tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47365043730228999562024-03-12T19:21:44.782-07:00JONATHAN SIEGRISTUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger333125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-7449811022306143912020-09-09T08:35:00.006-07:002020-09-09T08:41:33.028-07:00<p> More on recovery soon, but I wanted to put a couple things up here to help you kill some time and maybe even take away some motivation! I did The Run Out Podcast hosted by my friends Andrew Bisherat and Chris Kalous recently - it's a cool new format and we got into some topics that I have been thinking about a lot recently so have a quick listen here. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://runoutpodcast.com/index.php/2020/09/03/runout-46-j-star-peaches-and-pass-the-topo-chico/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1251" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2GlCeqJCCfxrj8-6QpHJgsTzvTTkBUpog3BqW1tiXL0h7kyKOvDzjWpE1okWMVKm6QCdt0CFFa1z9WBbRqQnpH4KK05bVC6H66FrZmm-V47r-MxOQa6vNF08XoHK753ekggacw6OhyphenhyphenMG/w625-h268/Screen+Shot+2020-09-09+at+8.34.03+AM.png" width="625" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Also, I really can't say enough about how much I loved this BD film from Mike Call, 'The Artist'. I found it really powerful and the old footage and iconic photographs from Boone brought back a ton of stoke for me. This is just so well done and speaks to my generation like crazy. I really, really enjoyed it - hopefully you do too. </p><p></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Foiy2aKv_RY" width="560"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-51808282367680640522020-08-29T09:31:00.003-07:002020-08-29T09:49:20.166-07:00Injured Reserve Prt 3 So the healing continues... It has been five weeks now since my crash and the last week in particular has been very encouraging. Last weekend I went climbing outside for the first time in four weeks which felt amazing. We went to Staunton State Park - the Dungeon - a very en vogue area these past years especially because it's completely doable in the summer months. After a slow warm up I flashed 'Intolerance Test' 13a, 'Branching Out' 12d, 'If and Only If' 13a and 'No Excuse' 13b. All were awesome, very fun routes! This crag was perfect because I felt like for the most part I could climb very statically and cautiously. Most routes are quite juggy and full of resting positions, with smaller holds defining short cruxes. Perfect for me because my fingers actually feel quite strong it is just hard, dynamic movement that was scary / weak.<br />
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Throughout the week since then I started allowing myself to use the Moonboard again - starting with only V4 or V5 on the first day, and gradually working up to V8/9 more recently. Because I am trying hard to keep my shoulder engaged I don't quite have the full reach on my left side yet and the whole shoulder area gets pretty damn tired after an hour session. I have been mixing this with also slowly re-introducing one arm hangs on the left side. About 10 days ago it felt too aggressive to hang one arm with my injured shoulder but slowly with the use of stretchy bands as aid I got back to body weight on rings, and then body weight on a 30mm hold and eventually 2 days ago a 20mm hold! This is quite good as my 'hard' hangs are usually on a 17mm, so, pretty close to where I was before.<br />
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In between the gym sessions I have been staying the course with my PT, foam rolling like crazy and starting to re-introduce some overhead range of motion stuff. I am also using a heat pad, still taping, sleeping 9 hr a night and avoiding all alcohol. Like I said in a previous post, I am taking the injury as seriously as I would a hard project, and I am so grateful to say that it is working! At this point I feel as though my shoulder is around 85 ish % strength. And the other thing that rules is that the shoulder feels quite normal in every day stuff now too. Usually it is quite tired on rest days but where it was always feeling a little weird some weeks ago, now it is feeling close to normal all day.<br />
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I assume that the final 15% to full recovery will take some time yet, but my primary aim was to have a good shot at a big fall season and that is seeming totally possible, so I am stoked. Wish me luck!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-37398976257874064002020-08-14T07:59:00.003-07:002020-08-14T07:59:33.868-07:00Injured Reserve Prt 2 <p>I am happy to say that week two, and the first half of week three, are both ripe with progress for my shoulder situation. In week two I was primarily plagued by consistent tightness / pain in my back which could have been due to a rib injury or could have simply been pissed off muscles in my shoulder girdle adjusting to their new normal. Either way, week two, in many ways, was the worst so far for pain and discomfort. The good news is that my range of motion, stability and confidence made steady improvements, culminating in me climbing some simple, steeper boulder problems at the end of the week. It felt very clunky and not at all close to 'normal' but it was a nice sensation to pull my body off the ground and up the wall! </p><p>That first day of climbing up to ~V4 broke the ice for me to try some autobelays and some longer routes a few days later at the Boulder Rock Club. On Tuesday (15 days after the accident) I climbed up to 5.12- on auto belay and it felt outstanding! I could definitely sense a lot of hesitation and cautious movement but I was almost totally pain free. The one movement that seemed weak and too scary was rocking over a right foot by pushing my left hand out to the left, like opening an elevator door with the left hand. Pulling straight down, even from a pretty extended position with my left hand however, felt mostly fine. </p><p>The next day I did some leading up to mid 5.12 on seven or eight routes before my shoulder was getting tired and I quit for the day. This felt like mini progress in itself, but I was still having some issues with that movement I mentioned - so yesterday at my PT appointment with Ross Bodine we worked through some exercises and range of motion to hopefully help strengthen that. We also went through a myriad of other exercises that I had been too cautious to try such as overhead press, push ups and levers - all of which were shockingly fine, but just will need some time to strengthen up to normal. </p><p>If I had to put a percentage on my shoulder I would probably say 50% which might seem low given all of these strides but to me it seems incredibly high considering just 2.5 weeks ago it felt as though my arm was detached from my body altogether.. Moving forward I am going to focus entirely on strengthening, and building back up to my previous loads in all of those exercises I've mentioned - as well as mixing in some not too challenging climbing, as with most injuries the time in the weight room is always more fruitful.</p><p>So what have I been doing that seems to work?? Most importantly I have been seeing my PT, Ross Bodine at Alta in Boulder once a week, and seeing my massage therapist, Dan Micheal in Boulder once or more a week. Since day one I have been taping my shoulder using Luekotape (hugely important). I've made time, several times a day, to do PT exercises and been doing a daily hour long hike in the foothills. Every 2nd or 3rd day I have been doing BFR to try and maintain my fingers, roughly following the <a href="https://www.trainingbeta.com/finger-training-with-blood-flow-restriction/">protocol laid out here</a> by the maestro Tyler Nelson. Lastly I have given up completely on alcohol, been sleeping 8-9 hours a night (which has gotten easier as my back has relaxed) and not taken any pain meds or NSAIDS since the first day. I've used some THC / CBD for sleep aid which was great and tried to get tons of micronutrients in my food along with <a href="https://physivantage.com/products/powerplex-plant-based-protein-complex">daily protein smoothies</a>. Overall I've really tried to approach this injury like an important project, placing a ton of importance and significance on my PT, exercises, ROM and nutrition. </p><p>I am aiming to be cranking hard in September but we will see how the end of this process goes! Wish me luck and send me your questions if you are going through AC separation also!! </p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-7113670229071595022020-08-04T08:35:00.005-07:002020-08-04T08:43:19.062-07:00Injured Reserve prt 1 As I mentioned at the end of my last post, I slammed on my mountain bike pretty damn hard last week and came out with a gnarly concussion, bruised / slipped rib and worst of all, a separated AC joint. Let me first say that <a href="https://mipsprotection.com">MIPS is real</a>, and always wear a damn helmet. <div><br /></div><div>I wanted to write a little about my experience here because of how common this injury is, albeit a little unusual for climbing, with the hopes that a few people out there suffering the same thing would find this helpful one day. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfV34SsQd38&feature=emb_title">Dave McLeod has an awesome video</a> about his recovery and I found it incredibly helpful and super motivating. A little motivation goes a long way in times like this, so hopefully these entries will do the same for you! </div><div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wFBXvOInPLeMEGUmVnw2KXd5MEmAKm4P7KdBepS3_IZMRuQh7x4nsWgN40UxL4Qu1dnrvFG3imLCxywsY1Es-8NIrAfte1mCf8YERfW_EvPZWvmrzWUQGHJr5ry5XQi1ghF0lHkZwaQA/s2048/IMG_9813.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wFBXvOInPLeMEGUmVnw2KXd5MEmAKm4P7KdBepS3_IZMRuQh7x4nsWgN40UxL4Qu1dnrvFG3imLCxywsY1Es-8NIrAfte1mCf8YERfW_EvPZWvmrzWUQGHJr5ry5XQi1ghF0lHkZwaQA/s640/IMG_9813.jpeg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Immediately after the crash I had a lot of trouble breathing, felt obvious concussion symptoms and could tell my shoulder was totally smashed. I lifted my arm above my head but I felt cracking and popping and grinding in my shoulder like crazy. I immediately started holding my left shoulder with my right arm - it was completely unstable, almost felt unattached. My buddy took me to the ER for X-rays and I got a sling. Thank god because my right arm was SO tired from holding my left arm at this point that it was beginning to hurt worse. I was convinced that I broke something because of how awful my shoulder felt but the X-ray showed clearly I had damaged the AC joint, but no breaks.</div><div><br /></div><div>The first night was quite horrible, well, honestly the first few nights were pretty bad. I had a really hard time sleeping as expected, and the pain in my back made just shifting around in bed exhausting. The day after the crash I got an appointment with an Ortho where I expected to get an MRI but he did some tests on my rotator cuff and some feeling around and suggested I would not need images. He diagnosed me with a Grade 2/3 AC joint Separation and sent me on my way. Much to my surprise the doctors at the hospital and the Ortho barely really even mentioned Physical Therapy. Even after I told both of them that full recovery and aggressive use of my shoulder was imperative for my career. If you have suffered an AC joint sep I can not emphasis enough that you should see a good PT right away and strongly consider massage therapy once a week as well. You will need to practice movement patterns and encourage muscle use etc if you want this thing to go over well! </div></div><div><br /></div><div>I made some really clear and exciting progress during my first week. After about a day, I was able to stop using the sling - but only when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQBteHtrcwI">I had my shoulder taped</a>, specifically with Leuko tape (it will not stretch and thus will actually support your shoulder). My massage therapist who I really really trust in Las Vegas, Pat Teves, was adamant about this.. Tape it tight, and only use Leuko tape. I credit the taping with a lot of my comfort and healing progress thus far. