Squamish Climbing

Second Issue of Squamish Climbing Magazine out now!

2009-10-17T09:33:00.001-07:00

I am pleased to announce that the second issue of Squamish Climbing Magazine is out now! Download at : scmagazine.ca

Big thanks to all those who made this issue possible!

Scmagazine.ca has arrived!

2009-08-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce the launching of my new site and the first issue of Squamish Climbing Magazine. Big thanks to all those who made this possible. To get your free copy, please go to scmagazine.ca Hope you enjoy!

Scmagazine.ca August 1st, 2009 (fingers crossed)

2009-07-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

Over the past two months, I, along with a number of contributors, have been in the process of creating a magazine designed to feature the local talent surrounding the Squamish area. Unlike other magazines, Squamish Climbing Magazine will not feature Chris Sharma or Dave Graham, but rather, will feature local climbers making a difference in the Squamish climbing community.

The first issue is due out August 1st (fingers-crossed), and will feature a spotlight interview with Peter Winter, who is a prominent route developer in the Squamish area, a development article on the Grand Wall Boulders by Mike Chapman, and a trip report on Leavenworth, WA by Rich Kupskay. Other articles include training with Luke Zimmerman, shoulder stabilization with Carla Cupido, a perspective on Garibaldi at Squamish with Brian Vincent, and even a circuit section featuring 25 V4's in a day including topos and all.

The magazine will be distributed through the website scmagazine.ca as a free PDF. This means that you can download your own copy of the magazine to view at your own pace and start your very own collection of issues.

Stay tuned for more at scmagazine.ca or go to the website and join our mailing list!

For those interested in advertising for this issue or future issues, please email Tim at info@scmagazine.ca

Squamish Circuits

2009-07-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a slug fest in the boulders, with hot and heavy temperatures on Saturday and a cold wind ripping through the forest on Sunday. After getting on the stuff we thought would be good on Sunday, a group of us decided to run a new circuit that I created. The title of the circuit is called '25 V4's in a Day' and it starts on the corrupted boulder and works its way across the forest to end on the problem Timeless. Although our group starte strong only a few were left at the end to finish it off. The challenge itself was difficult but well worth the fatigue (I literally thought I was not going to make it at problem 23).

I know what you are thinking. Where can I get my hands on this circuit? Well you are in luck! Over the past few weeks, I have been working on launching a new site and hopefully, it will be ready to go soon. One of the features on this site will be a circuit post that includes the names of the problems in the circuit and a detailed map showing where each problem is in the grand wall boulders. Stay tuned on the blog to find out the location of the new site. you will not want to miss this one.

Here are some photos of the day. Hope you like!

Izzy getting his Pocket Problem on!
Scott on the Pocket Problem
Israel on Atlas. Watch out because this guy doesn't wear underwear with those shorts!
Reagan Daly looking causual on Trad Killer.
Matt Lucas toping out Star Fish.
Big Micky on The Golden Bowl.
Izzy giving the stare-down to Charge.
Greg getting grizzly on Child Abuse.

Reagan Daly: Breakfast

2009-07-13T21:00:00.001-07:00

I thought the music in this video was so good that I had to post this up here. Israel Cruces has got a new camera and has been filming a lot in the forest. This is a pretty fun video of Reagan flashing the problem Breakfast at Tiffany's in the Black Dyke warm up area. Got to love that leg kick at the end!

Kris Holms and the unicycle

2009-07-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

So today I was looking for a few email addresses and I came across a site dedicated to unicycling by Kris Holm. I met Kris at a wedding recently and we mostly talked about climbing but I had no idea that he was this huge unicycle guy. When I think about unicycles. I think of those guys riding over the Burrard street bridge in the morning and everytime I pass these guys I think to myself, wouldn't two wheels be a little more practical for the commute?

In my search, I came across a few videos of Kris doing his thing and it is impressive! When we were chatting Kris had said that unicycling is like climbing because it is technical and requires problem solving to figure out new challenges. Now that I have seen the videos, I would have to say that unicycling is balls to the walls! This stuff seems crazy!

Here is a video.

Squamish News Update

2009-07-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

Big news yesterday. Matt Lucas, after a deep battle with No Troblems has finally sent the problem! Awesome Matt! It must be that Muira !(not to mention the training regimes and the hard work!) In other news, Rich Kupskay made as send of Kung Fu Fighter, which he has found difficult for a long time, and from the trad world, I was at a wedding the other day and heard from her brother that Katie Holmes made the first female ascent of Zombie Roof in the last month. Great way to start the summer! Let the summer temperatures stay low...

Squamish News Update

2009-06-23T21:40:00.001-07:00

A lot of action in the boulders for a Tuesday night. Where do I begin? Thomasina and Sam Schwartz both sent No Troblems for the first time. While they were at it, Ben Harnden and Sonnie Trotter sent Loh Troblems, a low start variation to the original line. Thomasina also completed King Kong later in the day. Nice one Thomo! In a little news of my own, I finally ended up sending Rollercoaster on Black Dyke boulder. If asked how this problem climbs, I would have to say it has its ups and downs. badoomche! On a very last note, I forgot to mention that two weeks ago, Rich Kupskay sent Northridge Mini which, in my personal opinion, is quite an awesome feat. That's it for now folks. Stay tuned for more summer action and if you have a chance, attend the meeting tomorrow night regarding the ski development in Squamish.

Squamish Ski Resort Development

2009-06-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

This morning I received an Email from Brain Vincent regarding the proposed development of a ski resort in Squamish. This development has been on the docket for years but I think over the past few months it has gained a lot of momentum. Here is what Brain had to say. Anyone who can make it to this event should surely go and voice their opinion. Here is the email:

Travel thirteen kilometers north of Squamish, and you find yourself in an area marked by two beautiful lakes, second and old growth forests, high ridges and extraordinary views. This spectacular wilderness area is the jewel of the corridor, and is enjoyed by locals and visitors from all over British Columbia and beyond who seek solace and outdoor adventure in a natural setting.

This land was originally set aside for British Columbians to freely enjoy, however it is on the verge of being handed over to Garibaldi at Squamish Inc. This massive development proposal would cover an area roughly 1/2 the size of Squamish and include: 2 golf courses, 25 ski lifts, 98 km of new road, 500,000 sq feet of commercial space, and 5,739 new housing units (22,000 bed units).

The ski development is proposed for the stream's headwaters at Brohm Ridge and includes extensive water management plans, including up to five dams, extractions of water for snowmaking, golf course irrigation and potable water supply, storm water and sewage discharge, plus resort development that includes hotels, condominiums and other homes.

