Kurt Smith got started climbing in California almost 30 years ago — longer than many of you, dear readers, have been alive. In those years, Kurt has knocked out classics, explored areas, and made scores of first ascents. From his early FAs, of routes like Burning Down the House (5.11c and still waiting for a second ascent), on Fairview Dome in Tuolumne meadows in 1984; to his padless fourth ascent of Ron Kauk’s testpiece Midnight Lighting (V8), at Camp 4, Yosemite, also in ‘84; to big wall free ascents on El Cap; to Rifle Mountain Park ropegunning; to the more recent years spent slappin’ ‘em up in Potrero Chico, Mexico; to finally settling down (just a bit) in West Virginia’s New River Gorge — Kurt has never once turned his back to the rock. Even when he’s not climbing, Kurt helps soothe climber/land owner relations for the Access Fund and the Southeastern Climbers Coalition, organizing multi-media slideshows, competitions, clinics, and gear demos. Plus, he reps for Evolv, Sterling Ropes, and END footwear. His nickname’s “The General” for good reason — climbing is his life, and The General leads by example.
So we figured if there’s one person to ask ANYTHING, it’s Kurt. The General keeps rock climbing history wrapped around his crimp hand. He’s 30 years of energy, psych, and inspiration that we’d be foolish not to share with you. So go to rbanclimbermag.com/ exclusive/askthegeneral and Ask The General. He’ll select a few of your questions and drop the knowledge in each issue of Urban Climber Mag.
UC: Tell us where the nickname “The General” came from. KS: Russ the Fish gave me this name. Our crew descended on J-tree and Yosemite in 1982-84 (Ken Ariza, Dave Hatchett, Tommy Thompson, and Rick Lovelace). We were young and motivated, and I usually started each day with a mission. I had so much energy and just couldn’t get enough climbing back then. I was always looking for FAs — so I usually drove the bus those days! Naturally, the nickname stuck...
UC: When and how did this whole rock climbing itch start for you? KS: Growing up in Lake Tahoe, I had the woods in my back yard and backpacking lead to rock climbing. Rick Lovelace, Tommy Thompson and myself were in the same grade, and Rick had the rope and set of hexes, which made us official. It all began with a 5.9 top rope at Ball Buster rock. Then I took a trip to the Valley in 1980 after I got my drivers license. Rick and I went down for spring break, stayed in Camp 4 and got our climbing on. I took a lesson from Don Reid at Yosemite Mountaineering School so my parents would chill. After that trip, I knew I was hooked and would never go to college and do the ‘usual’ things. Climbing is my life and passion, and it has not faded over the years.
UC: Tell us what climbing means to Kurt Smith. KS: Adventure, the unknown, fear, power, joy, commitment, and building the friendships with my partners. The adrenaline fix and the places that climbing takes you. It is my escape from the mundane, a way to take my energy and direct it in a positive way.
UC: What should readers expect from Ask The General? KS: Expect the unexpected! Each era has its stories and mine spans the 1980s, 90s, and beyond. Joshua Tree, the Valley, and Tuolumne Meadows are my roots. Rifle, Shelf Road, Independence Pass are my Colorado days. Potrero Chico was my last hurray in the 90’s before settling down at the New River Gorge, where getting a real job took over. Climbing has always been my life, and I’ve collected enough memories and bits of history to share with everyone. Ask me and you shall receive.
Greg (with cam) and John of AVO Productions. Photo: Courtesy AVO
Greg (with cam) and John of AVO Productions. Photo: Courtesy AVO
UCTV 2007 Filmmaker Of The Year AVO Productions Recently, the 2007 FOTY award was at hand. We wide-eyed through gigs and gigs of videos in search of our number one filmmaker. The winner would not only get bragging rights, but also be flown out to Telluride Mountain Film festival, all expenses paid courtesy The North Face, where they’d be honored by UC and TNF. Three letters made every judge’s shortlist – AVO. You might’ve seen “Big Crimpin’ Boat Rock” or “Sand Rock” or “Castle Rock” ... lotsa rocks. Maybe that’s because AVO’s all about the goodness of the dirty south. Heart, energy, and an obvious passion for their crags coupled with creativity and technical know-how gave these guys an edge. AVO’s productions stand out, and we’re proud hand them UCTV’s 2007 FOTY award.
