Jungle Expedition 2012

  After a fun season in the desert, I've spent the past month and a half In Salt Lake, training in the gym and skiing a bit. Down time is fun, and quite necessary sometimes, but I can already start to feel the itch; The itch to venture into truly wild places, and explore the untouched vertical world.

  In just a couple weeks, Sam Farnsworth, Siebe Vanhee, George Ullrich, and I will be traveling deep into the Venezuelan jungle in search of the fabled Amuri Tepui- "steepest wall on earth." Only two teams have climbed routes on this remote tepui, but neither tackle the main amphitheater- which boasts the steepest rock. 

This is what happened the last time George and I went on an expedition... Portaledge carnage...

Los Fabulosos Dos - Cerro Catedral '10 from Pete Rhodes on Vimeo.

While packing for this trip I'm already starting to see some of the benefits of climbing a big wall near the equator- no crampons, ice axes, winter gloves, wind goggles, or giant down parkas. Instead, I'll be bringing a couple pairs of shorts, a few t-shirts, sticky rubber knee pads, and a pair of Ray-Bans. I'm sure the poisonous snakes, malaria, and endless miles of thick, wet jungle will eventually out weigh the wind and snow of Patagonia, but for now, it feels like I'm packing for a Yosemite trip!

Stay Tuned for updates...

Meanwhile, check out Runout Customs for what I think are the best haul bags available, and lots of other custom wall gear.