Environmental assessments reveal the resort would adversely impact grizzly bear, black bear, wolverine, mountain goat, and salmon and steelhead fisheries.

PLEASE HELP STOP THIS DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

*Attend the Garibaldi at Squamish open house, Wednesday, June 24. The developers, along with the Environmental Assessment Office, and Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts, will be giving presentations on the project. They need to hear strong opposition from local residents. Details for open house below:

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
TIME: 6:30 presentation of project
WHERE: SEA TO SKY HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTRE, SEA TO SKY BALLROOM, 40330 TANTALUS WAY

*If you can't attend the meeting, please contact me at brian@bigwildlife.org to learn what you can do. Thanks!

Squamish News Update

2009-06-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

Rich, Brent, Gord, Adam, and I went to Hope this weekend and it was off the hook. We spent Saturday in an area called Hunter Creek that is home to a couple of the best boulders around. Brent and I both ended up sending a problem we tried last year called The Ice Box. Hunter is definitely worth the trip so if anyone needs the beta on getting there, let me know. I am going to try and post a few photos tomorrow

Not much in Squamish new, as I wasn't there this weekend, but during the week Meshkat had a good go on Aftermath and got to the top. Nice Mesh. I also heard a crazy story that Ben Harnden (along with Sonnie Trotter) onsight free soloed Rock On and Squamish Buttress. I guess Ben couldn't find anyone who wanted to climb on ropes that day!

Squamish News Report

2009-06-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

Lots to report in Squamish news this week. First, cougar sightings all over the forest including the Grand Wall Trail and the Smoke Bluffs. Last I heard the cougar got a dog on a leash Saturday evening and the rangers had shot a cougar sunday morning. A rough situation all around.

In sending news, I am super psyched to note that Greg from Victoria (who I don't know the last name because every time I ask him, he thinks I want to add him to my Facebook) finally sent The Egg Friday evening after trying for a long time. In other great news, Matt Lucas sent Bates Motel after a small battle. Last but not least, Gord Konkim did Calculus Crack for the third time. I feel there is something else I am missing.

In development news, there is a rad new boulder problem called Doubt that climbs the arete next to American Gigilo, above Vince's Pinch Problem. Be careful on the first hold because it is fragile!

Squamish News Update

2009-06-07T18:27:00.001-07:00

Lots of things going on in Squamish despite the worst temps and conditions for climbing. This week wednesday I went to climb in the boulders and after an hour and a half I just gave up. The place was dead!

This weekend has been super dead as well but to I am pleased to announce that Luke Zimmerman sent Worm World Low on Friday afternoon. Luke has been back in the boulders lately after an intense 6 weeks of training weights and dead hanging the campus board. I also did not report that in the last two weeks he has completed both Tension Extension and Rollercoaster. Watch out route world. I hope we see more sends in Luke's future. I also want to take this time to mention that Meshkat Javid made his first ascent of Fixing the Car aka Autobody the other week. Nice one Mesh!

In more news, I continue to make the plunge into the trad world (only because with the namesake of this blog, it has to be more than just bouldering). Ben Harnden and I completed Bird of Prey on the Squaw this weekend. I tried to lead the first pitch (70 meters) but ran out of gear half way up. Ben took over and brought us the rest of the way. Nonetheless, the route was pretty awesome!! Finished up the weekend with a trad lead in the bluffs. Can't wait to get back!

Please write in if you have any news to report!

Squamish News Update

2009-05-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

With my ear still to the ground, I thought I would post some news from the past couple weeks. Jeremy Smith has freed a new six pitch line on the Chief directly above the Titanic boulder called Great White North, Tim Doyle added a new problem in The Farm called The Bull that starts on Chicken Lips and moves left across the face and finally, I am pleased to announce that Gord Konkin made his first ascent of Backseat this Sunday afternoon after getting some key beta after four years of work. Congratulations Gord! Nice one!

In a little bit of my own news, I did my first Squamish mutli-pitch today. Ben Harden and I went up the route Snake on the Apron. After placing a bomber piece on lead and feeling on top of the world, I ended up loosing one of my shoes from the back of my harness on the final pitch. Thank goodness no one was hurt, and even better, Ben found my shoe in the woods where we started the climb.

Post in if you have any other sends to report over the weekend. It looks as though the summer is off to a great start.

Tuesdays and Rain

2009-05-19T17:46:00.001-07:00

I am here at home waiting for the rain to stop in Squamish. It doesn't look like it is going to happen today so I decided I would post a few videos because everyone loves video posts.

The first video is one I stumbled upon that features Robin Avery (a guy i don't know) walking a slack line in the north gully of the Chief. Pretty awesome I would have to say. I think the funny part here is that Matt Maddaloni got him to sign a waiver before he walked. After watching those guys jump into a safety net with holes I don't think I would be the first to sign that piece of paper!

Squamish North Gully Highline from Robin Avery on Vimeo.

The second video I am posting is a video that was posted on someone's facebook page featuring an unknown climber on an unknown route in an unknown area. The reason I am posting this is because we have been talking a lot about using new camera angles when filming. The way this film is shot, it looks as though the camera is swinging back and forth slowly, allowing the camera to capture all aspects of the route. Let me know what you think.

Natalija Gros from Jure Breceljnik on Vimeo.

Finally, I am going to post another photo from Walker Kearney that features his trip to Squamish a couple years ago. This is still the best montage of Squamish climbing that I have seen on the internet from an amateur film maker. Most people may have seen this already but it is worth a look. Hope you enjoy!

Trip Report: Fountainebleau Part Three

2009-05-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

Everyone is climbing without me today because I came down with a cold yesterday so I thought I would take the time to finish up the Trip Report for Font. I have left this last post of my Font photos far too long but I ran into some computer problems along the way which has left me sans computer for the past couple weeks. The psych for these photos has long diminished but I thought I would post them anyways.

Week Three in Font opened up my eyes to how big Font really is. I climbed 6 out of 7 days in the last week and everyday we went to a new area that was off the beaten trail. Each of these areas was pretty big with at least 3o classic easy problems (I use this term loosely because I fell off pretty much all of them) and then a handful of lines that will keep you coming back for more.

Screw John Butters! Dan making this thing look good!

To start off the week, we got Dan back from the Swedes. Dan had ditched those of us at the campground during my second week for the high life in a gite with his swedish friends. After too much cleanliness, he was back in full force. We also got Gord back from the city so the crew was back to full psych and everyone was climbing together. Nice!

Gord putting his manclaws to work.

