Snow in the Desert

Winters can be rough for us rock climber types. Comfortable climbing destinations are few and many miles between, days are short, and delicious celebratory baked goods are plentiful. For many it is a time to switch pursuits, catch up on socializing, or maybe dust off that Nintendo 64 and re-beat GoldenEye and Super Mario Kart. For others the winter is a time to embrace the pursuit of pulling plastic and pump mileage in the gym while meticulously planning for the months ahead.. dreaming of short sleeves and flip flops. Regardless of your wintertime activities and motivation level, the early spring always brings a touch of heartbreak. We fool ourselves into thinking that late February is actually spring, and that April is for sure the summer. Despite how many days we inevitably freeze our asses off, it seems to consistently take only 9 months or so for us to forget such lessons...

cattle standoff

Of course we all thought we had guaranteed sunshine time. I tricked myself into not only packing a tank top, but shorts and flops too. Unfortunately, a titanically sized storm was on our asses the whole way through New Mexico over the last few days, and we learned the hard way that there is indeed a winter even in the desert. When we first arrived at Palomas outside Albuquerque, it took a good 25 min for me to cultivate enough psych to convince the team (Beau Stuart, Andy Mann and Paige Claassen) to post-hole through thigh deep snow to what looked, from afar, like a giant, steep, beautifully streaked limestone cliff- baking in the sun. This approach should have been warning enough, but we carried on (sorry team!), enduring heinous wind and bitter cold beneath a turd of a cliff (again, sorry). Regardless, we made fun out of it, searching for fossils and finding laughter in the absurdity of the conditions.

Things did look up however. My good buddy Leif Gasch hooked up some killer topos and gave the beta spray down on a couple south-east New Mexico gems; Sitting Bull and Last Chance Canyon. Deep in the middle of nowhere, tucked below the erie landscape of Roswell, you'll find a couple killer limestone crags. Sitting Bull is something of a mini-Killer Cave (Sinks Canyon), complete with a wide range of burly sport climbs that ascend buttery smooth pockets and skin-friendly edges. I really enjoyed the classic thuggery in 'Broken Arrows' 12d, as well as the bouldery 'Custer's Last Stand' 13b and 'Kootenai Cruiser' 13d. Our time spent there was rad, albeit not quite the tan-a-thon we all hoped for (read: it was frigid). The hangout at Sitting Bull is hard to beat and definitely hard to leave behind. The surrounding landscape and dripping limestone waterfall is stunning plus the locals were generous and eager to share their little hidden oasis.

myself thugging through 'Kootenai Cruiser' 13d

After another solid, lonesome drive even deeper into the middle of nowhere we found ourselves dropping into the vast, beautiful canyon that is Last Chance. With a shockingly different type of limestone, this area boasts over a hundred established climbs in a canyon over an hour and a half from the nearest gas station- you can't help but feel the power of the brutal New Mexico desert out there.. it takes no prisoners. We found refuge near an old pump house and set up a campsite to remember. The howling wind ripping across our tents over the previous few nights had resulted in little to no sleep, so we were willing to do anything to find shelter.

Beau Stuart- looking prime after a windy bivy

At the tail of the trip we planned to drop off Andy Mann for the Rock Rodeo in Hueco and hopefully even get a couple routes in while we were at it. Unfortunately the freezing theme continued, and we awoke to a brisk 30 degrees and snow in El Paso.. bummed.

JSTAR!

Although we all experienced some high gravity and the weather was not ideal, the adventure value of the trip was huge and we were all stoked to see a handful of new crags- it's always rad to get out on the road, regardless of the turn out. Nothing like some camp fires, howling coyotes, random motels, Carlo Rossi and late night buildering to kick start your stoke for springtime on the road. Beau, Paige and I killed the drive home in record time, thanks to the blaring pop music pseudo-karaoke.. our new favorite drive time activity. It's only appropriate that as I'm writing, the weather has gradually turned to crap here in Boulder.. guess it's time to bust out the N64.

At this point, late March is just around the corner and I know a place where (fingers crossed) winter is well over by then. With a couple local jaunts and some hard hours pulling plastic between now and then, I'm excited and ambitious for my first trip to the Virgin River Gorge. My homegirl Lauren Lee has offered to give Paige and I the grand tour. For many years I've had my walls covered with photos from three classic American sport climbing spots- the Red, the VRG and Smith. I had a chance to visit the Red last fall and I'm eagerly awaiting my first visits to the others this spring- assuming the spring does come.

Hope everyone out there is patiently coping with early onset spring fever.. hold tight! It's coming! Plus I know you haven't beat James Bond on '00 agent' yet- sh*ts impossible.

-all photos courtesy of Andy Mann-

nightlife

Seeing fellow members of the climbing community out at night can be strikingly familiar to the first time you saw your high school math teacher grocery shopping. 'Whoa, dude, check out Mr. Jones- he's like, buying eggs and bread and sh*t- I guess that means he must eat food.. maybe he is human?!'

In much the same way, seeing all your gym and crag buddies out at night, all fancy, or sleazy, or intoxicated (or all three), can be a bit of a shock- revealing an alternate identity of people we may strictly know as climbers. Until a unifying event or celebration occurs, it's not uncommon to never see such climbers in anything but chalk covered pants, dripping in sweat and looking fully haggard. Contrary to popular belief, climbers do clean up well and even the most burly of hard men and women get their party on when the time is right. So and so might destroy your project in the gym, or maybe they butted in front of you last weekend on that boulder problem outside, but under black-lights and deep house music- everybody is stoked and we are all just dancing monkeys.

