Who Needs Ice?

For ice climbing, all you need is some hardware.

Sandstone Ice Climbing Video

This is very similar to what you'll be doing this weekend at Sandstone. I think the music will be different though.

Forearm Strength

This article recommends heavy weights  - 50% or more of your body weight - to build finger strength using finger rolls.

OK, I May Be A Little Paranoid

But even paranoiacs can have enemies. It might be the season or it might just be me but I have this feeling someone is watching me. He seems to know when I am sleeping. He knows when I'm awake. He knows if I've been bad or good.

Have you noticed this at all? Am I going crazy or what?

Endurance Training

This endurance training program is from a British web site and I know they're crazy (right Raoul?). And I think some of their math is wrong. But I believe I have the gist of it. This guy recommends climbing 2075 vertical meters per week in a total of 3 sessions. So that's about 700 meters per day you climb. Which equals approx 2100 feet. Which means 60 laps on the 35-foot-high pit wall per day of training. No wonder those Brits are strong.

Lots of New Posts Below But Don't Forget to Vote

No, not that vote, the vote that's on the side of this blog at the top. And even if you're not a citizen or don't have a valid photo ID you can vote in this one. And we're hoping your vote will make a real change; a change in the number of people who voted.

VE Schedule This Week

A few will be there Monday afternoon. A few on Wednesday. Don't know about the rest of the week yet.

This Is Way Too Young To Climb

 This is a 7 month old who's already bouldering. Think of the flexibility she must have. And the strength to weight ratio. And the full pants to empty pants ratio.

Gym Climbing Tips

(For women only.) These are 7 tips for warding off plastic predators such as the:

"Five distinct species of male which inhabit the rock gym: Skin Monkey (usually shirtless, aggro, and prone to grunting); Smarmot (an unctuous, Pepé Le Pew-like creature who uses pick-up lines like “Nice rack!”); Chigger (doesn’t take “No” for an answer); the Coach (sprays unsolicited “technique tips” that might make sense); and the bona fide Nice Guy, who wants only to climb and maybe meet someone."

Please don't tell me which one of these I am. Oh, wait, I'm the WRer.

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Here is the link, but buyer beware, if you read the comment here you will notice that the subscribers are kinda pissed off, they want their money back

Here's a Training Program for you!

Mountain Athletes website has a copious abundance of hardcore training ideas. Click of the workouts link. Mel, many of these guys are guides on the Grand. I think they are strong enough to save our lives should the need arise.
There is a seminar in Jackson Wyoming next weekend if anyone wants to go. I don''t see many gals in the photos.
They also have mandatory carpooling to the scheduled workouts with the group. If you don't carpool you have you have to do 25 penalty burpees at the end of the work out the only exception is if you ride your bike there. I wonder if Ward's class is this tough?

Sunday At VE

A few of us will be at VE on Sunday.

Saturday Report

I did the late afternoon shift today. I heard there were a few WR's there earlier. I nailed a couple of routes I had been working on. Did a 5.10a which was nice. I ran into a flock of kayakers I knew and I ran into a real ass...it was a real "nice" ass :) You had to be there. Great afternoon!

Sandstone Ice Festival

Lots of info here with the full schedule.

"Why Bother Seeing the World For Real"

Is the slogan of Google Sightseeing website. They have some wacky photos from around the world. And here's the largest freestanding rock in the world on their site.

Climbable? Who knows. There are some aliens involved in this rock, so be careful.