tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72129731344347056322024-03-05T00:16:25.128-08:00Roche StoriesPWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-37285726854458554092013-03-21T09:28:00.001-07:002013-03-21T09:28:51.859-07:00Winter Crack Climbing!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-family: Helvetica;"></span><br />
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Living in Quebec in the winter isn’t the best way to improve as a crack climber… or is it? A lot of people ask me what I do to stay in shape for crack climbing in the winter... </div>
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I tell them, well I just crack climb all year around. No matter how wet or cold it is, you can always crack climb.</div>
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Sometimes I crack climb icy cracks with ice tools (also know as mixed climbing). </div>
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Sometimes, on warmer days on south facing crags, I go sans-tool and crack climb with gloves and boots on. Sometimes I crack climb in my garage. It's all good and I like it all. </div>
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Remember everything you do is training for something else...</div>
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Sometimes I use tools for icy cracks. Here's my buddy Alex torquing his Cobras on a little 5.9 variation on the Whitney-Gilman on Cannon Cliff.</div>
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Sometimes, on warmer winter days I like to rock climb (warmer can be relative...) This is a picture of me leading the second pitch of Black and White 5.10+ at -4 Celcius. To warm-up for this 3 pitches routes we did a nice WI4 route just around the corner... We did not aid the route! We free climb the whole thing. The crux was the mantle in 1 foot of snow at the top of the cliff...</div>
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Sometimes I crack climb in my garage. I believe this crack is the hardest crack on the east coast. It is still a project!</div>
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Two weeks ago I went to Exit 30 crag in the Adirondacks and checked out the Fecalator. I had wanted to climb this route for years but had never got around to make the trip down there. This route is simply amazing! It was put up by bad-ass Chris Thomas (a BD co-worker) in 2004 and at M10 it proudly stands as the hardest trad mixed route on the east coast.</div>
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The first pitch is M7/M7+ and could be considered scottish style. It has everything from steep crack moves to frozen turf to ice blubs…</div>
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The second pitch is the business. A 10 meters slabby section brings you to a very steep and wild looking hand crack. Right at the end of the steep wall an ice dagger comes out of the crack. It is a very unique route because one needs a large bag of tricks with a wide range of movements to climb it. From fist and hand jams to ice tool hooks and torques to overhanging ice climbing (I used about 50% hand jams and 50% ice tools torques)…</div>
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Getting psyche for the crux pitch on the Fecalator:</div>
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Right in the middle of the business:<br />
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Winter crack climbing is fun! </div>
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PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-40712392841293707402012-11-06T14:51:00.000-08:002012-11-06T14:51:01.800-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzlIWn4PJ82Qc5B6XYw-M094-IXyl4XpQGNa2WDW2ePRDsj7Cath4bsDsscK4N-NQyWjGsEPa4ycEd2lzXr5g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Here's a little video of me trying the first crux section on my latest project... The red point crux is 5m from the end of this 45m long splitter. And at first I thought that maybe it wasn't possible... But I ended up finding a sequence that just barely goes... I just hope that the tiny crimp I'm using stops crumbling...<br />
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Wish me Luck...PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-58135970611178794482012-10-31T09:45:00.000-07:002012-10-31T09:45:17.026-07:00All right a few days after get back to Moab I went back to the White Rim to check out some undone lines.<br />
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So after 1h30 of rough driving down to the "ditch" we got to work.<br />
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The White Rim view!</div>
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I tried a line I had seen last year, but the rock quality and climbing didn't work out so great so I move to another route. I check out the "Vadge", a 5.13- roof to steep groove put up by Rob Pizem. As its name implies, it's a great looking line. And the size is just how I like them. Nice and tight. Tight hand it is. To my surprise I flashed it. It cheered me up a bit...<br />
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This is Tom Randall on the Vadge... Looking at his face it looks like he's got his arm stuck deep...!!! Or maybe he's looking for his watch or something???</div>
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Toward the end of the day, on the walk out, I saw another roof crack... An unclimbed one! I had not seen this one before has it's kinda hidden in a corner. I walked up to it and was pretty psyche on the way it looked. I decided to give it a go. It's about 18-20 meters long and starts as a boulder and then slowly gets higher and higher, so you have to place gear. It's starts as a fist crack for a while and then gets to the weirdest size... not quite fist and not quite a cupped hand... its pretty insecure to climb this size on a vertical crack... so in a roof it was a little bit of a battle for me... Toward the end it gets to a few good hand jams and then to a few thin hand jams. I ended up also flashing this one... WTF?!?<br />
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I asked around and it seems like it would be a FA! PSYCHE! Good way to start the trip. I'm calling it Fisting the Crack... As far as grade goes... It definitely felt harder than the Vadge, so I'm gonna call it 5.13.<br />
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A little while ago I had to retire my rope. It was my favourite rope... Here's the Story:</div>
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My Orange Nano.</div>
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It was love at first sight… She’s a beautiful tall and
skinny one. With her bright orange tan she makes heads turn at the crag. I’m
not jealous when people look at her because she’s mine. </div>
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We met a year and half ago. She was introduced to me by JB
from Sterling Ropes when I visited the factory in Maine. Instantly, I knew it
would be a fun relationship. I wasn’t sure how long it would last, because with
her delicate looking body she didn’t look like she could endure much abuse…</div>
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We had success on our first climbing trip together when,
along with her little sister
Photon and my two friends, Damien and Yannick, we made the 2<sup>nd</sup>
ascent of Daedalus on Cannon Cliff, NH. Then the following Spring, I made my
usual Utah desert trip. She came along and she performed like no other. We did
some cragging in Indian Creek for 3 weeks and then with my buddy Sly we climbed
the incredibly classic Moonlight Buttress. Back at home we worked on a project
I bolted at my favorite local crag, Weir. This spicy sport project is a fairly
long pitch (50m) and I knew with her light weight she would be really helpful.
Although I didn’t sent the rig we got so close so many times, I’m sure next
season I’ll send it. Alas, I won’t be able to climb it with my orange Nano.
Because she’s been murdered. </div>
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To my surprise, she still looked good 8 months (and many
pitches) after our first climb together. I guess she could have used a bath but
I really didn’t mind. So I decided to bring her along on alpine rock climbing
trip to the Bugaboos. Unaware that she would be in great danger left alone,
Matt and I left her stashed in a dry bag, to save weight on the approach. We
tought she would be safe at the base of our project on the South Howser tower.
