The Evan 5.12 (maybe 12+)

This is the first run on toprope of the short roof crack I freed this weekend. It is a first ascent, meaning that noone else had ever climbed it before. After working out the moves and removing some lichen and loose rock, I was able to climb it with out falling.

Just after completing the first free ascent! A couple of long pulls through the steep section and whamo, into the kneebar at the top. It's a great short roof problem.

If you notice, the route is just to the right of the Cynical Pinnical in the South Platte, Colorado. Click on the photo for a better view and route beta. I think the hike is about 30-40 minutes up hill to the last outcrop before the base of the main towers.

Top Jimmy, placing his first anchors at the top of the route! It was a beautiful day to be in the Platte. Thanks Top for coming out to play.

Looking up at the route, the beautiful huge dead tree at the base is a great reminder that you are there. There is a easy start to the route up a crack and then you place some gear at the horizontal break and then trust your jams as you exit to the vertical face and into the sunlight at the top. I wore tape gloves and would recommend them due to granite being slippery and rough all at the same time.

I am really glad that you have visited my blog. Thanks and I hope to see and hear from you soon.
Rob Pizem

And last but not least, don't forget to check out my favorite sites:

http://www.scarpa.net
http://www.arcteryx.com
http://camp-usa.com
http://sterlingrope.com
http://ColoradoMountainJournal.com
http://www.wunderground.com
http://climbing.com
http://rockandice.com
http://deadpointmag.com
http://urbanclimbermag.com
http://andrewburr.com
http://ladzinski.com

Nordwand: The Eiger Movie

For Hollywood-style mountaineering films that are both A) reasonably accurate and B) good entertainment, I can think of Touching the Void and, ummm...that's it. Now I can add Nordwand ("North Face") to the list. Last night I saw the German-made film about the famous 1936 disaster on the north face of the Eiger, and it's an impressive reconstruction of state-of-the-art prewar mountaineering and, at times, a nail-biter.

First, the climbing. In the mid-1930s, German and Austrian alpinists were probably the best in the world, and I was fascinated by the equipment, clothing, and techniques, which, to the best of my knowledge, the film depicted quite accurately. The gear and methods seem astonishingly primitive compared with our high-tech tools and bombproof-anchor-at-all-times mentality. Yet these climbers could pull from their full bag of tricks pendulums, reasonably sound belays (when they chose to use them), and free-hanging rappels. The climbing footage is convincing, and the weather and avalanche scenes are harrowing. The bivouacs look truly miserable.

For me, the storytelling worked well until the last 30 minutes. Just as the drama reached its peak, some niggling aspects of the film started to become outright annoying: a couple of overdrawn characters, an intrusive love interest, and an excess of melodrama in scenes that were plenty dramatic on their own. When Toni Kurz's on-again-off-again girlfriend ventures onto the face and climbs to within a few feet of him as he nears death, I thought, "If she can get up there, why can't the Swiss guides join her and throw him a rope?" And then came a truly awful line that I hope was just a flub of the subtitles translator. I won't give it away, but a third of the audience broke into laughter during a scene that should have been evoking anguish and tears.

To their credit, the filmmakers didn't give this tragedy a Hollywood ending. I walked out of Nordwand drained, and though I could annoy my wife with my typical post-film analysis of the movie's faults, its rich evocation of 1930s mountaineering will stay with me much longer than its foibles. Click here for U.S. screening info.

Arcturus Beta, Half Dome, Yosemite National Park

the top of arcturus

the bottom of arcturus

Arcturus Beta: gear (not sure exactly, triple set of cams to 4inches (this includes the thinner than finger sizes), up 8 finger size cams, 1 set nuts, slings and draws)

I will do my best to identify the pitches, lengths and gear for the route. It’s been a while and Mike Anderson probably has all the detailed beta written somewhere, so if mine isn’t good enough, he may be the person to ask. Since Mike and I are the only ones who have climbed the route, the ratings will be our best guess. Take them with a grain of salt.

