tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87777182024-03-18T02:56:10.958-05:00A Climber's LifeThe intermittent musings of a few climbing bumsGreg Mason Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189858826346433069noreply@blogger.comBlogger264125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-23294087406202037502013-12-20T11:15:00.000-05:002013-12-20T11:16:08.956-05:00Rios Libres - A Campaign to End Damning on the Baker River in ChileHi folks,
Having lived and knowing the political situation regarding these dams in Chile, I feel this is an excellent project to share with you: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rios-libres
They're raising cash to help spread the word about the damaging effects dams would have on the rivers in this region of Chile. Please stop by and donate today!
Greg
Greg Mason Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189858826346433069noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-57068851964570857282013-11-05T15:42:00.000-05:002013-11-05T15:42:09.842-05:00Funny Deleted Scene from Reel RockSaw this recently and thought I'd share. Great short video of a raccoon climbing with sound effects to boot!
BTW - I actually made it climbing recently, and I'm awaiting the pics to arrive via e-mail before I do the trip report. Thanks for your patience.
Until then...
Greg Mason Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189858826346433069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-89687034649900353112013-08-20T20:00:00.001-05:002013-08-20T20:00:05.043-05:00Kudos to a new blogI haven't posted in a while, and for that my apologies. I've been too busy with various art projects, but I will be climbing soon, I promise. I know where, just need to get there first.
However, I have to plug this dude(tte)'s blog. Not sure who (s)he is, but this is some funny stuff. Real tongue-in-cheek. Have a look and kudos to the author: Witness the Blogness.
BTW - if anyone is looking forGreg Mason Burnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02189858826346433069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-28826633737313870712013-04-14T21:00:00.000-05:002013-04-14T21:27:34.742-05:00A Visit From Afar
A socked-in day at Anhangava
Photo by Nivea Bona
I've now been in Brasil for a little less than two years, and during that time, no one had come to visit until "KITT" decided to drop south of the border for his first trip to South America. This was after an extensive interrogation conversation to convince him to do so when we met earlier in Spain. While in Spain, he was interested, but wasn't Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-19480764562857442982013-01-23T11:23:00.002-05:002013-01-23T11:24:42.839-05:00A Comical View of Sewing it UpUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-73723369821561752902013-01-10T16:50:00.000-05:002013-01-10T16:50:17.916-05:00A Dream Realized (if only for two days)
Ardales from above
We came in on the flat road until it hit the hill that went up into the village that sat there, below the ruined castle and the small church at the top and the tiny chapel above that up on the hill just beyond the row of windmills turning along the ridge that ran toward El Chorro. It had been a dream of mine to climb in El Chorro since I saw photos of the narrow Unknownnoreply@blogger.com429552 El Chorro, Málaga, Spain36.9092139 -4.759613100000024136.906039899999996 -4.7646556000000242 36.9123879 -4.7545706000000241tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-83829245818668936562012-12-02T09:30:00.000-05:002012-12-02T09:30:35.354-05:00It's Official: Spain is a Go!
El Chorro
(via www.escaladamutante.com)
I've been waiting for "KITT" to buy his ticket before posting this, but it's official now: he'll be in Andalusia, Spain over the New Year with me and "Lady" to head out climbing. I'll be in the area for about 3.5 weeks visiting "Lady" during that time, too. We may hit a few different areas in Andalusia, but we're really gearing up for ElUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-36824743322982158942012-11-27T09:54:00.002-05:002012-11-27T09:54:27.257-05:00Big Wall Trip Report by Mark HudonThis is such a great photo trip report by Mark Hudon that I wanted to share it. Amazing photos of three walls over a three-week period.
I've always appreciated his trip reports.
Three walls, three partners, three weeksUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-80072956388452225962012-09-21T09:34:00.001-05:002012-09-21T09:35:54.017-05:00TribesportsHi folks,
I recently did a write-up about Red Rocks on Tribesports, which is a social media site for those who are physically active. You can check it out here: Vegas Lights and Red Rocks Delights.
I'm pretty sure you'll all agree with my feelings that Vegas just isn't a boring party town, but that the allure of Red Rocks makes it one of the top climbing destinations in the Americas.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-50508881462544765282012-09-04T20:43:00.002-05:002012-09-04T20:44:16.633-05:00Running in Place?Well, I haven't been out climbing in months. There was some hope that I'd get out last weekend, but it never materialized. I can blame a lot of things on why I haven't been out, but really, it's all on me. I've been so focused on my art that I haven't had time. I think it's worked out, though. I recently had my first exhibition and I sold four paintings and earned my first commission.
