Saturday, January 24, 2009

Mike's 4 Star Upper Flag Circuit of FunK

What a day! It began with rain and ended with rain, but everything in between was perfect. Mike B suggested we do his 4 star workout circuit, and if you have ever bouldered with Mike B, then you know in his eyes, a problem isn't 4 stars unless its at least 20 feet tall.
We began in an area of upper Flagstaff I didn't even know existed. It is above the Upper Y and consists of almost all overhanging boulders. We warmed up on a few classy highballs, then went over to Pat Arment's "The Stand." Perhaps the best at its grade on Flagstaff. We then worked our way down, and ended this brilliant day on Big Overhang, in my opinion the best V2 I've been on in Colorado.

Dean working his way up The Stand

Charlie has such great climbing faces. Wish this photo had turned out a bit better.

Mike floating up Standard Route. Supposedly a V0. Yeah Right Mikey.

More pics of the day here.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Sat-o-lites

It was far too gorgeous to not be outside today. Here are some different perspectives of Turning Point.

Matt Whipping up a storm.

Danny loooking constipated

The Hold we are not getting to.

The turning of the point.

I really enjoy climbing with other photographers, not only do we nerd out and talk photography, but I also get to see myself in action. Danny's side here.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Blob Rock

We headed up to Blob Rock in Boulder Canyon on Saturday, and I have never felt so worked as I have on Sunday. There is something different in the way Blob Rock climbs compared to my other experiences in Boulder Canyon albeit a limited amount of experience.


Tara and Ian figure out where the blob we are going.

Ian entering the first crux of Jolt Cola.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Best of 2008 Photography Installment #1

I began looking back through my photographs from 2008. In terms of photography it was a big year for me. I bought a digital SLR, and I truly began to learn much more regarding the technical aspects of photography, and my camera tells me I took over 7400 photographs. It is a confluence of science of art, technical know how, and a compositional eye. I still have much to learn. Some of these photos are placed in this category because I thought they were great photos, some because they have sentimental value, and others because It was the first time I took a good picture using a new technique. I suppose it is hard to really critique your own photos because there is certainly a level of attachment that exists. Here is the first component of the best of 2008.



This is actually me climbing. My cousin, Siamak, took this photograph. I think it is amazing. As my good friend Matt Kerr says, this should be on the cover of climbing magazine IMHO.








I soloed half way up a sketch 5.7 trad route at T wall to get a photo of my friend Kyle on an adjacent route. To my dismay, I could not even see him climb. I felt obligated to take a photo, and this is the product. A nice perspective of T wall.






Photoneering

It seems Danny and I have been trying to get up to the Satellites for weeks, but the weather or other activities seem to stand in our way. We attempted to head up there today, but after eying the amount of snow and lack of sunlight we decided on a Flagstaff session. Who drives 45 minutes for a Flagstaff session?!?? Apparently we do.


Pre Warm Up Warm Up.

Nearly a great picture on the Amphitheatre.

Southwest Arete Face.

A little Scary, but how could I not post the glory of Danny's white stomach?

Danny's side of the story here.

Friday, January 9, 2009

The List

It seems posting the goals of the upcoming year is quite en vogue right now, so I'm jumping on the bandwagon and posting some of my goals. It also forces me to hold myself accountable for the production or lack thereof in the next year with respect to climbing. Here are just a few problems that really stick out in my mind that I would like to tick, and their respective grades.

--v4--
Spewbacca, Flatirons
--v5--
Lobster Claw, Hueco*
Germ Free Adolescence, Eldo
--v7--
The Ineditable, Independence Pass
Doughboy, Carter Lake
Baby Face, Hueco Tanks*
--v8--
Turning Point, Flatirons
Skipper D, RMNP
The Orb, Rocktown*
--v9--
Handicapps, RMNP
--v10--
Tower of Power, Flatirons

--5.7--
The Bastille Crack, Eldo
--5.10--
Rock Wars, RRG*
--5.11--
Purple Toe Nails, Shelf
--5.12--
Sargasso Sea, Dream Canyon
Tell Tale Heart, Boulder Canyon


* If I can make a trip out to said destination

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Taming Infinity

Mathematics is the most beautiful, creative art that exists. Unfortunately it is lost on most. This lecture given by Manil Suri doesn't require any formal mathematical training, and if you have an extra hour of time, and interest in the existence of different sizes of infinity I implore you to watch this.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

My Great Climbing Debate

In my relatively short career as a climber I have always been able to easily identify my strengths and weaknesses with respect to climbing. Of course as the disparity between my strengths and weaknesses grew, I tended towards my strengths because that is human nature. We enjoy what we are good at simply from the success achieved. As a result I labeled myself a boulderer, bought a membership to the spot, and made gains in contact strength, maximum power, and the mental thought process and problem solving associated with bouldering. I vehemently resisted moving out of this description. It became a part of my identity as a climber, as a person.
Then I moved to the South, and was forced to maneuver out of my bouldering persona because of the weather, but more importantly because of my passion for climbing movement. During the summer months, the sandstone sweat too much and the friction hardly existed for "hard" bouldering to take place. I began learning the art of sport and trad. Oh it was too easy to make excuses why I didn't excel at these disciplines. "I'm a boulderer at heart, I have no endurance!"
Now it is the midst of winter in Colorado. I imagined I would be doing nothing but bouldering this time of year simply for the fact it is miserable climbing and belaying routes in the bitter cold. Lo and Behonld, I have crossed the threshold into a rope wrangler, albeit a bad one....for now. My thoughts are consumed by routes I'm dying to crush, and the process involved. The epiphany which struck me is climbing is climbing, and it is dangerous to limit and label yourself in one discipline of climbing. Perhaps this seems like common sense to most climbers, but Its something I'm just beginning to discover.


Ian's proud onsight of Lats Don't Have Feelings at Shelf.