Pitch 1 5.11+/12- (about 100 feet) start 100ft to the right of the Regular Route in a crack that is wider at the bottom and then turns into a chimney. At that point move to the right across the face (protection bolt) and into the thin left facing corner. The rock is slick, which makes the thin crux challenging. Belay at big ledge with bolts as the anchor. (I remember that this felt tough in the morning when there was moisture in the air at the base of the wall)

Pitch 2 5.9/10 (less than 100ft) From ledge head up thin crack on right, trend left into belay.

Pitch 3 5.11- (100ft) Continue up the crack right through the broken section into the wide overhanging flake and follow it up and left. When it ends, face climb up and left to a bolted anchor. There is a small stance at the belay. I really loved this pitch because of the wide stuff and the face traverse at the end. Committing climbing, but totally fun.

Pitch 4 5.11+/12- (at least 100ft) From the bolts move right up the thin crack (thin nut placement). Follow the crack up as it goes from tips to 4 inches to bolted anchor. Small stance at belay. Great fun, great gear, lots of hand jamming.

Pitch 5 5.12- (less than 100ft) From belay, head up and left through ledgey terrain past a bolt or two (I think) into thin cracks on the right. Challenging climbing and a semi-blind placement or two leads you to the huge chimney on the left. When you reach the chimney, climb in and belay at the base. (no bolt anchor) Pumpy climbing near the end of the pitch. (the crack that you were climbing on thins out and continues past the chimney. we headed into the base of the chimney at the earliest point)

Pitch 6 5.12- (less than 100ft) Head up chimney (easy) and out right through the roof at the top. Exposed and fun to a small stance in a dihedral about 20 ft above the roof. (natural anchor or one bolt)

Pitch 7 5.10+/11- (less than 100ft) Head straight up from belay in corner. Awkward at times but good gear. Small stance and a bolt or two at the belay. From the belay you’ll be looking at a bunch of junky ledges up and to your left. You will also be under the big chimney on the Regular Route.

Pitch 8 5.easy PG (200ft+) Traverse up and left on the broken ledges and be aware of loose blocks bad gear and easy climbing. You are heading to the bolts at the base of the blankest section of the wall. (there is a bolt ladder there which takes you to where you want to go) We climbed the 5.10 (4 pitch variation) to the left, which comes back to the top of the bolt ladder and a big long ledge where you could sleep. There is a 1 or 2 pitch free variation just to the left of the bolt ladder that was freed at about 5.12+ but it wasn’t that fun or easy either. If you are not going to free the route, then take the bolt ladder on the Regular Route to the big ledge. This is where Arcturus and the Regular Route cross paths. The bolt ladder should be short and sweet (maybe about 30 feet)

Pitch 9 5.13 (less than 100ft) This is where the climbing starts to really get good. Begin on the pins in the dihedral to the left of the big chimney. Climb the thin crack dihedral past the last pins and up the arête and corner to a thin belay stance. Cool, thin and balancy moves take you past some bolts to the bolted belay.

Pitch 10 5.12- (100ft) Continue up the long dihedral that is thin fingers the whole way to an anchor in the corner. Not the most comfortable belay anchor. (bolts I think)

Pitch 11 5.12- (100ft) Continue up dihedral past a pin and through the roof on the left side. Some cool stemming and exciting moves through the roof take you to a belay in a little cave off to the left. (bolts and cams I think)

Pitch 12 5.12 (100ft) From small alcove, head up through corner systems. This is thin and balancy, with a blind placement of a number one cam on the left side. There are some pins and bolts on this pitch and it feels pretty committing to lead. Once you reach the bolts, no worries, climb up the rail of granite and up past the Robbins Rod (a large finger of granite sticking out from the wall.) Stand on the rod and gain some more crack to the belay above.

Pitch 13 5.11 (less than 100ft) From anchor head left up left leaning overhanging hand crack. Really fun and pumpy. At top, move right into the corner and belay.

Pitch 14 5.8 (less than 100ft) Easy chimney to semi hanging belay. One bolt is on the face so you don’t have to carry the big gear with you. Belay at bolts.