"Lady" andUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-91616144838611709522012-06-29T13:07:00.000-05:002012-07-01T10:51:43.006-05:00The Argument Against Aid Climbing"We have a confirmed A5 pitch, here's the corpse - go..." - Chris Kalous
Yeah, I know, lately I've been posting a lot of other people's videos and not enough of my own stories. My apologies for that, but I don't have a lot of control over this. For one, here in Curitiba it rains more water per day these days than what I use in my shower. Two, well, the partner thing hasn't stabilized justUnknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-24603039225415042292012-06-26T18:47:00.000-05:002012-06-26T18:47:37.579-05:00Climbing R-rated RoutesFor some reason there has been a fair amount of talk regarding falling on gear, and it isn't just about falling on gear but more about how n00bs learn how to trust gear. Of course, there is a lot of information and advice out there that people can sift through, and some of that advice is pretty good. However, sorting through the crap and the good advice is difficult, especially for a beginning Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-39364650979239954222012-06-13T08:43:00.001-05:002012-06-13T08:43:52.578-05:00Life in the Hamster TubeAnother post from Ethiopia from my friend Nico, who is living, working, and apparently bagging a few climbs along the way. But the biggest question is, did the dog run away for good, or is there more to the story than a load of bird shit at the bottom of a chimney?
Life in the Hamster TubeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-53430211513920537812012-06-02T20:06:00.000-05:002012-06-26T18:50:03.503-05:00Wild Country Crack SchoolThis is a series of great instructional videos put out by Wild Country to help beginners learn to climb crack. They're short, but they offer some decent advice on strategy and technique. The videos start with the thinnest cracks (fingers) and go to the widest (offwidths) before ending with how to protect cracks.
Enjoy
Finger Cracks:
Hand Cracks:
Fist Cracks:
Offwidths:
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-35061009027730507482012-05-20T14:11:00.000-05:002012-05-20T14:11:16.482-05:00Finally!Well, not much to write, except that I FINALLY got out climbing yesterday. Made it out to Anhagava with "Lost", "Rookie", and "Thunder" and everyone had a good day. It was the first time "Thunder" had made it to the top of an outdoor climb, and he did it twice, battling the voices in his head from the ground up without ever backing down. "Rookie" led another climb after having not led in several Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-2652095952196570162012-03-19T20:50:00.002-05:002012-07-26T12:16:14.427-05:00Realities of What?It's been a while since I've posted my last trip report, but that's because I haven't been getting out very much. And it's official: I'm back to stinking up the joint. In another lifetime I was cranking four to five days per week as a normal, card-carrying member of the legit workforce. Forty-plus hours per week plus gym time and the weekend ritual of sitting in traffic, bagging 20 pitches Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-46360024781270856802012-02-09T13:40:00.000-05:002012-02-11T11:19:54.721-05:00Climbing in EthiopiaNico helped me out a lot when I was in Chile, so I think it's only fitting to give him a shout-out now that he's living and climbing in Ethiopia. Here is his latest blog post: Horizon Ethiopique. It's more than just climbing. Instead it tells a little bit of history and culture, too, as he and a bunch of French climbers get at it setting new routes in the Adwa Mountains, which are nestled inUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-11970432809683220992011-12-20T11:55:00.000-05:002011-12-21T07:01:31.310-05:00A Hodgepodge of Climbers in Southeastern Brasil
Looking out toward Curitiba
(Photo by Nivea Bona)
When I first landed in South America in December of 2010, I settled in Santiago de Chile, the Chilean capital city so walled in by the giant Andes mountain range to the east that peaks often felt as if they’d topple right down on top of the city. I chose to live in Chile in part due to the quality and abundance of climbing there. But as theUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2Curitiba - Paraná, Brazil-25.4283563 -49.2732515-25.5430798 -49.43118 -25.3136328 -49.115323000000004tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-71911527611341461532011-10-06T10:39:00.000-05:002011-10-06T20:34:15.605-05:00Getting Psyched (Out)