Nick Sherman and Andre Di Felice- hard boulders all day, hard boogie all night

The community runs thick around Boulder, and we were out in great numbers last Saturday celebrating the Chinese New Year and Valentines Day. With so many climbers under one roof, it was refreshing to see high heels and leather in place of approach shoes and cotton. I treasure such events because it gives an opportunity to relate to a community on a different level.. plus I'm a closet dance freak. Needless to say, we had a ball and, yes, even the filthiest of us (read: myself) looked FABULOUS.

Paige takes a break from the all-Marmot getup to make this dress look amazing

Speaking of fabulous, I'm proud to announce that my injured ligament is on the mend, and my finger is functioning at at least 85%. I've been training like I mean it recently, eager to whip myself into peak fitness for the budding spring season- lots of rock climbs to climb on. Despite a little tweakage, I've been seeing some real gains recently and I'm increasingly excited to get out and try hard. Take a look at this spunky little video Simon Fryer at the Boulder Rock Club posted about my recent setting / training practices.

nothing against you!! finger healing the hard way- chinese medicine wrap

Paige Claassen, Beau Stuart, Andy Mann and myself are heading south for a little while to catch some rays and sample some New Mexico stone tomorrow. None of us have ever been, and we're hoping to check out a couple of the choice spots. I've heard the state has some real hidden gems and I'm looking to dig 'em up! It will be great to touch some real stone for a week, seeing in that since my return from Asia I've only gotten out twice (...shhhh...). I'll have some top quality images and undoubtably a couple good stories to share upon my return- stay tuned.

Lastly, I'm proud to announce that I'll soon be working in collaboration with DeadPointMag.com- where my site will be one of the featured athlete blogs. I'm stoked to hook up with this crew and continue to broadcast consistent, high quality JSTARinORBIT for your at home viewing pleasure!

routine

A routine can either be empowering or debilitating. A little too much routine will eventually bore anyone out of their mind- be it consciously or not. But sometimes a routine can really aid in mental / physical regrouping- which is just what I needed after a couple months solo in Asia. I've been home long enough now that something of a routine has emerged, just in time for me to plan my next escape from it.

I've been training at nearly full-tilt, sweating out the last of that delicious Thai green curry that's been racing through my veins for some time now. Unfortunately I returned home with something more than an unsatisfiable desire for spicy food- an injury.. I'm incredibly lucky to announce that this is my worst ever climbing related injury (actually not being sarcastic- I've been very fortunate to avoid / prevent / quickly treat undoubtedly a lot of potential injury over the years). I'm almost certain at this point, after chatting with numerous doctors and healers, that I've slightly torn / damaged a ligament in my middle finger. Lateral movements are a bit painful as are some handholds, but I can actually still pull down just fine- and I have been, at an exhausting rate.

Paige Claassen is gonna DESTROY 2010

Based on a bunch of suggestions, I've been using a Chinese poultice at night, sometimes icing, taking MSM, massaging with arnica, taping, and singing my finger to sleep with sweet lullabies at night. Something, or everything, or nothing (?) is helping- but I'm slowly feeling improvement. I would guess that adding rest to that list of treatments would work wonders, but I'm just too damn inspired right now to think of non-climbing.. got big plans for this year!!

Among inspiring news, I'm stoked to announce my fresh partnership with Odwalla. Anyone who has tried their line of bars knows they mean business- 11 different flavors, healthy ingredients, delicious. I'm stoked to team up with such an environmentally and socially responsible company who is prime to break into the outdoor industry- keep an eye out!

Friend the Boulder Rock Club on facebook to check out weekly, embarrassing short videos of the nations best route setting crew talking about and revealing beta secrets to our newest creations- kinda funny actually.

rouge puppy stole my socks! wtf!? andy mann catches the ACTION

Lastly.. I'm COMMITTED to enhancing your visual experience on my site- so get ready for JSTARINORBIT version 4.0 featuring way more photographic content!!

Rantin'!!!

To round out a week of trade-showin' I checked out the Denver SIA last week to visit the mighty Arcteryx booth, check out our brand new awesome base-layer system and see what this ski industry show was all about. Lured in by thumping bass, screaming and curious smells, I made my way to the snowboard corner of the trade-show on my way out to my car.

In dramatic contrast to what I would ever expect from a trade-show, this corner was rowdy, un-supervised, young and unprofessional. It was a every bit of a party, complete with camp fires, drinks, music, low-hanging skinny jeans and attitude. I couldn't help but laugh and jokingly profess aloud, 'damn dude, screw rock climbing, I need to get into this sport!' Brought up by said experience along with a number of recent stimulating articles and discussions about climbing media and the growth of the sport, I engaged in a monologue rant on the drive home.. below is a rough text version.. enjoy!