One of the sweetest areas we came to was a place called Gorge aux Chats. This place had a lot of problems with unique moves and also a few classics to keep us busy for the whole day. We even got Micky to climb a couple problems here. All and all a pretty rad time.

Are these guys city workers? Two guys standing around while one guy does all the work.

Gord getting ready to fly on a red circuit dyno.

What the... is that a new spotting technique you statue-like son of a bitch.

Timbo getting his pig paws on an unknown problem at Gorge aux Chats.

That pretty much sums up the trip. Hats off to Brent who drew the short straw when driving me to the train station, and actually everyone who made the trip a huge success. I will definitely be back to Font again. Till next time Tara..till next time.

Squamish News Update

2009-05-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Looks like the weather held through the weekend despite the bad outlook during the week. In climbing news, Thomasina Pigeon sent Encore une Fois on Sunday. This may be the first female ascent of this problem and the way she did it encompassed a number of extra moves to compensate for her size. Pretty awesome!

In development news, there is a small new cluster of boulders that have recently been cleaned just past the Funeral Arrangements boulder. I think these were cleaned by Andrew Boyd and crew. A couple of classic problems here that are sure to put a smile on your face. That's all for now folks. Looks like the rain is going to give our fingers a break for a few days.

Squamish News Update

2009-04-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Great weather had the boulders buzzing this weekend. I am proud to announce that Luke Zimmerman made his bouldering come back on Sunday with his fist time sending No Troublems. In other news, Rich and I made a one two ascent of the timeless classic Breakfast at Tiffany's, and rumour has it, Tyson and Jeremy Smith sent one of their projects (although I have no idea where it is).

Video Review: Leavenworth Climbing

2009-04-27T12:49:00.001-07:00

So this is the second time this week I have found a video on someone else's blog and put it up here on my own page. However, after seeing Jamie Chong's first shot at making a climbing video I was pretty psyched.

So...a couple things that I thought were rad about this video. First off, the beginning sequence is perfect with the use of the wide angle lens and the music. The music got me psyched right away because it was so different than other climbing videos I had seen with their boring techno beat. The music gets pretty intense throughout the middle of the video but it kept me tense even when everyone was just sitting around.

Two moments in video were timed perfect to the music. The first was when Jamie hits the good hold on The Practitioner and then when Vicki hits the jug on The Shield. Getting all this music timed out right must have taken Jamie a long time but it was well worth it. Finally, I was psyched on the use of color and font in the video's word formatting. The red and white contrast and opposite movements is a simple contrast between sections.

For a first try, this video is pretty awesome and I am psyched to see more of Jamie's work. Hopefully this link helps a few people see this video who would otherwise miss out (although as of a week ago this video had more hits in one day than my blog has had in two weeks) Enjoy!

Leavenworth Bouldering from Jamie Chong on Vimeo.

Squamish News Update

2009-04-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are hooked on blogs, then the following news is not new at all. However, for those of you who don't spend too much time on the internet, Sean McColl recently completed the second ascent of Velcro Low and posted a nice video of his send on youtube. For the whole story and beta you ca go to his website seanmccoll.com. Enjoy!

Wales Legend: Neil Dyer

2009-04-16T15:09:00.001-07:00

This time around in Font I had the good luck to bump into Neil Dyer. For those of you who don't know Neil, he is not only a top notch climber but he is a gentleman and a scholar true to the word. Neil has spent plenty of time in Squamish over the past few years both bouldering and trad climbing. In fact, he even is credited with first climbing one of the harder problems in the forest, Stalling Tim, where he snatched the first ascent right under the nose of some local climber who was taking his time socializing in the parking lot.

All this preamble brings me to a video that was brought to my attention featuring Neil climbing his most recent first ascent in Parisella, Wales. The problem is called Silk Cut and the uncut video makes it look pretty rad. Good work Neil!

Squamish News Update

2009-04-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

Awesome weather has brought a bunch of people back to the forest. A couple of notables this week with Sam Schwartz making the pendulum rush on King Swing Low and this Wednesday, Meshkat Javid sending Airtight Garage in only a couple of tries in the day. Nice one guys!

In other news, the big flake on Tatonka has taken a bit of beating after Israel Cruces got his mitts on it and pulled off part of the hold. It looks as though it is about to break so be careful if you are climbing this thing or you may end up with a whole lot of granite on your chest.

Pic of the day goes to Meshkat feeling LOST with the goodtime blues on Anubis (I bet no one gets this reference).

Trip Report: Kelowna

2009-04-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend Ben Harnden gave me a tour of the Kelowna climbing scene. The plan was to check out the boulders in Cougar Canyon but because of crap weather Ben thought the boulders were most likely soaked. In a quick change of plans, Ben and I headed to Skaha to meet up with Drew and Anna, from Victoria, and Marek, who is know living in Summerland. For those who don't know Drew, he was once a power house in the Squamish climbing scene and is dubbed with the first ascent of Be on Four, one of the most intimidating highballs in the forest.

Anna and Drew.

After a tour of the new house and some friendly banter we headed out to Skaha. On the way there it was pouring down rain and when we arrived at the new parking lot things were looking pretty grim. The new parking lot, on the other hand, appears quite the hotspot for parking and now cuts the Skaha approach in half which is a huge plus. I have always had a true love hate thing for the Skaha approach. Damn those stairs and their fitness!

Ben caught in a sea of cars.

Despite the weather, we ended up heading to the Great White Wall and found ourselves having a pretty good time. If you have never been to Skaha, it is more than a good time. The routes here are jammed packed with good holds and always seem to get you feet thinking. If I had the chance, I would stay here for a whole season and climb everything. Marek and I had not been sport climbing in years, so we were sticking to the short routes and still getting pumped like crazy. We ended up climbing most of the afternoon until Marek went down after a rogue boulder busted up his leg. After climbing, we all headed back to Marek's to have some sweet sweet moose stew that was brewing at home thanks to Clara. All and all a great day!

Anna climbing on the edge of the Great White Wall.

This morning I woke up early and called Ben because I wanted to see what the bouldering scene was like around Kelowna. Ben brought us to a place called Pebble Beach that was host to a handful of good problems situated right next to Okanagan Lake. The place doesn't have much but some of the problems were really great. I stuck to most of the easy stuff while Ben bounced around climbing all over. Here are a few pictures of Ben crushing and the local art scene.

Putting the crotch of these pants to good work on The Savage.

For those who can't see this says "BALZ". Nice!

Benny getting hippy on Skull Duggery.

That pretty much sums up the weekend. Looks like the weather might cooperate with us for some bouldering after work on wednesday. Any takers?