If you are like me, you know how much the idea of a climb can grow and subsequently fester in your mind. Whether it is a route you have wanted to do for years or a new climb with a daunting reputation, you know how drastically expectation can color a climb once you finally work your way up to getting on the darn thing. I don’t care if it is an r/x rated trad headpiece or a pumpy sport route withJohn Weselyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14273442587957345103noreply@blogger.com1Currahee Mountain Rd, Toccoa, GA 30577, USA34.5292663 -83.375720533.692160300000005 -84.639148 35.3663723 -82.112293tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-6641312952961385492011-09-06T23:04:00.001-05:002012-07-26T12:14:02.096-05:00First Time Out in Brasil
Sunset from Anhangava(photo by Isa Vellozo)
The weather never cooperated in the South American autumn. It was cold and rainy from Easter to the end of May, getting cooler by the week. And I was busy, too, of course, engaging in a Brazilian romance and wondering where it was going to take me. To the mountains during that six-week voyage it did not, so I flew home to the US and flailed at Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0R. Argemiro Furgêncio da Cruz, 449 - Quatro Barras - Paraná, 83420-000, Brazil-25.380013069118352 -49.010009765625-25.494794569118351 -49.167938265625 -25.265231569118352 -48.852081265625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-40722849625192841862011-08-06T17:21:00.002-05:002012-07-26T11:55:10.225-05:00A Farewell to the 'Gunks
Waiting my turn on Shockley's
This was probably my last trip to the 'Gunks in what is likely to be a few years. Kind of sad about it, to be honest, but excited, too. This has been the summer of "vacation" climbing, as one of my friends coined over our recent trip to Acadia. Ever since my disaster of a Rumney trip in June, I've been hoping to simply get out and enjoy the day with nothing Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2Mohonk Preserve, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA41.7581876 -74.157759941.7463426 -74.1775009 41.7700326 -74.1380189tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-77232900658202429702011-06-28T09:54:00.000-05:002011-06-28T09:54:05.549-05:00Running over kittens at Cannon(Apologies for the lack of photos. We simply didn't take any)
It wasn't long ago when Cannon was a place of nightmares for me. Three rain storms, an electrical storm, a brutally shortsighted hike to the summit, and a sprained ankle had crushed me time and time again. Don't get me wrong, I have made it to the top successfully several times, including on lead under difficult circumstances, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Franconia, NH, USA44.152564899999987 -71.679527744.081998399999989 -71.804220199999989 44.223131399999986 -71.5548352tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-88028991142818028712011-04-01T13:33:00.028-05:002011-04-01T13:51:13.224-05:00Gracias a la Vida
Nivea
Her eyes were as wide as a bucket of tears when I said I was going to be away that week.
Henry on the offwidth
Photo by Catalina Mekis
“All week?”
“When do you leave?”
It was next Sunday, early, and Henry, Armando, and Catalina had planned to come home late that same day. Maybe I can come home early, I thought, and Henry confirmed that the hardest part was getting there:“Getting back isUnknownnoreply@blogger.com4San Fabián, Chile-36.575828697027809 -71.526751243750027-36.873628197027813 -71.871640743750021 -36.278029197027806 -71.181861743750034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-8201623507919103162011-01-09T10:57:00.001-05:002011-01-09T10:57:51.258-05:00Guidebook: Espolones de San Gabriel - Espelon (5.7), La Raya (5.8) Espolones de San Gabriel
Approach: From Santiago head to Cajon de Maipo toward San Gabriel. By car, get directions in advance. By the Metro, get to the Los Mercedes subway stop. Head upstairs and grab a Collectivo (fixed-price taxi) to San Gabriel (as of Jan 2011, about 2500 pesos). The ride takes about an hour (maybe a bit less). Be sure to ask the driver to stop at the last bridge / Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0San Gabriel, Chile-33.783333 -70.25-33.926007999999996 -70.4834595 -33.640658 -70.0165405tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777718.post-2207260330788091012011-01-03T15:57:00.003-05:002011-01-04T17:32:49.195-05:00Viva Chile!
The stream below us
Less than four weeks had gone by since I had first arrived and I was rushing to meet "Red" downstairs. Two days prior he had said on the phone that in order to beat the Santiago crowd we'd have to leave early, which was fine to me because I wanted to beat the hot sun as best as we could. I figured he'd have me meet at the end of one of the subway lines at 7am so that weUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2San José de Maipo, Chile-33.783333 -70.25-34.354028 -71.183838 -33.212638 -69.316162