Still feelin' a little juiced from the long trip to Africa I was thinking more aout some local boulder reconnaissance but when I heard the Yosemite Facelift(note-an annual climber powered park wide clean-up) was going on starting on Wed and roling on through 'til Sunday I thought to myself why not? It was kind of a big trip from up here in wine country NorCal and called for several bus trips and an eventual meet up with a Craigs List ride from the bay area. After hours of interesting conversations with the local transportations proprietors I arrived in the majestic land known by many as 'The Valley'.
It was extremely hot(red-85degrees and up) everyday and I spent much of my time picking up trash and helping to organize the event which brought an amazing 50,000lbs of trash in from all over the park. I was psyched to be experiencing such an amazing part of climbing history from every angle and know I will spending a lot of time hear in the future.
I was psyched to climb and at least experience what all the talk was of Yosemite bouldering. I saw only a few of the areas, Camp 4, LeConte(KING AIR!!!), and the Cathedrals. As it was extremely hot I climbed at night when all were asleep and the event needed no more help for the day. The problems in Camp 4 move amazingly. Despite the heat I climbed 'Torque Spanner V8' and 'Ament Arete V6' very quikly after discovering there many tricks. I am psyched on a return to The Valley come some better temps and can now see the draw that pulls some people in and often never lets them go.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A family variety in NorCal
Yours truly post Africa
A beautiful beach session
The rightmost line, a classic
Me sending an amazing V6, name unknownToday I headed out with my mom to hunt down some blocks here in Northern California. We were to meet up with friend and psyched climber Richie to get a little tour but there was a communication break down and it looked bleak for a minute. But not to worry, Richie hooked me up ith another psyched local, Ryan. Ryan has put a bunch of great work into developing these great boulders on the coast and beyond. Needless to say it is super rad to keep connecting with all these great psyched people and insta friends.
First stop was the Fort Ross Boulder. I was quite taken by climbing on the beach and as my friend Hayden can testify it is 'very powerful'. This boulder stands as a crown the joins the land with the Pacific Ocean. The tide was rising the whole day and was for sure giving the boulder some spray. The rock-type was a sandstone conglomerate and had very good friction. I was able to climb a proud and stout V6 but more importantly it felt good to move the body on stone again.
Next stop was to get a preview of some amazing blue schist crimping just inland. I am very psyched on spending time there in the near future and I also ended the day flashing a very nice and striking prow, 'Walk The Plank V6'. It was a god excursion. Friends were made, beaches were frolicked, crimps were had and boulders were climbed. Psyched.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Sweet Boulder, CA
A traversy line that Richie put up called "Astro Zombie V8'
The crimpy type of climbing suplied by schistToday I went out to break my mold of comas, jetlag, and internet sleuthing. I am trying to get recovered from such a long session of rugged, cheap, and amenity devoid lifestyle. But Today I went to go and check out some boulder that a rad friend, Richie, had discovered. The rock type was a metamorphosed schist which made for some extremely crimpy and sharp climbing. I temps were hot and I cut my pads up pretty god but it was good to go on a mini-excursion in comparison and I at least got move my body over some stone. What I am really psyched for is tommarrow in which Richie will give a tour of the real biz. Stay tuned and here are some pics.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Africa Files 19- Thank You
The trip is now over and upon just preliminary reflection it was the raddest trip!!!!Super good in so many ways. I have so many thankyouzzzzz to be dropping to so many people that made my trip a success either through contact or just sharing moments together. I received amazing support from my dear friend Thys, whom owns and operates the Depakhuys Farm. For those looking for logistics upon Rocklands bouldering and organizing a trip you should feel free to leave a comment on my blog and I will get back to you and also give a good look at http://www.Depakhuys.com/ for pictures and a way to contact Thys. Depakhuys has an amazing campground with hit water and showers for the equivalent of US$5 a night with a lesser rate for longer stays, definatley the best deal in the Cederberg. There re also chalets for the indoors inclined sleepers that are quite nice. And most importantly there are some the most amazing boulders and bouldering sectors on the Depakhuys Farm including the famous Fields of Joy and Plateau Sectors. It is truely an amazing farm and one that I will call home again.
I would just like to say thank you to all of you that helped make this trip happen including you blog readers!!It was an amazing trip and your hosbitality and openess of the greatest bouldering areana I have ever seen is so appreciated...thank you.
I would just like to say thank you to all of you that helped make this trip happen including you blog readers!!It was an amazing trip and your hosbitality and openess of the greatest bouldering areana I have ever seen is so appreciated...thank you.
Africa Files 18- The Wrap-Up
The last week in Rocklands proved to be troublesome with the weather but an amazing time full of things, not just climbing. The weather was sporadic at best with rain and Antarctic storms rolling through. I worked on a project with my friend Eric Klimt(CC Graduate). It was a movie about the industry of that climbing is growing into for the Cederberg region(read;Rocklands). It was full of interviews with climbers and landowners with the intent of educating and explaining the opportunities and future that climbing can bring to them. It was extremely well received when you showed it at a farmer gathering. I think that this is an important step in the progress and insurance in the climbing future of the Cederberg and felt great to be a part of that.