When we came back 48 hours later we were devastated to find her and her little
cousin the 5.5mm tag line all chewed up… The incredible bugaboos predator, the
Snafflehound, chewed through the dry-bag and completely destroyed her… It was a
cruel scene. </div>
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One day I will have my revenge, beware of my slingshot you
monster snafflehound!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXu9f72jjRpyJ7La6XcTf28qjM_sNOFCFTnttRtWq36frmqHvZrlLsqvR9QX3MhRVbAlP6CzA6gfkwKwrvVukS5EhT2C8X6GHFgAZx_FxcRAW1-7fS-6l_iON8vb97VehOmS_DmHjY7M/s1600/101213No+Way+jose0160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaXu9f72jjRpyJ7La6XcTf28qjM_sNOFCFTnttRtWq36frmqHvZrlLsqvR9QX3MhRVbAlP6CzA6gfkwKwrvVukS5EhT2C8X6GHFgAZx_FxcRAW1-7fS-6l_iON8vb97VehOmS_DmHjY7M/s320/101213No+Way+jose0160.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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No Way Jose</div>
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Weird traverse on Le Gros-Bras</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFrzeudGdcA1VJvTLot85UyxdL6yC9XTGSvXeoWGb_maqSRnY9TQXQ1QGWFrn1adMiEhUe-NJM2ETtpLptHH9C-bU5NMky2iI9cDGs6oDoo5kbR6CQsxlC-O4rVeUY8MTKz5CRTo4rcI/s1600/P1010439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFrzeudGdcA1VJvTLot85UyxdL6yC9XTGSvXeoWGb_maqSRnY9TQXQ1QGWFrn1adMiEhUe-NJM2ETtpLptHH9C-bU5NMky2iI9cDGs6oDoo5kbR6CQsxlC-O4rVeUY8MTKz5CRTo4rcI/s320/P1010439.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Full conditions!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6Bogh_pg5y8vHut-xqkixunNql1yGRl5j5evowBuHYHA0PiDT3SquikdjyCgOOtukixv-KkFb7J8LzJLgqjPVfyHyikDiyyZ70U3xNYrGelmtUHemxZZAHO_aK_FZWJPHsnOlqUuiXI/s1600/burr100510-020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6Bogh_pg5y8vHut-xqkixunNql1yGRl5j5evowBuHYHA0PiDT3SquikdjyCgOOtukixv-KkFb7J8LzJLgqjPVfyHyikDiyyZ70U3xNYrGelmtUHemxZZAHO_aK_FZWJPHsnOlqUuiXI/s320/burr100510-020.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Poser</div>
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Secret Proj...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDD1KgwvNfnsfZxPUO-ASR7KTspV5IaBX2IkXUAx5jaGxrc_qKdhMtDkkeBl2G-BRjRpft1_RJdHOfU6C5fmOj9i-AlkklM6Bg6zlobLXHYKiRwn9-l7r41UNG3m8F9s8ZZYBw26WOwM/s1600/IMG_0285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEDD1KgwvNfnsfZxPUO-ASR7KTspV5IaBX2IkXUAx5jaGxrc_qKdhMtDkkeBl2G-BRjRpft1_RJdHOfU6C5fmOj9i-AlkklM6Bg6zlobLXHYKiRwn9-l7r41UNG3m8F9s8ZZYBw26WOwM/s320/IMG_0285.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Matt cruising the flared hands pitch on the Wandering Direct</div>
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High up on the South Howser</div>
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Racking up for the loose pitch on the Wandering Direct</div>
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Looking at the damage</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-75673920097821574112011-12-27T08:00:00.000-08:002011-12-27T08:01:29.941-08:00No Way JoseHere's a litte Holiday gift Video I shot last year with my friend James Q Martin. I hope you enjoy:<div><br /></div><div>http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/journal/climb/video/video-bd-tech-rep-and-athlete-jp-peewee-oullete-redpointing-ino-way-josei-513-north-wash-utah</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers</div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-64454799040930392642011-11-01T19:15:00.000-07:002011-11-01T19:31:00.735-07:00Necronomicon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwTmfCjeKCDNtMcNRFFoY7WooYjn-qzFoabdddU6sn-iCSgMZ4nHlZmPti1r4rssivdE1j75zce-b6Sw5mRcKTP_EiqZdvQIevrHcILFIjpPQIq-gSMm5A8mapb1d9BPylJXjKT78Nw4/s1600/IMG_0981_2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwTmfCjeKCDNtMcNRFFoY7WooYjn-qzFoabdddU6sn-iCSgMZ4nHlZmPti1r4rssivdE1j75zce-b6Sw5mRcKTP_EiqZdvQIevrHcILFIjpPQIq-gSMm5A8mapb1d9BPylJXjKT78Nw4/s400/IMG_0981_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670219780738735202" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBplEVV5jI29NkCR-UZvGWlkrdvJD4vjwzkqaybSikY7QbGi_fbL-iCY-lKhM3zDxtRO7fBLrlbuOUC9bvD8YErGcyfAun55ohJ2CnW1U3Ey8ErZbs1OE-3pVSWYdSwl47sSazgG2vIMQ/s1600/IMG_9666.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBplEVV5jI29NkCR-UZvGWlkrdvJD4vjwzkqaybSikY7QbGi_fbL-iCY-lKhM3zDxtRO7fBLrlbuOUC9bvD8YErGcyfAun55ohJ2CnW1U3Ey8ErZbs1OE-3pVSWYdSwl47sSazgG2vIMQ/s400/IMG_9666.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670218092248230706" /></a><br /> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:drawinggridhorizontalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:drawinggridverticalspacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:displayhorizontaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:displayverticaldrawinggridevery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:dontautofitconstrainedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Awesome news! I just did the first free ascent of Necronomicon today! It’s totally crazy! More details and photos to come soon!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8scqALAOFbvFPTtwQpUODCUEa9kHWaGQZnsMxdLNcnHJRgWYsQlp03syVKliY104WcIepwe4XMJlaiVaOyTyxAhgs4kMKjJt8Bhawu1GwKBn28uoApkI_uuvHIQpJnAGTRXIwS3FjKA/s400/IMG_1010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670218110639207730" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></p> <!--EndFragment-->PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-53385326306887533962011-10-26T10:36:00.000-07:002011-10-26T11:03:42.635-07:00The NEW Proj!For the last 10 days or so, I've been working on the craziest route I've been on in a long time... I haven't that psyched on a route in a long time... I first heard of that route from my friend Rob Pizem a while ago. But he wouldn't show it to anybody... After a few years of begging, Rob finally gave up and showed me the beast. Basically the route is 90 feet long and is totally horizontal. I one-hung it 3 times the other day... It's going down soon!<div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Bn-A681p2ASiTl7mFMaI4JtCUKI1kQSeXIvAJfqPOXeixdibVL6glAXYv99Q_ozgQ8RNf7u8AR78GiJ-JTpFLKCLwI2IA4LgJILMdlaz-vgxQE1SqCNmPgjxUSuSaQ9fn4GcnQfZaL0/s400/peewee+necro.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667857434348381250" /></div><div><br /></div></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-868022753203457622011-10-18T11:12:00.000-07:002011-10-18T11:32:00.324-07:00Moab Fall 2011It's been a while since my last post...<div><br /></div><div>So, once again I found myself in Moab. The World Mecca for crack climbing. The weather is perfect and I'm feeling like my climbing fitness is coming back (slowing but steady).<br /><div>I've spent the last couple of days resting and trying to grow skin as fast as possible , so I can get back on my new project... All I can say about the proj so far is that I haven't been that excited about a route in a long time!!! And that after 2 days working on it, my neck, back, legs and core are super sore... And the skin on my forearms is pretty raw... I'm hoping to get back on the proj tomorrow or the day after. I feel the send is just around the corner... Then I'll head down to Indian Creek to check out a couple new routes that went down last Spring... </div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oUh9S0iIBgag863uHCi0vdY-Fwb-2dM8lkbfmARBdc_8Bah1X68WSRKuSpfQmauPp36z68u-OQI8EMTBJXohUucU1zlkY6KT60rK3Hbu1gXF6OgdV-9JIkJjHgXACXaxi1rlaU44LfA/s400/IMG_0083.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664897713673224290" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>With a few "forced" rest days I've been surfing the net and following the Wide Boyz blog (http://wideboyz.blogspot.com/)... What they've accomplished over the last couple weeks is amazing. Probably the best stretch of hardcore crack sends ever!!! I mean these guys trained the last two year to get fit to repeat the hardest OW in the world. And so far they pretty much crushed everything they tried... Sending everything over just a few tries... Simply amazing! Keep on crushing guys!</div></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-88875940256684971492011-08-18T13:13:00.000-07:002011-08-18T13:31:52.791-07:00R.I.P.
<br />
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqMQZromJOEWtogC2DmvlXAptUrDozlBquH0eX8G6qsLpX6dNgbFceSR3rORmdOY_jqFzX9HHRvA2p2vBLchXYoulAyPf4GElVtfRd7mOv7v4BE8RIsgK40VKXYFZNXIDpzzLygZYmxM/s1600/DSCF5591.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqMQZromJOEWtogC2DmvlXAptUrDozlBquH0eX8G6qsLpX6dNgbFceSR3rORmdOY_jqFzX9HHRvA2p2vBLchXYoulAyPf4GElVtfRd7mOv7v4BE8RIsgK40VKXYFZNXIDpzzLygZYmxM/s320/DSCF5591.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642293765112997538" /></a>
<br />
<br /><div>My life won't be the same without him...
