Still Alive!

Howdy folks! Yes, I am alive. I'm even still climbing, route setting, and coaching as much as ever. It's been a busy summer, so I apologize for not keeping this thing up to date, but here is a quick catch-up post with lots of photos.

For starters, the Black Mt. Road opened in early May, ushering in yet another Black Mountain season. It's been a high-anxiety season up there this year, with several large wildfires threatening Black Mountain, the Tramway, Tahquitz, Suicide Rock, not to mention the communities of Idyllwild and the other small mountain towns. Before the blazes and in between, we snuck in some sending, cleaning, and developing of new world-class lines.

After a few days of effort over this season and last, I was fortunate enough to snag an ascent of Where the Wild Things Are sit start. My friend Jenifer happened to bust out her iphone to snag this chalk-bag-dabbing uncut footage. Enjoy.

Around the same time and shortly after, a few of us started running around a granite-strewn hillside at Black Mt. and enjoying many top-notch First (known) Ascents. One such ascent was a very nice V3/4 (depending on who you ask) crimp ladder that I grabbed the FKA of and dubbed Updog due to Anthony's little dog Stanley peering down at me from atop the boulder. 

Devlin Gandy jumping on the send train on "Updog" at Black Mt.

Boulder-strewn dome.

Another thing we found, Anthony, Alexandra, and I dubbed Howl's Moving Castle, I think before we had even climbed on it. Proving to be very difficult, we invited Paul Robinson to try it while he was in town for a few days in June, and he snagged the FA of what I believe to be one of the best boulder problems at Black Mountain, SoCal, or really just anywhere. Checking in at V12, the burly roof to tall headwall is a full-value boulder problem and should be on the list for any capable boulderer. I know I'm psyched to continue to project it now that the temps are getting a little more under control!

Rommel, chilling under "Howl's Moving Castle."

A slightly wider view of "Howl's Moving Castle." Here, Anthony Tarascio works the topout on a gri-gri. To give some perspective, the big jug plate at the lip of the overhang in the above and below photos can be seen catching sunglight at the bottom of this frame, next to the rop

Paul Robinson grabbing the First Ascent of "Howl's Moving Castle." photo Alexandra Fox

On the same day, I took Paul to one of my projects that I'd been working for a few seasons, which we'd been calling the Gloworm arete (yes, after the candy.) Although it took him some serious effort, he snagged the FA of the Gloworm, also calling it V12. 

Nearby Howl's... and Updog, I was also able to put up a fairly difficult little boulder that I named The Fellowship of the Traveling Pads sometime in June. It's probably in the V8-9 range, and I encourage people to come repeat it and tell me what they think. The sharp, powerful little overhang leads to a commiting press-out mantle on slopers, but I am sure better temps would make it feel more secure.

"The Fellowship of the Traveling Pads"

 Also in June, I made a very brief trip to Utah to coach at USA Climbing Divisionals. Our team did well and afterward I traveled with a handful of talented young climbers to Maple Canyon for two days.

Max Matles working "Sprout" in Maple Canyon's Pipe Dream Cave

This is just a typical Black Mountain sunset.

 Over the July 4th weekend, USA Climbing sport climbing Nationals was held at Stone Summit in Atlanta (again), and I traveled there with Natalie Josefsberg and her family. Nat climbed really well, taking 12th overall in the Female A category.
I stuck around for two additional days for the annual Coaching Symposium hosted by the USA Climbing Coaches Committee. With a nice round-table kind of format and presentations by the likes of Chris Wall and Obe Carrion, I was glad I stuck around for the symposium.

Natalie Josefsberg in semi-finals at SCS Nationals

 Lately, in spite of the heat, we have been trying to sport climb (or climb long boulders with a rope) at Boney Bluff more as well. We've discovered that even if it's 90 degrees in the sun on the hike in, the climbing is bearable because the wall is in the shade all day from noon on. With stacks of short power routes in the 5.12 and 5.13 ranges, it's a power crag like nothing else around these parts. Hopefully I can start sending some stuff there soon!

I'm still one-hanging "Sureshot," a very hard (v8) Louie Anderson "5.13a" and the first line bolted at the cliff in the mid-90's

We've also done a little bit of exploring lately, looking for new hard lines in the Santa Monica Mountains. Guess what, they exist.