As for climbing I tried and sent some of the best problems of the trip. I went out on raining day with my buddy Pete and his newly arrived girl friend to finally try the beautiful 'Gliding THrough Waves Like Dolphins V11' I was a little bummed that I had not tried it until the very end of trip because it went extremely well. I flashed through a great deal of the problem and then ADD rampaged the rest of problem for two hours until it was fairly clear what my method would be. The increasing wetness eventually caused me leave but very psyched to return on a further trip.
I got in some good sessions at the Field of Joy sector on Depakhuys Farm that were for the most part dry. I was able to climb in the excellent Dirty Lies Cave for obvious dryness issues. I climbed 'Dirty Lies Right Exit V9' on my second go and the full line of 'Dirty Lies Extension V8/9?', it is hard for me t grade these ones because long climbing and links are not my forte and I don't have that much experience there but they were rad and quite obvious addition to current cave lines. I began giving 'No Late Tenders V11' send burns but I tweaked my shoulder and resigned that one to the next trip list. I also climbing this really rad gritty line 'Panic Room V7' that Klem put up some time ago. It was originally done with a fairly indirect finish that reahed the lip and then began traversing out around the corner on jugs but seamed fairly inobvious to me so and the crew set out to straighten it up and to finish it up with one of the only desperate topouts in all of Rocklands, for sure a great line now.
I was also fortunate to return to the Sassies Sector for one last day on thee great problems, but there is a catch. The catch was it happened to be a 90+Degree(F) day which is just another sign on the Cederberg season ending. This temperature offered an unexpected gift but we will get t that later. I climbed this super classic rad line 'Petite Hueco V8' which is made famous in Chuck's film Specimen. It was yet another very long boulder problems and extremely poor conditions so it felt like quite the accomplishment. I also tried this amazing problem called 'Paula Abdul V11' and made rad progress considering that I was only falling on one move but the rest were on lock down so it is another line to returned to, psyched for next season.
As for climbing I tried and sent some of the best problems of the trip. I went out on raining day with my buddy Pete and his newly arrived girl friend to finally try the beautiful 'Gliding THrough Waves Like Dolphins V11' I was a little bummed that I had not tried it until the very end of trip because it went extremely well. I flashed through a great deal of the problem and then ADD rampaged the rest of problem for two hours until it was fairly clear what my method would be. The increasing wetness eventually caused me leave but very psyched to return on a further trip.
I got in some good sessions at the Field of Joy sector on Depakhuys Farm that were for the most part dry. I was able to climb in the excellent Dirty Lies Cave for obvious dryness issues. I climbed 'Dirty Lies Right Exit V9' on my second go and the full line of 'Dirty Lies Extension V8/9?', it is hard for me t grade these ones because long climbing and links are not my forte and I don't have that much experience there but they were rad and quite obvious addition to current cave lines. I began giving 'No Late Tenders V11' send burns but I tweaked my shoulder and resigned that one to the next trip list. I also climbing this really rad gritty line 'Panic Room V7' that Klem put up some time ago. It was originally done with a fairly indirect finish that reahed the lip and then began traversing out around the corner on jugs but seamed fairly inobvious to me so and the crew set out to straighten it up and to finish it up with one of the only desperate topouts in all of Rocklands, for sure a great line now.
I was also fortunate to return to the Sassies Sector for one last day on thee great problems, but there is a catch. The catch was it happened to be a 90+Degree(F) day which is just another sign on the Cederberg season ending. This temperature offered an unexpected gift but we will get t that later. I climbed this super classic rad line 'Petite Hueco V8' which is made famous in Chuck's film Specimen. It was yet another very long boulder problems and extremely poor conditions so it felt like quite the accomplishment. I also tried this amazing problem called 'Paula Abdul V11' and made rad progress considering that I was only falling on one move but the rest were on lock down so it is another line to returned to, psyched for next season.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Africa Files-Part 17-Okay, back to climbing!!
Since we last spoke the Rocklands and thus myself experienced a hurricane like storm consisting of gale force wind up to 90km/ph which essentially decimated the campsite I have been running(aka massive clean up). Needless to say the internet has been down in the entire Cederberg region for a while, but were back.