<br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">He lived a long and eventful life. He was old, he had a weird obnoxious look,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>he was definitely not the prettiest and he was kinda high-maintenance… but I had so much fun with him… When I heard the words “it’s not worth it he’s too old”, my heart stop beating for a split second…</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINeiHbj9xl-L1c1kuraiT8pYagvSSj1vcjwy-LI1sYnU6R2NKJcEdQep1SXXoP2MRLOV5D6gzje98PFDy-TEtzxxI7xHyVh-jCUceszvHg-Mq0QXauKv4rmv0WHpOgS3v59k5Chqzkk4/s320/DSCF5567.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642293758410547250" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4I9vwHvvoUOTzAvGsTWf218gUCmZ0WCfcIMm8qA1Dl8fCRiF406FxFYi-WCgz655MiQik2dVmWhvw02ApCowK-u-W_uK5yWj1GPip11EK1rxEMtk7n_nj_C1ynV0THYwBx7CnSvq1Ew/s320/P1000956.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642293776657543874" /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Last week my camper died. A while ago I had noticed the expanding crack on the entire left side, but I didn’t think it was that bad… VERY BAD it was indeed… It turned out that the whole bottom structure was rotten and the floor was slowly separating from the side walls. Unable and un-equipped to try repair it myself, I asked around at a couple RV repair shop if it was worth repairing. And all without exception said it was time to retire the old trout-striped-camper. It turned out that when I unloaded the camper from my truck it collapsed a bit on his left side. The storage place gave a mere 200$ for the parts. The only souvenir I took is the fire extinguisher...</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I had a few great trips with that rig and will definitely get a similar one for the next season. My only concern is that these things are soo hard to find. I own a small pick-up truck (4 cylinder Tacoma) and there's not too many used slide-in camper that fits on these trucks. If anybody has suggestions, let me know…</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0LVWsB5x_Qegi5NolgUYihprDmXHScOFZa-eFVOkzNKSai9QCzB_H6z97jPpH8vL3kCA57WdGsYJ1ZMem70AIMqiW1J925DcfPIsI8QjHUgsz2WeaRFvtfexqhWTC05YLAsB6p97gKU/s320/IMG_0022.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5642293788678117362" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Good Bye My dear Camper!</p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-37477025858293175652011-07-23T11:20:00.001-07:002011-07-23T11:40:27.958-07:00Vedauwoo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoInbUqNh5HthlBccDRHOZX3NM5HBt9pvoKvQpwaNuaVXW0kUTKPvr0tOrVIXLY1LFJvlC8HeP2YUr3BggK6PBbT6n2Xk1UxcEsgLsrqzN3SZQXbvyFtDbscthyKFSU3r7XRZImzind8/s1600/IMG_0325+copy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoInbUqNh5HthlBccDRHOZX3NM5HBt9pvoKvQpwaNuaVXW0kUTKPvr0tOrVIXLY1LFJvlC8HeP2YUr3BggK6PBbT6n2Xk1UxcEsgLsrqzN3SZQXbvyFtDbscthyKFSU3r7XRZImzind8/s400/IMG_0325+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632614610702434418" /></a><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">(Home on the Range)</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">This past month, In my crack climbing quest, I found myself at Vedauwoo</i>. VW is world renown<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>for<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>its nasty Off-Width climbing. People go there armed with #5 and #6 Camalots and Big Bros, tons of athletic tape, jeans and long sleeve shirts. The rock is good and textured and will leave you bleeding no matter how many layers of tape you wear… I love it. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hidden in a sea of wide cracks, there is a couple very hard finger (fairy) cracks I wanted to try. The first one I tackled was The Vedajuicer (V10). This is a very flared boulder roof crack. Yes you heard it BOULDERING CRACKS… Vedauwoo is packed with good roof crack bouldering and you can find any size from finger to OW boulder problems. Although Vedajuicer is very close to the ground this crack problem deserves more attention, because it is really good climbing. Justin Edl, the local harcore, put than one up a couple years ago and apparently my ascent was the first repeat… Who knows… The same day I ended up climbing two other classic roof crack problems: Deserata and PsychoShop (V7) both first try.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">These problems ended up being a really good warm-up/training for my next projet: Home on the Range (5.14-).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Justin also did the first free ascent of this little gem in 2009. Although, HTR is only 50 feet long, this little bastard is very hard. It is slightly overhanging and it aggressively leans right at a 45 degrees angle. And it is as flared as the Vedauwoo cracks gets… For this kind of crack I use a weird slopper-hand-finger jam combo… It works really well until your foot slips or you grease out of the crack… It’s an interesting crack skill to develop but it can be frustrating, as it doesn’t take much to just slip out of the crack…</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB0IN0ch0vWSGNYP3dsdC6oWjyRVdwoV7SA4c1jGeEeOb3E8SsPKFU2UtVTmPmH34yxzVNXBNGjxviCj_lPPuPBtHtAajUnQBxegnyPr_i2B63D1IlU2_hUIwRKuumr9EyguuzO3vJck/s400/IMG_0461+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632614617388315810" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">(Trying not to slip out of the jams)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">This thing is really weather dependant (for me anyway). You need a good breeze to make the flary/sloppy/fingery jams hold. On some humid days the crux was simply impossible for me and I would get really frustrated, but on windy days I would<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>do really well on the route and make good progress fast. Since it leans a lot it is almost impossible to jam both feet. I ended up using the good old combo for that kind of cracks: Super-Mocc on the left foot for jamming and Anasazi Verde on the right for edging. After a week hiatus to go work at a trade show, I ended up sending the route. It took me about 20 tries over 2 weeks.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Home on the Range is really hard to rate because it is so short. The crux is comparable to a V9 crack but it’s pretty easy before and after the crux (as usual I fell/punted a couple times in the easy finish…). When I compare HTR to other hard cracks I’ve been on, the grade that comes to mind is 5.13+. It’s harder than Fiddler on the Roof, Learning to Fly, From Switzerland, Deadline, Sphinx Crack, No Way Jose and Master Blaster, BUT easier than Stingray, La Zebree, Cobra Crack, Conception, Bushido and Orangutan Overhang. </p><p class="MsoNormal">No matter how hard it is, it's a pretty cool line! Good job finding this little gem Justin!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicon50VPkTxzr8vdKgA5mznRDho68MA_-pjVz4LHCNAaaGrlZjKm7aA5WvijzOGOSSW2PklatLZH5S_dUd0aXyZ9eZuunFxjx5AZznSCmhliL0cYEHmQPhGyZKuRFlUmp0nvbzaO7uIQ8/s400/IMG_0567+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632614624195085026" /></p> <!--EndFragment-->PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-33155408466539758522011-05-13T10:05:00.000-07:002011-05-13T10:21:19.351-07:00Long time no see...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5IIS4BlXj88fTOrGla29NKY6p2UiQp_EG0QqpoxeFpEgQ-btlzgrHiP5exlXgN08WLRqMa_18hBUHuXorV02rQF5F7DgShsx6q2YCo0gPS0bCfH-VIO56kVh0oZpNp18lQ4iLlZvN1Y/s1600/IMG_0006.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5IIS4BlXj88fTOrGla29NKY6p2UiQp_EG0QqpoxeFpEgQ-btlzgrHiP5exlXgN08WLRqMa_18hBUHuXorV02rQF5F7DgShsx6q2YCo0gPS0bCfH-VIO56kVh0oZpNp18lQ4iLlZvN1Y/s400/IMG_0006.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606248223409588482" /></a><br /><div>(Icing my knee... one of the only activity I could do this winter...)</div><div><br /></div><div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">It’s been a while since my last post. The truth is I injured both of my knees while training/bouldering this winter. Arrg... I hate those fucking heelhooks… I’ve pretty much been away from climbing for 3 months. All I could do during this time was campus boarding and really low intensity biking… About a month and a half ago I resume climbing…The feeling was sooo good. I had never been away from climbing for that long in 17 years… At first it felt weird to climb and I was super scared of re-injuring myself. But with the help of my friends Isabelle and Guillaume, I was able to readapt very quickly. I’m still limited with some types of moves (like heel hooks and drop knees) but I’ve been feeling pretty good on the rock lately.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXM5vXbeakdynwoX792G4OalurGYNUooAUxyskg4dUEDp0Ni_0gPj5_CUGGo_sQy3VLelyNEGyAsY9VVttvmseAGit19f3PuBcsNAgs4fUnLsWqxVpVD90FuKfadppdH29-pB4e0sxt4o/s400/weir.