Trip Report: Fountainebleau Part Two

2009-04-10T18:10:00.000-07:00

Week two in Font started off with sunny weather and a well needed rest day. Brent and Tim came down with the cold that Marek had the week before and everyone's skin was thinning because of all the wet weather and the sandpaper slopers. Despite all the dirty looks from Gord, I put myself in quarantine from the rest of the group. This proved difficult while sharing a van with five guys but it had to be done. I couldn't risk getting a cold on my vacation. However, I think Gord was secretly still licking my cutlery and spitting in my water.

Would you want this guy licking your cutlery?

After growing new skin, I thought it necessary to make another trip back to the Franchards. TD wanted to have a couple goes on Karma and I wanted to try my luck on El Poussay and a few of the sweet problems in the back of Isatis including L'Aroche Coeur and El Poussif. I ended up going back to Isatis two more times because of all the rad problems (and because it rained on me the first time). I think Isatis is one of my favorite areas in Font. It's got a great red circuit and the holds on the boulders are different than other areas. To end our time here, we went to check out the Rainbow Rocket dyno. This thing is huge. No one made the catch this time around but both Peter and Neil came close.

Neil making knee bars look easy on L'Aroche Coeur

In Font, its all paparazzi and big crowds when your climbing the big stuff. Neil getting celebrity on L'Aroche Coeur

Peter standing in front of Rainbow Rocket.

Peter going cross over crazy on Rainbow Rocket.

Neil on a full stretch coming just short of the lip

TD fighting sickness to wrestle with Karma

A trip to Font would not be complete without going into Paris at least one time. I ended up heading to Paris on a rest day with Peter and his girlfriend Veronica. We ended up trying to get in the Louve but a lot of it was closed because of the strike so we hit up some classic tourists spots like Notre Dame and Le Sacre Coeur. walking around the streets of Paris is pretty rad because of all the crazy styles and the cool buildings. Parisians are pretty crazy with their styles and they certainly put North Americans to shame. I think the trick is in a good pair of shoes and big collar jackets.

Clean guy in the city.

So that it is for week two. A bunch of climbing in the main areas with great temps and the sun shining down on the forest canopy. At the end of week one I thought to myself 'Font is a little hard!" and at the end of week two I thought 'Do I even know how to climb anymore?'. Font was handing my ass to me over and over again and despite the constant ego beatings I was loving every minute of the climbing. This is a place where it feels absolutely wrong to have a rest day. Stay tuned for week three!

One Tree Missing?

2009-04-06T15:41:00.000-07:00

While climbing in the forest this weekend I went up to the Thighmaster area and found that the tree separating Mosquito Incubator and the slab to its left had been pulled out by its roots and thrown about 3-4 meters away from the boulder. After surveying the damage, I stood over the tree for about ten minutes and thought to myself 'this tree was not in the way of the climb and it is not endangering the safety of other so why would someone go out of their way to pull it out of the ground?

Now I am not delusional about the state of the tree in question. The tree itself was dead and had surely been though a lot. However, its roots remained planted in the ground and it was still standing freely in the air like many of the other trees that nobody notices in the forest. The situation itself, although not catastrophic, begs the question of this: What is our responsibility, as climbers, to leave the least amount of impact in the forest as we can? and where do we draw the line on our own actions that make an impact on the natural state of the forest that are simply not necessary?

As a climber who regularly climbs in the forest, I am no doubt a hypocrite on this issue. I have cleaned the moss off boulders. I have trampled through the forest on unmarked trails. I have even thrown my pad down on small vegetation. However, after putting this issue to thought, I have become much more aware of the impact the last couple of years has had on the forest. The trails are looking worn, root systems that were once buried under dirt are now exposed, and the forest generally looks like it has been through a lot. So where does it stop?

I am of the opinion that, as climbers, we should minimize our impact as best we can while continuing to climb in the forest. This means sticking to the main trails, stepping on rock over the roots of trees, and leaving the forest to progress as naturally as possible. I believe that if a tree interferes with a specific line, then the line should be kept closed until that tree is no longer standing. If a tree dies, but continues to stand, then it should be left to fall naturally unless it is endangering the safety of the trails.

Bottom line is that the forest is a public space. The decisions that we make in the forest affect others and if a decision is to be made to change the natural state of the forest, at the very least it is important to know what others think. So what is the public opinion out there? What is the general consensus on making an impact on the forest? Is it okay to knock down free standing trees that are dead or dying? Should boulders be kept closed because of pre-existing trees? What about the removal of rocks from specific lines? What about built up landings? All of these issues have come about at one time or another so here it is. Where do you stand?

Ben and The New Silent Menace

2009-04-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was fooling around on the internet and I came across this photo of Ben Harnden climbing The Silent Menace, a route in the Grand Wall Boulders first bolted by Jim Sanford and then first climbed, I think, by either Sonnie Trotter or Jordan Wright. The line starts by the climber jumping a gap to a huge jug that hangs midway on a blank face to start the climb. Two summers this hold was mysteriously found at the bottom of the climb with no explanation of who pulled it off or how it came down. A few weeks passed and Matt Lucas found a video of someone climbing this line on the internet. I have posted this video so you can check it out. You got to imagine that a number of people have started this climb without clipping the first bolt on the wall before jumping!

Anyways...to make a long story short, Ben Harnden was really close to climbing The Silent Menace when the hold was ripped off. Ben had found a way to traverse in from the left instead of jumping the huge gap and when finding out that the hold was gone he was pretty bummed that he would finish his project that summer. Now for those of you who know Ben, he is made of steal. No one can stop this guy and especially not a big hold ripping off the wall! With a whole lot of determination, Ben started back on his project the next summer to find a sequence on very small crimps that now were in place of the huge jug. Two summers later, Ben got the first ascent of The New Silent Menace (This is actually not the new name of the climb but I think Ben gave it a super weird name that I think everyone has forgottten). Nice one Ben!

Trip Report: Fountainebleau Part One

2009-03-31T05:18:00.000-07:00

Got back from Font a couple days ago. In a word, the trip was awesome. Last night I made Matt sit through all 581 photos and I am going to try and post the best photos here for people to see. If you have never been to Font, without a doubt you should make it you next destination for climbing. It is a place of epic proportions and could take a lifetime to explore. Anyways...here is the spray down.
WEEK ONE

Arriving at the Fontainbleau-Avon train station, I was greeted by a downpour of rain and four guys crammed into a small van that smelt like french cheese and peanuts. I had been traveling for for almost 14 hours and was feeling pretty tired but couldn't shake that 'first day of the trip' anxiousness to get on the rock. I piled my stuff into the van with TD, Brent, and Dan (from New Brunswick) to go to visit Merrick who had rented a hotel room. I guess he had been hit with the flu and everyone thought it a good idea to hang out with him in a windowless room and all drink from the same cup and share spoons together. Man down! And more to come!

