Gear Picks, Arcteryx, Sterling, CAMP, Scarpa

http://arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Packs/Naos-85
http://arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Climbing_Gear/R-320
http://scarpa.com/scarpa/products/TRAIL/TRAIL-HIKING/p_67046G
http://arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Sweaters-Hoodies/Tau-Pullover
http://sterlingrope.com/products/155013
http://camp-usa.com/products/categories/camp-quickdraws.asp
http://www.voltmanbatteries.com/servlet/StoreFront
http://arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Jackets/Alpha-LT-Jacket#Waterproof_Shell


So, what are you to do when it's raining all day and you still want to work outside. I had this problem this weekend and the solution is all in the backpack. First I get my Arcteryx rain gear, the Alpha LT top and Alpha SL pant. These two never let me down in a good rain! Then, I pull out my NAOS backpack, my big dog, my workhorse, my get r done pack. This thing is huge and handle the big loads and I can actually carry them comfortably. The best part is that the Naos is fully waterproof! Seam sealed zippers and a super tough construction makes this puppy take on the all the challenges that you can through at it in any kind of weather.
I start by filling it with 2 70 meter Sterling static lines, my Arcteryx R-320 harness a single or double set of cams, 10-14 CAMP quick draws including nano's, my 36 volt hammer drill by Hilti with the rebuilt battery from Voltman and my drill kit and plenty of bolts and hangers. I can barely life the pack off the ground and I stumble as I put it on. After fine tuning the pack I am ready to bushwack up the steep and loose hillside to my next project. Even after hours of hiking the pack rides perfectly. My feet are psyched, because I have my waterproof and super comfy Scarpa Nangpa-La boots.
Once I finally get there I change from the sweaty clothes to the dry stuff that I will staying warm with on the wall and Arcteryx fills the void again with the Tau Pullover. This is one of my all time favorite tops that is for sure!
Then it's finally time to get to the looking around and scoping from the end of a rope.
At the end of the day, I hope to have found what I was looking for on the wall. If not there is always tomorrow!
Get out there, play and use the best gear on the planet!
piz : )

24 Hours of Boulder

Kicking it at our tent city. Jane, Matt and Mark

Jane starting off the race. This was the first leg of each of our 7 mile loops. Each member of the team had to run at least one 7 mile loop and then we challenged ourselves to do as many as we could to rack up the team total miles!

Mark and Jane so cold that night! On a side note, a lantern and a new fuel bottle will last all night long if you let it burn on medium.

Jane stretching out those legs and hamstrings.

Our motley crew. from left to right, Matt. Eric, me, Mark, and Jane. We went as the Village People.

So, we had the chance to enter a team relay competition this last weekend. We didn't win the race but we did win the costume contest.

piz : )

First Ascent (the series)

If you have a moment and a few bucks to spend, make sure to purchase the newest video series by Peter Mortimer called First Ascent!

www.senderfilms.com

I was lucky enough to be a part of the lost episode "Desert Rats".
Thanks to Sender Films for wanted to include me in their top notch series.

The episodes are easy to watch, include great stories, and take you around the world. It is not a gamble to buy this collection of videos, it will be a wonderful purchase.

Thanks

piz : )

Zion Weekend

Looking up at hundreds of feet of loose, scary and dangerous rock above in the Zion Narrows!

Looking down the narrows from 200+ feet up in the narrows. I ended the second pitch on top of a ledge with no cracks and loose sand at a 45degree angle and was crippled with fear as I hauled up the hand drill to get an anchor in. In the meantime there were touroids standing in the rockfall zone directly below. If I didn't kill myself or Mike with loose rock, I thought that one of those folks in the river below were going to get it! Luckily we didn't harm ourselves or others and got to climb an amazing line (and add our own last pitch) called the Omen the next day

Hauling the pig on the wall. This was by far one of the chossiest adventures that I had been on. I was knocking off loose rock with every move and even if my shoulders bumped the rock something came flying off. We finished 230 feet of this thing, hand drill a rap anchor and were out of there. It was way to crappy to spend the time on when there is so much good rock to climb on in the park!

I got stuck in some quicksand on the way to try a new route in the Zion Narrows. When we got there and were ready to hike, the river was still closed due to all the rain that they had in the park the previous week! We were totally bummed but asked the ranger if it was going to open and we lucked out because the water level was low enough for us to get into the route safely. Mike was contemplating the fine if the narrows had remained closed.

This is what it looked like when I left home on Thursday after work! I was driving through pounding hail and rain and stopped to get this cool photo.

Kolob Morning

This was last Sunday in Kolob Canyon of Zion National Park.
We went to climb Sunshine Dihedral and it was so scary and chossy that I wasn't having any fun.
We made it up half way and decided to head down. The bummer of it was that I had wanted to climb that route for years and finally when we were actually on it, I didn't think it was worth the hype. I loved being in the park and the views but other than the first pitch, the route is a pile. This coming from someone who normally likes a little fear with my cereal!

brokeback 2005

Location: Left of the Court of the Patriarchs.

Up the Sand Bench Trail and off to your right you will see this feature.

Enjoy the OW and the roof through the blocks!

Good hands a bit overhanging and some chimney to the top.

The rap line is off to the left. I think you need two ropes for rappel (it's been a while)

Enjoy the short approach and afternoon shade and of course some solitude in the park!

Mike B and I put this one up years ago and I always forgot to post it.

One day in a blizzard and another with perfect weather.

Pitch one is physical with some OW, Pitch 2 is OW and mellow, Pitch 3 is behind the giant block, and Pitch 4 is fun and a bit sandy. Each one is an adventure.

piz : )

Sandstone Work in Progress

This is a new line that I will be working at the temperatures get cooler!