UC: What does AVO stand for? AVO: Adventure Video Online.
UC: Where are you guys from? AVO: Greg is a native of Long Beach, Mississippi, currently living in Atlanta area. John was born in Gainesville, Georgia, and resides south of Atlanta.
UC: How did you guys get started? AVO: We met climbing in 2000 and immediately started pushing each other to capture quality footage. Partnered up to invest in our editing suite, equipment and office space.
UC: Is AVO your full time gig? AVO: No, AVO is not our full time gig, but a full time passion. We are partners in other businesses, which support AVO Productions.
UC: You were selected out of thousands as UCTV’s Filmmaker Of The Year – That’s big. How’s it feel? AVO: It is great knowing others appreciate our efforts ...our whole crew is stoked!
UC: What’s the reaction you’ve been getting? AVO: Everyone is positive and wants to see more vids.
UC: Tell us about your first production. AVO: The first Dirty South Film Festival in ‘05, featuring bouldering, sport climbing and multi-pitch trad climbing in the southeast from Whitesides to Boat Rock, was the first we presented to the public. Cheesy soundtrack, no interviews, and no text — just a very simple video.
UC: Tell us about a favorite production. AVO: “Riding Giants” — a must see for all up and coming filmmakers. Our favorite production that we put together was “Big Crimpin’”. That’s where we met Chad Moore, Kelly Dalton, Ashquar Zaab and many others who welcomed our cameras with open arms. It also sparked us to create AVO Productions.
UC: What’s your set up? AVO: We have a small studio in Fayetteville, GA, where we edit with Final Cut Pro, and shoot with Canon XL1S and Nikon cameras.
UC: What’s the big project? AVO: We are working on a DVD to promote awareness and document the southeast’s finest multi-pitch destinations, and the climbers who climb there.
From the desk of So iLL,
We just want to give a holla out to everyone who entered the first ever UC MAG Show Us Your Woody competition. There were A LOT of you, and many sick creations. After mowing over the vast amount of submissions (extra props to those who resized their photos!), we narrowed it down to four winners, instead of three. We’re giving places for these categories: Sickest Woody, Artistic Edge, For The Locals, and Keeping It In The Family. It was a tough field to choose from. But the finalists are (Insert drum role here________)
1. Sickest Woody: Joe Pyle
2. Artistic Edge: Dalan Faulkner
3. For The Locals: Dan Blake
4. Keeping It In The Family: Hal Roseberry
Congrats on your prizes! And, for everyone who submitted, keep your eyes open and inboxes refreshed for a special discounted offer being sent via email. AND KEEP THE WOODIES COMING – LET’S DO IT AGAIN! If you submitted, you’re already entered, and if you haven’t — send your woody pics to 411@urbanclimbermag.com for your chance to win some grips from So iLL!