Waking up the second day, I was psyched to get on the rock but it had been raining all night and I was starting to worry that we would never get to climb. Gord joined us after hanging out in Paris for a couple days and we were off to Cul de Chien , a small but quick drying area in the Trois Pignons. When we got there, the sun had already come out and everything was drying quickly. Cul de Chien is basically a huge sandbox in the middle of the forest with a couple of stand out problems that beg to be climbed. Needless to say I was relieved to finally feel some of that Font sloper magic.

Dan giving it a college try on Le Toit de Cul de Chien.

Your man trying to figure out the toe hooks on Eclipse.

Gord in the ejector seat on Le Toit de Cul de Chien.

Third day the rain began pouring down in my tent early in the morning. Everyone piled into the van around 1030 am to go and hang out at the Carrefour. For those of you have never experienced the 'Carrefour magic', it is basically the french answer to Walmart except that it is bigger and has all the french food one could handle. The boys had discovered Streetfighter 5 the previous day and had organized an all day tournement to keep us busy while it poured outside. Picture 7 grown men wearing dirty clothes buying nothing while huddled around a demo machine playing video games while the staff watch from a distance for any unussual behaviour.

Brent playing the parking lot blues at the Carrefour.

At this point in the week, I was worried that I would never see dry rock again and had vowed that every day the sun returned I would be climbing. At this point in the trip, we were joined by Neil (from Whales) and his band of friends along with Peter Michaux from Victoria. We spent the next two days visiting two classic areas: Bas Cuvier and Roche aux Sabots. Bas Cuvier is the birthplace of bouldering and is probably twice the size of the grand wall boulders in Squamish. It is home to a condensed area of classic problems and the options feel endless. It is also home to some of the most polished footholds in Font. To top it off, if you stay past dark you better keep your wits about you because it is the the biggest 'gay man' meeting place on the A6 highway to Paris. A little piece of advice, be careful when walking around the parking lot or you might step on the unthinkable.

Dan losing some serious skin on Areodynamique.

TD trying to find balance on an unknown arete problem next to Duroxamanie.

Niel putting the power on Big Boss.

Roche aux Sabot is another area in the Trois Pignon and is home to what I would describe as the best blue and red circuit in Font. All of the problems are super fun and you can fit in 30 to 40 problems in one day with each problem feeling better than the next. To top it off, this area is filled with a few highballs and a dyno in the middle that looks very promising. This is one area that you don't want to miss if you ever find yourself in Font. It is also a good day 2 area because of all the top quality easy to mid range problems.

Gord getting Jersey on Smash.

I finished off the last day of the week with a trip to the Franchard Isatis area. This is one of my favorite areas in Font because it is set in a beautiful forest with little sand and is home to a number of three star problems. The photos here come from a rest day I took when other people were climbing. This is a rad problem in the back of Isatis called El Poussay. So much for perfect friction. Out of all the talented individuals who were trying it here, I think only Peter came away with a send. These slopers are slopey!

Merrick fighting back for friction.

Someone has got a bad case of sloper heaven on El Poussay.

Peter putting that sunshine to good work on El Poussay.

Well that is it for part one. Stay tuned for part two. More photos to come!!!

Happy Birthday Matt!!

2009-03-05T17:49:00.001-08:00

Yesterday marked the 32nd birthday of our dear friend and squamish legend Matt Lucas. Festivities began with the drinking of beer followed by the eating of a mountain cake, ending quickly with the young cries of a baby. Happy Birthday big guy! Welcome to growing up!

On a quick side note, this will be my last posting before I leave for Fontainebleau, France to meet up with TD, Brent, Gord, and Peter. I will try to keep up my posts while I am there if those damn q keyboards don't piss me off. Until next time...

Does this guy look happy or what? Mountain Cake anyone?

Matt Lucas...a magnet for asian babies.

Introducing legend in the making Cameron Chung.

The Battle of the Berrics Final

2009-03-01T17:41:00.001-08:00

For those of you who have been following the Battle of the Berrics, the final matches have been or will soon be posted on the berrics website. This is a must see!! Some of the tricks in these final matches are absolutely sick!

Photo Post

2009-03-01T10:46:00.000-08:00

Here is quick photo post of yesterday. Weather was dry, temps were cold, and the wind was out. Highlights of the day include a send train on The Mantra, Matt and I sending Mosquito Masterbater Slab, and Gary Foster bring everyone beers.

A band of unsightly characters in the cold. You stare at the boulder, I'll stare at you, and he'll stare at the camera.

Jamie Chong wrestling with Pool. What kind of elastic is in that toque!?

Sean McColl working Velcro Low with the watchful eye of the worlds best spotter.

The Perfect Weapon

2009-03-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

Brass knuckles, butterfly knives, and nun chucks are all great weapons of choice for the amateur weapon collector. The problem with these weapons is that they are always lying around waiting to be found in an unsightly investigation that turns your life upside down. What one needs is a weapon that leaves no trace, a weapon so stealth it is the 'ninja' of all weapons, a weapon that brings more chaos than conclusion, a weapon that just...disappears. Through years of fieldwork, Matt and I have found such a weapon and therefore I present to you The Squamish Icicle.

The sighting of such a weapon first occurred on the east side of the Cacodeman boulder, where years ago a small drain pipe was placed on the top of this grand boulder to create a winter weapon so secret and powerful, it could shatter a man's skull in a single blow. Through a series of experiments, it became obvious that this weapon was oblivious to both rocks and sticks of various sizes and could withstand the sheer pressure of multiple attempts to loosen its grip throughout an entire winter.

In an uncanny turn of events, conditions for creating the perfect weapon reached an all-time high yesterday, when cold temperatures from the north created a series of these perfect weapons on the face of The Stawamus Chief. The deafening sound of such a weapon was heard through the forest canopy, stopping people of all shapes and sizes in their tracks, fearing for their own lives. Thus far the weapon has not made a serious impact on the surrounding community but locals are advised to keep an eye out when traveling in the area.

Squamish News Update

2009-03-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

In an unprecedented turn of events, the weather stayed dry over the weekend and a few projects went down in perfect conditions. With a good group in the forest, Derrick Kyle finalized his ascent of The Mantra (V8) in a few tries, Sean McColl completed the second ascent of Unlucky (V12) on his first redpoint burn of the day, and, rumour has it Fraser Charles did The Backseat (V10) at the ungodly hour of approximately 10:30 am. Good work fellas!