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5606251624804254146" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">(climbing at Weir)</p><p class="MsoNormal">I spent most of April climbing at Weir, climbing long pitches preparing for my Spring trip in Yosemite. I'm gonna use this trip to climb some long free routes hoping to get fitter for the upcoming Summer and Fall seasons. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Also in the news this Spring, is my new partnership with Rab (<a href="http://www.rab.uk.com/">http://www.rab.uk.com/</a>). I’m really excited to be a member of Rab’s climbing team. These guys have been making incredible outerwear for 30 years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The gear is designed by and for climbers and it shows. It’s really functional and well thought. </p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-22524176766332222112010-12-13T23:35:00.000-08:002010-12-14T00:05:09.350-08:00Pushing my luck<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My Fall trip is pretty much over. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">I'm flying back home to my girlfriend tomorrow. PSYCHE! The whole trip has been pretty epic... but the last week has been full-on EPIC! I had plan to finish my trip by climbing No Way Jose. This route is located in the North Wash of Lake Powell in Utah. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">It's a perfect line, really one of the most aesthetic line I've seen. It's a 30 meters #.5 Camalot overhanging finger crack and s</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">ome people say it's the hardest finger crack of the desert. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">On my first day on the climb, I came painfully clos</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">e</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; ">to send. But since I had a couple days left I didn't feel nervous at all because I was pretty confident to send it the next day... The next morning I woke-up with a really sore throat and fever... and had to rush the the bathroom a couple times too... I was in pretty bad shape... so bad I couldn't even drive to Salt Lake City to catch my plane... I stayed 4 days in bed at my friends Thomas and Roger's place in Moab (thanks guys!!!). I rebooked my flight with a couple extra days so I could get back on the route for a last minute send... and maybe push my luck a little bit...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yesterday, I was still feeling a little bit sick I still went for it and again came really close to send but couldn't make it happen... I was simply out of breath and was getting too pumped to manage the route... I started to get nervous...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqs21NMY8IdbH9P91X2XspoKXNLpfNbUaIJTARKI6ZQjkPDRj09jo9siEkcup4rR5rVtxKlnM7XWA5LUkCgfIHB5meT2Lg-wxzjehaAZ2mzCDkrWZPhb5t4wSnSYrcNio-PN2eM6jIgE/s400/101208No+Way+jose0182.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550445133522917602" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This morning I was not feeling much better than yesterday, but I told myself I had nothing to lose anyway. So after a quick warm-up I jumped on the route... The whole way I was feeling nervous and feverish... I almost asked my friend Thomas to take and lower, but I kept going... and little did I know I was screaming at the crux and sticking it... and then carefully made the it to the anchor for the SEND. SOOOO PSYCHE! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9HWGtx2C3p9NH0W-Qt1q3LwcHvK8HQjmQGYn5fqbbI3s433QKj_NybjnCFlKF1RyuXa411G2SzqRfx0bcY6pH0az_VeTMUxgJK-hZ23LshY-bBf8wfjZ-5oqvIUAkC_LlxLjNBHmxAM/s400/101208No+Way+jose0337.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550445145628110834" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I'm really happy with this route, because I had wanted to climb it for a while. I couldn't ask for a better end of my trip. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Thomas, James, Roger thanks a lot for your help and support! I really appreciate guys!</span></span></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-1848265338484311232010-12-11T16:36:00.000-08:002010-12-18T20:44:22.505-08:00SUPER-MOCC<img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5rf3KVQkU2kTsMvIx51d214PCO1Zta7xBmLAaF51EJeiN-npTcoInr37ZP0hyphenhyphenWzSvnZjZkxN0CX-3SQ4GxDDhr-3gcBMlZUGlz8qfNSKc8ut1k0tWL8fasTFbQiC7m6RrjnYd_YMc4s/s400/20101129-IMG_3338.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549597700336069170" /><br /><br /><br /><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">In the past weeks, I have been climbing with the new FiveTen Super-Mocc. At first I thought it would be the same as the Moccasym, but after just a few climbs I was really surprised by the performance of the new shoe especially for crack climbing.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZLo_0xtfgNQZdy2uGt0gotmW8h6jf9-rcovjtL-saZULNffymBK-oPkoYr2q_ZuD9uyTIugsa79xMd9WU-xD6CUR0os9LMgXSUQ1DB_oA8eyQyvv-GwDk3G4sTmYR3-CpTrbAq9JSYY/s400/20101129-IMG_3326.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549589220544487938" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Super-Mocc is basically an updated version of the ultra classic Mocassym which has been THE overall favorite crack climbing shoe for the past 15 years. FiveTen made a good job by keeping all that was good about the Moccasym and added a few things that made the new Super-Mocc a real crack climbing formula 1.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yph3c9fHv2gbeaDxxFSznBfy3P4SUPjlK1w0jOBSu0YPygOTAhQRXut2aiUWoOJEa8F_6XiNZIt7f5F6lq7YXn4KUsiFpw-GWFWPDqco9t4YWHO6UpiXTOGo3tdOfUvTr8jz4GVphV4/s400/20101129-IMG_3269.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549597709744456514" /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The Super-Mocc is built on the same last, but has a better / more secure heel-cup than its predecessor. This improvement enables better heel hooking, because the shoe doesn't tend to slip-out of your foot. Another update on the Super-Mocc is the toe rand that raps around the whole toe-box. This will protect your toes while jamming and will add some friction for the ultra thin offset cracks. This will also make the shoe more durable as it will not wear out in cracks (compared to leather). This will also prevent the shoe to "deform" too much as the regular slippers will usually do.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Super-Moc uses the new Mystique rubber. This rubber gives the same performance as the C4 in term of friction, but is more durable. This enabled FiveTen to use a thinner rubber for the sole (3.5mm instead of 5mm). Having a thinner rubber gives more precision for ringlocks and smaller finger cracks (.75 green Camalot and smaller). I am really pleased with these new shoes and they are now part of my climbing shoes arsenal.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Check these out in the Spring!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUXkw6-Sr_Glw0J3-3fKDvB0ZMH2p06NZVZIKB5876v43Kcp2Tr2kQ1G9yQc827QWfQY253ezvILwfYAnET9Y1A6WdnxWzo-SEG_5q-RqfYqdlYH3QNL6Xv5BWWUe9IOsSztgyfIOGXU/s400/20101129-IMG_3344.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549589223928015458" /></p> <!--EndFragment-->PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-20832952757542220502010-12-04T18:06:00.000-08:002010-12-04T18:24:49.074-08:00CONCEPTION!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDVHECku9d4A_YWbuYBB9JPpQou7z8bZJWWiood0pTrSgM5RyE2HKAgsYEbpNmFnSHp5lmOeWI2_nE2DSGOXEJDoD1DYQG-yijq6PVZOGDDw962UF7b6zL2JINEidgG4N8Ouwp13irZA/s1600/20101129-IMG_3049.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDVHECku9d4A_YWbuYBB9JPpQou7z8bZJWWiood0pTrSgM5RyE2HKAgsYEbpNmFnSHp5lmOeWI2_nE2DSGOXEJDoD1DYQG-yijq6PVZOGDDw962UF7b6zL2JINEidgG4N8Ouwp13irZA/s400/20101129-IMG_3049.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547017458080013794" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">I've been road tripping for about 4-5 weeks. Hoping to climb as many cracks as possible. The main goal of the trip was to climb Conception. I had tried the route for the first time about 4 years ago, but an injury to my right index finger ended my hope to climb the route. Last spring I came painfully close to send the route, but had to catch a flight before I could finish it... The Epic road to Conception had just started...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXk1fpE54uAmv0RbypRI8kAYo4_njsrRLIxL_GvkdXBca1_c90ifLUiMXekMbP1OtFHViVA_mdEvJy-1hvNe0ONrDkXtd_S2bUPUK4JTx6RQWEfqIxep_F5MqFERGVTSOpDe_xnqpMLTc/s400/20101129-IMG_3090.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547017423359587826" /><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">So, last November, on way to Moab (from Montreal) I stopped in Boulder for a couple days. I had to wait for friend over there, so I climbed Deadline in Boulder Canyon. I had been on the route a couple years ago but had never returned to do it. The route is really a V8 boulder problem. The moves are cool but it's really short for a route.