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 Natasha Barnes climbs Drive On (V11)
Video by Bruno Ferreira - Natasha Barnes on Drive On (V11) near the Indian Caves in Yosemite National Park, California. From Natasha's blog: " This beautiful, 20-foot face is suspended between two boulders and is gently overhung with small flat and sloping crimps, and although it’s very technically demanding, it’s also very powerful. Needless to say, this climb was my style to a tee, and I still found it very difficult."  Lucas Menegatti on The Big Island (V15)
Video by Lucas Menegatti - In Fontainebleau, Lucas Menegatti climbs The Big Island (V15, second ascent), an extension to Dave Graham's The Island (V14) established by Vincent Pochon: "Very pleased," he said about it on 8a.nu. "Fit my style to perfection. He also sends Elephunk (V13), which he calls "brilliant," and Gecko assis (V13), about which he says, "Amazing fight at the end. The two-year-old nemesis is over."  Petzl Grigri 2: The Right Way to Use it
Video by Petzl - The hand position we showed for belaying with the Grigri 2 in our March issue (Climbing No. 293) was a bit off. We urge you to check out Petzl's new video for the safest and most effective way to belay with this great new device.  Enzo Oddo on Ambrosia (V11)
Video by prAna collective - Enzo Oddo, prAna's youngest ambassador at 15, climbed the Bishop, California, 45-foot highball Ambrosia (V11). The beautiful line on the south face of the Grandpa Peabody boulder was put up by Kevin Jorgeson in January 2009. Enzo's ascent was the fourth time the boulder was topped out. A route climber for most of his illustrious and long career, Enzo traveled from his home in France to land on California soil February 1.  Behind the Scenes at ABS 12 National Championships
Video by Jon Glassberg - A behind-the-scenes look into the lives of professional athletes as they prepare for finals during the 2011 ABS Nationals event in Boulder, Colorado. Hear what the climbers are talking about in isolation right before competing in the final round of nationals: how to deal with the competition, trembling hands, nationalities, and more.  2011 ABS 12 National Championship Highlights
Video by NE2C - On February 11 and 12, 2011, the best climbers in North America converged in Boulder, Colorado, for the beginning of the Unified Bouldering Championships Pro Tour and the ABS 12 National Championships powered by The North Face. Big falls and bigger upsets characterized the climbing on the brand new competition walls from Vertical Solutions, and after three rounds of competition, the new U.S. National Champions are Alex Puccio (female) and Alex Johnson (male) for 2011.  Committed: Mt. Moran's Direct South Buttress
Video by Mark and Janelle Smiley - The route wanders up and left, then right, then up to a scary old bolt anchor at a hanging belay. Next was the much-talked-about “double-pendulum pitch,” which required that we swing from these 50-year-old bolts making the anchor! It was my turn to lead, so I got to see if the bolts would hold. Making it through the pendulum, I reached a corner system of rock. The only weakness in the rock angles out and up around a overhang. This pitch goes at 5.12 or A1. Read the rest of the trip report: smileysproject.com.  Happy Classics, Part 2
Video by Shadow Ayala - In the second installment of Happy Classics, Shadow Ayala, Matt Arnold, Jason Chinchen, and Dan Prince get on The Clapper (V6), Serengeti (V5), Karma (V6/7), Mr. Witty (V7), and Done with the South (V5). The Happy Boulders are in the volcanic tablelands near Bishop and Owens River Gorge and offer super-classic problems on hueco- and pocket-ridden boulders. Watch the first video here.  Chris Webb Parsons Bouldering in Colorado
Video by iClimb - iClimb presents Australian Chris Webb Parsons on his third climbing trip to the U.S. While on his three-month trip to Colorado, Webb Parsons came down with the flu, appendicitis, and shoulder pain. Nonetheless, he worked throught the illness and injuries and managed to climb Stranger in a Strange Land (V12, flash), SBS (V11), and Whispers of Wisdom (V10).  Psyche II Teaser featuring Leo Houlding
Video by Alastair Lee / Posing Productions - The follow up to 2007's Psyche, Psyche II features Leo Houlding's astounding first ascent on El Cap, The Prophet (5.13d R) as well as a load more rock action in the U.K. and South Africa, featuring characters such as Neil Gresham, Mary Jenner, and Dave Pickford. More at posingproductions.com.  French Climbers in Fontainebleau