A Thousand Words

2009-02-21T20:15:00.000-08:00

Alright everyone. The boulders were off the hook today. The forest was crawling with people trying to squeeze out the last moments of friction before the rains come. Needless to say we had a great time. Big crew around today and I think it will be best to let the pictures do the talking. Till next time...

Jamie Chong showing off his one of a kind chalk bag courtesy of La Sportiva.
Tyrone Brett getting down It's About Time before tagging out to babysit the kid.

Fraser Charles giving me the stink eye close up.

Jamie making quick work of Mosquito Masterbater.

Rich Kupskay pulling Jamie off The First of the Seven Terrors.

Jamie flashing the gang sign of a one person club after completing the Seven Terrors in one day. For the whole story, check out YukonerDownUnder.

To my loyal fans

2009-02-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

This post goes out to my loyal fans. What have I been doing all week? Thinking of ways to dazzle and trick you into telling your friends and family about this blog. How am I going to do it? I have no idea. Gift bags? Prize draw? Nude Photos? Then I got thinking...LOYAL fans dont need any prize. They are satisfied with the simple pleasure of reading my true to life words and pondering their complexities in the moment.
I digress........

So what has been going on? Squamish has been going on. The weather has been off the hook this week and people have been calling my phone line day and night with their sweet stories of perfect friction. I myself had the opportunity to take in the forest wednesday night and I was suprised that there was not more people in the forest. What is wrong with you people?

Anyways...this weekend is going to be sick. A lot of people are climbing and the vibe is going to be pretty sweet. I suggest getting in your car and climbing on saturday. It will be worth it.

I am going to leave you with another skate video because skateboarding is killing it right now. Thursday night I went to the hastings park and got old school on the bowls there. Needless to say everyone was better than me. I think I am going to have to take Rich there for a "First Try Friday" dropping in on the bowl. anyone got a video camera?

Enjoi!!

Weekend Warriors

2009-02-15T09:02:00.000-08:00

Going up to Squamish this weekend was a bit of a no-brainer for those who know the magic of winter temperatures. Matt and I arrived at the forest around 12 noon to find it mostly deserted. Chapman and friend were quick on the scene and things started off from there.

When arriving at the boulders, there is always the age-0ld question of where to warm up. Most people prefer the High V0 area to warm up because of the long movement and concentration of problems. This is all fine and dandy is spring or summer forest conditions, but that part of the forest is often much darker than the Easy area in the winter and so I broke with the group to warm up there. Matt would argue that is because I am afraid of high balls in the other area but that is just not the case.

After everyone was all warmed up, it was off to the races. Nobody had an idea of where to go (other than myself) and I was not prepared to drag everyone back to the Gibb's cave area if no one else was going to be climbing. We quickly decided to go to an old highball classic called No Excuse for Porn Hair. This boulder is situated between the end of the Grand Wall boulders and the beginning of the Apron parking lot. There is actually now a trail that leads right from the Talus to the Apron, so you no longer have to walk along the highway to get there.

I had never been to No Excuse for Porn Hair so I was psyched to do something new. The boulder itself is much higher than it looks from the road. Matt fired it straight away while Chapman and I took a couple goes.

Chapman on the other side of the camera.

After visiting the Porn boulder, we headed back up to my arch-nemesis, Northridge Mini. I was sure that today would be the day but after slipping off a couple of damp holds and getting stopped by an early move, it was time to pack up and go somewhere else. At this point we were joined by Jamie, Sarah, and Gary as we headed over to Worm World Cave. At Worm World, the day felt like it was winding down, but it was nice to relax in the forest and take in the sweet sweet weather. We found Sam and Shannon working the low start of WWC and the energy was good for hanging out and having a good time. I also took the opportunity to take some photos.

Gary using an unusual way to get off.

To end the day, Jamie, Matt, and I ran around the boulders climbing some classic problems. This was probably the best part of the day. I love going around climbing things that you rarely climb. Till next time dear boulders...till next time.

Shot in the Dark

2009-02-08T10:28:00.000-08:00

The sun was shining so hard in Vancouver on Saturday I could think of nothing to do but check the boulders, with a faint hope that something might be dry. Reports from the boulders on Thursday and Friday had noted that the forest was completely soaked, but for my own sanity, I needed to have a look for myself.

The only person I could convince to go was Rich Kupskay. Rich is your man if you are on a rogue mission, and a rogue mission was what we were on. As a back up plan, Rich was going to learn how to drop in at the Squamish skatepark, so either way the day would not be a total loss.

Our first impression of the boulders was that we had wasted our time. Easy in an Easy Chair was damp, Animal Magnatism was soaked, and even Gibb's Cave was looking pretty wet. Rich and I headed to the car with a slow saunter, our motivation shredded before us. There was to be no bouldering today.

However, on the way back to the car, Tyson Braun was getting his pad and he was psyched to find some dry rock despite the outlook. Soon after, we found Big Kevin and Andrew Boyd warming up on the very boulders that were wet only minutes ago. The day was turning around.

To make a long story short, we ended the day at the Defenders boulder with visits from Tyson, Georg, and Chris Weldon. After a good session, my tips were ready to burst and we headed back to the city. Here are some photos I took during the day. Unfortunately, I only took photos during the warm ups. A few turned out okay. The outlook for Sunday looks good so if you are sitting at home wondering, get in our car and check it out for yourself.

Rich throwing the ol'bearclaws on Gull Skull

Toping out with a smile on Gull Skull circa 2009

Weather Update and Video

2009-02-05T15:18:00.000-08:00

So everyone is bummed about the weather. I just talked to Chappy and the forest is completely soaked. However, he did say that he say Simon was out there underneath the Gibb's Cave boulder (good work following my advice, unfortunately you will now never trust me again). Anyways to cheer everyone's spirits I thought I would post a Battle of the Berrics video. This one features my favorite, Steve Berra, training for his up and coming match against Marc Johnson. if this does not get you psyched to go and work on your flatground kickflips, I don't know what else to do.

Weather Update

2009-02-04T17:42:00.001-08:00

For those of who are getting psyched because of all this sunny weather, you may have to curb your enthusiasm. Reports from the forest indicate that the boulders inside the forest are still pretty wet, with boulders, such as supefly, being completely soaked. The night session on thursday night may be postponed unless we get some heavy Howe Sound winds. I will posted again as soon as I hear more.