On a personnal note I have been starting to return in strength, ability, and overall psyched after my health epic. My gas tank still feels very small and I get tired very quickly but I have been able to climb at a nice level again. On the last day of the storm I had the privelege of watch Dosage 5, and must say that I am super psyched with this end product from the prolific climbing film maker Josh Lowell, a Colorado College grad no less. This came at an excellent time because the next day was wet but climbable and I went out for a session in which to my surprise I climbed 'Human Energy V8' and 'Human Energy Direct V7' both on my second go. I was way psyched to be able to move my body again after so much downtime. The next day I tried climbing again I climbed a bunch of beautiful climbs, such as 'Esoterrorist V6' second go. At the end of day I headed to the classic Poison Dwarf boulder to try the direct to a line that I had already done 'Poison Dwarf V8'. The direct was originally graded V11 or 8A but to me seemed to be the true line on the boulder that combines all the best moves. So I set to work on the additional three crux moves to the direct and eventually got them. Then I decided to get a link of the upper moves and I pulled that off, psyched into the progress of that alone I knew the whole boulder was a possibility but it was getting dark and I had not eaten in hours and skin was low. My friend Eric Klimt had lent me his iPod as a climbing partner for the day and MIA seemed a comical and psyche filled option to be listening to as I contemplated the whole boulder. Alright, time for the 'try hard' attempt but a beta fumble caused an early departure from the rock. So there I sat completely psyched and almost in the darkness alone trying to muster a send that would mean a bunch after my hospitalization. I told myself if this goes well I will take a rest on the next day. Paper Planes the MIA song came on and I thought it appropriate to make my attempt on 'Poison Dwarf Direct V9?'. Totally psyched I pulled through all the moves with great execution an then I was topping out, SO PSYCHED. It felt so great to be back and part of rock-climbing again. So as I promised myself I took the next day off and it was a good thing because I was gassed.
The next climbing day I tried this rad problem called 'Throw Yourself Away V11' as I supported my friend Matt Ballard on an amazing problem 'Born Into Struggle V9' that I had done before my incident. Matt is a centimeter away from sending and I am sure the next we go up he will dispatch. I was also surprise because I just have to do one more move on 'Throw Yourself Away V11' and then it could go. After this session Matt and I headed to another cave because of the heat in an effort to stay away from the sun and to try a problem called 'Louder Than Bombs V9'. We had a great session and at the end I pulled out a one day ascent that I am really happy with. So now it is another day of because as I mention earlier my stamina is minimal but I am psyched. I am climbing well and I feel nowhere near my top shape yet, so I am extremey psyched!!On climbing and the direction I am on. AR
On a personnal note I have been starting to return in strength, ability, and overall psyched after my health epic. My gas tank still feels very small and I get tired very quickly but I have been able to climb at a nice level again. On the last day of the storm I had the privelege of watch Dosage 5, and must say that I am super psyched with this end product from the prolific climbing film maker Josh Lowell, a Colorado College grad no less. This came at an excellent time because the next day was wet but climbable and I went out for a session in which to my surprise I climbed 'Human Energy V8' and 'Human Energy Direct V7' both on my second go. I was way psyched to be able to move my body again after so much downtime. The next day I tried climbing again I climbed a bunch of beautiful climbs, such as 'Esoterrorist V6' second go. At the end of day I headed to the classic Poison Dwarf boulder to try the direct to a line that I had already done 'Poison Dwarf V8'. The direct was originally graded V11 or 8A but to me seemed to be the true line on the boulder that combines all the best moves. So I set to work on the additional three crux moves to the direct and eventually got them. Then I decided to get a link of the upper moves and I pulled that off, psyched into the progress of that alone I knew the whole boulder was a possibility but it was getting dark and I had not eaten in hours and skin was low. My friend Eric Klimt had lent me his iPod as a climbing partner for the day and MIA seemed a comical and psyche filled option to be listening to as I contemplated the whole boulder. Alright, time for the 'try hard' attempt but a beta fumble caused an early departure from the rock. So there I sat completely psyched and almost in the darkness alone trying to muster a send that would mean a bunch after my hospitalization. I told myself if this goes well I will take a rest on the next day. Paper Planes the MIA song came on and I thought it appropriate to make my attempt on 'Poison Dwarf Direct V9?'. Totally psyched I pulled through all the moves with great execution an then I was topping out, SO PSYCHED. It felt so great to be back and part of rock-climbing again. So as I promised myself I took the next day off and it was a good thing because I was gassed.
The next climbing day I tried this rad problem called 'Throw Yourself Away V11' as I supported my friend Matt Ballard on an amazing problem 'Born Into Struggle V9' that I had done before my incident. Matt is a centimeter away from sending and I am sure the next we go up he will dispatch. I was also surprise because I just have to do one more move on 'Throw Yourself Away V11' and then it could go. After this session Matt and I headed to another cave because of the heat in an effort to stay away from the sun and to try a problem called 'Louder Than Bombs V9'. We had a great session and at the end I pulled out a one day ascent that I am really happy with. So now it is another day of because as I mention earlier my stamina is minimal but I am psyched. I am climbing well and I feel nowhere near my top shape yet, so I am extremey psyched!!On climbing and the direction I am on. AR
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