Much of the reason why snowboarding has emerged as a powerful industry and seemingly lucrative pursuit is based on it's appeal to spectators and the ability for advertisers and manufacturers to use lifestyle as a selling tool. Good snowboarding is awesome to watch. It's loud, dangerous, thrilling and fast. So much so that people outside of the sport are willing to pay to see it- be it in person or televised. The snowboard lifestyle is (at least portrayed) as loud, lush, hip and sexy. This lifestyle is a powerful marketing tool to masses of youth, evident by the swarms of high-school / college age kids who hurriedly buy that new Billabong checker pattern hoodie or [insert any number of fresh, popular board brand apparel here]. What teenager wouldn't want to live the life of Shaun White? The dude crashes Lambo's and makes 10 Million a year!! and while he might be the most successful of the new wave snowboarder entrepreneurs, even the lifestyle of those working the lift all season for a pass and a measly wage in order to get fresh tracks 4 days a week is made marketable- why? cause that kind of live-your-dream drive is inspirational.. a kind of drive many rock climbers can relate to.

The size and power of the snowboard industry is not based on the accessibility of the sport (how many people can really afford to snowboard or live anywhere near a ski area).. I believe the power of the snowboard industry is heavily based on the ability to sell the pursuit (in one form or another) to those completely outside of the sport.. be it spectators (and thus advertisers) to an event, or apparel / lifestyle to a entire generation.

Despite the efforts of many, rock climbing has not yet emerged into mainstream limelight with any where near the same velocity as snowboarding. I personally think this is in large part due to the difficulties making rock climbing entertaining for non-climbers (creating large scale spectator events) and the lack of appealing and lifestyle oriented marketing (not such a bad thing really). The comp / indoor scene has come a long way.. and I think most would agree that indoor climbing and indoor competition is where the most growth potential for rock climbing exists (as experienced in Europe). Making climbing appeal to a broader audience is the key to growth in this area- the accessibility of indoor climbing has increased vastly over the last five years domestically and the spectator value of competition is beginning to accelerate with such events as the Teva Games, Gravity Brawl, high ball comps, etc. Competition organizers and route setters (including myself) are drawing inspiration from high profile events like the Winter X Games, making comps and routes exciting and finding [SAFE! please] ways to challenge athletes in new ways that also entertain and display obvious difficulty that non-climbers can relate to or simply understand.

Next is media.. When you open a snowboard magazine, it POPS.. explosive aesthetics have become so key to print and video media that even mainstream advertisers have realized the importance of making their adds fresh. The competition for visually exciting space is so intense that the act of an unprepared individual peering into a snowboard magazine may induce a seizure- the result, is, in my opinion, a visually striking book, and one that has lead advertisers to competitively invest in marketing to the point that A) athletes have greater support B) magazines have more money for photographs (photographers) and writers and C) despite the high shear volume of ad space, most advertisements are as cool to look at as the articles themselves, and often even feature the best photographs in the book. Advertisers have been driven to invest more creativity, money and effort in creating cool ads. I think this is great- given how much of climbing print media is add space why not make them interesting and inspiring? (and if you value reading great climbing news and articles and seeing amazing, inspiring photography please don't complain- because it's the ads, not the subscriber dollars that allow these magazines to even exist).

Obviously, snowboarding and rock climbing are very different pursuits that have aged differently from respectively different origins. Let me be clear that I'm not necessarily an advocate for the rapid, widespread growth of rock climbing. I don't really want to see a Chris Sharma XBOX game or a Target line of Lynn Hill clothing. I do, however, want to be aware of what it might take for climbing to grow and how that might affect our experience of the pursuit, the life and monetary success of athletes and the impact of a larger industry on climbing access and lifestyle. Mostly, I simply find such comparisons interesting... and I do enjoy flipping through Transworld every time I walk the magazine isle- I would love to see print media and advertisers take inspiration from the snowboard industry.. everyone likes a more visually pleasing magazine- the reader, the advertisers, the athletes, the photographers, etc...

I hope my rant encourages these questions:

How would the growth of climbing effect our sport? In what ways would more climbers (thus more money) or more spectators (also more money) change the industry, compromise or encourage indoor/outdoor access? How can media be improved and made even more inspirational? How do youngsters manage to walk with such skinny, low-riding jeans?

So in celebration of the such a blog post, I've made my site 'POP' a little more with fresh graphics and a wicked photo compliments of Andy Mann- Paige Claassen destroys the 1st and 2nd pitch of Eldo's testpiece 'Genesis' 12d... second try.

And one more thing.. on the topic of media, inspiration and sharing one's experience.. a generous grant has been created on the behalf of climbing legends Micah Dash and Johnny Copp- have a look here and get stoked!

airports and trade-shows

For the frequent lay-over-er, killing time in an airport can become something of an art form. After my 18th flight in the last 2 months, and unquestionably the worst lay-over of my life (11.5 hours in the middle of a 40 hour international), I feel that my airport time killing technique is getting quite honed. Here, I've revealed a few of my best secrets, some of which were developed just days ago on my return from a two month trip to Asia.. 1) Internet- the ultimate time waster. This one seems like nothing of a secret but in-fact finding FREE internet can be quite tricky.. I've found that many of the VIP lounges offer free internet that often manages to seep through the fancy brushed glass doors- post up outside and freely facebook for days. Another cheap (not free) option is to head to the local coffee spot and buy the cheapest thing on the menu (typically an apple or a cup of tea which can still run $3.75+ depending on the airport) they will have an internet code and you will be golden for hours. 2) Sleep. Finding a quiet, semi-comfortable spot is not easy, you will have to wander a while- but remember we are trying to kill time so wandering shouldn't be frowned upon. Empty gates are always a good bet, and shoes can make surprisingly good pillows. If you need something to take the edge off first, the kind people at Ever Rich Duty Free would be more than happy to help you sample 5 varieties of Johnny Walker.. it's called the duty free night cap- don't be ashamed. 3) Magazines. If you don't mind standing for a bit, you can post up in a news shop for a good 45min+ before being asked to purchase or leave (has happened to me many-a-time), but don't fear, within a hundred yards you'll surely find that very same issue of Home and Garden. Remember.. every airport has its own lay-over secrets as well. You would do right to ask a local about what time wasting resources may exist.

