More Norway

We got the rain that everyone talks about way up north in Norway but it was still cool walking around the tiny fishing villages of Lofoton. From the looks of the climbers in front of me, there are never poor conditions for climbing here!

On our rain day, we found Lofoton's version of a roof crack, pretty short, but mainly dry. I was feeling under the weather this day and taking black liquorish flavored cough medicine! It was not good, but it helped I think : ) I think that Brian was giving it a try in this shot. (mike and ari were spotting)

Brian and Ari coming up one of the early routes we climbed on a perfect day!

The views were unparalelled while hiking to climbs and while climbing them. Our rental is on the road below and the hike was just 15 minutes on a nice trail! Later on the trip Andy jumped off that bridge to the left and bruised his butt on entry (had to be nearly a 50 foot drop into the icey water below)

Roadside bouldering goes on for miles!

The Finished Product

Unpainted but beautiful!

Wheels for the bottom

Cutting board and microwave holder space and garbage in the bottom.

Snow Days

filing my hinge for smooth operation.

Making the intial measurements before making the cuts.

These are what we started with. Pieces of pine.

Dave and Ali on Halloween Eve. I mean Ron and Veronica!

Our house with lots of snow!

Last week we had a late October snow storm adn for my district, three snow days in a row!
I was able to rest, sleep in, clean the house, train for climbing and spend time with my wife.

It was a wonderful unanticipated break that will not be forgotten. I was able to build a garbage box for my house and work on my power at the local climbing gyms.

Jane and I also watched the movie Drag Me to Hell with some friends on Halloween Eve.

Shark Fin

Here is what the steepest tower in the utah desert looks like.
Be sure to bring a helmet, bring your A-game and a little luck to be sure that all the holds stay on the wall as you attempt to free it! This is pitch 2 on the climb and its full of solution pockets, horizontal and vertical cracks and loose rock (but not that much, I cleaned most of it off). It's nice and pumpy and exposed as you can see. Andrew Burr photograph.
This is one of my favorite photos. On the last pitch crux of the route. One old pin out a roof between you and the anchor. Totem Pole off in the distance of Monument Valley and an eerie feeling like you are hanging off a cliff on Mars. Andrew Burr photograph.

http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/deserts_steepest_tower_goes_free/

Press News

The November 2009 Issue of Urban Climber Magazine is out!
Check out the issue for information on climbing gyms of the future, bouldering in France
and of climbing in Arizona. (there are many cool photos of me climbing on a variety of routes in Arizona from 2007.)

Plus keep your eyes peeled on the American Alpine Clubs trip report blog for a recap of my Green River canoe trip this past September, 2009.
http://inclined.americanalpineclub.org/2009/10/26/wide-cracks-and-weird-towers-along-the-green-river/#more-811

Climbing Tip Number Two

Fall may be upon us and the temperatures may be getting cooler, but even though the outdoor conditions are getting better for sticking to the rock, they may become a bit more unstable.

My second tip involves reminding you that when it's tough to get outside and you find yourself pulling on plastic, there are a couple things you should remember:

1. Your outdoor shoe may not be the best for indoor climbing. (ask a gym/shop employee to recommend a shoe that will be better for the style of the gym or home wall that you are climbing on)

2. Make sure that you climb inside just like you climb outside. Repeat your outdoor habits indoors, so your body will remember what your supposed to do and not get mixed up. (example of what not to do: if you are a slow and thoughtful climber outside, don't practice climbing as fast as you can on toprope. (It doesn't help you improve your technique or muscle memory or heart rate; it just makes you tired and ingrains climbing fast which is not what you want.)

3.Use the gym to practice some of the skills/movements that you have trouble on outside. That way you will build a better base for growth and development of your skill set for the future. Practice those things that you are not good at and accept that you will fail at completing them at the beginning and have faith that you will master them in a few weeks/months.

More Norway Climbing Photos

Seaside climbing with beautiful views of the coast and sailboats.

We got rained out of the bigwall climbing on only two days, but the sport cragging was steep and well protected and just a short hike from the shore. I think it is around 2 am right now! Here Mike Brumbaugh gets it done on an unknown route.

The fish are dried on these racks and then shipped to places like Italy or South America. There was an awefull stink around while walking under these old wooded racks. I considered campusing the old wood but feared the smell of dead fish would never leave my hands!

A dried Cod from Norway. My hand for scale.

Each day the weather was good, we'd wake up from camp on the beach (whenever) and then climb as long as we wanted because there was never any darkness. Approaches were generally very short and well marked and the climbing was vertical to slabby granite crack with great gear and comfy belays.