holds.  Beau satched it up first and called it Rainbow in the Dark.  Daniel and I climbed it soon after and we think it to be about the grade of v10. What a sick day!  Hoping for more amazing alpine days like this in the near future before heading to Australia! ~Paul Robinson, prAna Ambassador

Alexandra Ladurner has made a very impressive flash of Dark dog 7C+ in Zillertal which no other 8a member has flashed included several top guys. "Totally unexpected.Maybe completely my style...great day!

Analogica Natural 9aAfter our latest video “Essential Items”, I have been getting so many emails and messages about what gear I use, what pair of shoes I prefer for a certain cliff, what backpack I recommend, etc… Instead of responding selectively it gave me an idea to just bang out a blog post and lay it all on the table.  Gear is awesome and there are a lot of gear-heads out there and well… I get it because I love gear too!  Yes I am a sponsored climber and use a specific product and might have a bit of a biased opinion, but the truth be told we all have a choice in what gear we use and I am specific so I hope this all helps.  I look at every companies gear and compare and contrast all the time.  I mean this is part of my “job”.  I choose this stuff because it works for me, I am comfortable using it, it makes my life easier/safer and again… I am VERY specific.I have always gone with the mentality of purchasing the better product and you get what you pay for… basically, why skimp and use something unsubstantial?  Here is the gear I am currently using and why.  Mind you I am primarily the dude who goes to the cliff and then home at night.  I don’t like to change my clothes after climbing to go out to eat, I look for style/esthetics and function, and I also like versatility… meaning the day I decide to go alpine this stuff will be usable.  Packs, Clothes, Shoes, Gear, and Ropes.  VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!! PacksPrimarily I have two different packs I use and both are chosen due to the size of the load I am carrying.  For me a 35 Liter pack is my standard size.  35 liters is plenty of space for a trip to the crag and will fit multiple pairs of shoes, harness, draws, gri-gri, chalk, food, water, jacket, and anything else smaller like a pair of pants or more layers. I am a big fan of the entire Z-series of Gregory Packs and have used the Z35 for years now.  It’s a sleek, clean, ventilated pack.   It’s a top-loader with other usable pockets for the easy access stuff and for the person that likes to stay organized and designate pouches for things like chalk (to avoid it covering all of your gear).  There is a bladder pouch, but I rarely use it.  The pack carries light and is similar to a thin harness where you barely know it’s on and moves with your body.More Info Here…The second pack I use at the moment is the Targhee 45 and is not on the market right now but will be come this fall.  It is an INSANELY bad-ass back pack and is my primary pack for pretty much everything including carry-on for travel.  The pack was designed for the skier’s needs, but as always can be used the same for climbers like myself.  I would say it’s a hefty 45 Liters and feels bigger than that.  The pack pannel (against your back) unzips entirely creating a giant openning for stuffing your gear into easily.  There is also a lid that flips back and allows for top-loading as well to really stuff the thing full.  I can carry all of the gear I mentioned above plus a rope with this thing.   It looks sleek and has great colors.  The harness works with your body as it was designed for sport and is very sturdy.  I use the ice-axe loops for things like a tripod or stick-clip.  The lid is used for trinkets like tape, nailclippers, and bars and a giant outside front pouch I use for chalk and to stuff clothes I peel off during hikes.  There is a pouch for a bladder but again I don’t use it and prefer to stuff my knee-pads there as it just makes sense to me.More Info Here… ClothesMy biggest concern for climbing clothing is the lack of hindering any movement what-so-ever.  The pants must fit properly and allow you to lift your legs and have zero resistance.  I usually wear a stretchy jean, Rumney pants, or Trailhead pants.  I want a pair of pants that won’t rip, will allow me to knee-bar and provide a little protection to the skin, and will last a long time.  I think my a