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the first few days it felt more or less out of the question to raise my arm above my head, and holding any loads with the arm was too difficult. I was able to use a grip master, and I could flex my whole arm without pain. Holding a plank or a push up position felt too aggressive still. After a few days I went to the climbing gym to see if I could do some weights with my right arm but it was just too hard not to engage the left side of my body (even a tiny bit) which created pain, so I bailed. I did a few hour long hikes, the first of which was downright painful, and borderline terribly unpleasant. However the movement was just so nice so I kept it up. </div><div><br /></div><div>Over the course of the first week I really felt as though I was making ~5% progress every day which was super encouraging. I went to a PT, Ross Bodine at Alta in Boulder, who I would highly recommend. He ran me through some difficult movement exercises that I have been doing everyday, including cable pull downs with a focus on pulling the shoulder blade down and back not dissimilar to my hangboard position. I also spoke with Tyler Nelson who asked me a handful of questions and determined that he thought I could hang (!) which sounded altogether insane to me over the phone but I tried (arms bend and locked at <b>90 degrees</b>) and miraculously I could without pain! This was a massively encouraging moment - immediately following the crash I was certain I would not climb again in 2020, now, hanging until exhaustion on a small edge I was starting to have some serious hope!</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, 8 days after my crash I can pretty easily lift my arm overhead. I can hold a plank or push up position (can not do a push up yet however), and I can do some simple exercises with my left arm like low weight curls (using the BFR this is actually pretty good) and finger curls with a training block. Mobility is coming back slowly, but overhead pulling or pushing is pretty scary. Normal life stuff, other than turning over in bed, is pretty mellow now. I still have some pain in my back which comes and goes but generally is on the decline. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've been seeing a very good friend and Rolfer here in Boulder as well, <a href="https://www.climbing.com/places/the-history-of-hard-sport-climbing-in-boulders-flatirons-interview-dan-michael/">Dan Micheal</a>, who I largely credit with originally healing my funky left shoulder years ago due to subluxation. I really feel like massage therapy is critical to all injuries, but especially one like this where so much of the body is scrambling to re-align. </div><div><br /></div><div>Okay I will check back after another week of healing and let you guys know how it's going! Wish me luck. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-12242530399833096022020-08-02T11:02:00.003-07:002020-08-15T13:24:24.026-07:00RifleI often estimate that at the core of rock climbing in the United States there are perhaps about a thousand people give or take. A thousand people who fully <i>live</i> for climbing, who re-arrange their entire lives to climb, who have made climbing their priority regardless of wether or not they are 'professionals' (few actually are which is another conversation and a sad one if you ask me). They live in Vans, trucks and cars. They work remote or part time or code or barely work at all mysteriously but one thing is for sure - they found a way to be at the cliff more often than they are not at the cliff.<br />
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If you journey across the country to the key spots you will notice an obvious migration of these stoked individuals and one of the primary meeting grounds is no doubt Rifle Canyon. It's not even as though Rifle is necessarily 'good' in the summer months it's just that everywhere else is awful, so why not? Those core, committed climbers slowly trickle in around June and populate the canyon's camp sites, picnic spots and caves. This is a gathering of climbers unlike any other in the heat of the summer. It is Rifle Summer Camp.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shaina climbs 'Hawaiian Two Foot' 13a</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dru boinks to infinity and beyond</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I climbed 'Diarrhea Mouth' 14d in the Skull Cave</td></tr>
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Well it had been quite a few years since I bathed in East Rifle Creek, but man it felt good to return. It's easy to have a good old fashion love / hate with Rifle but man, it's hard to beat in the dead of the Summer. In our first few days the heat was so overwhelming that we weren't sure we could actually stick it. Slowly we adjusted, learned the ways of the siesta and the unique pacing of a crag where there are no approaches, virtually no driving, and on a weekday hardly ever a line up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Genevive on 'Conception' 13a</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me climbing 'PHAT Camp' 14d </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nate climbs 'Genesis' 12a</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dru climbs the hard hard 'Music for the Dead' 13b </td></tr>
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We had a great time after all. Two glorious weeks of relaxed mid-days, creek dips, quiet nights and friends. We sent a few things which was awesome because I hadn't climbed on hard routes other than my own for a long time. So important to check back in with the outside world every now and then. We also had a pretty easy time feeling COVID safe which I was unsure about, but it was fine.<br />
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We will be chilling hard in the Front Range for a month now, but I hope to link back into the migration of core senders before too long. Unfortunately I slammed <i>very hard</i> on my mountain bike last week so I will not be climbing for a while - more on that in my next blog...<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-73179604645536519902020-07-24T12:14:00.004-07:002020-08-03T09:54:33.672-07:00God's Crag<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font face="inherit">
The real summer in Vegas typically starts late June or early July. May and most of June are quite good for the higher elevation crags but at some point near the Solstice, the night time lows begin creeping up too damn high for my taste. As the desert went through this transition we packed the truck and made the pilgrimage to Colorado. First stop was something of an obscurity that I had wondered about for years… God’s Crag. Every once and a while I try to dig deep through Mountain Project, exploiting all of the most advanced search functions in pursuit of hidden gems. A shocking number exist, but few are as enticing as God’s Crag; with it’s towering streaked walls, variety of grades and prime summer temps. I first stumbled on God’s Crag nearly 10 years ago during one of these searches, but the timing and stoke never lined up until this summer. </font></div>
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Just outside of Lake City, Colorado, God’s Crag is nestled into a steep hillside in the shadow of Uncompahgre Peak. Some primitive camp sites line the road right next to the river and not far from where you start the 20 minute uphill approach. The crag itself is a horseshoe shaped amphitheater, with routes peppered all over, left to right. The Creamy Salmon Wall is the highest quality rock overall and has some outstanding 5.12 climbing of which ‘Black Velvet’ was my absolute favorite. The massive Mileski Wall has mixed rock quality but the good rock is very good and the lines are crazy aesthetic and 40 meters long. I revived and partially bolted 2 forgotten projects here that I called ‘Fools Gold’ and ‘Rainmaker’ - a waterfall splits the Mileski wall and depending on your luck (and the wind) you might find this route soaking or bone dry. We figured the chances are roughly 50/50 from day to day, but it’s worth the gamble for what I would consider the king line of God’s Crag. The most sought after route must be ‘Full Facial’, a resistant 8a up a consistently overhanging panel bookmarking the left side of the Mileski Wall. </font></div>
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Up above there is a second tier, with a stunningly beautiful black and white streaked, overhanging wall (Zebra Wall). Will Anglin and Ben Spannuth put in some work here reviving old projects and bolting a couple new ones back in ’13. ‘Fruit Stripe’ 13d is super good and likely the best on the upper level. Some of the rock up here can feel friable and some is downright razor sharp, but the beauty and difficulty of the lines up top were motivating enough for me. Plus you just can’t ignore the fact that the position and setting of this crag both on the top tier and below is completely mind blowing. Summer climbing damn near its finest if you ask me. </font></div>
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We spent the week hanging and climbing with Nate Liles and Bekka Mongeau. No cell service. Long days of bolting, cleaning and climbing. Laughs and Catan in their RV at night. Searching for rare gems by cracking open mine tailings in-between burns. It felt refreshing to be in the cool, thin air, and also just to be out there exploring this new part of the world I had been wondering about for so long. </font></div>
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Nate killed it; climbing his project ‘Zooty Head’ 12d on the Creamy Salmon, bolting a rad new one on the Mileski (‘Beautiful and Savage Country’ also 12+) and shooting a video for Epic TV. I will post more about the video as it is released… Some drool worthy shots in there for sure. </font></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-23808253177078821762020-05-25T18:49:00.003-07:002020-08-03T09:52:54.656-07:00Silver L?Usually I base my entire year around climbing trips, performance goals and traveling. For obvious reasons this year has been different, but there is without a doubt some positivity somewhere in this mess..<br />
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Speaking of planning trips, as it seems like climbing trips might be once again on the horizon I have been scouring the internet for motivation. I've spent the lockdown giving everything to bolting, exploring and developing (more on that in a moment) - but sadly I've done very very little actual climbing, so my thirst for <i>new</i> climbs and <i>new</i> areas is peaking. My usual resources for undiscovered gems are 8a.nu and the indispensable Mountain Project, but there is one forgotten platform that without a doubt serves the armchair curiosity of those determined to unearth obscurities... The almighty Blog.</div>
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Sourcing some old school, page scrolling, die hard blog material myself, I was reminded of my old website (not to be confused with my jstarinorbit URL that was hijacked and yes I am still pissed about it). Something about this year, and this time, made me feel like the environment was perhaps finally ripe for me to start jotting in the old blog again.<br />
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Welcome to my first attempt at re-stoking the blog fire. Expect run-on sentences, iPhone photos, obscurities, unsolicited opinions and the occasional nugget of priceless beta for your psyche - or so I hope. </div>
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As I mentioned before, my COVID time was at first a much anticipated climbing trip to Italy cut dramatically short but then it turned into weeks and weeks of exploration, hard work and toil back here at home in Vegas. Climbing has taken a back seat but I'm finally at a stage where I am ready to start pulling on stone and put the drill down. Truth be told this has been a strange time as I know it has for everyone, but overall I've felt a clear purpose and a ton of motivation so I am without a doubt grateful. I will share more details of the new routes when the pieces start to really come together! Enjoy some iPhone pictures in the meantime... </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-79840954021512622002020-01-06T10:55:00.001-08:002020-01-06T10:55:27.657-08:00Still buzzing on this recent trip to Mashan, China. I'm quite sure the universe rewarded me with impeccable weather after Shaina and I got stomped on with the rain and heat last year. The food was on point. This was one of those trips where everything lined up so nicely. The crew was just great: <br />
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Myself<br />
Paul McSorley (adventurer lead and snack street enthusiast)<br />
Emilie Pellerin (contortionist and total BA climber)<br />
Katie Mah (Harness Designer and sleeper bone crusher)<br />
Marcos Costa (Mandarin expert and tireless good vibes provider)<br />
Jan Novak (Photog boss and non-stop trouble maker)<br />
Conner James (Down-for-whatever climber / surfer homie)<br />
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We met some incredible friends there who showed us such a good time, night after night... Acheng, JunBao, LuJa and Sherry... Jan shared his enthusiasm for dance and they shared their incredible culinary skills!<br />