Needless to say, it feels good to be home. I clocked more flying time in the last two months than I typically do in two years, but, looking back on a killer solo trip to Asia while the front range was in the deep freeze is not such a bad thing. As soon as I got in (literally), I turned back west to Salt Lake City for the Winter Outdoor Retailer. Nothing like some bright fluorescent lights and an overwhelming amount of socializing to help you through a 14 hour time change.

There is always a handful of friends and interesting characters at the show that I would otherwise rarely see- which is often reason enough to attend. In addition however, I got a chance to catch up with my sponsors as well as support Paige on her way to a third place finish at SCS Nationals. She has proven herself yet again in the comp scene, taking another podium position despite her ever-growing interest in climbing outside (and with it, a waning interest in comps). While she managed to remain shockingly calm under pressure, I was on the sidelines sweating, biting my nails and bellowing nervous laughter.. truly not cut out for competition- Stoked for Paige though.

Among notable industry news.. the unstoppable minds at Arcteryx have developed the most advanced glove system on the planet (sounds dorky, but I'm 100% serious) and we have got a completely re-designed base layer system for 2010- including underwear! The Atom jacket is a light weight, super packable, well priced insulating layer that I've been using and loving for months- it's available in three cuts and four colors. La Sportiva is releasing a women version of the super versatile Miura VS and a brand new running shoe with sticky rubber that is perhaps the coolest looking shoe ever created by mortals, the Raptor. Sterling Rope is making the slim Nano in 7 colors now, including extension cord orange and barbie doll pink (PSYCHED). Metolius has got a new helmet that actually covers your whole brain basket and is super comfortable. Innate Gear continues to kick Bisphenol A (BPA) to the curb while making simple, yet elegant vacuum bottles and food containers- I'm a self-proclaimed thermos critic and I must say the Kaze warrants 5 stars all day.

Now I'm back in Boulder town, happily un-packed and enjoying my own bed. I've got a refridge full of goodies and a hot shower with water pressure to spare... mmmm.. comforts.. I'm excited to train, set some routes and enjoy the crisp temps on some front range sandstone. My plans for the next few months are rapidly solidifying and despite some reluctance regarding ever setting foot in another airport, I'm STOKED on the near future. stay tuned for details.

Speaking of stoked, I am extremely honored to receive the Golden Piton Award for my climbing efforts in 2009. Every year I diligently read through the January Climbing Magazine, admiring all of the athletes fit for the award while shaking my head at the scale of their achievements. I've always enjoyed this issue, and quite honestly I never, ever imagined I would personally receive one. I'm very proud of how much I've grown as a rock climber over the last few years and 2009 unquestionably represents a breakthrough year for me. I'm super humbled to accept the award among such talent and forever thankful to my community of friends and family whom I climb, eat, sleep, bullshit and relax with (among other activities). Thank you Climbing Magazine!

takeoff

It was exactly two months ago that I found myself frantic. Hunched over a 'to-do' list, scribbling down non-sense tasks faster than I could ever imagine crossing them off. Last-minute joys and responsibilities alike would invariably have to be dismissed in the face of an impeding departure. It's in the last few days before a trip (or return) that I find my bubbling excitement and expectations suddenly flip. It's as though I'm into my running start off the high-dive with a smile ear-to-ear, but the moment I bend my knees to jump, I immediately start thinking about how I can somehow grab the edge on my way down. Ever since I re-booked an early return ticket to the states I have admittedly been day-dreaming about cool temperatures, lengthy BRC training sessions, Paige's pillowie comforter (and her company too of course), Whole Foods bulk isle thievery, my amazing friends and family, micro brew beer and so on.. but now, in my final few days in Asia I'm suddenly coming to terms with all that I'm leaving behind, and similar to two months ago.. struggling to fit it all in.

The truth is I've had an amazing trip, and looking back over my photographs has thoroughly reminded me of it- adventures like learning to drive a motorcycle in rush hour traffic, a traditional Northern Thai wedding, exploring Hong-Kong on a tight budget, completing my first (well first 6 I suppose) 5.14 on foreign soil during a 2 week trip to the Chinese climbing mecca of Yangshuo, laying siege to dance-floors across Shanghai with great friends and re-connecting with the amazing climbing community here in Northern Thailand. A copious amount of stories are laced between all of said experiences that will have to wait until we have a chance to bullshit in person. I love traveling in Asia and I'll surly be excited to share a few tales.. so buy me a beer and I'll get right into it!

After a heinous couple days of travel I will be rolling into SLC for the culture-shock inducing experience that will be the Winter Outdoor Retailer, but for now I've got delicious food to eat, favorite temples to see, markets to wander and exhaust-filled traffic to weave through- time to soak it up.. its my last couple days!

hope you enjoy a handful of (fresh) photos celebrating my last two months- I feel very fortunate to have had such a varied, successful and inspiring trip.. cheers!