Tune Up to Optimize your Performance My sports outside of yoga are surfing and running. So, the hallmark of peak performance when I run is the feeling of frictionless gliding. When I surf and am completely in sync with every subtle movement of the wave, I feel a dynamic stillness within, even as the power of the ocean surges inside of me. You will always remember those moments in your sport of choice where there is a quality of effortlessness, grace, lightness of being, ease, and where you are totally in the moment. It may happen occasionally for you or even more frequently. The following is my way of bringing yogic teachings to your sport of choice so that you can recreate the experience of optimal performance on a more regular and consistent basis. Through my years of being an athlete, what I have realized is that the “just do it” action-oriented approach does not work for me. That strategy of facing every challenge with sheer determination and individual willpower, led to over-heating, imbalance, blockages in the body/mind, and less than optimal performance in whatever I was doing. So, instead of just jumping into whatever you are doing, pause and connect to whatever renews and revitalizes you. I do this by simply giving gratitude for something or someone, or even to the ocean for every wave that I will ride. By cultivating a sense of gratitude, you automatically begin to release built up tension and there is a natural expansion inside. Your mind is very powerful and your energy will go wherever you place your awareness. So, if you are distracted, regretting something that happened in the past or anticipating or planning something, your energy will be scattered. Therefore, take a moment to center your mind. You can simply follow your breath until you feel more present. Following the breath calms the mind as it synchronizes with the waves of breath. Then, stay with the breath. When you are in the midst of action and you feel anxious or stressed, return to the practice of steadying your breath and notice the increase in concentration and presence. All it takes sometimes is a “moment” to shift the momentum from one of frustration to one where you recenter yourself wholly to the activity at hand. Another key technique is relaxation in action. In fact, I use this in proportion to the challenge that I am facing. For example, when running, the faster I run, the more I keep relaxing deeper inside even as all of my systems are operating at their highest capacities. This will allow you to run or o act more efficiently. Aside from maintaining a steady and rhythmic breath, another way to stay relaxed is to get spacious inside. I remember what inspires me and I naturally get more open inside. At its essence, whatever you are doing should have an element of fun or play, even if you are seriously training. You can even invoke this quality by making a game out of the challenge. The more relaxed you can be, the more you conserve your energy and the more you perform with ease. Staying relaxed and in tune with the rhythm of your breath, your energy will be channeled when you commit to whatever action you are undertaking. Your commitment will be directly related to how meaningful your actions are. So remember your intention for what you are doing and it will broaden your perspective. Then, recommit to that intention. This will give you the opportunity to pour your heart into your actions. Your actions will have the juice of your spirit. As you embody commitment in your form, your energy will be organized so that it becomes more uniform. When you are faced with a challenge in your sport, it can then inspire the highest commitment in you. This is how you make a shift and transform an ordinary session into one that is extraordinary. Be willing to adapt to whatever life is offering you. So, instead of holding to a set of expectations about the outcome of what your are doing, make adjustments by constantly bringing your awareness to the whole so

After all the writing last week, some nice photos to mix it up today. If anyone discusses over whether to get an iPhone or not, my default answer is for the camera alone, an iPhone every time (the Panaroma feature works automagically, no extra apps/gimmicks required. Enjoy. Portrane last week on a beautiful day. Fond memories of my first forays bouldering outdoors here! Naomi, of ElementsYoga (and provider of the climbing yoga classes at Awesome Walls and near Gravity) making the most of a nice platform up the path. Main bouldering area in Glendalough all below and to the left. First time I'd ever seen this happening in Glendalough! Theo walking a slackline across the river yesterday. Super inspiring to watch! ....and thinking about the return journey. Which turned out to be much harder as the line was downhill so requires more preparation. Next time Theo!!!!!

{Warning Adult Language) In January a few homies and I made our way to Arkansas to sample some world class sandstone. This is the product of that trip. Climbers include Dave Wetmore, Nate Draughn, Rami Annab and me! Problems include Full Package V13, Glass Bowl V10, Fred’s Cave V11, Anti Hero V12, Welcome to Fight Club V13, Color of Fire V10, Shadow Jumper V11. ~Jimmy Webb, prAna Ambassador [vm] Learn more about Jimmy at http://www.prana.com/life/ambassadors

Beau Kahler was on the scene in Guanella Pass, CO yesterday as Daniel Woods and Paul Robinson did the 2nd and 3rd ascents respectively of Dave Graham’s The Ice Knife (V15).  Graham put up the problem back in 2011 calling it one of the most challenging problems he had done in some time.  The problem hadn’t seen much effort in the intervening years, but once Woods and Robinson set to work it didn’t take long before quick progress was made toward seeing a repeat or two.  There is mention of a sit start being possible so this probably isn’t the last we’ve heard of this boulder. Woods was fresh of doing the FA of a new problem called The Purge in Tickland Elkland outside Estes Park, CO.  On his 8a scorecard he calls this proposed V14 “the full package line” and notes that he had to climb on it at night to get better conditions.