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We opened three new brilliant multipitch routes - a 12-, 12+ and a 13+, and a handful of single pitch rigs, including this incredible 14c that I called 'Lajiao'. Mashan overall was so impressive. Have a look at this <a href="https://www.mountainproject.com/area/118141890/mashan">mountain project page</a> we made and get stoked for a visit!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-84220416075905749362019-10-15T12:07:00.001-07:002019-10-15T12:08:09.563-07:00Someone hijacked my old URL so welcome to <a href="http://www.jonathansiegrist.com/">JonathanSiegrist.com</a>!<br />
<br />
As I would hope you could already tell, anything posted to my old URL jstarinorbit is garbage and I would never write content like that.<br />
<br />
I am working to shut down the other site but for now you can find all of the archives here and hopefully some new content in the months to come.<br />
<br />
Thank you everyone!<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-10652453754179774942018-05-25T12:35:00.004-07:002018-05-25T12:35:53.739-07:00May 2018 Mid December of last year was more or less when 2018 kind of started for me. Each year I try to force a week to ten days of rest from climbing to let my body relax and also to reset my mental energy for the coming season. I ate delicious food at my parents house. I went on long hikes in Boulder's beautiful backyard with Zeke. I sat in the sauna. I read. I started an 8a.nu account. I was kinda bored.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpP9z1qC5J_kPhszSm9PCakgVNV1PMHzVYRbsNYWwRWHZsI_UYQVJifRMG9frLadr768VJBVgwIZAxlUpDQa8INP-_derwaYN22bbpn3NY353duNzx8kQoR3N5ZzroFz9tajGr5FFtZ95/s1600/DSC07884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpP9z1qC5J_kPhszSm9PCakgVNV1PMHzVYRbsNYWwRWHZsI_UYQVJifRMG9frLadr768VJBVgwIZAxlUpDQa8INP-_derwaYN22bbpn3NY353duNzx8kQoR3N5ZzroFz9tajGr5FFtZ95/s640/DSC07884.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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By all means 2017 was massive for me. I essentially did no training at all, but spent months and months of time on the road and on the rock which was exactly what I needed. Any residual sense of burnout from '16 was long behind me once I committed to traveling and exploring. I put faith in the work I'd done years before and tried for an intimidating goal of climbing ten routes 14d or harder, which, proudly, I succeeded at.<br />
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I had laid some kind of foundation but for 2018 I really wanted to<i> improve</i>. Ideally that improvement would result in climbing 9b, but honestly more than anything I just wanted to feel like I was making progress. When you've spent years fine tuning your training and inching towards your personal best, massive breakthroughs become less and less realistic. You start to aim for the smallest increments to motivate you.<br />
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During my downtime in December I started building a plan. I sat down with the incredibly knowledgable Will Anglin of Tension Climbing and kicked ideas back and forth. I met with my friend and the one who really showed me the light originally; Mark Anderson, co-author of the Rock Prodigy Method. We met in Golden and joked about training and progress. I had several lengthy phone calls with Steve Bechtel from Climb Strong and his training ethos really spoke to me. I built a training program and schedule together with Steve that, aside from a few tweaks and some changes on the fly, I would stick to for the following several months.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGce2PvV_xHS0WNXV3ODvGq-lZP7RtaKt3ePceruc1Yc8GQM6J4HZyvTAsRBmU8kPidtSfQ4rw_WQYfJZv-bS_JbHKBrXCyGCIEchJWk9_JeLOVttMhMLvbfKprkD8BE3PaAb68AnGdoyP/s1600/DSC07850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGce2PvV_xHS0WNXV3ODvGq-lZP7RtaKt3ePceruc1Yc8GQM6J4HZyvTAsRBmU8kPidtSfQ4rw_WQYfJZv-bS_JbHKBrXCyGCIEchJWk9_JeLOVttMhMLvbfKprkD8BE3PaAb68AnGdoyP/s640/DSC07850.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I would have about a month for the first 'trimester' of the program. I absolutely love training. I love how much I can escape the world when I'm plugged into music and focused on the next hang or the next boulder problem. I think I might put an even greater level of mental intensity into hitting my training goals than I do climbing outside. But, all of this motivation would never exist for me if there was not a clear objective. I need something on the horizon to help me push through a particularly gnarly session and to give purpose to the monotony and torture of training.<br />
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In late January I went to Austin, Texas to see a new place, meet new people and climb at a fresh crag. I thoroughly enjoyed the two week trip, and importantly, it provided a reprieve from the weeks spent in the gym. I felt a bit run down throughout the trip, but I was happy to climb a handful of incredible, hard routes in the Austin area. The climbing there is physical and demanding - more like long boulder problems than sport routes. During the early months my training was focused specifically on power, so this area was a perfect compliment. I obsessed over their tacos and met a group of very supportive and stoked climbers in this Texas mecca.<br />
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When I returned I buried myself again in the climbing gym. Throughout these cycles I largely decreased my usual focus on finger strength, and used that extra shoulder energy for dynamic movement and heavy strength exercises. 'Jumbo Love' was my ultimate goal, and I knew that finger strength would definitely not be an issue after trying the route in 2016. For me, the difficulties on Jumbo Love are primarily defined my movement, not hold size. The route is very reachy throughout. I can't add length to my body but I can try to make larger moves feel easier - and that was my aim.<br />
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After the second 'trimester' was completed I made Joe Kinder's amazing 'Bone Tomahawk' my stepping stone. This route is bouldery, very steep and physical. The holds are generally good. The clips are hard and the movement is hard. Aside from its length (it's really around 40-50 feet of climbing), it would be a perfect test for my training. I did the second ascent of the route but the send was quite a bit harder than I had imagined. For sure some of my time invested was reacquainting myself with climbing outside, but still it felt hard. I also climbed 'Re-Up' some days afterward, which was super motivating because I had tried that link up some years ago and it felt kinda rugged.<br />
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I began the third cycle in my training with a few days of pumpy climbing in the Cathedral intermixed. I had planned on a number of training sessions through April but at this point I could feel that things were starting to come together. I felt snappy from the training but my stamina was beginning to extend beyond 10 or 20 moves. I combined boulder problems to make 35 move giants in the climbing gym.<br />
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When the weather looked warm enough for me to start trying I cut the cycle off early and started the mission to Clark Mountain. If I've learned anything over the last four years of training it's that everything must be done by feel. Learn what your body needs and when - never be afraid to substitute or lengthen a session. Learn the difference between training stress and pain from injury. It's stated so often that it seems cliche but, listen to your body.<br />
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I campaigned at Clark for roughly a month. I think I had around 11 days in total on the route this season but the process to sending really felt like it started with my obsessive planning back in December. Hopefully there is a lesson hiding somewhere in this summation of my process that speaks to you, and maybe it's just what you needed to start planning (...or not!) for your next big mission.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-76227043002754758332017-11-22T11:10:00.000-08:002017-11-22T11:15:27.257-08:00Ten Routes <i>Back to the States a few days ago.. </i><br />
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Many of the same places but always a new experience... The past month we were settled into an awesome little apartm<span style="text-align: center;">ent in Cornudella de Montsant. For those that don't know, this is a rad little town just a ten minute drive from Siurana, ten minutes from Montsant and forty minutes from Margalef. With a legit gear shop, several cool cafes and restaurants, countless traveling climbers, this is unquestionably one of the major hubs for sport climbing in Catalunya. You won't necessarily be greeted in English here but the shop owners and bartenders are known for being accommodating and stoked on the climbing community. </span></div>
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For me this past trip was not as singularly focused as some of my trips in the past. I mostly prepared by climbing outside and supplemented with a little strength training just about a week before departure. My aim was to have a crack at a few Siurana classics I had skipped over before, and if time allowed to jump around to a few other cliffs. Furthermore my aim was to support my girlfriend Shaina on her mission to climb 5.13. She had been preparing for this trip for months, born from a lofty goal to climb 5.13 this year after having just done her first 5.12 in February (!!!). </div>
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The first week we arrived was quite hot and crowds were something of an issue, but as the days passed the temps gradually lowered until we exchanged tank tops for down jackets and even found ourselves suffering from cold in the shade. Altogether the weather cooperated damn near as well as one could ask for. I skipped one day of climbing because of crippling arctic wind, but otherwise our 2 days on, one day off schedule persisted throughout. </div>
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In addition to delicious olives, countless Estrellas, brilliant sunsets and even a beach day, we both finished the trip contempt with our climbing. Shaina proudly climbed her first 5.13, 'L'escarmala' - a Siurana classic requiring huge dynamic movement, finger power and technical footwork alike. She did a second 13a just a week after. </div>
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I completed a major objective for 2017, to climb 10 routes 14d or harder, with sends of the resistance test piece 'La Reina Mora' and the ultra bouldery '20 Anos Despues'. I remember a few years ago reading an interview with the incredible Japanese climber Sachi Amma, when he mentioned that it was a goal of his to climb 10 grade 9 (14d or harder) routes in a year and distinctly remembering that seeming so beyond possible (<i>for me</i> - I believe Sachi eventually succeeded). Early this year I did the first repeat of 'Bachelor Party' 9a and shortly after had the best climbing of my life, finishing 'Pachamama' 9a+/b, 'Joe Mama' 9a+ and 'Chaxi' 9a+ in a couple weeks. From here I reflected on that interview with Sachi and planned to just go to the death climbing outside and pursuing 9a for the rest of 2017. I was never quite sure it would come together (both logistically and also physically) but it did a few weeks ago. After climbing '20 anos' I was pretty blown out. A long year of grinding, projecting, traveling, living in my truck and flying across the globe. In between the 9a's I also climbed 50 5.14s. I was pretty smoked. I took the level down in Spain after that, doing some utterly amazing pitches like 'Pal Este' 14b, 'Toni Kaneloni' 13c and 'Los Ultimos Vampiros Hippies' 14b among others - like some not nearly as amazing, but hard non-the-less routes like 'Directa Jabali' 14b, 'Leche Caliente' 14a and 'Afrodita' 14b/c. </div>
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At this point I've got one more nemesis route in the Boulder area to hopefully finish off and then I will be taking some time to rest, chill and prepare for 2018's goals during December. I'm so proud of my climbing this year - especially because I took a giant step back from training and focused on being outside and with my friends and dog - and it worked (to my surprise to be honest). Now I want to try and get a fresh start, diving back into systematic training as I pursue the next objective. But first, some Pumpkin Pie. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-77638964130613165972017-10-07T12:32:00.001-07:002017-10-07T13:31:55.614-07:00Summer 'It's been a busy summer, a freaking rad summer, but damn I can't tell you how happy I am to say that it's over. As I'm sure most of you in the Northern Hemisphere would agree (especially in the American West) I am ready for the fall... ready for cold nights and down jackets and bringing thermos to the crag. I'm ready for a cool breeze and bright red leaves. It seems October is more or less the new September but whatever it is, I am stoked it's here and it seems it brought at least a little autumn with it.<br />