Video by Melichou80 - Member of the French National Climbing Team at Fontainebleau, climbing La Berezina (V9), Fata Morgana (V11), Noir Desir (V9), Tigre et Dragon (V11), Big Island (V15), Gecko assis (V14), and Les beaux Quartiers (V11). Climbers include Jacopo Larcher, Melissa Le Neve, Axel Balley, Mike Fuselier, and Guillaume Glairon Mondet, who most recently climbed The Mandala sit start (V14) in Bishop.  Sam Davis on Crown Royale (V13)
Video by Joe Kinder - Sam Davis climbs an extension of Crown of Aragorn (V13) on the East Spur in Hueco Tanks, Texas. "Years and years," Davis jokes about how long it took to climb this problem. "The feet are like hell. They're like glass. But today they felt awesome." A crowded winter destination, Hueco saw countless hard ascents this season by climbers such as Daniel Woods, Jimmy Web, Brion Voges, Brad Weaver, Brian Antheunisse, and many more.  Adam Ondra on Golpe de Estado (5.15b)
Video by Bernartwood - Adam Ondra working Chris Sharma's 2008 Golpe de Estado (5.15b) in Siurana, Spain. Ondra nabbed the second ascent of the route in March 2010 after 29 attempts, and after recovering from a finger injury. "HUGE relief for me, mission accomplished despite various obstacles," Ondra said on his scorecard. "Proved to be really hard and mischievous."  5.14 Slab Climbing in La Pedriza, Spain
Video by Wild Country - Pedriza local Talo Martin heads up for an ascent of Art Herencia (5.14) on the holdless slabs of La Pedriza, Spain. Pick up the latest issue of Climbing (293, March 2011) to read John Connor's feature about Pedriza's granite friction "faith" climbing, plus how Pedriza became one of the birthplaces of sticky climbing rubber.  Dave Graham Attempts Fantasia (V14)
Video by Brandon Amos - Dave Graham attempts Fantasia (V14), the 27-move horizontal roof problem Daniel Woods recently established in Matthews Winters Park, Morrison, Colorado. "Starts with a direct power V12 into a feet-first V10, finishing with the desperate V10 of Bambi," Woods said of the problem.  Sam Elias Mixed Climbing in Colorado
Video by Black Diamond Equipment - As a part-time Black Diamond ski tech rep and a full-time BD climbing athlete, Sam Elias may have been a ski racer growing up, but now he's a rock and ice hard charger with numerous 5.14 and M12 redpoints and first ascents to his credit. BD sent pro lensman Boone Speed out to Colorado to capture a little slice of Sam's life and style, as well as some beastly mixed climbing action.  Matt Wilder in Red Rocks, Nevada
Video by Matt Wilder - Matt Wilder boulders in Red Rocks, Nevada, climbing Angel Dyno (V7), Ultraviolet (V9), and Stand and Deliver (V11). Wilder headed to Las Vegas to climb after Christmas, meeting up with Ethan Pringle to attempt some trad first ascents. Being thwarted by the cold and windy weather, the pair stuck to bouldering. Wilder set his sights on two Pringle problems: Clockwork Orange and Wet Dream (both V12), but unfortunately didn't send during the extremely cold temps.  Committed: Grand Teton, North Face and Direct Exum Ridge
Video by Mark and Janelle Smiley - The start of the route requires you to be in the blast zone. Rocks wiz down around you from more than a thousand feet above. Helmet or not, if one of those catch you, it would be a closed-casket funeral for sure. There is also slab pitch up higher. You clip the rope to a 40-year-old angled piton, then climb diagonal and up for 40 feet across a slime-covered slab that is wet from the perpetually melting snow patch above.  Steph Davis on Learning to Fly (5.13)
Video by Steph Davis / Sender Films - Steph Davis talks about the cracks of Utah. Here she gets on a classic testpiece, Learning to Fly (5.13), a steep, thin finger crack in Indian Creek. "It's not very long, but it's steep and pretty burly," she says on her blog. "The moves are powerful, and they keep going."  Die Another Day: 5.13d Free Solo
Video by Djamila Proft - Andreas Proft from Germany barefoot free-solos The FIrst and Last (5.13d) at Bernia, Spain. "My idea was originally to have it as a winter project," Proft says. "After three weeks of training, I climbed it. I guess I felt like doing it now, or I'd have to leave it. I was too obsessed with it to walk away." Read more about Proft here. |
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