 |
|
 |
URBAN CLIMBER MAGAZINE - 411
This is where we kick it up a notch with departments like: SHOW US YOUR WOODY, EYE CANDY and more!
|
|||
 The FA #50 - Gym Etiquette
The climbing gym of yore was a cinderblock traverse with rocks bolted on as primitive artificial holds. During these simple times, the proto-climber honed his/herself in the absence of high-carbon rubber, the Black Eyed Peas, or bar-form food products. But modern gyms have morphed into something that is equal parts night club, meat market, and Olympic training facility, forcing today’s climber to grapple with a complex gym culture, riddled with pitfalls waiting to snare the unwary.  The FA #49 - Gargantuan
Among the many popular bouldering areas in the Fraser Valley, one jewel in particular, Hunter Creek, has been the focus of development in recent years, due to its large granite boulders, flat landings, quiet forest setting, and range of good problems from VB to V11. Hunter Creek is located just off Highway 1, a few miles west of Hope, BC, and about 1 hour, 45 minutes east of Vancouver. Though the boulders are on private land, the owner has granted access up to a fence line that runs parallel to Hunter Creek, northeast of the boulders. Please obey the rules.  The Rules #49 - Trip Reports
The epic climbing tale can make for a palm-sweating good read, but it can also bore you to tears. From the barstool to the 500-page nonfiction coffee table coaster, climbers spin their tales in a hundred different ways, and some do it way better than others. Nowadays, everyone who’s ever taken a climbing trip of any kind wants to share the experience in all of its excruciating detail with like-minded travelers. But to prevent you from becoming the subject of whispered jests and fun-poking Facebook messages, here are some guidelines for the would-be trip reporter to ponder.  The Latest #48 - Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming
Ten Sleep / Best of the Cowboy State - Northern Wyoming’s pocket paradise has a brand-new 250-page guidebook with more topos, more color photos, and completely revised and expanded information for the “terribly inaccurate Dry Wall and other midcanyon areas.” That’s guidebook author Aaron Huey calling his topos inaccurate, not us. Huey’s guidebooks are one of a kind. Among other things, the previous edition replaced star ratings with icons for American flags and automatic weapons (5 stars); “sexy ladies” and fellatio (4 stars); and kitty cats (3 stars).  The FA #48 - Viper Crack
While Arkansas' new route explosion continues in and around the Horseshoe Canyon region, climbers are also seeking crags in lesser-known areas of the Natural State. One region in particular, the White River crags of northeastern Arkansas, is still in the early phases of development, but an amazing steep splitter, Viper Crack, stands above the rest. Despite its meager height of 40 feet, Viper provides intoxicating exposure from the get-go.  The Rules #48 - Stretching a Dollar
Many people see road trips as the budget option for vacationing, but with gas prices hovering around $4 in some parts of the country, you’d have to be Charlie Sheen to still consider this the cheap way to travel. Nevertheless, road trips are a rite of passage for all climbers, especially when it comes time for summer heat waves and 15 hours of sunlight. Having filed taxes in five states one year, I can safely say I’ve earned my road warrior badge, and here I’ll share a few hard-earned lessons from the highway. But first, the backstory.  The FA #46 - Detour
Detour lies nestled among the lakeside boulders of Eisenhower State Park. This arête stands tall above the water’s edge, requiring a cruxy, right-hand reach to a hidden hold. Simon McNeny discovered Detour on one of his many expeditions to uncover the wealth of boulders buried within the park. It is one of the taller lines put up recently, topping out at 16 feet. With new lines being established weekly, this park is quickly growing to accommodate all levels of climbers and serves as one of the emerging bouldering zones for the Dallas area.  The FA #45 - Arête Style Dysfunction
Arête Style Dysfunction, known previously by the simple descriptive name Black Arête, had been climbed on toprope prior to James Otey’s bolting effort, but it had never seen a proper ascent from the sharp end. After being referred to prolific central New York route developer Bill Griffith and his friend Gary’s Bosch, Otey set to work equipping the route and attempting the technical, crimpy, and very striking line.  The Rule #45 - Climbing in Mexico
For some reason unbeknown to me, I was invited to join Petzl America’s climbing team in central Mexico from October 29 to November 6 for the 13th RocTrip. I spent my days hanging out with some of the world’s strongest climbers at the massive limestone cave of El Chonta and on Jilotepec’s volcanic, cobbled, and very technical sport routes.  Two Four Hell
Every year, hundreds of climbers gather at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Arkansas to compete in one of the world’s most unique competitions. It’s one that tests not only their physical strength, but their mental fortitude as well, as each team of two embarks on the 24-hour journey to climb as many routes on the gritty Ozark sandstone as their feet and fingers will allow. To show you how amazingly some of these climbers performed, we’ve compiled the straight facts.  The Rule #44 - December/January 2011