Pitch 15 5.13+ (100ft) Head up the corner and out the roof to the left. Remove any gear in the roof (just above the anchor) because a fall(or hanging) on the pitch will push it into the crack to never be retrieved. Climb past an old pin (its good I fell on it a lot) to the bolts ahead. Challenging and thoughtful lie backing and smearing. This is the lead I broke my back on. Two bolt anchor. Could be a difficult one to lead without a stick clip if you plan on aiding. The bolts are far apart, since there are no holds to clip from.

Pitch 16 5.12- (less than 100ft) Climb up from the anchor past the bolts into the dihedral, mantle and head up the best lie back ever! It’s hero time and so fun! Stop at bolted anchor.

Pitch 17 5.12+ (100ft) Head out right from the anchor (yes where there is not a crack) onto the face and slab up until you find a jug and places to put cams. Continue up the face till you reach a bolted traverse and a bolted anchor. (slab crux)

Pitch 18 5.12+/13- (less than 100ft) Continue right on a sloping ramp and straight up on the bolts. A long move to a ledge will get you to the slab moves and the anchor above. (Another slabby crux)

Pitch 19/20 5.10max (less than 200ft) Heading up and left, follow the path of least resistance to the summit (combine with the last pitch or two of the Regular Route.

Congrads you made it. Feel free to let me know if the beta is good.

Best places to sleep (pitch 8 or 9)
Belays are generally thin on most upper pitches a belay seat could be really nice!

I am really glad that you have visited my blog.
Thanks and I hope to see and hear from you soon.
Rob Pizem

And last but not least, don't forget to check out my favorite sites:

http://www.scarpa.net
http://www.arcteryx.com
http://camp-usa.com
http://sterlingrope.com
http://ColoradoMountainJournal.com
http://www.wunderground.com
http://climbing.com
http://rockandice.com
http://deadpointmag.com
http://urbanclimbermag.com
http://andrewburr.com
http://ladzinski.com

Climbing/Training Tips

So here are two things to keep in mind while thinking about training.

If you are interested in training or at least applying the logic of training to your climbing schedule, remember this:

1. You can train grip, strength, power, crimps, face, overhangs, roofs, pockets and movements in variety of ways, as long as you are doing it repeatedly you will get better. This is just like going climbing or doing certain exercises once or twice a week. Time will improve your weaknesses (if you train them) but it will be slow.
2. Or you can get specific and apply a regime to your training and make it a cycle. This requires dedication and a major commitment to giving up the time to follow thru with your plan. You will reap greater rewards (most likely faster too), but at a greater cost of giving up the "other" stuff in your life.

Remember this though, there isn't a shortcut to improvement. Everything takes time, you get what you put into your workout and no more.

Always feel free to send me questions in the comments section and I will do my best to answer them asap. Since I do not know everything about training, I will always consult those who do or who are more knowledgable about the subject. But I will always share what I do know or what personal expereince has told me.

I am really glad that you have visited my blog.
Thanks and I hope to see and hear from you soon.
Rob Pizem

And last but not least, don't forget to check out my favorite sites:

http://www.scarpa.net
http://www.arcteryx.com
http://camp-usa.com
http://sterlingrope.com
http://ColoradoMountainJournal.com
http://www.wunderground.com
http://climbing.com
http://rockandice.com
http://deadpointmag.com
http://urbanclimbermag.com
http://andrewburr.com
http://ladzinski.com

Real-Time

On January 15, Renan Ozturk and Cory Richards topped out on Tawoche, a 6,500-meter peak in Nepal, after completing a difficult 1,200-meter new route. They had to battle dehydration—no water for 36 hours—and dangerously loose rock to finish the route. It was a major effort. But here's what was really amazing: On January 20, four days after they descended safely to base camp, the two guys posted a creative, heartfelt, beautifully shot video about their climb. One day later, they posted a follow-up covering the final climb to the summit and the descent, thus breaking the news of their own success.

TAWOCHE 2k10 dispatches #4 from renan ozturk on Vimeo.

