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 MISINTERPRETING ARCHITECTURE
THE ARD ARVIN/BUILDERING.NET EXTENDED INTERVIEW - Since a rock has no apparent purpose on this earth beyond just being, it’s fair to say that climbing is the interpretation of a rock’s surface through the vehicle of the body. On the other hand, since architectural structures are created by people for specific reasons, such as shelter or bridging a body of water, buildering could well be defined as misinterpretation of architecture…or at least that’s how webmaster Ard Arvin describes the pursuit on his site, buildering.net.  The AscenDance Project
AscenDance Project is a new company founded in January of 2006 by German born performance artist and rock climber Isabel von Rittberg to create work that explores the aesthetics of climbing. Performing entirely without the use of ropes, their work exhibits strength and grace enhanced by the effects of gravity on the dancers and their ability to overcome it. Check it out from March 5-14th at The Ashby Stage in Berkeley, CA.  Alaska Climber Injured in Haiti Earthquake
Christa Brelsford, of Anchorage, Alaska, was volunteering in Dabonne, south of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on an 11-day program to teach adult and child literacy when the quake hit. It took her brother Julian and their friends nearly an hour and a half to dig her from debris, her legs trapped by rubble when a building collapsed. Her right leg was amputated from the shin down. Visit: keepchristaclimbing.org to learn more and to make a donation.  DOWN SOUTH
It’s no longer a secret that the climbing in the Southeast is among the world’s finest, with dozens of immaculate sandstone bouldering and route-climbing areas. Some of the attention in recent years is no doubt due to the stellar outdoor comps of the region. The big boys? The 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell (24HHH) and the Triple Crown.  DIGITAL VERTICAL
HIGH-TECH FOR CLIMBERS // Like everyone else, climbers are increasingly turning to the Internet: to get news, buy gear, and interact with other climbers. You may even have noticed your local plastic paradise now has a Facebook page and a Twitter account. And recently, code/stone monkeys have started designing dedicated mobile apps for climbers. What’s next?  SEEING RED
JONATHAN SIEGRIST LAYS SIEGE TO KENTUCKY’S HARDEST // With news swirling in the vertical blogosphere that Americans have fallen behind Europeans in the sportclimbing sick-o-drome, it was nice to see someone from these here parts (someone whose name doesn’t rhyme with “wham” or “schwarma,” at any rate) making 5.14 look really, weirdly easy.  YOU CLIMB WHAT YOU EAT
Nate Warren of Boone, North Carolina, is your typical obsessed climber: he selected a university (Appalachian State) based on proximity to rock; he bemoans the fact that school gets in the way of his climbing; and he stays fit so he can climb his hardest. But it’s Warren’s obsession with diet (in a healthy way . . . maybe) that sets him apart.  NEW SCHOOL IN THE OLD WORLD
In case you haven’t noticed, many of America’s pro climbers have been making their way to Europe lately, often for months at a time. Some bawllas, including Jon Cardwell, Dave Graham (who in late September ticked Abyss, one of three 9a’s [5.14d] at France’s Gorges du Loup), Joe Kinder, and Daniel Woods (who recently climbed his hardest route to-date, KinematiX, another of Gorges du Loup’s 9a’s) are touring French rock hot spots.  THAT'S THE SPOT
THE SPOT BOULDERING SERIES TURNS FIVE // In the beginning there was Psychedelia. The Spot Bouldering Gym, in Boulder, Colorado, held its first (and now [in]famous) black-light comp back in 2003. “It started as a cocktail-napkin conversation at the Outdoor Retailer trade show,” says “Howlin’” Dan Howley, Spot Owner and General Manager. The idea was simple: throw a comp/party, with black lighting only and holds painted with psychedelic patterns.  THE PAIN AND THE GLORY
Do you know what it’s like to climb 24 hours straight, pitch after pitch on demanding, technical granite till your tips pink out, feet swell, and mouth dries up like the ass end of the Swahili? Well, let me tell you . . . er, actually, I only made it to hour 22.5 at the launch of the friendly new competition: the 24 Hours of Gunnison Glory, held at Hartman’s Rocks, west of Gunnison, Colorado, this June 28-29, 2009.  PERMANENT SHARMA
