Castle Rock'ed Cont'd

The universal expression of 'its too darn hot'
One of the many cool crimp lines on the Green Wall
Lockin' it off through the pain
So Idaho
The teams reaction to the camping fee
Fee break down
The new Team Shoe in action
The namesake 'Out of Africa V10' hold

Castle Rock'ed: A series of mini Epics

Rocco tryin' 'Jared Roof V11' which is an absolutely amazing problem of sculpted edges on a roof
More Jared's Roof
'Potato Famous'- 'nuff said
The G(ranite) Rydaz with dice and all!!
Diesel helping us pack up
On Wed my good friend Rocco and I went on a mission to Castle Rock, Idaho. The objective was to seek cooler temps than the 90+Degrees of Salt Lake City and enjoy some outdoor climbing. We brought Rocco's dog Diesel for some much needed outdoors action, to be honest I think Rocco and I needed the outdoors time just as much the pooch.

The plan was to re-con and climb a little during the day and then return for a night session. Upon our night arrival back in the famed Taco Cave, home of 'War Path V-Hard', the lighter was not in the lantern case. This was the arrival of Epic #1. After pondering as to whether climbing was even possible in the true darkness, we decided not and returned to the car to find a place to rest and return as the sun rose. Arrive Epic #2. The camping situation in Castle Rock is a pain to put it mildly. The only options are a twenty minute drive away in the City of Rocks and that camping run $21.20 a night!!!!What!!!! There is only one more option for camping, it is a not so signed area with no amenities for still $10 a night.

Arrive Epic #3. Upon waking in the morning we had realized that the stove regulator was not packed, which meant none of our food was available for eating...sigh. After a breakfast of dry oatmeal packets, some brownies that were in Rocco's truck and taco shells we were off to try some more rock scaling.

All in all we both topped out a few boulders and lost a tone of skin but it was a very high quality area. We just sampled the two classic boulders Taco Cave and Green Wall/Bag Piper Cave but I was very excited as the blend of Hueco-esque and Bishop-like climbing was great.

Tightening bolts with the bros

Things have been radically different since my last post. The total diversity in experiences and realities that can be experienced from day to day is one of the great beauties of this world. That being said I have been twisting on bolts in the construction efforts of OR trade show booths until the late hours instead of touch and climbing real rock.

Once the booths were finished it was 4 days of seeing great friends and having meetings and spreading/sharing the psyche with people of the sport and overall outdoor industry.

Throughout the week I would duck out of the show to at least catch brief sessions in the local home gyms of the SLC area. On a side note it has been well over a week since I have had to start my car and biking everywhere has been a great minimization of my foot print, very psyched about this.

I seemed to not be able to get to sleep before 2a.m. throughout the show due to long conversations, basement sessions, and overall catch up with the bros. As friday(last day of OR) rolled around the exhaustion and relief could be read on everybody's face, but lucky Ander had the opportunity to work some more and break down some of these elaborate booths. I am very psyched because this short but extremely concentrated burst of work will fund my vagabond efforts for the duration of the summer, YES!!

I am now crashing with my good friends Rocco & Mary and tomorrow head out to check out the famed Taco Cave and other great boulders at the Castle Rock in Idaho. I am very psyched to see a new area and have already packed my camera so get ready for photos in my next update. Chau...

AR

Learnin' to Crawl: Episode III: A series of mischievously pleasant events

Since we last spoke I have been trying to sort out some of the near future and logistics and such. As financing has become a bit of an issue I have been hunting down some opportunities. I really lucked out and have landed so interesting construction/set-up labor in which I build the booths and structures for the up coming Outdoor Retailer here in SLC where I am writing this.

But all of this has come together haphazardly in that I did not receive the call confirming the job until I could get in the town of Rifle and I was not going to waste the gas to drive to town just to check voice-mail. So on thursday I climbing for what I thought would be my last day for a while and tried a great route at the end of the day and grunted a bit but found my self at the end moves and fell just short of the anchors and the final dyno, taking the 45 footer that skipping the last bolt(not recommended) provides. I bit surprised by this progress in just two efforts I was jubilant at the experience but had to wait until the next time I was would return to Rifle. So I cooled down in the dark and drove down to Rifle(town) and got the call, and got the job BUT as it turns out the job was actually for one day later.

