Many thanks to Blake Herrington for suggesting an adventure on Mt. Bute in the Coastal Range of Canada this past August. We were pretty much on a blind date and fared phenomenally well. While I admit there were times I would have rather avoided eye contact (namely during the bushwacking out), I ever appreciate Blake’s…
This story “Tangled Borders” is from my experience climbing in the Ak Su last year. It’s now available to read for free in Rock and Ice’s digital issue #212, pages 37-43. Ideally, the story is embedded below (technology sigh…). And scroll down for a less-edited, longer version of it (more self-reflection and some typos!) Link…
After the death on the Muir, I deliberated for a long time before deciding to continue with Joe Mills and my plan to go up a free variation, the PreMuir, of the route. I want our ascent to honor the man I had the pleasure of meeting the night before the accident. To me, accidents…
Thanks people of the Access Fund, and the talented duo Fitz Cahall and Mikey Schaefer for including me in the Open Access Project. In this video I tell my story of an accident that I had in Red Rocks Nevada in 2006. My rappel anchor failed and my partner and I fell nearly 50 feet.…
My climbing life is blessed. That was a constant thought after my first climb in Patagonia turned out to be an ascent of Fitz Roy (via Mate Porro y Todo Lo Demas on the North Pillar aka. Goretta Pillar) with my dear friend Kate Rutherford. After years of talking about going there I was finally…
Thanks to the YouTube phenomenom, The Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger, many more are familiar with the most fearless animal in all of the animal kingdom. In summary (insert Randall’s flamboyantly gay voice in here), “The Honey Badger doesn’t give a shit.” Inspired by such displays of ferocity, I’m probably not the first climber to yell…
(Istanbul airport: confronting a daze with a tiny cup) Nik and I are en route to Kyrgyzstan, and it’s Big Walls or Bust!! $600 dollars later in excess baggage fees, we meet up in JFK airport within the hour and then it’s Istanbul to Bishkek. On these trips with major logistics, is the mantra ‘one…
Good job Nik actually writing something about our free climb up El Cap last June 2012. We had a fulfilling adventure and I even had some fun in the mix. Perhaps my favorite non-climbing moment was sitting in the portaledge on our third evening. The sun was setting and we’d just freed the hardest pitches…
Nik sent the Prophet! I think the Wonderboy is outgrowing his name and I now pronounce him the Propheteer. We spent the last two days climbing the route from the ground. His hard working days (fixing and mini-tractioning the route) leading up the effort coupled with an indomitable level of psyche paid off. Nik floated…
Everything went free– the route and the gear. Study this pic (photo to come) and then make your way to the base of the Hallucinogen wall in the Black Canyon. After some inspired ledge scrambling, a new OR centrifuge jacket (men’s small) and a timex watch (that i have now abandoned twice in the bowels…
Finally, a break from our sport climbing bootcamp. Last Friday, Jesse and I navigated to the coast and met my sister in Girona. There are layers of history of this city, with medieval architecture being most evident. Exploring places like this make Europe such a treat for an Coloradan who thinks 19th century buildings are…
Jesse and I were getting little snappy with each other. The cold nights and mornings in the tent and an accumulation of a couple inconveniences got to us. Our water bottles are freezing. My thermarest has a hole. The sport climbers cooking next to us are uptight and Jesse has no one to drink with.…
Its 10 at night and Im sitting in cafe. Okay it’s a restaurant. But it’s Spain and cafe sounds better. Jesse and i just stuffed our faces after our 3rd climbing day. Best food yet. White asparagus with ham. Chicken soup. Salad. Chocolate mouse. I can’t undertstand Catalan to save my life. On thursday, we…
While always closer than the smell of bacon, my love Eldo resurged in January with a warm winter spell. Scary Canary was the first new route of year to thaw my addiction to Eldo. The route presents excitement off the ground, as you fiddle in an RP and double or triple zero before making committing…
I’m on my way to the Outdoor Retailer (OR) Show. Yes, 3 yrs ago I said I wouldn’t go to this event again. Well, I think I can handle it with more grace this year. I even got cards made up to hand out to all the sponsors who want to shower me with gear…
It's a MAD world 