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I added a slew of photographs below to take you through my summer, with a little explanation here and there. I hope everyone is enjoying this change in weather, finally!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ten Sleep: Shaina and I stopped through Ten Sleep for a few days on our way to the Lander ICF. Just enough time to belay my Dad on his hardest send to date, at age 67. I wrote about his climbing life and the experience of his send on the Arcteryx Blog here: <a href="http://blog.arcteryx.com/optimist-jonathan-siegrists-dad/">http://blog.arcteryx.com/optimist-jonathan-siegrists-dad/ </a><br />
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It was incredible to be a part of this send, and to see him push his own limits, after over 40 years of climbing. Shaina totally fell in love with the climbing here as I expected she might. I'm sure we will be back over the years. It's grown immensely in popularity since I first visited in 2008, but for good reason. Reminds me so much of Siurana at times. It was great to revisit, even though I kind of got my ass kicked. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After some Ten Sleep action we went up to join the ICF in Lander. This is one of my absolute favorite climbing events, and the longest running event of its kind in the US. I climbed BJ Tilden's epic link up on the Rodeo Wave called 'Mutation' 14d. This hybrid route (two ropes required and actually some brief bouldering in the middle) rides various cruxes for over 80 moves to make a seemingly enormous route out of the ultra short wall. It combines 'Genetic Drifter' 14c with the boulder problem 'Ground from Upside Down' V7 and then a nasty hard section of V8 to eventually finish with 'Single Cell' 13b. In some ways this route was conceived out of BJ's boredom but it was actually quite meaningful to me as I know it was to him. Lander and the Iris will always hold a special place in my heart, from my years of climbing and enjoying the area. I can't wait to go back.. there are still a couple random things I need to polish off! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found my summer home in Estes Park for a good chunk of August. The number of tourists has gotten somewhat out of hand over the last several summers but still the beauty of Chaos and the incredible quality of the problems there lures me in. My power was a little slow to come back but I did do a few hard ones like 'Memoirs of an Invisible Climber' V11/12, 'Steve Zissou' V11 (a horrendously hard one for a short climber I thought!), 'The Wheel Direct' V13/14, 'Daytripper' V13, 'Storm Shadow Sit' V12 and 'Whispers of Wisdom' V10 (for me this may have been the hardest of all) among others. It was kind of an ass kicking as Bouldering seems to be always for me, but I'm proud I finished a few things off and as always I absolutely loved my time in the alpine. I left a few things undone, but thankfully I am always looking for a great summer hang and Estes just keeps providing. I wrote about my experience out there and my recommendation to route climbers to switch it up and go bouldering on the La Sportiva Blog here: <a href="https://www.sportiva.com/blog/jonathan-siegrist-bouldering-in-rmnp/">https://www.sportiva.com/blog/jonathan-siegrist-bouldering-in-rmnp/</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried my luck on a mega project in the Fins, but the late summer heat was too much for me to handle. Tara Kehrzner was there shooting some video, and I did do all of the moves with some promising links, but this route is so incredibly hard that I really need everything to line up for me and I could tell that with temps in the upper 70s at the cliff it would not be this year. I moved on to Rifle to climb on bigger holds. I climbed 'Lungfish' 14b after several days of kind of intense effort. In total it was the most I've tried any route in Rifle, ever. Something about the slick rock, the nature of the climbing and the conditions (plus it's just hard as hell!) combined to put up quite the fight. It's always hard to release the ego in times like this but I feel so strongly that we have to follow through even if it hurts (inside). Clipping the chains was memorable, especially after I punted above the crux from a foot slip. I also did 'Skull Fuck' 13c after a pretty humbling fight. The most I have tried a 13c in recent memory. It's neighbor 'Cracked Open Sky' 13d felt wildly easier, as did several of the new ones like 'Never Enough' 14a and 'Uncertainty Principle' 14a. I got some much needed beta from my good friend Pawel on 'Gropius' 13d/14a for my hardest flash in Rifle, which I was particularly stoked on. I also climbing 'Colinator' 14a and 'Kuru' 14c among some others. It was rad to be back in the Canyon and with such a great crew. Thanks to Sam and Matt, Dan and Colette and everyone out there for such good time both climbing and otherwise. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After a super fun weekend in Smith Rock for the AAC Craggin Classic, full of some soloing, some sport routes, a great clinic and some multi pitching with my good buddy Sam Elias, I was ready for the main objective. I planned to finally have a look at the Pop Tire Crag in Western Utah, just on the Border of Nevada. Silver Island, or Wendover Cave as it is also referred to, is an exceptional little zone. Far away from the world, on a remote island of rock in an otherwise desolate and flat landscape, just on the edge of the awe inspiring Bonneville Salt Flats. The camping and the hang there is as good (or perhaps better) that the actual climbing. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I climbed a lot of great pitches out here. The climbed is mostly stamina based, and the routes are middle height for the most part, between 60 and 100 feet. I'm proud of my time and effort there. I did 'Apex Predator' 14c, 'Drakken' 14b, '40 feet of Grease' 14b and 'Sodom and Gomorrah' 14c all in two tries, although the bizarre and awesome King Line (S and G) was a absolute battle. Thankfully Alton Richardson got that somewhat hilarious fight, and some others, on video for an upcoming Maxim Ropes / Climbing Magazine release. I also did the one-mover 'Old Man High Pants' 14c and grabbed a last day flash on 'Terrordome' 14a which I had been saving. In the middle there I spent two days trying James' Litz 'Peruvian Necktie' 14d/15a. It did not entirely capture my stoke, with uncomfortable holds and awkward movement, but I must say a huge congrats to James on the send - it is certainly one of the hardest routes in the country. Maybe I will find the time to revisit it in the future, but for this first trip I was pretty fired up to sample and get pumped - the joy of exploring a good new-to-me cliff with this much difficulty is something that I rarely get to do in the US anymore. With a trip back to Catalunya on the horizon I saw this as an awesome opportunity to get prepared. I also climbed 'AWOL' 13c, 'Crosstown Traffic' 13c/d, 'Hey Joe' 13b and a few more onsight. In the end I think I at least touched nearly every square foot of climbing in the cave. My overall favorite was probably 'Smoother' 12c. I can't say enough about how rad it was to have Leif there to show me the place, and huge thanks to Alton also for hanging out and grabbing these rad shots. Apparently this cliff used to be popular but I barely saw anyone the whole time I was there. </td></tr>
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One last thing! I did a very lengthy and in-depth interview with Ignacio Sandoval Buron, on the WUGU climbing website: <a href="http://woguclimbing.com/entrevista-escalador-jonathan-siegrist/">http://woguclimbing.com/entrevista-escalador-jonathan-siegrist/</a></div>
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it is in Spanish but I think a translation site should do you the favor if needed. Big thank you to those guys and Ignacio, it was fun to dive in a little deeper than usual.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-34644141694262880592017-07-07T09:22:00.002-07:002017-07-07T09:59:05.471-07:00Rifle Temperatures were definitely warm, sometimes downright<i><b> hot</b></i>. Parking can be a pain in the ass. Crowds on the weekend make a line up on the best routes. The rock is often choss, glued, and slippery as hell. <i>But</i>...<br />
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Nights are quiet, dark and cool. The river is crystal clear and perfectly refreshing at the end of a long day. The concentration of fun, hard routes is staggering. The community is warm and motivated. Rifle is a special place. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMH4gBwd5zM3AaWFXMg6nJ6NEHFWO8gs3AiVUXK6EYVHLTA0BVIPX-zpgTtkYdxzx13M7Dj-D68HUk7WLTw5soW3fKy24SeURH3uyi2obhRz_yH-hG4Yz5uZXnPtgGsj-z2k1IrSkw5p9K/s1600/DSC06635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMH4gBwd5zM3AaWFXMg6nJ6NEHFWO8gs3AiVUXK6EYVHLTA0BVIPX-zpgTtkYdxzx13M7Dj-D68HUk7WLTw5soW3fKy24SeURH3uyi2obhRz_yH-hG4Yz5uZXnPtgGsj-z2k1IrSkw5p9K/s640/DSC06635.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAb2Iszd1lCwMRRWDY0SM7vUxFfbLgF4xhptUm7rQd90Q97iWufIPQ6T3vduNshMSw4BbS7eRJfLgM55Tf02iRyQmUBoCqXKhWqdC9qbBs4ZnivOrvV6WMTzwKHjVXaspZQUdBGZJM_CK/s1600/IMG_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAb2Iszd1lCwMRRWDY0SM7vUxFfbLgF4xhptUm7rQd90Q97iWufIPQ6T3vduNshMSw4BbS7eRJfLgM55Tf02iRyQmUBoCqXKhWqdC9qbBs4ZnivOrvV6WMTzwKHjVXaspZQUdBGZJM_CK/s640/IMG_0070.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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I've had an absolute ball climbing there. For the last 4 weeks I've been making the I-70 slog to Rifle Canyon. I took a week off for the heat and a long weekend to Atlanta, but mostly I have been out there climbing. No cell service. Camping with good friends. Killing time by the river. </div>
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It had been six years since I last settled into Rifle - late summer of 2011 was my first long stint in the Canyon. So many good, new hard routes have been added since then, largely thanks to Joe Kinder and Steve Hong. If there were any previous doubts about Rifle having the highest concentration of 5.14 in the country, it is pretty clear to me now.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxQPvQjNMVpIg3aMavfI5cqjCkVtpy3o8U0Hv9-cE-bmminNUX5SMD2e5QmhiwqLvPBCciMKseyhsN3SLZ0QeBdrk42Hey9Mhebifj0cE0sin_yWVu63debMg09Jj3749z-Ghv7qJ8d8f/s1600/DSC06595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxQPvQjNMVpIg3aMavfI5cqjCkVtpy3o8U0Hv9-cE-bmminNUX5SMD2e5QmhiwqLvPBCciMKseyhsN3SLZ0QeBdrk42Hey9Mhebifj0cE0sin_yWVu63debMg09Jj3749z-Ghv7qJ8d8f/s640/DSC06595.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwgXhFe8eaAqF-AFmV6p-4X1eQhrZo1mLiW5B7tdHmG3eOC7cf580rg1xyiQyRAe41o3qZqtb5YS43EgXH8JNedWav3MrkiGHQ2DIcT6yIB_Ncqj9ItFMYg2Ejr88jJnMtsMz96xNP4nk/s1600/IMG_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqwgXhFe8eaAqF-AFmV6p-4X1eQhrZo1mLiW5B7tdHmG3eOC7cf580rg1xyiQyRAe41o3qZqtb5YS43EgXH8JNedWav3MrkiGHQ2DIcT6yIB_Ncqj9ItFMYg2Ejr88jJnMtsMz96xNP4nk/s640/IMG_0059.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Mainly I wanted to try Joe Kinder's new rigs in the Wicked Cave. When I was climbing with Matty Hong and Jon Cardwell in Spain this spring they were hyping up the new creations and since then I started planning my return to Rifle. Certainly I was a little apprehensive because I knew June could be hot. It was hot. But it was also fine. Rifle is surprisingly doable in the heat. The only route I would have loved to try more was Jon and Matty's new one 'Stocking Stuffer' but the Bauhaus proved too warm for me. This one is probably the canyon's hardest. Something to come back for. </div>