The Circle of Life

2009-01-31T12:27:00.000-08:00

In an uncanny turn of events, two members of the squamish climbing community brought in a new member to their families yesterday. Rhea and Israel had a beautiful baby girl named Winter Isla Cruces and Pat and Elaine Chung had a healthy baby boy named Cameron (Matthew?) Chung. Congratulations everyone!!! It's a baby making factory out there people!

Video Review: A week in Yosemite

2009-01-31T09:07:00.000-08:00

Another week goes by, the weather changes, and we find ourselves back in the gym wondering why we have jobs and are not on the road full time at this time of the year. Trying to get psyched back into training mode today I was looking around the internet for a video that might try to inspire me to try harder. On the blog KearneyJourney, I came across a rad video by Walker Kearney with footage from this November in Yosemite. What a cool video! I met Walker and his sister Prarrie on my very first trip to Bishop seven years ago. At the time, Walker and I bonded over our hatred for the problem Iron Man Traverse, as both of us tried it for two days without prevail. Since that time, Walker's climbing has grown by epic proportions, with his eyes on big prizes all over the states and Europe.

So what makes this video so rad? The first 4 minutes of the movie begins with a montage of clips from hard problems and people falling off the top outs of a number of classic problems in Yosemite. It reminded me of the old slam sections in skateboarding videos years back and it really got me psyched to go out and try harder on the rock. Walker did a great job of editing these clips to get the maximum exposure of the variety of the problems in Yosemite, not to mention the music track chosen to keep you on the edge of your seat. The video finishes off with showing some start to finish climbing on a number of fine highballs, skipping through the boring top outs with some fast forward and keeping the viewer interested.

So where are climbing videos going in the future? Years back ,when I was in high school my friends and I were piecing together skateboard videos in our parents basements, with single sections on each riders, slam sections, and intros that would make you laugh your ass off. It was all a huge movement towards where skateboarding videos have gone now. However, the formatting of skate videos has not changed that much since then. So will climbing go the same way? Will we stick with the same formatt for climbing videos as we have seen time and time again? Will I continue to sit through long self absorbed interviews and even longer top outs? or the homemade video that only captures one angle? or are people going to start mixing it up already?

On a side note, if you have not been to the BIG UP site in while, you should check out their new video Tis the Season. These guys are getting really technical with their shots and the quality of their videos and it is paying off big time.

Second Time a Charm

2009-01-25T18:48:00.000-08:00

Round two in the boulders today. Surprisingly, more people were out despite colder temps and a bone chilling wind that was ripping through the forest. After yesterdays efforts on more difficult climbs, Rich and I decided we would stick circuiting problems we know and love. We soon found ourselves in the Titanic area of the forest to begin our trek down memory lane. For those of you who need a better picture of the conditions in the forest, every problem we came to was dry and free from snow. Despite our best efforts to make it from one end of the forest to the other, Rich and I were left standing in front of the Animal Magnetism boulder by 3 pm with our tips shredded and our muscles complaining of the cold. All in all, a beautiful two days in January. Here are couple photos of today and yesterday, courtesy of the talented Mike Chapman and my own terrible camera skills.

Matt giving me the best spot a guy could ask for on Northridge Mini (Courtesy of Mike Chapman).

Rich basking in the sun while weezing through Airtight Garage.

Rich feeling the friction of winter on Mosquito Incubator.

Return to the Forest

2009-01-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

This weekend brought back the sunny weather to squamish bouldering and let me tell you, it was off the hook. The forest was glimmering with hope when Matt, Rich, and I arrived with no one to greet us but our own enthusiasm. Mike Chapman turned up quickly to document our sends as the early afternoon light shone on our backs. Starting in the Easy area, we were quick to jump on a sweet sweet warm up circuit and hit up some old problems that are often ignored. As the day progressed, our journey found us back at the Black Hole area, where we lost most of our skin crimping in the winter sun. Save of the day goes to Matt Lucas who placed his own body as a pad when I fell off the last moves of Northridge Mini. Here is a picture of Matt escaping from the boredom of gym climbing. Wait a minute...is that a new spotting technique where you don't use your hands?

From the Horses Mouth

2009-01-21T22:13:00.000-08:00

This post is for everyone who is psyched to climb outside this weekend. I wrote Chapman for a detailed analysis of the situation in the boulders and here is what he wrote back:

"its really good. crisp, but not too cold. problems with snow on top have some seepage, but there is tons to do. warm up areas are in good shape. weasel, no troblems, defenders and even black hole are all in perfect shape. rest of the talus is a bit worse because of snow on top. "

So there you have it folks. Outside bouldering is on for this weekend and I, for one, am pretty psyched to get back to the forest. See you Saturday!

Weather Update

2009-01-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

A week of wonderful weather goes by and I have yet to hear a positive report back on bouldering in the forest or in the talus. However, I did get a report that the smoke bluffs are dry enough to climb. The weather network shows sunny skies for the rest of the week. Lets hope this fog eats up all the snow and precipitation by the weekend!

UPDATE: According to a secondary source, Mike Chapman has reported that the boulders are 'mostly dry' and ready to climb. Get ready for the weekend. Should be awesome!

Sean McColl

2009-01-19T17:43:00.000-08:00

Recently, Sonnie Trotter was writing about those climbers who are blessed with the biology to be strong climbers at a very young age. My opinion on this subject is that biology can only take you so far with factors such as an early introduction into climbing, strict training regimes, and self-motivation playing a vital role in the success of these young climbers.

One of the climbers mentioned Trotter's blog was Sean McColl. Sean is a local Vancouver climber who began climbing at the age of 10 and completed his first 14a at the age of 12. Last week, Matt Lucas brought to my attention a YouTube video featuring Sean climbing at the North American Climbing Championships in Montreal two weeks ago. It is clear in the video that Sean's climbing abilities continue to be a step above the rest. I think Sean is more than capable of dreaming big. Perhaps the second accent of Dreamcatcher? or Singularity? Maybe another trip to Europe? Buy a van, make a list, and show us what you can do!

Weather Update

2009-01-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

For those of you who thought the sun we had this week would bring us back to the boulders this weekend, you will be sadly dissappointed. Reports for Mike Chapman indicate that the forest boulders are completely soaked and the talus is covered in snow. Don't give up hope, perhaps February will bring back a week or two of sunny weather like last year. To keep up your psych, here is a picture of Brent Mickelson on an unknown boulder in Hope, BC.

Kevin Jorgenson

2009-01-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

Since there is absolutely nothing going on in Squamish due to the inclement weather we are having, I thought I would write about a new line scoped out by Kevin Jorgenson in the Buttermilks. During my last trip to Bishop, I was walking around the boulders with Georg, looking at some of the new super highballs that had yet to be completed. Georg led me to the south face of the Grandpa Peobody boulder where Kevin had hung a top rope to work the moves on what I would call a 'climb of death'. When looking at the route itself, the holds make sense but it certainly doesn't make sense to climb up them. This thing is a monster.