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nm5Nke668UKSU8l4ynIGPIFFMSJKz2jBTbmI8OCjR_m1i2rMntXgN2Plse0wyYMQ0jIZtH4d2clparUQzRGdCF3I4LmeG0fLGaiEnH29wCvgXVSgSrY_0kslGEGHXPIv_CMXpvcrfIc/s400/20101129-IMG_3008.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547017453365299938" /><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">Then I drove to Moab and got on Conception right away. I felt pretty good on the route but on the 2nd day I made a huge flapper and had to take a brake from the route. The start of the climb is so thin I can't climb it tape on this part of my finger. Then bad weather came and, frustrated, I bailed to Zion to get on Master Blaster. I had heard the route was very goo and I was not disappointed. This route consist of a 5.11+/12- finger crack to a cool 7-8 feet bulge roof.The size of the crack in the bulge is .75 Camalot. I climbed the route pretty fast (3 tries over two days). My hand size definitely helped for this one, because I could get a really-really-thight-thin-hand jam. but I still had to ringlock and throw to the jug at the lip. While the weather improved in Moab, I still had to wait to get on Conception because the police/FBI had to close the Potash Road to to catch a convict who was on the go after shooting a cop.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wTWxCwZoRM9aLWfYX0uZy3-eTKVv3bqsvHiknItxfDstBkinVRf-Gs6ulK8752sjSu7UHXiZBpVgYnHiGDWAeUQPAVqQ1WTLqz-4cO63sxeJX7dBHafxmP07mIFBKYoZgtdwSFSpBfI/s400/20101129-IMG_3256.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547017465651469378" /><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">I almost gave up my hopes to do Conception, but after a couple days in Indian Creek, where I did Pink Flamingo, the cops reopened Potash Road and I could finish Conception. This is definitely one of best route / coolest line in the desert.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3tVoiYlZ7B8VSjKEvBg1Ib9cG1pdoedGQ0bENlwwaxm8M34C3ftM1-KNYJ7YTuuQLVCQbGzN5r8aWDXKImV14wgxV4Xhk4oMbuo7qOD3OrD3KuflEBnBTB-PQaNSHPveI8Y_SJCAVezk/s400/20101129-IMG_3178.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547018096352980674" /><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;">I still have a week to kill and I'm hoping to do No Way Jose at the North Wash. Wish me Luck!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica;font-size:medium;"><br /></span>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-15039779742966267792010-11-21T10:14:00.000-08:002010-11-23T18:59:27.871-08:00Tape GlovesForced rainy rest days sucks... Is there anything else to do than sipping an Espresso while surfing the web at Starbucks? This PM I was browsing thru my photos on my lap-top and found old pictures my friend Eric Odenthal took. The plan with these photos was to make a how-to-tape-gloves article. We never got around to make the article... so here's a quick method to make a good tape glove for crack climbing.<div><br /></div><div>I use athletic tape of 1.5 inch width.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Step 1: cut 2 or 3 pieces of tape that are the width of your hand and place them on the top of your hand (perpendicular to your fingers). Makesure the first piece you put is over the knuckles. This way they will be well protected.</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GnLYK53Rl2Y6G1vtTvkFrFvV8bN4Hhac8cPomGkVXsbhou29upZwHavR4kjVPGBa132CLTKO7fQbecXEGharpq2jSTOvsGMMuxuWNDNLTem3Zw4vXHg1RVeSUwE0aFvRWlkX7-zGmt0/s200/IMG_1296.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542077540328454370" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KwNmbmtVjR86XfmKDRaeeiJ5eq4vBgzA5cUtiynV8eScoOoUX_dlt3OeTTR54LK4bwayW8tg0d5P2ECilvgxrS5Mh3BYM_SQfCq-6yE-ingwWrMtwdAuykjtTUZ47gAS0h2Gv_k3oQI/s200/IMG_1298_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542077554257146498" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Step 2: cut a piece of tape that is twice the finger-tip-to-wrist length. and wrap it around the thumb. Make sure both ends reach the wrist. This way when you secure the glove at the wrist it'll stay there.</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWIA6CXod2rLct-f9RWGF5NuVHERWMIdVAh4_0FEhy7Vh7YhFDsheCmrdHGf1sLD-tmoKTNeXvOaL3BhRnbRYZPOND_r5bQY18H0xPBO_hRkuASZbRqg7F5ACSMxV-pTcagJpfxLWFjEM/s200/IMG_1300.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542077570584120898" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmwn7XWBYFA4tmixEBANQi6Ofm7KTgZL3ZRHIvcADIS_F2h5P-pU2vGlqs5qMLGsBfKsRHwU8NFgrEUgAnA43DAvSXVS0CyzrrGrkseQt6sTFlJz8kZK3Mh_b3bTk1_1S5CEBR5u2KHA/s200/IMG_1301.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542079992176541922" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Step 3: This step is similar to the previous step, but to make it easier, there's a little trick. So after you've cut a piece of tape that is twice the finger-tip-to-wrist length, make a little "bow" with it by squeezing the middle of the piece together. Then place the squeezed section between the pinky and ring finger and wrap the piece around the pinky. Alway start with the pinky and then the index-finger. Finish with the 2 middle fingers. This way it'll be more secure and the glove will hold on better. Again make sure both ends reach the wrist.</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3cUjmeVpY9FdZYz1S4lYEx9LCMjTGtMe25LKwSQ0k18BiNVZs_c5z0pV6D647HqQzHr2nOv5tPjk-Op0j3oI4cB0OtGPZaBJLA1xX8Ui8g_sQixWYNo1ASKKaTjaefz2oHWGDWbXzeI/s200/IMG_1302.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542077576044224674" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoB-Ukv-bPx64i7FTaJcgTrd1E7kWnMEsu4hSPR2s6BnD4Q1eNNBt0YWY57JL_JYu6hOFdXrly0FBLKxq64RavVsQ6WQ2xb44n4vRUyRR6nnytydt9NK1_wv5qeNznMCAk6iGhphfbTA/s200/IMG_1303_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542077586127707186" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSQi-pycxYnzeZA6wLaTUxi9yEQYZelqUHuVnEAB20arHl0uX3Fv6mD8JRofX06HkAZldWkSn_jdpiqOBqPueLA6S8pxH794EgG20lyj_jtSI3bIXacEYw6Mfrp8XNcAGe-9wIMzXsSI/s200/IMG_1304.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542079994726962082" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihwxsuhOuuok4FSHDy6tRvwC2RH4mGWjQos5o3xQ2Sywff6XUnD8B_bdDQsbigAjOnGBseu2TSytHXbiyxu_4oAg6ZRC7kcFkbIcxU2E6pzUV3oW6Hj9Uv5UI4AEf_DicOCqY3OrkQD_E/s200/IMG_1325.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542083418324169986" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Step 4: Repeat for all fingers</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKHmTenzKbLRU3A6WkcoeHdvi0a6Elpc_ToDw-TvvC-_1vr1BAuFucqHLElgWxnF42PB_Wi_0NeiLjRR574eLc-PWMks6LYBX7g42oNIqUVYX5JceE_hCuwSWIcgw1OW92cxXH0WvyMY/s200/IMG_1310.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542080000863899506" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi03edYPXibaLR7TPi7P2sW92PeGVbs7WaQCFEs_S9otG5sg02bnQOSmRfuJB9jYncXnm-VFgmtva6o4VX3PL8Mzc8bD7Ml2iQEePcvUxHEi5rr8Rx4sJra57J1Iw4W2UsBCuPJLhgWkc/s200/IMG_1326.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542083427845476434" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Step 4: Cut a piece of tape that would be twice the length around your wrist. Wrap it around your wrist to secure the other glove parts. Don't make it too tight or you'll get pumped in an instant when you start climbing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Your gloves should look like this:</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iqHTZzovolbNBQU2fOas00v7t97pb3TE3oI4PBQTCQ99dgQpb8folhqzQJRzkLsymQvcZGTy5cJkr5kKaV14tMLJ1t31KT9j5CqJUzwWt1Y7UDY0Ou8NEQE9jurUNfOEJAfipwpe-RA/s200/IMG_1328.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542083433298336338" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnb2nVPxypN_Vc8E8SqDxOsGAXrKe4miahFOjPsGR2SQXJCpqyWy6OE5G3LQ4fXzmaqMuRVjLy2hc8NPidgS4Ot-t1Qd2zgWI4Ce8fzdCuj0Gm0NYvVVusH5W2VuyQS_IDKIjUd16pRIo/s200/IMG_1330.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542085115110495122" /></div><div><br /></div><div>If you didn't trash your glove too much while climbing, you can re-use them by cutting the wrist part and peeling it off (it is smart to shave your hands if you have a lot of hair like me...). Next time you need them just put them on and put another piece of tape around the wrist.</div><div><br /></div><div>ENJOY TAPE GLOVES WITH YOUR FAVORITE SPLITTER CRACK!</div><div><br /></div></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-73673965528647932742010-11-21T09:17:00.000-08:002010-11-21T09:59:17.491-08:00Master Blaster<img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUuDgv7cB9TKYnhoiv7xmxRMggO2i7yf-GTqgYoumloghufe9YMuwBlmEHuPMvBEo0-2SjLfH8GN79xrA7N6MYMSASQGzVBtECYOl0Q3wvr_spVKdI9ExFT9341S8KCpbwD8PpKYfYr0/s400/P1010146.