Tung Lung Island, Hong Kong

population.. DENSITY- Mainland, China

a humbling rest-day at the HangDong golf course, Thailand *read: I SUCK at golf

Thunder 14a, Yangshuo

No Guarantee 13b/c, Yangshuo

classic

singha induced spin class

Shanghai Nights

WARNING: VERY LITTLE CLIMBING RELATED CONTENT

The night before the New Year I moved between distinct polar opposites, from the limestone towers of Yangshuo to the concrete towers of Shanghai. In a daze, one could actually confuse the two landscapes- where wandering rivers meandered through endless karst mountains, now narrow channels of pavement flow between massive buildings that stretch for miles in every direction.

Shanghai is one of the largest cities on Earth, and is the epicenter of China's powerhouse economy. It is nothing short of a mega-city, that has seen staggering levels of consistent growth since 1991 when the city was granted the ability to economic reform post communist takeover. It's growth is epitomized in the emergence of Pudong, which, in the early 90's was literally a swamp and farmland- is now one of the worlds most powerful financial centers on the planet and is littered with dozens of skyscrapers including the worlds third largest building and the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower.

While it does rival the economic thrust and growth of Hong Kong, Shanghai differs greatly in feeling. Shanghai may exhibit the same excessive wealth and opulence as Hong Kong, but it also has the grit and rawness of a large scale Asian city. This of course includes the traffic, pollution, trash, filth, noise, interesting smells and hustle- but it also includes an element of Chinese culture that I found seemingly absent in Hong Kong- something that I experienced on my first trip to this mega-city three years ago, and something that was intriguing enough to bring me back.

In addition to the richness of culture to experience in Shanghai, it is also host to perhaps the best, most accessible night life of anywhere I've ever been (all of my well-traveled friends who have visited or live in Shanghai have agreed). With my best friend living in Shanghai and New Years Eve on the close horizon I could not resist a trip.

While these photos may not do justice to the weekend, they do give an impression for how we tenaciously tore up Shanghai.. lets just say the legendary nightlife has proved itself once again...

Aside from a couple wicked nights out, celebrating the coming new year and the amazing year passed, I did get a chance to climb at one of China's largest indoor climbing facilities (finally! some climbing related content... geeeezzz....). Inside of the mighty Shanghai Stadium, this urban-gym features interesting, albeit not very well designed bouldering walls with age old grips caked in chalk- not actually all that bad of a thing when you're out to get over-gripped and pumped. However, I could sense the local struggle to stay motivated. There is also a huge (20m?) route wall, which unfortunately is mostly top-rope and overhangs only a few feet. But, the tireless quest of the urban climber is mostly just to grip plastic and forget about the busy city- and again I admire their ability to make use of what they've got.

Now I'm back in Northern Thailand, working with CMRCA to develop some training programs and route setting standards for the Thai climbing community, along with hosting a slide-show and attempting to flush the remaining toxins in my body from a week in Shanghai. It feels great to be back.

And speaking of coming back, I'll be on my way back to the good old coloRADo here shortly- I've changed my tickets and will be flying home to attend the Outdoor Retailer Show and cheer on my girlfriend Paige Claassen as she DESTROYS SCS Nationals! shortly after I'll be Boulder bound, and motivated on the coming spring climbing season.

Hope you're all enjoying an awesome 2010.. it's gonna be a good one, I can feel it!

Time Warp

Time warp.
Last time I tuned in I had just finished two kick ass, back-to-back days at Yangshuo's best crag, White Mountain. The following day I was ambitious to return and take a crack at one of the two remaining burl routes on the far left side of the mighty cliff. Wednesday was a brilliant, sunny day in Yangshuo and I started off on an area classic, 'The Phoenix' 12b/c, which differs in character greatly compared with the other White Mountain routes I had sampled. Located on the right side, this striking, orange streaked and pleasantly textured route reminded me of a signature Shelf Road technical masterpiece- it was simply amazing in my opinion, and remains one of my favorite climbs in Yangshuo. A couple more great warm ups and I was prepared to try hard. I jumped on the power-house route, 'Blue Magic' 14a, which begins with brutally difficult thuggery- a struggle to escape two slopey pods and explode right to a decent edge before long moves to a rest. From there the route continues through a series of open pockets and a couple edges.. body position is crucial on this very short, ultra steep test-piece. After unlocking the beta to escape the pods, I felt confident in my method, but also fatigued from the previous two days. A fumbled second attempt lead to a stronger third one, and happily, a send. I finished the day with a few classic routes, including the newer, 'Two in the Pink' 12c and 'White Devil' 12d. Little did I know that these would be my last few routes at White Mountain..

After a well deserved rest day, Abond and I returned with a crew to session on Christmas Day. I was fired up to get a taste of Chris Sharma's 'Spicy Noodle' 14b/c, which I had saved for last. Unfortunately long standing political 'differences' between the two villages just beneath the cliff, mixed with our presence over the previous three days resulted in the closure (a cycle of sorts) of White Mountain. The Yangshuo Access Initiative is working hard to secure the permanent opening of this world class cliff, and updates on the progress can be found here.

While the closure was indeed a full scale buzz kill for my Christmas day, it will most likely be a temporary closure. All in all, I feel STOKED to have had the chance to crag at this place, and at this point I mostly hope, for the sake of the local climbing community and traveling climbers, that an agreement can be made surrounding access to this cliff- locals are very optimistic, so therefore so am I.