I was just checking the Momentum VM website http://www.momentumvm.com/ and Kevin just recently completed this line. This is absolutely nuts! In the write up, Kevin stated that he wanted as many pads as possible but no spotters. One, who is crazy enough to spot on this kind of thing, and two, I think a human falling from 45 feet would pretty much break you arms off. If you get a chance, also check out Kevins website http://www.kevinjorgenson.com/. I have never met Kevin nor have I ever seen him climb but climbing huge lines like this are pretty inspiring in a 'I am still going to stay ten feet off the ground' kind of way. Here is a picture of the climb I took looking way way up.

Skateboarding Cross Over

2009-01-09T16:55:00.000-08:00

Not too many people know this, but back before I got into climbing I was heavy into skateboarding. Every once in a while I still get on my board and try to rip it up whcih ussually ends with me falling on my ass but I can still pull off a kickflip or two and have a lot of fun crusing around.

Recently, a series of videos from the shoe company DVS have surfaced on YouTube showing professional skateboarders battle it out in a game of SKATE or what is commonly referred to as HORSE. Featured in one of these battles was an old professional skater that I used to be psyched on named Steve Berra. He was one of the original members of the Birdhosue Projects team (led by Tony Hawk) and also tried to break into the movie scene around the same time Jason Lee was doing the Mallrat movies. He ended up starring in two episodes of Felicity until his acting career came to a sudden halt when his character was hit by a bus.

I couldnt get this one to embed so here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk_JA0cBJrY

The Search

2009-01-07T16:41:00.000-08:00

Like surfing, those who are on the cutting edge of climbing are always looking for the next best boulder or the next best line to catch their very own first ascent. I would have to say that I am the worst searcher of new boulders around. Sometimes I think it would be awesome to find a rad new line, but after looking at two or three boulders that are blank, I just feel like going back to the car.

On my last day in Bishop, however, I decided to check out this new boulder that I had heard about through gibberish and here say. It is situated upstream where Pleasant Valley Dam road meets Chalk Bluff road and I would have to say that it is one of the best boulders I have seen in the tablelands. According to some website, it is between V7 and V9 but the moves and sequence are classic with one of the best natural holds I have felt in a long time. I will definitely come back for this one.

Here are a couple pictures to keep you going (Thanks Doug and Matt). The first is a picture of the boulder I described above, the second is a photo of myself doing the first move of Acid Wash, and the last photo is a shot of a new area in the tablelands called County Line.

New Beginnings

2009-01-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

My trip to Bishop is coming to an end tomorrow night where I will venture back to the snowy streets of Vancouver with visions of California sun dancing in my head. This is the shortest trip I have done to Bishop and I have to say one week is never enough. Prior to getting here, I was severely unmotivated and had just come off the bench from a number of injuries. The first couple of nights in the truck were uncomfortablely cold and I missed the luxuries of home living. However, mid-week my outlook changed dramatically. The sun came out from its clouds, old problems were revisted with fresh eyes, and my fingers began to enjoy the rock again.

Ussually on last days, I try to go around and repeat problems that I have already done to avoid failure on the last day. However, this year I have decided to go for it on a problem that has been haunting me for years. I am excited for the challenge. I may not do the problem tomorrow but nonetheless, I am looking forward to the process rather than the send. Either way, this trip has left me hungry for climbing again and I am excited to get back to training for the next trip in March.

As for local climbing news, Tim Clifford sent The Swarm today on the last day of his trip after dodging the flu all week. I will leave you with a picture of George Jost, Tim Clifford, and Matt Birch eyeing a new line next to Evilution. As old projects finish, new ones are always waiting around the corner.

Happy New Years from Bishop. CA

2008-12-31T19:06:00.000-08:00

We are coming up to another great New Years celebration in Bishop, CA. Last year the highlights were the drunk guy who was trying to fight everyone, the wax bombs that went off like a light, Alex Evans sticking his head down the toilet air duct, and finally, the girl who took her pants off by the fire.

This year there are a number of fellow squamish folk up here. Maysa and Kristian jsut got to town, Mike from the boulders is here, as well as Tim Clifford and his family and then George and Mina with their young one. Should be a pretty good time. I promised some pictures but I have been a little camera shy as of late. Either way, here are a couple of snow photos. No climbing pics! Sorry.

Snow Chain Required

2008-12-27T17:36:00.000-08:00

So I have arrived in Bishop, California but this year the drive was not as forgiving as years past. The snow followed me all the way from Vancouver to Portland, and then began again at Mount Shasta and did not stop until the valley floor of Mono county. Snowtires just paid for themselves.

19 hours later, I arrived in the Pit to find myself still three inches deep in snow. The weather last night was bone chilling but warm weather is on the horizon. Climbed in the Happies today with no surprises. The old projects are still projects, the easier climbs still feel difficult. Hopefully tomorrow the Butters will be a little more forgiving

Crazy People

2008-12-23T09:52:00.000-08:00

This video was stolen from my friend Evan's skateboarding blog. It features professional skater, Mark Gonzales, who is rumoured to be the first skateboarder to start skating handrails, along with Natas Kuapas, and the first skater to skate 'switch stance'. This video has nothing to do with climbing but I thought it was pretty hilarious.

Woes of Weather

2008-12-23T09:18:00.000-08:00

Living in Vancouver, I often find myself waking up wondering what the weather is like in the boulders. Here is how it goes: Get up, check weathernetwork, check the weatheroffice, check the hourly precip rates through the National Weather Service, look at a few webcams, and finally, call a friend. At this point in time, I feel as though I have the weather in the boulders down to a science but my batting average in unpredicatable weather is still in the minors.

Yesterday, I woke up with this overzealous urge to climb in Squamish after it had snowed 30 centimeters in Vancouver. After calling a number of friends, it was obvious that I was going up alone. When I got to the boulders, the lower parking lot was a prestine glade of fresh snow with no tracks in or out. I knew I had made a mistake. Still unable to believe that my choice was fatal, I trotted into the boulders, brushes in hand, to find myself alone with a single lane of rabbit tracks. After the thrill of having the boulders to myself had subsided, I began to realise that the snow accumulation was too much for one man armed with three brushes and I gave up. As I dragged my feet back to the truck, I was greeted with the sun shining over Garabaldi. Although there was no climbing, the trip felt worth the effort. Dry up soon dear boulders. I will be back.