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542062544806070162" />The last couple days have been crazy. Betweendriving my friend to the airport, picking up another friend, walking the strip in Vegas and the rain, I was able to squeeze-in a couple burns on Master Blaster in Zion. I had wanted to check out this route for a while. Actually, even before the route was freed by Ben Gilkinson a couple years ago, Didier Berthod (who tried to do the FFA) had told me about the route and since then I had always kept it in the back of my mind. My friend Sonnie made short work of the route last year and told me it would suit me well... Well it definitely did, because I sent it on my 3rd go. The route is pretty cool. It starts with a 15 meters 5.11+ finger crack to a decent rest to the 2 meters roof crux. The roof part is pretty hard and bouldery. You need to use a weird combination of ringlocks and super-super-thin-hands. For folks with big hands it would be ringlocks only (i.e. harder and more painful)... Right at the lip you do a short deadpoint to a really sandy jug, then heel hook and then it's pretty much in the bag... unless you break a hold...<div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yTJze5z8O9wyoRhXriesUDGX0JjGerDyc5I29RQAow_Li6Zi-8jyhyF8rBGTQse_zTcnxBOIQmJJ2DkraegPz8Hfu-QBZD3mldY-GiIjkhd5agWedRjWZe6yr53yL5wt0k4xznUTyU4/s400/P1010143.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542062534449130114" /></div><div><br /></div><div>You can watch Sonnie sending here: http://vimeo.com/5654799</div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-34050149143143719402010-11-14T09:49:00.000-08:002010-11-16T23:02:05.355-08:00Timing is Everything<div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84WqcUlE8vu3JaQ-z95p_ZUVyH_SJ5yzvr3ndeuluGDS2YlkjzjiMgpI-xtAOrGmnx3izP6Kj4v2vxj3pOoixootIEaNZaXcoEFLD1SzaG8sFYDWzpDx1pC3y7Pc0cX73cRXI93QNMGU/s1600/IMG_1584.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84WqcUlE8vu3JaQ-z95p_ZUVyH_SJ5yzvr3ndeuluGDS2YlkjzjiMgpI-xtAOrGmnx3izP6Kj4v2vxj3pOoixootIEaNZaXcoEFLD1SzaG8sFYDWzpDx1pC3y7Pc0cX73cRXI93QNMGU/s400/IMG_1584.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539595328598201906" /></a></div><i>(Sandstone Heaven)</i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Everything in climbing is a question of timing... You need to be climbing at the right speed (not too fast or you'll mess your sequence up and not too slow or you'll get pumped). You have to hit the holds just perfectly or you'll slip off. You need to jam with just the right pressure. If you jam too hard you'll get pumped again and if you don't jam hard enough you'll probably slip out of it and in both cases you'll end up with gobies anyway... believe me I'm now officially a gobies expert. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02KynJHgb4Z2EHRGa-iHCkA4CJBFj4zcFdKEhJw3Z3F2Cbq5ufSNPvTXf61qCbUEStXNYLdT6UM1D_FUzIgc2sizuGF5KiFhrRHHrDU2rEJJ6FTeNTcIubCe4iz36QsfAVgOvGlwgo2I/s400/IMG_0141.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539488192420316626" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>(my hands are looking good... if only every go</i><i>bies was a send)</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">You have to bring the perfect rack (if you bring too much gear, the weight is gonna pull you down and if you don't bring enough you'll get scared or you'll put yourself in bad situations). You also have to place the gear at the right place and at the right moment (you need to place the gear at the waist or it'll be hard to clip and the rope will be in your way as go past it. And we all know that placing the protections in the middle of the crux isn't the smartest idea). Since we can't really rock climb when it's raining, we also have to time the climbing days and the rest days at the right time. Resting when the temps are perfect and being ready to climb when it's raining or snowing is so frustrating... If you don't take enough rest and you'll be out of juice pretty fast and too much rest and your psyche will fade out and you'll turn into an "wanna-be-climber-internet-surfing-blogger-coffee-drinker-couch-potato" like me.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-FIjMweQlQP64mcQSwWluMEhfRPL20lswoE-yjpEuvpxJLxUZf5YmYOho85SsbyJR1gZg02YUxp7AaR5wj3fQ9c3XSdvwMM3D3b9oaMBiR15uOCwjcSfaw5EoqC_51WZAw8UrdcRkgtQ/s400/DSCF5296.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539589978964414898" /></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "></span>(really good beta for free</i><i>WIFI: Moab laudromat...)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>I've been trying to "time" my climbing for the last couple weeks... and so far it's not been perfectly right... Well to be honest my "timing" has been really bad. I've been working on and off on Conception in Moab for the past 2 weeks and so far, most of tries (3 or 4) can be describe as follow: I've brought too much gear, tried to place it while in the crux, took too much time in the rests (so my leg got pumped), climbed too slow so I got pumped, then tried to go fast and screwed the sequence up, then over gripped, then got more pumped, then tried to run it out to saved energy and got scared, then more pumped and then finally FELL... Again... With my fingers all gobied I had to take some time off of the route, so I when to climb other stuff, but the psyche isn't there because I'm always thinking about Conception... I don't want my gobies to get worse, I don't want to be too tired and I'm just not that psyche on other routes right now.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfAQx_yysaAgOMM60Xe8k14b9OVwCaYPb0S9funMSqFoI4_9A66ZDQxhlLLL-aVEMl71A_k581Su08z6L2sKlL_LPsQOli8hjjxFsHU1MvsT35xxy_AiwPSqF6l23ZjRWyQOsa7TsF5M/s400/DSCF5433.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539589998239496658" /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>(taping up for another try)</i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><i> </i></span><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbsbmz1-wUVl2kv49Dx5tPu_iFvw7JQxMFE9gBy2kFrbKlJBpVzBmXQ5Bn3Ki5ZwcNKub0ncvJBJ8UkjDIasdcCKVnBHu4j9Ys1A8awl-j48-LPz25_2lao2A3gku5l28iGOCV5zRGS0/s400/P1000696.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539590005274769442" /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i>(in the middle of Conception, fully pumped</i>)</span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>So instead of messing around on other routes, I decided to take a few rest days and concentrate on growing some skin... I did really well... My skin w</i><i>as almost perfect after 4 days... So after 4 days off I thought I'd be ready to go send, but it started to rain... Bummer. Another day of rest and coffee drinking/facebook surfing... This morning I warm-up on a nearby climb and felt pretty good. I was a bit windy so thought it would be good conditions. I like it when it's windy. What I didn't think of is that the rain would have left a little bit of sand in the crack... I got on it anyway, slipped in the thin-pin-scarred section section and MEGA-GOBIED my finger. This one is gonna take at least a week to heal... maybe more... </i></div><div><br /></div><div><i></i><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrfluufYcKQdIJV5JIHNMxzd4-tER5RnP9U1-gZP3gPWhpFUOxtA5BLMfr-KKJMf0uiX44nbr2owz0lnz6Gfezu3Wy7KYusatwlxshwpdjfvuKJciW1YSQcW3Hbmbt5xq2kiih-PORaE/s400/P1010133.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540405843406934162" /></div><div><i>(probably my proudest flapper)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i></i><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNOYpRboWOcXS8cp1WoOn6HPJa9JMOU-T3jqUcRESvMa2dG6qQfTtcZAEXzt9r942PpK72mPGR4oMQv3PMvIddcltLDjT_T_Ej0IYh7vahuxFNF6ZOLaSZlznwU_DpSTnNyZbSfAq8yE/s400/IMG_1606.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539589984428006114" style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></div><div><i>(Conception... probably the best line in Moab Area)</i></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-21595273347201100952010-11-10T18:04:00.001-08:002010-11-10T21:29:42.243-08:00Moab part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-lUV8mJYzXoHQQi4o6K0GuQRnUaivofBH-PpDwG_PmjvIZWRix3FPUPSXKJMqNVHRmyiY9qLJhQJOZNKrinSc4FSQFr0iUrbOz1z2Dgl-OGo2uz2JxIdR_XVaYxtKvOTFrwE36zfEa4/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk-lUV8mJYzXoHQQi4o6K0GuQRnUaivofBH-PpDwG_PmjvIZWRix3FPUPSXKJMqNVHRmyiY9qLJhQJOZNKrinSc4FSQFr0iUrbOz1z2Dgl-OGo2uz2JxIdR_XVaYxtKvOTFrwE36zfEa4/s400/IMG_0023.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538156925575837266" /></a><br /><i>(the calm before the storm)</i><br /><br /><br />OK Now I'm officially pissed off... a couple days ago I fell off at the end Conception again... in the easy section... WTF??? And I gobied my finger pretty well too... Stupid stupid stupid... <div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4cMfbSFRF-l1mWTU5yJbpp-P-2o0DaP6GaV_s4Q-8wcuMg02Pd3WmLJljCIFdqKmSuK70L1yQaa6UsFKHqguxRj7haeg5gvqO0M9e1a_kHsEvquHyxw8-LOiT5DThJ04Soom3Lalbfg/s400/IMG_0974.