Realizing that my time at Yangshuo was running low and that White Mountain was currently off the roster, I took a second look through the guidebook to find inspiration for my last few days of climbing. Day after Xmas was headed out to Lei Pi Shan, were I cleaned up a couple 5.13s I had not yet had a chance to check out, including a great Scott Milton route (name?) at 13c to the right of Single Life that was surprisingly rad.. offering a short, albeit engaging crux. Another super long (45+m?) 13b/c route called 'No Guarantee' offered a wicked pump along with some grueling rope drag. I even had a chance to open a new route, bolted by my buddy Andrew, called 'Black Cloud Dreams (something like that?)' at 12+, to the left of the main wall at Lei Pi Shan. New routes and undone projects litter the crags around Yangshuo, and the process of either bolting your own or grabbing someone elses (open only of course) is almost an essential part of any visit to Yangshuo. Apparently I opened another 12c at Banyon Tree as well, bolted a few weeks ago by a visiting Spanish couple.. literally there are so many new routes that you can accidentally F.A. one if you're not careful.

After some clean up at Lei Pi, I had but one more objective.. a beast of a roof climb, clipping 24 bolts out of the giant Moon Hill formation. 'Sea of Tranquility' 14a was first done by Alan Moore in 2007 and at the time was China's hardest route. After a long section of 5.11 climbing, the angle steepens considerably as the quantity and quality of holds gradually declines. Finally, you find yourself literally up-side down, swinging between stalactites, completely disoriented and pumped silly. The crux involves a long, anti-gravity move from an in-cut crimp to a horrible tufa pinch, which you use to swing your body 180 degrees over to a massive hanging stalactite and rosey through to grab it- upon which you can wrap your legs and completely chill. On my second attempt I was able to burl through the crux and found myself sitting on a huge hanging stalactite right in the middle of Moon Hill, peering down to Yangshuo in every direction. Brilliant. Totally unique from anything I'd ever climbed. But it was not done yet, and I had no knowledge of the last 40 feet because when I fell previously, dangling in mid air, I decided returning to the roof was impossible/too much of a pain in the ass. Pressure was on- for real.. it was my last day of good weather in Yangshuo, I was tired and felt relatively certain that I would not be able to climb the 80 feet of steep thuggy movement including the crux to get back to this spot. I had 3 too few quickdraws hanging on my harness, and some involved exit moves were directly between the chains and me. DAMN man! this is why I don't do comps.. I hate pressure!

After a solid rest, I fired into the exiting, crimpy and long movement. Grabbing sometimes very questionable stone, I was nervous about my send.. but stoked on this incredible route and I knew how kick ass a success would be to finish an awesome two week trip to China's greatest sport climbing area.. I sent. Very stoked... and I was right, it was a killer way to finish the trip. Especially cause the next day's weather was less than inspirational, and the day after that I was on a plane to Shanghai.

Which is where I'm at now. Still recovering from a very long night celebrating the end of a killer year with some great friends. Shanghai is a trip- a Mega city that redefines what the words busy, polluted, huge and wild along with many others. It deserves it's own post, and so I'll keep my embarrassing New Years Photos and a city wrap up for my next blog- stay tuned.

Yangshuo was rad. Thanks to a number of hospitable and awesome individuals I had a killer time being there, despite arriving alone. The weather and access did cloud my psych in a few instances, but overall I left with a great taste in my mouth and a list of sends that I'm proud of. Thanks for all the help and love everybody! I'll be toasting a Liguan at Bar 98 again in no time..

Happy New Year.

Photos: Thanks to Bob Keaty.. A gang at White Mountain.. the right side.
The Amazing MoonHill.. Sea of Tranquility rides the arch of the cliff..

Yangshuo

Yangshuo, China. Finally made it out here and I'm completely blown away. A totally surreal landscape of karst towers stretches as far as that days air pollution index will allow the eye to see. Beautiful, 4 sided limestone pinnacles are a dime-a-dozen around here, ranging from slabs to dramatically overhanging and single pitch to 5 pitch monster outings. There truly is climbing for everyone in Yangshuo, although at the moment the peak season has thankfully come to pass and the crowds are virtually non-existent. In exchange for nearly empty crags I've been forced to deal with sometimes crippling cold.. notably crippling based on what I (didn't) pack, expecting the typical Asian December I'm used to over in Thailand.

Yangshuo is a very unique place, unlike anywhere I've ever been. The city itself (pop. around 300,000) has become a booming tourist attraction for Chinese travelers and the downtown area reflects it. Hotels, touring services and restaurants number in the hundreds, 90% of them targeting the Chinese traveler, given that the number of westerners visiting is still relatively low in comparison. Rock climbing in Yangshuo was first put on the international map in 1990 when Todd Skinner, Sam Lightner and Mike Tupper arrived and established some of the still-standing mega classics, including routes like 'Proud Sky' 12a and 'Over the Moon' 12c that climb out the incredible Moon Hill formation. Since then the area has seen a number of rebirths and cycles of popularity- most recently influenced by the very successful Yangshuo Climbers Festival that began in 2008 and then the notorious visit by Chris Sharma earlier this year. It seems like when Chris makes a trip to an area, it is immediately taken seriously.. and for good reason. While Yangshuo is an incredible adventure for any level of climber, the amount of difficult climbing here has increased rapidly in the last few years, with a mind-numbing amount yet to be explored and established. Chris bolted a couple potential 9a/+ routes above the already standing 8 or so 5.14s and dozens of 5.13s.

