Rios Libres - A Campaign to End Damning on the Baker River in Chile

Hi 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

Funny Deleted Scene from Reel Rock

Saw 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...

Kudos to a new blog

I 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 for some good gifts, I'm doing oil-pastel-on-glass commissions here at Etsy. Thanks for stopping by!

A 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 sure he could swing the hefty airline price. A swift smack in the shins with a baseball bat few weeks later, after having reviewed prices for what seemed like every day, he bought his tickets for a ten-day trip around Easter weekend, and while we didn't have a lot of time to climb, it was on the agenda. Our plan was to hit Anhangava (a reasonable mountain outside of Curitiba with high-quality cliffs at the top)and then Mariscal (a fantastic climbing location for the views alone). I was really looking forward to both days, and secretly hoped we could sneak in a few more if the world suddenly changed direction.

A Comical View of Sewing it Up

A 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 gorge-turned-reservoir ten years ago. Then, with the El Camino del Rey, that famous, derelict walk affixed to the edge of the cliff and built for the king's workers to access the gorge during construction of the dam, still in use, I gazed at the photos of the towering, steep walls and wondered if there was any climbing there. The El Camino del Rey is a walk, now forbidden due a the number of deaths the past few years as a result of the decrepit state of the walkway, but the rock around it, and the exposure of the towers rising above the small town cuddled just above the river, was what opened my eyes. Not only did I find that there was climbing there, but I discovered that it was one of the top climbing destinations in all of Europe.

It'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 El Chorro.

More photos:

Big Wall Trip Report by Mark Hudon

This 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 weeks

Tribesports

Hi 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.

Running 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.

The Argument Against Aid Climbing

"We have a confirmed A5 pitch, here's the corpse - go..." - Chris Kalous

Climbing R-rated Routes

For 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 trad leader.

Life in the Hamster Tube

Another 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 Tube

Wild Country Crack School

This 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.

Finally!

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 months, and "Lost" worked his way to the top of the most difficult climb that he and I attempted all day. I got that difficult climb clean, too, which surprised me considering the combination of long my lay-off and the fact that I hung about 20 times on the same route the last time I was on it.

The weather wasn't spot-on all day, as it sprayed a bit of rain on us from time to time, but really, the temps were perfect and the yellow light of the sun through the clouds made me wish I had brought my camera. I was fascinated by how the green of the vegetation sparkled in the valley below us and how the rock turned into a deep yellow just as the sun set behind us. The wall of fog that oscillated back and forth around the mountain often had wrapped our minds into nothing but the climbs above us. Not very crowded there, either, which is always nice for me.

We hiked out in the dark once the sun set. Short days here in South America now, and the night is much colder than the day without the sun's warmth. Only three climbs, but after two months, who can complain with such a nice day out?

Realities 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 in a weekend, and returning with more weekend traffic suited me just fine until I got bored with my life in corporate healthcare finance. Now I'm teaching English in Brasil, making a shade less per hour than I was before in the U.S., and working significantly fewer hours. I should be climbing more, right? It turns out the answer is no, so what gives?

Climbing in Ethiopia

Nico 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 in the northern region of Tigray.

Enjoy

A 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 the world turns so does life move on, and upon meeting a great girl from the other side of the continent, I decided to relocate to southern Brasil, where I had no clue if there were even mountains let alone crags worth visiting.

Getting 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 with a heartbreaker finish, expectations drastically affect how we climb and, thus, our chances for success on the routes we want to do most.

First 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 Rumney, vacationed in Acadia, ripped my fingers to shreds on Cannon, and beat the heat at Rumney and Farley Ledge. Then my visa arrived at the Brazilian consulate and I boarded a plane to see just how far that romance was going to take me. Naturally, as the weather had been improving in forever rainy city of Curitiba, I was hoping to mix in a little bit of climbing, too. This past Sunday, I got my wish.