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538157388452884018" /></div><div><i>(pretty good gobies)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>So since I couldn't get on Conception again, we decided to head down to Indian Creek. Yesterday, my buddy Ghis got on the ultra classic Coyne Crack and also on Finger in a Light Socket at the Super Crack Buttress. He definitely got schooled on Coyne Crack (exactly like I did when I tried it on my my first trip to Indian Creek), but he did really well on FSL. I tought he had in the bag, but a foot slipped and he went for the ride.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_-4CDZk0QQLMDiDq8NigeOPIO6iIoklj09mJN3KgaC2FVv1AFIFpnjJcxqvFZ42W5x4HZ3Ae7i27L7S6gMZTk-Kqs_Hg7manY3q14G5rbMuCtOQwjV8EzexNAqWrbxr7O8lXtAj7xK4/s400/P1010066.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538158898404359970" /></div><div><i>(Ghis getting ready to attack Coyne Crack)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Today, Ghis wanted to get back on FLS so I decided to check out Pink Flamingo. This route is on the far right side of Super Crack Buttress. I had tried it maybe 5 years ago with my friend Sly and had my ass kicked really hard...This route is mostly 0.5 Camalot... my worst crack size... my nemesis... I can't get a finger lock and I can't quite get a ringlock... so all I do is slide off the crack... It's especially hard to stop and place the gear. But I thought I'd go and check it out and finally learn how to climb this size. My first try when really bad... I mean... I had to aid past the 0.5 section... Then on my second try I climbed it with 2 quick hangs... and definitely found the "trick"... I can definitely do the route. I'm psyche because I thought I'd never be able to do this one...</div><div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlAw3Yr8CiE1OTw_kwEuUck02uQcHFjuQVu_1j5FzI5YjVSq1PUSERICuv5PmLpY6cJEmNIu91Qw9AW9yv4KO71mr3pAHZbCCmrUdKFvGSgDHqxRnXX5NzDxCbGMwr3zzzcwcQGy-izE/s400/snow3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538156071253402498" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLKh5LkWSgqwHaT_J-8hsczD0ruKbLqwTZYRFmYHorZUu3UeYC2XXQdA1nSz75qinPLayiXj5R2JxNlRwIPHQGMCvedwgeWF1c_LHtwjJhIe-Jm5qUSQi26dA-ByrqiGE-mJlH9Mk1qRw/s400/pw%253Asnow.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538156075930489602" /></div><div>So after that second try, my psyche was shut down by the big clouds that showed up and brought some snow... We had to bail... The forecast looks grim for another day or so and after that we'll be back at it...</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5A3zPUwunLToVNMBXidXtv2LI4xFNwQubwomRJo_NECRiaDoYqkeqdTqFMFdfyJdPRuGiOi2JGUzWPWc_TJaTU-LORuWX3cpSqOhyXDthxu_xtTo8U7UuRnVwn-L0bLKGmZ1jj1_IIM/s400/snow2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538156079893296450" /></div></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-56681125319627558512010-11-07T13:13:00.000-08:002010-11-07T13:34:42.873-08:00MOABMoab! And here we are again! I've be here so many times, it's starting to feel like home. This time I'm travelling with my buddy Ghislain.<div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3n1m5LJy0ruNULlDQI00I_DpjeZTiDmW3MwZ0sda_N1hyZYfX7RYQL6F951podWvV1d6nRpHlIChpu168-qhgR7GloG8Wc-8PropiKGbvQFu8Le7D_lUGJQdr1QWLopa7TnvgHZGC5I/s400/P1010045.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536922673191593554" /><div><i>(Ghislain after is first send of the trip)</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i></i><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjC1qYQYIMQ9xTlY3huZK3z15NZOqfvxdfQtVMJ8GpB_tSqORKHT53Tl8zxidJiGYYhz-sAmawgSWevdnokIwIaB3NYHIU_tobIf7yWC7x4xxiEzxgZZ0E970Mf1dXuApnsQ0B3PuFRHs/s400/P1010017.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536923646117118530" /></div><div><i>(Ghis the nice 5.10 flake across the canyon from Conception)</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Two days ago we went to Day Canyon to get on my old project: Conception. I tried the route this last Spring and came painfully close to send the route but then again I ran out of time and had to fly to Yosemite... So now after a day of remembering the sequence, I think I'm ready to SEND. Please send your good vibes so I can get on something else after... Yesterday I belayed Ghis on a couple classic climbs in Kane Creek Canyon. Most people come to this region to climb in Indian Creek. Of course there's more routes over there and you won't be disappointed. ROck is like gold over there... But there's so much good climbing in the canyons around Moab too... and the cool thing is that there's nobody!!! It's so quiet. <div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUMZBBIWsjFfHsHP9wjL1R_a7h8PfDlNQAGYbl5izpQDFbAVBK8p5briluObvbKgN19SAmotBf0m72__STfufZyL2Xpc1xcT_8X3oF-lYIWe6snYMaslGM64Ii9uPhlweXju9kHjFwkA/s400/P1010001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536923655771436322" /></div></div></div><div><i>(Fitz making sure my jacket stays warm)</i></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-67198831570064677012010-11-03T16:49:00.000-07:002010-11-03T17:14:45.599-07:00The Crack mobile<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBz-U79E_db9yriZdjRzgJGi63ZF_cjoy890IfoVo0U8deZGkfS6N97901KmTC273nie47sJhBbJolEmbuHrC2zJzjaJNmNhn0vkoXzFaXD-wrizdvQVzsvZ-UvucLKMlfczlqoqXzWU/s1600/P1000956.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBz-U79E_db9yriZdjRzgJGi63ZF_cjoy890IfoVo0U8deZGkfS6N97901KmTC273nie47sJhBbJolEmbuHrC2zJzjaJNmNhn0vkoXzFaXD-wrizdvQVzsvZ-UvucLKMlfczlqoqXzWU/s400/P1000956.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535475171740809938" /></a><br />Nadine and I finally made the move... We got ourself a camper! It's really really cool! I really like the trout stripes and the assorted roof box too... OK I have to admit... it drives a little bit like a sailboat (especially with when the wind comes from the side) and the gas mileage isn't the best... BUT it's super comfortable... It's heated, as a fridge and a ton of space. I'm on my Fall crack trip, so it'll be the perfect set up for me. Especially around Moab. The nights are pretty cold there and it's pretty cool to have a 4X4 pick-up truck for some of the more hard core dirt roads over there.<div><br /></div><div>So after 2 days of driving, I made it to Boulder and already climbed there for a couple days. The first day I got on a"secret crack" and felt pretty good on it... but on the 2nd day, I broke some key crimpers and now I can't do the crux section... damn it... So I took a day off of it and went to Boulder Canyon and I surprised myself by quickly doing Deadline (I was probably still frustrated by the other route... so I had a ton of energy to spare)... I had tried the route a couple years ago, but had to leave before I sent... It's a really short 35 foot route. Essentially it's a 10 moves V8 roof/crack boulder problem. You still have to stop in the middle of the crux and place the gear... The climbing is super powerful (I guess my bouldering regime paid off!!!). This route has originally been bolted and rated 5.14... It's NOT... It has now been done a couple (5-6) times on gear now and the new grade has settled for 13d (I think maybe 13c... or maybe it's just my style never mind... I'll take the 13d points...). On my personal star-scale, it's probably not a 5 stars route (probably only 1 or 2) But it was still on the "List" and I'm happy to have done it in a day. Stay tuned for more crack climbing...</div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-9340126692190390152010-10-06T19:42:00.000-07:002010-10-06T20:12:13.805-07:00Val-David<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkurFeTJsM2XD2XZh1ew1iYox3Y2ytJMIyHHD5fg9tBCF_n1iC95B7ah4xDtiRnHm9VuajRMuSi-FPee8P7mOQ4V3RNQOB-uvj7DrStHeuxNnJimX_2TjpaDMS1SfnX6UsGZ5t_Cjsrc/s1600/IMG_7517+copy.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkurFeTJsM2XD2XZh1ew1iYox3Y2ytJMIyHHD5fg9tBCF_n1iC95B7ah4xDtiRnHm9VuajRMuSi-FPee8P7mOQ4V3RNQOB-uvj7DrStHeuxNnJimX_2TjpaDMS1SfnX6UsGZ5t_Cjsrc/s400/IMG_7517+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525131641957378866" /></a><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnkurFeTJsM2XD2XZh1ew1iYox3Y2ytJMIyHHD5fg9tBCF_n1iC95B7ah4xDtiRnHm9VuajRMuSi-FPee8P7mOQ4V3RNQOB-uvj7DrStHeuxNnJimX_2TjpaDMS1SfnX6UsGZ5t_Cjsrc/s1600/IMG_7517+copy.jpg"></a>(my new hero, Bernard Poisson -note the chest harness that he used for the FA Le Toit de Ben-)<br /><br />I spent a lot of time in Val-David over the years and met a lot of great people at the crags there. 2 days a go I met one of Canadian Climbing Pionneers, Bernard Poisson, at Mont King. He is my new hero! At 79 years old, Bernard still comes to Mt King to get his rock climbing fix... Imagine he has been climbing for more than 50 years...<div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qGI8-ZFy2CKMchdAegW3kIidgrkN4YXh_njGHkMUIwv7WLgQcgcuyjLknK0ZvAc2PvQW4VUqWkI16IS6WLD5NNFn_I-5SM5gRUicKC8q4ADa3NIAPtuBh4Nyu0Erm3uD2V4h0gfh248/s400/IMG_7611+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525131644497943282" /></div><div>(2010... Bernard climbing at Mont King in Val-David, at 79 he still climb regularly )</div><div><br /></div><div>In 1958 he did the first ascent of the infamous Le Toit de Ben with wood pegs, pins, hemp rope and cordelettes. Oh and they didn't have harnesses at the time, so he was tying in with an homemade chest-harness..