“And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep, / And threescore and twelve thousand beeves, / And threescore and one thousand asses, / And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.” (Numbers 31:32-35 KJV, The Bible) That's right. The word “booty” is so old, it was used in the Bible. And not in reference to women, though you can see how it got there.  Compressor Controversy
One man's analysis of the Cerro Torre conflict - I fancy myself an alpine climber, which is to say I once climbed a mountain or two while it was cold outside. (I had to wear a jacket, and my hands got cold; it was very serious.) I also almost booked a ticket to Patagonia once. Taken in concert, I think both these characteristics give me a significant stake and the proper credibility from which to comment on the current David- Lama-takes-a-pick-axe-to-Cerro-Torre conflict. I could wax on and off like the karate kid all day, but the only thing that will get the window clean are the cold, hard-as-Cerro’s granite facts (taken with a bit of hyperbole to keep things interesting, of course).  Lowdown: Battle in the Bubble vs. Vail World Cup
Two major climbing competitions took place in Colorado just three weeks apart. The first was The Spot Gym’s pro invitational and outdoor festival, The Battle in the Bubble. The second was the third year of the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Bouldering World Cup at the Teva Mountain Games in Vail. Instead of competing against each other, The Spot and the Vail Valley Foundation (vvf.org) teamed up to cross-promote both events.  Reviews - CORE
In the last few years, the production value of climbing films has changed a lot. Chuck Fryberger’s latest offering, CORE, takes it a step further by being the first climbing flick shot in HD and Blu-Ray. The high quality of the pictures taken, however, is not the only thing that makes this a movie you should have on your shelf. Fryberger gives special attention to the athletes featured in the film.  Spanish Inquisition
Competition climbers are a special breed. While the rock and natural lines drive most people, comp climbers spend most of their time on plastic, training and competing. One of the world’s best comp climbers decided to break the mold and spend her off-season crushing on real rock. When faced with the first World Cup competition in July, Maja Vidmar, 24, from Slovenia, decided to climb as many rocks as she could to stay in shape and stay motivated for comp season.  LOWDOWN - Earth Treks Roc Comp
After more than a decade of ruling the American bouldering comps, Chris Sharma proved that he still has it. As he hiked the men’s third and final problem at the Earth Treks Roc Comp in Timonium, Maryland, the crowd roared in approval. Paul Robinson came in a strong second, with Daniel Woods close behind.  Access Fund TeamWorks
Each year The Access Fund (AF) awards a youth team and its coach for their stewardship and volunteer work at their community crags. In an effort to teach a younger generation about environment, access, and the impact they have as climbers, the AF offers a $1,000 grant to the team who accumulates the most hours of service in the outdoors.  LOWDOWN - Hueco Rock Rodeo
The Rock Rodeo marks the end of another season in Hueco Tanks. Aside from a few exceptions, this season had been marked by little news and even smaller crowds. The days leading up to the Rodeo were as quiet as ever, as the late season hold-outs wondered who would roll in with the tumbleweeds. Alas, tradition would have its way, and overnight the desert in El Paso, Texas, awoke.  THE LOWDOWN
‘TIS THE SEASON…FOR CRUSHING THE COMPETITION // The Southeast’s Triple Crown bouldering series wrapped up on December 4, 2009, with the Stone Fort (AKA Little Rock City) comp in Tennessee. Wins went to the Chattanooga transplants Jimmy Webb and Kasia Pietras (click here for an interview with Pietras on her win). The event, scheduled for Saturday, was pushed back a day due to snow, but when it went off, it went off. The temps were crispy and cool, perfect for bouldering. Webb and Pietras, a couple, also claimed the overall 2009 Triple Crown crowns (a repeat performance for Webb). And while there’s no doubt the competitors give it their all every year at the Triple Crown, the focus of the series has always been on fun, community, and coming together to fight for access in the notoriously touchy Southeast.  BELAY SLAVES
SHAKE UP IN THE AUTO-BELAY WORLD // October 2009, the Pittsburgh-based company MSA, maker of the Redpoint Descender commonly used in climbing gyms for solo toproping, issued a stop-use notice. “MSA very recently became aware of two incidents where climbers using Redpoint Descenders experienced rapid rates of descent resulting in injuries,” said the notice. This wasn’t the first time — back in 2005, MSA issued a similar notice. But the most recent incidents were the last straw. “We’re exiting the market; we’re not going to have a replacement device,” says Mark Deasy, MSA Communications Director. The issue was in the devices’ one-way bearings, but because MSA wasn’t able to consistently replicate the problem in tests, they decided to recall the units. |
|
Get 2 free trial issues plus a free gift!
Copyright 2010 Skram Media LLC, All rights reserved.