So there I was with another gift of a day to do some rock-climbing but I had made the point to so thoroughly thrash myself that now I was afraid of subpar performance but was just psyched to climbing anyways. Friday was blazing hot and the climb that I was interested in was a late PM climb, because of when the sun hits it. So I played the game of climb in the morning and much of the day on other things and try to muster up some juice for when it was about to get dark again. As 7pm rolled around I was gonna try the route and re-warmup up on it. That is exactly what happened and I was feeling pretty tired and as a result, apprehensive. So I chilled and belayed a hommie as he flashed Movement of Fear 5.12c and then it was my turn. I tried real hard and just decided to believe, commit and enjoy. I sent and with all the excitment I could handle both with the possible sports action last move dyno over the now (potential)55footer. Psyched and surprised it came together, I sent 'Poetic Justice 13a' and now my drive through the night to SLC was to begin, after some din din of course. The drive started at 11:30pm and ended at 5:54AM. It was a great session of reflection, excitement and interesting ideas. Now I type with very little sleep seperating myself from Friday's climbing and the labor of today. So Good Night and have a great one!!

AR

Learnin' to Crawl: Episode II-The fall and Rise of Psyche

It has been unbearably hot up on the western slope and somehow this has actually translated into incredible amounts of rain always being coupled with said heat. I am find ing the process and of psyche and captivation with sectors, routes and crags to be so different than that of bouldering. For instance, I don't consider myself to be a selfish person beyond healthy standards but bouldering always an amazing amount of freedom in which to roam, grope, and infatuate one self with particular rocks but when route climbing especially solo you are trying to snag belays and visit or avoid entire sectors due to sun positioning. This is proving to be a lot to get used to and the solo nature of this leg of travel is just adding to the exhaustion in this learning curve.

So in the beginning of last week I had to bail in order to preserve some sanctity of mind and while doing this it had occurred to me that besides some bench time due to food-poisoning I had not taken a break in a little/long while so to explore the land of Glenwood Springs was the mission. I did some urban survivalism for a couple days and then wrangled an awesome house stay with a mate who is new to the area. I got ride my bike and explore a beautiful mountain town in the midst of all its summer music festivals and recharge the batteries and indulge in some indoor cooking accompanied with a refrigerator. The stress seemed to just subside.

It is funny that I seem to be learning a similar lesson again and again. When you are on the road with both the blessings and curses of such a life about every month of serious climbing warrants a break of about four days to truly regain the mind and body equilibrium that cam be distorted from health and happiness.

After this little break with no real idea of what comes next I was coaxed into returning Rifle, CO for some more sports climbing and was able to manage quick ascents of Movement of Fear 5.12c and Never Believe 5.12d and all with a smile on my face. So once again, 'lesson learned'.

AR

Learnin' to Crawl. Episode I

I have been in Rifle, CO for a little over two weeks now. I am on a quest to become a full blown Sports climber and put the bouldering on the shelf for a little while at least. The learning curve is steep which is exciting but there is much to learn and I am in a constant state of a beginner's mindset as to how this route game works.

I unfortunately had a major set back after the first week when I incurred the full wrath of food poising which sidelinned me to the back of my truck for a full week with a few exhausting days of easier pitches to stave off insanity.

But I am back on the straight and narrow(or very close) as my stomach is no longer trying to rip itself out of my body. I sent a 12.d second try yesterday and flashed 12.b and both without vomiting myself. Psyched. I am starting to feel progression and all I can do now is just keep keepin' at it, and let my knees do the climbing.

AR

The Goin' ons

The last couple of days I have been up to some pretty diverse and really fun stuff. The weather has been pretty sporadic here in Boulder so regularity with just about anything has been lost. I have done some sports climbing on the Primo Wall of Clear Creek Canyon and knocking off up to 5.12+ without getting to pumped. I went and climbed the Bastille in Eldo with my friend Matty that I am also living with and even led some gear pitches on that which was a total blast. I went to CATS(Colorado Athletic Training School) which is an awesome facility including really fun gymnastic equipment and had a great session in which I truly became psyched again. So much so that I am going back tonight. I am prepping the truck and I will be Rifle bound very soon. 

AR

Bishop Files

A new V10 that Chris put up on the Checkerboard Boulder. Cool moves but quite sharp.
My view from my back porch. I love the eastern Sierra mountains
Carlo on the amazing and tall 'This Side of Paradise V10'
Again 'This Side of Paradise V10'
Alex making the big move on her ascent of 'A Maze of Death V12'

Yosemite Files

Kevin tryin' the Classic 'Yabo Roof V11/12'
Chillin' in the Caf', the all to standard post climbing activity in the ditch. Of course staying until you get booted, which if you play it right can be midnight.

The very cool and quite unique feature of 

'Pine Box V11/12?'
The perfect and well traveled granite of 

'Cocaine Corner V5' in Camp 4.

