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 Jorg Verhoeven on Pure Imagination (5.14d), RRG
Video by Jorg Verhoeven - Jorg Verhoeven was a strong force in this year's Lead World Cup circuit, but when he wasn't pulling down on plastic, he was crushing outside as well. Here, he climbs Pure Imagination (5.14d) in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky. Pure Imagination was established by Jonathan Siegrist in November 2010 and repeated by local Adam Taylor in spring 2011. Verhoeven's ticklist also includes 50 Words for Pump (5.14c), Southern Smoke (5.14c), and 25 routes in the 5.13a to 5.13d range, most onsights or flashes, according to his blog.  Patxi Usobiaga Climbing in Switzerland's Rätikon
Video by Black Diamond - Patxi Usobiaga has won World Cups, world championships, and onsighted 5.14c. Now? Injuries from a nasty car wreck have forced him to retire from the training rigors required for competition climbing and high-end sport climbing. Patxi, forever obsessed with climbing, has redirected his motivations and aspirations into enjoying the freedom and adventure of multi-pitching on Europe’s endless limestone alpine walls. The video above was shot on the immaculate walls of Switzerland’s Rätikon by Bernardo Gimenez and does a wonderful job of profiling Patxi’s transition in his climbing life.  Bouldering at the Dump, NC
Video by Drexel Bakker - The Boone Beta Crew climbing at the Dump Boulders near Boone, North Carolina, for some classic crushing. Problems climbed include Druid Arete (V4), Doug Reed Roof (V5), Druid Roof (V7), Black Magic Woman (V7), and CigArete (V7). Across the road is the Dump sport climbing area, which has the best concentration of sport climbs in the high country.  Letting Go: Emily Harrington on Waka Flocka (5.14b)
Video by Andy Mann/Evolv Climbing - A video of Emily Harrington on her ascent of Waka Flocka (5.14b) in Rifle, Colorado. This was Harrington's hardest route yet—she put around 50 attempts into the climb before finally sending it in October. It's a powerful and bouldery route, which Harrington says isn't her style at all. Joe Kinder bolted and climbed the route in August 2010. Read more about her ascent here.  Wide Boyz on Century Crack (5.14b), World's Hardest Offwidth
Video by Chris Alstrin - Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker were in the U.S. for eight weeks in search of the most difficult offwidths they could find. Their new climb, Century Crack, is the hardest offwidth in the world at 5.14b. Stevie Haston attempted this route in the 1990s with no success. No one believed the route would ever be climbed... Alstrin Film and Hot Aches Productions have teamed up to document their two-year journey. Read more about Century Crack here.  Bouldering at Farley Ledges, Massachusetts
Video by Jon Glassberg - Jon Glassberg climbs Pipe Dreams (V9) and Stereogram (V10) at Farley Ledge, Massachusetts. From Western Massachusetts Climbers' Coalition: "The rock at Farley, like much of rock in the area, is gneiss. It is characterized by big sloping horizontals, small edges and sweeping features. The climbing at Farley is powerful so bring your guns when you show up. The climbing is best when friction is the highest. This translates generally into ideal spring and fall conditions though the heavily forested area provides ample shade for those hot summer days."  Dark Horse Series 2011/12 Highlights - Comp #1
Video by Louder Than 11 - On November 5, 2011, Metrorock in Newburyport, Massachusetts, hosted the first Dark Horse competition of the 2011/2012 series. Louder Than 11 was on hand to deliver highlights from the event. The next event will be held December 3 at Metrorock in Everett, and the championship event will be held again in Everett on February 4. Winners included Nadya Vorotnikova and Rob D'Anastasio in the pro division. Find out more, register, and see the results at darkhorseseries.com.  Enzo Oddo working Jungle Boogie in Céüse, France
Video by Sterling Rope/Joe Kinder/Colette McInerney - Enzo Oddo is one of the young and very talented climbers from southern France. At only 16 years old, he is consistently climbing 5.14d and 5.15a routes. Enzo is leading the way for the new generation with his fearless efforts on some of the hardest projects like Jungle Boogie in Céüse, France. Enzo devoted himself to this project for weeks with no avail, which is just part of the game when it comes to such high end climbing. He knows that we fail a lot and we only succeed sometimes, but that is what makes our efforts so satisfying.  Neil Gresham Deep Water Soloing in Pembroke
Video by Posing Productions - An exercpt from Hollow Caves in the movie Psyche II: " Deep water solo protagonist Neil Gresham shows us what its all about with one of the U.K.'s hardest deep water solos to date, superb climbing in the stunning setting of Pembrokeshire. Neil's body double, Liam Cook, adds to the entertainment with some big splashes as he attempts routes he's no business being on." Also in Psyche II: Leo Houlding on his El Cap free route The Prophet; Mary Jenner on Bleed in Hell in Borrowdale, the hardest trad route climbed by a female in the U.K., and more.  Rocklands - Summer 2011
Video by Boulderkeskus - A whole bunch of climbers from Finland got together in June 2011 and headed all the way down to South Africa to the legendary Rocklands Boulders. Here is a highlight reel of some of the problems they crushed during their stay, including In Between Dreams (V11), Question of Balance (V8), Claques Pour Nini (V8), Vanity (V6), Impala (V11), Ray of Light (V13), Gegen den Wind (V8), Macho King (V9, flash), and many more.  Kalymnos!