While on Facebook, we spied a comment from a guy named Samuel Wood. He claimed to have Chris Sharma’s signature tattooed on his forearms, so we emailed him to find out more. We’ve heard of people getting signature tats before. (For example, a woman named Melissa Burech — according to several web vids — has over 80 celebrity-signature tattoos). But proclimber- signature tattoos? Now you’re talking!  PHIL SCHAAL OVERCOME
N.K.O.T.B. sends America’s hardest // “For a hard problem, I couldn’t have made it any easier for myself — crimps, pretty good feet, snatchy . . . definitely my style,” says Phil Schaal, 28, of Glastonbury, Connecticut. He’s speaking, funnily enough, of his August 26 fifth ascent of Rocky Mountain National Park’s Jade (V15; FA Daniel Woods, 2007), possibly the hardest boulder problem in North America.  DISABLED BUT NOT DEFEATED
By Edward Grondin / www.camppatriot.org - Camp Patriot’s 3rd Annual Summit to Mt. Rainier - Injury is the soldiers worst nightmare, whether it be a combat injury from an improvised explosive device, small arms fire or a accident during a training exercise, it impacts all soldiers.  2009 SUMMER O.R. INSIDER - ROCK SHOES
By Justin Roth - July 28, 2009 - The truth is, there just wasn't enough time to see all the companies I wanted to see on this trip. Three eight hour days looking at gear might seem like a lot, but with so many companies and products, it's just enough to explore the tip of the iceberg. Anyway, here are some of the rock-shoe highlights from my second and third days at the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show 2009, in very hot and sunny Salt Lake City.  411 - #31 > AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009
WAR OF THE WORLDS - VAIL BOULDERING WORLD CUP ACTION By Justin Roth // Photos by Andy Mann; THE BUZZ - From V9 to V13 . . . in one season; GET MELLO - OUTDOOR BLOCFEST NONPAREIL By Cody Roth // Photos by Anna Piunova; PAN AM - Hemispheric Access Crusade; LE GRAVITY BRAWL - CENTRAL JERSEY'S BOULDERING BATTLE ROYALE By World-famous DJ, Mon Voyage Neon // Photos by NE2C / Leland Marshall  OR Show - Day 1 Highlights
By Justin Roth - July 22, 2009 - The Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, is madness this time of year — the reason is the Summer Outdoor Retailer Show, a massive gathering (over 20,000 people, I’ve been told) of outdoor gear and apparel companies, retailers, media, and athletes. Some come here to look for gigs as pro climbers, or to drum up business for their new PR companies.  First National Study To Examine Rock Climbing-Related Injuries
In the past decade the popularity of rock climbing has dramatically increased. It has been estimated that rock climbing is now enjoyed by more than 9 million people in the U.S. each year. A new study by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at the Nationwide Children's Hospital found that as the popularity of the sport has escalated, so have the number of injuries.  INJURED RESERVE - June 2009
What do pro climbers do when injury sidelines them? - Injuries can be a big mixed blessing for climbers, especially the super-obsessed, pro-grade, variety. On the one hand, the injured climber can't climb, which is obviously very frustrating. On the other, with no way to follow through on their obsession, the injured climber is forced/allowed to finally get after all those other plans he or she has been formulating for years.  411 - #29 > MAY 2009
Chalky Dreams 2009 - The 2009 Chalky Dreams bouldering competition held at Moss Rock Preserve in Hoover, Alabama, was one of the most positive, laidback "competitive" events I have ever attended. Access Fund Awards - Started in 2008, TeamWorks is the Access Fund's youth initiative that works to get young climbers outside learning about conservation and stewardship through the Adopt-a-Crag program.  411 - #26 > DECEMBER 2008/JANUARY 2009
Welcome to the Arco Rock Master - Just a couple miles north of Lake Garda in northern Italy, among the foothills of the Alps and hugging the impressive Monte Colodri rock face in the Sarca Valley; The Nor’Easter - A weekend of rain. It was bound to happen. After all, the event was named the Nor’easter. Of course rain never stopped Woodstock; 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell 2008 - Exhaustion + Dehydration + Fatigue + Sore feet + Flappers + Lots of food + Lots of water + Beautiful sandstone sport and trad climbing in massive doses |
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