Operation Saturation

I have been up to alot of work and climbing as much as possible mostly in Boulder, CO. I have achieved some monetary goals and now own a great laptop and other quality of life improvements. It is about time for me to head out and live were the rocks are and the most recent manifestation of that will be Rifle, CO where I will try my hand at some Sports Climbing. Now that I have a station to process my photos and so on my posts will be much more saturated with media and adventures, hope you enjoy as much as I.
AR

Back from Retirement?

Yesterday I actually went rock climbing again with old Friend Hayden Miller and Justin Jaeger in the Newlin Creek. The weather was quite bad and I would consider our conditions to humid as we were actually inside the clouds. But it was fairly quite and and nice excursion. As I spent a lot of time in Newlin last year it was quite the trip down memory lane and with old friends as well. I climbed a couple boulder within the V7 range and that felt noce to move over stone again.
Afterwords we posted up in Colorado Springs and the stars aligned that there was some electronic musique being played by friends that I had not seen in a while. Yesterday was full day of movement starting with an alpine start for Newlin and finally ending at 4 A.M. A Full experience.
I am now funded by my laboring exploits enough to buy a computational device know as a laptop and my posts will become much more frequent and highly saturated with media. A good one to you all.
AR

The 'End of the World' may be comming

I am tellin all of you to watch out for the endo of dayz because I have officially jammed my hands, feet, fingers and body into Indian Creek sandstone. This is not a joke I even have some pictures to proove it.
I have been in quite an interesting stage of life recently and have been tryin' to ground myself in order to process a few things. I have been laboring in Boulder during the days and training inside at night but mostly I have been thinking and weighing all that life has shown me at this stage.
Perhaps our greatest refuge is spontinaity, this being said a dear friend of my offered a ride for a 'Creek' trip. So I thought to myself what an oppertunity for something new and no place offers a grounds for thinking like the desert...so here I am. I am distracted with the obsession with learning and afforded a great deal of though at night.
AR

Hopefully Life is like a Ninetendo...to fix all you need to do is blow on it

The last month has been a particularly rough one. Several things have been contributing factors and going into them would be quite the unpleasent ordeal but no problem has ever existed without and ensuing solution. The quest is now to find that special way to blow on your Ninetendo that will keep it from freezing up.
Since May in '08 I have been on the road in less than comfortable livin' situations and to my odd surprise this takes a great deal out of you and the time has come for some regenration. The Front Range seems to be the host for this time and I will post when there is developments in my climbing related life.
AR

Outdoor Retailer and the American Contingency

I am now in the Front Range of CO after hitching a ride up to CO from TX. I met up with some friends and carpooled out to SLC for the winter installment of the biannual Outdoor Retailer(Trade Show). This was my first experience at the trade show and I found my experience to be all over the board. It was very exciting at times, coma inducing at times but a very worthwhile and engaging experience with the world that I find myself in.
The highlights for me were truly the people and vision that some companies were rigidly pursuing despite the current economic state(aka-recession). The idea that a company can make an American product and continue to do so and that a constituency will value this was very good to see despite the obvious extra cost involved. This is the model that I created with A-Balm and to see that some people still emphasize quality and domestic commerce was inspiring. Especially in times of economic turmoil when every dollar counts it allows us to realize that 'WE' the consumer hold the power and with every dollar spent we vote on the future we want in our consumer and political reality.
Darn Tough really blew me away. Both of these companies make a product that is superior in quality to anything that I have ever seen all while keeping every facet of their production with in the united states.
Darn Tough is a sock company out of Vermont. Thats right they have stuck to just socks and it shows because I had never really considered this to be a necessary component to managing an adventurous and traveling based lifestyle but since I put my first pair on I am a believer and supporter. Despite the competition Darn Tough has maintained it entire operation including production line in the United States, their company is also full of personality and excitement as you can only find or deal with someone that has genuine psyche for their product the ethic that goes into it.
FiveTen has also acted with great environmental and performance emphasis with their Stealth Paint which is a recycled rubber program that that one can now apply to their shoes in a custom manner for improved toe hooking and other trixy foot work. The other exciting part of this program is that FiveTen has chosen not to patent this method in an effort to excite the rest of the climbing footwear industry to utilize there rubber waste for something productive.
Organic Boulder Mats has also continued to impress me with the commitment to quality and the ethic that has become inherent in their product name and line. I was fortunate enough to stop by the HQ in Laramie, WY, which is actually just a one car garage. Everything that comes out of this operation is all coming from this garage in the prairie. This is how the quality can remain so high on all items released. Don't be suckered in by the imitators who now slap bright colors on their pads, Organic is the original and the only company committed to unique individual items and soy foam which helps us escape yet another petroleum based product.
A-Balm also had a good showing at the OR in that we gained a few more accounts and received a great deal of praise, compliments, and suggestions from friends and strangers alike. Thank you all for the support with A-Balm and I hope that no one is a stranger as we appreciate all feedback and business. A-Balm has remained staunchly domestic in its production and demands that quality remain just as rigid.
Perhaps the best part of the entire experience was seeing great friends in the tribe from all over and even making some new ones. Thanks to good friend Justin Wood for all his hospitality and positivity. Ciau.AnderRockstad