There's gold in them thar hills.

So I'll probably be changing the format of this blog and my website in the very near future, but stay tuned, because I'll be trying to keep it updated a little more frequently now that I've got working internet in the new apartment.

Climb safe, and see you out at the crags.

Sport Climbing Psych! Photodump

Well since my last post a lot has happened, but the highlights revolve around coaching the kids three days a week for the six week between ABS Youth Divisionals and Nationals, as well as a ton of route setting, nursing my injured finger, and trying to gain endurance for an attempt to become a sport climber again.
Check out videos of Team Anonymous at Nationals over at our team blog.

Lately, I've been getting back onto the rock a little bit to see how the transition to sport climber is coming. The good news is, I'm starting to feel it, though I'm not where I want to be yet.

During our first day back out, Charlie Andrews snagged a last-try ascent of Shawn Diamond's Malibu Creek testpiece, Lateralus, his first 5.14a. More pics here.

Charlie Andrews warming up on "Ghetto Crossing" (5.13a).

Charlie sending "Lateralus" (5.14a). Maddy Voloshin Photo.

  This past Sunday, a small group of us headed out to Boney Bluff, a savage little sport cliff in the Santa Monica Mountains, with over a dozen 5.13's.

Formations of the Backbone Range from the Sandstone Peak Trailhead.

 Facundo Langbehn was able to send Skinny White Boy (.12d) second go and Sureshot (.13a) on his third.  I narrowly missed sending Sureshot as well, falling with my fingertips just brushing the thank god jug below the chains.

Facundo sending "Skinny White Boy" (.12d)

Facundo Langbehn sending "Sureshot" (5.13a).

Facundo about to clip the chains.

Needless to say, I'm psyched to get back to Boney Bluff next Sunday and get a few sends this time!

Bolts and Boulders in Las Vegas

Brett and I returned late Sunday night from an awesome weekend of climbing in Vegas.

On Saturday, we drove up to Mt. Charleston to climb on the famous bone-white limestone of The Hood.

We had a nice warm up on the Pinetree Ledge, where Brett onsighted his first Charleston climb, the traditional warm up, Heatin' up the Hood (5.11c), but that was the last send of the day. (Joking, but seriously.)

Not The Hood, our destination, but another piece of rock above the trailhead.

Limestone features in Mt Charleston's Compton Cave.

Looking out from the Compton Cave.

The Imagination Wall.

Joey on "Run for the Border" (5.13b).

Joey running.

Running.

Gone! Taking the fall from the crux.

Brett, chilling in the Soul Cave.

In spite of the fact that I didn't get a good link in on Closing Down from the ground to the upper boulder problem (v8ish, the bottom bolt of which my rope is hanging from in the pic below), I did feel like I was finally starting to get the bottom boulder problem sussed (v7 probably in its own right). I definitely need to do more sport climbing locally if I'm going to hope to send this one though. We'll see if it's not too cold in Vegas to sneak in a day up there next time I visit before the end of the year, but this route might get to wait yet another season for me. (I first tried it 9 years ago, but don't worry, I have not been projecting it that entire time!)
 

Cruxy. Looking up at "Closing Down."

 

Dennis Gates, swimming in a sea of limestone on "Animal Attack" (5.13b).

Feeling totally worked from Saturday, on Sunday we went bouldering in Red Rocks' Kraft Boulders and Gateway Canyon. We warmed up on the Monkey Bar Boulder, where I surprised myself by repeating Monkey Bar Direct on my first try of the day. Lib came incredibly close on the direct too. I'm sure she'll send it soon.

Liberty Herring on "Monkey Bar Direct" (v8/9)

Lib snagging the crimp on "Monkey Bar Direct."

When we first hiked up Gateway Canyon, we checked out Americana Exotica (v10), a very powerful undercling problem that Pete Lowe put up a few years ago, but it was unfortunately baking in the sun. We also checked out Book of Nightmares (v12?), which looks incredibly beta intensive, as well as super crimpy. So instead, we opted to hike back up the opposite side of the canyon to an AMAZING roof boulder named Seek and Destroy (v9-11?) It actually sought to destroy us, and only Brett was able to start at the jug about halfway (or more) through the problem and top out. I will definitely be returning for this one!