Cheers,
David Chancellor,
So iLL
1st Prize “Sickest Woody” Please help an Iowan with so few rocks around! –Joe Pyle
2nd Prize “Artistic Edge” Hi, I’m 13 and on the Canyons of Frisco climbing team. We finished my woody in our garage a month ago. Been setting routes and desperately need some plastic Lovin’! Hope you like my cool room... I Love it. Just need some more So iLL holds! -Dalan Faulkner
3rd Prize “For The Locals” There’s a group of us in Michigan that is having a home woody comp series, Backyard Bouldering Sessions. We hope this summer’s bouldering series is a way of drawing Michigan climbers together and motivating them to keep climbing strong throughout the warm, muggy summer. Anyways, I have attached pics of mine and Adam’s walls. We are the “old” men of the group; married with kids, and these walls are our sole haven for keeping up with our climbing. If it wasn’t for my wall, I wouldn’t be able to climb at all. After a full day of work, playing with the kids, and taking care of household business, I can sneak in a few hours of climbing a few days a week. Any type of new holds helps with the motivation to keep setting and climbing strong... -Dan Blake
4th Prize “Keeping It In The Family” This is the climbing wall my daughter and I built in the garage. We live in a very small town in Nebraska. No local climbing (we do a little buildering from time to time when no one is looking) so the garage is our sanctuary. We have attracted the attention of several kids in the neighborhood who are now climbing whenever the garage door is open. We just added a new roof section and are thinking about some plywood features to expand the climbing possibilities. We picked up the last set of holds at the TEVA Mountain Games from the So iLL tent. We had a great time and Sloan enjoyed meeting the guys very much. -Hal Roseberry
DIRECTED BY DOUG PRAY
A MAGNOLIA PICTURES AND HDNET FILM
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY MAGNOLIA PICTURES
REVIEW BY JOE IURATO
I know what you’re thinking: “A surfing flick in a climbing mag? Really?” Well, yeah, sort of – but, not really. Let me explain...Dorian Paskowitz is 85 years old. He’s a doctor, father, husband, surfer, and all around intense character. In 1956, “Doc” Paskowitz had an epiphany. He decided that all of the power and money he earned as a successful doctor and politician meant absolutely nothing to him, and the idea that whatever he had in excess of a surfboard, a wave, and his health was just too much. So he disassociated himself from what he knew and set out to reinvent himself where his roots lay, in Israel. After living for a year among the Bedouin, and introducing the sport of surfing to the Tel Aviv beach scene, Dorian came back to the States with a new, rejuvenated state of well being. Back in the US, he met the woman of his dreams. And that’s where an almost unfathomable story of a family’s life begins.
Imagine 11 people living in a 24-foot camper, traveling to anywhere the land greets the sea, creating their own ideals, existing outside the system, earning no money (in fact avoiding it), and surfing religiously for as long as their lives will allow. Dorian, his wife Juliette, and their nine children (eight sons and one daughter) did just that. Everything they owned was in that 24-foot camper, and anywhere the camper parked was home. Together they shared a unique journey, one that only required punching a clock when the tides were right. They were their own community, living by Doc’s rules and nature’s lessons. Dorian Paskowitz was adamant about raising his children on a strict diet of organic foods, daily surfing, and education outside the classroom. “Most parents say ‘Go to school. Don’t go swimming with sharks, that’s dangerous.’ Our parents said, ‘You can go swimming with sharks, but you’re not fuckin’ going to school—that shit’s dangerous!” recalls Salvador Paskowitz (Son #7).
Surfwise is a remarkable film about a man who chose to live a nomadic, more simplified life than what most of us can even begin to comprehend. What’s more significant is that he took his entire family along for the ride, for better or for worse. He speaks with such passion, confidence, and wisdom that at times during the film I felt guilty just for owning a DVD player. When he speaks, his ability to convince is shattering, which is what makes the documentary all the more intriguing. With an ideology as extreme as Dorian’s (he didn’t allow his children to attend school) there are bound to be strong matter-of-fact arguments opposing him, and the contrasting points are magnified and completely valid in the absence of his voice...until he speaks again. I was sitting there flipping back and forth between labeling him a genius or a madman. I’m still trying to figure it out.
Surfwise is one of the greatest documentaries I’ve seen. Sure, you might want to see the film just to learn for yourself about what happens to the family, where they are now, and whether or not the journey ever ended. But in the shadow of their story, something deeper and much more personal awaits. It’s an extraordinary exercise in digging down deep and questioning what’s really important in life—and in no way does the film ever define that for us. Instead of walking away with an answer, I found myself walking away with more questions about my own life: what I’m doing right, what I’m doing wrong, and what I could or should never do. I can’t recall a documentary, aside from Dogtown and Z-Boys, that’s had such an impact on me.
Surfwise is a must-see for anyone with a passion for the outdoors and a penchant for being healed by nature. It’s not about surfing; it’s about daring to move against the grain. It’s about one man’s pursuit of an “American dream.” Finally, it’s about deciding which roads to take in this life, and where along them, if anywhere, the grass grows greener.
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