Smiles and Boulder Problems-Past, Present, and Future

So it has been quite some time, but not owning a computer will have that effect on ones blog. Since we last spoke I finished a great couple weeks in Bishop where I was able to experience such hospitality and if-ie conditions. But despite snow and ice dispersing itself amongst the beautiful boulders I was able to climb some amazing problems. 'Toxic Avenger V10' which at the time of send was actually half in ice which I think makes this the hardest mixed climb ever!!!, also in the table lands was the amazing 'Disco Diva V8' which felt plenty tough for me. Then to the ButterMilks to stake my claim on the ever evolving Cave Boulder. The holds involved in the Forgotten problem had recent significant breakage and where ripe for a new sequence, quasi FA and just some new territory in an old play ground. After pumping off the end a few time I was able to revive the radical 'Little Forgotten V10'. The topout was the first n the cave boulder in a few days because of the ice and snow, but due to raging motivation by my spotter(Friend; Walker) and myself i pulled myself over the snow and ice with my first hand jam ever!! What a boulder!!
Then it was ringing in the new year with my Austrian friends and to pick-up a climber in LA to start the 2009 with a drive on out the incredible Hueco Tanks of TX. After some serious driving time and a cargo drop in New Mexico we arrived in Hueco, actually the Rock Ranch to welcome of Bros from the past and current. In the morning it was hot but I was in my original geo-playground so psyche was brimming to say the least. I was able to fire off the 'Fern Roof V10?' with the original burl beta(Read: no kneebar) and this is a favorite climb of mine now. But Hueco was so unfamiliar in how physical it is from Yosemite and Bishop that I was forced into a rest day almost instantly after arriving. 'Smooth Move V8'(in my Daesents), 'Roughage V7R'(Best in Hueco?), 'Stanage on Holiday V8', 'No Wonder V7', 'Hector in a Blender V7', 'Dry Dock V7' and 'Something Different V8' are among my new favorites in Hueco. Wow, I feel like a total spray lord...maybe that fitting because iI have been in Hueco, lol.
Yesterday, I climbed a radical and obvious physical line in the Martini cave called 'Martini Hotbox V9' and then had to boogy to catcha ride to the front range which was delayed but eventual delivered me to Colorado Springs a 4A.M. And now I sit in friend Hayden's room which ironically I used to live in and will session at Eleven Mile today. More to come. Lots of Love.
AR

Playing Zen Flutes on the Moon in Bish-Town

So I have now rolled back into Bishop with good friends Nic & Dom from the Inland Empire. We rolled up in the Five Ten van and upon arriving checked in with friends Jon and Mike to stay in town and enjoy the pleasure of space-heaters.
The next day you took a little whirl up my favorite warm-up ever, 'The Dome 5.8?'. Then I put my first efforts on 'The Mandala V12'. I found the moves to be much more managable than I had expected and see this as a reality. Truely an amazing boulder although incredible sharp. Then I went with some friend to the cave boulder and quikly dispatched the 'Moon Raker V9'in a couple goes. I found that problem to be super radical with amazing movement.
I heard dear some dear friends of mine South Africa were in the 'Milks as well and then set out looking for them. Then I met up Alana and Scott which of course was a total pleasure and trip all at once.
The next day Nic, Dom and myself headed back to the 'Milks. After a Warm-up solo on the dome I headed over to Dales Camp and was able to quikly finish an absolute incredible boulder 'Zen Flute V10' that finishes with an all points off dyno. So so sooooo good.
Some other nice boulders that I have climbed in the last couple of days are 'Disco Diva V8'& 'Get Carter V8' and in the icy super cold conditions of today I ripped of the last move of 'Toxic Avenger V10' with blood spraying from my right hand. It is very cold and staying psyched is easy but keeping the body in good shape is something else all together. So there is the whirlwind of recent activity and with Hueco on the horizon life is very cold but oh so good!!
AR

