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-sm.jpg) The Surreal, Beautiful Buttermilks
Photos by Devlin Gandh - It's almost June, and that means the good temps in California are disappearing fast. Though we do have sunny weather, it isn't always the most conducive for climbing. With that in mind, it's no surprise to see a flurry of Bishop photos this time of year. This past season has been one of the most memorable in recent years, with Paul Robinson's new V16, Lucid Dreaming, second and third ascents of Ambrosia, and a surprise appearance by Chris Sharma (I'm pretty sure he warmed up doing Evilution to the lip [V10]). But the real joy of climbing in Bishop comes from the personal experience — the Buttermilks are a surreal, beautiful boulderfield. And that, with the immaculate weather, sunrises, and sunsets of the Sierra Nevada, lingers on well past the experience. -sm.jpg) Spring Break in Bishop
Photos by Alton Richardson - There is really only one thought that enters most California climbers' minds when spring break rolls around: Bishop. This last April, along with hundreds of other pad people, five climbers from the East Bay Area packed up and made the journey through the mountains to the East Side. We arrived in the Buttermilks for an extended weekend of hard crimping, committing topouts, gale force winds, and good times. Bishop has and always will be a special place for anyone who loves great rock and great landscapes. There is a lifetime of climbing possibilities to be had there, and no one person could experience everything there is to be climbed in a single lifetime.  Dallas Rocks SCS Comp 2010
Photos by Joshua King - Over 100 competitors filled Dallas Rocks on Saturday, April 17, in Dallas, Texas. The gym, known primarily for its bouldering, is the smallest SCS venue for the Texas/Louisiana region and had the biggest turnout for any local competition of the season. Many familiar faces were seen, with representatives from Carrollton's Team Texas, Houston's Stone Moves, Austin's Team ARG and Dallas Rocks' own Southern Rocks. For full results, click here.  Joe's Valley 2010
Photos by Cole Benoit - An early spring trip to the sandstone mecca of Utah bouldering, Joe's Valley seemed a necessity as the spring conditions back home in Squamish generally yield some seriously soggy climbing. Lured by the tales of fantastic problems, stellar friction, and good weather, Derek Runions and I headed south on an epic road trip where we met up with fellow Evolv climbers and our guides for the trip, Paul Nadler and Kendra Lloyd-Knox.  The Road Less Traveled
Photos by Mel Sweet and Devin Hess / Unbound Exposure - As I viewed the sun rising over Owens Valley for the first time, I knew I would never be the same. The Eastern Sierras captured my heart as they have so many before. Devin and I started out in the classics climbing Owens River Gorge and the Buttermilks. From the Alabama Hills to the Druid Stones, climbing gear routes in the Buttermilks to a quiet day in the Happys, from exhausting your body to recovering in hot springs, the Eastern Sierras have so much more to offer for those who are willing to wander off course.  Bouldering at Annot and Verdon, France
Photos by Claudia Colonia - The poularity of Annot, France, has increased in recent years due to the growing interest in bouldering. Among the trees, in a very quite and relaxing forest, there are countless lines of every level. These photos are taken from the sectors Les Météors, Le Bestaire, and Le Clemenceau. Notice how the "Grès" assume very peculiar shapes with a lot of differently sized holes. Verdon, France, has amazing, breathtaking, and incredibly vertical walls. It's incredible how even on a cloudy and windy day, the chance to walk along the river down to the walls, and to admire the last rays of sunshine illuminating their historical lines, is an experience that makes you feel like you're in a magical place. I took these photos from the charming Rive Gauche. You won't get tired of admiring these incredible walls. -sm.jpg) Addicted to Smith Rock
Photos by Tara Reynvaan - The Smith Rock Program can be similar to the 5-step program in a drug and alcohol rehab sans the medication (unless you consider Hamms medication). Living in Bend, Oregon, I am honored with the opportunity to live 30 minutes away from one of the most epic sport climbing crags in the United States. Blood, sweat, and a solitary tear of joy pretty much sums up the overwhelming feeling of home that I get at Smith. This is an album full of climbing by friends and climbing partners Jesper Hilts, Fred Gomez, Heather Whales, Darren Benton and others. Live it up. -sm.jpg) Climbing at Owens River Gorge and Red Rocks