Climbing outside of your 'zone' always takes a little adjustment. Climbing on the otherside of the world can take some serious adjustment depending on your level of caution and desired comfort. The comforts around Yangshuo for a western traveler are pretty damn well established (especially if you're willing to pay), but still, this is definitely China. Being aware of this fact and also traveling on a pro climber (read:strict) budget, I gave myself a couple days to try and get settled in before I aspired to really pull down. Now, over a week into my stay I've got my orientation down well, I know the proper cheap food joints and the appropriate bars.. I've learned the bus system and I'm aware of the secret free entrance to Moon Hill- check. I've even had a chance to get out and rock climb nearly every day, with some success that I'm proud of too.

To kick off my try hard in Yangshuo I found myself at the Banyon Tree crag.. which features a nice collection of many grades including an incredible unnamed Todd Skinner 12b that ascends tufas and jugs for days. This was my first taste of the world class routes that Yangshuo has to offer. I moved directly left to attempt China's first 8b (13d), 'Nine Deep, One Shallow'. I managed a send on my second try of this incredible crimp and compression test-piece. Brilliant, and a great way to get stoked to try hard.

Lei Pei Shan was my next objective, and despite some terribly cold weather I headed out with a gang of good friends from Hong Kong. My good friend Emily Harrington had previously told me about China's first 8b+ (13d/14a) for a while, 'Lightning'. This beast of a climb goes on forever, tackling a technical line of crimps and pockets after the anchors of a challenging 13b. I could count the number of days I'd climbed on a rope in the last month on one hand.. so I knew I would have to step up my fitness game to send this 35 meter route. Happily, I clipped chains on my second try, managing my endurance at every opportunity and not taking any rest for granted. The neighboring route, 'Thunder' 14a was the obvious next objective and properly wore me out at the end of the day, but I was able to get my draws hanging up the 38 meter beast, stoked to return the next day. Thunder begins with an incredible 12c of the same name to a great rest before passing through a super technical crux involving a mantle-ish balance sequence followed by a huge (felt huge to me!) dyno into a sinker hueco. On the following day I clipped chains on my third try total.. feeling like my fitness could be on the return. The following day my buddy Eben and I had a short day at Moon Hill, climbing strictly classics aside from a one-star, mostly dirty 13b I grunted to onsight- pretty unreal to climb upside down for so long.. and pretty freakin ridiculous to clean your draws off of too- this warranted a rest day.

Monday was splitter, and a welcome change to the freezing temps. I got the full on White Mountain tour- which is unquestionably the areas best crag. A massive beautiful wall rises above a sea of orange trees.. no road noise.. little pollution to speak of.. routes from 5.10 to 5.14+... amazing. Nearly perfect. One of the top 5 crags I've ever been to no doubt. I warmed up on a couple awesome, giant 5.12s and quickly followed with a flash of 'Tsing Tao Beer' 13a and 'Gin and Tonic' 13c- both super varied and interesting routes with a wide array of holds from crimps to no-friction ledges up a golden 30 meter+ wall. Feeling good and inspired to try hard I moved over to the far left side of the crag, an overhanging clean white face that overhangs dramatically.. my buddy and local hardman, Abond, turned me on to his route- 'China Climb' 14b. This test-piece features a wickedly crimpy crux and powerful exit moves after some interesting and very fun climbing to approach it. It's awesome. Worthy of all great praise. I fumbled the exit on my second attempt, and clipped chains on my third.. wicked.. after such a great day I was beginning to think my fitness could be returning.. but then I then followed by getting my ass properly destroyed on a 12d called 'Gang of Four'. Ego back down to earth- fully owned on this 'warm down'.

Tuesday we were in a van back to White Mountain and the weather was fantastic. I had my sights set on another White Mountain test-piece called 'American Gangster' 14b. This gigantic (45meters, 23 quickdraws) route features a beautiful gold wall containing great, accurate movement on small crimps and pockets through a lower angle section of cliff. It also features the one and only manufactured hold in all of Yangshuo, a right hand three finger pocket smack-dead in the middle of the business. I had heard that when Chris repeated the route earlier this year he found an alternative sequence that skipped the pocket altogether which the locals have dubbed 'French Gangster'- I was stoked to hold it down for America and completely avoid the man-made hold. After a bit of messing around I found that there is indeed a sequence just a few feet to the left that never touches the pocket (not even for a foot) and even adds some difficult and super cool moves to the already long crux sequence. I was stoked.. and after one hanging on my second attempt I took a long rest and fired the 'French Gangster' third try.

I'm super motivated by my success at White Mountain and eager to return. I've got a handful of climbing days left in Yangshuo before I head to Shanghai for New Years and the weather is looking *mostly* in my favor.. The community here has been fantastic, and I'm so happy that I've had a chance to climb and share a beer with so many great folks. The people at China Climb, and Karst Cafe have been awesome and of course Lily and the family at the Climbers Inn. Respect is due to Bob Keaty and the Yangshuo Access Initiative as well, for many days of hard work, communicating the needs and desires of the climbing community to local farmers and businesses so that we can all continue to have a ball out here. Keep it up guys, this place is truly a gem.

Photos thanks to Bob Keaty and Leo Feng: Typical Landscape at Yangshuo.. Myself on Lightning, Thunder and the massive wall of White Mountain..

