Farewell Chaos

I closed out my Chaos bouldering season this past Monday with a win on one of my favorite boulders ever, 'The Shining' V13. Monday was really my last opportunity to climb the boulder because of an ultra busy week ahead. It seems that no matter what the project, what its implications, how hard or how amazing... each time I find myself tying in or chalking up, the project looming above me is the very most important thing in the world. It's captivating, it's everything. At times I'm sure that the stress is a detriment to performance and certainly looking back it always seems far less important than it was in the moment. But this kind of involvement is what I thrive on. And this feeling is driven to new heights when I feel the pressure of a closing weather window, or the end of a trip, or failing skin. I love it.

I finished The Shining in a few tries on Monday so I was left with some time to play. Nate Drolet and I wandered down to Upper for 'Eternia' V11 - an amazing, long roof problem that he was really stoked on and I had been hearing about for years. Underclings forever on this thuggy boulder, with a wild feet-first ending. Truly a memorable climb. We both sent and we took our pads down to a trailside turd of sorts, but the movement was great! 'McFly' V10 to finish the day.

On Tuesday I had an afternoon flight to visit family in Wisconsin so I had to get out early if I wanted a quick bouldering session. Erin Ayla meet me in Moraine Park and gave me a quick tour of some of the many boulders she and he boyfriend Ian Cotter-Brown have been developing over the spring and summer. There are a grip of new ones out there, and still many more to be done. 'The Last Crusade' V11 is a stunner curving rail that ends with a compression feature. An outstanding problem. Next I did 'Tainted Tick Marks' V10 or the Flood Money Direct. It doesn't look like much but it has some really cool movement and packs a punch for a relatively shorter problem. I cruised back to the car by around 10:30, packed up my life from Estes Park and took off for DIA.

So very stoked and ready for the Idaho Mountain Festival this weekend and life on the road after that!

A few goodies to keep you stoked moving through the end of the week...

I did a second interview with Neely Quinn and the Training Beta Podcast that she just released - I always love linking up with these guys and I think we covered some interesting new terrain in this conversation. Have a quick listen!



And here's a raw cut from back in Squamish of my ascent on Tom Wright's incredible 'Spirit of the West'. Enjoy!