Photos by Tara Reynvaan - This spring break, I am almost certain that the entire state of Oregon went to Bishop, California. It was so awesome to see so many friendly faces on my last climbing trip to Owens River Gorge and Red Rocks, Nevada. With prime conditions and amazing rock, this was a really inspiring week with great company. We took a Sienna minivan that turned into our road warrior through the desert as we did everything from rock grappling to spooning Joshua Trees. These photos are what I collected from the trip of friends and climbing partners Jesper Hilts, Fred Gomez, Heather Whales killing it in California and Nevada.  Roadtripping the Northwest
Photos by Andy Mann – Last summer, Jonathan Siegrist and I hit the road hard. The goal was to head Northwest, a trip that would take us from Colorado to Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and into Washington, hitting up as many crags as possible in two weeks. This turned into a roadtrip that would lead us into hotter temps and more humidity than we left behind. Still, conditions aside, Jstar and I are always bright and bon-vivant, and we took to every adventure as if it were our last. Enjoy the ride with us, visually, across the plains and into the Northwest, for a wild climbing adventure.  Kalymnos, a Greek Treasure Island
Photos by Elodie Saracco - I went to Kalymnos five years ago for the first time and keep going back. This place amazes me by its fantastic panorama, its tasty food, and the many beautiful routes, whatever the grades you’re looking for! The potential is enormous and new lines are steadily bolted. You won’t be idle! Rock climbing there is different: you experience 3D climbing on stalactites and tufas, a stunning sea-view all around. Kalymnos is definitely a climber’s paradise. It’s one of the places you never forget, a powerful magnet that brings you back, again and again, thanks to a climbing community that makes you feel that you’re part of something and the hospitality of the locals that helps you feel at home.  Winter Bouldering in Bishop
Photos by Peter Franzen - Everyone knows Bishop by now — The Buttermilks, the volcanic tablelands, the late-night campfires at the Pit, a bag of pastries from Schat's Bakery on the way through town. I had the good fortune to make the 14-hour drive from Oregon twice this winter, each time with a small group of good friends. From Trozell, whose trip marked her first time bouldering and her first climbing road trip, to Morgan, who's ever-growing to-do list still didn't get any shorter despite some truly inspiring effort. Each trip to the east side of the Sierras is a special one, and I always hope to capture a little bit of that in my photos when I head down there.  Grand Traverse of the Laguna Grande de la Sierra
Photos by Camilo Lopez - On November 27th, 2009, Anna Pfaff and Camilo Lopez successfully completed a traverse of all the peaks in the Laguna Grande de la Sierra Located in the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, Colombia, South America. The Laguna Grande de la Sierra is located on the West side of the Sierra Nevada del Cocuy. It consists of six peaks: Pre-Concavo (5,100 m), Concavo (5,215 m), Concovito (5,115 m), Portales (4,920 m), El Toti (5,125 m), and Pan de Azucar (5,235 m). We climbed in five days, alpine-style using four high camps along the traverse and having no prior acclimatization.  Climbing in Kalymnos
Photos by James Q Martin - These images were captured during a late-fall getaway to the island of Kalymnos, Greece, one of the Dodecanese islands and known to climbers as a limestone paradise. The island is home to more than 800 single-pitch routes, with the climbing season best suited for spring and fall. Easy approaches, beautiful views, and seaside crags attract climbers from all over the globe. Read more about this trip featured in Urban Climber.  Winter Bouldering in the High Spanish Sierra of Albarracin
Photos by David Balcells - This winter, we planned a bouldering trip to Albarracin, Spain, for the second week of January. Right at that time, a huge snow storm hit the northeast of Spain. The trip from Barcelona to Albarracin was an adventure by itself. It took us ten hours to reach the boulders, when it normally takes half of that. With the boulders full of ice and snow-capped, the conditions were not ideal. However, all boulders were let alone to us. Super-motivated by the amazing landscape, we climbed some roof problems taking profit of the excellent friction.  Winter Granite in Cresciano, Switzerland
Photos by Claudia Colonia - Featured in this gallery is a series of black and white photos from one of Switzerland's great boulderfields — Cresciano. The fine-grained granite wonderland is home to hundreds of amazing problems like Fred Nicole's testpiece Dreamtime, established in November 2000 (which is possibly the first 8c/V15 boulder problem ever) and Dave Graham's Confessions (8b+/V14) recently flashed by Adam Ondra (which is possibly the hardest boulder flash ever) in December 2009. Shown in this set are a few mouthwater slopers and crimps demonstrated by Italian Alessandro Penna. |
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