Hong Kongin'

Hong Kong is not China. I knew it on paper (literally), but it took a couple days of exploration and hanging out with locals to find a taste of the unique experience that this city offers. Towering skyscrapers jet up like corn stalks from the coast of a lush island that is Hong Kong island. At 5PM the bustling city center is littered with more $2,000 suits and beautiful sports cars than Stings wardrobe next to a Mercedes dealership. This place oozes with wealth- unlike anywhere I've ever been. If you hit the streets at the right time (after the daily grind) it would seem as though everyone is rich. The number of high fashion stores and chic restaurants are double that of your typical Asian street vendor or Chinese noodle shops. In a way, just admiring the wealth is tiring.

I don't often find myself in places like Hong Kong. Both because it's simply too expensive for my budget and because I mostly seek the rawness and grit that I've come to love about Asian cities. However, a couple friends of a friend (who are now good friends.. you know how it is) offered me a room in their awesome 10th story, downtown apartment and I couldn't resist. It turns out that amongst the sea of stock traders and financial geeks there is indeed a climbing community here, and (as to be expected) they are a kick ass bunch at that. Over the course of only a couple days I've had a chance to meet a handful of the HKG climbing crew and even share a rope with a few of them.

I'm fascinated with the life of the urban climber. Being from Boulder, where great climbing exists within sight at nearly every moment is quite a contrast to the struggle that is being an urban climber. Where we walk to the world-class gym of our choice, these guys travel deep into suburbs and industrial parks to find a crowded, low-ceiling room of 2 year old boulder problems. It's the nature of the city I guess- even getting your pull-down on is a grind.

But today I got a proper tour of some impressive cliffs on a island just a short distance away from the big city. Within 30 min of being surrounded by huge buildings, street noise and exhaust we were stepping foot onto a beautiful island tickled by crashing waves and adorned with some much appreciated noodle shops. Welcome to Tung Lung Island. Right next to the water one will find a couple short, but awesome volcanic cliffs that are covered with quality. I was beginning to understand where these such urban climbers derive their inspiration from. I tried to sample as many routes as I could, having only tied in 2 times in the past (month?). I was impressed with mostly everything I got on honestly, with highlights including 'The Corner' 6c+, Todd Skinners wicked 'Tung Lung Bad Boy' 7c+, 'Dimple Face' 7b+, 'Naughty Dragon' 8a, 'It's a Sin, Steal the Sky' 7a+ and 'Epiphany' 7c+. The setting and the escape from the city are reason alone to check this cool spot out.

We are heading out again tomorrow morning to sample some more burl before I catch my boat-then plane-then bus to Yanghsou. I will be in Yangshou for 2-3 weeks and I've been told that blogging is strictly not allowed in China- I will give my best effort, but unfortunately this may be my last post until the New Year... stay tuned in!!

I hope that everyone is enjoying their December either in the comfort of the BRC or perhaps you're an urban type somewhere out there, grindin'!! I want to give special thanks to Kevin and Cherie for putting me up in Hong Kong and I wanna shout the local climbing community with this link to Hongkongclimbing.com where you will find all the beta needed as well photos and maps to get you on real rock when you visit the financial capital of the East.. bring a nice shirt and some slacks though, cause when the day of cragging is over you will have to get fancy again.

photos: Hong Kong from the mountain, myself climbing Naughty Dragon 8a, bouldering at Go-Nature, The Sea Gully cliffs..

Mai Pen Lai

Things just seem to work out in Thailand. Throughout my time spent here over the years I'm continually impressed with the power of this fundamental guiding principle, frequently expressed in local tongue as 'mai pen rai' (or lai up here in the north- meaning loosely, 'it's all good'). Whether it be horrible traffic jams, corrupt government officials, a nationally imposed ban on drinking or an oversold bus ride.. things will work out and the stress level will be kept to a minimal. (these specific cases are solved by simply driving on the sidewalk or in the opposite lane, the cycle of uprising-coup-re-election, being happily served in low profile pitchers as opposed to the obvious three foot standing towers of beer and of course just piling the excess people on the back of the bus when necessary). The Thai's have built a lifestyle around avoiding stress, which is probably why westerners love traveling here so much.

While the day-in-day-out laid back approach is great for a vacation, it sometimes takes some work to stay on top of fitness around here. In exchange for random adventure, I've been taking some more rest than usual- mai pen lai. Now my motivation level is up in anticipation of an awesome month long trip East which I can excitingly say is sealed up. My passport is colorfully decorated with a double entry Visa to China and my email inbox contains flight confirmation for discount airlines all over Asia. I leave on the 9th.

First destination is Hong Kong where it is rumored that granite cliffs rising out of the ocean are adorned with powerful 5.13 and somewhere above the towering skyscrapers and smog one will find a plethora of long, engaging sport climbs..

Next stop will be a longer one in the Asia sport climbing mecca of Yangshou. I'll have a solid two to three weeks to explore this incredible area and after talking with friends and flipping through guides I'd say I've got my work cut out for me at this pump-fest limestone paradise.

I'll then be re-visiting the mega-city that is Shanghai for a new years in the night-life capital of the East with one of my best friends from way back. From there my trip is open, but I've got my eye on a few potential new routes here in Northern Thailand so my guess is I'll be heading right back.

Yesterday we celebrated the Kings 82nd birthday here in Thailand- respect due to the longest standing monarch! At the moment my good friends Marshal Balick and Megan Jepson are picking me up for a rest-day game of golf, which should prove sufficiently embarrassing- photographs to follow.

photos: taking the back seat (or stand), brand new motivation at CMRCA, boys will be boys..