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I climbed 'Fat Camp' 14c/d, 'Cucaracha' 14b, 'Planet Garbage' 14d, 'Moment Musical' 14a, 'The Club' 14c/d, 'Homunculus' 14a, 'All the Pretty Horses' 14a and 'Nostalgie' 14b - amazingly, these are all new from the last couple years. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttTaA_mZMU_T0rNRGc_StpLwe8vcHkAFarp_MLHoW9E7NS_NVdXfXVt21HpWt0dR6xbfYtf_K3-JQFw3RMywkqEx_taccXMMd1izVZJy3OOISnMGr7xW0KEL5csdCmWSiiDOOV32JAtZN/s1600/IMG_0072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhttTaA_mZMU_T0rNRGc_StpLwe8vcHkAFarp_MLHoW9E7NS_NVdXfXVt21HpWt0dR6xbfYtf_K3-JQFw3RMywkqEx_taccXMMd1izVZJy3OOISnMGr7xW0KEL5csdCmWSiiDOOV32JAtZN/s640/IMG_0072.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yesterday was a particularly rad day. I had tried 'Nostalgie' on Tuesday once but even around 11:30am it felt too hot and I wasn't able to quite figure out one movement in the upper crux. I returned yesterday morning early to take a crack at (hopefully) better temps, but it proved super humid and maybe even worse than Tuesday. This was my favorite new route I tried. A straight forward, powerful V9ish boulder starts the route. No rest into some awesome 5.12 climbing on great blue rock. A slightly awkward no-hands rest before an incredible panel of wavy orange, textured rock above. Slopers and amazing sculpted pinches make the red point crux subtle and tricky near the very end of this Wasteland route. <i>It's so good</i>. I sorted out the top crux and let myself rest for an hour or so before a miracle breeze made an ascent possible. This was really the last route I wanted to do, and I was a little worried that the heat and difficulty of this rig wouldn't allow it. Stoked, I went to the Wicked Cave with my buddy Luke Olson. He gave me the beta he remembered from 'Tombraider' 13d and I watched him try 'Magnetar' 13d before I made a flash of both of these awesome routes. I jumped in the creek one last time and hit the road. My last day in Rifle and likely my best. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61E8g13ZGZYYRRoC3IE0SLr37ZwHE4sY400za4c9OWbKTyx0FXhTzBhuO3AxMs9tToIDZe0W1DUTwlx1NREs1gx1FoA_eP_x1UeiBWJInwu4vxxb7Zq7V9uvEn5xH2So3DI04BaTLQSKK/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61E8g13ZGZYYRRoC3IE0SLr37ZwHE4sY400za4c9OWbKTyx0FXhTzBhuO3AxMs9tToIDZe0W1DUTwlx1NREs1gx1FoA_eP_x1UeiBWJInwu4vxxb7Zq7V9uvEn5xH2So3DI04BaTLQSKK/s640/IMG_0071.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Thanks for the good times Rifle and huge thank you to the city for keeping this gem of a canyon beautiful and people like Kinder and Hong busting ass, constantly making sick new hard ones!<br />
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Onward to Wyoming!<br />
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>>>>> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mentalformantels/">Tim Foote took all the photos</a> above of me and the one of beautiful Shaina. Everything else is from yours truly. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-32170572423943570732017-07-03T14:02:00.001-07:002017-07-03T14:02:08.087-07:00Portugal Portugal. I went there in May, and I went climbing. Here is my Portugal story !<br />
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Lisbon is a fantastic city. Unique architecture, stunning light and packed with character. Steep little streets and bustling for the most part, the only downside of this place is perhaps it's rampant summer tourism. Food was amazing. People were very cool. The climbing was memorable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UI4WFTZdK1SVWOZ8r8oQvRBw1M2ophiO4rCpWj45MS7fnmcMS-UvNDioJyCEVd2CBb8wO2yDb01F9Yc8X4T7Fql6yNgSyVy9oFvftbSzMjAG7JUIvLkAVGqdNpjM4_F4uRReVg5XCl-q/s1600/DSC06275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0UI4WFTZdK1SVWOZ8r8oQvRBw1M2ophiO4rCpWj45MS7fnmcMS-UvNDioJyCEVd2CBb8wO2yDb01F9Yc8X4T7Fql6yNgSyVy9oFvftbSzMjAG7JUIvLkAVGqdNpjM4_F4uRReVg5XCl-q/s640/DSC06275.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjil5eVv8nyOHM3UWt4fWEOq4apdMoWak49GLMzEPxNM1u-Ud-uhVphno6Mfdsj80HKkkVdZ9GXn4w3kVBB5pGjSFJWRu7Bl_4SnNPauoEyYOUv9ocDZ-PorGa7deGFoC2VL_A-8fYx7GTC/s1600/DSC06360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjil5eVv8nyOHM3UWt4fWEOq4apdMoWak49GLMzEPxNM1u-Ud-uhVphno6Mfdsj80HKkkVdZ9GXn4w3kVBB5pGjSFJWRu7Bl_4SnNPauoEyYOUv9ocDZ-PorGa7deGFoC2VL_A-8fYx7GTC/s640/DSC06360.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5I5WOwcHzypuTyZPiTih_9ronNPRTf93uiuW0wKzaRBVG0ESLWfGnKy5tmXsDy_hT3rNxeUwhxpB5nGMuvqEuTXW4ayeAdy4DdRX2xWwo63gv1pxr588RfhWLujPj9V4l3dW6jpW9yXwe/s1600/DSC06296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5I5WOwcHzypuTyZPiTih_9ronNPRTf93uiuW0wKzaRBVG0ESLWfGnKy5tmXsDy_hT3rNxeUwhxpB5nGMuvqEuTXW4ayeAdy4DdRX2xWwo63gv1pxr588RfhWLujPj9V4l3dW6jpW9yXwe/s640/DSC06296.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
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I linked up with my good buddy Andre Neres on day one. I was traveling with my family but my Dad and I were keen to slip away and explore some of the climbing I'd been hearing and reading about. Andre showed us his backyard zone, <b>Meio Mango</b>. This is a fantastic sea-side spot with <i>outstanding</i> rock quality and a sick ocean vibe. Waves slam into the nearby rocky shore all day, sometimes even large enough to splash the cliffs. All of the areas have clean, dry staging areas. I climbed several really great 5.12s there and a bouldery 14a called 'O Senhor das Anilhas' that was awesome. There are tyroleans installed all along the shore to cross from crag to crag. When we were there these were safe and newly replaced. You will want some pretty legit directions to the parking area (a seemingly random dirt circle) and for the decent to the cliffs - expect a 20 min or so approach down a steep ocean-side gully with some easy 5th class down climbing near the end (also possible to rappel the very end). We found the approach itself to be utterly breathtaking. As for the climbing, the conditions are tough to nail. You need the cliff to see sun before or preferably while you're climbing because the walls get humid as hell throughout the night and morning from the crashing water. Thankfully there was a good wind when we were climbing so the sun was fine, albeit hot. Don't expect any fixed draws here, but you can expect state of the art titanium chemical bolts on all of the classics and more. It's about an hour drive south from downtown Lisbon.<br />
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The next zone we checked out was <b>Fenda</b>. This is not too far from Mango, but a remarkably different scene. Fenda is just a few hundred yards above a gorgeous beach, but the climbing itself is nestled in a fault like system. Here you park at a random dirt pull off spot along the road and then find a well traveled trail descending into the trees (this is important... <i>well traveled</i>! it will be obvious but we made the mistake of following a number of less traveled trails into nowhere). Information is hard to find but you should get a topo and the parking spot online. The main zone here is pretty damn awesome. Good rock quality and drippy limestone features. Great routes here from 5.11 up to 13d. I climbed 'UHU Stick' 13d in a complete battle to the death in the worst conditions I've experienced outside of Thailand. Probably the hardest I tried all year, no joke. And 'Paparazzi' 13a both of which were great. If we had more time and the weather was better I would have loved to climb here more. It was hard to stay stoked in the oppressive heat though. It definitely would have been a better beach day.<br />
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Last zone we checked out was <b>Sagres</b>. This impressive sea-side cliff is located just outside of a town by the same name on the very South-Western most tip of Portugal, about 3 hours south of Lisbon. You'll drive out towards the lighthouse and park somewhere on the left side of the road (again, search the internet for more exact beta). From here you'll have a short walk through fine red sand to the edge of the cliff. The best method for approaching Sagres is to rappel. There are beefy rap anchors with a great little spot to stand and thread the rope. The staging areas here are a little more heads-up. There are fixed lines to clip into but nowhere to really completely chill. The reward however, is stunning rock with the deep blue Atlantic crashing just a few dozen feet under your belay. We climbed a couple awesome 12a routes and I did a super memorable 12c that climbed through a rad tufa. Unfortunately the conditions were really bad and the rock was literally wet (we got there too late - on a cloudy day - again you NEED sun for these sea-side zones). To get out, it is best to follow the fixed lines down near the water (lower than the belays) to the climbers left and around the corner to an easy spot for hiking out. I was confused when Andre encouraged us to rap in and then traverse out, but you'll understand why this is best when you get there. Overall I feel like Sagres could be the best climbing in Portugal but I think considering the vibes and entire area my Dad and I both enjoyed Mango the most.<br />
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In summary... Portugal climbing is better than I expected. The rock quality is really great, and the variety is there. Conditions are definitely the hardest part and it can vary so much day-to-day that making a trip for the sole purpose of sending the gnar could be frustrating. If you're in the mood to do some touristing or beach activities in between climbing days this would be awesome for you. These zones are not the most easy to navigate, which is largely what motivated me to write a few things I would have liked to know here on my blog (apparently there is a guide in the works (?) but I don't have details). Hook up with a local if you can, but otherwise search around and screen shot some random beta and you'll make it. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbk8ZL7RS09nj6fAivF2ZlSY3FXm7o7CtSxMtiHQCgXUbaYuMnB2HPkM8Y1a48sMp7LGuWehbvqML_pVyX6hgEBKhFpdkJUJ45gIvQVJzY_1R3PbzW-Ne3J3vpSd4L80j2r4Ky5VS0R2FJ/s1600/DSC06302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbk8ZL7RS09nj6fAivF2ZlSY3FXm7o7CtSxMtiHQCgXUbaYuMnB2HPkM8Y1a48sMp7LGuWehbvqML_pVyX6hgEBKhFpdkJUJ45gIvQVJzY_1R3PbzW-Ne3J3vpSd4L80j2r4Ky5VS0R2FJ/s640/DSC06302.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-46035560486321596782017-05-20T03:43:00.005-07:002017-05-20T07:04:39.103-07:00Rodellar Very much on the move since I last wrote. Weather has dished out its ups and downs in a typical end of spring way. Heat, rain, and also perfection... all mingling together to make decision making harder and sending the gnar just a touch more tricky. Last I wrote I had departed my beloved home in Organya and linked up with Cam - freshly back in Spain after a two week trip to Sweden. We drove three hours into Aragon and moved into our rad little place at Aparthotel Valle de Rodellar. This was my first trip to Rodellar - a zone that I had heard about for years. Well before I ever climbed in Spain I had heard and read the names 'Welcome to Tijuana', 'El Delfin' and 'Ali Baba'. Before Chris Sharma made Catalunya so recognizable, Rodellar was no doubt the epicenter of Spanish Limestone - at least to the American community it was.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELaC75m4P74q0Oyq5rxJ6ctyPKTY8BPHQ5ee_jz8XyHkSX8XEF89kxEZy6_D5go12mh8PzDsk_oSm6-KnOyOZOtLLfaLzDLSOtgdgFY5nK_I2ftfHUx33htDX0MWa2dO344QTWZsnZJAS/s1600/DSC03966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELaC75m4P74q0Oyq5rxJ6ctyPKTY8BPHQ5ee_jz8XyHkSX8XEF89kxEZy6_D5go12mh8PzDsk_oSm6-KnOyOZOtLLfaLzDLSOtgdgFY5nK_I2ftfHUx33htDX0MWa2dO344QTWZsnZJAS/s640/DSC03966.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4LQ_nlwscPteyThHKIMmNHKEs61k0IfmWM1K2-3RYGiMZEN7b-0afeMblKLb1D24-rN0pZxYmvTQhOQcZLnfImAI8arrrVhr3MkjC9JGQi5ZI1_gAdv82ipxu-uVEaKtIScLX5g3TyxQ/s1600/DSC04568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4LQ_nlwscPteyThHKIMmNHKEs61k0IfmWM1K2-3RYGiMZEN7b-0afeMblKLb1D24-rN0pZxYmvTQhOQcZLnfImAI8arrrVhr3MkjC9JGQi5ZI1_gAdv82ipxu-uVEaKtIScLX5g3TyxQ/s640/DSC04568.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Rodellar is quite remote as far as Spanish crags are concerned. It's nestled at the end of the road (literally) in Sierra and Canones de Guara National Park. Rodellar (like basically all Spanish crags) barrows its name from the closest village - which has a well adapted infrastructure for tourism and climbing. It's the kind of place you can easily bunker into. We parked the car for 9 days without moving it... You can walk to the cliff from anywhere, small but complete grocery stores are there, bars and restaurants. Along with a crowd of climbers (it is the most crowded area I've visited here, <i>especially</i> weekends) there are a grip of hikers, cavers and birders. It's without question a unique and jaw-droppingly beautiful place.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bCcVhHFGA6lCD3FjEnjQRTrv1aVrYMbjTH8h7ufcTYVSopifnbzcVG9xaoT1cc4spF_ECqPiemSiJb-Rsyb3CBGopksGR0VR2XjPU5DZrR8E-JQr7a3BpkE7Y17J7BM3iitHip3qDsSn/s1600/DSC04038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bCcVhHFGA6lCD3FjEnjQRTrv1aVrYMbjTH8h7ufcTYVSopifnbzcVG9xaoT1cc4spF_ECqPiemSiJb-Rsyb3CBGopksGR0VR2XjPU5DZrR8E-JQr7a3BpkE7Y17J7BM3iitHip3qDsSn/s640/DSC04038.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
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Things were mostly dry for our initial 10 days there, and we even had a couple climbing days in jackets. A luxury I would soon miss. The climbing there is steep and physical. For the most part, finger strength is unnecessary, bicep strength is paramount. Cam and I both got kinda slammed there the first few days. Bodies were tired and beat up from the giant caves. Tufas are everywhere, features are everywhere. I found it generally friendly to all climbers as there are so many options for beta and footholds, etc. I climbed the amazing 'Geminis' 8b+, narrowly missing my onsight near the anchor. 'Welcome to Tijuana' 8c was next for me - hard boulder problems right away from the very first bolt to literally the anchor. I did 'Ixeia' 8b+ and 'Botanics' 8b+ both onsight and we essentially settled into the Ventanas sector for a while after that. Cam climbed the awesome 'Las Ventanas del Mascun' 7b+ and I started working my way through 'Los Inconformistas' 9a. A bizarre foot first, cross through and unwind crux guards the anchor. I would fall here for days before finally sticking it. It was a huge relief to put it to rest with so many other beautiful routes all around me to try.<br />