Bishop, avoiding the Apocalyptic storm & The Inland Empire

If you are anywhere amongst the west coast of the united states you are aware that weather has been an issue if you like climbing rocks. Huge weather systems seem to be coming in from the Pacific. Bishop was no exception.
Prior to the storm we had a few small windows of climbable weather. I was able to make quick work of some great problems like 'Soul Slinger V9', 'Freeze Short V9' in two tries, and the 'Croft Problem V8'. I also tried an amazing problem, 'Zen Flute V10', that was originally put up by Sharma. This climb came so so close a to a one day ascent but because it is so amazing and classic I am just as psyched to head back.
I headed down to the Inland Empire with good friend Dominique in an effort to change the scene as the storm of impending doom was sitting on our doorstep, or tail-gate as it would be for me. I have been able to catch up with amazing people and great friends from the road. I have seen and will continue to check out the gym climbing scene as the weather seems to be unrelenting. I have been able to gain some accounts for A-Balm and stop by to meet the gang at Five Ten in Redlands.
It seems like true happiness in climbing on the road is more about the ability to adapt than to follow plans and this has been just another great chapter. Hope everyone has been able to adapt to the weather and stay psyched.
AR
PS-I have added a few images. The First is me sending "Pine Box V11/12". The Second is myself on 'Thriller V10'. The third is me sending an amazing V8 in Ibex that I was reminded of recently.

Bishop & the sheddin'

So I have made it to Bishop but much more has happened as the title implies. I am still recoverying from some 'knock you on yo ass' bug that I picked up in the valley so hopefully I can put that on my shedded list soon. Turns out being sick messes with ones climbing...hmmm woulda guessed. Despite the heat that has been hitting Bishop I have managed a couple nice boulders. 'Brian's Project V9','Rave V7' and some rad patina V7. All went very quikley, within a few goes for all.
Before I left I shaved my head on very long hair in an attempt to draw a close to the past and begin this new leg as just that, new. I now reside in the bed of GMC truck and am hopefully awaiting some healthier times and cooler temps. Love to all. Ciau
AR

Pine Box

Yesterday I made an ascent of an amazing steep and tall granite arete called 'Pine Box V11/12'. It had exfoliated a little bit as it is a new problem found and climbed by my friend Justin Alarcon. The lips on two of the holds had significantly decreased which made the climb much harder and forced different beta than the original condition dictated. The boulder also goes under the full value category as the top out is committing and sequence dependent. The grade is a bit of a question mark but I had an extremely fun time climbing on it and it is double digit-something. I will add some images of the ascent soon and hope you are all out there enjoying cool conditions.

AR

On the Migration Station

Lack of a computer has done a bit to stifle the update train but lets get it back on track. A bout of really nasty weather pretty much California as a whole and unlike the dry rockies and desert environments Yosemite Valley holds onto its moisture like a pit-bulls lock-jaw. So that meant training on a wet 45woody in the back yard. After sufficiently loosing my mind with not climbing I acquires a radical camera and proceeded to take shots of everything under the sun, which ended up being little because we were socked in with gloomy clouds for quite some time. And just when the world seemed to be getting smaller by the minute without any rock-scaling in the over a week my phone decided to snap in half, which of course exasperated the walls that were actually closing in!!

But alas the clouds broke long enough to allow some modicum of climbing conditions and I knew it was time to get back to the Valley, wet or not. I permanently left my dwellings in Fresno and waved goodbye to all that chapter held and didn't hold alike. A one way trip to the Valley, it was not planned and logistically its been a bit of an epic but the absolute right move to make.

Upon my drop off I met up with the Colorado Crew and and the vibe was on. So Psyched to be back into it. As a psyched climber it seems that the overlap with drug addicts is closer than some might like to acknowledge. Life was good and the vibes were excellent and the session productive. I tried 'Yabo Roof V11/12' and surprised myself and then came very close to the 'Yabo Face V11' in just a couple of goes and Chris Shulte snapped up the second ascent, good work. I am super psyched on getting back to this boulder and it stellar problems.

The next day reunion with Pete led to some classic climbing in cap four which was a blast including the historical rocks such as 'Cocaine Corner V5', 'Blue Suede Shoes V4', 'Initial Friction V1' ect, ect.

Then came the rain. This would be extremely news worthy except my lack of tent and appropriate sleeping bag prompted quite the search for overhanging(read; dry) ground to sleep. And for those that know about Yosemite granite this can be few and far between. After some very cold sleepless nights and equally rough rest days the conditions allowed climbing again. I climbed an amazing problem called, 'Don't Make Me Kick Your Ass V9' on the infamous Columbia Boulder. I sent very quickly which set good spirits for me and the fun just continued. 

I think Bishop is next...

Note: The power of positivity and friendship in climbing has become more obvious than ever and it is the company we hold that makes the difference between a feeling of work and an explosion of excellence. Thanks to all the Bro's.

AR