</div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFBreISEPLHqMg66s7Bla0UKcSWtPk1-_A_2zHoZI0Mnt66NJ93XuaAuN8eV9PV35i0MAdqE9mkDTmjanhRxQAu7DcSDaSi6GS6oNpBYEAdFgahod70Nie9u-WDGYhc0v1vvNyo6vTe4/s400/IMG_7990+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525131646600485298" /></div><div>(Bernard in the making of Le Toit the Ben, circa 1958 -with some original wood pegs-)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kfAcs6dIuUVpyLOsPsWXvUBw9Wwj6h08V3QF-LzaGa_Wo5t5En6rxHa8qT1Wguu0znFxjfctQaaO9pIblXwIA0sZUh506HrV8co4rglbWQ8lcfZ9bDoGSqsTW9Npid0NgAYvXK2Hu-I/s400/IMG_7994+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525131651834118946" /></div><div>(Bernard at the lip of Le Toit de Ben)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDt43A_vyRUOeW1vPHqNOIkJmh8_Pz6R1IrYmzuPDgBkWCYfuU-4uMYjHXpjkm26pHOdGHTyA5wQv3yF-hAzNnXQ5BacWt-nBaUAMs-dC8Yf30St_D9FAk1tvbBiUYAQBLxxGFSYSJ-js/s400/IMG_6532+copy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525131639614603298" /></div></div><div>(me posing down for the camera in Le Toit de Ben, 52 years after the FA)</div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-69226165251970687612010-10-05T17:38:00.000-07:002010-10-05T18:36:37.213-07:00The FALL<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPlfeDK_kdlKaUymzsvVWuKAcwZ9roUXnlVoxj8l5DeIdKYfsfXZao5MGW_YOSK7chwXdaXsIOOcM7lE5UtC-1wf7dhCyXXNboyXVSiAjLbmywkE3UVzZx2EhmUwBtmskVQbj9D2loX0/s1600/IMG_1843.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPlfeDK_kdlKaUymzsvVWuKAcwZ9roUXnlVoxj8l5DeIdKYfsfXZao5MGW_YOSK7chwXdaXsIOOcM7lE5UtC-1wf7dhCyXXNboyXVSiAjLbmywkE3UVzZx2EhmUwBtmskVQbj9D2loX0/s400/IMG_1843.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524734225635720130" /></a><div>(Moss Cliff, Ill Fire is in the middle of the steep wall)</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPlfeDK_kdlKaUymzsvVWuKAcwZ9roUXnlVoxj8l5DeIdKYfsfXZao5MGW_YOSK7chwXdaXsIOOcM7lE5UtC-1wf7dhCyXXNboyXVSiAjLbmywkE3UVzZx2EhmUwBtmskVQbj9D2loX0/s1600/IMG_1843.JPG"></a><div><br /></div>It's been a while since my last post... I've been pretty busy with work and also climbing of course... I spent most of my time in the Adirondacks, at Moss Cliff working on various projects. Conditions were excellent for most of September and I made quick progress on Ill Fire (5.14- R)... But the last 2 weeks have been really wet and the crux section started to seep... It seems that it's the story of my life... Damn it! why do I have to choose projects that seeps.... Oh well, I guess it'll be dry at some point... maybe... I'd really like to do this before the end of the season... so I guess I might have to postpone my Fall desert trip later in November. <div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-49542797227531127912010-07-26T13:11:00.000-07:002010-07-30T12:42:11.066-07:00Well, the Cobra mission will have to wait until next Summer. Although I was making really good progress I didn't sent... and with the the last week heat wave, I didn't event bother go up there to try again... The last time I went up there it was 30 celsius and I was slipping out of my tape gloves... <div><br /></div><div>A couple weeks ago I went to check out My Little Pony with a bunch of friends. This thing is an 20 foot horizontal fist crack roof in Cheakamus Canyon. I had heard of that thing a year or two ago, but had never made it up there. It turned out to be a real good route that reminded me of Le Toit de Ben in Val-David. After watching Alex flashing the route and Mason sending on is second go, I sent it on my 3rd go... Tony it's your turn to send! The next day I was so sore in my abs and legs, I had to take a couple rest days... </div><div><div><br /></div><div>After My little Pony, I spent most of the last 2 weeks bouldering in the forest: I became the man I've never wanted to be... There's still cracks to climb and I've been bouldering instead... No seriously, I think that this little bouldering regime will be a great tool, since some of the projects I have for this Fall have sections that are quite powerful. </div></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-21164839990343271172010-07-10T12:59:00.000-07:002010-07-11T12:58:59.615-07:00Crack Tour: Learning how to charm a snake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpWCqea_bVxnuhtTlVb4tcfvA6glOwhuOz86bx7jAeawUH1ZmV3VLBPW09NIXposp1sO5_EtRcnuzbILphysAhsFZknUipkqqVIqSl0ouVg9law7CQTshPdycM-g4DDBQpnKSNzKjTcE/s1600/P1000822.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpWCqea_bVxnuhtTlVb4tcfvA6glOwhuOz86bx7jAeawUH1ZmV3VLBPW09NIXposp1sO5_EtRcnuzbILphysAhsFZknUipkqqVIqSl0ouVg9law7CQTshPdycM-g4DDBQpnKSNzKjTcE/s400/P1000822.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492740472489158450" /></a><br />We've been in Squamish for 4 weeks now. Our original Summer plans didn't include Squamish, but after spending some time with Sonnie in Joshua Tree this Spring, he convinced me to go give a try at Cobra Crack...<div><br /></div><div>The plan has been pretty simple... Climb as much as possible on Cobra when the weather is good and boulder the rest of the time. This way I keep some fitness in the boulders and don't get my hands/fingers too trashed, so when I get on Cobra my skin is perfect... Believe me, you want your skin to be in good conditions to climb Cobra, because she's a painful son-of-a-bitch... Since the route is in the sun in the morning, I usually warm-up in the boulders and go up to the cirque of the uncrackable in the afternoon for some ass-kicking sessions...</div><div><br /></div><div>So far I've been up to try Cobra 6 times... I can average no more than 2 tries per day on this thing... After 2 tries I can't take the pain anymore and my lock-off strength is reduced to barely being able to pick up my back pack to go back down the trail. And some days the second try is more flailing and pulling on the rope than actual climbing... I'm basically getting my ass kicked big time... BUT.... everyday I get on it, my ass is getting less and less kicked... I guess I can call this progress??? Or maybe I'm being too positive... At least I'm having fun... On my best try I was able to link from the ground all the way to the crux... but was shut-down by the "mono" move. So far I've done all the moves and on my last day I found a different sequence that avoids the mono move. I can do the mono move but I found it way too "low-percentage"... I could do it maybe 20% of the time. My version is more painful but easier (for me anyway)) and not quite as reachy . The last week has been really hot and my fingers tendons started to hurt more than usual, so I decided to take a little break from it... The forecast is looking good for the next week and my fingers are feeling better so I should get back on it soon and hopefully get my ass kicked a little less than last time.</div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7212973134434705632.post-50353245256457570982010-06-25T15:41:00.000-07:002010-07-01T19:45:25.890-07:00BD<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGTKgF3Rh9iUtP0_-vFqzAM7UTT3tTe5SP6Wp1jR4HkIg00X1fIvJvm1ti9e2d3RjVqnPnBQVITdDMdlJSmtPtbNtvhM8OdJevCIKiB4c74unRP2F0_Txd-TszxRj9gwVJXPLoace8Rs/s1600/BD_LOGO_CENTR_BLK_RGB.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjGTKgF3Rh9iUtP0_-vFqzAM7UTT3tTe5SP6Wp1jR4HkIg00X1fIvJvm1ti9e2d3RjVqnPnBQVITdDMdlJSmtPtbNtvhM8OdJevCIKiB4c74unRP2F0_Txd-TszxRj9gwVJXPLoace8Rs/s400/BD_LOGO_CENTR_BLK_RGB.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489134419622059362" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div>As some of you may know, a couple months ago, I left my old job to become a member of the Black Diamond Family. I will be playing some sort of an Hybrid role there as my new job will consist of being part-time Sales Rep and part-time Climber. This is the Dream come true!</div><div><br /></div>Last week I spent a couple days at the Black Diamond HQ in Salt Lake City. It was my first visit out there as a part of the BD Team. I was surprised how quickly I was integrated to the team. I was comfortable right away and felt like I had been a member of the family for a long time. <div><br /></div><div>BD is a hard core company. Not only do they have the best climbing team out there, but, also the people that work there are the real deal... I mean, within the designers, engineers, customer service reps, sales rep, you'll find that everybody is either a REAL climber, a REAL skier or a REAL outdoor athlete (ultra runners, cyclist, surfers). Over the time I spent there I got the chance to chat with hard core rock climbers and alpinists legends like Jack Tackle, Bill Belcourt and Russ Clune). I feel like the luckiest guy in the world right now. I mean this is not your typical outdoor company... This is THE company!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>PWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15208681808004233220noreply@blogger.com0