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Unfortunately the rain came in a huge way and forced us out, we migrated to Siurana for some warm but super fun climbing days. Rodellar can be wet for weeks after a big rain, where Siurana can dry in a matter of hours. I climbed 'Migranya Profunda' 8b+ and '2X30' 8c before taking some much needed downtime in Barcelona with Shaina and eventually heading back to Rodellar. I barely pulled off 'Pata Negra' 8c before the rain returned and again, completely soaked the cliff. I'd imagine it could be 2 weeks before Rodellar is totally dry again.<br />
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So now... a little chill time... Street League Barcelona tomorrow... some beaches... some emails... and I'm off to Portugal shortly to hopefully get a couple days on rock and a couple days on a surf board!<br />
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Lastly here is a little video piece that Joe Segretti put together of Honnold and I climbing around the Clear Light Cave in Las Vegas this past winter. Included is my epic anchor clipping whipper on 'Atlantis'. Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/217518704" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe><br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/217518704">Siegrist and Honnold Climb the Clear Light Cave</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/segreti">Joe Segreti</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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And of course one last thing! Don't forget to sign up for this summer's <a href="http://squamish.arcteryxacademy.com/">Arcteryx Climbing Academy in Squamish</a>. This is an absolute not-to-be missed event in one of the country's best venues for rock. I am teaching clinics so check them out and sign up! See you guys there.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-40448041474507276372017-05-04T03:23:00.005-07:002017-05-04T03:30:08.203-07:00New Zones It's such an amazing feeling to finish projects. Both because the uncertainty is gone and because the thirst for success is temporarily quenched, but also because it gives you this outstanding moment of opportunity. Some kind of clarity. Confidence ensues. Pressure's lifted. What could be next? These moments are ripe for inspiration.<br />
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I tried to use my momentum the best I could these pasts weeks. After finishing 'Pachamama' and 'Jo Mama', I was left buzzing for more and with some time yet to spare. 'Chaxi' 9a+ felt as though it could be a serious battle when I first tried it. An explosive ~V8 boulder problem to a good rest starts the route. From here another ~V10 boulder problem plants you at a worse rest - worthy of only a few shakes, next, ~V11 for the crux of the route, a full span compression section on slopey crimps. The rock here is absolutely perfect. Some slightly better holds but no rest into a V7 exit, then a big rest and 8a finish. The temperatures were warm - too warm for such a crimpy and bouldery route. I worked the route into a one hang in a few days but I was afraid that with such a difficult boulder high on the route - and a move sequence that tested every inch of my height - I could fall here for weeks. I was beginning to have some inflammation in my left ring finger from such intense crimping. I was definitely uncertain about a send. </div>
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Several perfect condition days emerged. On the first day I broke through the initial reachy move and fell on the last move of the crux. I cut my day short and rested as best I could for another good try second day on. Light breeze around the cliff, I felt great warmed up, hanging on a wood edge a little in-between my normal warm up circuit. I did the route that day. Shortly after I belayed Felipe on his awesome and well deserved send of Papichulo. Needless to say we drank beer that night.<br />
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I spent one more nice day at Oliana with my buddy Dan. I climbed the outstanding 'Paper Mullat' 8b+ and it's neighbor 'Identificacion y Placa' 8b+/c. I watched the evening light move over the green fields below for one last time. As much as I truly love Oliana it was definitely time to move on. I was ready to see new areas, new warm ups, new possibilities.<br />
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I made my first trip down to check out the massive cave in Santa Linya with my friend Pol. Not usually my favorite style of climbing but I could feel the incredible potential to improve in this place. I climbed 'Rollito Sharma Extension' 8c and a few others. I felt quite beat up after a day in this physical cave.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYqPbkdgJITIucMyqOFJFSlNy7CX7EBMaw1n_MVqH4xddFUBUVN0J0vPPBjmD5VdLVPIzgqL-rGnBkBZ-7uXpWbHausRBfssv64IE_ZEuD97o21PJB1g0ypyiXDHf2NaRNJNTaDscQ2ls/s1600/J+dog-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYqPbkdgJITIucMyqOFJFSlNy7CX7EBMaw1n_MVqH4xddFUBUVN0J0vPPBjmD5VdLVPIzgqL-rGnBkBZ-7uXpWbHausRBfssv64IE_ZEuD97o21PJB1g0ypyiXDHf2NaRNJNTaDscQ2ls/s640/J+dog-4.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerjwlws5FwMgnNWAKLoLUadh9x8xuwFCi8eFUWMezP2KGHrww4dML37zRT8fT4mHkgnm6Src02JYuWvRrHwPDqyUak2sdcUvJXcc7WDUE4h5_GcSR79lPMrEzUwkp9cWmdJyvmSlTG3fj/s1600/C-rjAmmWsAEqK9D.jpg-large.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerjwlws5FwMgnNWAKLoLUadh9x8xuwFCi8eFUWMezP2KGHrww4dML37zRT8fT4mHkgnm6Src02JYuWvRrHwPDqyUak2sdcUvJXcc7WDUE4h5_GcSR79lPMrEzUwkp9cWmdJyvmSlTG3fj/s640/C-rjAmmWsAEqK9D.jpg-large.jpeg" width="360" /></a><br />
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Next I was really keen to finally climb at Figols - a zone that I'd been staring at with a cup of tea in hand for literally months. It's just across from my home in Organya. I climbed the amazing 'Espid' <i>hard </i>8c+ and flashed it's also amazing neighbor 'Aspid' 8b. Espid was particularly memorable. Such awesome, subtle yet complex climbing on crimps and slopey tufa features. Incredible vision on the part of local legend David Gambus for this beauty. Speaking of Gambus, the next mission was to finally check out 'Radar Ez' rumored to be one of the best in the area. Without a doubt, it is. Amazing rock quality, explosive boulder problems on good holds, spread apart by good rests. Nothing too terribly hard but lots of little tough sections with a chance to recompose in-between. It's on the low end of 8c+ for sure but at least for my height I can't quite take 8c for it. The 8a+ straight up version is absolutely stunner as well. Expect a little bit of bushwhacking and climbing up fixed lines to access this obscure zone - but it's worth it a thousand times over.<br />
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And now I've teamed back up with Cameron Maier and moved on to Rodellar. This zone is something legend and by all means deserves its own blog post. For the meantime I'll just say it's staggeringly beautiful and playful, and we are stoked to be here!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-51201964766253743212017-04-22T02:58:00.000-07:002017-04-22T02:59:38.312-07:00Pacha Video New one from EpicTV, a little taste of my process on Pachamama through the lens of Tara Kerzhner this last winter. The footage is entirely from my first round of attempts on the route but there's a clip from the actual day I sent as well. Along with frighteningly cute farm animals and my ill advised attempt at a mustache. Enjoy!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-56421552218064553252017-04-16T02:15:00.004-07:002017-04-16T02:25:24.299-07:00Portal Well here I am again. <i>El Portal</i>. My preferred neighborhood cafe as the staff is friendly and the wi-fi is okay. The coffee is acceptable but nothing outstanding. We came here almost daily during the winter. We would wear our down jackets inside and fight for the seat next to the dull heater. Last time I sat at this restaurant I was freezing and mostly heart broken. I feel quite differently now.<br />
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Today, a spring breeze whips through the narrow streets and gives life to the colorful drying laundry of this charming little village. The warmth in the air is so calming and pleasant. It's Easter - a huge holiday in Spain - and the town is bustling. Traffic clogs the main street as vacationers sprint to Andorra and search for picnics necessities at the Sunday market. The sun's rays are intense and white and come from high in the sky.<br />
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I feel grateful, I feel accomplished, my heart is full, the sun is shining. Life ebbs and flows doesn't it?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyLKzzFKyctN9H-Deju7cdMQvvzkczqfCESxnVysE4J7sWTf71P8jYPp1uxUMVR2c4NEmruvmUrAZH-lBSlPS-94sc3MEqo2iPmoyLgq_Il4wg3G9mFAfzJnJrfpwof9DhoNNUVxNN9-_/s1600/J+dog-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyLKzzFKyctN9H-Deju7cdMQvvzkczqfCESxnVysE4J7sWTf71P8jYPp1uxUMVR2c4NEmruvmUrAZH-lBSlPS-94sc3MEqo2iPmoyLgq_Il4wg3G9mFAfzJnJrfpwof9DhoNNUVxNN9-_/s640/J+dog-7.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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My process with Pachamama has ended. I did the route within a week of my return to Spain. It felt surreal to sit at the anchors, to realize something that for weeks and weeks I was obsessed and overwhelmed with desire to have. The moment I sent was calm. I yelled mostly to tell my belayer, 50 meters below, that I had clipped the anchor but I didn't so much feel the need to yell from relief or excitement. It was a strangely tranquil experience. Almost like, ' huh, well, here I am. This is the moment.' Not to say that I was not or am not excited. It was biggest, most powerful battle of my climbing life - without question. But I guess the finish, while hugely important to me, was also just a small piece of the experience. I imagine I will look back on this for my whole life. Silly... rock climbing.. huh.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-Zbu5zoAKX79kBFOxXTcUo5jk5MphHzZsIjSFFWxJCGdK6yaGqqh0p9iMG1Dcfy0kbDtPVnSIbfjd2s3mX_1op3B8Y10m-GsxtD3K1tex1hQ8TJbT26_JG4PUMrIhLnDv6qWe7i4qe38/s1600/J+start-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm-Zbu5zoAKX79kBFOxXTcUo5jk5MphHzZsIjSFFWxJCGdK6yaGqqh0p9iMG1Dcfy0kbDtPVnSIbfjd2s3mX_1op3B8Y10m-GsxtD3K1tex1hQ8TJbT26_JG4PUMrIhLnDv6qWe7i4qe38/s640/J+start-7.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
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Momentum has been a powerful ally to me for years. It's rare that I let a send, no matter how big, completely derail my stoke. I know that I've usually only got five weeks or so to perform at my very best and I don't want to waste it. I immediately moved to the right onto 'Jo Mama' 15a, a power endurance masterpiece with few resting positions and resistant cruxes throughout. Just some days later I had already sent. I never would dream that I could climb this grade so quickly, ever. The conditions suited me perfectly - warmer with wind - and my power endurance is likely at an all time high after the month at Potosi and some hard days on Pachamama. Still it seems unreal. For me there is <i>at least </i>1 grade of difference between these two routes. Perhaps it just worked out?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX2XD5BTK9Y7ktyilxQ9Yj6ZoBfS0UB3BbPu4nczDqo1jDnhMtpxlM8UGGPJE0hQX_8EL3C82uNlcXk_GzZ5kW-ld_qGG11Q7o7Oo5k6I1lu1HRbFPQzEwad0UZLIHVCx5I08pN3GJKRi/s1600/JDOG+SENDER-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX2XD5BTK9Y7ktyilxQ9Yj6ZoBfS0UB3BbPu4nczDqo1jDnhMtpxlM8UGGPJE0hQX_8EL3C82uNlcXk_GzZ5kW-ld_qGG11Q7o7Oo5k6I1lu1HRbFPQzEwad0UZLIHVCx5I08pN3GJKRi/s640/JDOG+SENDER-20.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
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As with before I've moved right along. This time to a much different style. 'Chaxi' 15a is bouldery and savage. Some great resting positions but also some very serious boulder problems high on the wall. I have a feeling this one will not let itself go as easily... time to get snappy. Onward!<br />