Liberty working the end of "Seek and Destroy."

Before leaving the canyon, we check out Paul Robinson's Meadowlark Lemon, which looks absolutely impossible and sports many "non-holds" and then back tracked to the Jack of all Trades/Master of None boulder. Brett and I were able to pull off the former before starting the hike out.

Brett sending "Jack of all Trades" (v5).

The awesome hold on "Jack of all Trades."

Brett slabbin it in Gateway Canyon on the "Jack of all Trades" boulder.

Of course, no day in Kraft would be complete without the obligatory lap on The Pearl, which Brett and I did as our last climb of the trip.

Exhausted, we packed up and hit the road, getting back to LA after midnight.
This Saturday there is an ABS comp at Mesa Rim in San Diego, but I may get out to Black Mountain on Friday, so tune in for more sports action next week.

Stay psyched!!!

Mt. Charleston Homecoming / Tour Guiding Weekend

Last weekend was great. On Friday, I departed LA with Charlie Andrews, his sister Emily, and Itai Axelrad for a weekend of sport clippin' up at Mt. Charleston, just northwest of Las Vegas. Itai's done a nice write-up here. I'll keep this post brief, but suffice it to say that we did a lot of climbing, and I'm very psyched to be climbing on a rope again (as well as frequently bouldering)! 

We started at the pre-eminent Charleston crag, The Hood, to give everyone a proper introduction to the flawless and foot-hold-less limestone, with the intention of heading to The Robbers' Roost on Sunday.

The Imagination Wall, as seen from the trailhead for The Hood.

Untouched rock. That massive cave on the right side sports a continuous 45 degree overhang on its left side for well over  100 feet before easing back to that rad looking headwall.

Emily on "Heatin' up the Hood" (5.11c).

falling!

Charlie Andrews pulling just one of the killer moves on "Infectious Groove" (5.13b). Photo: Itai Axelrad

Charlie pulling the second crux of "Infectious Groove."

Redpoint crux.

After the redpoint crux.

From Infectious, we zipped over to the Compton Cave, where Charlie and I would jump on Closing Down. I hadn't been on the route (famous for seeing ascents by kids like Chris Sharma, Eric Scully, and Shawn Diamond in the late 90's) since before my accident 5 years ago, so I was pretty psyched that my beta burn didn't feel too bad! I know I'll have to work hard to get into good enough shape to climb such a difficult pitch, but the fact that I was able to execute every move fairly quickly got me psyched to keep trying it. 

Myslf on "Closing Down" (5.14a) Photo: Itai Axelrad

Aaaand, after Closing Down, Charlie had enough psych to jump on Wailing Souls, a bouldery route that comes right out the middle of the Souls Cave. 

Charlie, clipping on "Wailing Souls" (5.13d) before casting off into the crux.

The last move of the crux of "Wailing Souls." It's "only" 5.12+ from there to the top. 

 On Sunday, we went right back to the Infectious Cave so that Charlie could send Infectious Groove (which he did, first try of the day), and I took a burn on Infectious as well, falling off of the upper redpoint crux to pull off the dreaded un-send. Watching Audrey work Ghetto Boyz, got me really psyched to try that one this season as well.

Audrey Sniezek on "Ghetto Boyz" (5.13c) 

Audrey Sniezek on "Ghetto Boyz" (5.13c) 

Audrey Sniezek on "Ghetto Boyz" (5.13c)

Itai working out "Infectious Groove." Photo: Charlie Andrews

Last, but certainly not least, Charlie and I gave burns on Corrosion, although it was dripping wet. Charlie had to be at LAX at 6 am on Monday morning to catch his flight to pre-Nationals training camp in Atlanta, so time was a little bit more limited than it had been the previous day, but we were all too tired to keep climbing anyway!

Charlie bustin through the crux on "Corrosion" (5.13a).

Needless to say, the weekend got me super duper psyched to climb more on a rope and to take more trips back to Vegas. This weekend, however, I'll be headed to Black Mt. for the 7th annual Black Mt. Boulder Bash. It's this Saturday, the 23rd, at Black Mt. Group Camp sites 4/5 (yellow post sites, bring an Adventure Pass.) I hope to see some of you there!

Stay psyched and climb safe.