Video by 3 Lost Monkeys - From Kalymnos, Rock Climbing Guidebook, by Aris Theodoropoulos: "The rock of Kalymnos is top-quality limestone. It is a little sharp in places, but free of choss. There is nothing monotonous about climbing on Kalymnos: there is a great variety of rock with slabs, delicate walls, pumpy routes with pockets and stalactites or tufas on overhanging rock and roofs... Many visitors have described the equipping of routes on Kalymnos as 'the epitome of sport climbing.'"  Paul Robinson's V14 and V15 First Ascents near Cape Town, South Africa
Video by Black Diamond Equipment - Paul Robinson spent a couple months down in South Africa, developing a slew of new problems just outside of Cape Town. Robinson had the cameras rolling on all his major V14 and V15 first ascents and has edited together this epic film of the footage. There's some seriously impressive climbing in the film, along with some insightful commentary from Robinson, so sit back, get comfortable and enjoy watching one of the world's top boulderers crush his craft.  Death Proof (V8) First Ascent, RMNP, CO
Video by Wes Walker - First ascent of Death Proof (V8) in Upper Chaos Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. From mountainproject.com: "Upper Chaos Canyon is a very popular bouldering area located west and uphill from Lower Chaos Canyon, above Lake Haiyaha. Truly above treeline and substantially farther to hike to, Upper Chaos Canyon is the essence of alpine bouldering in RMNP. Every kind of problem exists from short, steep, powerful problems such the Skipper Roof problems or tall scary highballs such as Suicide Season."  Bouldering at Rocktown, Georgia
Video by Brett Morgan - A gorgeous fall day at Rocktown. Problems include the classics Tunnel Vision (V7), Comet (V5), and The Scoop (V3). Located outside LaFayette, Georgia, Rocktown sits close to the Tennessee border, with easy access to Chattanooga area rock. Large sandstone boulders scatter the woods, with some reaching 30- to 40-feet in height. Features vary from slopers similar to Horse Pens 40, Alabama, to jugs taken from Hueco Tanks, Texas, to unusual formations like what's found on The Scoop.  Secret Agent Man (5.12+), Governor Dodge State Park, WI
Video by Nick Rhoads - Secret Agent Man (5.12+) at Governor Dodge State Park, Wisconsin. Located at the Qual Wal. From mountainproject.com: "The prominent prow as you walk up to the Qual Wall. Discovered and climbed in ca. 1996 by Schlick and Dyer, it starts on an easier face up good holds to a rest. After a shake, figure out a bouldery sequence using a combination of the arete and microscopic holds on the face to a series of bigger and bigger moves to the chains."  Dixon School Boulders, NC
Video by Drexel Bakker - The Boone Beta crew travels to the Dixon School boulders and climb a few classic lines. Located in Crowder's Mountain State Park, the Dixon School Boulders were secured by the Carolina Climbers Coalition, marking the first officially designated bouldering area in the North Carolina State Parks system. Problems in the video include Classic Overhang (V3), Great New Heights (V3, FA), Galvatron (V3), Depends (V5), Venom (V5), Beelzebub (V5), and Atlas (V7).  Adaptive Climbing Clinic with Ronnie Dickson
Video by Louder Than 11 - The Adaptive Climbing Clinic was first organized in spring 2010 by climber/amputee Ronnie Dickson, who lost his lower left leg at the age of 18. The event was held at Joshua Tree National Park. "Climbing can be intimidating on the surface, but it is really accessible to persons with disabilities," Dickson says in a feature in Urban Climber no. 53 (on newsstands now). "Whether it is something that participants only do once, or something they choose to pursue further, it is a huge accomplishment that can break down personal perceptions of what is really posssible." Read more in UC.  Western Gold Teaser
Video by Savage Films - Western Gold, a feature-length North American bouldering film, will be released on HD Download and DVD in early 2012. Experience the beauty of bouldering in an action-packed film set in the stunning locations of Red Rock, Nevada, Castle Rocks, Idaho, Leavenworth, Washington, and Squamish, British Columbia. From the hardest to the tallest the West Coast has to offer, get ready to see something new.  Petzl RocTrip China 2011 - First Edit
Video by Petzl - This is the first video edit from the 2011 Petzl RocTrip China, which took place in Getu, China, at the end of October. This short, three-minute film is a sample of the climbing that took place during the event. Some of the highlights include Spaniard Dani Andrada's eight-pitch, 5.14b first ascent he calls Corazón de Ensueño, which followed a line through the Great Arch of Getu (see photos here). Chris Sharma was the only one strong enough to belay him, and even he took whippers on this super-steep line.  The Big Empty (5.13c), Foster Falls, TN
Video by Jonathan Carter - Jonathan Brandt climbs The Big Empty (5.13c) at Foster Falls, Tennessee, widely regarded to be the best route at the crag. It rained all day, so only a few routes in the Bunkers were dry. But the solitude, the sound of the rain, and the fall colors made this a very memorable day of climbing. |
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