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This week expect a full account of my process on 'Pachamama' that I wrote for the Arcteryx Blog and also look out for the release of my Pachamama film that I made with the awesome Tara Kerzhner to be released on EpicTV.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-75120925553951334642017-03-21T11:59:00.000-07:002017-03-22T12:20:04.532-07:00Potosi My first time climbing at Mt Potosi was in 2011. I drove down to Las Vegas in January with my good friend Chris Weidner - my first time to Sin City - and we gratefully crashed on the couch of Heather Robinson. As it seems almost every crag (save the Red) has its moments of popularity and subsequently its moments of obscurity - during this time Potosi was definitely en vogue. Professor Bill Ramsey was battling wet holds, Heather was prime to make her first 13d redpoint, and a grip of other Vegas locals happily enjoyed 'The Beach' (with the winter sun low in the sky, the cave remained in the shadow while the belays were cooking in the sun). I climbed 'Mon Pote Assis', 'Hold Your Fire' and 'Power Windows' among a few others. I enjoyed the scene and the community. While this specific cave did not speak to me in particular, the long days with the crew at this zone helped convince me to radically extend my trip to Vegas that year and eventually call this place a second home.<br />
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When I returned to the wall the next winter, I had a different experience. I tried a few different harder routes over a couple days and was utterly shut down. So damn steep, so many drilled pockets. It was not encouraging or motivating. In general, two of my least favorite forms of climbing are roofs, and heavily manufactured routes. While it would be unfair to claim the Clear Light Cave at Mt Potosi is nothing but said forms of climbing, at the <i>very least</i> it exhibits a lot of this. With a bruised ego and trembling biceps I swore off Potosi in search of greener grasses.<br />
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Engulfed with a myriad of other surrounding radical limestone areas, I would stay busy and overly stoked for the next five winters. Why I was eventually called back to Mt Potosi, I am not entirely sure, but reflecting on the last month there I am so freakin grateful.<br />
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So, why? Why go back to a zone that in many ways I detested? I shit talked Potosi over beers too many times to count. It felt so gratifying to hate this drilled up place that had kicked my ass. It's undeniable that Potosi is heavily manufactured, a detail that made the area famous at the turn of the century and was a central point of argument surrounding the topic. So why did I venture back and furthermore what about this place did I enjoy?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9WLQx7zBzsZtJJtrbgIdjCpwPbhQyyRW8-NAgoO4RN8Co6cGUnn7vJETbnJ7S_zuP9CkHFxZ9GbMLtCwi4_arCqy06SkBXqFto7L_17utFUKUcIBL0rIkrmb1yo5T0C9CXkkwAklAKb4/s1600/DSC_0091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9WLQx7zBzsZtJJtrbgIdjCpwPbhQyyRW8-NAgoO4RN8Co6cGUnn7vJETbnJ7S_zuP9CkHFxZ9GbMLtCwi4_arCqy06SkBXqFto7L_17utFUKUcIBL0rIkrmb1yo5T0C9CXkkwAklAKb4/s640/DSC_0091.jpg" width="422" /></a><br />
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For the last several years, I've either been training my ass off or trying climbs at my limit. While that did produce, unquestionably, the best performances of my life, it also eventually lead to a string of failure - which is inevitable. A difficult year turned into a cold and foggy winter in Spain. I happily returned to my home of Vegas in February, a crew was stoked on Potosi.. sure, why not? Bathed in Nevada sun, I got my ass kicked - trying a style that is classically so hard and foreign to me. After some beat down sessions I gradually came around with a couple harder routes and was encourage to forge on. Then some weeks later I did the first repeat of Francois LeGrand's 'Bachelor Party' 14d and third ascent of 'Annihilator' 14c and 'Atlantis' 14b among many others. These routes may be egregiously drilled but are also an interesting piece of American climbing history and <b>sandbagged</b> like most everything from the 90's. Hard or easy, I climbed a new route almost every day - and it was so refreshing. It felt so damn good to just play, to learn a new style, to enjoy the company of good people, joke around, and to get my ass kicked but also have some success. So much fun. Something like an outdoor gym, but nestled in the quiet of the desert, without a highway or subdivision in sight. I<i> never </i>imagined that Potosi would help me remember why I love climbing so much but I guess it's impossible to predict from where the lessons will come.<br />
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Yesterday was my last day at Potosi for this year (dare I say, ever?), as I turn my attention towards my return to Catalunya in just under ten days. It would be a far stretch to call Potosi one of my favorite areas but I'm not gonna lie I will definitely miss my time up there. Best of luck to Vian and Alex and Andy to finish up their projects this season! Just say no to knee-bars!<br />
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Lastly - Joe Segretti is putting together a little edit of some of these classics and epic punting from the chains and Zeke dog, so keep your eyes peeled for a vid !<br />
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Living in Las Vegas is something I look forward to every single winter. It's a moment during the year that would be really hard for me to skip over, even despite my shortening list of projects in the area. I've built a community here, I know this place, I know the crags and the opportunities quite well. It makes me happy. It feels like home. </div>
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Coming off of a difficult loss in Catalunya I was by all means ready for some kind of happy place. As the days and weeks passed by I found a meaningful perspective regarding my time in Oliana and I felt suddenly refreshed. Spending some nights with my family in Colorado and eventually hitting the road westbound was such an awesome change of space. It was immensely hard to let go in Spain but my life has been driving forward in a beautiful way since I've been back stateside. </div>
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The squad and the vibes here in Vegas are all time. The crew has been so fun, climbing days long and tiring. Desert sky wide open and piercingly blue. Stone is calling as always. Egos both crushed and filled. Quiet thoughtful approaches with Zeke dog rambling in the hills above. Just the way I love it. </div>
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I've been clipping some chains which is an incredible pleasure. Some highlights include 'Reverse Polarity' 14b, 'Try Your Best' 13+, 'Hell Comes to Frogtown' 13d from the incredible Fred Nicole, 'Mixed Emotions' 14a, and recently 'Bachelor Party' 14d for its second ascent since 2002. I'm particularly proud of that one. I'm a history geek as you all must know by now, and this route has been in need of a repeat since it first came on the scene, just a couple years after Tommy Caldwell brought the 9th grade to American soil with Kryptonite. Francois LeGrand visited the states a bunch during this time and made this FA as his crowning contribution. Nothing like a savage double mono roof encounter at the bitter end... I thought for sure I hated Potosi after my few sessions there in 2011 but apparently, for now, it is just what I needed in some ways. Here's some iPhone send footage below thanks to Vian! The video starts as I leave the anchor rest on 'Ray of Light' 13a. </div>
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And one more little thing for killing time if you're in need... I sat down and spoke with Power Company Climbing last summer, Kris Hampton is such a rad guy and he is doing very cool things with his training platform and inspiring many with the podcast. I've always enjoyed his calming presence and inquisitive attitude. Thanks for hosting me Kris! Have a listen to the podcast below: </div>
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<iframe data-name="pd-iframe-player" frameborder="0" height="100" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/audio/postId/6832442?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpowercompanyclimbing.podbean.com%2Fe%2Fepisode-30-if-it-aint-broke-fix-it-anyway-with-jonathan-siegrist%2F%3Ftoken%3D9db11e249e395b388adddfb50e87dcb2" width="100%"></iframe></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-38867152990228897452017-01-23T14:45:00.004-08:002017-01-23T14:45:55.989-08:00Process. <b>Pachamama</b>. I've completely lost count, but I bet I've tried this route 35 days. My progress for the first month was very slow but tangible on almost every climbing day. In retrospect I did not at all arrive prepared - I built the necessary resistance and power <i>on the route</i>. Day after day. It would be late December when I finally one hung the route from a low point. Days after that I was regularly climbing into the red point crux from the ground. Albeit desperate, I felt confident that with my remaining two weeks I could send. Just a day or two into the new year I tore open my finger on an all out one hang effort - again from low on the route. I took nearly a week off from climbing for skin and something different. While my skin healed my body weakened. I returned to the route with a significant loss of progress and stoke. After beating my head against the wall again and again over the next week or so I finally began to crack. Last Monday in freezing cold, windy conditions I finally accepted failure, and in a desperate need to enjoy climbing again I (for the first time since Nov 28) climbed on something different. I did T1 Full Equip 8b+/c, which was outstanding, and so fun. Last Tuesday morning I decided that it would be my final day of attempts on Pachamama. <br />
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So much of my life pivots around climbing. I am full-heartedly passionate about it. I am so driven by goals that at times I genuinely feel as though I can't move forward in my life until I succeed. Usually this is a strength that pushes me to my very best, but in times like this it can be downright maddening. This is the longest period in my climbing - ever - that I have gone without accomplishing a goal (since September) and it's certainly not for lack of trying. <br />
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I am not (one of) the best, I am not (one of) the strongest, I am not (one of) the most talented. My strength is mostly in the fight. This route has pulled me to the bitter edge. How long am I willing to hold on? When do I throw in the towel? At what point is it just.. simply too much? I have never tried a route so many times before in my life. This is not at all about the grade any more, it's not about the victory or about the high fives or about the accolades. In some ways it doesn't even feel like a climb, it just feels like a challenge. This is purely about my passion and to what extent can I endure all of the doubt, all of the tension, all of the emotion.<br />
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Remember when I wrote last Tuesday would be my final day? On my first try I fell on the last move of the 'first half' - an enormous move that's incredibly hard for me. I've likely fallen here 40 or 50 times. On my second try, I climbed through this move and well into the red point crux, falling a couple moves from a likely send. Dru (my good buddy and climbing partner) laughed as he lowered me, 'Well, fuck' I said, 'suppose I'm not giving up quite yet'. This was the first time I had reached this part of the route since I tore my skin open. Each of the next two climbing days I fell in the lower section again, but proceeded to do the huge move, rest on route, and climb to the summit. Saturday I climbed twice into the final moves of the red point crux, with my first try being my best, essentially 1.5 moves away from the route's best rest and a very likely send. Today I somehow bested that effort, but fell just a breath away.<br />
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I love this. As maddening as it is, as stressful and expensive and altogether pointless in most respects -- climbing somehow uniquely elicits such powerful emotion and introspection. I feel thoroughly tested, delirious from desire and uncertainty. When I climb Pachamama it will be unquestionably my hardest (mentally if not physically) route and furthermore one of the greatest achievements of my life thus far. I move into my final few days here, after extending my ticket twice. I never quite knew if I had the strength to hold on for this long, through so much doubt and through so many utterly exhausting ups and downs. Now I know. I do.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-29651387632893330502017-01-11T01:58:00.001-08:002017-01-11T02:04:45.637-08:00Venga Quite the fast-foward here I know. Sometimes that's the way life is though. I left a summer living in Estes Park and drove straight to Southern Idaho. Long, cold nights. Beautiful stars. Tear inducing sunsets and many mornings with tea, alone. Good friends were also there, long sessions trying an incredible roof boulder called 'WarPath' but the stars never aligned for me on this one. Something that would unfortunately become a bit of a closing theme for 2016.<br />