I think this could be a game-changer for expedition climbing films. In their immediacy and authenticity, these short clips blow many slickly produced expedition films out of the water—I find them infinitely more inspiring than TV-style documentaries. Ironically, the climbers are sponsored in part by the North Face, which led the way in big-media big-walling during the first Internet boom in the late 1990s. I mean absolutely no disrespect to the climbers on those projects in Baffin Island and Pakistan, among other places, but when your game plan includes a multi-person camera crew, it inevitably dictates the terms of the climb, including endless fixed ropes, portaledges, days of hauling and repositioning, and releading pitches. It dictates the choice of route itself.

Ozturk and Richards chose a chossy, dangerous, unclimbed alpine route at high altitude. They had no idea if they would succeed; in fact, the odds were very much against success. They climbed alone and shot their own footage, each carrying a single digital camera; they had a helmet-cam rig and a few extra batteries. They edited these clips in their tents at base camp and uploaded them by satellite modem (except for two clips for which they had to race down to Namche Bazaar after their sat link died). "It is arguable which was harder and took more time: the climb or the dispatches," Richards said.

In the intro to their summit-day clip, on the Vertical Carnival blog, one of them wrote: "As [we] are artists, we are locked in a constant struggle between what we want to capture and the energy our bodies can afford to give. It’s an instinct to reach for the camera, but one that nearly always falls second to the tasks at hand. Often times, I criticize myself for not shooting more…for not nailing the perfect image…but then again, I am fighting just to move. As athletes, we are succeeding, but as creative individuals, we are flailing…it hurts."

They may have been flailing, but they weren't failing. In my view, they succeeded beautifully.

TAWOCHE 2k10 dispatches #5 from renan ozturk on Vimeo.

Caving with My Students

The ice "caves" are actually pikes peak granite boulders that have filled in a valley outside of Monument, Colorado.

The normally rough and sharp boulders are actually water polished and smooth. In the winter any water passing through turns into ice as does the stream that flows at the bottom.

You never know whether the passage will be wide open or very tight and what kind of icey surprises will be around the next corner.

Here are the motivated and "cool" students and staff who joined me on the caving experience!

This is what it looks like from the top of the snow coverered boulders. Look carefully and you may find an entrance into the hidden world below.

I am really glad that you have visited my blog.
Thanks and I hope to see and hear from you soon.
Rob Pizem

And last but not least, don't forget to check out my favorite sites:

http://www.scarpa.net
http://www.arcteryx.com
http://camp-usa.com
http://sterlingrope.com
http://ColoradoMountainJournal.com
http://www.wunderground.com
http://climbing.com
http://rockandice.com
http://deadpointmag.com
http://urbanclimbermag.com
http://andrewburr.com
http://ladzinski.com

Letter to Recognize (for lack of a better title)

This was sent to me from the high ups at Climbing Magazine and was from a happy subscriber:

To: letters@climbing.com
Subject: No. 282 - sand & sweat
Sent: Jan 21, 2010 7:16 PM

Yo, First off, Issue No. 282 is great as always. Or, at least it was until I finished the "Gallery: Shark Bitten" section. Now the pages are crinkly and semi-transparent from the sweat that poured from my palms while reading it. Seriously, I've never been so nervous reading photo captions in my life. Excellent work to all the climbers and serious props to Burr for the fantastic, sweat-inducing shots.

First off, thanks to A-Burr, who shot the beautiful images and next thanks to Climbing Magazine for publishing them and lastly, thanks to Mike and Pete who signed up for the adventure!
Glad that we all could somehow inspire and make you sweat, cause beleive me I was not wanting to fall and have to relead that pitch, it was scary!!

I am really glad that you have visited my blog.
Thanks and I hope to see and hear from you soon.
Rob Pizem

And last but not least, don't forget to check out my favorite sites:

http://www.scarpa.net
http://www.arcteryx.com
http://camp-usa.com
http://sterlingrope.com
http://ColoradoMountainJournal.com
http://www.wunderground.com
http://climbing.com
http://rockandice.com
http://deadpointmag.com
http://urbanclimbermag.com
http://andrewburr.com
http://ladzinski.com