Buddy Into The Wilderness

Here’s a trailer of the upcoming movie about Buddy’s wilderness travels.

Half Dome

A story of two climbers doing the Regular Northwest Face route on Half Dome. Quite a story of how they were slowed up by other groups, passed by Alex Honnold and then met Royal Robbins (the first ascensionist) eating lunch in a hotel at Yosemite.

I liked this quote:

“After getting settled in it only took a few minutes to string some glow stick party lights through the anchor system for ambiance. A couple of stogies were fired up and we reflected on how great this spot was compared to one of the pay campsites far below in the valley. Soon the cigar smoke began to mask the dried urine stank that had accumulated here during the climbing season.”

 

Half Dome Northwest Face Climb Part 1 - Intro from Blair K on Vimeo.

Chimney Climbing In Yosemite

The Iota Chimney in Yosemite is 2 pitches rated 5.4. An unusual entrance to it is shown in the video below.

 

 

 

Climbing Gear On Planes

When we flew to Vegas, I checked all of my gear because I didn’t want to hassle with security. Pete brought a few pieces of hardware on his carryon and the TSA agent at the X ray machine asked “Were you climbing?” Of course that was in Vegas on the flight home.

This couple took all of their climbing gear on the plane from MSP (I think) to Vegas and had no problem.

I think I would still hesitate to carry on all my gear. I just think it’s less of a worry. (But then, I get one checked bag for free.)

How The Black Hills Got Its Name

It all has to do with Calamity Jane being in Deadwood, SD. At least, that’s how Mr. Peabody tells it.

“Not A Lot Of Metal In Soft Rock”

A recently completed 5.14 in Indian Creek is climbed by the route’s pioneer. I like this quote “Not a lot of metal in soft rock.” Watch as he falls on a 000 Cam near the top.

Looking For Ice In The Alps

Will Gadd and his climbing partner look for ice to climb in the Alps. They find a few locations of bolted mixed climbing. I like the logs hanging down so you can practice tooling on them.

Men Didn’t Let Women Mountaineer Because Of The Freedom

Some old footage of women climbers with a great quote at the 53 second mark:

“Because mountaineering meant an excess of freedom that men were not willing to give away.”

Yep, get back into the kitchen and off those mountains. They are way too crowded.

Travelling With Women

Apparently women can do adventurous travel all on their own. (I thought without men along, they’d need one of those aqua bikes that the fish use.)

I suppose the next fad will be women climbing with other women. Nah, that’ll never happen.

“Hey, girlfriends, there's a place for us. On second thought, make that thousands of places. Thousands of experiences too. From gap-year gals to empty-nesters, women are setting off on travel adventures in greater numbers just with the girls.”

Potrero Chico

An informative article here about climbing in Mexico’s El Potrero Chico. I talked to Levi last night about his experience down there this last winter. He had a great time, did not feel unsafe at all. Inexpensive lodging and great climbing. (He did the 23 pitch climb and simul-climbed several pitches to get up and down quickly.)

I recently talked to a climber in the gym who spent a month there this winter. He and his buddy drove down to Monterrey from MN, stayed there and climbed for a month, and spent about $440 each for all expenses. (Including the gas!)

The same woman who wrote the article linked above, has a series of 4 reports on her climbs at EPC. The first report is here.

Dyno To A Sloper With A BD 000

Who hasn’t done a dyno to a sloper protected by a Black Diamond 000 cam? Here’s a report from a recent first ascent of a 5.14 at Indian Creek with just that type of movement. A description of this route:

“The feature you are climbing runs out, and you have to do an all-points-off sideways jump to a sloper on an arête.’ He said on numerous attempts, he would overshoot the sloper and whip around the corner, getting flipped upside down. ‘When you are pumped and looking out left at that sloper, you are definitely thinking about that BD 000 in sandstone, and about not wanting to flip,’ he said.”

New Guidebook To MN & WI

You can buy a discounted book to the soaring, towering cliffs of MN and WI from the author right here.

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Multi-Pitch At VEM

Here are Kyle and Derrick at VEM on Wednesday practicing their multi-pitch skills.

Here are some awed customers who wanted to be with them up high on the wall.

1st Tape Your Hands, Then Your Ankles, Then Put On Elbow Pads

Then start up on this climb:

Online Movie Series

Sender films has an online movies series:

“Our online movie series continues here on March 22 between 6 and 9 P.M. MST with three of Sender Films’s hit climbing flicks: watch Ueli Steck race up the 13,000-foot Eiger in the Swiss Machine, Alex Honnold free-solo Yosemite’s Half Dome in Alone on the Wall, and Dean Potter freeBASE from cliffs high in the Swiss Alps in Fly or Die.”