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I escaped back to Colorado and began a rigorous training program. Putting all of my energy forward for an upcoming trip to Spain. A few little objectives mixed in there, some fruitful, others not. I built confidence in my training and tried to look ahead.<br />
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Well here I am, nestled into this stone-built restaurant just after 10 am. Indoors, but still I'm wearing a puffy. Two sixty-something men across from me share laughs and a glass of red wine. The bar is full of long haired story tellers, with smiles and a posture that hints to some gnarly adventure that they've enjoyed. This place that I have come to call home, Organya, is mostly known for its incredible Paragliding. Furthermore we have come to know it as the place that's always sunny. An inversion and a formidable creeping fog engulfs much of central Catalunya during the winter. It's hell. Alas, a little ways into the Pyrenees or near the sweet Mediterranean and you'll find reprieve.<br />
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I've been here for over five weeks. Friends coming and going, meeting strangers that become close in an instant. We've all made memories together exploring. Meet the vibrant, after midnight streets of Madrid or the beer bars of Barcelona. We've watched Spanish TV, unwillingly been towed to France, Partied, ate well, collectively turned a corner and said 'Wooooowwww!' too many times to count. I've made a sea of memories in the last 5+ weeks that I'll keep and cherish.<br />
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The climbing. I've never tried a route so much before in my life. When I first arrived I felt like the thought of a send was nothing more than a joke. I drew inspiration from my friends that have punished themselves on a route seemingly above their level. For months, years even - eventually meeting victory. Slowly I made progress, most days I would make the smallest, albeit tangible, progress. Just enough to keep me going. Suddenly I broke through. The links became longer and longer, I started to have confidence that I could at least get close. And last week was truly the turning point. I climbed twice to within one or two holds of the final rest - making it to this rest is a very likely send for me. Then on the next try I went from very low on the route, all the way through the finish to the anchor. For the first moment I felt confident I would send. Looking down I noticed blood on my hands. My skin had torn open in the sub zero conditions. A severe set back, I took nearly a week off - escaped to Madrid to forget about climbing and see something new.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvBfc_kjn0b3vneakIOEIaYPJKk8TvEVrEER5vwTT7KWAMvPbZHLZBX7LpbOAYVTYrefB9-rAqd1XNSyRvr4LELs9xmn6fLmEI86plXGQXmaBVaHFHunvFac6V0LiL0x6-fhZYTrU1H9P/s1600/DSC05145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvBfc_kjn0b3vneakIOEIaYPJKk8TvEVrEER5vwTT7KWAMvPbZHLZBX7LpbOAYVTYrefB9-rAqd1XNSyRvr4LELs9xmn6fLmEI86plXGQXmaBVaHFHunvFac6V0LiL0x6-fhZYTrU1H9P/s640/DSC05145.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Now I'm back. My ticket is extended, my skin is healed, but it seems my progress could be lost.<br />
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It's hard to really communicate here, but this is so much more than a route to me. For years my strength has been patience. My strength has been in the act of hanging on. Not as in hanging on to the wall but hanging on to the process. Like a raging, spinning bull there are so many moments when your body and mind tell you to let go - to end the doubt, the suffering, the ride. I'm hanging on like hell but damn it is taking everything I have. My experience on this route has been deeply emotional like nothing I've ever quite experienced. It has been months and months since I had a win. Perhaps it's because I am truly reaching my limit, if not physically, mentally. No tricks or short cuts or easy outs here... I know that if I want to send this thing I have to walk up the hill and try to the death every day. Anything more than that is unfortunately out of my control.<br />
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I really want the lesson to be that I held on through so much doubt and sacrifice to finally, <i>finally</i> meet success in the sweetest, most relieving way, most heart opening way. But I also know that it's just as likely that the lesson could be; sometimes you give every fucking ounce you have and it's still not enough.<br />
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Two weeks left here, I accept whatever the outcome is. <b>Venga vichos</b>.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-2381410856842143122016-09-22T09:12:00.000-07:002016-09-22T09:27:08.891-07:00Farewell ChaosI 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 <i>everything</i>. 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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So very stoked and ready for the Idaho Mountain Festival this weekend and life on the road after that!<br />
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A few goodies to keep you stoked moving through the end of the week...<br />
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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!<br />
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And here's a raw cut from back in Squamish of my ascent on Tom Wright's incredible 'Spirit of the West'. Enjoy!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vpQzubqsdKA" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-42486684552996102892016-09-17T08:55:00.004-07:002016-09-17T08:56:39.878-07:00Begging for Power100% bouldering since I last wrote. I can't remember the last time I put on a harness but I bet it has been nearly a month at this point. The initial week after my mission on the Diamond I was nothing short of destroyed. I tried on several occasions to get out, or even to climb a little bit in the gym - and it was pathetic. I knew that I would have some work to do in order to get back into snappy, powerful, bouldering shape - but honestly even two weeks into bouldering mode I was quite frustrated to see relatively no progress.<br />
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I hiked out from Chaos many evenings with my tail between my legs, but the sun setting on the Keyboards of the Winds was always enough to cheer me up. I kept banging my head and hands against the wall and finally I broke through. 'Flood Money Sit' V10 was my re-entry to bouldering double digits - something I had not done since March (aside from cruxes on routes I suppose). 'Golden Rays of Flows' too me back into the V11 realm, and after several more days of efforts and a short round of finger training I climbed 'Irreversible' V13 - this was the first time I had climbed the grade since last summer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1kfGhZasOy177KKygOE4adPDbXhsjOATcgxh1LYf0htZWce1m48CRD65fNfMXY9JznxXlRrmeuRIw2PH004WcIOZUNhjayS8tr7SO5oVmwIItkmQYKxNcaiqRIlkxvPK8VXGdoY0E3bD/s1600/DSC04685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1kfGhZasOy177KKygOE4adPDbXhsjOATcgxh1LYf0htZWce1m48CRD65fNfMXY9JznxXlRrmeuRIw2PH004WcIOZUNhjayS8tr7SO5oVmwIItkmQYKxNcaiqRIlkxvPK8VXGdoY0E3bD/s640/DSC04685.jpg" width="426" /></a><br />
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'Comb my Hair like God' V11/12 was next up, but not before an agonizing session sorting out awful beta on my own and subsequently failing on the final move. My main goal for this bouldering stint, and one of my main goals for the year for that matter, was to climb 'Wheel of Chaos' V14. A brilliant roof problem way up in the top of the Canyon. I absolutely love this problem. It's 25 moves long and combines a short section of pure muscle-roof, a resistant and reachy steep crimp zone, and a technical and footwork intensive finish. The rumor is that Jimmy Webb fell on the very last move for the FA. Despite me myself feeling super solid on the finish (my kind of climbing) I took the plunge with my hand wrapped around the summit, move 25, the bitter end. Thankfully I had enough in me to try again, and finish the problem. One of my all time favorites.<br />
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The next day I climbed in Upper and cleaned up some classics. 'Skipper Left' V11 and a scary flash on 'Baby Otech' V10. The real win though, however, was back in Lower this past Wednesday. I had tried 'Gobot' maybe 3 years back for a short time. Decided I was too scared and weak, and moved on. Last year I tried Gobot briefly as well. No dice. This year I wanted it pretty badly. It's a brilliant problem, and sometimes the ones that have eluded you for some reason or another hold a special kind of allure. Shortly after my mission on the Diamond I hiked up to try Gobot three separate days. Falling on the last move, I almost became certain that this now would go on my 'never' list. I even had apprehensions about trying it this last week - despite knowing that I had improved so much since August. There's a move at the very end out left to a strange pinch that is just outside of my reach. I tried all the methods to get this hold but it was clearly not in the cards for me - 2 or 3 inches too far. Instead I was grabbing a pretty serious right hand crimp and a horrible left hand spike and making an all out pounce to the finish. I tried the finishing move on Wednesday and immediately felt like the right hand edge had doubled in size - an incredible feeling. My hand strength was back! I did the problem first try from the start. It was extremely rewarding. On paper (V11) this is nothing noteworthy but it's actually the longest I have ever worked on a boulder problem so for me it felt special.<br />
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Feeling the strength and snap come back is super motivating, and although I planned to transition back into routes right about now, I am going to ride this high for (what I hope) will be a couple more nice sends before I pick up the harness again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4736504373022899956.post-38703393623236892212016-08-20T11:38:00.000-07:002016-08-20T11:41:03.047-07:00Rocky Mountains Since I returned from Switzerland life has been amazing. Switzerland almost felt like something of a 'reset' button for me. Amongst the rain and the hustle it was oddly centering. Coming to the US last month felt very refreshing-- surrounded with old friends, familiar zones, clear goals, family, Zeke. I'm always quickly reminded of how wonderful Colorado is, and how amazing the summers can be here. Up next was a quick trip to Squamish for the amazing Climbing Academy there, a quick trip to Salt Lake City for the Summer OR show, and a change in gears. I spent the next few weeks hiking and climbing and preparing for a route I've been dreaming of for years, the Direct Dunn Westbay on the Diamond. In an emotional fight to the death with the strong support of my Dad, Bob Siegrist, we completed the route last weekend. <a href="http://blog.arcteryx.com/jonathan-siegrist-one-last-ass-kicking-memory-diamond">I wrote about this experience on the Arcteryx Bird Blog</a> -- go and check it out!<br />
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<i>Cam Dog photo from the crux 80m pitch on the Direct Dunn Westbay. </i></div>
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<i>Squamish, climbing the incredible 'Spirit of the West' 14a</i></div>
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Now I will try to switch gears again. Alpine climbing is so demanding and tiring to the whole body. The kind of exhaustion I felt the days after my ascent on the Diamond are very distinct - and debilitating. I have a few more traditional routes on my radar but I really feel I need to play catch up and prepare for my fall of sport climbing at this point. Back into performance climbing mode... not an easy task. I will use outdoor bouldering to try and jump start the process. Things feel hard, my body is no doubt still recovering, even almost a week later. But if I want to carry on with my goals I need to think differently again. Intensity over volume. Power over stamina. It's incredible how the body can adapt if you give it the right stimulus. Wish me luck!<br />
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A little taste from Swiss!!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com